5
Chapter 5
Clatter—.
Ah, another seizure is hitting me. I was having such a great dream; what a mood killer.
This seizure was caused by a pathetic mage. The Great Sage Merlin—an old hag who surpasses even the Tower Master and is considered the greatest mage on the continent.
Most magic vanishes without a trace just by touching my body, so she really is a trivial human.
So trivial that she planted an infinite bomb in my body that will never run dry. That damn old woman.
"Hey, Saint."
"Mr. Demon? Do you have something to say?"
"Stop with the pointless praying and just heal this curse on my body, will you?"
"A curse? Let me have a look."
The Saint staggered toward me. The black rosary in her hand jingled, shimmering like black pearls.
The Saint familiarly pulled me onto her lap and placed her hand near my solar plexus. I felt two tiny, dry palms through my stomach.
I can't believe she faced a hundred thousand magical beasts with such frail hands, especially after spending three days with her in Tartarus.
Wooooong—.
A white light aura rose from the Saint's hand. The oppressive darkness lifted slightly.
The Saint's face, which never fades even when stained, came into view.
Her face was clouded with worry. Why? Did she see something she shouldn't have?
"This... is not a curse, but magic."
"That's not the point. The point is whether you can fix it or not."
"Since you are the one who gave me my life, I would gladly give it back, but this seems to be beyond my capabilities."
"Is it that bad?"
For the Saint, who even restored the Holy Emperor's severed arm, to reach such a conclusion.
Ah, Merlin Gregory. That fucking old woman. What on earth did she cast on me? If you're going to die, just die peacefully.
"This is not an energy that can be extinguished by human power. Whoever they are, the caster of this magic seems to be a truly noble mage."
"Heh, I'm the one who killed that mage."
"What did you just say?"
"Nothing."
The moment I let out a mocking comment and wore a smile, the iron doors of Tartarus opened. We already had our meal service, so is it another visitation?
"Saint, someone is here for a visitation."
I was right. A visitation two days in a row, following yesterday.
I wonder how meddlesome this woman was when she was outside.
...Honestly, I'm a tiny bit jealous. How is someone with no friends supposed to survive this loneliness?
"Please let them in."
"But... uh... the visitor..."
At the sound of Kelth's hesitation, the Saint tilted her blindfolded head.
"Is there a problem?"
"They are someone who might make you uncomfortable, Saint. You may refuse the visit if you wish."
Kelth's deep voice contained a mix of surprise, hostility, and tension. Who on earth is this visitor to make him act this way?
If it's someone the Saint has a strained relationship with... nobody comes to mind. She isn't the type of person to live her life making enemies.
I mean, look at me. I'm the Saint's enemy, yet even though she doesn't know who I am, she treats me this warmly.
"No, they've come a long way because of me, so I should certainly welcome them."
"Hmm... I see. Hey, come in."
Kelth said, looking back.
"Hmm? What, you let me in? Saint, you've got some nerve, don't you?"
It was a clear and seductive woman's voice. One I knew all too well.
Why the hell is that bitch here?
"You are...?"
"Me, it's me, Saint. You haven't forgotten already, have you? I'd be quite hurt if you did."
A woman entered through the door guarded by Kelth.
Dressed boldly, revealing her voluptuous cleavage and one thigh, she had the same black hair and red eyes as I did.
"What brings the Western Grand Duke of the Demon Army here?"
Not of my blood, but of the same race.
And a fellow member of the Four Great Dukes of the Demon Realm.
The woman known as the Succubus Queen, alongside the King of the South and Jack of the East.
Western Grand Duke Lilith Clanaein.
The identity of the third visitor.
*****
Lilith approached Tartarus with her arms crossed arrogantly. The Saint had stepped forward to the iron bars, just as she had yesterday. She didn't seem to notice me lurking in the shadows.
"Look at you, Saint."
"Yes, I'm doing quite well."
"You pathetic pushover."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Lilith mocked the Saint in a high-pitched voice. Regardless, the Saint maintained a benevolent smile.
A pure smile, neither chilly nor cold. Being able to keep that face regardless of who she faced must be the Saint's own unique talent.
"You've been through so much and you're still smiling."
"Haha."
"Haha? You want to get beaten again?"
"How could I not know that there is no sincerity in your words?"
Why did Lilith even come for a visitation just to say things like that?
I'd forgotten after spending a few days with the Saint, but I'm truly curious about what's going on inside that demon bitch's head.
I knew about the relationship between the Saint and Lilith from Kelth.
During the war between the Demon Realm and the Continent, Lilith had been defeated and captured by the Saint. She had suffered a severe injury that nearly cost her her life.
At that time, the Saint used her Holy Power to treat Lilith before sending her back to the Demon Army. She had essentially granted her a great mercy.
And not long ago, the Saint was defeated by a joint attack from the Four Dukes, including Lilith. Lilith had repaid that kindness with enmity.
Honestly, it was stupid to just let a high-ranking enemy officer go.
War is a matter of killing your opponent or being prepared to die; Lilith wasn't calling the Saint a pushover for nothing.
"Why do you think that? I came here today just to make fun of you."
"Because the tremble in your voice, the emotional pitch, and the tone of your mood are telling me so."
"Still talking about clouds and nonsense, just like always. You complete idiot."
