Chapter 5

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on February 4, 2025

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Crack…

Ah, another seizure is coming on. My good dream’s been interrupted. How disappointing.

This seizure was cast by a measly magician. The Great Sage Merlin, they call him – surpassing even the head of the magic tower, he’s considered the top mage on the continent.

Most magic dissipates without a trace the moment it touches my body, but this is truly pathetic.

How pathetic? He planted an endless bomb inside my body that never runs out. That old man is such a dog.

“Hey, Saintess.”

“Lord Demon, is there something you wish to speak about?”

“Stop your meaningless prayers already and can’t you heal the curse on my body instead?”

“A curse, you say? Let me take a look then.”

The saintess staggered over to me. The rosary in her hand gleamed like black pearls as it swayed.

Familiarly, she laid me across her lap and placed her hand over my chest. Two small, dry palms pressed through my stomach.

For someone so frail-looking, it’s hard to believe she fought off a hundred thousand monsters. After spending three days with her in Tartarus, it’s even harder to believe.

Woooom…

White light emanated from the saintess’s hands. The darkness that had been lurking dissipated slightly.

Her face, untouched by time despite the dirt, came into view.

She looked troubled. Why, did she see something she shouldn’t have?

“This… This isn’t a curse but rather magic.”

“That’s not important, what matters is whether you can remove it or not.”

“I owe my life to you, so I’d gladly give it up, but this seems beyond my capabilities.”

“Is that so?”

If the saintess who could regenerate the Holy Emperor’s severed arm can’t do anything…

Ah, Merlin Gregory. You old geezer. What kind of magic did you put on me? Die already if you’re going to die.

“This isn’t something that can be dispelled by human power. Whoever cast this must be quite the accomplished mage.”

“Tch, I’m the one who killed that mage.”

“What did you just say?”

“It’s nothing.”

At that moment, while smirking sarcastically, the iron doors of Tartarus opened. Though we’d already received our meal, another visitor perhaps?

“As expected, it’s visiting time.”

I was right. Another visitor two days in a row now.

I wonder how much of a people person the saintess was when she was outside.

Honestly, I’m feeling just a teensy bit envious. It must be painful for someone without friends.

“Shall we let them in?”

“But… the visitor…”

Is there some issue? The saintess tilted her bandaged head at Celt’s hesitance.

“Could this visitor be someone you’d find unpleasant? If you’d like, we can deny them entry.”

Celt’s deep voice carried traces of surprise, hostility, and tension. Who could this visitor be to elicit such a reaction?

Someone who has a bad relationship with the saintess? No one comes to mind. The saintess doesn’t seem like someone who would make enemies.

Even me, technically her enemy, is being treated warmly despite her not knowing my true identity.

“No, if they’ve come all this way, it’s only proper to receive them.”

“Hmm… Very well. Hey, come in already.”

Celt turned around to speak.

“Hmm? What’s this? You’ve given permission? Saintess, you sure have guts.”

A clear, enchanting woman’s voice reached us. A voice I know well.

What’s she doing here?

“You…?”

“Oh, it’s me. Saintess. Surely you haven’t forgotten already? That’d be kinda hurtful.”

The woman Celt was guarding entered.

Her bold outfit revealed a generous cleavage and part of her thigh. She had black hair like mine and red eyes.

Though not of my bloodline, she’s of the same race as me.

And she’s a fellow Marquis of Hell, ruling the west.

Together with King of the South and Jack of the East, she’s known as the Succubus Queen.

Western Grand Duke Lilith Clanaein.

The identity of the third visitor.

*****

Lilith approached Tartarus with her arms crossed arrogantly. The saintess had moved to the iron bars as usual. She seemed not to notice me lurking in the shadows.

“Looking good, Saintess.”

“Yes, I’m managing well enough.”

“Bitch.”

“Thank you, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Lilith mocked the saintess with her high-pitched voice. Regardless, the saintess wore her gentle smile.

A purely innocent smile, neither cold nor distant. Perhaps this ability to maintain such composure no matter who they face is the exclusive privilege of a saint.

“So you’re still smiling after all that?”

“Haha.”

“Haha? Want to get beaten again?”

“You think I don’t know there’s no sincerity in your words?”

Why did Lilith come here just to say things like this?

I had forgotten while spending time with the saintess, but the contents of that demon’s head are truly intriguing.

I learned about the relationship between the saintess and Lilith from Celt.

During the war between the demon realm and the continent, Lilith was captured by the saintess after sustaining critical injuries that put her life at risk.

At that time, the saintess healed Lilith with her holy powers and sent her back to the Demon King’s army as an act of grace.

