Chapter 263
Chapter 263. Return to the Demon World
『—My lord, it’s about time.』
I was startled by the metallic voice of the familiar green dragon.
“Ah, …yeah.”
Emelgias straightened his back in the saddle. Although it had only been about thirty minutes since taking off from the Demon Lord Castle, it was normally a time when he would be sleeping, so he seemed a little dazed.
At the edge of the wasteland, something shimmered in rainbow colors like a mirage.
A prism-like, beautiful yet somehow sinister glow, beneath which sprawled a mixed-up city—Cosmolodge.
A stopover for demons who had just entered the real world and those demon race who had returned from the Demon World. We head toward the city center where strange houses that seemed to mock the laws of physics lined the streets.
A pitch-black hole in the world.
The entrance to the Demon World, the Dark Portal.
“I’ll be right back.”
Before stepping in, Emelgias informed his companion, Hysidia. Time flowed faster in the Demon World. Depending on where the “target demon” was… but he should be able to return before too much time passed in the real world.
If nothing goes wrong.
“…Okay. Be careful.”
With Hysidia’s worried voice behind him.
Emelgias leaped without hesitation into the pitch-black hole.
†††
When I came to, I was standing on a dark yet bright land.
A black sun shimmered above me. A rustling grove of shadowy trees, a blood-red horizon.
“Hey, hello there.”
A familiar voice reached my ears.
Looking up, I saw a figure in a tailcoat standing there. It was an entity that could only be described that way. A weathered wooden staff stood upright, embedded within the tailcoat.
I had been taken aback the first time we met.
“Odigos, huh?”
The【Guide Demon】—the demon that those of the demon race first relied upon upon stepping into the Demon World. He gained power by guiding visitors to the correct direction.
“It seems you’re not a first-timer.”
“This is the third time now.”
—Visiting the Demon World.
I had first set foot in the Demon World before adulthood, contracted with the 【Demon of Jealousy】, and then returned after my magical powers stagnated.
Emelgias’s soul barely had any leeway now.
Perhaps this would be his last visit.
“Do you need my guidance?”
“Of course.”
“Then let me show you the way. The way that is befitting of you.”
Odigos fell over as if the strings of a puppet had snapped.
With a roll and a plop.
The rolling staff and tailcoat pointed toward—an overgrown shadowy forest.
“It would be good to head that way.”
Getting up lightly, Odigos brushed the dust off his tailcoat. Expressing my gratitude, Emelgias began to walk.
Pushing through the translucent shadows of the trees, he trudged deeper into the forest. The thorny underbrush entangled all over him, so he attempted to send out blades of wind to cut them down, but they scattered and quickly returned.
…It was the same every time. He thought he might manage with his increased magical power since the last visit, but that was not the case. He couldn’t break the concept of “overgrown bothersome thickets.” Emelgias sighed and pressed on, despite the labor.
After a while, he emerged in a spring-like spot within the forest.
A bubbling spring of thick, black liquid like oil.
“Long time no see… Emelgias.”
A raspy voice whispered from above.
“Oh.”
Looking up without much surprise, there hung a woman, upside down.
With a distinctly androgynous face, it was evident from the contours of her upper body that she leaned closer to female. She wore no real clothes; instead, fine scales covered various parts of her. With pitch-black eyes devoid of whites, a long, red tongue slithered out.
Most notably, there was her lower half. Unlike her humanoid upper body, it was thick and round like a tree trunk, elongated and covered in scales—endlessly stretching.
The 【Demon of Jealousy】, Ziria.
When we first met, I was surprised by her monstrous appearance, but now, I was unfazed. …At least, in terms of outward appearance.
“It’s really been a while, huh… about 500 years?”
Casually, Ziria placed a hand on Emelgias’s shoulder with familiarity.
“It’s only been about 15 years in the real world.”
“Oh, is that all?”
Ziria blinked in surprise, narrowing her eyes.
“That’s nice. The real world seems so fun. If I didn’t have such a loooong body, I’d want to follow along too. So nice, so nice.”
Ziria slithered down from the tree. At least, part of her did. She encircled Emelgias, winding around him.
“By the way, you’ve grown.”
Ziria observed Emelgias from various angles, grinning as she pat his head. Her wiggling tongue revealed a smile that was far from friendly.
Emelgias was… passively enduring the head pats.
“…I have a request, Ziria.”
“Sure, what is it?”
“I want to accept your powers to the limit.”
Ziria’s hand stopped at Emelgias’s request.
It was a story from 15 years ago.
Emelgias’s powers had stagnated, prompting him to consult Ziria about improving efficiency.
Normally, when demons contract with a demon for the purpose of nurturing magic powers, they would leave some leeway in their soul vessel for the possibility of having that demon act as a familiar.
