Chapter 102: Cursed Child (2)[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 102: Cursed Child (2)[R-18]
"...The Balance Demon?"
"Yes. As the name suggests, the 'Balance Demon' is essentially a demon that returns exactly as much as the contractor places on the scales. No matter what that might be."
"...."
"Senior, looking at you now, it seems you don't understand why returning exactly what was received makes it a demon... but that’s exactly what it’s aiming for. At first glance, a contract with this demon doesn't seem like a losing deal."
The sweeter the demon's whisper, the more poison it contains.
That was a truth that had remained unchanged since ancient times.
"And while I said it returns exactly what it receives, there is one specific time when the 'Balance Demon' can ignore the scales."
"What is it?"
"Revenge. It returns several times the damage the contractor suffered. That’s why it’s also known as the 'Demon of Revenge.'"
"...So you're saying Estelle contracted with a demon just to get revenge on Delphicia?"
When Ian asked with a hardened expression, Elfriede shook her head.
"That’s probably not it. According to you, Senior, all Delphicia did to Estelle was ruin the gift for 'Lady Ellis's Day' that you were supposed to receive."
"...It’s not confirmed. I’m just saying it’s a possibility."
Elfriede furrowed her brows.
He was a man so frustratingly kind it was almost a fault. It was obvious to anyone that the bitch was the one who broke it, yet here he was, making excuses for her.
"Ha, fine. Let's assume for a moment that Delphicia did it. But I can guarantee you, that's not enough to form a contract with a demon. Ever since Goddess Ellis descended upon this land and the 'Dark Age' ended, demonic contracts have become quite difficult to secure. Nowadays, unless you have the resolve of something like 'I will avenge my parents!', the contract itself is impossible."
"...Elfriede. Didn't you just say Estelle was a demonic contractor? Now you're saying she isn't?"
"No, it's almost certain that Estelle is a contractor. With this many overlapping factors, it would be more surprising if she wasn't. However..."
Pausing for a moment, Elfriede slowly parted her lips.
"It means Estelle entered the contract a long time ago."
"...."
"You seem to find it hard to believe. Then, I'll prove it to you."
Clap—
Elfriede clapped her hands and asked Ian.
"There are more things than you'd think that can be paid as a price for a demonic contract. But do you know the one thing that is never missing?"
"...."
"This was even left out of the 'Sealing Designation,' so you should know it too, Senior. It comes up in old stories all the time."
"...A soul."
"Correct. Now you understand why your 'precious friend's' lower body ended up like that, right?"
Ian let out a deep sigh and pressed his hand to his forehead.
"Haa... Why didn't Estelle tell the Church about this?"
"It's simple. She probably didn't even know she had contracted with a demon."
"She didn't know?"
"Yes, demons aren't that stupid. While it's not as powerful as a 'Dragon's True Name,' just knowing a demon's name makes it significantly easier to deal with them. Especially the 'Balance Demon'—it's had its contract canceled twice that we know of, so it definitely would have included a condition to forget the contract."
"...Still, Estelle was the type to read books like 'Introduction to Demonology' on her own. She could have suspected a demonic contract."
"Senior... just because I'm explaining it easily doesn't mean this is easy information! What you're hearing right now is information that has been under 'Sealing Designation'! Every book related to demons currently circulating in the market, including 'Introduction to Demonology,' is 100% bullshit. To find proper information, you'd have to look for books that are at least 800 years old."
This was exactly how Elfriede had obtained her information.
They say there is no place on earth beyond the Church's reach...
But the 'Forbidden Archive' located in the deepest part of the Elves' 'World Tree' was able to evade the Church's 'Sealing Designation.'
"Why on earth would the Church do such a thing? Then how are we supposed to deal with it when a demon actually appears!"
"Calm down, Senior. I'm not a fan of the Church either, but I can understand their reasoning."
"...What?"
"Think about it. Is it safer to teach a child the detailed dangers and handling of a crossbow? Or is it safer to just hide the existence of the crossbow altogether?"
No matter how much you say a crossbow is dangerous, there will always be someone who tries to fire it.
Furthermore, a demon was a being so dangerous that a crossbow couldn't even begin to compare.
She didn't like the Church's methods, but she could accept them.
Flip— flip—
"Still, the owner of this notebook was quite clever. Even in a situation where she couldn't be sure of the demon's existence, she had figured out that 'If I am harmed by the opponent, the opponent becomes unhappy.' And, though it's missing from the notebook..."
After reading the notebook once more, Elfriede nodded.
"Based on what you said, Senior, it seems she also realized that 'If I pay the price directly, I can avoid the misfortune.'"
"...Making her pay the price directly?"
"Yes. To be precise, the contractor finishes the revenge herself before the 'Balance Demon' can step in."
At that, Ian's clenched fist trembled as if something had occurred to him.
