54
Chapter 54
In a boundless, deep darkness, a woman is hanging from a cross. Her arms were spread as if her palms were fixed to it, and she possessed the rare trait of white hair and white eyes.
Saint Maria.
She is a lonely soul who still has about four hundred years before the day she is born.
"Start the day with an optimistic spirit...
End the day with a forgiving heart...
The beginning and end of happiness lie solely within the mind...."
Maria was murmuring to herself in a serene voice. In the empty Spirit Realm, with no one to talk to, every hour was a time for self-reflection, except for the brief moments she communicated with Oscar Lucifer.
As Maria slowly raised her head, she saw only pitch-black darkness. There was no difference in the scenery whether she looked down or up.
"It is so dark...."
To say she wasn't afraid would be dishonest. Waiting alone for a long time in a place where no one else existed, where not even an echo returned when shouting, was a grueling ordeal.
At first, she spent her time reminiscing about her past life, but the years Maria lived as a human were only twenty-eight. The century she had already spent in the Spirit Realm was a long enough time for her to become sick of chewing over her own life.
Of course, the darkness wasn't the only thing she feared. There was something else that treated Maria's fragile heart even more harshly.
"I wonder what time it is right now...."
Namely, the fact that she couldn't tell the time.
Waiting all day was difficult enough, but not even knowing how many hours had passed or how many remained was like psychological torture, as if her mind were being worn away.
Having endured such an environment for a hundred years, she could guess the time to some extent by intuition, but it wasn't perfect.
However, there was something else she feared more than anything, something that made her shudder just thinking about it.
"Lord Joker... when will you call me again?"
Worry and anxiety.
Toward a certain demon.
Her worry and anxiety were immense. Because he acted so recklessly, as if he had multiple lives, Maria's heart shrank with anxiety whenever Oscar's communication was even slightly delayed.
Also....
"I did not realize... that love could be this terrifying...."
She was terrified that Oscar's love might have cooled.
More so than when she was trapped in Tartarus, awaiting a gruesome end that drew closer day by day.
But even so, there was nothing Maria could do. All she could do was long for Oscar for twenty-three hours and forty minutes, then do her best to converse during the twenty minutes of grace.
"Lord... if you would give me just a single answer, a foolish woman like me could wait with faith. I wonder what kind of plan you are drawing...."
Even when she prayed to the Lord in her frustration, the reality of the silence that returned did not change. Maria let out a bleak sigh.
*****
"Woof woof! Wake up! Woof!"
I hear a dog barking.
That damn dog. I swear, I'm going to get its vocal cords operated on.
"Woof woof woof! The sun is high! Wake up already!"
...Damn, if I actually did that, the tiny bit of loyalty it has would be completely erased. I shaped my hand into a blade while submerged in the blankets and quickly swung toward the source of the sound.
Whoosh- smack!
Huh, the chop that should have hit Aru's forehead was caught by something. Something very hard and slightly sharp.
The sensation traveling up the back of my hand is damp. What on earth is Aru doing? Just as I struggled to open my eyes that had been closed while wandering through dreams.
"Crunch-."
"Aaaagh!"
"Woof, you're awake?"
"You damn wolf...! Why did you bite my finger! Are you going to treat this? Huh?"
"Treatment? Woof woof, I don't know anything about that."
"Aru, you little brat...! You've become incredibly arrogant lately...!"
My finger throbs. It's because Aru chewed it mercilessly with her teeth. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be bleeding, but...
Drip-.
Oh, now it is. My finger stings. A few tears well up in my eyes.
I heard other wolf beastmen pant happily for their owners, so I wonder why my Aru is like this. There's a limit to how much I can tolerate just because she's going through puberty.
Hmm... were those dogs? Anyway.
"Aru, what on earth should I do with you?"
"Woof woof?"
"How should I raise Aru so people say I did a great job? Just hitting her isn't the answer."
Aru is now a full-grown adult. When she was young, I swallowed the heartbreaking pain of a teacher and forced myself to use a switch for discipline, but hitting a grown adult is a bit much.
It's a dilemma. I've hit a wall. Normally, I would have spent days and nights figuring out a way to break through such an obstacle, but right now, I don't have that luxury.
Today, for the first time in a while, I am a magician. Not an educator.
"Give me food, woof woof."
"What? Food? Is that what you say after biting your owner and making them bleed?"
"Woof. I'm hungry. But does the young demon hurt a lot?"
"Do you think it wouldn't hurt if it were you? Hey, Aru. Give me your hand."
"Woof woof?"
"Your hand, brat. Don't you know 'hand'? Hah, this wolf. How on earth were you raised? Didn't your family teach you any basic manners?"
As I bragged and held out my hand, Aru's expression instantly turned fierce. She let out a threatening growl in her throat.
"Grrr... my family is smart...!"
"Oh wow, they were so smart that they fell into a trap and got slaughtered? What an amazing family."
"Whine...."
Because I sneered so boastfully, Aru shrunk back as if remembering her dead family. Was I too harsh? No matter how angry I am, mentioning family feels like crossing a line. I suddenly feel guilty.
