Uriel Wayne Daina Alfred
Screeech!
The door to the Netherworld opened silently, and Ferzen simply gazed beyond it.
……So the condition is indeed when death is right before one's eyes.
He had secretly hoped for something like the ledger of the Netherworld from that time—a book that served as its account—but no such luck.
Soon, the door to the Netherworld began to shift moment by moment, along with the nameplate above it.
Since this was Ferzen's first transaction with the third layer, he had no idea how long it would take for the nameplate to stabilize. Holding his umbrella, he waited about ten minutes.
It’s taking a while……
Did the beings inhabiting the third layer simply have little interest in standard transactions?
But the moment that thought crossed his mind, the Netherworld's nameplate locked into place.
This was proof that a monster willing to make a deal had been arranged.
Transaction method: Immediate payment.
Deadline: Indefinite.
Transaction item: Descent.
After swiftly completing the necessary process, Ferzen watched the hazy interior of the Netherworld door with the thrilled anticipation of a child.
The fixed form of the nameplate was…… black feathers.
In that case, the monster emerging from beyond that door would take the form of a bird, perhaps.
Thud.
“……”
But what emerged from the door was utterly unexpected.
A plain whistle.
“……Has a monster in that form ever been reported?”
“I wouldn’t know. The publicly known monsters all took the forms of living creatures, no matter how grotesque…… Hmm.”
In response to the Second Prince's question, the elder of House Roswell stroked his beard.
“Kid. Blow it now.”
Though he had intended not to interfere, the elder of House Roswell—Teor—couldn’t contain his curiosity and urged Ferzen on.
Ferzen paused for a moment before bringing the faintly glowing silver whistle to his lips……
“Fweee!”
────!
The resounding tone was clear, but no different from any whistle sold on the streets, so Ferzen turned to look behind him.
Perhaps those who heard this sound would fall into enchantment, suffer hallucinations…… something like that.
But the people standing behind him all wore the same puzzled expression as he did, staring blankly.
“Ah……”
“Th-that……!”
But moments later, as the people behind him began pointing at the sky one by one, Ferzen also lifted his head.
“……”
The darkness of the night sky was descending.
Yes, to put it precisely, that was it.
Like sea foam rising from the ocean.
The darkness drawn from the night sky transformed into hideous crows covered in dozens of grotesque eyes, swarming through the heavens.
“Gyaaah!”
And that was not all.
The surrounding darkness.
Anything black in color—clothes, eyes, hair—without discrimination.
The extracted darkness turned into crows and flew in every direction.
Hundreds, thousands of crows descended upon the rooftop of the Magic Research Society, glaring at the people around with the dozens of eyes dotting their bodies.
Yet the crows continued to endlessly emerge from the surrounding darkness, embodying utter chaos as they wheeled through the capital's night sky.
──!
Soon, Ferzen blew the whistle once more.
According to the intent he held when he blew it.
The crows that had settled on the rooftop rose into the sky, merging with the tens of thousands already there, flying in orderly circles.
Even as they did, the crows ceaselessly born from the darkness swelled their numbers in an instant, soon completely blanketing the skies over the capital and halting the falling rain.
“Kid…… Mind if I burn them?”
At the words of House Roswell's elder, Ferzen nodded.
Whoosh!
No sooner had permission been given than countless fireballs soared into the sky, incinerating the crows alive……
But from the night sky's darkness, the surrounding gloom.
And from all things bearing black.
New crows were born in an instant, filling the gaps.
If there existed an eternally immortal legion, it would be like this.
If one designates a target…… and has them blow this whistle……
Those crows, numbering not tens of thousands but hundreds of thousands.
Would surround that person and devour their flesh.
Even in death, as long as there was darkness.
No, even without darkness.
As long as there was a single speck of black.
These crows could multiply infinitely.
This was the monster inhabiting the third layer of the Netherworld.
“Count! That’s enough! Crows are symbols of ill omen…… If they continue disrupting the skies over the capital, it will unsettle the populace greatly.”
The First Prince came to his senses and addressed Ferzen.
“Understood.”
With that, Ferzen casually tossed the whistle he held back through the open Netherworld door.
The proliferation of crows drawn from the darkness ceased.
The crows orderly patrolling the capital's skies dissolved into handfuls of black feathers, drifting down to the ground.
