Episode 81.
The Demon of the 72nd Seat.
It refers to the highest-ranking demons that rule over Hell.
Excluding the seven ‘Rulers of the Stratum’ who govern each layer, they stood at the very pinnacle—beings that could, in a sense, be called nobility.
Among them, Dantalian, who had appeared before my eyes, was the demon occupying the 71st seat, a being who possessed the Book of Secrets containing all the secrets and knowledge of the world.
‘Baphomet and Dantalian? Now this is something else.’
Baphomet, who had appeared to seal the Hellgate.
And Dantalian of the 71st seat, who had leaped out from that Hellgate.
Both were beings approaching divinity, existing in the realm of transcendence.
To think I would encounter such esteemed individuals before the End had even begun.
「Oho?」
Dantalian—the creature—gazes at me.
「Well, this is a most interesting individual.」
Those eyes sparkled with curiosity.
「Truly peculiar. Just how many laws have you twisted?」
The creature knows.
That I have regressed, that I stand here by twisting the laws.
「Just what price did you pay to...」
“Is that important?”
I cut the creature off.
Because I did not like the way it was trying so hard to probe my inner thoughts.
「Is it not a matter of great importance?」
Even though it was surely enough to offend, that smug half-smile still lingered on its face.
“An important matter, you say. Well, it is not that I cannot tell you, but I have no desire to inform someone who sent not a true body but a spirit body.”
In that instant.
「….」
I saw the corners of its mouth come down.
「Hoo? You knew? That this is merely a portion of a spirit body?」
“Is it not obvious? A Demon of the 72nd Seat, from a Hellgate that has not even properly opened? It is preposterous.”
No matter how massive the Catacombs’ Hellgate was, it was not at a level to summon Dantalian when it had not even fully opened.
If it were to come, it could only be not a true body, but a spirit body, and even then, merely an infinitesimal portion of one.
A sort of projection dispatched to convey its will.
「To possess such powers of observation even in this situation. As expected, you are no ordinary being.」
“I’ll pass on the compliments. We both seem to be busy, so why don't we get to the main point?”
The reason the creature had revealed itself, going so far as to dispatch a spirit body, was for negotiation.
「…Hahaha!」
It burst into laughter, as if asking whether I had grasped even that.
「But will this be alright? This one’s disposition appears quite displeased.」
Was it trying to shake me?
The creature pointed at Baphomet with its finger.
And it was not wrong.
*Do not speak with the spawn of evil.*
Baphomet’s will had been transmitted into my mind since moments ago.
*He is a great evil. With words like the tongue of a serpent, he shall delude you.*
The content was a warning.
Do not converse.
Keep away from him, and so on.
It had been sending words of caution against Dantalian continuously.
‘That won’t do.’
But I ignored it.
Though I had not predicted Dantalian specifically, the appearance of someone for negotiation was the moment I had been waiting for.
“Should you not refrain from mentioning that? If I am shaken, the results may not head in a favorable direction.”
「Results, you say. You speak as if you know what sort of proposal I am about to make.」
“I know well.”
「What is it?」
“A deal.”
「….」
“You intend to propose a demon’s deal, as they say.”
The creature’s pupils, which had been thin vertical slits like those of a cat, dilated.
「…You knew I would propose a deal?」
“How could I not know? Otherwise, there would be no reason for one as lofty as you to appear here by sending even a spirit body.”
The Wave had failed.
The creature—that is, the demon side—had no choice but to grow desperate, and as a final resort, they had sent even Dantalian’s spirit body.
The reason was obvious.
A deal.
They were trying to find the one sealing this Hellgate and strike a deal with him.
「Haha. I feel as though I have been losing at every turn, but yes. The reason I came here is to propose a certain deal to you.」
A demon’s deal.
A form often found in literature.
Representative examples include the crossroads demon or Faust—stories where one’s wish is granted through a deal with a demon, only to meet ruin in the end.
「If you think, as the records of the human world might suggest, that this is a trap, or that it will ultimately bring misfortune, then I shall be in quite a bind.」
“I know. A deal is nothing more than a deal. So long as both sides pay a fair price, talk of misfortune is all nonsense.”
「My! You are a most reasonable person. One who is not swayed by the pervasive suggestions throughout the world—a truly excellent individual!」
A demon’s deal is dangerous.
It is a seed of misfortune that ultimately brings about unhappiness, leading humans into depravity.
That was a type of suggestion, intentionally created by someone.
*To define the very existence of demons as evil.*
One might think it no big deal.
So what if it is merely a perception of demons?
But this suggestion, this small perception, had changed the very face of the apocalypse.
Of course, in a direction most unfavorable to humanity.
The choice made then had borne irreversible results.
‘But things will be different now.’
What happened before the regression will not happen again.
Because I am here, knowing the true history, albeit only in part.
Of course, there is one prerequisite.
“Whether we can come to terms depends on the contents of the deal, wouldn’t you agree?”
Dantalian proposed a demon’s deal to me.
A deal succeeds when conditions that benefit both parties align.
If the creature did not offer conditions satisfactory to me, that direction could change at any time.
「Very well! Most excellent. To us demons, a deal is a sacred ritual.」
The creature’s smile deepened.
「My condition is simple. Attack the Goat of Sabbat immediately and cancel the spell.」
“….”
Not me, but my companions were shaken by those words.
It was a natural reaction.
They too were targets of the suggestion, and they believed that a deal with a demon was extremely dangerous.
“Do not be shaken.”
Chairman Kang stepped forward on my behalf as I conversed.
