Chapter 253: Kim Ga-eul’s Era is Ending…!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 253: Kim Ga-eul’s Era is Ending…!
I don’t feel great.
It’s not that I’m in a bad mood, per se, but rather a strange sense of discomfort that I can’t quite put into words.
Thanks to Lucifer’s favor, I finished my pleasant revenge play in Hell and even secured a power source to continuously generate negative emotions.
The surface didn’t escape this invasion entirely unscathed, but the damage is well within the range of recovery. The byproducts obtained from slaying demons were taken by the hunters and Arcadia, who provided assistance, but some were returned to the Association, so the development of hero equipment will likely progress further.
No, of course, I know.
I know that while it wasn’t perfect, the result was decent—no, actually, it was an incredibly hard-fought victory.
To begin with, not a single person was sacrificed. To have disposed of two Demon Kings just as the first-year summer vacation is coming to an end is a feat unimaginable in the 1st Timeline. It might be right to feel happy about it.
And yet, my mood showed no sign of improving.
Was the revenge I took as an example too lukewarm?
No. I understand better than anyone the pain of having something precious stolen just after it came into one’s hands.
Am I regretting that I couldn’t have prepared more perfectly?
No. From the holy water to seeking help, I did the absolute best I could with the preparations available to me.
Yes, that’s actually the problem.
I certainly did the best I could at my current level.
Even so, this battle should have originally ended in my defeat.
Despite being confident that I could handle Leviathan even if I couldn’t handle the other Demon Kings, I failed to read the hidden card Leviathan held, and as a result, I was driven into a corner.
Of course, I know there’s no point in considering “what ifs” for things that have already passed.
Still, I can’t help but think about it.
If Seo-ha hadn’t changed her mind and sent her as support, would I have been able to hold out?
If Ga-eul hadn’t suddenly dominated the demonic power and gathered everyone quickly, would I have been able to hold out until the end?
While I think this was the right way to avoid overexerting myself and causing worry, it’s also true that I feel impatient and afraid.
So, to put it simply…
“So-hyun, you’re really in for it today.”
Yeah, I should be scolded…? Wait, what?
When I looked up, my friends and professors had surrounded me as if they were laying siege.
“Scolded…?”
I mean, sure, I was moping a bit, but didn’t I do pretty well in my own way?
I don’t think I did anything worth being scolded for.
“Yes, very much so.”
“That’s right. So-hyun, we all saw what you did at the end.”
Following Professor Cathy, now Ha-ni and Ga-eul were starting to badger me. Honestly, nothing came to mind.
“Oh? You’re going to play innocent? Everyone here is a witness!”
“So-hyun, at the end, when we were about to get hit! You tried to take the hit instead!”
Ah, that?
I wasn’t pretending not to know; I genuinely forgot.
Everyone seemed angry, but it was something I had no other choice in, and the memory had been pushed back as my clone absorbed the memories of playing with Leviathan.
“I thought you were getting a little better, but how could you try to do something like that at the very end?”
“What would we have done if we were even a little bit later!”
Well, I probably would have fallen into the Demon Realm and rolled around until I found a way to return.
But if I say that, they’ll get even angrier, right?
…Ah, this is bad.
I feel like I’m going to laugh.
Talk about being starved for affection.
To think that my mood, which wouldn’t lift no matter how much I heard Leviathan’s screams, is improving just because these people are getting angry for my sake.
When I think that the reason for their anger is their affection for me, I can’t help but feel happy and warm inside.
“Oh? You’re laughing? Do you think we’re joking?”
Ah, I got caught. Maybe I really have no talent for a poker face.
“Hey, to put it bluntly, even if it looked like we couldn’t block it, do you think we’d feel comfortable if you got hit instead?”
“That’s right. So-hyun, that was a total loser move. Don’t expect us to let it slide this time.”
“They’re right this time, So-hyun. No matter how urgent the situation is, you shouldn’t try to take the hit yourself.”
But it was also an undeniable fact that if it hadn’t been for Seo-ha’s help this time, I might have lost all of you.
