I Don't Think You're a Bad Devil

Han Seorin emerged from the gate alongside the rest of Annihilation Department Division 5, having finished mopping up the remaining demons. She was still in a daze, utterly captivated by Baek Seol-ah's performance. Seorin had slain her share of demons well enough for any C-rank Devil Hunter, but next to that woman, she felt like little more than a supporting extra.

"Whew. That wraps up this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one. Han Seorin, what's your next assignment? Gate duty?"

"Ah, I'm on city security."

"What a shame. Looks like this is where we part ways. I was hoping to get a better look at your potential."

"……"

"Once I finish my own assignment, I'll write you a recommendation for B-rank Devil Hunter. The way you charged ahead without a thought for your own life earlier was quite impressive."

Baek Seol-ah stood beside her, smiling as she heaped on the praise without reservation. Having the next S-rank Devil Hunter sing her praises was more than a little embarrassing. Seorin forced the corners of her mouth up into a smile.

"Th-thank you... Team Leader. For looking after someone like me..."

"Hehe. It's just an investment in the future. I'm certain you'll grow well beyond B-rank. Now then, enough idle chatter. Time to deploy, Han Seorin."

"Ah, yes...!"

At Baek Seol-ah's words, Seorin's body creaked in protest as she took off toward her next operation site. In an instant, the apartment complex fell silent. Watching Seorin's ungainly retreating figure, Baek Seol-ah quietly let her smile drop and sank into thought.

Her pupils turned crimson, and a black aura poured off her body. Just a physical enhancement ability? But the mana meter didn't react at all.

Baek Seol-ah pushed up the frame of her glasses. Just as Seorin had been captivated by her, she found herself captivated by Seorin's power. Her expression tightened slightly as she continued her musings, a hint of jealousy creeping in.

Seeing it in person makes it even more fascinating. Han Seorin... what is that power of yours? That monstrous strength — I'll investigate it thoroughly and make it my own.

In her pursuit of organizational perfection, Baek Seol-ah harbored a hunger for the kind of influence that could shape the Association itself. She decided to use Han Seorin as a stepping stone to climb higher — until she became the very backbone of the Association.

Meanwhile, in a space of total darkness.

Watching Baek Seol-ah's expression tighten through the mirror, I finally had my confirmation.

"Figures. That one wants to use Seorin too."

Baek Seol-ah had been watching Seorin the entire operation. She'd deliberately taken her time killing the demons so Seorin could shine, and hadn't hesitated to pull out a mana meter behind her back. To Baek Seol-ah, this whole mission had been nothing more than a test — an experiment on Han Seorin.

I poked around the status window, trying to form a contract with her, but it was no use. She didn't even look like she'd ever feel her life was in danger. I tried the other Devil Hunters too, but... apparently I couldn't offer a contract to humans whose survival instinct wasn't screaming. In short: unless they were on the brink of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠death, I couldn't bind them.

"If I contracted that one, I could feast on her soul for free. Shame."

Setting the disappointment aside, I spent the rest of the day watching Seorin hunt demons. True to her word, she started taking down lesser demons without using any demonic power. This brat... she was finally listening!

"Oh? Seorin. Color me surprised."

"About what?"

"Fighting while holding back the devil's power. Impressive! I can't give you a real reward, but I'll give you a gold star sticker instead!"

"...I don't need it. And I don't want to become a demon anyway. I have my siblings."

"Tch. You're no fun. You'll regret turning down my gold star today."

"Just in case... I'll take it."

"...You're a fun one!"

Whether she'd picked up some know-how from all the demons she'd faced, Seorin was handling lesser demons just fine without any demonic power. Whenever she moved to the next operation site, I checked in on Lee Minjeong now and then, but... she seemed busy chatting with Junhui about Feather Man at the figure shop.

While Minjeong was absorbed in conversation, I decided to mess with her.

"...Achoo!"

"Hwaaaaah...! Th-that scared me...!"

"Huh? What's wrong, noona?"

"Ahaha, n-nothing! It's nothing."

...Oh, delicious reaction.

I forced out a sneeze and smirked at the way Minjeong jumped out of her skin. Then the self-loathing hit immediately. What was I even doing right now...? Being trapped in this pitch-black space was starting to make me weird.

A few hours passed. Through the mirror, Seorin finished off a demon that looked like a Venus flytrap up on a rooftop, then leaned against the railing and gazed up at the evening sky. While she was looking at the sky, I took the opportunity to check the status window.

No Greater Souls. So I can't claim the souls of demons Baek Seol-ah kills?

Meanwhile, Seorin propped her elbows on the railing, rested her chin in her hands, and spoke as if murmuring to herself.

