Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Blue Devil (2)
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It had been quite a while since I last entered a mental world.
The previous experience I recalled was when I was pulled into my own mental world by the holy power of the Archangel.
In terms of karma, it was completely neutral, so I remembered it being utterly barren, with nothing at all.
“...”
And now, the atmosphere here was a bit different from back then.
Probably because this was Liru's mental world, not mine.
‘...It's brutal.’
Just looking at the scenery around me now made that clear.
No one's mental space could be this... 'desolate' unless it belonged to that person.
Withered, twisted earth. A sky dyed red. A fierce blizzard raging mercilessly.
The snow was piled so deep that my feet sank in with every step.
It was cold. And painful.
I wasn't exactly an expert in psychology, but I knew well enough that if someone's mind was depicted in images like this, it was definitely not a positive state.
However.
If I looked around a little more carefully, I could tell this wasn't the whole picture.
I walked over to the 'flower bed.'
Compared to the withered earth covering this space and the snow piled on top of it, it was only about a handspan wide.
But it was a patch of lush green land.
“Isn't it warm?”
I turned my head at those words.
On that green land, someone was lying down leisurely.
The voice was gentle, completely out of place for the location and time, but precisely because of that, I immediately knew who the owner was.
“From the perspective of someone always stuck inside here, this is much better than constant cold. You have no idea how comfortable it is.”
A person who gave off a 'blue' impression from head to toe.
Her skin was snow-white, but blue particles streamed from her entire body, creating that feeling.
It was Liru. Not wearing a single thread.
More precisely, the Blue Devil taking on her form.
Fragments of devils usually resided in the host's mental world.
“You're not that surprised? Most people freak out seeing Liru like this.”
The Blue Devil tossed those words at me with a faint smile.
Indeed, just as she said.
The atmosphere was relaxed and languid. A soft, drawling voice, eyes half-closed as she lay sprawled on the grass like she was out for a picnic nap.
Considering she always came across as the stereotypical 'female warrior'—rigid and tough—it couldn't get more awkward than this.
“...I had a hypothesis.”
I said that as I plopped down in front of the Blue Devil.
“All the devil fragments I've met were completely different from their 'hosts' in vibe.”
Elnor's fragment, who always suppressed her emotions, felt childishly innocent and pure.
Yuria's fragment, who constantly tried to suppress her own violence and erase her presence, was arrogant, obsessive, and extreme.
“...The fused devil expresses the emotions the host has been 'suppressing' on their behalf.”
This meant the parts Liru had suppressed were fused into the Blue Devil fragment.
Sloth. Laziness. Peace.
“...”
And that was.
Completely different from the 'devils' I knew in the game.
I rarely even got the chance to face devils directly in the game anyway. Devils didn't 'interact' with hosts like this in the game.
In other words.
In this world where I'd possessed the character.
The existence called 'devils' might be slightly different from the 'final bosses' shown in Sera.
Similar in abilities and traits, but not boiling over with pure 'evil' solely for world destruction.
Something much more.
'Human'-like.
“...An interesting hypothesis.”
Instead of responding directly, the Blue Devil just said that with a faint smile.
‘Well, that's a topic for later investigation.’
For now, the fact that the Blue Devil fragment had this personality greatly influenced the 'negotiation.'
If it were like the White Devil fragment, charging at me without listening, this calm 'conversation' wouldn't have been possible.
I knew that, which was why I'd provoked Liru so much to confront this one.
“You said you had an offer I couldn't refuse?”
The Blue Devil said that as she slightly propped herself up.
“I'm personally curious what 'price' you'll pay.”
“...”
I took a deep breath to steady my mind.
Even though we were talking calmly now, the other party's essence was a devil.
A transcendent being of this world who could erase someone like me with a flick of a pinky.
“I won't accept anything half-hearted.”
The Blue Devil said that, her smile fading slightly.
“...This space hasn't been around long.”
The Blue Devil fiddled with the grass beneath her as she spoke.
“It means Liru, who was always driving herself relentlessly like she was being chased, has genuinely been moved by memories of being with someone. Enough to find it warm and precious.”
I looked at her as she beamed.
“Probably your influence.”
Liru Garda.
A person whose entire psyche was stained with struggle, fighting, and violence.
It probably wasn't like this until recently.
Kasa lost her limbs, the clan all died. Exiled to the Empire.
In a distant land far from home, with no one to trust.
Pushing herself for revenge with no end in sight led to this state.
“...”
Living wasn't really living.
No one to trust, carrying the clan children and Kasa she had to protect, facing enemies so vast she couldn't even gauge them. It'd be a lie to say it wasn't scary.
But.
She shoved all those emotions aside, training from morning till night, training, training, training.
Because that was all she could do.
Humans aren't machines. Living like that would break anyone. Liru must have been at her limit.
And amid that.
I appeared.
Someone who understood her, cared for her, helped her achieve her goal, and even confessed to liking her.
“But.”
The Blue Devil continued.
Her expression was still gentle, but her eyes and mouth were now rigidly set, devoid of the previous smile.
“No matter the purpose, you toyed with Liru's heart as you pleased.”
“...”
Yeah.
I had no choice but to admit it.
“I can't just let that slide. If I could, I'd rather lend more power to Liru who's rampaging 'outside' right now.”
“...”
It was unexpected.
Listening to the Blue Devil now, she sounded like she was 'siding' with Liru.
This added another piece of evidence to my earlier hypothesis.
That devils were far more 'intimately connected' to their hosts than the ones in 'Sera.'
And if that was true.
There was one condition they couldn't refuse.
“I offer myself.”
“...Pardon?”
