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The long, long carriage journey was finally coming to an end.

After a back smashing session and another hour of travel, a mysterious city finally came into view.

If I had used magic to run, it might have taken a day… but I probably would’ve collapsed before then.

This body has the worst fuel efficiency ever.

Unless I had stuffed myself full at Dantalion’s castle, there was no way I could sprint after only eating six servings.

Anyway, just as Dantalion said, it didn’t take long to reach the capital of Satan’s territory.

“…It’s real.”

Looking back now, I can see why he made that face.

I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction, so I changed the subject.

“It’s amazing how I didn’t notice that huge city earlier.”

“I told you it was close, but you didn’t believe me and went around beating up demons…”

He kept muttering, looking a bit sulky.

“Wait, the captain of Satan’s army is sulking over this?”

“I’m not sulking!”

This guy, who’s technically second in command under Satan, sure knows how to sulk. (Though it seems like there are quite a few co-second places.)

I almost felt bad for the soldiers under him.

We ended up spending more time in the carriage than expected, and during that time, we talked a lot.

Mostly about Dantalion himself, but hearing about the Demon Realm, a place I didn’t even know existed, was pretty interesting.

Turns out, Dantalion is a captain-level demon leading 36 legions.

Sure, Satan has a lot of high-ranking demons under him, but credit where credit’s due.

When I looked at him again, impressed… he was just curled up in the corner of the carriage, looking more like a shrimp than anything else.

Anyway, we finally arrived in Satan’s city.

I hurried Dantalion along so I could eat… I mean, find a way back home.

‘Did I just have a brain glitch… or was that my imagination?’

Whatever, let’s go.

***

His entire body was red.

Horns curving powerfully outward.

A body so muscular it looked like body fat didn’t exist.

A tail so flexible and strong it could almost count as a third arm.

“…Hellboy?”

Before possessing Jeong Gyeoul, I remembered a character from a movie I saw as a kid that looked very similar.

‘But this guy is bigger, scarier, and more refined-looking.’

And it wasn’t just his appearance that was intimidating.

I tried to subtly release some magic to detect Satan’s power…

‘He noticed that?’

Satan’s magic didn’t allow my power to intrude.

But that just confirmed it.

Satan had also reached the level of a Transcendent Being.

If Satan had transcended… did that mean the other six lords were also Transcendent Beings?

The Demon Realm is no joke, tougher than Korea.

I tensed up my entire body and gathered my magic, ready to attack at any moment.

The leader of the Satan Church, Anton LaVey, had gone to great lengths to summon demons to this world, and this might even be the reason Jeong Gyeoul ended up in the Demon Realm.

It was only natural to be wary of such an unpredictable opponent.

But Satan looked at me like he couldn’t understand.

“Why are you looking at me with such hostility?”

“…Because you’re the enemy?”

“We’ve clearly just met for the first time, right? What reason do you have to call me an enemy?”

I was looking at him the same way, unable to understand.

And so, the conversation with Satan continued.

“So… you’re saying you have no connection to this?”

“Even if I swear on the Demon God, would you believe me?”

What came out of Satan’s mouth was quite shocking.

He didn’t even know about the Satan Church.

Of course, he didn’t know about Anton LaVey either.

And as for the Apostles, there was no need to even ask.

I’d heard that summoning Satan would grant power, but when I asked about it, he said it was just a temporary boost in potential for a couple of years in exchange for handing over one’s soul.

A truly unfair deal.

When I asked more about summoning, he said he didn’t see the point of such a ritual since he could easily travel to the middle realm with his own power.

He said he could sense when a portal was opened, which is how he noticed my arrival.

The funny part is that the magic circle drawn by Anton LaVey, the leader of the Satan Church, wasn’t a summoning circle to call Satan to this world, but more like a portal to the Demon Realm.

“I don’t know why it had to be my territory, though.”

“…”

This guy knows nothing.

I felt like an idiot for fighting so hard against the Satan Church.

‘…If I had just left Ha-yul alone when she was engulfed in light, nothing would’ve happened, right?’

It’s possible that Jeong Ha-yul was also summoned to the Demon Realm…

Even if I’m at the lower end of the lords in terms of magic power, Jeong Ha-yul is probably among the top.

It might take time to get back, but at least she wouldn’t have died screaming in the Demon Realm.

She might even be the Demon King.

