Conflict with the Contractor

"The Soul Erosion Rate has crossed fifty percent..."

In a space of utter darkness, I watched Han Seorin through the mirror and let out a long, heavy sigh. Her Soul Erosion Rate had passed the halfway mark.

Whether that was the cause or not, she had swung her whip and torn open Baek Seol-ah's abdomen. And then that faint scream had reached me...

"No. I—I thought she was a demon. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

"...That didn't sound like she was making it up."

Those were the words of Han Seorin — always so composed, so unflappable — torn out of her like a scream. She hadn't been mistaken. Not for a second. Han Seorin wasn't the kind of woman who'd confuse a human for a demon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in the first place.

Which left only one possibility. The "anomaly" that had appeared on the status window just moments ago had taken hold. The phenomenon of mistaking humans for demons. Of harboring a bottomless hatred toward people, of perceiving them as something wicked.

...The same phenomenon I had lived through back when I was a Devil Hunter was now happening to Han Seorin.

The moment that fact settled in, a thousand thoughts crashed through ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my mind. Had I failed as a manager of my contractors? I'd thought I'd done the best I could. Had there been a better outcome sitting there the whole time, one I'd simply missed?

"...No."

The office of Contract Manager was a position that existed to lead humans toward demonization. Stopping a contractor's Soul Erosion Rate from climbing was impossible from the start. That was how the system had been built.

"There's got to be... there's got to be some way."

Urgency seized me, and I hurriedly pulled up the contract through the status window.

"If you look at it that way, it's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my soul that's invading Han Seorin and turning her into a demon, isn't it?"

What if Han Seorin could control my soul?

...It was a plausible thought, but I couldn't see a single step beyond it. How were you even supposed to control a soul? It wasn't something you could see. It wasn't something you could grab with your hands. Unless Han Seorin were a shaman, maybe. I couldn't imagine her taking the soul I'd lent her and actually keeping it in check.

"...Wait. Lent it?"

The Contract Manager shall lend demonic power to the Contractor.

"That's it!"

Something you'd lent could always be taken back. So couldn't I take back the power I'd lent Han Seorin? If she couldn't use the power, her Soul Erosion Rate would have no reason to climb!

"Give me my power back...!"

A burst of static cracked through the dark.

"Wh—?!"

...It had worked. I'd finally found a way. If I just reclaimed Han Seorin's power here and now, I could bring her Soul Erosion Rate back down!

"I'll reclaim the power!"

"...Right. This is a contract, after all. Mutual agreement is what matters."

My heart was already leaping. I reached out to Han Seorin at once.

A moment later, the suite bloomed into view inside the mirror. Her younger siblings were running around the living room, and Han Seorin herself was sprawled on the sofa, listlessly watching TV, one hand pressed to her forehead. I spoke to her carefully.

"Han Seorin. How are you feeling?"

"..."

She didn't answer. She just shifted her weight and turned away. I pressed on, undeterred.

"I'm sure that rattled you. But that's the price of using a devil's power. It gnaws away at a person's inner self until nothing is left but a complete demon."

"..."

"It was more than you could handle from the start. No — no human could handle it. So before you commit an even greater sin, give the demonic power back."

"There—there it is again! What exactly am I lacking?! Do you trust me that little?!"

Han Seorin shouted as she bolted upright, and the siblings playing around her flinched. She caught herself a beat too late, forced the scowl off her face, and offered them an awkward smile.

"S-sorry... I think I had a nightmare. I'm going to lie down in the bedroom for a bit. Tell me if you get hungry."

"...Okay, sis."

She hurried into the bedroom, dropped onto the bed, and the scowl came rushing back as she yelled at me.

"You want me to live within a C-Rank Devil Hunter's means? I can't. I have to protect my siblings! I'm the only one they can depend on! I have to—I have to become stronger...!"

"Protecting your siblings? You're just being greedy."

I dropped my voice and spoke with real weight, cutting through her outburst. She was being greedy — exactly as I'd said. The greed of someone who believed her streak of success should never, ever end. From the moment she'd received the offer to join Annihilation Department Division 5, that hunger had taken hold of her.

"If you demonize any further, you might end up hurting those siblings you hold so dear. So be satisfied and let it go. Even making it this far is a miracle for someone like you, isn't it?"

"..."