And recently, the saintess was defeated by Lilith and the other three demon marquises. So Lilith repaid her kindness with betrayal.

Releasing the enemy commander and letting them go unharmed was indeed foolish.

War requires the resolve to kill or be killed – Lilith wasn’t wrong to call the saintess an idiot.

“Why do you think like that? I came here today just to tease you, didn’t I?”

“The tremor in your voice, the emotions in your tone, the melody of your speech – they all tell me otherwise.”

“Still spouting nonsense as always. You’re such an idiot.”

“That’s positive.”

Hmm, to me it doesn’t seem very positive at all.

“Idiot. Moron. Trash. Fool.”

“…”

“Dummy. Stupid. Incompetent. Ignorant.”

Lilith hurled insults at the saintess with contemptuous words, cutting deep.

Clearly being insulted, yet for some reason the saintess wore an innocently happy smile. At this point, reasonable suspicion arises that she might be a masochist.

“Are you done yet?”

After a brief pause, the saintess asked. Lilith took a breath before responding brusquely.

“Not yet? I’m not finished.”

“…Continue then.”

“Of course I will, you trashy saint.”

Lilith launched another verbal assault on the saintess. Insults flew left and right.

The saintess endured silently with a shamelessly cheerful smile.

Something feels off though.

‘Is the Western Marquis really this level of demon?’

Each insult Lilith spits out doesn’t feel like her.

Recalling her usual crude vocabulary…

‘Tear their limbs apart east-west-north-south and feed them to Cerberus before spreading his droppings in the fields.’

‘Should grind your brain into powder until it makes a decent soup.’

‘So filthy and worthless, even fleas on the road avoid you.’

But now… What? Idiot, moron, dummy, fool?

While not incorrect, compared to Lilith’s usual standards, this is extremely mild. Rather, it’s downright childish.

“Kyaa…! Why aren’t you reacting!”

“…”

Lilith shouted. The saintess didn’t respond.

Why is this demon getting angry when she came here to mock?

“I betrayed you! I attacked you after you let me go! Why aren’t you angry!”

There are too many incomprehensible things lately. First the saintess, then me, and now Lilith.

While she’s always been unique, this is different.

Unlike her carefree expression when she first entered prison, Lilith’s face is flushed red.

Though the saintess hasn’t said anything particularly provoking. Is something bothering her?

Perhaps she regrets betraying the saintess who showed her kindness.

If that’s the case, I’ll have to give her a piece of my mind. Unfit to be called a demon.

A demon should proudly boast about their betrayal. What’s this talk of species betrayal from someone who’s a Marquis of Hell?

“I betrayed you! I hit you after you let me go! And you’re not even cursing me! Even though I came here to mock you!”

“…”

“I, I should be cursed! I acted like a dirty bitch! Why are you just smiling silently!”

“You’re not truly cursing me.”

“Eh, what?”

“You feel uneasy, don’t you? There’s some discomfort… And those past choices you believed were right keep coming back to you…”

“Shut up with your nonsense! Who said that!”

Though denying it with words, the fact that the always composed Lilith is flustered means the saintess hit the mark.

“That’s why you came to see me, using ‘mocking’ as an excuse.”

“This mouth of yours… Don’t push it. Safety behind bars doesn’t mean you’re safe.”

Unfortunately, it seems the saintess believes Lilith wouldn’t attack her.

Of course, the saintess continued unperturbed.

“This feeling is called ‘guilt.'”

“…!”

Despite her bold words, Lilith didn’t attack the saintess. The saintess calmly continued.

“Be not ashamed. Do not try to ignore it. Feeling guilt means there is ‘conscience’ within you. This is not something to be denied, rather it should be taken pride in.”

“That’s, that’s not it… What are you talking about!”

“I am delighted. To realize that goodness can bloom even in the most corrupted of God’s creations. Isn’t that right? Mr. Demon?”

“…?”

The saintess turned her head toward me. What’s with the sudden question?

“Mr. Demon? Is there someone there?”

Lilith asked imperiously. Not wanting to reveal my identity to the saintess, I responded in demon language.

“It’s been a while, Succubus Queen.”

Still, the saintess doesn’t seem to believe I’d harm her. Just that I don’t want to reveal myself.

I don’t want the saintess to know I’m an evil, corrupt demon. No particular reason, it just feels that way.

“Jo- Joker! What are you doing here!”

“Hasn’t the news of my imprisonment in Babel Tower reached you? I’ve been locked up for a hundred days!”

“I heard rumors of your mysterious disappearance one day… So you were in Tartarus. But who could possibly lock you up here?”