Chapter 55

Maphel’tan (2)

In the dark underground library, Zalkarin’s steady reading echoed softly. As Raguel’s reader, he had been reading books aloud to him all day.

Zalkarin was more devoted to his duty than expected. He could hardly neglect a role bestowed upon him by an Apostle.

“Lower your voice. You’re too loud.”

Leaning against a bookshelf, Maphel’tan stared into the full-length mirror. He was engaged in a staring contest with the image of “Johan” reflected in its surface.

“M-my apologies! I shall read more quietly.”

Zalkarin’s voice dropped noticeably.

Johan returned to his thoughts.

A calamity book in the form of a mirror.

The calamity book he had received from Kaiaze had taken the shape of a full-length mirror.

Several questions concerning it circled through his mind.

Why had the calamity book specifically taken the shape of a mirror?

And why did its surface reflect “Johan” when he was currently in his demon form as “Maphel’tan”?

After a brief contemplation, Kaiaze’s advice suddenly came to mind.

—A calamity book represents the identity of its owner.

Maphel’tan stared silently at Johan’s reflection in the mirror.

Does this mean my essence is still human?

There was a divide between human and demon. The moment that boundary became blurred, perhaps Maphel’tan would appear in the mirror instead of Johan.

That’s quite an intuitive function.

From now on, he could use the mirror to reflect upon himself.

He found the feature fairly satisfactory.

Of course, there was also something he disliked.

Maphel’tan’s gaze moved toward the upper part of the calamity book.

There was an inscription on the mirror.

『Sing, O source of all evil. The first verse of the Great End is Maphel’tan. Let the hypocrites fall silent before that name. Break your tongues and swallow blood instead of words, for your god will not hear you anyway.』

The passage had been written at the authoring demon’s discretion, and the same words had probably been engraved upon every calamity book throughout the world.

Whatever was written in the original calamity book was transmitted unchanged to every copy.

It was a rather unpleasant situation for Maphel’tan.

The name “Maphel’tan” had been revealed to the world without his permission.

Important secrets might eventually be leaked in the same manner.

It was an issue that needed to be addressed immediately.

Maphel’tan spoke in a low voice.

“Do not activate the calamity book without my permission. This is your first and final warning.”

A pitch-black fairy slowly emerged from the transparent mirror. Its wings drooped as it bowed its head to Maphel’tan.

It seemed to understand him. Maphel’tan waved his hand dismissively.

The fairy vanished back into the mirror.

That should be enough.

Now it was time to examine his newly acquired authorities.

When he closed his eyes, crimson words filled his vision.

Contract with a Demon, Dream Demon, Soul Slaughter, Soul-Shaving Restoration, and Word of Command.

Soul-Shaving Restoration and Word of Command were the new additions. He had gained the former after absorbing the calamity book into his body and the latter from the backlash of corrupting the holy spear Espada.

First came Soul-Shaving Restoration. The method of using it had already been imprinted upon his instincts.

It shaves away the soul to restore the body’s form.

Put simply, it was an authority related to physical regeneration.

Soul-Shaving Restoration was probably why Maphel’tan had survived after being impaled by the holy spear Espada.

That was its basic principle.

There was one aspect that bothered him.

It shaves away the soul…

Like the principle of equivalent exchange, it meant that each regeneration of the flesh consumed part of the soul.

If he recklessly relied upon his regenerative power, he might eventually be reduced to a soulless husk.

Maphel’tan looked down at his chest. Thanks to a secondary effect of the authority Soul Slaughter, he could see the souls of others. Naturally, he could sense his own soul as well.

A hazy mist shimmered within his pitch-black body.

…It has definitely grown smaller.

It must have been the price of recovering from the wound inflicted by the holy spear.

I should use it as sparingly as possible.

Having made that resolution, Maphel’tan turned his attention to Word of Command.

It was an authority that seemed intuitive yet was bound by abstract conditions.

It was the power to impose compulsion upon another through verbal commands. Naturally, the target had to be an inferior being compared to the authority’s master.

For example, Maphel’tan could not engrave a Word of Command upon Ganish. The command he had used in a fit of anger before had probably failed to take effect.

There were several other conditions as well, so he would need to test it himself before becoming familiar with its applications.

An opportunity to use it would arise soon enough.

Finally, Maphel’tan summoned the demonic spear Turavak.

Without question, Turavak was the greatest reward he had received for all the suffering he had endured this time.

The treasured weapon that had once incinerated evil had now fallen, transforming into a demonic spear that inflicted eternal wounds upon humans.

Any human pierced by this spear even once would be unlikely to survive.

It had considerable potential.

The corners of Maphel’tan’s lips rose.

What kind of expression would Gawain make upon seeing Turavak?

When the mischievous thought crossed his mind, Maphel’tan shook his head.

Now I really sound like a demon.

He immediately dismissed the thought.

