Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Next Time, I'll Make an Indian Vow
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「Hey there. Make a wish.」
Lili, wrapped around Lee Seong-hoon's neck and hanging off him, whispered in his ear. Even in this sudden situation, she showed no sign of panic.
It was the survival instinct honed from years as a lesser demon. Just moments ago, she had been at home, dressed in her maid outfit, studying under Leviathan's watchful eye.
However.
A quick glance around was all it took to grasp the situation. Including why Lee Seong-hoon had summoned her here.
Who held the upper hand. Everything was already clear. Naturally, her speech had reverted to its old ways, and her outfit had changed back to the extremely revealing one she used to wear.
「If you don't speak up quick, I'll crush you flat. I guarantee it. Five seconds from now, you'll be crushed. The moment time resumes. Right then.」
She whispered. In an inescapable situation, with inescapable terms, in a voice so sweet it could melt his brain.
The demon's breath tickled his ear. Her hand traced his collarbone.
「Just one word. One word from you, and I can blow that rag heap away without a trace. My power is your power. You know that, right?」
One word. Demons couldn't wield their power in reality. It was their constraint. The limitation imposed on transcendent beings who surpassed divine order.
They could only use their strength through human wishes. To exist in reality, in the human world, humans were indispensable.
Their wishes, their mana, granted power to the demons.
That's why it was necessary. That one phrase from Lee Seong-hoon: 'Kill that rag heap for me.'
The moment he uttered it, she would kill the rag heap and claim her price. That was the nature of demons.
"Yeah. I'll make a wish."
Lee Seong-hoon smiled. Amid the frozen time, he smirked as if it were the most natural thing in the world, gripping his scythe.
Lili, still hanging off him, didn't even glance at it. Yet she gazed at him with eyes full of affection.
Humans were foolish. They didn't realize their own stupidity. That's why they were so lovable.
Occasionally, superhumans who didn't seem human appeared, but they were human in the end. They crumbled easily before desire.
Lee Seong-hoon was the same. Different from ordinary humans, but in a crisis, he had called upon her.
In the end, he was just wishing to a demon.
"The price is one soul. The wish—"
A soul leaked from the scythe in Lee Seong-hoon's hand. It nestled into Lili's embrace.
With Lili's sneer, his words continued.
"First, just send that thing flying."
「What?」
Just that? Not 'kill it' or 'erase its existence'? Just that?
She couldn't comprehend it. Lili's mind couldn't make sense of Lee Seong-hoon. But regardless, her body moved.
Once the price was paid, the wish had to be granted. Her own will didn't factor in.
Lili extended her hand. Time resumed. In the normally flowing time, the charging fist was already flying toward the wall.
That was the wish. Naturally, the rag heap just went flying without dying.
「Why? Kiddo. One word. One word and I could kill it. Why wish for something like that?」
"That wasn't worth a whole soul, was it? Convert the rest into body reinforcement for me."
Ignoring her now? Lili clung to Lee Seong-hoon's moving body and fulfilled the wish. She reinforced his body with the remaining soul energy.
「Kiddo.」
Even as she did, she whispered. Lili could see it—the gap in power between him and the rag heap.
If he was a rifle, the rag heap was a cannon. No chance of winning. He knew that better than anyone.
So Lili didn't stop talking.
「Is it because of the price? If so, how about this? That demonic energy you reclaimed from those guys. Use it as payment, and I'll kill that thing for you.」
Lee Seong-hoon didn't answer. He spun his scythe as if Lili wrapped around his neck wasn't there and advanced on the rag heap.
「Kiddo. You could die like this. Don't you know one hit will kill you? You're connected to me by contract anyway.」
Lili's words were sweet. Like fruit on a tree just out of reach.
Return her demonic energy, or make a wish, and she could take down the rag heap. No doubt with a single gesture.
End the fight safely, without risking his life. Exactly the outcome Lee Seong-hoon desired most.
However.
"Lili."
Lee Seong-hoon knew better than anyone.
"Shut your trap."
That demons excelled at deception.
＊＊＊
「Wha...」
"If you open your mouth even once from now on, the second time resumes, I'm tossing you straight to Michael."
「.....」
Only then did she finally shut up. I thought I was gonna die from her incessant chatter.
Wish to a demon? In a situation like this? Am I crazy? Hell no, I wouldn't.
This wasn't like the demon den. Back then, Raphael was with me. I could've smacked her if she pulled anything weird, but not now.
That's how demons are. They pretend to grant your wish but twist it.
Think of the monkey's paw. They create the worst outcomes, then scrape up every bit of mana, soul, and despair from the contract. Total scumbags.
If I'd returned her demonic energy just now, she would've stabbed me in the back first thing.
So I put restrictions on her. Paid the price upfront so she couldn't squeeze more out of me, and kept the wish minimal.
All I need right now is body reinforcement.
I could feel it even without Lachesis saying it. My heightened senses screamed of the threat.
「Ooooooh!!」
The rag-covered gorilla charged with tremendous momentum. I dodged slightly to the side. Since I moved, the idiot smashed straight into the wall.
"What a complete moron."
