Chapter 38: Oh, you prepared a special dinner for me. The effort was truly admirable…

Even without formally learning magic, getting hit by spells repeatedly makes you memorize them instinctively.  

“Oh, that’s this kind of spell with that kind of effect.”  

Just seeing something flying toward you from a distance makes your body react on its own.  

It’s the kind of learning born from the exasperation of getting pummeled because you didn’t know better.  

Through this endless cycle of trial and error, I built up my magic resistance and naturally learned how to counter spells.  

Among them, the “Hellfire” spell was a favorite of low-tier demons or devil worshippers I encountered early in my hero days. 

It had decent destructive power and left no trace of the body, making it seem like a pretty effective tool for covering up evidence.  

Of course, I’ve never used it myself, but if I were to become a criminal, it’d probably be useful.  

A man’s—or rather, a pyromaniac’s—romance.  

The first time I encountered the Hellfire spell, its impact was as awe-inspiring as invisibility or teleportation, and it even made me briefly want to learn magic.  

“Now that I look at it again, it’s just a glorified firestarter.”  

The name “Hellfire” sounds grand, but it’s just a spark of infernal flame.  

Having killed even a demon archduke, it feels a bit underwhelming to me now.  

The reason I bothered to grab and interrogate the mage casting this underwhelming spell was simple.  

Hellfire is a spell that requires summoning infernal flames, meaning it’s impossible to cast without some kind of contract with a demon or devil.  

In other words, the dark mage standing before me was the real deal—a genuine contractor of demonic forces.  

And if that’s the case, it’s highly likely they didn’t just dabble in dark magic but had demonic blood transfused into their veins.  

“You’d better spill it quick and save us both the trouble. Where did you learn that spell? Who’d you make a deal with to end up like this? If you talk… hmm, let’s say I’ll send you off before it gets more painful.”  

“You think I’d believe a word you say?!”  

“What’s it to me if you don’t?”  

“I, Erneong Stutenbert, will never allow my dignity and pride to be swayed by the honeyed words of a vile fiend like you— Arghhh!!”  

When you press the holy sword of the goddess against a wicked dark mage like this, their panic button gets pushed instantly.  

The moment I touched the blade to his arm, sizzle—black smoke rose, and Erneong screamed. I nodded calmly.  

“So, how’s it feel after hearing from the ‘holy advocate’? Changed your mind yet?”  

“…Gasp! Huff! Urgh!”  

“Hmm, looks like you still need some convincing.”  

“…W-Wait—! Hold on, just give me a second— Kyaahhh!!”  

***

Back in that other world, there was a villain who hid among noble families, acting all nonchalant.  

A curse that let him take on the appearance of anyone he killed?  

No, he called it a blessing, didn’t he?  

Even that poker-faced villain, who always kept his cool, screamed “Kyaahhh!” when I stabbed him with the holy sword.  

When I asked how much it hurt, he said it felt like his “thing” was being crushed under a carriage wheel.  

“Oh, I see.”  

I’ve never been crushed by a carriage, but it sounded pretty horrific.  

I kept searing him with the holy sword until he spilled all his secrets.  

***

Having this kind of “interview” after so long brings back those memories, doesn’t it?  

“I’m really curious how long you’ll hold out—aren’t you?”  

I flashed a virtuous hero’s smile at him, and Erneong Stute-whatever, the dark mage, trembled violently, shaking his head frantically.  

“N-No, I won’t hold out! I’ll talk right now! Just… please stop pressing that crazy sword against me!”  

See? They always talk after a taste of this.  

“So, who’s the demon you made a deal with?”  

***

A renowned doctor and alchemist in the underworld.  

A mad scientist.  

A magical researcher who crossed every line and even made a pact with a demon—Doctor Erneong.  

With his exceptional skills and numerous aliases, he had always maintained an air of confidence. 

But now, he felt like he’d already been dragged to hell.  

He’d rather believe he was caught in a nightmare spell than face this utterly horrific situation.  

“…Damn it.”  

His precious Hellfire scroll was gone, his mana drained dry.  

He hadn’t even touched the Nine-Syllable Pulse, nor had he swindled the tower master.  

All his plans had gone beyond tangled—they were completely shattered, and now he was bound by divine restraints.  

If this was some old mark he’d conned coming back for revenge, he could at least understand. But this guy? Where did this monster even come from?  

He was so frustrated he could jump out of his skin.  

“Damn it, any more of this, and it’s not worth the cost.”  

Grimacing inwardly, Erneong glanced at the terrifying holy sword while scheming.  

He wasn’t even sure if this guy would let him live.  

Relying on his opponent’s mercy and dancing to their tune wasn’t his style.  

Besides, escaping after enduring such humiliation would be unacceptable for someone like him—an elite among dark mages, a privileged demon contractor.  

Yes, he had to find a way out, no matter what.

“If my own strength isn’t enough… then there’s no choice but that method.”  

Dark mages weren’t the type to feel shame in resorting to underhanded tactics to secure victory, rather than fighting honorably or advancing their skills through fair means.  

