Chapter 70 - Encirclement (4)

The nobles of Hell, Solomon's 72 demons.

Their summoning methods were well-known, being too famous to omit from demonology, but.

Summoning the true form of one of Solomon's 72 demons was no easy feat.

After all, one had to create a gateway large enough for a high-ranking demon—a being of immense supernatural power—to pass through.

An ordinary wizard couldn't handle it.

It was virtually impossible.

That was why most contractors who desired demonic power would either summon a partial spirit, or.

Use magically enchanted mirrors as communication tools, conversing with the reflected image.

A full-length mirror with a frame adorned in gold.

An item purchased at auction for an exorbitant sum.

A handsome man in luxurious clothing prostrated himself before the mirror, begging as though before a king.

"Beautiful and great King, please, please bestow just a little, just a little of your grace upon me."

It wasn't even a face-to-face meeting, and yet.

The overwhelming power he felt made him bow his head, swallowing his saliva with greed.

"I shall become your servant. I shall offer sacrifices. Please grant me the power to obtain wealth and honor."

And on the other side of the connection through the mirror.

Behind a silk veil, a demon who appeared to be a beautiful golden-haired young girl wearing a golden crown.

The 9th of Solomon's 72 demons.

Paimon, King of the West in Hell, sat with legs crossed.

Chin resting on the back of one hand, face utterly disinterested.

"Haah...."

Golden eyes looked down at the man.

Normally, Paimon would have enjoyed such human flattery to a moderate degree, toying with them, but....

Paimon's eyes drooped lazily.

Recalling the sensation of being grandly summoned in true form alongside the legions. And then....

"Haah...."

The man, not understanding the reason for Paimon's sigh, pressed his body even flatter to the ground.

"F-forgive me, Great One."

Paimon watched him for a moment.

Then snapped a finger.

"...I'm really not in the mood today."

"What?"

Just like that, the mirror the man had prepared cracked, and the connection was severed.

The western reaches of Hell, Paimon's palace.

Having shattered the artifact mirror created through magic.

The veil that had concealed the king's form was drawn aside.

Paimon, wearing a thin pink lingerie nightgown, walked barefoot out of the dressing room.

'No way... I even went the extra mile with the service... I never expected him not to contact me first.'

And standing by at the side.

A demon maid with an adorable tail delivered the other news Paimon had been waiting for.

"Your Majesty, the painting you ordered is finished! Where should we hang it?"

"Hmm~ Really?"

Paimon spoke in a disinterested tone, but the corners of those lips rose ever so slightly.

Yo-han had no idea.

Paimon, King of the West in Hell.

A demon he had summoned out of necessity to wipe out Chairman Kim's faction gathered in the building, but....

He had no idea what kind of crazy simp devil he had unleashed.

Paimon's bedroom, filled with all manner of artworks and... portraits of Lucifer and Solomon.

And now, added to that collection-.

Paimon sat on a lavish royal bed with curtains.

Pressing an index finger to those lips,

"Hmm... A little to the left, no, back to the right now."

Directing the maids, adjusting the position of a large framed painting visible straight ahead from the bed.

"Good, right there. Now up, angled so I'm looking slightly up at it."

Right in front of Paimon's bed.

A large painting was hung, depicting Yo-han smiling as he held a leash attached to a scowling Paimon, forcibly lifting the demon's chin.

Solomon's detestable grimoire, The Lesser Key of Solomon.

Though it was because of the <Lemegeton>....

Looking up at the painting depicting the disgraceful scene of being leashed by a human and toyed with in front of subordinates.

".........."

Paimon's eyes narrowed, teeth pressing firmly into those lips, and then.

Snapped a finger.

Clink-.

A leather collar with chains fastened around Paimon's neck.

Glaring up at the painting of being leashed by Yo-han.

Wrapping the chain around one hand and pulling it tight, squeezing the throat.

Clink-.

"Ngh... haah...."

A hot breath escaped.

"Ugh... I, I'm a king of Hell... by a mere human...."

Clink-.

Soon those eyes glazed over, and Paimon's golden irises curved.

Pulling the chain even harder.

"Haah... Your Majesty... Your Majesty... hah...."

Clink... clink....

Paimon's mouth fell open, a slack, breathless voice spilling out.

"Ack... heh-ack...."

Tongue peeking out, Paimon gazed up at Yo-han's portrait.

"Ngh... I love domineering pretty boys so much...."

Objectively, Yo-han wasn't an extraordinary beauty, but... there was something about his aura.