"A-Anyway! Give me your hand! Aru!"
"Woof. But why the hand?"
Aru placed her hand on mine. I brought it to my mouth and bit down hard.
"Yelp!"
The reaction was immediate. Aru quickly pulled her bitten finger away and covered it with her other hand. With eyes brimming with tears, Aru demanded an explanation.
"It hurts, right? This is exactly what you did earlier."
"Grrr...! The young demon hit me every day...!"
"Even with wolf ears, you should speak the truth. When did I ever hit you every day? I hardly hit you these days. If you're unhappy about it, try following my orders."
"Woof woof! Mean! Mean! Woof woof woof woof woof!"
Aru barks noisily. I roughly covered my ears and looked out the window.
The sun was high in the sky.
...It's already high?
In an instant, the sleepiness vanished. Perhaps because I drank too much with Beatrice yesterday, I slept far too long. I'm supposed to be busy all day today.
"Sigh... I'll be late if I'm not careful. I need to hurry."
"Woof? What?"
"It's a good thing you're here. Right, I should make you act as an assistant in times like this. You lazy brat, Aru."
"Woof? No food? I'm hungry...."
"I'll give you some if you perform the tasks I give you well from now on. Now, look here."
After shaking my head to clear any remaining traces of sleep, I pulled two sheets of paper from Arachne's Bag. Then, I pressed my finger—the one Aru had bitten, which was now dripping red blood—onto one of them.
The red paint, having just left the trembling flesh, seeps into the white drawing paper. The way the floral colors spread is quite beautiful. I moved my hands diligently.
Circles, triangles, squares. Thick circles. Thin triangles. Crinkled squares. I drew shapes on the paper that grew increasingly strange. A single shape is unremarkable, but when dozens of them gather into a 'pattern' with a specific arrangement and regularity, it possesses a beauty of its own.
Mere shapes—how 'proudly' they stand.
"What are you doing? Woof woof?"
"What do you mean? I'm creating a job for you, Aru. Okay, done. Here, Aru, take this."
A piece of paper with a stylish red pattern engraved upon it. I spread it out and scanned it a few times, then handed it to Aru with a smirk. I felt proud of myself for drawing a summoning array so grotesque it would give anyone goosebumps. Ah, perhaps I was a painter in my previous life.
Aru gave me a look of complete confusion. In response to that gaze, I told Aru what she needed to do, adding an explanation.
"O thou who clothest thy body in the Hellfire of Hell, great devil who placest all the world's devils beneath thy feet, Ruler of the Night, I summon thee to this place."
"Woof? Woof woof woof?"
"O Fallen Angel Lucifer, corrupted by Pride, answer the summoning array."
"Woof woof?"
The doubt in Aru's blue eyes grew. It was likely because of my mysterious words.
"Just memorize it roughly. Summoning incantations are usually fine even if you get a few things wrong."
"Summoning incantation? Summon? What?"
"Didn't you hear me? I said we're summoning the Devil Lucifer."
"Woof? Devil? Lucifer? Why?"
"That's for me to know. Later, go to the backyard and recite it. Lay this summoning array on the ground. And...."
Trailing off, I pulled out another sheet of paper that hadn't been colored yet. It was a clean, pure white sheet.
The being I intended to summon with this paper was no mere devil, so I couldn't use an ominous medium like blood. I pondered for a moment. Besides blood, what would make a good ink?
Ah, right. That'll work.
I clenched my fists tight. Then, I shook my arms rapidly in all directions. At the maximum speed I could manage. The afterimages of my arms left streaks in the air. A wind, like a sudden gale, whipped through the room. I probably shook them for about three minutes.
Drip- drop.
Sweat dripped from my arm, which was now beaded with perspiration, just like Leonard falling off a cliff.
Sweat. The glorious mark of effort. Even the bread eaten by the Emperor, the greatest of humans, would not exist without the devoted farming of a peasant. Sweat is the droplet of that beautiful asceticism. Every living being lives to sweat.
It is a liquid perfectly suited for a race like 'angels,' who stand at the complete opposite end of one of the seven deadly sins, 'Sloth.'
For me, attempting to summon Archangel Uriel, it is the most fitting paint. Although the color is transparent and the pattern will inevitably be faint, angels who cherish labor do not mind.
My hand moved across the surface of the paper, scattering droplets of sweat. There was regularity this time as well, but it was different from Lucifer's summoning array. Straight lines, straight lines, straight lines. Rigid, angular lines embroidered the paper.
This is because angels love strict discipline and ordered harmony. Unlike devils, who revere free savagery. In this regard, my inclinations are clearly with the latter. I guess demon blood doesn't lie.
Swoosh- drip.
"Woof... the young demon is weird."
"Here, Aru. Take this."
"What is this now?"
"The summoning array for Archangel Uriel. This time, listen carefully and memorize it properly. Ahem!"
After clearing my throat for a moment, I spoke in the highest voice I could possibly muster.
"O thou who receivest the holiest grace. O noble flame who serveth the Lord of all creation. Thou who hast faith in goodness and the Lord, I summon thee to this place."
"Complex. Hard. Woof woof woof."
