Chapter 66: Dog Leash
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 66: Dog Leash
“Darling.”
Sitri’s lips twitched.
“Have you lost your mind?”
The artificial laughter she usually wore had vanished completely.
“Do I look like I have?”
“Did you pick up some kind of 'idiot virus' while you were up north? Or did you actually mistake me calling you 'darling' for me being in love with you?”
Many humans made that mistake. But Ferda was not that type of person. That was exactly why Sitri was more flustered than she had ever been.
“I know your fatal secret.”
“The only thing about me that deserves the word 'fatal' is my charm.”
The bigger a secret is, the less one shows it. Whether it is a matter of national security or something that threatens the higher-ups, it is handled with absolute secrecy. It was the same for demons. Even they could not escape the laws of secrecy.
“I heard a certain story.”
It was a story from the distant future.
Ferda had once collected all sorts of information for his magic research. Among those records were accounts concerning Hell—a retrospective of the moments when the Seven Great Demons of Hell were threatened. A compilation of their fatal mistakes and weaknesses.
The demons called it the Devilomicon.
While it dealt with grave matters, it was actually a book that humans could access. The reason was simple: it was a testament to their firm resolve never to repeat the same mistakes, and simultaneously, a trap for the foolish.
Those who peered into the Devilomicon hoping to find a demon’s weakness were always the ones who ended up being played. It was the inevitable result of the arrogance of those who believed they were different.
However, Ferda truly was different.
It would be fifteen years before Ferda actually read that demonic history. What he was reciting now was a story that took place in the interim.
“An absurd story about how the Great Demon Sitri, while playing around as messily as usual, had her Life Vessel stolen by one of her many children.”
“Now, what could that possibly mean?”
Sitri tilted her head.
“Is this a story you’re unfamiliar with?”
“Of course. I haven’t the slightest clue what kind of nonsense you’re spouting, darling.”
“Is that so?”
As expected of a demon of seduction, her poker face was excellent. Ferda calmly observed her face, simply waiting for the moment the mask would crack.
“Then I suppose I should just take Penelope to the Magic Society.”
“The Magic Society…?”
“You know better than anyone how much those people loathe demons. What do you think will happen if I hand her over? Especially if I tell them she’s not just any demon, but the one who holds the key to the Great Demon Sitri’s weakness?”
Ferda spoke as if he were singing.
“They’ll conduct an extensive search of Penelope’s body. It might take time, but they’ll eventually reach the truth. And once that happens—”
“Stop.”
Sitri cut him off.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The silken thread of seduction she had been using on Ferda until a moment ago turned into cold, sharp thorns.
“Who was it?” Sitri’s mask shattered. “Which bastard handed that secret over to you?”
Sitri’s gaze was stinging. It felt as though she were trying her hardest to peer into Ferda’s very soul.
“It doesn’t seem to be my daughter. If that stupid girl had said anything or even given a hint, she would have been back in my hands by now.”
“Is it possible I figured it out myself?”
“I don’t underestimate you. But I don’t overestimate you either. It’s impossible for a mere human to know something that even the Grand Dukes are still unaware of.”
“You’ve stopped calling me 'darling.' Are you feeling anxious?”
“Yes, I’m getting anxious. So answer me quickly. Unless you want to spend eternity burning in Hell.”
Sitri threatened him, her long nails bared.
“Don’t threaten me. Do you want to end up as nothing more than a common housefly?”
The demons of Hell had rules, and they became stricter the higher one’s status as a Great Demon. Rising through the ranks was difficult, but the fall was instantaneous.
“You think I can’t do it?” Her sharp nails pressed firmly into Ferda’s skin. “You violated the terms of our deal. I asked you to hand over Penelope, and now you’re trying to screw me over with her?”
Ferda replied calmly. “You asked me to rescue Penelope. And I rescued her.”
“No, I clearly told you to send her to me. This is a breach of contract, Regent.”
Ferda snorted. “Didn’t you violate it as well?”
“What?”
“You said you would send 'all of us' back safely. But I was unable to escape that place. What do you have to say about that?”
“You should have just killed Penelope. It would have ended with her being reverse-summoned to Hell.”
“And if I didn’t know that? You set the rescue as the condition. And I rescued her safely. If anything, you’re the one in breach.”
“Are you playing word games with me?”
“Isn’t that your favorite pastime?”
The word games of demons. How many people had been seduced and killed by those very games?
“If it bothers you that much…” Ferda crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. “Let’s take it to trial.”
Contract disputes could be resolved in the Demon Courts. And Sitri would surely win. But would she actually take it to trial?
She couldn’t. If the words 'Life Vessel' came out of his mouth there, her greatest shame would be exposed to the entire world.
Sitri fell silent. She had been completely cornered.
