Chapter 20: A Contract with a Demon?

“B-Berial!? N-no way! I-I didn’t summon such a Great Demon!”

Sheria was shaking her head furiously. Clearly, this situation was just as unexpected for her as it was for the rest of us.

The soldiers stepped forward to protect her, raising their spears—though the tips were trembling so badly it was obvious none of them had the courage to use them.

Since they didn’t look capable of doing much anyway, I decided to try talking to the so-called “Berial,” the demon now bowing respectfully before me.

“Um, Berial, right? Why exactly are you here?”

Even to me, asking that while still hanging by my wrists felt incredibly dumb.

“Yes, my lord. I shall answer.”

Berial straightened his posture, expression solemn.

Wait. My lord?

“I had long been watching, waiting for the moment a gate to this side would open. And this time, by great fortune, one did. So I took the opportunity to appear before my lord and humbly present myself.”

“R-right…”

I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

“W-why would a Great Demon like you appear here!?”
That was Shelphy shouting from behind, but Berial didn’t even glance her way. He clearly didn’t see Sheria as worth acknowledging.

“Uh, so—apparently, a different demon was supposed to be summoned instead. What happened to that one?”
Since I wanted to know what was really going on, I asked in her place.

“Yes, my lord. The foolish subordinate who tried to pass through the gate before me—I tore him to pieces and made him step back a little.”

“R-right…”

So basically, he ignored his subordinate and came through himself. But… why him, of all things?

Berial looked like a handsome young butler in a tailcoat. Soft, short black hair. A bit younger-looking than me, small in build, and about my height.

“U-uh, anyway… could you maybe loosen these ropes around my wrists?”

“As you wish.”

The restraints instantly dissolved into black mist.

“T-thanks.”

“What shall I do next, my lord? Shall I turn those worthless insects over there into dust for you?”

“W-wait, wait! Hold on!”

I quickly stopped Berial before he could act on his own.

“Um… personally, I’d rather settle this peacefully, if possible. Let’s just say there’s no connection between me and the Demon Lord, okay?”

In truth, there totally was, but as long as they didn’t move against me, it didn’t matter. Whether or not the Demon Lord had allies here was already common knowledge anyway.

“In that case, shall I rewrite their memories and implant the belief that there is no connection between you and the Demon Lord?”

Memory manipulation, huh.
Well… that’s actually a pretty peaceful solution, I guess?

“Yeah, let’s go with that.”

“As you command. Then, my lord, please issue your divine order to the humble Berial, in your name.”

Berial bowed deeply. I nodded once and gave my command.

“Demon Berial, in the name of Sonia, I command you—alter their memories!”

I felt something like the vitality drain from my body, leaving me slightly dizzy.

“Understood, Lady Sonia.”

Berial’s glowing crimson eyes turned toward Sheria and the others.

“Now, you all understand that there is no connection between Lady Sonia and the Demon Lord. Lady Sonia is innocent.”

““Yes… Lady Sonia is innocent.””

Sheria and the soldiers echoed his words in unison, their eyes blank and unfocused.

“Yes. That settles the matter, does it not?”

Berial smiled warmly—though somehow, that only made him even more terrifying.

Wait—did I just… form a contract with a demon or something?

“Uh, Berial… can I ask you one thing?”

“Please, ask whatever you wish.”
He stood perfectly still, formal and deferential as ever.

“Why am I Sonia?”

“…I’m afraid I don’t understand the question,” he said, tilting his head, genuinely confused.

“You said earlier that you pushed your subordinate aside to come to me, right? Why? What’s so special about me?”
He had literally torn his subordinate apart just to appear here. There had to be a reason.

“Ah, that. The reason is simple. Your soul’s color—that deep violet—is the same hue as that of our god’s soul. The fundamental desire of any demon is to remain at the side of such a being.”

“The color of my soul?”

“Yes. Occasionally, among humans, there appear those blessed by the gods whose souls take on a violet shade. But in these two thousand years, I have never seen one as magnificent as yours. To defile such a soul would be unthinkable. Nor shall I allow anyone else to do so.”

Berial’s eyes burned with murderous devotion.
So he’s… a soul fetishist, basically.

“I—I see. One more thing, then. Can you do anything about the Demon Lord? Like, are you stronger than him?”

If this guy could overpower the Demon Lord, maybe my problems would solve themselves. So I asked—just in case.

“The Demon Lord, you say? To be perfectly honest… I cannot defeat him. No.”

Berial crushed my hopes as effortlessly as stepping on an ant.

“I—I see. So the Demon Lord really is that strong, huh?”

I kind of figured as much, but I still asked, half out of curiosity.

“Yes. If I were to risk my entire existence, I might be able to buy you a little time. However, my aunt, Beelzebub, is bound by contract to the Demon Lord. Should he send her against me, even stalling him would be impossible.”

“...Ah. Got it. Thanks.”

Yeah, that’s not gonna work.

Still, if I used Berial properly, I might at least reduce my own danger a little. And when it came to human-level threats, he could probably handle those with ease.

