Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Pajama Party (4)
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The horrific slaughter of their siblings at the ballroom.
Waiting at their hideout, upon hearing the news, the two remaining devil worshippers vowed revenge.
"We'll have our revenge...!!"
"Yeah, let's do it!"
Fortune smiled on them—they finally succeeded in the black magic they'd failed at repeatedly, locating the culprit.
"Phew, good thing you had that Silver Master's hair. But why'd you even have something like that?"
"Is that really important right now!?"
"H-hey, no need to yell..."
Standing in front of an ordinary three-story house in District A, the two snorted derisively.
"Pfft, what a nothing of a house."
"Yeah."
In truth, in District A, a home's value depended less on its exterior or interior and more on its precise location within the district.
Like how a rundown fifty-year-old pilot apartment on the verge of reconstruction in Apgujeong was far pricier than a sleek, elegant, flashy-yet-tasteful new build in Cheonan.
Thus, this house's proximity to the imperial palace made it worth far more than any glittering mansion—but the pair had no clue.
"Seems like they're inside."
"So, what now?"
The taller of the two men pondered. Revenge sounded good, but now that they were here, it all felt vague.
"Wanna just trash the place a bit and bounce?"
They could chuck rocks through the windows to scare them, too.
But the shorter one had a different idea.
"We're already here. Let's try summoning a devil ourselves."
"Us?"
"Yeah. Feels like a good night."
It did seem that way. Their tracking spell had worked on the first try, after all.
Still, the taller one felt uneasy.
He was a devil worshipper, sure—but ultimately, just someone who wanted to borrow demonic power for his own selfish gains.
To ruin business rivals or rape women he desired. He had zero intention of offering himself up for free to the devils.
Even coming for revenge was just personal venting—he had no plans to risk his own neck for it.
And above all...
His companion's eyes looked off.
Glinting, somehow.
'Did this freak smoke some weird shit?'
That thought made him want to turn tail even more.
"Let's just do something minor and go. Besides, what are we sacrificing for the summoning?"
"Sacrifice? I told you."
The short devil worshipper grinned.
"Let's do it ourselves."
A knife plunged into the tall one's lung.
"Guh..."
Air hissing from the hole in his lung, the man collapsed without even a scream—just ragged breaths.
Before his comrade's blood could fully spill onto the ground, the worshipper began drawing the Reverse Pentagram array with it.
"Oh, winged evil spirit." The evil spirit from the spirit realm reacted to the call.
👻 EVIL SPIRIT 👻 Mmgh...? Who're you...? "Ahh...! How cruel, how wretchedly fallen you are! The ultimate humiliation and defilement, worse than oblivion itself...!!"
👻 EVIL SPIRIT 👻 That's too much...! The puny evil spirit whimpered, but the worshipper seized it with blood-smeared hands.
👻 EVIL SPIRIT 👻 Eek!? What're you doing!? "Now, I shall restore you to your true form."
The worshipper placed the evil spirit atop the Reverse Pentagram.
👻 EVIL SPIRIT 👻 Wha...? Uwaaah...!? Power surging...!!! "Return! Great Devil, Sitri!!"
⟨ Sitri ⟩
At that moment, a blue flash streaked from the mansion.
Lea, kitchen knife in hand, charged in an instant, reaching the worshipper mid-ritual and slashing his throat.
"...!"
Even in death, the worshipper collapsed atop the evil spirit.
Ensuring his blood and death nourished her revival.
Then, dark crimson demonic energy gathered around the spirit's form.
👻 EVIL SPIRIT 👻 UWAAAAAH!! Shuuu...!
Its form escaped the spirit realm, manifesting in the physical world.
Languid, decadent black hair.
Strange crimson irises that seemed to ripple with pink mist when stared into.
Highly revealing negligee-like attire.
Goat horns sprouting from her head, entwined with a thin chain necklace.
"Ahh..."
Demon Sitri had descended into the physical world after so long.
"Hee hee...♡"
"!"
Realizing the enemy's nature, Lea's instinctive move should have been to retreat.