"Archangel Uriel, who wieldeth the Sword of Truth, answer the summoning array. You must memorize this one well. Angels are sensitive to things like the perfection of the summoning ritual. They say it shows your sincerity or something."
Lucifer is my ancestor and the contractor of Beatrice Constantino. Uriel once fought the Divine-Devil War against that Lucifer and remains his arch-enemy to this day. I intend to use both of them.
"Whine... is it just these two?"
Aru asked while holding the two pieces of paper I had made.
"Later, in the backyard. But before that, take this."
I pressed a bottle I had taken from the bag into Aru's hand. It was a bottle whose opening was tightly sealed with a stopper.
"Woof? What's this?"
"Blood from a Black Wyvern. The scent of iron is quite pungent."
"Wo-woof? Why are you giving me this? My nose hurts!"
"Why? Because Aru is going to run around the surrounding forest and spread this scent. When the smell starts to fade, sprinkle some blood too."
"Why do I have to do that?"
"Hmm... because it's an order? Do you miss the taste of the magic wand?"
"Whine... alright...."
No matter how much of a rebellious phase she's in, she can't beat the magic wand. I should have done this sooner.
The reason for giving Aru the bottle of Black Wyvern blood is simple. I plan to lure the monsters inhabiting the southern Demon Beast Forest to this house.
A Black Wyvern is a renowned monster in its own right. Normally, it's an opponent that most monsters in the forest couldn't easily defeat. To the sovereigns of the forest like the Five Kings, it's an insignificant speck, but since it truly is like a bug to them, there's no reason to target it.
Now imagine Black Wyvern blood scattered throughout the forest. Most monsters smelling that would deduce one thing: a Black Wyvern is hiding nearby, wounded. Severely wounded, enough to make the entire forest reeks of blood.
Naturally, their mouths would water. Just by killing it and absorbing its essence, most monsters in the forest would double their power. In the law-of-the-jungle environment of the Demon Beast Forest, increasing one's power means expanding one's territory.
Monsters, who are faithful to their desires by nature, will follow the scent of blood as I designed and gather here, at Beatrice's house.
This is the first act of the magic show I'll perform today. To awaken Beatrice's desires.
"Run around as fast as you can and come back to this house, bringing the monsters with you. About... one hour from now should be enough."
"Woof woof, that's all I have to do?"
"You have to use the papers I gave you too. After you return, don't come inside; go quietly into the outer shed. Summon Lucifer and Uriel there. Just recite the incantations I taught you. It takes some time from the moment you recite them until they are summoned, so just wait patiently. You must summon Lucifer first. Don't forget that."
After giving all the instructions, Aru nodded as if she had received them. Aru has played a part in various 'hunts' under my command, but this is the first time I'm using her as an assistant for a magic show.
To encourage her, I reached out and stroked Aru's forehead. Her deep blue hair, which had grown long, now covered her head in a shaggy mass. The pointed wolf ears flickered under my fingertips.
"You can do it, right? Aru?"
"Woof."
"Good, now get going."
Aru stood up, clutching the two pieces of paper and the bottle. Until she bit my hand, I only wanted to give her a smack, but seeing her faithfully carry out my orders makes me feel proud.
After giving Aru's backside a couple of pats to send her off, I also stood up.
Then, after grabbing a few prepared items from the bag, I went straight to Beatrice. Beatrice was in the yard. She had the blade of her greatsword resting on her lap, glinting in the warm sunlight, as she polished it clean with a handkerchief.
I waved my hand and approached Beatrice.
"Hello, Dame Beatrice."
"You woke up late."
"Haha, sloth is one of the virtues of demons."
"...."
"Hehe, I know you hate sloth, but at least give me a response. It makes the atmosphere awkward! Ah! How do I change the mood?"
I spoke with a deliberate high pitch. Beatrice stared at me with a frigid expression.
It can't be helped. In the first place, Beatrice doesn't like me. To the point where she wouldn't hesitate to ask me to kill her if necessary.
The only reason Beatrice gave me a chance last night was that I boasted I would help her find the meaning of life again. Since this relationship started with a lie, I have to endure this level of coldness.
"Right! I almost forgot! Dame Beatrice, do you happen to know how to play chess?"
When I suddenly brought up chess, Beatrice's brown eyebrows twitched. I whispered cheerfully with a pure smile.
"Playing a few games is the best way to break the ice between awkward people! In that spirit, how about a game of chess with me!"
"I know how to play... but I am not very good. I'm not the type to spend time on games. I've always believed in spending that time on further training."
"Haha! That's fine! I'll match your level! Actually, I'm not great at chess either! It's always more fun when two novices play!"
As I spoke, I produced the chessboard from behind my back and the chess pieces from my sleeve. Beatrice's pupils dilated slightly at the appearance of things that were previously invisible.
Listen, Holy Knight, this is what magicians are supposed to be good at. How can you call yourself a magician if you don't know basic sleight of hand?
"Now! Let's head inside! I'll set the board for you!"
The curtain of the stage rises.
The show to pull the desires submerged in the deep abyss of Beatrice's heart to the surface now begins.