"I prefer the term 'positive'."
Well, from my point of view, that's way beyond being "positive."
"Idiot. Pushover. Moron. Vermin."
"......."
"Dimwit. Fool. Simpleton. Idiot."
Lilith lashed out at the Saint with an onslaught of insults. Her mocking words pierced the Saint over and over.
Even while being cursed at, the Saint kept a look of pure innocence on her face. I'm starting to reasonably suspect that she might be a masochist.
"Are you finished?"
The Saint asked during a brief pause. Lilith caught her breath for a moment and replied curtly.
"What? I'm not done yet."
"...Please continue."
"I plan to, you vermin of a Saint."
Lilith launched another verbal offensive. Blah blah blah... all sorts of curses were poured onto the Saint.
The Saint just listened in silence, her smile as immovable as a wall of stone.
However, something is a bit strange.
'Was the Western Grand Duke always such a mild demon?'
Every insult Lilith spat felt somehow unlike her.
If I recall the kind of foul-mouthedness she usually employs...
'I'll rip your limbs off in four directions, feed you to Cerberus, and then spread that shit across the fields.'
'Your brain wouldn't even produce any juice; I'd rather just crush it under my boot and throw it away.'
'You filthy, pathetic piece of garbage; even a bedbug on the street would avoid you.'
But now... what? Idiot, moron, fool, pushover?
It's not that she's wrong, but compared to the usual Lilith, this is incredibly tame. No, it's practically childish.
"Ugh...! Why are you just staying there!"
"......."
Lilith suddenly screamed. The Saint didn't respond.
Why is this demon getting angry when she's the one who came here to mock her?
"I stabbed you in the back! You trusted me and let me go, but I led the attack against you! Why aren't you angry!"
It seems like there are too many incomprehensible things lately. First the Saint, then me, and now Lilith.
Though that demon's way of thinking has always been unique.
Unlike the delighted expression she had when first entering the prison, Lilith's face was now turning red and blue.
The Saint hadn't actually said anything. Is there something weighing on her mind?
Perhaps she's bothered by the fact that she betrayed the Saint who had shown her mercy.
If that's truly the case, I'll give her a piece of my mind. She'd be failing as a demon.
A demon should boast about a magnificent betrayal. How could someone who is one of the Four Dukes feel a traitorous emotion toward their own race?
"I betrayed you! You let me go and I stabbed you in the back! So why aren't you saying a word! I even came all this way just to mock you!"
"...."
"You... you should be cursing me! I acted like a total bitch! Why are you just standing there with that stupid smile!"
"You are..."
The Saint, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke.
Lilith's bare shoulder flinched.
"Because you aren't truly insulting me."
"Wh-what?"
"Your heart is uneasy, isn't it? You feel stifled... and those past choices you believed were right keep coming back to you..."
"S-stop talking nonsense! Who said anything about that!"
Though she denied it, the way the always-composed Lilith was so flustered proved that the Saint had hit the nail on the head.
"That is why you came to visit me. Using the excuse that you only came to mock me."
"Try moving those lips one more time. You're not safe just because you're behind iron bars."
Lilith snarled a threat. Unfortunately for her, she seemed to think the Saint feared death.
Naturally, the Saint continued, completely unfazed.
"That emotion is called 'guilt'."
"...!"
Contrary to her bold words, Lilith did not attack the Saint. The Saint calmly parted her lips.
"Do not be ashamed. Do not try to ignore it. Feeling guilt means that a 'conscience' exists within your heart; it is not something to deny, but rather something to be proud of."
"I-it's not like that...! What are you talking about...!"
"I am glad. For I have realized that goodness can bloom even within the most corrupted creature of God. Is that not so, Mr. Demon?"
"...?"
The Saint turned her head toward me and posed the question. What the—why is she suddenly looking at me?
"Demon? Is someone there?"
Lilith asked in a commanding tone. Since I didn't want the Saint to discover my identity, I answered in the Demon Tongue.
[Long time no see, Succubus Queen.]
It's not that I believe the Saint will kill me. I just don't want her to know.
I don't want the Saint to find out that I'm a wicked and corrupted demon. There's no specific reason; I just feel that way.
[Jo-Joker! Why are you here!]
[Has the news of me being trapped in the Babel Tower not spread? I've been stuck there for a hundred days.]
[I heard you vanished without a trace one day... so you were in Tartarus. But why? Who could possibly be capable of locking you up here?]
[That's not important. For now, just pretend you don't know me. Play along with the vibe.]
As Lilith and I spoke in the Demon Tongue, the Saint tilted her head. Fortunately, she didn't seem to understand the language.
[I don't particularly care... but what can you even do for me?]
[Do what for you? You're a demon who's about to die soon.]
[...What?]
[Hey, can't you grant one little favor to a dying demon? The hospitality in the Demon Realm has really gone downhill while I was away.]
[No, no, that's not it. What did you just say? Dying?]
[Tartarus is a place where only death row prisoners can enter. Didn't you know that?]
[...What?]
Lilith's eyes and voice wavered as if struck by lightning. Trembling words in the Demon Tongue leaked through her parted lips.
[Then... the, the Saint is dying too? The, the, the Saint is a death row prisoner?]
I answered nonchalantly.
[Of course.]