Deal with the Devil
It's a fact I've confirmed with both Ari and Lisa, but the monsters that turned into cute girls can sense my location in real time. It's still a function I don't fully understand.... If I try to make sense of it by force, I guess it's a feature added to encourage building bonds with the cute girls......
...That guy definitely knows where I am too.
So, following the pattern so far, I figured it would come straight for me. Especially after that last glimpse I caught of it. The thing wanted to devour me, so I thought it'd approach somehow....
Why isn't it coming...?
This entity cannot be summoned.
This entity cannot be stored.
"......What the hell."
Can't summon it, can't store it...?
Not understanding, I opened the codex and tapped File 010.
File 010.
Massacre (Citrinitas) Nightmare-Devouring Fox ( Complete)
* This entity is fullyed.
* Naming it binds the entity to you.
* Bonds with this entity unlock various potentials.
§ Bond Effects Acquired: You can borrow the power of the 'Nightmare-Devouring Fox' to ■■■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■ ■■.
"The content's different...."
It was slightly different from Ari's and Lisa's entries. No summon function unlocked, no bond effects, can't store it....
Does it only unlock functions after meeting the cute girl...?
That seems likely....
I'm starting to get a feel for what the Cute Girl Mod is now.
...The Cute Girl Mod has a visual novel vibe or a cute girl gacha game feel. In a visual novel, to text a heroine and ask her out on a date? You have to meet her first and trigger at least one event.... In a cute girl gacha game, to summon a character? You have to pull her first....
In that sense, it looks like I need to meet the 'Nightmare-Devouring Fox' at least once, but it's not coming to me......?
For now, just leave it be....
Doesn't seem like there's any other option besides leaving it alone and waiting for it to show up.
If I keep Ari and Lisa by my side, I shouldn't be in any danger...?
Since it's become a cute girl anyway. Now that it's humanoid, its power should be way weaker than when it was a monster.
And this is just a hunch, but.
Monsters marked ' Complete' probably won't attack me?
For example, monsters marked 'Resolved' have this kind of info.
File 006.
Massacre (Citrinitas) Kunekune (Resolved)
* This entity is resolved.
* This entity cannot be summoned.
* This entity can no longer attack you.
The key is that last line. It can no longer attack me.
And I think ' Complete' is way harder to achieve than 'Resolved,' and a higher concept altogether.
So, monsters that are ' Complete' probably can't attack me either...... That kind of feeling.
Ari, Lisa, Taemi—all the completed monsters so far haven't shown any hostility toward me.
So, no need to worry too much about the 'Nightmare-Devouring Fox.'
"Wanna try driving?"
...What I should be worrying about is this.
The peaceful office. No new requests yet, so it feels nice and quiet. I thought about posting some promo on Mimenet, but right after that grueling last incident, I just don't have the motivation.
I wanna rest for at least another week...... That kind of vibe.
That last request was seriously exhausting....
Just as I was enjoying the peace, Ari caused a ripple.
"Ari, do you really have to drive?"
"Yeah."
"...You don't have to drive or anything."
"Wanna try."
"......"
"We earned money."
Ari said that.
Haa.
I sighed.
Ari's gradually picking up knowledge about human society. Meaning, she knows I earned money....
I promised Ari that if we made money, I'd let her drive....
No more putting it off.
Of course, I have zero desire to let Ari drive.
No matter how I think about it, Ari doesn't seem like she'd be good at driving. If she doesn't cause an accident, that'll be a miracle....
"Yeah.... It's about time I got you girls some identities anyway...."
"Identity?"
"To get a driver's license, you need an identity first."
The problem is how to give these illegal immigrants identities.
The legal way is applying for refugee status, but that takes forever to process and is a hassle.
The illegal way is through brokers, but that's not easy either.
But there was one breakthrough.
This is a monster game world, right?
So, solve it through a monster.
Oh, if it isn't the fixer. What brings you here?
I called Re:Foundation's Park Jong-cheol right away.
"Oh, uh, well. It's about a request our office is handling... We need some human blood...."
Ah, got it! That's no big deal.
I got a few items from the Foundation to summon a monster. Being on good terms with them has its perks. They're so well-connected, they can procure pretty much anything.
Got delivery of human blood and the other items.
Entered an empty room in the office and drew the summoning circle on the floor.
Muksi Saengmyeongche Investigation Record #Deal with the Devil
Entity Name: Deal with the Devil
Estimated Management Rank: Defect (Albedo) (Threat Level 2)
Affinity: Neutral
Performing the designated procedures and methods allows summoning this entity. However, due to high risk of abuse by civilians, summoning procedure details have been ■■■■ ■■ processed. This data is viewable only at security level ■■ or higher.
Devil summoning circle.
But despite the grandiose name, the circle itself was pretty simple.
That said, the reason I remember this summoning circle isn't just because it's simple.
In my past life, I'd seen it multiple times.
Finished the circle without much trouble.
Then the circle glowed, and it appeared.
"Ho, someone from outside the Foundation summoning me. That's rare."
Devil.
Or at least, it had an alien yet familiar look.
Not the classic image we think of. No skull pumpkin head or anything.
Not particularly tall either. Not as short as me, but maybe under 160cm.
Hard to make out its form under the hood-like cloak.
Voice was androgynous too, so no clue on gender.
Not that devils even have gender, probably.
More like a reaper or grim messenger than a devil.
"New face. First time, so I'll give you a discount. Consultation fee is 1 million won, or equivalent body part."
...Straight out the gate acting like a highway robber.
I was a bit tense, but the immediate demand for cash actually relaxed me.
Guess even though it's a monster, spending money scares me more.
Monsters scary, or expenses scarier? Dunno.
"...We'll go with 1 million won."
Glanced at my phone screen, and poof—1 million gone from my account balance.
1 million just for a consult? Way too pricey....
This the going rate?
"So, what would you like to trade for?"
The devil asked.
Threat Level 2 monster, 'Deal with the Devil.'
Among players, nicknamed 'Money Pigeon.'
Can perform direct trades with this entity, including wish fulfillment in 'trade' format. Trade requires payment of equivalent value; cases confirmed using blood, body parts, or souls as payment.
Motif was obvious. The guy handling "even sell your soul to the devil" lines.
Sometimes demands souls, sometimes tries to trick people.
But aside from that, super useful.
If you have enough cash to pay, it'll sell anything.
That's why it's a late-game encounter.
Speedrunners might unlock it early; others hit it at least once.
Seen the devil circle tons in leaderboards.
But like the nickname 'Money Pigeon'...
...It's a real money-obsessed bastard, that's the issue.
"I want identities for these girls."
"I see. Faking birth records, tampering with resident registry databases, etc. That's organized crime territory—billions normally. But first-time special: 100 million per person, 200 million total?"
"......"
Thinks I'm a sucker.