Summoning a Demon
From a demon's perspective, it was a deeply unfair situation.
To be suddenly summoned to the continent, only for humans to beat them to a pulp?
And on top of that, to have their possessions plundered and used as a source of power?
"This... feels like a plan that could provoke the demons into invading the continent out of sheer vengeance. I have a bad feeling about this..."
Belgard finished his assessment.
If it succeeded, the party's strength would skyrocket, but if it failed, it would trigger a continental crisis.
The risks of this operation were far too high.
"Belgard, demons aren't dragged here by force through summoning magic," Roan explained to the anxious Belgard.
"They seek out those who are most susceptible to their temptations. All to devour their souls."
And currently, Jane was more vulnerable to temptation than anyone.
Though her anxiety had been somewhat smoothed over by Roan's unconditional acceptance, her impatience had not entirely vanished.
"Besides, demons are naturally individualistic, so you don't need to worry too much about that. The real concern is actually summoning one in the first place."
Summoning magic was an area where Roan could offer no help.
After all, Roan had always focused on physical conditioning rather than magic.
"If you say so, Roan... Then Jane will play the most crucial role. Both for the summoning magic and for acting out the contract with the demon."
"Actually, there is someone who would be perfect for this role."
Skalde.
The mad shaman.
At the same time, he was one of the figures whose past remained completely shrouded in mystery.
A man who had never revealed what he used to do, let alone where he lived.
His skills were definitely the real deal, though. He was exceptionally strong against otherworldly entities.
"But that doesn't mean we can't do it ourselves! We can definitely pull this off!"
Roan spoke with absolute confidence.
Seeing him flash a thumbs-up made the word 'past life' spring to mind once again.
"...Hearing you talk like that, I assume this is something you experienced in that 'past life' of yours?"
It was a remarkably convenient excuse. Jane expected him to bring it up again this time, but—
"Nope."
The answer that came back was entirely unexpected.
"Nothing like this ever happened. In my past life, all of you were already fully realized powerhouses when we met. I've honestly never heard of anyone getting stronger by summoning a demon."
"...Which means you don't know what lies ahead either."
"Exactly."
But that was fine.
"Because letting you guys do what you want to do is what matters most."
His voice carried a heavy sincerity.
The sudden gravity displayed by someone who usually acted so lighthearted made Jane's competitive spirit quietly fade away.
"...Hmph, just don't go crying later when I get too strong."
Squeezing out those words to put on a tough front was the best she could do.
And so, Jane's demon-summoning escapade was finalized as a full-scale operation involving the entire party.
"Ah, that's right. Mr. Charbun?"
Once the atmosphere settled, Belgard called out to Charbun.
"O-Oh, yes... Yes, sir?!"
"You had a rather peculiar reaction earlier... Do you happen to know something about demons?"
He had flinched earlier as if he had something to say, though he had tried to hide it by glancing around.
Charbun nervously scanned the room.
Roan and Jane were now staring directly at him as well.
Under the crushing weight of their collective gaze, he barely managed to open his mouth.
"Y-Yes... Well, to be precise, it is not about the demons themselves, but rather... the summoning aspect..."
"What? You know how to do it? I was planning to find a warlock because even I wasn't confident about it."
"A-Ah! No! It is not that I know how to summon a demon! It is just... I know a little bit about something related to it..."
Charbun quickly pointed to his own body.
"The tattoos on my body are exactly that! There are other designs as well, but these ones here, and right here... These are the marks that the people of Horoljulol engraved in order to call upon demons!"
"...Are they insane? Why would they carve something like that onto someone else's body instead of their own?"
"Because... that was the rule."
Charbun spoke calmly.
Despite his timid nature, he didn't seem to harbor much resentment.
"So, um... I was wondering if we might be able to use this? For summoning the demon, that is..."
Charbun spoke hesitantly.
In truth, he was merely testing the waters.
He wanted to show them, 'Look, I am this determined.' He had been feeling a bit self-conscious, worrying that he hadn't been of much help since joining the party.
However, there were a few crucial things he had overlooked.
First, Roan's tendency to unconditionally accommodate his comrades' wishes.
"If that is what you want, Charbun!"
Second, Jane had already made up her mind.
"Perfect. You said you don't know the exact summoning method, right? I'll have to use some of the reference books I've researched."
Third, Belgard—the only one who might have stopped this—respected Charbun's resolve.
"Since he brought it up himself..."
And finally!
"U-Uh..."
Charbun himself lacked the courage to take his words back!
As a result of all these factors aligning perfectly...
"Huh?"
By the time Charbun snapped out of it, he found himself lying flat on a ritual altar.
The location was a vast plain far away from the Empire.
To minimize any potential collateral damage, they had relocated here, lit candles around the perimeter, and drawn a magic circle using dry straw.
Everything was prepared.
Belgard stared at Charbun, who was still looking around in a daze, and lightly tapped the other two on the shoulders.
"Um... thinking about it now, do you think Mr. Charbun... might have just said that because he got swept up in the momentum? I have a feeling he might actually be terrified of this..."
Given Charbun's usual behavior, it was a highly plausible concern.
"Really? Do you hate it?"
"Wait a moment, Jane. Your tone sounds more like you're pressuring him."
"N-No, I am perfectly fine!"
Charbun answered quickly.
His vacant gaze had snapped back into sharp focus.
"It may be a bit late to say this, but... I have firmly made up my mind. Ever since I first joined, I have wanted to be of help to this party."
Charbun had steeled his resolve.
Trying to dissuade him now would only shake his determination.
Jane nodded and lit the final remaining candle.
The candles were placed in precise positions.
Catching the heat, the dry straw caught fire with a sudden *whoosh*.
