Master, It's Been a While

I have to hurry.

There was no telling what kind of torment Rachel was enduring even now. The mere thought of her locked away somewhere was enough to set Rebecca's nerves on fire.

The Hero summoning would decide the entire course of the war. And the only means of calling a Hero forth was a Hero's relic. Anyone accused of destroying such a thing could hardly expect a gentle interrogation.

If only they had taken me instead.

There was no evidence either way. And with the Rupert family's backing, they wouldn't have dared lay a hand on her so easily. She would destroy the relic today — anything to spare Rachel even a moment more of suffering.

Back in her room, Rebecca retrieved a hidden bag. Inside was her means of contacting the member of the Demon King's army with whom she had formed a contract. She would reach out, then discuss Rachel — and the terms of their deal.

From the bag she drew a communication orb: a pale violet sphere that, at a glance, looked no different from any ordinary one. The sole distinction was a hot-pink heart inscribed across its center.

Rebecca began channeling mana into the heart. The orb flared to life, linking with its counterpart on the other end.

"Yeah, it has. You look like you're doing well, Amy."

The woman on the other end was as stunning as ever. This was Amy — a succubus, and one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

The scenery behind her looked like anything but a peaceful place to sunbathe. Screams rang out like background music, and the sky was thick with black smoke. She was standing in the middle of a battlefield. The "sunbath" she mentioned was the act of setting corpses on fire and basking in the heat.

"Unfortunately, it is urgent. I don't have time, so just be honest with me. What happened to Rachel?"

"Did Rachel form a contract with you people too?"

The sheer incredulity in Amy's voice made it clear enough: there had been no separate contract between Rachel and the Demon King's army.

Even through the orb, Amy's irritation came through loud and clear.

A contract required both parties to pay a price. That price was never light, so it made sense they wouldn't deal with just anyone. Even so, Rebecca knew full well that the Demon King's army was pulling out every stop to prevent the Hero from being summoned. The hypocrisy of it left her speechless.

But right now, she was the one in the weaker position. Pushing back would only drag out Amy's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rant.

"Fine. Forget it. More importantly — I'm going to destroy the relic soon."

The original plan had been to proceed carefully — brainwash key figures one by one, gather intelligence, make every preparation, and then swap the relic out right before it was due to be transported.

But Rebecca was far past the point of sound judgment. She was already planning to do more than just dispose of the relic. She intended to lay a fatal curse on House Gilbert itself.

"Yeah. It won't be easy. Not as I am now. So, Amy — let's revise the contract."

Rebecca had been borrowing Amy's power in exchange for a price. It was thanks to that power that she had been able to dispose of House Rupert's own relic without leaving a shred of evidence. But she had never been able to draw on the whole of Amy's strength. Lending power placed a corresponding restriction on Amy herself, so she never gave it freely. The cost this time would be considerable.

"Give me enough power for you to Descend."

Until now, she had only been able to use black magic and a handful of simple curses. Lifting the restriction far enough to allow a Descent meant borrowing a succubus's Authority itself. That, she believed, would be enough.

Amy was puzzled. With that much power, Rebecca would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could beat her. But if Amy herself Descended, her mark would be left on the girl's body. There was no telling how Rebecca's body would change — and if she couldn't withstand it, she could die.

Well… I suppose it doesn't matter what happens to her either way.

As long as the relic was dealt with, nothing else was Amy's concern.

"The future of House Rupert — and Alvin Gilbert, heir to House Gilbert."

The mana of someone mixed with the Hero's blood was an excellent tonic for a demon like Amy. Not a bad offer at all.

The connection went dead.

Rebecca was still wondering what, if anything, had changed when the pain hit.

"Hhgh…!"

Her spine folded nearly in half. She couldn't even stand. But that was fine. This was how she would save Rachel. The pain was nothing.

Rebecca left her room and, as luck would have it, ran straight into Sir Emond. She called him to a halt. A chance to test her new Authority.

As captain of the Gilbert knights, he was far too strong to dominate for any length of time. But prying a scrap of information out of him in a single instant — that should be possible.

And so Rebecca learned the relic's location and the identity of the one responsible for it. Then she used her Authority, and became Alvin Gilbert.

Knock, knock.

I was still reeling from Sir Jacqueline's report when the door opened and Faran stepped in. Just as I had ordered, she had confirmed Rebecca's unusual activity and come straight to me.

"Young Master. Lady Rebecca has made her move."

