The Six Apostles of the Evil God (2)

The Fourth thought, The night is unusually dark.

There was no moon to be found, no stars, and the shadows ran so deep they looked as though they would swallow you whole if you stepped on them.

That was why she liked it. On a night this dark, even killing someone didn't feel like killing. If you can't see it, well... It was like the whole thing had never happened, and that made the guilt a little easier to bear.

A giggle escaped her. An innocent smile, the kind that belonged on a face her age, bloomed across the Fourth's snow-white features.

"Ah. No."

Big brother Eugene had—

No. The Second Apostle had said:

"If not being able to see made the guilt go away, I'd have ripped my own eyes out a long time ago."

The Fourth's expression grew serious.

"......It's hard."

Can't I just do as I'm told? I didn't do this because I wanted to. The First made me do it, right? That way—

"I wouldn't have had to die."

Yeah. The Second is the weird one. So the Second—

"......Isn't needed. Just like the First said."

If I become the Second through this 'Prayer,' I should make it easier for the next Fourth. Spare them the pointless worrying.

Her chest felt tight. Her head was a tangle, her heart racing.

"Aaah. My head hurts again."

Tears spilled from her rose-pink eyes.

"I hate this more than dying."

The Fourth raised her scythe.

"So, Second. Let's die quickly."

"You or me."

"You know that's easier, right?"

Choosing to attack so hastily was, frankly, a mistake.

If the Second wins, I'll give you this.

The moment I saw the brooch in the Fourth's hand, rage surged up unbidden.

All I could think was that I had to subdue her right now.

And because of that mistake—

"......She's someone pretty important to you, huh?"

—I'd let the Fourth find out how I felt about Rania.

What if, right now, that woman is holding Rania hostage?

Then both Rania and I would have no choice but to dance to her tune.

And that wasn't even all.

I'd exhausted everything I'd prepared, so I ended up using a power I couldn't even comprehend. What if that skill only had a high rank and was actually harmful to me? Then Rania — and even my own life — would be in danger.

All of this was the price of being swept up by emotion instead of reason.

But I had no choice.

"So that kid's all alone now, huh?"

"Aigoo...... Poor little thing. What a shame."

"Even the heavens are heartless......"

Trying something before you lose it, even knowing it's a mistake, is a hundred times — a thousand times — better than regretting you didn't try after you've lost everything.

Yeah.

I didn't want to lose anything anymore.

And then, the next moment—

A dry crunch.

The entire area where the skill had activated was swallowed by a darkness with no end in sight. If dawn was a brightness that rose by degrees, this was a darkness that spread by degrees.

So it wasn't a skill I could use right now after all?

Even as I berated myself for my earlier haste, I refused to give up and kept watching.

A grinding shriek rang out, like some vast machine seizing up, and the world's time stopped. The Fourth, scythes raised and coiled to charge; the dust her feet had kicked into the air; even a bird arcing away with the moonlight at its back — all of it froze.

"What is this......"

The moment I checked the darkness in confusion—

"Yuria!! Thank god you're alive......"

—all the darkness vanished, and a black sphere, as if that darkness had been compressed into a single point, floated before my eyes.

"......Yuria? I definitely felt your mana. What on earth is going on?"

It looked around, trying to grasp the situation, then finally turned its gaze on me.

"What are you?"

Unlike that flustered thing, I identified it at a glance.

"Nice to meet you. Spirit King."

It was the Spirit King of Evil — the one contracted to Yuria. More precisely, the one contracted to Villainess Yuria.

......I survived this time, luckily. From now on I need to act more calmly.

Fortunately, the skill I'd borrowed and activated was Villainess Yuria's Spirit Formula.

How, though?

I had no idea why I'd borrowed Villainess Yuria's Spirit Formula. Because the unique trait had bloomed? Something in a similar vein to the scarecrow? If not that, then what?

All sorts of reasons came to mind, but — think later. Right now, subduing the Fourth in front of me and asking after Rania's safety was more important.

Fortunately, I wasn't the only one who'd reordered their priorities.