The burning ashes began to trace over the magic circle.
The moment the spreading black ash completely covered the magic circle—
"Ugh, argh...!"
Charbun's tattoos began to throb violently as if they had come alive.
Squelch! Squelch...
The writhing, pulsing tattoos eventually vomited something out onto the ground.
The slimy mass, flopping around like a newborn foal, gradually began to take shape.
Slit-like vertical pupils, a pair of long horns, and purplish skin.
It was unmistakably a demon.
『Once again... it seems a foolish human, unable to suppress their greed, has summoned me.』
It appeared to be a greedy demon that frequently answered the summons of others.
『Red-haired human. It seems you are the one who called me. What is it you desire? Wealth? Or perhaps fame?』
Clink, clink...
Gold coins rained down from the demon's palm.
Any human blinded by greed would have lunged forward with their eyes rolled back, but Jane didn't even blink.
"I want power."
『Power, is it... There is no creature more short-sighted than a human obsessed with strength.』
As if finding the perfect prey, the demon pulled something from its breast pocket.
It was a finely faceted gem, cut so intricately that it refracted multiple overlapping reflections.
『Judging by the mana inside you, you are a mage... I shall bestow this upon you.』
Jane's eyebrows twitched as she sensed the ominous energy radiating from it.
"What is that?"
『What if I told you it is... the Wisdom of Ulterul?』
Legendary Grade
Allows a mage to analyze enemy magic instantly and replicate unlearned spells on the fly.
Jane's eyes widened.
Her gaze made it glaringly obvious to anyone that she wanted it.
『Indeed... nothing is easier to read than a human drunk on power. Come, make a contract with me, and this shall be yours.』
With those words, the demon extended a finger.
Its fingertip was etched with a pattern infused with demonic energy.
『Once this brand is engraved, a portion of your soul will be devoured every time you cast magic. However, I can guarantee its efficacy.』
The demon tossed the gem into the air and caught it, like a fisherman dangling bait.
『A mage yearning for power like you will surely make the right choice. After all, this is a magical artifact so potent that it will eventually consume your entire soul.』
Believing Jane was already in its grasp, the demon urged her on.
『Hurry, accept the brand. I must move on to places with plenty of delicious souls.』
It seemed intent on devouring as many souls as possible now that it had been summoned to the continent.
"As expected... all demons are cut from the same cloth."
"Yeah. No need to drag this out, right? Shall we get started?"
The two whispered behind the demon as if plotting a conspiracy.
There was no way their voices wouldn't reach the demon's ears.
『I know not what scheme you are hatching, but no matter what you do, you cannot lay a finger on my body.』
The demon snatched the tossed gem out of the air and spread its arms wide.
『Still, this will make for decent entertainment. Let's see, how shall I ruin you... Shall I scramble your mind and turn you into a vegetable?』
The demon wiggled its fingers, mimicking the motion of kneading Roan's head.
But the target of the threat remained completely unfazed.
"Go ahead and try if you want."
Faced with such a provocative response, the demon couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
『A mere human putting on such a tough front. Fine, do not regret this.』
The demon channeled its demonic energy to invade Roan's mind.
Intending to dig through his past and manipulate his traumas, a landscape unfolded before its eyes.
『Wh-What—』
A memory of the apocalypse, so overwhelming that merely looking at it brought utter despair.
The indiscriminate appearance of high-ranking entities that would grind a low-class demon like itself to dust.
A giant with countless limbs crawling out from the shattered earth.
A crimson moon casting its baleful light upon the land.
A bizarre song echoing in its ears.
Something that transcended human comprehension.
A dragon laying waste to the world.
And even a high archdemon capable of obliterating this very demon with a mere flick of its wrist.
Even though it had only glimpsed a mere fragment of a memory, the sheer scale of it utterly paralyzed the creature.
Fleeing from the memory, the demon's physical body stiffened like stone.
What followed was entirely predictable.
...
『Ah... Ahhh...』
The demon's body was sucked away as if caught in a vortex.
An annihilation identical to the Emperor's death.
However, this demon had been subdued far more easily than expected.
Because it had peeked into Roan's memories and become completely incapacitated, they had won handily without Roan even needing to strike a blow.
"Um..."
Once the situation was resolved, Charbun pushed himself up from the altar.
He crept closer to Roan.
"W-Was I... of any help, sir...?"
"Help? Is that even a question?"
Roan flashed a thumbs-up.
"You were incredibly helpful!"
It was a gesture designed to put anyone at ease.
However, Charbun had no intention of settling for just that.
He said he would make me his scout... I must work hard in my own field.
Desiring to break free from his passive nature and live more proactively, Charbun raised his hand high.
"E-Excuse me!! I have a suggestion!"
Three pairs of eyes locked onto him.
It was incredibly intimidating, but not enough to dampen Charbun's newfound enthusiasm!
"Th-That! The two items Lady Jane is holding right now! Carrying them separately seems rather inconvenient... so, um, perhaps we could find a way to... do something about that...?"
His voice trailed off at the end.
And for good reason.
Instead of proposing an actual solution, his "suggestion" was basically telling them, 'You guys figure it out.'
"Oh?"
"I-I am so sorry..."
"It's fine."
Jane acknowledged the point.
"I think it's a good idea too. Carrying both around does look a bit cumbersome," Belgard agreed.
And finally—
"Great suggestion!"
Roan chimed in.
Ah, so this was the joy of living proactively.
A thrilling sensation washed over Charbun's skin.
As Charbun basked in that wonderful feeling, Roan announced their next move.
"Alright! In that case... let's head to Bebelhon! Our goal is to craft a piece of equipment that combines those two magical artifacts!"
Bebelhon.
It was time to return to a place they had once passed through.