Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: To Lüset (3)
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A massive blaze engulfed me in an instant.
-Roarrrrrr!!!
Was this how I died? So pointlessly? Sensing the agony about to hit, I squeezed my eyes shut on instinct.
-Beep!
……Beep?
-Sizzzzzzz!
……Sizzzzzzz?
What the hell?
The situation unfolded nothing like I'd expected, so I cracked open my tightly shut eyes.
There in front of me wasn't a raging inferno—it was a tiny bird.
“Beep……?”
Ppippi flapped its round, plump body furiously. A faint breeze flowed from those wings……
'The flames…… blocked it?'
Even seeing it with my own eyes, I couldn't believe it. The massive blaze fizzled out with pathetic hisses, powerless against Ppippi's wingbeats.
-Stop! Stop!
A voice wailing in utter misery.
“Ppippi…… thank you.”
I gently scooped up Ppippi, who was flapping its tiny wings roughly like it was throwing a tantrum. It huffed nonstop, wings spread wide.
-Beep!
……No idea why, but it was seriously pissed.
I held Ppippi on my palm up to the dying flames. The blaze let out a short screech and shrank down to candle size.
“……What the hell are you?”
I'd been dying to ask that for a while now. The flickering flame atop the black scroll answered in a small voice.
-……Dimakushel.
“Dimakushel?”
-You summoned me yourself and don't even know? You moron……
-Beep!
-Eek! Take it back, take it back!
“……Right, Dimakushel. So what are you that you popped out of this scroll?”
It fell silent. Like it was sizing up whether I truly didn't know. After a moment, it spoke in a chilling tone.
-Young crow. Didn't they pass on my warning?
……Crows? Warning?
-Daring to summon this great body out of blind greed and then play games……
“Wait, wait, wait.”
I cut off its gathering rant and explained fast.
“First off, I'm not a crow. Second, so I've never heard any warning. Third, I'm neither blinded by vain desires nor playing games. Got it?”
-……
“I don't think we're enemies.”
-What?
“I want to kill the Crows too.”
-Then what are you……
“I'm just a regular druid.”
-Druid?
The flame erupted in booming laughter, like it'd heard the funniest joke ever. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! So loud I half-expected an elf soldier to kick the door down any second.
-A druid reading a malediction?
“……It's a long story.”
-Linshaka'd grab her neck and keel over! Kahahaha!
After belting out that laugh, it seemed in a far better mood and started talking properly.
“I stumbled on this scroll by accident. So yeah, I wouldn't know about you.”
-'By accident,' someone who can read maledictions 'by accident' gets this scroll? That's rich!
“……Fine, not total accident. But I had zero clue what this scroll even was.”
-Oh, now that rings true.
“Dimakushel, what's your deal exactly?”
-The primal flame and mighty right arm, lord of the lava lake, boiler of souls!
“……Hold up, hell?”
-Scared already? Definitely human.
“No, no, not scared. Just……”
Those titles scream demon, but the idea of one stuck in a lousy scroll was ridiculous.
……Yeah, saying that'd piss it off big time.
“Just curious, is all.”
-Curious?
“Why you're stuck like this. Why you're hell-bent on killing the Crows.”
-……
“Our goals might line up. So why not be straight?”
-……
If it wouldn't spill, I'd seal the scroll and chuck it into the middle of the ocean…… Right as I steeled myself on that, Dimakushel finally spoke.
-I don't know.
Come again?
-When I snapped to, those 'crows' were right there in front of me.
“……What'd they want?”
-Said they had work for 'Him.'
“Him? Who's that?”
It scoffed at my question.
-The instant I utter His true name, that puny human skull of yours pops. Still wanna hear?
“……Hard pass. Next topic. Why turn down their offer? Don't demons dream of manifesting in this world?”
-I'm not like those pests. Got zero interest in this garbage world where He no longer exists.
“No longer exists?”
-He vanished ages ago. The Crows are just leeching off His great name to feed their pathetic greed. So……
“So?”
-……I burned them all to ash.
It giggled, the flame flickering.
-Cost me getting stuck in this accursed scroll. No clue how long.
“Stuck?”
