I opened the door at the end of the corridor.
It was the room where I had prepared a spare magic circle.
The moment I stepped inside, I locked the door and leaned against it.
My breathing came fast and shallow, my heart pounding so violently it felt ready to burst. I couldn't even tell whether it was fear or excitement.
There's no time to hesitate.
I threw an entire candle onto the magic circle I had drawn beforehand.
Flames raced across the intricate lines in an instant.
"Haah..."
Sinking down before the blazing fire, I slowly unclenched my fist.
"It's fine."
This was what I wanted.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I thrust my hand into the flames.
Scorching heat swallowed my skin, and the blood smeared across my hand—Deyan's blood—was immediately devoured by the fire.
"Hngh...!"
I rubbed my blood-soaked palm across the magic circle.
Though I pulled my hand back as soon as I finished, there was no avoiding the burn.
It still felt as though my hand remained buried in the flames, searing and throbbing.
It doesn't hurt at all.
Hypnotizing myself with the lie, I waited for the circle to respond.
Having accepted a suitable sacrifice, the magic circle began to ripple.
"You who desire to claim my soul, answer my wish."
Tear apart my flesh.
Draw forth my soul.
Grant my most desperate desire, then consume it.
I recited the summoning incantation I had repeated enough times to grow sick of hearing it.
A crimson-violet glow slowly rose from the flames.
Then an unknown smoke began to seep out of the circle.
Like black ink dropped into water, it spread outward.
Like mist drifting over a lakeshore at dawn, it gradually filled the room.
...Flowers?
A sweet floral fragrance drifted from the black smoke—a scent unlike anything I had ever smelled before.
It was so sweet that it felt as though it might lure me away against my will.
This was nothing like what I had imagined.
What's happening?
The smoke that had been little more than mist thickened into dark clouds.
The dark clouds slowly gathered into a single shape.
"Step back!"
Deyan, who had stubbornly pursued me all this way, burst through the door.
Murderous intent rolled off him in waves, yet he still shoved me behind him and desperately tried to erase the magic circle.
"No!"
I grabbed onto his clothes and held on.
"Don't interfere!"
"Stop doing stupid things, Your Grace!"
He seized my wrist and shouted.
"You don't understand because you've never experienced it! You have no idea what kind of price you'll have to pay or how terrible it will be! That's why you're not afraid!"
"What do you know?!"
I shouted back without thinking.
My wrist hurt so badly it felt as though it might break in his grip, but the ache in my chest hurt far more.
"What do you know about why I'm doing this? Someone who's always stood on the side of the strong!"
There was no price left for me to pay.
No—
I had already paid it.
I replayed that day over and over in my mind until I finally realized something.
Everything precious to me had remained behind as nothing more than empty shells.
Filling them again...
That was my responsibility.
"What more is there left for me to lose?!"
I had already lost everything worth losing.
There was nothing left to fear.
All that remained were the things I could do—and the things I had to do.
If I couldn't reclaim what had been stolen from me, then at the very least...
Shouldn't I make them pay for it?
"So stop interfering."
"..."
My eyes had been stinging for a while now.
The emotions I had forced down must have finally begun to leak out.
Deyan's eyes trembled at the sight.
Taking advantage of the momentary weakness in his grip, I shoved him away and stepped before the magic circle.
The black smoke had now fully taken the shape of a human.
The part that was presumably the demon's face looked directly at me.
[...Your name?]
"Idir Hubert."
[What do you desire?]
"Revenge."
The moment I answered, the demon's lips curled into a grin.
The crescent-shaped smile looked as though it had been painted with fresh blood.
It radiated delight.
[Really?]
The smoke rippled.
The solid form dissolved back into mist.
Then someone emerged from within it, footsteps light and leisurely.
[I am Beval.]
The demon possessed long limbs, lean muscles, and a slender silhouette.
And he was beautiful.
His swaying pink hair resembled peach blossoms in full bloom during late spring.
The reddish-purple eyes beneath it held the vibrant color of ripe fruit.
There were no grotesque fangs protruding from his thin lips.
