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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 4
1.
The Great Demon Lord, Dicreia.
That was the name of the being I had summoned.
'It’s been a long time.'
The last time I saw her was in my previous life—when my master, Balthazar, had summoned her. That was three years ago at least.
Sometime after making a pact with Dicreia, my master had spoken with deep regret.
He had admitted that while Dicreia's powers were undeniably strong, they ultimately kept him from achieving what he truly desired.
He repeated those words during our last supper—just a month before we all died.
- My journey has hit a wall. Turns out, I was walking into a trap from the very beginning—and I didn’t even see it until it was too late.
- So mark my words—if you ever get another chance… don’t make a pact with a Demon Lord. You can scrape off a mark carved into your soul — but the chain they wrap around your heart? That never breaks.
And yet, despite his warnings, I summoned a Demon Lord.
Not just any Demon Lord—but Dicreia, the very same one my master had once bound himself to.
The most powerful of them all.
The reason was simple.
In this life, I could no longer summon Ilinas, the one I’d made a contract with in my past life.
‘And besides, after my regression, that bastard had already branded my soul.’
To Ilinas, I’m nothing more than a sacrificial offering—not a worthy party for a contract.
So for now, Dicreia is my best option.
Of all the Demon Lords besides Ilinas, she’s the one I know most about.
In truth, this world teems with Demon Lords—each with wildly different personalities and powers.
Choose the wrong one, and things can spiral far worse than before.
That’s why the true essence of dark magic lies in negotiating the right contract with the right one.
The key is understanding their temperament.
'She’ll accept my offer. She wants to defy Ilinas’ mark.'
Dicreia and Ilinas—within the world of dark magic, they’re the two dominant Demon Lords, equals in power but ruling over different domains.
Yet their natures couldn't be more different.
Ilinas respects Dicreia’s domain.
Dicreia? She resents Ilinas.
My master had understood that rivalry, and deliberately led me to Ilinas—even paid the price in my place.
'Master... Did you plan even this moment?'
I briefly pictured my teacher’s final expression, then turned my gaze to the Demon Lord.
Floating in midair, Dicreia stared down at me with overwhelming majesty.
Just looking at her made my head spin.
[Well, child... Was it you who summoned me?]
That voice seeped into my chest—the voice of a soul.
I let my whole being surrender to the overwhelming presence trying to engulf me, and I answered.
[Yes, Great Demon Lord Dicreia.]
[Oh my... And you even know my name? How delightful.]
[Your reputation has already spread across the entire land. How could I not know your name?]
I offered a slight compliment, and a smile tugged at the corner of Dicreia’s mouth.
She gazed at the sacrifices within the magic circle and continued.
[21 children, 5 adults, and one rather cute heretic. Do you plan to offer all of them?]
I briefly turned my head.
Right in front of me, Mikel von Lyernoff was struggling, but I barely paid him any attention.
The followers of the Calios Church were always like this.
They’d act as though they could bestow all sorts of blessings when they were not needed, but when you actually needed them, they’d come up with every excuse to refuse.
They were demons wearing the guise of priests.
After learning dark magic, I came to realize that even the most difficult Demon Lords were more generous than these fools.
If you offer a sacrifice and a bit of your soul, you get something in return.
Ignoring Mikel, I focused on the orphanage building in the distance.
Inside, 21 children and 5 teachers were sleeping.
These were the ones I had selected beforehand.
The ones who had tormented me and stood by as I suffered in my past life. Those unrelated to that, I had made arrangements to have them leave the orphanage tonight.
So, there was no guilt or remorse.
The only regret I had was that Dexter, Emma, and their closest ally, Levan, had already been adopted.
‘Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll find them again later.’
For now, I wanted to deal with Andre, the reason behind this entire journey. Through that, I hoped to reclaim what I had lost.
I looked at the Demon Lord and answered.
[These are all sacrifices prepared for you. Please accept them.]
[Hm. Quite impressive.]
Dicreia laughed.
It was rare to see her this satisfied.
She slowly descended toward me and met my gaze.
[Now, it seems it’s time to hear your wish. I assume you know the price?]
