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A chilling air swirled inside the hall.

Ricardo inwardly showed a relieved expression, while the other apprentice knights’ faces turned extremely pale.

‘Was it not fun?’

Just as Cecilia was looking a bit sulky, Beatrice looked at Ricardo and asked, “Can we really all leave here with just one heart?”

“Of course.”

“…By ‘here,’ do you mean the mansion or outside the dungeon?”

‘The entrance we came through has disappeared.’

Beatrice looked out the mansion window. The vine-covered door that was definitely there had vanished without a trace.

So, just in case, she asked.

“……”

Ricardo simply smiled quietly without saying a word.

In other words, it was an obvious trap.

“W-what does that mean, Betty?”

“It seems that even if we sacrifice one person, it doesn’t mean we’ll be allowed to leave the dungeon.”

Apprentice knight Wade jumped up from his seat, pointing at Ricardo and shouting, “That’s ridiculous! That’s a scam!”

Ricardo’s neck twisted grotesquely as he stared at him.

“Gasp.”

Wade, realizing he had just broken a rule, flinched, but it was already too late.

“You’ve broken the rules, haven’t you?”

“T-that’s…”

“Twice, no less.”

Ricardo smiled devilishly as he strode toward Wade.

The other apprentice knights, sensing the ominous atmosphere, stepped back.

Seeing this, Cecilia’s eyes narrowed.

‘Oh no, we’re doomed.’

Beatrice, startled, prepared to draw her sword, thinking Cecilia was angry at her for not protecting her comrade.

“P-please, save me. Lady Cecilia.”

Cornered, Wade trembled in fear, desperately looking at Cecilia.

“It’s pointless. Useless humans like you are exactly the kind Windsor hates the most.”

Ricardo’s eyes elongated. Just as his hand reached Wade’s neck—Beatrice reluctantly drew her sword, as did Riharten and Dsen almost simultaneously.

[Rule One. Do not be rude! A fine intellectual should converse with proper manners, right?]

Ricardo’s smile deepened.

“You’ve broken the rules again.”

‘This isn’t good.’

Cecilia began to ponder slightly.

Choosing to fight was commendable. After all, that’s what Cecilia had hoped for from the start.

But fighting while breaking the rules was the worst possible scenario.

The dungeon’s rules are a kind of contract.

As long as the rules are followed, the demons won’t harm humans.

However, for every rule broken, the demons gain strength for ‘this round.’

Just five minutes ago, they could have defeated the demon if they all attacked together.

But now, the power balance has been disrupted. The scales have tipped overwhelmingly in favor of the demon.

“I propose a contract.”

Cecilia reluctantly spat out.

Ricardo, who was about to harm Wade, and the three apprentice knights who stepped forward to stop him, all halted their actions simultaneously.

Ricardo released Wade’s neck.

“Cough, cough. Gasp…!”

As Wade coughed violently, Ricardo stepped over him and bowed deeply before Cecilia.

“Do you truly wish to make a contract?”

“Yes.”

The apprentice knights’ expressions visibly hardened.

“What are the conditions…?”

“What I want is to erase today’s rule violations.”

Cecilia spoke calmly, as if it were nothing.

However, ‘contracts with demons’ were not to be taken lightly.

Humans were often at a disadvantage, and the party who proposed the contract had to abide by its conditions.

If broken—the Goddess would punish the demon, and the Demon God would punish the human.

“What I want is for you to not interfere in this round.”

Ricardo’s mouth stretched to his ears.

“No matter what happens.”

Cecilia nodded lightly and slowly drew her sword.

Holding it in reverse, she cut her palm without hesitation.

Thud-.

The falling blood. Ricardo immediately stabbed his own heart.

“Gasp.”

The demon’s blood. And Cecilia’s blood soaked the floor.

The blood connected, beginning to form a shape.

It was a magic circle.

“Lesser demon Ricardo, by the authority of the administrator, the rule violations that just occurred are hereby nullified.”

Fizz-.

Half of the magic circle burned black.

“Sword—, Cecilia Windsor will not interfere in this round of ‘Grave of the Skilled.'”

‘What just happened?’

Ricardo’s pupils shook.

It was just a fleeting moment.

The moment his ‘title’ was revealed, Cecilia’s presence momentarily grew.

An overwhelming presence that even he dared not look up to.