It drove demons mad.

"Haah... I'm so turned on... my womb is trembling...!"

The maid demon who had been dusting the frame blinked.

"Your Majesty, you don't have a womb."

Clink....

Paimon let go of the chain and stared at the maid with a cold expression.

"Haah... It's a figure of speech, a figure of speech. I'm a demon, so I can change my sex whenever I want."

Just look at Astaroth, switching between male and female all the time.

With an exasperated expression, Paimon swept that beautiful golden hair behind the neck.

"Or what? Are you saying that I, the supreme ultimate royal kawaii beautiful girl demon of Hell, should use some vulgar phrase like 'my prostate is throbbing~' instead?"

The maid demon blinked twice.

"I don't really see the difference?"

".........."

Paimon's golden eyes gleamed, staring fixedly at the maid demon's tail.

-Fwoosh.

A tiny spark ignited at the tip of the maid demon's cute tail.

"Aaah!? My tail-!"

The maid demon scrambled out of the room.

"Haah...."

The mood thoroughly killed, Paimon flopped onto the bed, and then.

".........!"

Something came to mind, and Paimon rolled over.

A pen and parchment flew into waiting hands.

Thinking of Yo-han.

The owner of the <Lemegeton>.

With skills like that, other demons would surely be drawn to him too.

"Hmm~ I should spread the word that I met him first~."

Chin propped up, pen moving, Paimon began writing the Paimon Gazette.

Paimon Gazette – A newspaper published across the western reaches of Hell whenever Paimon felt like it. Usually used for promoting concerts or plays in which Paimon starred.

***

A secret temple in the region where the ancient Babylonian city of Uruk once stood.

Flutter-.

A white dove fluttered in, carrying an unfurled parchment.

[Paimon Gazette]

A voluptuous, enchanting beauty with gorgeous red hair and a gentle expression.

The 56th of Solomon's 72 demons.

Gremory's eyes crinkled with amusement upon seeing the name 'Yo-han' written on the parchment.

"Huhu~."

Since she had seen him inside the fake world of the game, she hadn't been able to pinpoint his exact location, but.

...Thanks to this, she now knew where he was.

"Then I suppose it would be best to go meet him in a form we both recognize."

Gremory's appearance changed. More precisely, she grew younger.

Still voluptuous and beautiful, but now in the form of a younger girl.

The very appearance of the Student Council President Gremory, who had met Yo-han in the fake world of the [Harem Academy].

She changed into the academy uniform as well.

The one difference was that her hair was not brown, but the beautiful crimson of Gremory's true form.

Gremory's scarlet eyes sparkled as she smiled with delight.

To meet Yo-han, to teach him about love.

She stepped out of the temple.

She knew The Lesser Key of Solomon was dangerous, but....

She still wanted to meet him.

***

The British Wizard Council.

The Council's wizards were currently in an uproar.

"Is the analysis of that massive magical energy from Korea finished?"

"W-we still don't know the exact cause!"

A senior Council official's eyes shook visibly.

'I've also heard rumors that Edward died on Korean soil. Could it be that The Lesser Key of Solomon really exists there?'

Just then, a phone rang, and the staff member who answered it cried out in shock.

"T-this is terrible! G-Gremory has left the Uruk temple!"

"What?"

The official's expression went completely rigid.

One of Solomon's 72 demons, Gremory.

A great demon summoned in her true form, no less.

In the past, some mad wizard had slaughtered hundreds of people as sacrificial offerings to summon Gremory's true form, but.

Ironically, the summoner was killed by Gremory herself for being too cruel.

After that, Gremory did not return to Hell.

She created a secret temple in Uruk and remained there.

Since she was a great demon in true form, there was no way to deal with her, and she showed no intention of leaving the temple, so the response had been limited to monitoring it, but.

...She suddenly left the temple and was on the move?

Could it possibly be connected to the abnormal phenomenon in Korea?

The official pressed his temples and spoke.

"Send out an official notice for now. Tell all wizards operating in Europe not to go to Korea."

One staff member, reading a newly arrived report, spoke in a trembling voice.

"Um... I think it's already too late. Several wizards have already departed for Korea, and among them is reportedly the heir of the Paracelsus School."

"The Paracelsus School-!?"

The Paracelsus School. Among European magical schools that researched and handled the four elements, it was the most powerful.

Its heir.

Someone who could vie for the position of next headmaster had gone to Korea?