“Well then, I guess it’s about time I head back to the palace. Everyone will start worrying if I don’t return soon.”

“As you command. …You there. Lady Sonia is returning.”

“...Yes. Understood.”

Sheria echoed his words, her eyes dull and lifeless.

“Will that suffice, my lady?”

“Uh, yeah… thanks.”

So he can control people at will. That’s… terrifyingly powerful.

“Oh, right. Um, Berial, are you planning to walk into the palace just looking like that?”

“Is there some issue with my appearance?”
Berial tilted his head slightly.

“Well, um, if I go out and then come back with a strange boy no one knows, everyone’s probably going to freak out, you know?”

Though, come to think of it, Kamina would probably just roll with it.

“Ah, if that’s all, then I can simply rewrite everyone’s—”

“Stop! Stop right there!”

Seriously, does this guy know any method that isn’t overkill?

“...Berial, can’t you transform into something other than a doll? Like, say, a dog or a cat?”

“As you wish.”

The moment he said that, Berial’s entire body was enveloped in swirling violet mist. When it cleared, a small, adorable black cat sat in his place.

“Meow~ ...Will this form suffice?”

The cat spoke in human words, its tail swaying lazily from side to side.

“Y-yeah. Just don’t talk, and it’ll be perfect.”

I petted the black cat Berial as he brushed against my feet. His fur was sleek, glossy, and ridiculously soft.

“...The carriage is ready, Lady Sonia,” Sheria said, bowing expressionlessly.

“Alright, let’s go. Come on, Berial.”

Berial padded quietly after me. Once we got into the carriage, he hopped naturally onto my lap. Stroking his fur became oddly addictive.

The ride back to the palace was silent, save for the rhythmic clack-clack of the wheels rolling over the cobblestone road.

I let that sound lull me, and before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep.

“Good night, Lady Sonia,” the black cat murmured softly.

“…Lady Sonia. You’re returning quite late again today. I distinctly recall reminding you rather firmly to come home early.”

The moment I stepped through the door, Kamina began scolding me.

To be fair, the plan had been to visit Lady Sheria’s marquis estate. I was only supposed to have a short chat before heading back.

“U-uh, did you ask Lady Sheria why we were so late?”

“Lady Sheria said everything was exactly as Lady Sonia had instructed. I took that to mean she’d been told to keep quiet.”

…Wait—what!? How did I suddenly become the mastermind here!?

“N-no, no! I wasn’t the one who dragged her outside the capital—Lady Sheria was the one who invited me! Not the other way around!”

“This Kamina shall not be deceived by such feeble excuses. And that cat—”

Her sharp gaze shifted to the black cat, Berial. He merely yawned, tail flicking lazily, completely unfazed by her glare.

“That insolent attitude… it resembles you perfectly, Lady Sonia. I don’t know where you found such a creature, but I assume you spent your time playing with it. …So, what do you intend to do with that cat?”

Kamina’s tone suddenly softened. She narrowed one eye, fidgeting slightly, her hand inching toward Berial.

Wait. Don’t tell me—

“Kamina? …You wouldn’t happen to want to pet this little guy, would you?”

“! …W-well…”

Her eyes darted away, cheeks faintly pink.

“I was actually thinking of keeping this black cat. Would you be willing to take care of him for me, Kamina?”

“Y-yes! I’d be delighted to take care of him!”

Kamina answered almost too eagerly. If she had a tail, it would’ve been wagging.

Phew. Looks like her mood’s recovered—and I’ve somehow managed to smooth over today’s incident.

“Um, so… Kamina, what’s next for tonight?”

“Well, Lady Sonia still has quite a lot of lessons left undone today. So, until those are completed… I won’t be letting you rest.”

Her cheerful expression vanished like the tide pulling back from shore, replaced by her cold, masklike secretary face.

“Eek! Why must I suffer like this!?”

And so, I spent the rest of the night being drilled in noble etiquette—flower arrangement, tea ceremony, and the classification of incense wood—until it was well past midnight.

That same night—
in a certain mansion within the royal capital, Torte.

“…Aunt. It’s been quite some time.”

“Hmph. So, you finally crossed over to this side too, huh?”

The sultry woman holding a kiseru pipe between her lips stared up at the handsome boy hanging upside down from the ceiling.

His feet clung to it like a bat’s, his head dangling toward the floor. The sight was bizarre, to say the least.

The alluring woman wore a revealing jet-black high-leg leotard—the kind that left little to the imagination—and a headband shaped like bunny ears. In short, she was dressed like a bunny girl.

She exhaled a perfect ring of smoke, half-lidded eyes dripping with decadence as she cast a languid gaze at her nephew.

“Well, I don’t really care what you’re doing over here, but don’t you dare get in the way of my business, you hear?”

“I understand, Aunt. I only intend to carry out my own duties.”

“Then fine. If problems arise, we’ll deal with them when they do.”

With that, the bunny woman took another slow drag from her pipe.

“We demons simply follow where our desires lead us.”

“That, Aunt, is precisely the meaning of our existence.”

The bunny woman grinned—a dark, wicked smile.