"...Asmode. Are you watching?"

"Yeah. What."

"Nothing, really. The moon's beautiful tonight. Why don't you take a look too?"

"……"

I looked at the moon through the mirror, just as she'd suggested. ...It had been a long, long time since I'd seen it.

"A full moon. And that's the Big Dipper next to it? Hmph. Pretty, considering this world's full of nobodies. I want to take a picture."

"……"

I answered as naturally as I could, hoping she'd catch the hint that I'd once been human. Fortunately, this time no status window popped up about an imp's dignity or whatever. Seorin smiled faintly at my words.

"If things had gone the way they were supposed to, I never would have gotten to see this full moon. I'm only alive because you saved me."

"...Seorin."

"I don't really know what kind of devil you are, but I don't think you're a bad one. It's like... you've got your own reasons."

Seorin tapped her fingers against the railing as she went on.

"I've been thinking. The one who actually wants power... is you, isn't it?"

"……"

I recalled the first words I'd ever spoken to her. By turning those words back on me, Seorin was stirring something in my chest.

...I did need power. Power to save my contractors. Power to pull myself out of this hell.

Then she smiled — a captivating, almost seductive smile — and continued in a sweet voice.

"I can't share power with you, but I'll become your strength. So... could you try trusting me a little?"

"...Trust you? What are you talking about?"

"Give me stronger power. Enough to leave Baek Seol-ah in the dust."

"Oh, for— I actually thought you were going somewhere with that. No!"

Has this girl lost her mind...? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I almost fell for the emotional appeal. Her soul erosion rate was already high enough to be a pain in the ass, and she was making a request like this? There was shameless, and then there was this.

Seorin dropped her head, looking thoroughly disappointed, her face scrunching up.

"Tch..."

"It's all for your own good. So don't get greedy — live within your station as a C-rank Devil Hunter."

With that, I pulled up the status window and checked Seorin's soul erosion rate.

Yeah. There was no way I could allow it.

Rejected, Seorin immediately left the rooftop and headed down. Without another word, she started making her way back to the Devil Hunter Association's suite. Frustrated, I cut the connection, biting my nails as I fumed.

"Haaah. A brat like that needs a good smack of punishment. Don't I have an authority for that?"

"Wait, why does that actually exist...?"

I pointedly ignored the item that had popped up like an ad and closed the status window. I sighed. I wanted nothing more than to do something — anything — to bring her erosion rate down. But as things stood, there was nothing I could do. ...All I could do was wait until I had a chance to choose a level-up reward.

The next morning.

Through the mirror, Seorin finished breakfast and a shower as usual and stepped out of Association headquarters. She climbed into the passenger seat of a white sedan parked out front. Baek Seol-ah sat in the driver's seat. A team leader personally escorting a rank-and-file member. ...Blatant favoritism, no question.

She tapped Seorin on the shoulder.

"Good morning, Han Seorin. Sleep well?"

"Ah, yes. I've been sleeping well, thanks to you. The suite is really nice."

"I'm glad you're comfortable. Today it'll just be the two of us, going around sealing gates."

"Don't tell me... the other Devil Hunters are avoiding me because I rushed in too recklessly yesterday?"

"Hmm? Haha, nothing like that. We just happened to be the only two assigned. The number of people deployed depends on the gate's location, timing, and type."

"...I see. Understood. I'll work hard so I don't become a burden, Team Leader."

"Wonderful. Let's give it our all together~!"

A short while later, the sedan began climbing a mountain road on the outskirts of Seoul. They arrived at the summit. Stepping out of the car, they stopped in front of a green gate near a mineral spring.

"Ready, Han Seorin? Don't feel pressured — just do what you always do."

"Yes. Understood."

Seorin stepped forward first and entered the gate.

Wooooong!

When Seorin came to her senses, she was standing in a forest thick with fog.

"Team Leader, the fog is extremely thick."

"……"

"Visibility is poor, so we should stick close..."

A chill ran down Seorin's spine. She turned to her side.

"Team Leader...?"

Baek Seol-ah was nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, Asmode had been watching through the mirror. A bad feeling gripped her. She manipulated the mirror, scanning the forest — but there was no trace of Baek Seol-ah anywhere.

"What the...?"

Just as Asmode was starting to panic —

Ziiing.

A status window appeared before her eyes.

"This is...!"

Then, from every direction, came the sound of something rustling through the undergrowth.

Swish. Swish.

Swish. Swish.

Swish. Swish.

...A forest thick with ominous energy. It seemed the time had come when she'd have no choice but to use the devil's power.