The Third Study - Archdevil Lucifeles (1)
I met Lucifeles when I was around six years old. It was the period after I had been expelled from home for the crime of imitating a cantrip performed by a third-rate magician from the Crescent Moon Traveling Troupe.
“Brothers! Please don’t abandon me!”
“Get lost! You spawn of the devil! We don’t know you!”
“Mother… please!”
“Eek! What are you waiting for? Drive the devil out at once!”
“Yes, Mother!”
The devout citizens of Temnigrad despised the mage lords, and for that reason they called magic the trickery of devils. In a city this pious, there was simply no way for a small child who had awakened magical power to survive.
“Sir! Please, just one coin!”
‘…’
“Perform a good deed and draw closer to heaven! On the day I stand before the Lord’s judgment seat, I will testify to the angels the names of the merciful sirs who showed me compassion!”
I couldn’t even manage to become a beggar or a thief. No wealthy man wanted the intercessory prayers of a cursed child, and no thieves’ guild wanted to accept a spellcaster and draw the watchful eye of the church authorities.
“Child.”
“…Sir.”
“Are you hungry?”
A muscular man waved a plump sausage before my eyes. It was even sprinkled with pepper, sharp enough to sting my nose. A sweet aroma I had only known in my previous life.
“If you want to eat the sausage, then suck the sausage.”
“…”
“Show me everything from the back and I’ll give you a gold coin.”
I was tempted for a single moment, but I never gave in. Starving to death seemed better than abandoning the dignity of life. None of the beggars understood my stubborn attitude, but the child I was at the time still made that choice.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Applause rang out.
“Splendid! Absolutely splendid!”
“…?”
“Young human! So you possess a dignity worth protecting even at the cost of death! Then you are more than qualified to receive my blessing! Drain the cup, boy!”
Lucifeles appeared dressed like a wealthy prince, yet he was in truth more powerful and wealthy than any prince. After all, his father was the sovereign of the seven hells who contended with the glory of the heavens.
“What is a cambion babbling about?”
“…What did you just say?”
“What is a bastard babbling about? That’s what I said.”
“…?!”
“In hell you’re scorned as a half-breed, so you crawl up to the surface world, run petty scams against mortals, and strut around pretending to be some grand devil…”
Transcendents generally live within the realm of transcendents. Therefore, those who linger near the material plane often possess weaknesses. Just like this one.
“Get out of here right now! You reek of sulfur!”
“…You. What exactly are you?”
“Khaak! Ptui!”
Even after I issued the order to leave, Lucifeles persistently trailed after me. It seemed the fact that I wasn’t easily deceived only made him want to deceive me more.
At the time I hadn’t fully recovered the memories of my previous life, but I still knew that contracts with devils never ended well.
Lucifeles tempted me relentlessly. If I formed a contract with him, he said, I could exact brutal revenge on everyone who had ignored and cast me aside.
“I’ll grant you the power to take revenge on your family!”
“I have no family.”
“I’ll grant you the power to take revenge on the sun god!”
You?
With what means?
“…I’ll grant you the power to take revenge on the sun god’s church!”
“What would I gain by taking revenge on small fry?”
“…You. Are you truly six years old?”
At the time, I was. Even if the mind belonged to an aged gamer, a person’s psyche still followed the condition of their body. That too would become a research topic for later.
“In any case, I’m not making a contract with you, so get lost.”
“Why do you hate devils so much?”
It was a rather serious question. Back then I wished for the world to burn, so I had no particular reason to dislike devils.
“Just because.”
“…”
“I simply don’t like the way you creatures act.”
Even now, in fact.
I have no better answer to give.
“Get lost, Lucifeles.”
“It has been a long time, yet you remain truly cold. My friend.”
Despite the blatant rejection, Lucifeles answered with a sly smile and clapped his hands. The world froze. Belladia waving her hand. The fluttering curtain. The droplet falling from the flask. Everything stopped.
“Are you not afraid of me?”
Lucifeles picked up the quill from the desk and drove it straight into Belladia’s right eyeball. If time resumed now, she would undoubtedly die.
“I could do the same to you, of course.”
“You can’t.”
“…”
Just as mortals cannot encounter transcendents without undergoing a trial, transcendents cannot intervene in the material plane without paying a price. If such intervention were possible, the material plane would have already been annihilated by the wars of the transcendents.
“If you were a demon who pursued primal evil, I would have ensured you could never approach me. But your father is the sovereign of the devils who pursue refined evil, isn’t he?”
All devils are beings born to manifest evil. Yet just as humans live in different ways, the methods by which devils manifest evil also differ.
“I am not my father, human.”
“You lack the courage to defy your father.”
Every devil possesses their own philosophy concerning evil deeds. If we were to classify them broadly, they would fall into two groups: [Devils] who pursue restrained evil and [Demons] who pursue primal evil.
The difference between a tyrant who demands submission and a serial killer who enjoys slaughter. In the end, both are nothing more than pure evil that takes pleasure in wrongdoing.
Killing an innocent person is enjoyable! But what manner of killing would be even more evil? It was a question countless devils still debated.
“Disorderly violence does not match the aesthetics of evil you pursue, Lucifeles of Gehenna.”
Had Lucifeles been a demon, he would have torn Belladia’s flesh apart and devoured her heart. Devils, however, preferred more refined methods of atrocity.
“When killing someone, you frame them and send them to the gallows, or you corner a virtuous person until they become a murderer… That is the kind of killing you love. Not mindless slaughter without context.”
You have acquired lore regarding devils!
Experience +20!
Lore Points +2
20/100 until Level 13
Lore Points: 11
“…”
The more I explained, the more Lucifeles’ expression shifted with interest. How could Tellorian know so much about both him and devils? The man was undoubtedly a talented mage, yet still nothing more than a mortal.