“For one day. I offer 'myself' exclusively to you. During that time, you can do whatever you want with me. Except anything that poses a serious threat to me or the people around me.”
The Blue Devil's expression went blank.
She clearly hadn't expected this offer.
“...Not to brag, but I'm quite a popular commodity among devils.”
This one was already calling me 'hubby' or whatever.
Just as Atalante said, my soul must smell irresistibly 'fragrant' to devils.
Enough to make them want to claim it forever just by looking.
“But none of them have ever succeeded in monopolizing me.”
I continued in a trembling voice.
What I was touching now was the Blue Devil's reverse scale.
Devils were the rulers of Pandemonium.
And in such positions, hierarchies inevitably formed based on power, whether they liked it or not.
The Blue Devil was easy to provoke—popping out whenever the host got a little angry—but her 'might' wasn't on the untouchable level of the Gray Devil.
By devil standards, she was low-tier.
In fact, facing her now.
Not even my lowest-rank Desperate Situation activated.
The Gray Devil had triggered EX-rank just from eye contact.
‘...So.’
To a being like that.
“You, who’s always been pushed aside by other devils, can monopolize what everyone covets—before anyone else.”
This 'bait.'
Had an effect that could be called fatal.
The Blue Devil's eyes widened.
“...”
She stayed like that for a long while after hearing me.
Then.
“Ha.”
She burst into laughter.
“Ah, haha. Ahahaha—!”
A clear, ringing laugh echoed out. After laughing for a good while, the Blue Devil wiped tears from her eyes and caught her breath.
“...You know more about Pandemonium's situation than I thought, Dawood Campbell.”
After steadying her breathing, the Blue Devil finally managed those words.
“I never expected you'd offer that.”
“...I figured it'd satisfy both Liru and you.”
“Ah, absolutely. I can't remember the last time I laughed like this. It's the first time in months.”
“...Months since?”
Not before?
“After, Dawood Campbell.”
The Blue Devil grinned as she said it.
“Devils' timeline flows a bit differently from others.”
“...”
“You wouldn't understand yet.”
Huh.
I really don't get it.
What the hell does that mean?
“Anyway.”
With that, the Blue Devil stood and hopped toward me.
Then she flipped open my shirt.
“...”
I didn't particularly want to invoke 'no improper mixing of sexes,' but this was a bit too forward.
Before I could voice the thought, her hand trailed up my chest.
The spot where the Gray Devil had inscribed the 'Mark of the Otherworldly.'
“...Heh. Just like that guy. He stamped it real big.”
“A stamp?”
“It's a declaration. 'This is mine. Hands off.' That sort of thing. The white one hasn't seen it yet, right?”
“Not yet... well, I have.”
No time for that back then; we just spilled our business and the meeting broke.
“I figured. If the white one saw it, he'd have gone straight to fight him.”
The Blue Devil pouted as she said it.
“It was like that before too. We could all share a little. But they get stubborn, always claiming it's theirs. Never giving to others. All so greedy...”
“...”
“I've never had anything worth calling mine. I'm always the one yielding.”
She made it sound like kids fighting over toys.
But this was transcendent devils squabbling.
“So.”
The Blue Devil flashed a grin after spilling that.
“This time, maybe I'll get greedy too. Since you offered.”
Her hand hovered over the Mark of the Otherworldly. Blue energy flared around it.
[System Message]
[ The presence of the 'Blue Devil' is added to the 'Mark of the Otherworldly'! ]
[ The process of changing your attribute from 'Human' to 'Blue Devil's Contractor' accelerates. ]
[ Mutation will occur soon! ]
“There, 'promise' sealed. Consider it my stamp.”
The Blue Devil chuckled.
“It's like a contract, but for one day, you're 'bound' to me. You'll do whatever I ask.”
“...Please take care of me.”
I replied, cold sweat trickling down.
“Good. So, what do you want?”
“...Please calm Liru down before she rampages.”
“A host's rampage is separate from the fragment. You know that, right?”
Yeah. I knew.
If not, Elnor wouldn't have charged at me to kill before.
The Gray Devil's personality wouldn't have let it slide either.
But.
“But you can do it.”
Other devils couldn't, but this one uniquely could.
The Devil of Sloth. The easiest to encounter in scenarios, and thus the easiest to subdue.
Her rampage trigger was very lenient, but so were the conditions to calm it—far more than other devils.
“Just calm Liru for now.”
A paradoxical request to the one called the Devil of Sloth.
But to settle Liru on the verge of rampage, nothing short of devil-level mental intervention would work. This was my only option.
“I'll handle the rest.”
“...That's it? Seems light compared to what you're giving.”
“Well, one more request.”
Not about handling the inverted tsunami outside.
But something needed right 'after.'
She nodded with a smirk after I explained.
“Not a hard task. Deal.”
“Thank you.”
I said that and gazed at her silently for a moment.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“...Please don't go too extreme.”
Leaving 'me' with her for a day. Well.
I could guess what she'd do.
At my words, the Blue Devil snickered.
“I'm looking forward to it.”
She said, chuckling.
“The white one obsesses the most, but most devils hate losing their toys. He's always on a different power level, so no one's taken from him. But.”
Malice.
“This time, I will. I, who's never coveted others' things.”
Like a snake's tongue extended long.
It slithered into my ear.
“Dye his in 'my color.'”
Warmth touched my ear.
This time, the Blue Devil really extended her tongue, slowly licking near my ear.
“Stay safe, hubby.”
Warm and hot.
Her ticklish voice, laced with a soft laugh, drilled into my head.
“I'll come devour you soon.”
“...”
Yeah.
I got it—no mercy intended.
With a wink, those were her last words.
My mind was abruptly pulled back outside.
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