[I understand. Before that, though...]
I revealed an important detail to avoid any misunderstandings.
[My soul belongs to someone else. Please take that into account.]
[Oh?]
Dicreia narrowed her eyes.
She greatly despised finding out important details later. If you didn’t make everything clear before the deal, she’d either twist the terms or completely nullify it.
This moment was crucial.
To make the deal work, I had to handle the situation carefully.
After observing me for a moment, Dicreia clicked her tongue, showing a slightly troubled expression.
[So, it’s true. The mark of Ilinas is engraved on your soul. If that’s the case, why did you summon me instead of him?]
I took a brief moment to collect my thoughts before answering.
[I've given my entire soul to Ilinas. How could I possibly make a proper trade with him?]
[Ha! I see. I would feel the same way. You can’t trade with a fish you’ve already caught.]
A trade with a Demon Lord requires more than just a sacrifice.
While it’s rare, a summoner’s soul is also necessary. The more a summoner engages in such deals, the more they become bound to the Demon Lord.
And once every part of their soul is paid, they become the Demon Lord's servant, dragged into the demon realm.
Right now, my soul is collateral with Ilinas. The moment my life ends, he will drag me into his realm to rule over me.
Ilinas would never engage in a deal with me in this state. He is a strict adherent of principles.
On the other hand, Dicreia is more flexible. Especially since she is jealous of Ilinas, she tends to allow exceptions in areas where their territories overlap.
It seems Dicreia understood my situation perfectly when she spoke.
[Hmm. So, you’re essentially buying yourself some time. How interesting. You still cling to life, don’t you?]
[I'm just hoping for one more chance.]
[Ha. I understand. I was once like you too.]
Dicreia, who had been smiling so warmly, now shifted to a serious expression and continued.
[If you cannot give your soul, I will take double the sacrifice. Will that be acceptable?]
[If you could accept it that way, I would be grateful.]
I bowed my head in thanks, and the Demon Lord asked again.
[Good. Then tell me your wish.]
[First…]
I glanced at my left leg and continued.
[Please fix this broken leg.]
[Very well. That will cost ten children.]
A flash of red light erupted beyond the magic circle, soaring into the sky. At the same time, a red energy began to gather around my left knee.
The energy spread gradually, soon enveloping my entire leg with a warm sensation.
‘Ah…’
There was no pain. Instead, a pleasant warmth and a strange sense of euphoria coursed through my body.
It was an utterly sweet feeling.
But I had to be cautious. Many had lost their sanity, giving in to this pleasure and quickly becoming the Demon Lords’ servants.
This was why my teacher had refrained from healing my leg in the past life.
‘This is far more dangerous than I anticipated. If I’m not careful, I could be ensnared.’
Struggling to maintain my composure, I respectfully addressed Dicreia.
[Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve achieved one of my wishes.]
[You’re a polite child. I like your attitude. So, what is your next wish?]
I took a moment to collect myself before responding.
[Please, grow my body to that of a complete twenty-year-old.]
I chose my words carefully, making sure there was no room for misinterpretation.
If I left any ambiguity, it could always lead to mischief or jokes.
Dicreia paused for a moment, then gave a sly grin.
[Smart. I understand what you mean. I will grant that as well. 11 children and 3 adults—those will be the offerings.]
As soon as she finished speaking, the magic circle flashed once again. My body slowly rose into the air, surrounded by a dark, crimson aura that began to spin violently around me.
The warmth that spread through me was an entirely different sensation from before. This was a pleasure that I couldn’t even compare to what I had felt earlier.
As the warmth enveloped me, my body began to grow.
My previously thin arms and legs elongated, gaining balanced muscles, and the same happened to my torso. My shoulders became more defined, my chest expanded, and smooth muscles formed around my lower abdomen.
When the growth process ended and I touched the ground again, I had become the perfect adult form.
But I didn’t feel embarrassed. If anything, I felt more confident, likely because of the intense warmth radiating from my body.
“This is my body…”
My skin was now whiter than before, and I seemed to have grown taller. Even my chest had become more robust.
It was a body far more impressive than the one I had at twenty in my previous life.