“You said it yourself. Even a member of the Demon Race can become an excellent dog if you put a leash on them.” Ferda let out a faint, mocking laugh. “It seems even a Great Demon can become an excellent dog.”
“Hehe…” Sitri let out a giggle. “Hehehe! Hahahaha!!”
Sitri burst into a fit of laughter. Had she finally lost her mind?
“You know what, handsome?”
“…Handsome?”
“Handsome, you’re looking incredibly sexy right now.”
The vibe was different from her usual false seduction.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“Fine, I’ll do it. It’s true that I made a deal with Abel Silverwind. Is there anything else?” She moistened her lips with her long tongue. Panting slightly, she whispered, “If it’s you, handsome, I’ll do anything.”
It was a feeling even more chilling than when she had turned cold.
“Back off.”
“Hehe, so prickly. Even your playing hard to get is charming.” Sitri backed away obediently.
“So, what’s the answer to my question?”
“What question?”
“The snitch who gave you the information.”
There was no snitch. This was knowledge he possessed from the distant future. Naturally, there was no way to explain that. So, he gave this answer:
“Barbatos.”
Barbatos, one of the Seven Great Demons of Hell. The demon of shadows and intrigue, and the one most likely to have a connection with Ferda.
“Barbatos… how strange. I didn’t expect that name to come up,” Sitri muttered to herself. She didn’t look like someone who had found an answer, but her reaction suggested it didn’t really matter.
“Then I’ll see you later, handsome. Make sure you keep a tight grip on that dog leash until then.”
Mwah.
With a hand-blown kiss, her form vanished completely. Dawn had arrived.
* * *
“Ugh…”
The Dark Elf. Since she had used an emergency escape spell, only her body had been transported here.
“Damn it…”
She had barely managed to find a place to hide, but she couldn't escape the freezing cold. Even for an Elf with high physical resistance, surviving in the snow-covered high mountains was no easy feat. The cold wind seeping in from outside the cave tugged at the Dark Elf’s consciousness.
Suddenly, she snapped awake. Someone was coming.
“Who’s there?!”
All she had was a stone in her hand. She threatened the intruder with a venomous expression. The figure that appeared at the cave entrance was so large it blocked half the opening.
The Dark Elf saw it clearly. It had red eyes and pointed fangs.
“So this is where you were, Linne Research Director.”
“…”
The man scanned Linne’s body and spoke. “I received word that there was a disturbance. It seems the reports were true.”
“You demons are as insidious as they come. Are you just another one in line to get a look at an Elf’s body?”
“Nonsense.”
“If you know it’s nonsense, then give me some clothes. I feel like I’m going to freeze to death at this rate.”
The Demon Man held out his hand. His large, bulging muscles were intimidating. “The logs and samples come first.”
“You see the state I’m in and you’re still asking for those? Obviously, they’re no longer in my possession.”
“Then that means they’re in their hands.”
“Yes. I failed.”
“You know very well what happens to those who fail, don’t you?”
Linne growled. “So? Are you going to execute me on the spot because I failed?”
“You’ll be escorted from Research Director to prisoner. And then you’ll stand trial.”
“Go ahead and hold your damn trial! All the research is in my head. I’m the only one who knows how to recreate those samples and how to continue the progress.”
“There are those among us who deal in necromancy. Pulling what’s inside your head is no difficult task.”
“Those morons? Ha! Do you really think those gloomy pseudo-intellectuals could mess with my head and create something perfect? I can already see them regretting it after making nothing but a few children’s toys!”
The man simply looked down at her. She forced herself to keep talking. Despite the deathly cold, she forced her mouth open to spit out the words.
“You lot saved only me while my kin were dying. That day, you said it yourselves, didn’t you? That I was the only one among them who was useful. Are you really going to execute your most capable asset right here?”
“…”
“So give me those damn clothes already.”
The man stared at her for a moment before tossing her a coat. Linne wrapped it around herself. The inside was warm with heat magic.
“Was it Ferda Valdrova who did that to your eyes?”
Linne gritted her teeth and nodded. “I never imagined I’d be bested by that brat.”
“I heard he was superior to ordinary humans. His name is even being mentioned at the Round Table now.”
“You shouldn’t just say he’s superior to ordinary humans. Even that phrase underestimates him.”
“Then how would you evaluate him?”
Linne pulled the coat tight. “In all of history, there has never been anyone like him.”
“You’re afraid.”
“I’m just being objective. I felt it the moment he caught me off guard.”
She recalled Ferda’s appearance as he entered her vision after the Lightning Bolt had pierced her eyes. A young man with gray hair. Blue eyes that hid his true intentions. In those blue eyes, she had felt something familiar.
“That guy is a madman who has fought mages stronger than himself countless times.”
The eyes of a big-game hunter who compensates for a lack of power with technique, overwhelming opponents by looking several steps ahead. In those eyes, Linne had sensed her defeat. That was why she had given up the fight and used the emergency escape scroll to flee.