The Spirit King of Evil also decided what it needed to know immediately, and asked me.

"Where is Yuria?"

"She's dead."

An instant answer that even surprised me as I said it. But I had no choice. If my guess was right, the target I'd borrowed the skill from was Villainess Yuria from the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠original Protect the Academy!.

A Spirit Formula was a contract ritual that connected a masterless spirit to the one who summoned it. In other words, the fact that the Spirit King of Evil had been drawn here by my Spirit Formula was—

"......So it was true after all."

—proof that it had lost its original contractor.

"In the end...... that poor child......"

It seemed to have expected this to some degree, and fortunately showed no violent reaction.

The Spirit King of Evil. Villainess Yuria's only friend. After she died, what must the Spirit King of Evil, left all alone, have felt?

I don't know everything, but it probably regretted it bitterly. If it hadn't been sealed right before Yuria died. If it had woken from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the seal a little sooner. If it had broken every taboo to bring her back. If it could meet her again even for a moment, it would pay any price.

That was why this was my chance.

"But she's alive."

The perfect opportunity to bring the Spirit King of Evil to my side and break through the current situation.

Naturally—

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Yuria is still alive. So if you help me for a bit, I'll take you back to her."

The Spirit King wouldn't be able to refuse. There was only one reason I could be so sure.

......Our ■■, Mom...... I'm sorry I left you alone......?

Because I knew that feeling too. If someone had made me the same offer, I would have accepted without a second's hesitation.

And sure enough.

"Very well. I accept the deal."

The Spirit King agreed at once.

"Speak your desire."

I smirked and answered.

"Lend me your power for a bit."

"......And?"

"What do you mean, and? Just lend me your power for a bit. That's more than enough as payment."

The black sphere hesitated for a moment.

"......Fine. Because of my promise with Yuria."

It muttered something, then floated back up before my eyes and spoke.

"You don't seem to understand. Making a deal with a Spirit King is an opportunity all the gold in the world could not buy. So think carefully, then speak."

"What, you want me to aim higher?"

"That is so. Treasures beyond any price. The method to reach the 8th Circle, which even a lifetime of effort could not attain. Lost ancient magics. Should you wish it, I can grant you all of them."

"Whoa. Okay, that's actually pretty amazing."

But.

"I'm good. Just lend me your power for a bit."

I didn't particularly want any of it.

The Spirit King asked, as if frustrated.

"Why? Do you not comprehend what it means to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠transact as an equal with a spirit — and a Spirit King such as I?"

"Of course I do."

A deal with a spirit. Not a contract to borrow a spirit's power, but a transaction struck from equal standing. It was like winning the lottery — even a deal with a lesser spirit held enormous value. And the other party was a Spirit King. Not just any Spirit King, but the Spirit King of Evil, said to be able to crush every other Spirit King through raw power alone.

If I said I wanted a country, this thing could probably get me a whole kingdom.

Of course, I was human at my core, so all sorts of things did tempt me. But—

"You're Yuria's friend."

Right now, that was enough.

"Honestly, I don't even want to borrow your power, but given the situation — if I die here, I won't be able to take you to Yuria."

Right?

I looked at the Spirit King as if seeking agreement, and that little sphere of darkness was smiling.

"You. What is your name?"

"Han...... No. Eugene."

"Eugene, then."

It wasn't that I could see any particular expression. I just knew it was smiling.

"That was a most pleasing answer."

Unbefitting of the attribute of Evil, I could tell that smile was brilliantly bright.

"So, Eugene. Give me a name."

To be connected with a spirit, you had to give that spirit a name. The moment a spirit called a human by name, only then was the spirit fully connected to one human among the countless humans scattered like stars. Conversely, the moment a human gave a spirit a name, a being whose very name they couldn't even speak would come to stay by their side.

To perceive through a name. That was why, between spirit and human, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠name became the most special thing they could share.

And that was why I said, "Alright. Lend me your power."

Then I spoke the name that had come to me after much deliberation.

"W-wait! Wait a second!!! What kind of bullshit is—!!"

The next moment.