-Yeah. Every time the Crows summoned me, I wiped 'em out.
“……”
-Come to think of it, you're the first non-crow to call me forth.
“Thanks for not killing me?”
-Kahahahaha!
The flame surged with its laughter. I stared down at the scroll. This thing slaughtered every Crow who summoned it—no intel on them at all. Way less useful than I'd hoped. Ppippi's keeping it in check for now, but……
“……Anyway, I heard you out.”
-Then get rid of that bird.
“Fat chance. How do I know you won't kill me?”
-I promise.
“Demon promises mean squat.”
No 'contract,' no trusting demons.
-Then what'll you do?
“……”
Ocean's right here—seal it and toss. Sure, foe of the Crows, but too damn risky.
-I can read you like a book.
“Th-that obvious?”
-What can I say. Let's make a deal!
……Classic demon move.
“What kind of deal.”
-I'll make you the incarnation of the great Dimakushel.
“……”
For real?
Incarnation basically means becoming a vessel for another being. You borrow their power, but hand over your body in return. 'Lending' my ass—most control goes to them. Double if it's a demon.
-Rare chance to become incarnation of the primal flame and mighty right arm, lord of the lava lake, boiler of souls. You'll gain power to rule this world. Every flame on this land will obey your command, every lava flow will boil for you, every life will tremble in fear! You said you wanna kill the Crows? Take my hand!
Demon silver tongue alright. I gave it a bored look and shook my head.
“I'll pass.”
-What?! You dare reject this body……!
“Ppippi, wanna blast this thing?”
-Beep!
-Wa-wait, wait!!!
It shrieked in panic. Dimakushel's flame had shrunk from candle to matchstick size. No clue how, but it clearly dreaded Ppippi's wingbeats.
-Fine! Then just half—lend me half your body!
“You know that's bullshit.”
-Kuugh……
“Was nice chatting, Dimakushel.”
-Then right hand—just the right! Left works too! Please! Plea……!
I ignored its cries, rolled up the scroll, and tied it with the leather strap.
-Kyaaaaah!
A scream, then puff—the candle snuffed out.
“Dimakushel, huh…… Never figured something like that was trapped inside.”
Way trickier and riskier than expected. Without Ppippi, I'd be charcoal right now.
Any normal demon would've cut a deal with the Crows instead of rotting in a scroll. Demons hate confinement more than death. But this one? Blew every chance to manifest and slaughtered the summoners instead. Crazy's standard for demons, but Dimakushel took the cake.
'Nothing good comes from keeping this close.'
Not the right hand, not even a pinky.
Still, that Crow hatred…… might come in handy someday……
“……”
I set the scroll on the desk and fiddled with it. Instead of dumping it in the deep ocean where no one'd find it, I chose to hold onto it for now.
A gamble that could be poison or cure.
'……Gotta make sure I never have to use the damn thing.'
I could make that call because Ppippi had the power to suppress Dimakushel. Like an emergency kill switch? Still no idea why Ppippi could do that……
“Ppippi, what the heck are you?”
I stroked its head. Ignoring me, it pecked at the scroll on the desk—peck, peck, peck. Like it was dishing out punishment. Each time, Dimakushel's screams seemed to echo faintly.
* * *
The long voyage was finally over. We'd arrived at Lüset. Unlike most ports, Lüset's harbor was serene and elegant. Nearly all the docked ships were elven; others were a rare few.
Elves zipped constantly in and out of the Ekaitz Confederation, the Barak Empire, Roshan, even Solen and Ergin—but they kept their own nation's gates of Lüset locked tight. Officially, to shield foreign lands from the monster hordes spilling out of the 'Dark Forest.' But let's be real……
'A lockdown policy.'
They didn't want outsiders catching wind of their xenophobia, the infighting between elves and dark elves, or the rotten politics of their nobility that'd gone from stale to spoiled.
That was why only mercenaries with solid reps and real skill could even set foot in Lüset. I'd built a decent name for myself, but entry was still iffy—until Darion threw a lucky curveball and smoothed things over.
“Halt!”
……Or so I'd thought.
That was one hell of a solid misconception.