#077 When She Opened Her Eyes Again
When Catherine opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in a place that felt strangely familiar, if not entirely welcoming.
The Abyss. Was it because this was her third visit? It no longer surprised her. In fact, it felt as comforting as heading to Panya. The only difference was the vast emptiness—no signs of life anywhere in the expansive Abyss.
In this inexplicable situation, only one name came to mind: the true name she’d been told to call if danger arose. Catherine cautiously parted her lips.
"Leviathan."
But for some reason, there was no response. Not even Chezare appeared, nor did the ground tremble as before.
"Hm."
Was there some thick soundproof barrier between the Abyss and Eden? Catherine sat demurely with her legs tucked under her beneath the dark sky. If she just waited, Chezare would come fetch her soon enough.
That was when it happened.
「Is that Catherine Orleans?」
Someone addressed her. Turning toward the unfamiliar voice, she saw black petals materializing in the air, gradually forming a human shape.
「Sorry, I’m a bit late. Haha! I was so nervous my feet wouldn’t move.」
What emerged was a devilishly handsome man in a stylish three-piece suit, with long legs. A devil with a pig’s head, no less. Before Catherine could react, the round pig head plopped right off his neck.
The grotesque sight left her speechless.
「Ta-da! The pig head was just a disguise. I know how much you hate that look, so I thought I’d play a little prank.」
How did he know that? Catherine eyed the headless man suspiciously from head to toe.
"Who are you?"
The man juggled the pig head like a pierrot tossing a ball, his gloved white hands deft. The bouncing pig head narrowed its eyes in a grin.
「Oh ho. Facing an unfamiliar devil in an unfamiliar place without flinching? Impressive. You’ve got the first qualification to be my new master.」
What was this devil— the one juggling the pig head—saying?
「I bet this sudden situation has you shocked. Allow me to briefly explain why you’ve ended up in the Abyss. I’m great at three-line summaries, after all.」
This was the most absurd and incomprehensible moment of her life. It meant something unprecedentedly dangerous was unfolding. Without hesitation, Catherine called Chezare’s name again.
"Leviathan."
Still no answer from him. The devil placed a hand over his chest and bowed at the waist.
「Alas… regrettable, but you can’t summon other devils here. Not even the Great Demon of the Ocean, Leviathan.」
The pig head grinned wider than ever, as if reveling in the moment. Though she didn’t show it, Catherine felt a surge of extreme tension for the first time since Chezare learned of her magic nullification ability. This devil knew she was Leviathan’s contractor. And he wielded enough power to block even Leviathan’s summoning—something the other Great Demons feared.
How?
As if reading her doubt, the pig head sobered and spoke.
「Don’t be too shocked. Though I’m sure you are! My name is Dantalion. A devil who’s been watching over you for a very long time… Well, not a person, a devil. Feel free to call me Uncle if you like.」
Catherine let out a disbelieving laugh.
"You think 'Uncle' is coming out of my mouth right now?"
「I expected it, but it still stings a little!」
If this devil was more powerful than Chezare, there was nothing she could do here. Should she give up on this life and aim for earthworm mage instead? Speaking in a half-resigned tone, Catherine said,
"Do something about that gross pig head first."
「Ooh, I was rather fond of it…」
With his reply, the devil’s head shifted from pig to rat. Seeing that, Catherine decided to hold her tongue.
「Shall we start the three-line summary? Under orders from my former master, I’ve brought you here. You’re about to time-travel to Eden 600 years ago. What nonsense is this? No, no—it’s all been meticulously planned since your birth. This Dantalion has waited eons for today.」
Not exactly three lines, despite his claim.
"Who’s your former master?"
The rat head curved its eyes in a smile—the most horrifying grin she’d ever seen.
「I think you know who.」
"No idea."
「No, you do.」
"I said I don’t."
「You will.」
Catherine clamped her mouth shut and glared at the devil with a pout. Scratching his neck awkwardly (the rat head’s eyes looked genuinely troubled), he finally relented.
「Fine, I’ll spell it out. My former master is your mother.」
Of course. She’d heard endlessly about her mother’s innate magical genius, but not to this extent. The devil Dantalion’s name was familiar to Catherine too—on par with Lemor, from what she knew.
"Why is my mother sending me back 600 years?"
「I don’t know that either.」
Catherine’s patience was wearing thin.