“Oh? I think he’s spacing out again.”
“Do you think we’ll let you off just because you’re acting distracted? Not a chance. You’re going to hear us nagging you until we get back to the Academy.”
Ha-ni, are you going to stop once we get back to the Academy? That’s a bit disappointing.
“Then will you forgive me once we arrive at the Academy?”
“Uh…?”
When I asked because I was sad that the scolding would end once we reached the Academy, for some reason, the faces of those surrounding me turned a bit red.
“Ah! It’s no use trying to trick us with your face today!”
“Wow, I didn’t see Kang So-hyun that way, but he’s seriously fucking shameless, isn’t he? I almost got tricked too.”
“He uses his charms like he’s breathing…”
“He’s a fox. A total fox.”
I mean, they make such a fuss even if I just smile a little.
The nagging from them, insisting they would never forgive me, was a bit noisy, but thanks to that, the idle thoughts that had filled my head seemed to clear up.
Well, I knew the answer all along.
I was just… just grumbling a bit because I was feeling regretful.
* * *
After a storm of nagging passed, we finally arrived at the Academy.
Immediately after returning and washing up, most of the group fell fast asleep.
Well, it was only natural since they must have been exhausted.
As much as I wanted to sleep deeply without a care for what came next, unfortunately, there was one thing I had to settle before morning came.
At an hour when everyone should be asleep, the person I called out fortunately dragged their tired body to the meeting place, looking strangely bright-eyed.
“Ah, So-hyun!”
That’s right.
The person I called out was none other than Ga-eul.
“Hehe, I didn’t expect you to call me so soon.”
Hmm? But did Ga-eul know I was going to call her?
If she knew why I called her, she wouldn’t be looking so bright, would she?
“Why are you in such a hurry, So-hyun~ I’m still thinking about it!”
Mmm…?
I stayed quiet to see what she was trying to say, and Ga-eul made a bold declaration with a smiling face.
“You’re calling me to grant my wish! You’re telling me to think about what wish to make!”
For a brief moment, I wondered what she was talking about, but I soon remembered the promise I had made with Ga-eul just before the battle began.
Right, come to think of it, I did say I’d grant her a wish if she behaved and stayed patient.
“That’s not why I called you, though?”
“Huh? It wasn’t? Then what is it?”
“More importantly, didn’t I say I’d only grant it if you behaved? So isn’t it void?”
“…Huh?”
Actually, I didn’t mind granting her a wish, but seeing her so triumphant and assuming I’d obviously grant it made me want to tease her a little.
“I said that to soothe your pain, but you confessed that it didn’t actually hurt, you weren’t patient, and you even dangerously made a contract with a demon to come running, didn’t you?”
“Uh…? Huh? Does it work like that? No, I don’t think so?!”
What do you mean you don’t think so? Look at her saying whatever comes to mind just because her wish ticket is about to fly away.
This isn’t the time for this, but she’s so cute I keep teasing her.
“Heeing…”
Hmm, if I tease her any more, she might cry.
Then I should stop the teasing there and, since a perfect excuse has come up, shall I continue?
“But if you cooperate faithfully with the investigation, I suppose there’s no reason I can’t grant a wish.”
“What should I answer for you?”
“…Hey, I’m telling you in advance, even if it’s a wish, it can’t be something I can’t do, okay?”
“Of course! It’s something you can do! I’ve prepared so much!”
…I’m the one granting the wish, so why are you the one who prepared?
“But actually, even if I call it an investigation, my business is more with the thing attached to you than with you, Ga-eul.”
“Huh? The thing attached to me?”
“Yeah, so stay still even if it feels a bit unpleasant for a moment, okay?”
Through the Touch of the Devil, I sacrificed life force and obtained demonic energy.
Since midnight had passed, my recovered fresh Innate True Qi transformed into demonic energy, and that demonic energy succeeded in forcibly dragging out and summoning a certain existence hidden deep inside Ga-eul.
“Ugeh!”