The official sank into his chair and dragged a palm down his face.

"...What in the world is going on?"

***

Namgung Soo leaned back in his chair and listened to his secretary's report.

"So, Soo-ah has returned."

"Yes. There was an attempted kidnapping, but fortunately she's safe."

Namgung Soo let out a quiet breath.

"...That's a relief."

And then his eyes narrowed with self-disgust.

...That's a relief. What a laughable thing to say.

What right did he have to worry about Soo-ah?

He slowly turned his head to look at a photo of his dead wife.

Find the owner of De Vermis Mysteriis, use the Time Reversal Technique to return to the past.

Save his wife, and build a happy family once more with a young Soo-ah.

A truly, truly blissful dream.

But what if the young Soo-ah who grew up that way had a completely different personality from the current Soo-ah? What if she felt like an entirely different person?

Wouldn't going back to the past to save his wife mean killing the daughter he had now?

Namgung Soo gripped the armrest of his chair tightly.

No! It was turning back time, not killing her!

...But Namgung Soo couldn't bring himself to think beyond that.

That was why he wouldn't see Soo-ah, his daughter.

He was afraid that the Soo-ah who grew up again after he went back to the past would feel like a completely different person from the current Soo-ah, so he looked away.

He simply turned his head, averted his eyes, and stared at the photo of his wife.

He stopped thinking. He simply focused on the goal he had buried himself in.

The secretary spoke carefully, reading the mood.

"Sir, there's... something I need to report. The mercenaries from Mage Net have begun to move."

"What do you mean?"

"The bounty on the owner of De Vermis Mysteriis has been raised."

***

In a bar in Europe, one of the mercenaries from Mage Net was talking loudly.

"From 3 billion to 10 billion-!? That's a massive target."

"10 billion won? ...How much is that in dollars?"

A black-haired man with Nordic features and a muscular build.

A wizard, and a hunter who killed and sold wizards.

Hard brought a rune stone engraved with a fire rune to his cigar and lit it.

"Phew... Maybe it's time I go collect. 10 billion won."

He spoke as he exhaled smoke.

Looking at the intentions of whoever raised the bounty, it was obvious they were trying to use him as a hunting dog, but....

So what? That's just what mercenary work was.

...And depending on how things went, he could always backstab the client.

And sell De Vermis Mysteriis to someone else for an even higher price.

***

The Sacred Maiden Convent in Finland.

The convent's saint, a beautiful girl with silver hair,

Elsea's eyes sparkled as she happily swung her arms.

On her computer screen, she was watching a band in dinosaur costumes perform.

The sound of guitar and electronic keyboard, power metal, rang out.

Hevisaurus – A five-member Finnish band that performs in dinosaur costumes. Wildly popular among kids.

"Phew... Hevisaurus's songs really are the best."

Elsea finished listening to the song, and with sparkling eyes, spoke to her grimoire, The Book of the Angel Raziel.

"Raziel-nim, I saw this on the Korean Alternate History Community. Hevisaurus was made to honor the Five Dinosaur Traitors who left Hwanguk and sided with the Finnish Empire... no, wait!" [TL: "Hwanguk" (환국) is a mythical ancient Korean super-empire popular in online alternate history communities; "Five Traitors" (오적) parodies real Korean historical terminology for national traitors.]

Elsea corrected herself with determined eyes.

"A band made to honor the Five Righteous Dinosaurs who turned their backs on darkness and chose the light! I like them even more now!"

Of course, that was nonsense.

Anyway, The Book of the Angel Raziel leaned back in its chair.

[Elsea, come sit here for a moment.]

It spoke in a solemn voice.

[A moment ago, I sensed an ominous energy from Korea. It must be related to Yo-han, the owner of De Vermis Mysteriis.]

"Oh, if it's about that, don't worry!"

At those words, Elsea proudly pulled out a passport and showed it off.

"My passport is finally ready! Now I can go to Korea!"

[..........]

Raziel thought for a moment. ...A passport. Should I praise her?

Yes! Let's praise her!

Taking things one step at a time toward a goal was important.

The Book of the Angel Raziel glowed brightly, and a warm voice resonated.

[Huhu~ Well done, Elsea. I always believed in you.]

"Hehe~ Praise me more."

The saint of the Sacred Maiden Convent.

Elsea, the owner of the grimoire The Book of the Angel Raziel, was finally departing for Korea.

Demons, wizards, a saint, countless individuals.

They were all converging to get their hands on Yo-han.