"Are you messing with me right now?"
Ooh! The rat head beamed and let out an inexplicable exclamation. Though only Dantalion and she were in the Abyss, it oddly felt like debating with ten people—her head throbbed.
「As expected of Catherine. Yelling so boldly even before this Dantalion! Delightful! But don’t worry too much. My former master left you a signpost.」
Tucking the rat head under one arm, Dantalion rummaged in his pocket with the other. What he produced was a silver ring embedded with a black rose-shaped crystal.
"What’s this?"
「A ring containing the breath of the Great Demon Lilith.」
Who?
Great Demon Lilith? The Void Dominator, Lilith. The least known among the seven Great Demons. Was it from all her training? Mentions of Great Demons no longer fazed her. She just sighed at the increasingly bizarre conversation.
Dantalion slipped the ring directly onto her finger. Too absurd to even stop him.
"What am I supposed to do with this?"
Pretty, though.
In response to her question, Dantalion replied energetically.
「You must go back to Eden 600 years ago and prevent the Great Demon Lilith’s death.」
……What?
「You have 20 days. Failure means death. Hahaha! Don’t be too sad. You can do it, Catherine!」
That damned rat head. Ripples spread quietly across the water at her feet. From there, her legs began sinking beneath the surface.
The giggling rat head had never been more infuriating. For her mental peace, Catherine took a deep breath.
Okay. Calm down, Catherine. Can’t stop the jump to Eden 600 years ago. Better to ask as many questions as possible instead of despairing.
But what to ask? She blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"At least tell me why I have to save Lilith."
「It’s for your sake. Not some good deed for others, so no need to feel hard done by.」
Doesn’t feel that way right now.
「Oh, almost forgot an important bit.」
Dantalion warned gravely.
「The Leviathan of 600 years ago was far more savage than now. Be careful if you meet him.」
With those words, Catherine’s eyes, nose, and mouth submerged. The unique quiet hum of the Abyss faded, replaced by growing tinnitus in her head. Then, her hazy mind sharpened.
The ringing vanished, overtaken by the murmur of voices. Her blocked breath eased, and her vision cleared. Catherine blinked dazedly.
Dizzy, but she couldn’t just sit there stupidly—the air touching her skin felt different. Darkness surrounded her. Not just dark, but ominously so. Unidentifiable monsters were carved into the visible ceiling everywhere.
Where is this?
She didn’t know where, but her current state seemed dangerous. Armed knights stood right in front of her, their gazes threatening, as if facing an unknown enemy. Their crude armor was uniformly outdated.
Someone bellowed loudly.
"Captain! There’s a suspicious woman here!"
No matter how she thought about it, the 'suspicious woman' the knight meant was her. Soon, a handsome young man pushed through them.
An undeniable pressure emanated from his slow approach. The man was strikingly tall. Seeing his face, Catherine couldn’t utter a word.
"A young woman without a scratch in this dingy place."
A sharp sword tip pointed at her. Even the languid motion induced suffocating tension.
"I’ll give you 10 seconds. Spill everything—who and where you’re from."
This situation felt oddly familiar. Catherine was certain. The man pressing the sword to her chin was the devil she’d sworn eternity with: Chezare.
"One."
Silver hair translucent and pure like mermaid scales under lantern’s red flicker. Lips pressed tight. Deep-set eyes casting long shadows, slender nose.
"……Three."
Up to there, it was the Chezare she knew.
"……Five."
But everything else was different. Unlike his usual leisurely air, a youthful face not even twenty. Bored expression. Thicker neck and torso, callused hands honed by training, a gravelly voice like scraping iron on rock.
"……Eight."
And above all, the chilling glare at a complete stranger.
"Ten. Time’s up. Keeping your mouth shut means you don’t care if you die here, right?"
Her vision blackened. Die failing to meet Lilith, or die to this Chezare—either way, a dog’s death. This Chezare from 600 years ago’s eyes were different from the start. Gone mad, perhaps.
"……Sob."
So Catherine cried first.
"Hic… sob."
The knights’ armor didn’t gleam like the Imperial Knights’ well-maintained gear. Their overall appearance, weapons crusted with dried blood—everything screamed fresh from battle. The aura was murderous, ready to annihilate all enemies before them.
"Please spare me!"
So she played pitiful as best she could. Fortunately, Catherine was a pro at this. [