What fell to the ground was something like a mascot with a cute design, looking like a mix between a sheep and a goat.
From its appearance alone, it looked like nothing more than a harmless and cute stuffed doll, but unfortunately, it was clearly a demon that fed on demonic energy. According to my Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils, it was currently weakened, but it was judged to be a fairly high-ranking demon.
“Ah, Bel.”
“Bel?”
“Ah, yeah. We made a contract, and it told me to call it Bel.”
“You made a contract with a demon?”
“Ah, but! I was really, really thorough with the contract?! Just in case, I went to see Professor Park A-ram earlier, and she said, ‘No, there’s a demon that would agree to a contract with such crazy conditions…? What kind of idiot is it…?’”
Ga-eul, performing a strangely high-quality vocal impression, explained in a panic, but I could actually grasp the gist of the contract myself.
Calling it a contract was a stretch; it was more like a familiar contract where Ga-eul held all the power, and there were no tricks like double contracts.
What I found suspicious was something else.
I was suspecting that the identity of this mascot, which had been face-down on the ground and unable to look this way since a moment ago, might be a certain demon bastard I absolutely loathe.
The name just happened to be Bel, too.
“I just need to do a simple check. Why don’t you look this way for a second?”
* * *
Belphegor had received a message from Lucifer.
— It seems our precious contractor really hates you, doesn’t he? Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to hate me that much, though he doesn’t seem to like demons in general.
The video sent with a laughing voice contained how the thing that used to be Leviathan had been broken, and how it was currently being broken. After confirming this, she made a decision.
From now on, she was not Belphegor, but the precious friend and familiar of the Demon King Girl Kim Ga-eul, Bel.
She had just resolved never to act out, at least until she recovered her strength and escaped.
“Hiiii…”
“It’s puzzling. Looking at you, it seems like it is him. If it is, I should kill you just in case, but it also seems like it might not be.”
She felt like she was going to lose her mind under that red gaze mixed with gold that was scanning her all over.
Why does a human have something like Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils…?
It was a stroke of luck that he couldn’t recognize her for certain because her status had been heavily damaged when Leviathan stole her body.
“Well, I might have thought wrong. If it were him, he wouldn’t have written a contract so stupidly… no, so kindly and helpfully.”
And miraculously, what she thought was a mistake made in haste turned out to be the greatest stroke of luck.
“Hey.”
“Yes…?”
“Don’t get any ideas in the future, and think carefully about why I’m letting you go today.”
“O-of course! Bel won’t do anything bad to humans! I’ll be friends with Ga-eul!”
It was more embarrassing than acting cute in a female form in front of Lucifer, but what choice did she have?
If she died this time, she would really be dead.
“Yeah, good girl.”
The sensation of a gloved hand stroking her one remaining horn was strangely chilling.
He picked her up carefully as if holding a stuffed doll, then slowly began to rub his cheek against her, as if enjoying the fluffy texture.
Phew, even if it’s embarrassing, I’m glad I chose a cute appearance.
Just as she thought that, he set up a small soundproofing barrier and whispered so only she could hear.
“Think really carefully. Lucifer showed you what happened to your friend, didn’t she?”
I’m busted, fuck.
I’ll just be a lower demon. Please let me run away.
* * *
I only poked at it, but look at it expressing its identity with its whole body.
I really want to kill it right now.
Still, it’s true that it’s a big help to Ga-eul right now, and demons can’t just ignore contracts, so I think I can leave it be for the time being.
There are also a few things I need to look into.
Anyway, now that the investigation was over, I was about to head back when Ga-eul grabbed me.
“Hmm?”
“Wish!”
Ah, right. I promised to grant her a wish, didn’t I?
“Right, Ga-eul. What’s your wish? If it’s something within my power, I’ll grant it.”
Ga-eul went through a lot of trouble, so I might as well grant her a wish.
“Me too.”
“Huh?”
“I’m going to do it too…!”
…Do what?
The way she looked at me with eyes full of longing made it seem like she had truly made up her mind.