Faran's words settled it. Rebecca was on the move. Everyone in the room headed for the archive at once.

Now that we knew the Alvin Sir Jacqueline had seen was a fake, the relic was in danger.

Rebecca…

If she had appeared wearing my face, she had to be drawing on the power of the demon she contracted with. And among the demons associated with transformation magic, only one name came to mind.

A succubus.

When it came to transformation and hypnosis, there was no one in this world who could match her. The situation was bad.

We arrived as fast as we could, but knights were already down inside the archive. Thick black smoke spilled out through the doorway.

"What in the world…"

That was my father's voice, breaking on a sigh.

"Young Master. A Mana Drain circle has been inscribed here."

A Mana Drain circle rendered anyone inside it incapable of using mana. The more you tried, the more it siphoned away, until you collapsed from exhaustion. An effect that powerful wasn't something just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠anyone could set up.

Just how strong a contract did she make with that succubus?

On top of that, Rebecca would have ambushed the knights while wearing my face. They wouldn't have stood a chance. They probably never even got to fight.

"Faran, can you dismantle it?"

"I shall try."

Faran approached the circle.

"It will take some time, I believe."

"Got it. Handle the dismantling here, then. Sir Jacqueline?"

"Understood, Young Master."

Sir Jacqueline took the lead toward the chamber where the relic was kept. My father and I followed close behind.

"You're telling me Rebecca is behind this?"

"I had actually come to speak with you about this very matter. It seems events have overtaken us."

"The eldest daughter of House Rupert, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠responsible for something like this… I can scarcely believe it."

Father shook his head and let out a long breath.

We entered the chamber that housed the relic. At its center, a sword with a golden hilt stood driven into the floor — the Sword of Patience, the legendary Hero relic House Gilbert had guarded for generations.

And beyond that sword, a single figure.

Alvin Gilbert.

Or rather, Rebecca Rupert, wearing my face.

"Rebecca?"

"Because of you people, Rachel… I won't let this go."

Black mana rippled across the false Alvin's body, and her form melted back into Rebecca's own. The demonic energy pouring off her was so dense I could barely stay on my feet.

"Hhk—!"

Sir Jacqueline drew his blade and cut through the writhing mana. The demonic energy split apart.

"I shall handle this."

"Hahahaha!"

Rebecca burst out laughing at Jacqueline's words.

"Now that you've stepped inside, you can't use mana. You're all as good as dead!"

Sir Jacqueline ignored her and kept walking.

"Sir Jacqueline? You're the one who took Rachel, aren't you? I'm going to kill you."

Mana gathered in her palm. A sphere of pink energy formed in Rebecca's hand and shot toward him. He never broke stride. His sword swept out and carved the mana orb apart.

Rebecca's eyes went wide. She hurled another, then another, frantic now — and every last one of them was cut down the same way.

"My attacks aren't working? These mana orbs carry the Authority of a succubus — one of the Four Heavenly Kings! Who the hell are you?!"

"Me?"

At some point, Sir Jacqueline was already standing right in front of her.

Her attacks stopped cold. An enemy she shouldn't have been able to touch was standing at the tip of her nose. Terror flooded Rebecca's face.

"Even so — you're still just a human!"

A last, desperate thrash. A pink magic circle flared to life beneath Rebecca's feet. Sir Jacqueline stepped back.

A pulse of mana unlike anything I had ever felt rolled through the chamber.

Descent?

The last resort of a cornered contractor: forcing the demon they bargained with to Descend into their own body.

Am I about to see that succubus's face for the first time in a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠while?

Just looking at her was enough to piss me off. If I had the strength for it, I'd flick her on the forehead a million times over.

"Aaaagh!!"

Rebecca's body began to shudder. That crushing wave of mana wrapped around her — and the air in the room changed.

"Haa… so you used it after all."

A sigh. And the look in those eyes told me everything I needed to know. The succubus had Descended into Rebecca's body.

"So this is House Gilbert. And that must be the Hero's sword."

Sensing that something was very wrong, Sir Jacqueline began coating his blade in aura.

And in that exact instant—

"Huh… Your Majesty? Aaaaagh!!"

The succubus screamed — and black mana came flooding toward her from every direction.

"Why…?"

Another magic circle bloomed beneath her feet. The light died — and the air in the room changed once more.

A smile touched Rebecca's lips. The body was still hers. There was no question about that. But the presence rolling off her — and every instinct I had — told me the truth.

The Demon King had Descended here.