Had it not been for his low voice, I might not have even been able to determine his gender.
He was that captivating.
The demon lightly pressed a black finger beneath my chin and leaned close.
His skin carried no warmth.
[The demon you summoned.]
He stood close enough for our breaths to mingle.
Yet I felt no breath from him.
Perhaps mine had stopped as well.
The moment he touched me, my body froze.
Every thought ceased.
[Idir, let me ask you something.]
"..."
[Whose blood was the sacrifice you offered me?]
His eyes narrowed into elegant crescents.
My throat tightened.
No words came out.
Like a lamb standing before an overwhelming predator, all I could do was hold my breath and force myself not to look away.
So this... is a demon...
He was more beautiful than I had imagined.
And far more dangerous.
[Answer me.]
No—
At least, that's what I thought.
[What answer?]
Until another voice abruptly cut in.
Startled, I lowered my head.
Suddenly, a burst of light exploded from my chest.
[What—?!]
The source was the angel statue pendant hanging around my neck.
The small ornament shook violently and floated into the air.
[Get away from the human girl, filthy demon.]
[Aagh!]
The demon recoiled, clutching his eyes with both hands.
[You little—!]
Grinding his teeth, he glared at me as though he wanted to tear me apart.
[Why are you carrying that while summoning a demon?!]
[What else?]
The angel statue answered before I could.
[Faith.]
...That wasn't it.
I almost reflexively denied the claim.
Think about it.
How could someone trying to summon a demon possibly be overflowing with faith?
[Bullshit!]
The demon immediately pointed that out as well.
[She came looking for me because she doesn't have a shred of faith!]
[Hmph! What nonsense. She brought me along because her faith overflows.]
Snorting openly at the demon, the angel statue floated even higher.
[She wished for me to destroy you.]
[Are your ears blocked? Didn't you hear her wish something from me?]
A demon arguing with an angel statue.
I was the one responsible for this situation, yet even I found myself speechless.
The angel statue, once nothing more than an ornament, stretched and expanded in every direction.
It rapidly assumed a human form.
[Humans are weak and foolish. Such mistakes are inevitable for their kind.]
[And it's your job to drag those fools down to Hell.]
[No. Our purpose is to offer them one chance before that.]
Long, radiant silver hair unfurled through the air like strands of moonlight.
Beneath its dazzling glow were clear blue eyes that resembled the open sky.
They swept across the room with solemn authority.
[I am Sariel, the one who saves humans from the path of sin.]
The moment he noticed Deyan, a crease formed between his brows.
His already masculine features sharpened further, giving him the air of a stern high judge.
He elegantly flicked his fingers as though conducting an orchestra.
A sharp tearing sound rang through the room.
Twang!
"Urgh!"
Before anyone could react, Deyan was hurled into the wall.
Massive nails had been driven through both of his shoulders.
Faced with the completely unexpected sight, I could only gape like an idiot.
"What... is this...?"
[We'll talk later, Idir. First...]
The angel turned toward the demon.
Opening the book tucked beneath his arm, he reached inside and drew out an enormous greatsword.
[I need to dispose of this piece of trash.]
At the savage insult, the demon immediately raised his middle finger.
[You're talking a load of ■■■, you ■■ing ■■■■. Angels are insufferable no matter where you find them.]
A torrent of destructive curses poured out so smoothly that I had never heard anything like it.
I knew angels and demons were mortal enemies.
I just hadn't expected their hostility to be quite this vulgar.
[Last warning, pigeon. Leave. If you don't want to die.]
The demon cracked his knuckles with a series of sharp pops.
[Try and make me. When have your demons ever defeated the Heavenly Host?]
[You—! That's only because you cowards always attack in groups!]
[I alone am more than enough for the likes of you.]
[Fine. Let's see about that. If you die, go cry to your precious Father.]
The demon vanished in a blur.
At the same moment, the angel raised his sword overhead.
CRAAASH—!
In an instant, the demon appeared above him.
His hand struck the massive blade—
And shattered the greatsword as easily as if it were made of candy.