Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: The Demon's Contract
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Thick black smoke blanketed his vision.
In stark contrast, roaring flames blazed red, as if to devour his sight entirely.
And there, in the midst of it, stood a girl who looked about thirteen years old.
A black-haired, black-eyed girl in a black dress—rarely seen in the real world—walked calmly through the inferno, radiating presence.
*Am I hallucinating right now?*
Lee Jae-hyun couldn’t help but doubt his own eyes.
Was this some absurd illusion right before death?
As that thought crossed his mind, a low voice spoke.
“Do you want to live?”
A straightforward question.
Want to live?
Of course he did.
If he died here, what would happen to his mother, left alone?
What about Park Dae-hyung, who had been demoted?
And there were too many criminals he hadn’t caught.
So many police in Korea were content with just upholding the line and nabbing criminals moderately.
That wouldn’t do.
More victims would emerge.
He had to stop it.
His answer was set.
If he could live, escape this situation, prevent Park Dae-hyung’s demotion, protect his mother from threats, and lock away those who tried to kill him.
He’d sell his soul to the devil if needed.
“I can’t die here.”
The moment he answered,
The girl smiled faintly.
“Then take my hand.”
She extended her hand.
Would grabbing it save him? Would anything change...?
He didn’t know.
But Lee Jae-hyun wasn’t in a position to be picky about hot or cold water.
It didn’t matter who this girl was.
If she could get him out of here, what was a handshake?
Lee Jae-hyun slowly raised his freed hand and grasped hers.
And then.
The world flipped.
* * *
Just moments ago, flames had surged around him, but now it was an entirely different space.
A dim, pitch-black void.
Lee Jae-hyun slowly rose to his feet.
Nothing was visible, which made it unsettling.
“Where... is this?”
“Between hell and heaven. The ‘void.’”
“The void...?”
A void between hell and heaven?
Lee Jae-hyun narrowed his eyes, trying to see something—anything—but still, nothing.
The only thing in his sight was the girl before him.
She shrugged and continued.
“It wasn’t ideal for a contract there, so we made a temporary one and came here. Lately, forcing contracts in urgent situations leads to complaints about unfair deals or monopolies.”
Her low, clear voice didn’t suit the oppressive darkness.
Her presence was so vivid it felt like her voice was touching his skin.
At this point, he had to admit it.
*This isn’t a pre-death hallucination.*
He’d thought it might be a delusion from a muddled mind, but no.
Or maybe he was still hallucinating.
Various thoughts raced through his head, and as if sensing them,
“It’s not a hallucination.”
The girl stated firmly.
She stepped closer to him and continued.
“My name is Serhen. As you’ve probably guessed, I’m a demon from hell.”
“A demon?”
Lee Jae-hyun echoed, staring at the girl who’d introduced herself as Serhen.
He’d said he’d sell his soul to a demon if it meant living.
But a real demon?
It was surprising, yet subconsciously, he thought, *It makes sense.*
Was this why humans were said to be so two-faced?
“Explaining more won’t change anything—whether I’m a demon or not isn’t the point. Shall we get to the main topic?”
Her tone said she didn’t care if he believed her.
Hearing that, Lee Jae-hyun snapped back to reality.
The demon before him was being polite, but the power dynamic was clear.
At this stage, he had no choice but to believe.
As Serhen said, whether she was a demon wasn’t important.
What mattered was what she wanted from him.
“I want to make a formal contract with you, temporary contractor.”
“What does a contract mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. I provide what you need, and you provide what I need.”
“What I need is my life?”
He asked to confirm if she meant saving him from that situation.
Serhen smiled faintly.
“That’s included, of course... And if needed, I can send you back ten years.”
“Ten years?”
“Yes. Then... you could fulfill that wish you’ve longed for.”
Wish.
What was the one he’d truly prayed for?
No need to think.
There was only one regret he wanted to fix.
*Father.*
Righting everything from the day his father died.
Saving his father.
That was his wish.
“Is that... possible?”
Rewinding time, no less.
Was it really feasible?
He didn’t suspect a scam.
Serhen had already shown him impossible sights, so disbelief wasn’t an option.
But.
Because he’d wished for it so desperately, it was hard to accept easily.