And, Cecilia’s title wasn’t clearly heard. As if she wasn’t yet qualified.

‘…Anyway, the contract is absolute.’

“I hereby establish these terms as contract terms, with this hand as evidence and this soul as the price.”

The blood-made magic circle flashed momentarily. Everyone present realized the contract had been sealed at that moment.

Cecilia spoke in a dull tone.

“The contract has been sealed.”

“A generous contract, thank you.”

Ricardo forced a smile and bowed his head. A perfect contract. There were no loopholes.

“Then, I shall take my leave.”

‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’

Suppressing his unease, Ricardo left the dining room.

**

“L-Lady Cecilia.”

The apprentice knights all gathered in one room.

They calculated that the dining room wasn’t safe with the demon around.

“Because of us…”

Beatrice, sniffling, was treating Cecilia’s hand as she sat on the bed, while the other apprentice knights all knelt.

The atmosphere was almost like a funeral.

Of course.

‘Soft newbie hands… feels good.’

Cecilia was internally ecstatic but didn’t show it.

“Sorry, so sorry.”

Beatrice’s tears fell drop by drop.

“Because of our incompetence, Lady Cecilia had to make a contract with that demon.”

Sniffling, Beatrice wiped her tears. Cecilia blinked at the bandage.

Let’s designate this as Cecilia’s 48th treasure.

“Don’t misunderstand.”

Cecilia spoke quietly.

“I made the contract solely for my duty.”

The gloomy knights raised their heads.

‘We need to boost morale.’

Cecilia hoped this incident would make them more dedicated to dungeon conquest.

“My duty is to help your growth and to clear the dungeon without casualties. I made the most efficient choice to uphold these two things.”

The knights listening to Cecilia clenched their teeth.

None of them truly believed Cecilia made the choice out of duty.

She had sacrificed herself to save them.

“We will definitely repay this favor.”

Riharten spoke resolutely.

“It’s just my duty. All I ask is that you diligently conquer this dungeon. In return, promise me one thing.”

The apprentice knights were ready to give their lives.

If Cecilia said ‘commit suicide,’ they would do so with a smile.

Cecilia used her practiced ‘ultimate technique! Melancholic expression!’

“…Please, let no one get hurt.”

Whoosh!

Light filled the room. Not Beatrice’s blessing, but pure light emanating from a person.

‘Saint.’

‘Saint.’

‘The saint of the Holy Kingdom is undoubtedly real.’

And so, Cecilia gained a nickname she herself was unaware of.

**

Ricardo was humming cheerfully.

“Today, the 36th movement sounds good.”

Luxurious jazz echoed in the room.

Lying on the sofa with a drug-like expression, he poured himself some wine.

“Ah, truly delightful.”

He had rid himself of the pesky butcher.

Now, all that remained was to deliciously consume those foolish humans.

‘How should I cook them?’

Just imagining it was delightful. Should he drive them mad with endless fear, turning them into ‘ghosts’?

Or should he taunt the arrogant ‘butcher’ by killing them one by one in front of him?

The only concern was the butcher’s retaliation after the round ended, but that wasn’t a big issue.

‘…This batch of humans has a few good ones. I might get promoted after this round.’

Once he became a mid-level demon, he could escape anytime.

“Truly, a rewarding 17 years.”

He considered himself a very lucky demon.

He found a collaborator as soon as the dungeon opened.

Thanks to that, he maintained a ‘moderate’ rating and steadily harvested fear.

“After this, where should I go next? Seresia? The Holy Law Kingdom sounds good too.”

As Ricardo happily imagined his future, he sensed a large number of humans approaching.

“…Huh?”

Had they finally lost their minds?

Losing their reliable backing, had they gone mad?

“Hmm.”

Ricardo got up, feeling slightly annoyed.

Just then, there was a knock.

-‘Butler. We’ve come to pay the price.’

“Ohh.”

Ricardo quickly approached. Bringing their own appetizer before the main dish, how thoughtful.

“Welcome… what is this?”

But upon opening the door, Ricardo faced the apprentice knights, clearly in a pre-battle state.

And they all looked unappetizing.

Their faces showed no trace of fear, only determination.

“…I don’t see any hearts here.”

“The heart is right there.”

“Huh?”

Riharten smirked and pointed his sword.

“We’ve come to pay with your heart.”

 

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