'Tsk... every single one of them is too damn kind.'
If someone had done that to me and got caught, I would have half-killed them even without a 'Balance Demon.'
This is why being too kind is a problem.
"Well, it was a mistake to stray off the path halfway through and dig into 'Curses.' Still, it was a stroke of luck in the midst of misfortune that she didn't tell the Church. Though it seems Estelle did that simply because she dislikes the Church..."
"Why? If it's a demon, isn't it the enemy the Church talks about?"
"Because they are enemies. The one thing the higher-ups of the Church hate second most in the world is a 'demonic contractor.' Whether your 'precious friend' contracted intentionally or was tricked into it, the moment it was discovered, she would have immediately become a 'Special-Class Subjugation Target.'"
This was the reason Elfriede found the Church repulsive.
Ignoring the damage caused in the process, they would pull things out by the roots if they seemed likely to become a source of danger.
She felt a sense of tribal loathing toward the Church's actions, which were somehow similar to how the Elves handled things.
"Auu... I've talked too much, I'm tired. Let's end the story here. Oh! I shouldn't even need to say this, but if you value your life, Senior, don't go around blabbing about what we talked about today."
Shrugging her shoulders, Elfriede hopped down from the desk.
I Alone Am The Honored One.
Elfriede evaluated herself as a Genius Beauty High Elf who feared nothing in the world, but if she had to pick one thing that was scary, it was the Church.
The Church was an overwhelming group of violence armed with the madness called faith.
"...Elfriede, wait a moment."
"Why? I think I've said everything there is to say."
"You left out the most important part. ...What were those two contract cancellations you mentioned earlier?"
Tsk—
Elfriede clicked her tongue inwardly.
She had realized her mistake late and tried to leave quickly in case he asked, but she had been caught.
"...Hmm. Did I say something like that? I'm not sure."
"Elfriede. You know."
"Ah! I don't know! I don't want to! Let go! I'm leaving!"
Turning her head away sharply, Elfriede drew a line.
'This is it. No more.'
She had already given him a significant amount of information for an ordinary person to know...
As long as he kept his mouth shut about what he knew so far, he would probably be able to live his life without much trouble.
But if he dug any deeper, Ian's life might truly be in danger.
'...And what's with him? He seeks me out only when he needs something, all for the sake of another woman.'
Pouting her lips, Elfriede thought back to 'Lady Ellis's Day.'
'...The child sitting in the wheelchair then was probably Estelle.'
Actually, the time Elfriede had intended to give Ian the chocolate was during the 'Sacred Banquet.'
'Then! For the sake of the holy Lady Ellis's Day!'
'For her!'
'...For her.'
However, the moment she saw Ian in the Grand Hall, smiling brightly with two other women, Elfriede had found herself stepping backward without realizing it.
'...What the heck! Seriously! He's never smiled like that at me!'
The more she thought of Ian's face, the more something hot welled up inside Elfriede's chest...
Still, thinking that even that dense man would change if he received a chocolate filled with sincerity, she had gone to find Ian.
‘...I'm sorry, Elfriede, but I don't have time.’
But Ian had run off as if escaping, without even giving her a chance to hand over the chocolate.
Crunch—
'...Why?'
The chocolate, which had been beautifully wrapped in a heart shape, was crushed in Elfriede's hand.
'Why on earth do I have to be treated like this!? I'm Elfriede!'
Elfriede lacked for nothing.
Even while looking at the blonde girl who was with him, she inwardly thought that she, with her firm yet supple thighs, was better than someone who just had big tits.
'Seriously, who does he think he is to make me feel inferior? Just because he's a bit handsome, is that it? This is ridiculous! Truly ridiculous!'
Young Elfriede didn't realize it, but this wasn't inferiority; it was jealousy.
From the moment she realized Ian was showing a face to another woman that he never showed to her, Elfriede had been constantly jealous.
...Of course, there was room for debate as to whether the age of 230 could be described as "young."
Even by High Elf standards, let alone human ones, 230 was by no means a young age.
However, Elfriede had literally wasted those years.
Setting aside her body, which had become younger through Metamorphosis, a person's mental growth occurs through interaction with others.
But Elfriede, who had been raised in top secrecy as the Elves' secret weapon, had spent most of her life locked inside the World Tree with minimal contact with others.
Far from having peers, the only people she saw up close were elders who were hundreds of years older than her.
Even then, the elders were more like 'teachers' and 'subjects' than 'family.'
There was no way an Elfriede like this could have grown mentally.
'...So I'm absolutely not telling you!!'
What made Elfriede even angrier was that her past self had truly felt nothing.
Because no one had taught her that such a life was lonely and sad.
—Make Elves Great Again.
Those words she heard from the elders were the only reason Elfriede lived.
[Is there no perverted milking magic?][14]
Then one day, the Gallery appeared before Elfriede's eyes.