“Kukuku. It appears you have studied not the magic of fire, but the magic of hell. You know more about us devils than the priests themselves.”
Even warlocks who specialized in infernal magic would not dare display such insolence before him. To offend the mood of Gehenna’s archduke was to invite a fate far worse than death.
“You are correct.”
The crimson noble smiled as he pulled the quill from Belladia’s eye. Killing without context lacked all dignity. A devil who lost his dignity would face the severe wrath of his sire.
“As you said, I cannot carelessly kill a mortal! It seems I must return empty-handed once again today. But mark my words! The day will come when your arrogance catches your own ankle!”
When Lucifeles clapped again, time resumed its flow. With a look of regret he turned and headed for the laboratory exit.
“Then until next time, my friend.”
“Wait.”
“…What is it?”
“When a friend visits from afar, shouldn’t I at least offer him a meal? I invite you to dinner.”
When a friend comes, you have to feed him.
I am not a Nord barbarian, after all.
“It is an honor, Lord Pelerius.”
“The honor is mine, Count Harrington.”
Lucifeles received a magnificent welcome at the Iron Mace Count’s banquet. It was all thanks to concealing his demonic appearance and disguising himself as a foreign noble.
“I heard you are an archduke from the far east.”
“I am merely the master of a small domain. By the way, is the rumor true that the Iron Mace Count defeated seventeen orc warriors single-handedly?”
Lucifeles blended naturally into the noble banquet. No one would ever associate the cultured and intelligent eastern prince with the tyrant of Gehenna who exploited millions of souls.
“Archduke, you are truly beautiful!”
“You flatter me, Lady Belladia.”
Belladia in particular stared at Lucifeles throughout the meal, captivated by the demonic beauty that could not be hidden even in human form.
“I have training to attend, so I shall take my leave first.”
“Thank you for your hospitality, my lord.”
“Enjoy your evening, noble from the east.”
When the count rose from his seat, only three people remained in the banquet hall: Viscountess Belladia, Court Mage Tellorian, and the eastern prince Pelerius…
“It was an excellent meal, Lady Belladia.”
“I’m glad our humble Harrington family table pleased you, Lord Lucifeles.”
Belladia rose from her chair, bowed politely, and lifted the hem of her dress in the formal etiquette a lower rank showed to a superior.
“I believe you mispronounced the name just now.”
“Archduke Lucifeles of Gehenna. Isn’t that correct?”
“…?”
The young lady’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him. She had spoken his true name and title with perfect accuracy. It meant she clearly recognized his identity.
“…Tellorian?”
“I taught her.”
“That violates the customs of us devils.”
Lucifeles narrowed his eyes, openly displaying wariness. As an archduke of the devil race who was fanatically obsessed with rules, he despised situations where his identity was accidentally exposed.
“Yet a guest hiding his identity from his host is also a violation of custom, is it not?”
You have acquired lore regarding hospitality!
Experience +10
30/100 until Level 13
Lore Points: 11
“You came as a guest and Belladia welcomed you as the host. Remember only that for now.”
The custom of hospitality was a universal rule in the material plane. And since he himself was currently within the material plane, it was only right to follow its rules.
Victory in debate against a devil!
Experience +10
40/100 until Level 13
Lore Points: 11
“…My, my.”
Lucifeles rose with a troubled expression and bowed to Belladia according to the etiquette of the Heartland nobility.
“Lucifeles of Gehenna greets Lady Belladia of the Harrington family. As the rumors say, your beauty reaches all the way to the abyss.”
The devil noble did not fall for Lady Belladia’s captivating appearance the way mortal males did. Devils had always been far more interested in souls than in flesh.
“Thank you for the compliment, Archduke Lucifeles.”
Belladia, on the other hand, trembled from head to toe as she received his greeting. The noble from hell was truly beautiful. So beautiful it was difficult to suppress her instincts…
“There are so many things I wish to ask you.”
“…You wish to ask me?”
“I have always had a great interest in devils, you see.”
At first Lucifeles watched Belladia with suspicion, but he could detect no signs of falsehood. She was genuinely welcoming him.
“I heard that devils enjoy making deals?”
“…”
Just as humans needed clean air and rich nutrients, devils required pure malice and fresh souls. That was why deals with devils always led humans to ruin. Tellorian knew this as well, which was why he had stubbornly refused to deal with him.
What are you thinking?
Lucifeles sent a telepathic message.
What scheme are you plotting that you would teach your disciple knowledge about hell? The man I observed before seemed far more responsible than this.
“…Who knows.”
Tellorian shrugged and stood up. His expression made it obvious he was hiding something.
“My disciple wished to meet a devil, so I simply arranged the occasion. You two may converse freely. I have research that demands my attention.”
Even the mage departed. Now only the archduke of Gehenna, brimming with malice, and the girl whose heart had been stolen by that same archduke’s beauty remained.
…What kind of trick is this?
This was the same as leaving a starving dragon and a frail fawn alone in the same cave. How was one supposed to endure such hunger? A pure soul lay right before his eyes.
I see.
Now I understand.
His scheme.
This is an offering he has prepared for me!
A cunning ploy. He secured his own safety by avoiding any direct association with a devil, while sacrificing his disciple to obtain the devil’s knowledge for himself!
Not bad at all! Indeed, he needs at least this level of resourcefulness to be worth taming as a hunting hound!
Lucifeles began devising a plan to steal Belladia’s soul. After that, he would use her soul as collateral to claim Tellorian’s soul as well!
Excellent.
The devil smiled.
The mage was smiling as well.
Experience +20
Lore Points +2
60/100 until Level 13
Lore Points: 13