Ziria proposed pouring her powers into that “extra space.” Once contracted, it couldn’t be undone, but strengthening the contract was possible.
This proposal worked, and Emelgias’s powers surged. …However, growth stagnated again afterward, leading to the present.
“…I’m running short.”
Not just a little improvement would do. He needed… more power.
“Not to say it’s bad, but you’re out of space, Emelgias.”
Pouting her lips, Ziria rested her chin on her body.
“With my powers, your soul vessel is almost full. If it’s completely filled, you won’t be able to return to the Demon World again.”
“I don’t care.”
With his green eyes shining fiercely, Emelgias replied.
“It’s okay if this is the last time.”
“…Huh. So you’re prioritizing a bit of strengthening over everything else.”
Ziria became clearly irritated, her tongue flicking out.
“No, that’s not it.”
However, Emelgias seized her shoulder and pressed forward with an intense expression.
“A little strengthening isn’t enough. I need more, much more. I need it!”
“That’s why your soul vessel—”
“I don’t care what happens to it!!”
At that moment, Ziria finally realized that her contractor was not in his right mind.
“I don’t care what happens to my soul vessel. If it dies, then that’s that. I’m already… I don’t care about myself anymore…!!”
So—
“Pour it all into me. Your powers, into ME!!”
As Emelgias fervently begged, Ziria gazed at him with a blank expression.
“Haah… You’re not the first one to say something like that.”
She sighed in disbelief.
“If it were that easy to become stronger, no one would struggle. Those who seek powers beyond their means, they all go boom! and explode. You’ll end up the same.”
“When that happens, I’ll just give up.”
“You’ll suffer incredibly. A thousand times worse than you think?”
“If I’m going to die, then so be it. And right now, I’m… basically dead.”
Clenching his hand tightly, stronger and stronger.
“…You can do it, right?! You can pour your powers over the limit, right?! I want to destroy… this cursed me now!!”
Then, he began to pound his chest desperately. So serious, so earnest… yet somehow, it was a comical sight, like a child throwing a tantrum, tinged with sorrow.
“…Alright, alright, I get it. In straightforward terms, it’s an elaborate form of suicide.”
Ziria raised her hands as if surrendering but smiled widely.
“Well, if you’re saying that much… fine. I’ll pour it in. If it’s truly the last time, watching you shatter in my arms could be fun too.”
And so, winding around Emelgias, Ziria’s body constricted.
In an instant, she tightened her grip like a predator catching its prey, binding Emelgias.
“Whoa!?”
“Since it’s an opportunity, I’ll hold you tightly. This way, you’ll last longer.”
Ziria snuggled closely, gently hugging Emelgias from behind.
“Alright, here it goes.”
She opened her large mouth—and sank her venomous fangs into Emelgias’s neck.
“———Ah.”
Powers poured in. The venom of the Demon of Jealousy began to corrode his mind.
With wide-open eyes, Emelgias let out a soundless scream as the powers spread chillingly deep within him, filling every inch of his body—
“Ugh—”
He felt as if he was swelling many times over. His eyes turned bloodshot, and thick liquid gushed from his mouth, nose, and ears.
“——Ah—Gah—”
Ziria squeezed Emelgias even tighter. Both her upper arms and lower body tightened around him.
Bound tightly, while Emelgias felt as if he was being crushed from without, the flood of powers continued pouring inside him, making him feel as if he might burst.
As a result, the force lost its direction—
And began to destroy Emelgias.
“Ah—Gah—”
His blue skin began to bubble as if it were boiling, blood droplets appearing all over his body. A horde of snakes seemed to crawl beneath his skin, causing his veins to writhe, making horrible sounds as his flesh tore.
Emelgias, by now, had passed far beyond the realm of pain and agony, simply thrashing around wildly. However, since Ziria tightly held him in place, he could only twitch and flail his fingers and toes.
Yet, Ziria did not stop.
Because it was Emelgias himself who desired this.
Crackling, eerie sounds echoed from inside Emelgias.
Ziria pulled her mouth from the nape of Emelgias’s neck.
“Farewell, Emelgias.”
She gave his neck a parting kiss before striking the final blow with her fangs—
“[My… name… is…]”
With a squelching sound and a splash of wetness.
“[Emel, Gias… Izanis…]”
Faintly, like a mumble, Emelgias uttered.
“[The Demon Lord, the one who… claims dominion over… the realm…]”
His consciousness was barely hanging on. With a beating pulse, like a heart, Emelgias throbbed in Ziria’s arms.
“…A brave little one.”
Ziria smiled lovingly.
“But this is the end.”
Again, she plunged her poisonous fangs, pouring in her power.
And finally, it seemed that Emelgias could take it no longer.
With a loud pop, Emelgias Izanis burst apart.
