Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: What Is This? Scary. (2)
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Anger.
That single word was the only one that could represent the emotion blazing fiercely in those eyes.
“It must be tough.”
Honestly, that training was disadvantageous for a guy who specialized in magic.
Magic required a lot of preparation.
To strengthen spells, you needed catalysts or magic circles. It was better suited for long-range bombardment than close combat, and if a swordsman closed in, all you could do was run for your life.
It wasn’t for nothing that mages and magic engineers were differentiated even though they both relied on magic.
Mages focused on powerful single strikes, while magic engineers—except in special cases—aimed for prolonged battles through precise mana distribution. Their domains were completely different.
No. 17’s base was that of a mage.
The lower training camps must be teaching pretty well these days; she was top-tier among the ones I’d seen so far.
But mages shone brightest when someone protected them.
In the current 1:1:1 setup—especially against opponents who mainly used swords—she was bound to fall behind.
So, there were two options.
Change her combat style to that of a magic engineer using close-combat techniques and tools, or reinforce her forces with a summon through a contract.
The quicker option was obviously the latter.
Magic engineers needed at least a year of real combat experience to be recognized as such—even then, only as rookies or greenhorns.
Without that process, they were treated as flying maggots or meat shields rather than true magic engineers.
Among trained magic engineers deployed to the battlefield, only three out of ten survived. And even then, there were no guarantees afterward.
Mages were already prime targets, but if they rushed to the front lines on their own, they got sniped on sight. The world had advanced so much that special arrows could tear through magic barriers, making it possible to snipe skilled mages and magic engineers from afar if you had the funds.
So, rather than dragging out that kind of training, it wasn’t a bad idea to have a tough summon tank for her while she bombarded from range as a firepower mage.
The downside was high mana consumption, but rear-line firepower mages were always parched in war anyway.
They practically lived with mana recovery potions in their mouths 24/7.
The trade-off was frequent bathroom breaks.
Back when I unluckily had to join a major battle, they even developed diapers so mages could just soil their pants.
Yeah, they resented me a ton for that.
But I didn’t want to either, okay?
If one guy stepped away for the bathroom and halted the bombardment, the enemy main force would charge right in. It was that brutal.
The mages never appreciated my effort in developing odor-proof diapers.
Anyway, let’s get her a good... no, a summon.
I had something I wanted to test anyway.
First, I drew the summoning circle on the prepared floor.
“Isn’t this... a magic circle for summoning a demon?!”
Oh ho. The lower training camp must really be top-notch. She could tell what it was just from the circle.
As a representative upper training instructor, I should send them some praise later.
Words don’t cost money.
“You know it.”
“Contracting with demons is forbidden by imperial law, isn’t it?”
Seeing No. 17’s slightly surprised expression, I let out a deep sigh.
What was this idiot saying?
“Before we even contract with a demon and commit a crime, we’re already splendid criminals as members of the Evil Organization.”
“Ah...”
No. 17 blanked out for a moment as I resumed drawing the magic circle.
Oh right, lower camps don’t teach that. As a fine instructor, I should enlighten her.
“And if you look at imperial law itself, contracting with demons isn’t explicitly illegal.”
“What? What do you mean...”
Even if I say so myself, I once worked in the imperial palace for years on missions involving bloody succession disputes.
You had to memorize the law or risk losing your head anytime. I crammed it all in.
On international and imperial law, I could go toe-to-toe with an imperial judge!
“It’s not the contract with a demon that’s a crime—it’s contracting with your soul as collateral.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
No, you idiot.
“All summons have restrictions based on their rank.”
Spirits, familiars—even gods from other worlds could be summoned.
They say even familiar names like Zeus or Odin have appeared.
Demons ranged from Solomon’s 72 major demons and the demons of the Qliphoth tree to demon kings and similar beings from Greek, Norse, Eastern, and other mythologies—all summonable.
But demons’ destructive power is unmatched. The reason? The contract condition: souls.
“Demons are the only ones that demand souls as payment.”
Scammers among scammers.
Like loan sharks who lend 10,000 and collect 100,000.
“Souls are untouchable even by gods—only the creators who made the world and tasked the gods with tending it can touch them. Demons scam that domain away under the name of ‘contracts.’ That’s why those who contract with demons gain immense power at the cost of their souls.”
The maintenance fee is brutal.
If they gave you a catalog, you’d never pick one, but specialized summoning books are rare, and the ones on the market are so inferior to what I know they’re not worth reading.
“That’s why contracts are banned. Demons touch the taboo of souls.”
“Then shouldn’t we avoid it?”
No. 17 tilted her head cutely after thinking.
“Think the other way around. If demons are the ones scamming souls...”
Clack!
The magic circle drawn with chalk was complete. Hmm. Should work.
If not, No. 17 becomes a criminal—but she’s already an Evil Organization sapling, a pre-criminal.
Anyway, the real issue...
Souls getting pawned to demons—but not mine, so whatever.
Even if I tried, I have zero mana, so no summoning.
Tried contracting with someone else’s summon once, got rejected.