After unifying the Demon Realm, she might’ve returned to the middle realm.

Maybe I did something unnecessary.

‘Well, as long as no one died, it’s fine.’

But… if Satan didn’t summon me here, how do I get home?

Even Satan doesn’t know why I ended up in his territory.

‘Then who does?’

If I ever get back to Earth, I’ll have to have a deep discussion with the cult leader.

I might end up with a sprained wrist from all the talking, so I’ll focus on wrist exercises from now on.

“Don’t worry about getting back, there’s a way.”

“A way?”

“But there’s a slight problem.”

“What is it?”

Whatever the problem is, if I can get home, it doesn’t matter.

“The materials needed to create a portal between dimensions are in Asmodeus’s territory.”

“…Why are they there?”

“They were stolen.”

He said it with a completely shameless expression.

“Is Asmodeus a strong demon?”

“In terms of pure combat ability, I’m a bit stronger.”

“Then why…”

Satan’s head turned ever so slightly toward Dantalion.

Ah.

I understood immediately.

“…?”

A brief silence fell, and Dantalion looked confused.

He must’ve been spacing out because the conversation was boring, so he didn’t catch the signal.

Anyway, I need to get that material from Asmodeus’s territory to return to Earth, right?

“But… I’ve been suspicious lately, and I can’t easily trust the words of demon nobodies.”

“Hahaha, hearing that from a human is quite refreshing. Should I swear on the Demon God?”

A race that lies every time they open their mouths—can’t their oaths also be lies?

Satan felt different from the other demons I’ve met…

But people are most easily scammed when they let their guard down.

If he were weaker than me, I would’ve beaten him up and dragged him around.

‘After a few hits, they usually come to their senses and tell the truth.’

Even Dantalion has gotten a bit smarter after being beaten up.

He would’ve interrupted with “You lowly human!” a few times, but he was very quiet.

“…Still don’t believe me? Fine, then come with me to the Lord’s Meeting.”

“Lord’s Meeting?”

Once a year, the seven lords of the Demon Realm gather for a meeting.

After so much backstabbing, they agreed to discuss truly important matters at the Lord’s Meeting, and if any lord backstabs, the others will gang up on them.

Plus, if they keep fighting, the entire Demon Realm will turn into a barren wasteland sooner or later.

So they meet once a year to coordinate things…

And it just so happens to be when I arrived.

And it just so happens to be held here in Shaitaan, the capital of Satan’s territory.

This is all too convenient.

It’s hard to believe it’s all a coincidence.

‘It’s too perfectly aligned…’

I started to feel like everything was following some predetermined fate from the moment I was possessed.

“But is it okay for me to just follow you in?”

“Each lord can bring one advisor and one escort. Given your combat ability, you can come as my escort.”

Escort.

A word that means following and protecting someone.

There are many similar words like bodyguard, protection, guard…

‘Why would he even need that…’

The energy I felt from Satan was beyond me, maybe even beyond Jeong Ha-yul.

I was so tense and gathering my magic the moment I faced him.

But now he’s casually talking about an escort?

Unless he’s planning to use me as a meat shield if something happens inside.

Telling me to protect Jeong Ha-yul from villains is no different.

Dantalion, who had been quietly listening, stepped forward as if he couldn’t agree.

“Bringing a human to the Lord’s Meeting! It’s a disgrace to our honor.”

I thought he’d learned his lesson, but apparently not.

*Whack—*

As usual, when I raised my hand, Dantalion flinched and shrunk back.

Even in front of Satan, he was still a shrimp.

“Puhahahaha!”

“…”

Satan burst out laughing at the sight.

“To belittle someone who can do that to you as just a human? That’s what’s truly disgraceful for a lord.”

“…”

Well, the impression so far isn’t bad, so maybe following along won’t be so bad.

He doesn’t seem like the type to set a trap with the other lords just to catch me.

If this turns out to be another lie, then it must just be their racial trait.

I’m not afraid to go.

If the seven lords join hands to set a trap and try to capture me…

Whether I go or not, my life is already ruined.

If I’m going to ruin my life, I might as well do it on my own terms.

“Ah, before that, there’s something I need to do first.”

“Something you need to do?”

He looked at me like, “You’ve barely been here and already have so much to do?”

“Food! Good food! Edible food! Dantalion promised me food.”

We’re here to survive, but let’s eat first.

 

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