“Our direction is determined by Yoonchan. We must not harbor any agitation or doubt regarding his choice.”
Truly, Chairman Kang.
As befitting the head of a top-tier conglomerate like the Taewang Group, he clearly grasped what it meant to move according to benefit.
Thanks to him taking charge, the group’s agitation subsided.
Thumbs up.
It was right when I had conveyed top-tier praise for Chairman Kang’s actions.
*It is a demon’s temptation. Do not fall for that honeyed tongue!*
Baphomet’s will was conveyed, slightly more urgent than before.
But I continued to ignore him and did not listen.
*Do not be deceived. Dantalian is Hell’s tactician. He is trying to trick you to seize his own gain.*
Next came enticement.
*Do you desire treasure? Then I shall grant you a treasure that does not exist in this world.*
Next came an offer of reward.
Truly, he seemed quite desperate.
But I ignored him.
Although it was proposing a deal due to the immediate danger, I well knew that the creature would not keep its end of the bargain.
Unless it was a demon’s deal, there was no compulsion forcing him to keep his promise.
If one were to make a deal, it had to be with a demon.
Moreover.
*Because he has what I covet most.*
Dealing with Dantalian rather than Baphomet was bound to be more advantageous in many ways.
“This is pushing me to take on a very, very frightening task.”
「Is it really such a great matter? It is merely cancelling a spell….」
“It is a great matter. We are talking about touching the Goat of Sabbat. There is nothing more frightening than provoking a being in the realm of transcendence. Furthermore….”
I trailed off slightly and gauged Dantalian’s reaction.
Though still smiling as if at ease, his expression had stiffened slightly.
‘Trying to act composed?’
At least for this deal, I was the dominant party, and he was the subordinate.
No matter how much he wagged that silver tongue, it would not work on me, who knew the truth.
“…For your side, this is something that must succeed. A preliminary step to secure the Hellgate—no, the domain.”
「….」
No answer.
Though trying to appear composed, he must be greatly surprised inside.
‘A Hellgate to summon a Great Demon? Don’t make me laugh. All of this is groundwork for the War of Gods and Demons to come.’
Of course, it was not entirely false.
It was true that a Hellgate had to be established to summon a Great Demon.
But the role of the Hellgates installed here and across the world was not simply as gates for summoning.
They were part of a territorial war for the coming war between two forces—light and darkness—that humanity would repeatedly face.
「Hahaha!」
His stiff expression loosened, and he burst into laughter.
「My, I beg your pardon. I thought you had merely twisted laws, but to think you were someone who had accessed secrets of that magnitude.」
“Secrets? You mean truths.”
「…That is right. Not false history, but truth. That is the proper word.」
I could almost hear the creature’s brain whirling furiously.
But no matter how much knowledge of the world Dantalian possessed, he could not find a breakthrough to turn around this unfavorable negotiating situation.
「Perhaps, is there something you desire? If it is not too unreasonable, I am willing to accept such a condition.」
“Now it seems we are finally speaking the same language.”
「Hahaha. I am most glad you think so.」
“The price for an act that would earn Baphomet’s wrath….”
What is the most important element in a deal?
It is making the other party anxious.
By seeming to grant yet withholding, stoking anxiety and drawing out reactions, one can somehow obtain the desired conditions.
So I stoked the creature’s anxiety by continuously trailing off.
I was imprinting upon his mind that this deal could be broken at any time.
“…There is one thing.”
「Would you tell me?」
It was not just my imagination that his speech had grown more polite, was it?
“One of the things you currently possess.”
I spoke my desire in return for that courtesy.
「Something I possess…?」
“Yes. I shall take one of the things you currently hold as the price.”
I swept my gaze over Dantalian once.
From the monocle, to the two swords at his waist, the grimoire in his hand, the shoes decorated with bat wings, the red cloak fluttering as if alive, and the brilliant jewel rings adorning all ten fingers.
The creature was a highest-ranking demon, a Great Demon of the 71st seat ruling Hell.
Naturally, there was no way the items he wore were ordinary.
*Demons love treasure, after all.*
Demons who love deals are the most avaricious beings, alongside dragons.
They love to flaunt their wealth, so they always equip only the finest things.
If I could obtain one of them as a trade condition, it would not be a bad deal.
Even if it meant making an enemy of Baphomet.
「Hmmm….」
He stroked his chin, appearing troubled.
He would have much to consider.
How dangerous it was to part with a treasure he possessed at this point in time, and how burdensome it must be to bear the responsibility.
But I knew.
*In the end, he has no choice but to agree.*
Because he knows the situation where the spell is cancelled yet no treasure is given.
Since it was obvious he would be keeping that favorable outcome in mind.
「Very well! If that is the condition, I agree.」
As expected!
My prediction was not wrong.
「Then.」
The creature extended his hand.
A handshake.
It was proof that the demon’s deal had been properly established.
The moment I took that hand, I would be bound to this deal.
If I did not cancel Baphomet’s spell, I would receive a curse of eternal unrest as the price for failing the mission.
Of course, that would not happen.
Ziiip.
I opened the backpack I was carrying.
And what emerged from within.
“….”
Jinwoo, still terrified, looking around as if he had no idea what was going on.
It seemed he had at least found some peace of mind while inside the backpack.
Otherwise, he would have kicked up a fuss, screaming and trying to get out.
“Now, it is your turn to use your power.”
Honestly, I had not considered a situation like this, but one thing was certain.
Park Jinwoo, an Awakened with the large-scale portal trait.
He was the only hope capable of bypassing Dantalian’s trap, which one was destined to fall into.