[Oh, how beautiful.]
Dicreia’s eyes flickered for a moment.
But she didn’t act on it.
This was a rule that had been in place for thousands of years.
‘During a transaction, you cannot touch the summoner.’
Additionally, my soul was already bound to Ilinas.
If Dicreia were to touch me directly, it would result in a conflict with Ilinas that she would want to avoid.
So, even after the transaction, Dicreia would be careful.
‘Now, all that remains are two adults and one priest.’
It was exactly as I had expected.
The remaining issue was whether I could truly obtain what I desired in exchange for them.
It was a request that had never been successfully achieved before, so I had to think carefully.
‘A high priest is a special offering. But could this give me eternal life?’
Eternal life could nullify the marks on my soul.
If Dicreia granted me eternal life in exchange for the priest, I would be freed from Ilinas’s hold.
‘But if that’s not possible…’
In that case, Dicreia would take the offerings but not grant my wish.
Such was the nature of a deal with a Demon. If you ask for too much compared to what you’ve sacrificed, you end up with nothing.
After a brief period of contemplation, I arrived at a conclusion.
[Great Demon Lord, may I offer one adult and ask you a question?]
[Fine. Ask.]
Dicreia looked at me with an intrigued smile, and I asked my question.
[Can you grant me eternal life?]
Dicreia grinned and snapped her fingers. A small spark of light flared and vanished inside the magic circle, and then she spoke.
[I can.]
The moment I saw that smile on her face, a chill ran down my spine.
‘I should’ve phrased that more precisely.’
Her answer alone wasn’t enough. The Demon Lord certainly had the power to bestow eternal life—the real question was “where”?
‘I don’t need eternal life in the Demon Realm.’
So, I offered one of the remaining adult sacrifices and asked again.
[Demon Lord, can you make it so that I live forever in “this world”?]
Dicreia’s brow twitched in an odd way.
It was a clear enough signal—one I recognized well.
The Demon Lord would never outright say “no.”
In the end, Dicreia dodged the question and asked me something instead.
[Then how about this instead?]
[Offer up the last remaining heretic and form a pact with me. In return, I’ll restore your previous power—twice as strong as before. And from now on, I’ll give you half-price deals for any future exchanges.]
It was a tempting offer.
But every fiber of my being screamed—NO.
And just then, my master’s words came flooding back to me.
- The mark carved into your soul can be erased. But the ring forged by the Demon Lord in your heart—that can never be removed.
- There’s only one way to destroy that ring—return to the time before it was made.
- As long as you carry the Demon Lord’s ring, the path to eternal life is closed to you. That’s why I failed.
Only then did I grasp the true weight of it.
My master had mastered 8th-circle necromancy, yet never reached the final step.
Back then, I didn’t understand why. But now, looking back, it was obvious.
‘The 9th-circle of necromancy is directly linked to immortality. And to attain it, one must never accept the Demon Lord’s ring.’
True dark magic begins with a “Pact”.
As part of that pact, the Demon Lord places a “Mana Ring” in the summoner’s heart.
This is what makes dark magic so dangerously efficient compared to other branches.
In any school of magic, creating a 1st-circle mana ring takes a grueling amount of time and effort.
[You’re overthinking it. Offer up that last heretic, and the world is yours. In your past life, you reached the 5th circle of dark magic. But with a pact? You could ascend to the 10th — a grand dark mage unlike any this world has ever seen.]
Her eyes gleamed.
And the moment I saw them, I knew what I had to wish for.
[I appreciate the offer, but I’ll live within my means.]
I respectfully knelt on one knee.
Dicreia frowned, clearly displeased, folding her arms.
Soon, she summoned her throne, seated herself, and crossed her legs.
[Tch. Then what is it you want? Speak quickly.]
[Please retrieve a book for me.]
[A book?]
I gave her the title without hesitation.
[The original copy of Aium de Equinox.]
That book was the legendary grimoire once possessed by my master, containing the secrets of necromancers.
Even with just a copy, my master had reached the 8th-circle.
I won’t take shortcuts to power.
With the original, I plan to reach the eternal realm my master never could.
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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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