I almost died to something like that? Not a shred of intelligence. I figured it had at least goblin-level smarts, but nope. Just trash swinging its body at whatever's in front of it.
"Before the body reinforcement, I couldn't even beat something like that. Pathetic."
Why do I miss that damn blonde so much lately? When she was around, I wanted her gone, but now it's so inconvenient without her.
[Do better nya.]
"She needs to do better by me."
[Well...]
Right? You can't deny it either. I grinned at Lachesis's hesitation and pulled a rune from my [Inventory].
"Lili."
「What.」
"Use proper speech. Briefing's fine."
「.....」
Fine, don't. I slipped the runes between my fingers and charged. The rag-covered one that headbutted the wall had come to its senses and was turning around.
I hurled the runes. The papers didn't flutter aimlessly. Infused with mana, they flew with intent.
The magic embedded in them activated right on target, naturally—
"Gal!!!!"
Yeah. It's important. Next time, I'll make an Indian vow.
The four launched runes detonated. Each one amplified the explosion's power.
They triggered a chain reaction, engulfing the rag-covered one's vision. With the explosion's dust sealing our sights.
But I have a black cat.
Hearing that, I swung the scythe fiercely. No hesitation. I'd sooner give my cat an extra ounce of strength than doubt her.
Scythe Mastery
[Bonus activated due to specific action taken.]
The Death Reaper left a streak of white as it sliced through the dust.
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"Sophia."
No response came. The woman lifted her gaze to the silver hair dangling before her.
The silver hair embedded in the pulsating flesh sack wall, battered and broken.
"Why aren't you answering?"
"Levia."
"Yeah."
"Why're you here."
The green-haired woman whose name was called, Levia, smiled brightly. Because she'd been waiting for that question.
Anyone watching might call her personality nasty, but what could be done? Levia's personality really was rotten.
"Thanks to you."
"What?"
"The boss lost his mind after you vanished. So I fled to Justitia, where even the boss hesitates to poke around, and oh my? In the world? Sophia walks right up to me?"
Levia hopped around clapping her hands. With a very pleased expression.
In stark contrast, Sophia's face was grim. Something ambiguous. A mix of anger and sorrow.
If it had been a progenitor or regular vampire, Sophia would've won without a fight.
But Levia was a true progenitor. A progenitor's strength was determined by years lived.
Levia was a vampire who'd lived at least centuries. Sophia, by contrast, was only 17 years turned.
She knew the outcome without fighting. But she fought anyway.
Sophia's body was already a wreck. They'd clashed once, and she'd lost. Miserably.
"So why'd you run? Suck a little blood and die?"
"...."
"Vampires live if the boss lives. You know that. Because of you, he's even teamed up with those demon worshippers he hated for years."
Sophia didn't reply. Instead, she glared at Levia murderously. Of course, nothing changed.
"Scary. So scary. But what's with that boy you were with earlier? Looked promising. Vampires dying because of you, and you're out dating? Does your boyfriend know you're a vampire?"
Ah. He's probably dead by now, so who cares? As Levia cackled to herself, Sophia instinctively reached out from within the rag heap.
Of course, it got severed.
"Gaaaaah!!!"
Sophia screamed at her arm sliced clean off without mercy. The severed arm rolled across the floor making grotesque noises.
"Such a drama queen."
Levia confirmed the bleeding had stopped, picked up the severed arm, and pressed it to the stump.
Flesh bubbled and knit the wound closed.
"I told you to bring her back intact if you found her."
"Anyone'd think you're a gentleman. You psycho bitch."
"Learned some naughty words, huh? Forgot how much I doted on you back then?"
"They call violence doting these days?"
"Ways of expression vary by person."
Sophia clicked her tongue in disgust. Ignore. Levia activated her magic. Planning to show the man tossed into the fog.
However.
"Huh?"
Gone. Nowhere to be seen. And weirder still. The shared vision was low. Like looking from someone's feet—
Levia's thoughts didn't continue. Couldn't.
It was instinct. Centuries as a vampire honing her senses, and the crisis detection unique to progenitors.
Survival instinct, in a word.
Her eyes widened at the sight. Hard to describe in words. Her eyes beheld a phenomenon she'd never seen.
Space warped. Like heat haze blooming and bubbling up.
Levia struggled with her limited vocabulary to explain, but words wouldn't come.
As if. As if someone was crossing dimensions—
"「Huh?」"
Two beautiful voices echoed. Spreading far through the narrow sewer.
The reason was simple. All too simple.
Levia's head was flying through the air. Blood gushed from where her neck had been, obscuring the view somewhat, but she saw it.
A blade protruded from the warped space.
"Oh dear."
With her head in the air, she saw it even better. The figure far away.
Walking this way. Only then did it click. Why Sophia hadn't thrashed even in defeat.
Why her own head was airborne.
Why the shared vision magic's viewpoint had been so low.
Thud—
Footsteps echoed softly. Her head, hard to see amid the dark surroundings, swayed.
Emotion flickered in eyes blended with the shadows.
"This."
Levia knew that emotion well. Shallow, but unmistakable.
Rage.
"Did you make this?"
The masterpiece's head rolled across the floor.