So, when the mysterious man before him asked about the identity of the demon he had contracted with, Erneong inwardly rejoiced, seizing the opportunity.  

“Borobophos! The true name of the demon I contracted with is Lord Borobophos!”  

“What? Never heard that name before. Are you sure it’s a demon and not a devil?”  

“Y-Yes, absolutely! I heard it’s a demon with the rank of a Viscount of Hell!”  

As if a non-dark mage like you would know the name of my demon lord.  

Erneong put on a groveling facade, bowing his head subserviently while hiding his true intentions.  

“Hmm, Borobophos, a viscount-level demon, huh?”  

From what he could tell, the man in front of him had an arrogant and impulsive personality, not much different from his youthful appearance.  

His attitude suggested he didn’t even consider the possibility of being caught off guard.  

This cocky guy needed to be taught a lesson, even if it came at a steep cost.  

“Yes, as a noble of Hell, this demon possesses powers far beyond those of mortal mages! Those who contract with him can turn a mere swordsman into a swordmaster, or grant arcane enlightenment to someone who doesn’t even know the first letter of magic…”  

Come on, aren’t you curious?  

People with such arrogant attitudes were usually driven by curiosity.  

Overconfident in their abilities, they might want to see the true form of a demon for themselves.  

Or, if their desires were strong enough, they might even seek to make a contract with the demon themselves.  

A contract required compatibility and aptitude with the demon, but in this case, it didn’t matter either way.  

“I’ll use the demon’s power to deal with this guy.”  

More precisely, he planned to offer this monstrous man as a sacrifice to summon the demon.  

The goal was to manipulate the situation so he could draw a summoning circle.  

If he succeeded, he wouldn’t have to pay the price for controlling the demon and might even receive a reward—a win-win situation.  

The process of creating the summoning circle required pouring in a fortune’s worth of resources, so a failure would mean a massive loss. 

But this wasn’t the time to worry about that, and a sacrifice like the monster before him would likely be valued highly.  

At the very least, he hoped it would offset some of the losses he’d incurred today.  

“What a gracious yet mighty demon. He often grants insights that even S-rank hunters can’t fathom. If I’d had more time, I could’ve easily reached the rank of an archmage…!”  

Trying to entice the man with half-truths, Erneong nodded eagerly, then suddenly met the man’s gaze.  

Their eyes locked.  

The man’s stare—half-interested, yet as if he could see right through Erneong’s schemes—sent a chill through his chest.  

“Don’t look at me like that.”  

If he’d only had a bit more time and opportunity, he could’ve transcended human limits with ease.  

How dare this ignorant fool, who knew nothing of the higher dimensions beyond Earth, look down on him—a contractor of a great infernal being—with such arrogance?  

For a moment, rage surged within him, and Erneong clenched one fist tightly. Forcing a smile, he continued, “Are you perhaps… interested?”  

At that, the arrogant man before him grinned brightly and nodded.  

“Yeah, I’m a bit curious.”  

Perfect.  

This was the golden opportunity to take him down.  

Cheering inwardly, Erneong bowed deeply, coaxing the man to allow him to draw the demon summoning circle.  

“Yes, then why don’t you give it a try?”  

If this guy didn’t interfere, he could summon a viscount-level demon of Hell.  

A monster capable of effortlessly killing high-ranking mages or S-rank hunters with a sneer.  

Even an archmage would barely be able to survive against it.  

No matter how skilled this guy was, he knew nothing about magic or demons. 

There was no way he’d survive.  

Draining his subspace pouch of every last resource, Erneong barely managed to complete the demon summoning circle. With a jubilant expression, he raised both hands high.  

“Oh, great demon! Viscount of Hell, Borobophos! I beseech you to feast upon the banquet before you!”  

With his cry, the summoning circle began to emit an ominous, blood-red glow, forming a shape.  

A writhing shadow.  

A transcendent entity coalescing from gathered darkness.  

The bull-headed demon, Viscount Borobophos, appeared above the summoning circle, exuding majestic authority as he surveyed his surroundings.  

[Oh, to prepare such a splendid banquet for me—your effort is truly commendable…]  

His gaze soon met that of the hero holding the holy sword, chosen as the offering.  

A brief silence followed.  

“Now, partake in the feast before you! If you grant just a sliver of your grace to your loyal servant…”  

***

The dark mage who summoned him rambled on, but that was utterly irrelevant.  

[Damn it!]  

The viscount-level demon, Borobophos, realized the situation instantly and tried to dispel the summoning. 

But the hero swiftly reached out and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.  

The spell was blocked so effortlessly it was absurd. In shock, Borobophos unleashed dozens of dark magic spells in an instant and even invoked his demonic authority.  

But no matter how desperately he struggled, he couldn’t break free from that iron grip.  

[Arghhh!]  

The demon, seized abruptly, screamed and thrashed. 

Meanwhile, his loyal servant, Doctor Erneong, stood blinking in a daze.  

“…My demon lord?”  

Stunned by the unimaginable scene, Erneong remained frozen until the summoned demon fell to his knees. 

His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.  

[Argh! I surrender! I surrender!]  

It felt like a horrific nightmare.  

To be continued.