"...This is the only answer. So please. Just listen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to me."

Han Seorin heard the desperation in my voice and fell silent, sinking into thought. After a moment, she answered with a sullen look on her face.

"You're telling me to go back to a time when I couldn't protect my siblings. To me, that's more horrifying than turning into a demon."

"...Han Seorin!"

"Asmode. I'm the one asking you this time. Please, just trust me. That was a mistake. I'll—I'll find a way to keep it under control..."

That was when the phone she'd left on the bed lit up with an emergency alert.

The instant she saw it, Han Seorin pulled the beret off the hanger and started preparing to sortie.

...Watching her, I resented her so much I could have torn her apart.

"Hah. Have it your way. I don't care anymore whether you become a demon or not."

"..."

"If you turn into a demon and your siblings die, or you die — you brought it on yourself."

"...Fine."

Han Seorin clenched her teeth at my words, left the suite, and headed for the field.

...I couldn't accept that stubbornness of hers. I cut the connection and clutched my head in both hands.

Why...? Why was she so obsessed with a devil's power?

In the end I hadn't been able to hold my temper, and I'd said things I shouldn't have. But deep down, I already knew.

...I couldn't turn my back on this girl.

I don't think you're a bad devil, Asmode.

I can't share my power with you — but I'll become your strength.

"...As if I could stop caring. You idiot."

Fine. If that's how it is, go ahead and see it through to the end. I'll be your strength too.

Just as Han Seorin's stubborn solo act had steeled my resolve even further—

The place Han Seorin arrived at was the Large Mart near the Association. Her head was still throbbing from the argument with me; she pressed a hand to her forehead and walked slowly into the building.

After confirming that the first floor was clear, she took the stairs to the second. The moment she stepped into the clothing section, a sound reached her.

Click. Click.

Featureless mannequins — no eyes, no nose, no mouth — were wandering the floor. They browsed the displays as if they were ordinary shoppers. Han Seorin held her breath, unfurled her whip, and started closing in. While they still had their guard down, she'd wipe these monsters out. That was the plan, at least, until—

"Han Seorin, one's coming from behind!"

My voice rang through her head. She spun at once and snapped the whip.

A wet, cracking slash split the air. The mannequin demon that had been creeping up behind her lunged. It tore off its own face, revealing the razor-sharp teeth and long, lolling tongue hidden within.

The whip sang — and Han Seorin somehow took the mannequin demon's head clean off.

That was all it took. Every mannequin demon in the mart registered her presence and came charging in grotesque, contorted postures. Han Seorin, though, looked shaken. She'd heard my voice, and it had thrown her.

"A-Asmode..."

"Focus! Taking down these demons comes first!"

A mannequin demon that had been hiding among the displays to her side detached its own face and hurled it at her like a grenade.

"Right side!"

The explosion bloomed. Fortunately, she snapped back in time, threw herself into a backflip, and cleared the blast. Then, without drawing on demonic power at all, Han Seorin methodically cut the mannequin demons down one by one.

A head went rolling across the floor. When the last of them finally came apart, she stood there panting, sweat running down her face, and spoke to me.

"...Heh. And here you said you wouldn't care."

"Shut up. Just get upstairs. I can sense a C-Rank demon's presence on the floor above."

She nodded at that, then started up the stairs with her body swaying.

The third floor of the Large Mart. The corner where the expensive electronics were clustered. A television hanging on the far wall was broadcasting a solid red screen, pouring out a distinctly ominous energy. Keeping her senses spread through the surroundings, she walked toward it.

A hiss of static. The instant she came within arm's reach, the television went black, as if nothing had happened at all.

Then a whip-crack of air—

"Ghk...!"

Blood welled along the arm that held her whip, out of nowhere. She felt every bit of the pain as she looked back at her own reflection in the screen.

The Han Seorin in the television was swinging a whip at her.

"...What is this?!"

She threw herself down at the sound of the whip coming from the screen and rolled across the floor. By the time she pushed herself back up, a black shape had begun crawling out from behind the glass.

It slithered free. Crimson-black eyes. A face identical to Han Seorin's in every respect. The thing that had come out of the television smiled a smile that had no business on a human face, and opened its mouth.

"Asmode."

The same voice. It kept that nauseating smile in place, cocked its head at a broken angle, and went on.