The man glanced outside. The heavy snowfall had begun to subside.
“It’s time to move.”
The man stood up, but Linne hesitated. “My punishment… is it unavoidable?”
“You know the answer to that,” the man replied coldly. “You’d better hope your assessment of him as a 'madman' holds weight with the Council.”
Demons were all like this. No emotions, no guilt. They would weigh her life based solely on calculation.
‘All I can do is show them how capable I am.’
Linne gripped the coat. ‘I… will survive.’
Survival. That was the promise she had made to herself the moment she laid hands on Godwin’s blood.
* * *
In the peaceful mid-eastern region of the Serdes Continent, the Rosnova Territory was running smoothly. Erembalt, the head of the family, had retired due to old age, but his two sons were leading the house to continued prosperity.
Suddenly, a bombshell dropped on the household. It wasn't that actual cannons or catapults had been fired. No, in fact, that might have been preferable to the current situation.
“Hello, Head of House. I assume you know who I am?”
Standing before Erembalt was a girl. She was asking arrogantly in a youthful voice. Normally, Erembalt would have barked at such an insolent child for speaking so informally, but he didn't dare.
“Yes. I know very well.”
Erembalt couldn't bring himself to be rude. He knew that appearances weren't everything, and that the small girl before him was likely far older than himself.
“You are Lady Erdes, the paragon of great mages, are you not?”
“Oh my, a paragon? You don’t need to use such flattery. I know you all refer to me as the 'beautiful young maniac.'”
It was a difficult comment to respond to. She was certainly a maniac, but 'beautiful young girl' was… complicated.
“To what do we owe the honor of your visit to this humble place?”
Erembalt was curious about her purpose. Erdes was like a storm. She would appear out of nowhere, turn everything into a mess, and then leave. In some cases, things—or people—would simply vanish. Erembalt feared he might be next.
“It’s nothing much. I have no intention of laying waste to this place, so you can relax.”
“Yes, yes. Of course, I never worried about such a thing.”
“But depending on the circumstances, I might.”
Erembalt gulped. He had crossed paths with a true lunatic. With a flick of Erdes’s finger, a map from within her robes spread itself out on the table.
“What do you think this is?”
“A map… is it not?”
“Yes, a map etched onto magic parchment. Those of us at the Magic Tower use this map to observe the flow of mana.” With a brief explanation, she pointed to a spot with a small wand. “Where do you think this is?”
“According to the markings… it is Count Consilus’s castle.”
“Correct. And this place marked here?”
“Um… isn’t that a mountain in the North?”
“Be specific.”
“That is… Silverwind territory.”
“Correct! I’m glad. If you were as dull as my dear Blue, I might have gotten a bit angry.”
She smiled brightly and withdrew her wand. “Why do you think I pointed out those two locations?”
“Pardon? Uh, well, that is…”
Erembalt looked down at the map. He couldn't bring himself to look up. He didn't have the confidence to face that subtle smile and whatever was dwelling in her eyes.
“I apologize. My dull mind cannot comprehend…”
“Well, that’s fine. You’re not a mage, so how would you know? And unlike Blue, at least you know you’re stupid.”
Erembalt realized that the Grim Reaper had been standing behind him until just a moment ago. With every word, action, or choice that went wrong, Erembalt could have died.
Why? Why did he feel this way? The reason was simple.
“A Bending Bridge spell occurred here. A Bending Bridge that transits through Hell.”
It was because of black magic. Her hatred for black magic was legendary.
“Is that… so?”
“But I don’t think Count Consilus was the one who used it.”
“T-then who?”
“Use your head a bit more. If it wasn't Count Consilus, who could it be? A relative? His children? Or… someone higher than him?”
“Someone higher than him…”
Then, he felt the connection. He realized why this maniac mage had come to find him, a member of a knightly family.
“Ferda…”
The third son he had cast away. This was all happening because of him.
“There are traces that the Regent of Valdrova has made contact with a demon.”
Erdes Roton. He knew how intense her hatred for black magic was. Anyone who touched black magic faced, at minimum, the total annihilation of their house. This meant the end of the Rosnova family.
“P-please, have mercy!” Erembalt fell to his knees. The crest of his brave family was crumpled. “I swear, I have nothing to do with that boy! From the moment he left this place, we have been strangers! I haven't even been in contact with him!”
He desperately rubbed his hands together, begging for his life. Erdes continued to smile as she watched him.
“I know. I know a mere knightling like you wasn't involved.”
Her tone sounded understanding, but it brought no comfort. Her wrath knew no mercy. This fact alone was enough to destroy the Rosnova family. However, today, she would not do that.
“So, tell me.”
She had only one wish. And that one wish was immense.
“Tell me everything about this fellow named Ferda.”