Demons were objects of terror—upper beings who once ruled parts of the world.
Yet.
Lea.
Gripped her kitchen knife tighter and charged the demon.
Those who retreat from danger have no right to wield a blade.
Advance. Annihilate the foe. Throw yourself forward and burn as a single sword stroke.
To bring honor to her life, as one bearing the name of the Eperios sword clan.
"Hah...♡"
But Demon Sitri casually caught the kitchen knife.
"What a lovely woman."
She licked her lips, whispering as if to enchant.
"How about it? Obey me, and I can teach you all sorts of pleasures."
"—!"
Lea answered by swinging the knife again. Azure aura traced a crescent moon through the night air.
"Kyaha!♡"
Dodging, Sitri kept trying to meet her gaze.
"Ngh!?"
Dizziness flooded Lea's mind. Realizing prolonged eye contact spelled disaster, she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Ooh? Smart girl? So cute~♡"
Sensing Sitri's position from air currents, Lea thrust forward.
A strike that would split even a five-hundred-year oak vertically if it connected.
Yet Sitri dodged leisurely, even sensually stroking the blade's surface with her finger.
"Nice thrust too? Let me teach you hip movements—"
"Shut it."
A hand knife chop crashed onto Sitri's crown.
"Kyung!?"
Lea opened her eyes.
The one who'd delivered the chop was Arthur.
"Felt something off, so I came out... and what do I find? You alright, Lea?"
"G-guh... H-hot guy, huh? Pleasures you've never—"
Another hand knife chop landed.
"Kyah!?"
Lea blinked blankly before replying.
"Uh... I'm fine. Or rather, yeah, I'm good."
"Glad to hear it."
Arthur grabbed Sitri by the hair and started dragging her off.
"Kyaa!? Too rough...♡"
"Lea, take this to the church for purification. Stay inside."
Arthur's eyes flicked to the corner of the yard, where the two devil worshippers' corpses still lay.
"And keep everyone inside until I get back. Especially Lady Tiona."
He bowed his head to Lea.
"I'm counting on you."
And with that, he really dragged the demon off by her hair.
"Hey, this kinda play needs consent—mmph mmph!?"
When Sitri kept protesting, he even stuffed her own hair into her mouth like a gag.
"..."
Lea stood stunned.
She headed back inside for now.
Tiona, Cynthia, and Diana were huddled on the gold rug by the entryway, peering out.
Arthur must have told them not to step outside. And they were strictly obeying, of course.
"Wh-what happened...?"
Tiona asked, trembling.
Her bear pajamas' ears flopped.
Lea recalled she was wearing similar ones—dog pajamas.
"Uh..."
Lea silently raised her kitchen knife.
She had no ill intent; her own appearance just felt utterly pathetic somehow.
"Eek...!"
"L-Lea? Something wrong?"
"P-put the knife away, it's scary..."
"..."
Lea went to the kitchen and returned the knife to its place.
"Any blood or dirt on my clothes?"
"Give us a spin."
Lea did—full 360 in her animal pajamas.
"Looks clean."
"Good."
Lea scratched her head.
"...Wanna keep playing cards?"
"Yay!"
Diana sidled up and whispered.
"What happened?"
"I'll explain later."
Lea popped Arthur's snacks into her mouth and chugged his fruit juice soda.
Disgustingly good. What couldn't that guy do?
Soon enough, with the four of them back at cards, Arthur returned.
"Nothing happen?"
"Arthur, why'd it take so long?"
"I was quick."
"Really...?"
Lea mentally gauged the distance to the nearest church.
Yeah. Quick trip.
"Can we go out now?"
"Sure. Though nothing good comes from wandering at this hour."
He'd cleaned up the bodies too? Damn, quick indeed.
Lea stared hard at Arthur's face.
'...Weird.'
A strangely familiar feeling.
Could it be.
Really.
The man who'd made her drop her sword?
Lea spoke up.
A bit abruptly.
"Arthur."
"Yes."
"Strip."
"...?"
"Strip. Not joking."