Demons saying my soul’s rotten? What nonsense.
So, time for her to be the guinea pig. Experiment title:
“We can scam the demons right back.”
How big a scam can we pull on one?
#2 Their Side: The Great Demon’s Master’s Situation
“We can scam the demons right back.”
What groundbreaking nonsense was this?
I wanted to get stronger, but I hadn’t planned on becoming a criminal.
Hearing the instructor, though, I realized I was already a criminal-in-training.
If the imperial army caught me, suicide before shaming my family was the answer.
‘Seriously, just marry into some house, artisan or whatever?’
The more I thought, the more I regretted joining the organization for this.
Getting stronger for food? Me, a lady of the top-tier Nermia Count family among the empire’s many nobles?!
‘No, it’s... yeah, all because of that insolent No. 1.’
Exploiting someone trying to help.
He even cuffed 6 on my wrists and 7 on my ankles.
Fragile, delicate wrists weighed down! Even the empire, infamous for denying criminals rights, didn’t treat heinous felons like this—let alone a delicate girl like me!
Chaining up someone who tried to help with magic circles and cuffs—I felt bone-deep why “repay kindness with enmity” exists.
Then, once No. 1 started eating, his pent-up hunger exploded. He devoured ravenously, and my portions shrank.
Honestly, after the instructor’s hellish early months, the training wasn’t that intense.
Surprisingly normal, effective, packed with theories even my family didn’t know—I was secretly satisfied.
Until No. 1000 skipped one meal.
I’d kill past me to stop it if I could.
“No. 1000’s never starved, has she?”
The resentful mutter slipped out, No. 1 agreed, and we teamed up to thwart her first place.
Her desperate attacks were chilling—like she’d kill. I regretted the trouble, but No. 1000’s teary glare at meals gave a strange thrill.
Meals were tense. I ate only with a fork.
Left-hand knife as last-resort self-defense against No. 1000 lunging anytime.
But she just teared up, never lunged at the food.
After meals, relaxing in relief, the instructor said:
“No. 1000 understands survival of the fittest better than anyone. That’s why she’s resentful.”
I replied without thinking.
“Because we attacked her?”
“No. Be-cause. She. Couldn’t. With-stand. Two. Peo-ple’s. At-tacks. So her weak-ness let her miss her food.”
Incomprehensible. But the instructor flashed a spine-chilling smile unlike usual and added:
“You might’ve awakened something you shouldn’t have.”
Only when he vanished did I realize my back was soaked in cold sweat.
Next day, No. 1000 used sword aura.
That week, she awakened magic too.
Soon, even our combined attacks couldn’t beat her. Alliance shattered.
I realized I was the weakest of three.
Could’ve peacefully rotated meals with No. 1 when she was easygoing, but no chance now.
Days passed, crisis choked me.
Hatred for No. 1 revived.
My fault too, but I won’t admit it!
“I, here, stake my name and mana, and call your name.”
Reading as told, but ominous. Mana draining, body weakening.
Not all demons equal.
Low demons don’t need soul contracts if you’re skilled—they’re weak.
High demons can doom a small nation if mishandled.
Info on dangerous ones widespread.
Hiding risks ancient ruins summons; summoner associations publicized partial spells, banning any with those parts.
Nermia family, mage nobles using summons often, knew tons—including demons—but not this spell.
“You, guardian of the land of fire, Muspelheim. Great giant who burned a world.”
Ah, brain screams shut up, but mouth won’t.
What? Burned a whole world?
Beyond high demon—great demon, even demon king level.
“Finisher of the twilight of the gods, I call your name here.”
Twilight of the gods—sounds deadly!
“Great fire giant Surtr, descend here and appear before me!”
Too late. I crossed the Rubicon.
Mana drained, heart pounded wildly.
Yes. Fear. Must be fear.
“So happy?”
“W-what do you mean!”
Staring at flashing circle, instructor behind—sharp retort slipped. Bad if he notices...
“Then what’s that smile?”
Smile? Me smiling? Absurd.
Heart pounding in terror—no way smiling.
Ha. Damn.
Staring silently, he pulls out a hand mirror.
Damn, prepared as ever.
Fine, admit it. Mirror shows a madwoman grinning maniacally. My face.
Yes, heart racing wildly.
Vast superpower Karan Empire. Nermia family top in magic. I read nearly all their books—never heard of giant Surtr.
But from spell alone, obvious.
A great demon from myths!
As a mage lady. As a mage.
Can’t pass up learning the unknown.
Instructor said no soul contract, but not guaranteed success.
Risky gamble. Soul on the line.
Not excited? Then not a mage.
How long passed?
At circle’s peak flash, red-bodied giant like fire erupted with intense heat.
Boom!
“You who called Muspelheim’s lord, Surtr—is it you?!”
Fire giant slammed floor with one hand. At his majesty, joy flooded me.
“The contract price is your soul... Huh?”
Bold speech halted, giant looked confused at floor.
Then.
“Yes, soul. Zero. Nothing.”
Instructor’s wickedly gleeful voice rang in my ear.