Plop.
Shwaaa……
The blocked rain poured down once more.
The black feathers melted away in the rain as if vanishing, and Ferzen adjusted his umbrella before opening his interspatial pocket.
About 570 million Bern in goods had vanished.
A loss of around 120 million Bern, but he wasn’t so destitute as to quibble over the details, so Ferzen closed his interspatial pocket and turned away.
Melvin, the man who had originally been his promotion examiner, approached.
“……Thank you for giving me the chance to broaden my horizons.”
In his extended hand was a brooch-shaped insignia denoting an Apollyon-grade mage.
“The capital will be buzzing tomorrow morning……”
“Well…… Let’s just hope no one starts spouting weird doomsday nonsense.”
“Crows…… are symbols of ill omen, after all.”
“Despite that, there’s hardly a more dutiful son.”
Exchanging such trivial banter, Ferzen accepted the finely wrought brooch, pinned it to his necktie, and smiled faintly.
Over there…… Coleone Wayne Barreta Alfred.
He was watching him.
Perhaps the most fervent courtship in this world.
Reading the sticky emotion in his eyes toward the Brutein bloodline, Ferzen was certain.
He could not refuse his proposal.
* * * * *
Coleone shivered with thrill.
Indeed…… If not for some unknown reason he couldn’t uncover.
The potential of the man who would naturally have become the head of Brutein was tremendous.
An Apollyon-grade black mage at twenty-four.
The spectacle of opening the third layer of the Netherworld was worthy of acclaim.
That blood……!
If only it mixed with Uriel’s……
That mere thought sent terrifying excitement coursing through his withered, pathetic old body, as if his shriveled prick were standing at attention.
Once the verification ceremony ended.
In the midst of dispersing, Coleone cautiously trailed Ferzen.
He had received word that Uriel, whom he had driven away, was meeting Ferzen and living in a modest home he had provided.
Out of sympathy?
No.
Absurd.
If she was biting now, belatedly in this situation…… It had to be because of her marriage into House Aslan.
If it was connected to that, then something was brewing in the north.
If what he wanted was to renegotiate the marriage……
You…… can take her yourself.
Gazing at Ferzen’s back, Coleone reached out.
But as if to embarrass that hand.
Ferzen sidestepped obliquely and looked down at Coleone.
“Do you have something to say?”
True to his underworld overlord status, this rat-like stealthy approach was…… hardly welcome to Ferzen, who naturally frowned.
“You’re the one with words to say.”
“……”
“You’ve been up to something amusing. So…… Was there any pleasure in raising that girl Uriel?”
“……”
“But if you think you can flip like a pancake and take her back now, that’d be quite troublesome. Unfortunately, the first bidder has already arrived. If you still want to interfere…… Then become a bidder yourself and join the auction. That would be the fair way.”
Heh heh.
Coleone chuckled.
Staring at his wrinkled mug, Ferzen chuckled along.
“Do as you please. But I wonder if the auction will even mean anything. Especially for vermin like you……”
Crunch!
Ferzen bit his left index finger, letting droplets of blood fall onto the bridge of Coleone’s nose, curling his lips in a sinister grin.
“You won’t be able to refuse this blood.”
“……”
As Ferzen’s blood trickled down the bridge of his nose and along his cheek.
Coleone’s eyes shook violently.
“Then…… I’ll take my leave. Set the date as you will. It’ll be pointless theater, but I’ll humor you as much as you like.”
A bit…… excessive, perhaps.
Ferzen turned, lightly bit his right index finger, boarded the carriage, and signaled the coachman to depart.
* * * * *
“Heh, heh heh……”
Despite having a handkerchief, Coleone wiped Ferzen’s blood from his face with his hand and licked it clean.
Ahh…… If heaven’s taste existed, it would be this.
The Brutein blood he had deemed arrogant, untouchable.
Soon, it would mix into their lineage.
That mere imagination brought unbearable euphoria, leaving Coleone standing frozen in place for a while before staggering into his carriage.
“I have…… a reason to live longer now.”
From today, no more cigars, no more liquor.
And he would consume whatever healthful foods and herbs he could find.
Until he held in his arms a boy whose Brutein and Alfred blood mingled……
Not even a god could drag him from this world to the Netherworld.