Even if she showed something more absurd, he’d react the same.
Serhen nodded lightly at his question.
“Yes. It’s not easy, of course... but possible.”
“Then what do you want from me?”
“What I want is simple. Keep doing what you’ve been doing. Just a bit more aggressively.”
Lee Jae-hyun furrowed his brow at her words.
He didn’t understand.
Who wouldn’t find it hard to accept that the price for a wish was just doing what he’d always done, more intensely?
What did she even mean by “what you’ve been doing”?
“What I’ve been doing?”
“Yes. Catching evil people.”
“And what do you gain from me catching villains?”
He asked.
Demons should want to encourage crime and sow chaos, right?
Catching criminals? It didn’t make sense.
Serhen continued.
“That’s because people don’t understand demons.”
“What do you mean?”
“Demons live on karma. Especially the karma from villains—it’s a delicacy for us.”
At the word “karma,” Lee Jae-hyun paused.
It wasn’t unfamiliar.
But a delicacy for demons? That was new.
“Karma, like retribution?”
“Similar. It’s complicated, but you’re a cop. You catch bad guys, right?”
“Of course.”
It was obvious.
Since the day his father died, Lee Jae-hyun’s purpose in life had been to lock up criminals and make them pay—no exaggeration.
Catching bad guys was as natural as breathing.
“When you catch them, I can harvest the karma. Purity and flavor vary, but still.”
“......”
“In the old days, maybe one person’s karma was enough. But now? Better to stick with someone who catches bad guys. So just do your best to nab them. I can offer a little help if needed.”
In summary.
Serhen’s deal: send him back ten years, and she feeds on the karma from the criminals he catches.
Far from objecting, Lee Jae-hyun welcomed it.
It was what he did best, what he was confident in.
And it could save his father too. No reason to refuse.
The only risk...
If it was a demon’s trick.
Lee Jae-hyun stared at Serhen silently.
She met his gaze with an unreadable expression.
Silence hung for a moment.
Finally, he decided.
Trick or not, he’d seize the chance.
“If that’s it, gladly.”
He answered firmly.
“Contract established.”
Serhen extended her hand.
The moment Lee Jae-hyun grasped it, the world flipped again.
* * *
“Hah...!”
Gasping, Lee Jae-hyun’s eyes flew open.
He blinked and looked around.
He couldn’t fully grasp the situation, nor take in the surroundings clearly.
But one thing was certain.
Unlike the pitch-black void moments ago, something was definitely visible now.
Desk, computer, files, police uniform...
A familiar place.
“This is... the substation?”
It was definitely Hanseong Police Substation, where he’d worked years ago.
Had he really gone back ten years?
As he blinked in thought,
“Sleeping on the job? You should be used to the three-shift schedule by now.”
A familiar voice came from beside him.
Lee Jae-hyun whipped his head to look.
A face that screamed gang boss.
Park Dae-hyung.
But a Park Dae-hyung ten years younger.
Park Dae-hyung leaned on his desk with one hand, looking down at Lee Jae-hyun.
The issue... his face was unscarred.
His fierce look remained, but the scar near his eye from saving Lee Jae-hyun was gone.
Staring at him, Lee Jae-hyun spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
“Hyung-nim?”
“...What’s with this guy?”
Park Dae-hyung furrowed his brows at the odd reaction.
Lee Jae-hyun froze.
If it was truly ten years ago, they weren’t close enough for “hyung-nim” yet.
Sure enough.
Park Dae-hyung shook his head.
“We’re colleagues, but not at the ‘hyung-dongsaeng’ stage yet.”
“Ah, um... Sorry.”
Lee Jae-hyun apologized neatly.
A title familiar to him over years, but strange to the other.
After apologizing, he slowly scanned the room again.
Seeing the old office made it real.
He was back.
*So, exactly which point ten years ago?*
As he wondered, Park Dae-hyung patted his shoulder.
“Anyway, patrol time. Snap out of it and let’s go.”
“Ah, yes.”
Meeting eyes, Park Dae-hyung thumbed at the parking lot behind and spoke.
Pushing aside an inexplicable sense of déjà vu, Lee Jae-hyun nodded and left the substation with Park Dae-hyung.