He had more or less finished organizing everything, so it was time to take action.

“Ilea, are you there?”

Ilea slowly emerged from behind a bookshelf. She held a book in one hand, probably a forbidden text concerning Ganish.

“Did you call me?”

“There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

“You’re making me nervous by saying that out of nowhere.”

Whenever this happened, Maphel’tan proposed something that defied all expectations—things such as, Let’s steal a fragment of the Great Saint’s body.

He opened his mouth.

“I need to visit the Abyss.”

Ilea tilted her head.

“Johan… No, do you mean that Maphel’tan himself will be going?”

“That’s right. I have a reason to go.”

Skepticism passed across Ilea’s face.

“I’m against it for now, but I’d still like to hear your reason.”

The Abyss was still far too dangerous a place for either Johan or Maphel’tan.

“As you know, the entire kingdom’s attention is currently fixed upon the south.”

To be honest, it was an extremely burdensome situation. If they did not resolve it quickly, they would face serious trouble one way or another.

“Are you planning to use the Abyss to divert their attention?”

Maphel’tan nodded.

“You catch on quickly. Exactly.”

“I understand the general idea, but my opinion hasn’t changed. The Abyss is far too dangerous. Maphel’tan might be another matter, but in Johan’s body, you wouldn’t even be able to breathe comfortably.”

The Abyss was saturated with lethally potent demonic energy. Even the most manageable First Region was overflowing with yin energy.

An ordinary human could not survive in the Abyss.

Maphel’tan spoke calmly.

“What if I won’t be turning back into Johan for the time being?”

To balance the Scales of Equivalence, he would have to live as a demon for a while.

“What do you mean?”

“Ganish said something about the Scales of Equivalence.”

Johan briefly explained what Ganish had told him.

After hearing everything, Ilea spoke.

“If what he said is true, then now would certainly be the ideal time to visit the Abyss.”

The gates of the Abyss opened only during the full moon. Since the moon’s waxing-and-waning cycle in this world lasted roughly two weeks, no one could leave the Abyss for two full weeks after entering it.

Under normal circumstances, Maphel’tan would have had to endure half of those two weeks in a human body.

Only now was it different. He could spend the entire time in the Abyss as a demon.

Maphel’tan said,

“So you agree.”

“I agree only if you remain within the First Region. You cannot go any farther.”

“I’m not an idiot. I was only planning to descend as far as the First Region in the first place.”

Certain death lurked in the regions beyond it.

“Fine. When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow evening. Give me the key to the Abyss first.”

Ilea possessed the key to the Abyss. After descending into the First Region and obtaining sap from the World Tree, she had yet to return it to Maphel’tan.

A puzzled look crossed Ilea’s face.

“Don’t tell me I’m not going with you?”

If they were going together, there would be no reason for him to ask for the key.

“There’s something else you need to do. You must immediately spread word of the explosion in the Abyss throughout the kingdom.”

If they succeeded, everyone’s attention on the south would be divided.

Ilea’s role was extremely important.

“You truly are unreasonable.”

“I’m counting on you. We’ll discuss the details again in the morning.”

Before leaving for the Abyss, Maphel’tan had something to finish.

He needed to resolve the matter involving the two knights, Myra and Campbell.

As Maphel’tan turned to leave the library, Ilea muttered softly,

“I haven’t even said I’ll help you yet.”

Maphel’tan did not hear her. As though something had suddenly occurred to him, he added,

“Oh, right. Raguel and Zalkarin will be coming with me, so Ilea, I’ll leave their preparations to you.”

Raguel was so startled that he hiccupped.

“M-me? I’m going to the Abyss?”

He had heard the entire conversation.

“It seems the time has come to fulfill my contract with you.”

His promise to restore Raguel’s sight could not be postponed forever.

Perhaps overwhelmed by complicated emotions, Raguel offered no response.

Zalkarin, however, shouted excitedly,

“O Great End! This wretched spawn shall live up to your expectations!”

The Abyss was paradise for demons. Merely breathing there would allow a lowly spirit like him to grow stronger.

Maphel’tan resumed walking.

“In any case, everyone should prepare. We’ll leave tomorrow evening.”

He immediately departed from the library.

Ilea stared toward the stairs and let out a short sigh.

A sharp blade split the veil of night.

A transparent sword trail drew a perfectly straight horizontal line through the air. Moonlight glimmered upon the flying droplets of sweat before scattering.

In the deserted training ground, Gaf swung his sword alone, trying to clear his thoughts.

Damn it.

No matter how much he moved his body, his distracting thoughts would not disappear. The tip of his sword continued to tremble.

He threw the sword onto the ground and lay down.

“You damned half-demon. Just what are you?”

Stars studded the night sky, accompanied by the glow of the not-quite-full moon.

“O Great Saint, please answer me. What in the world is he?”

No answer came.

All he heard was a mocking sneer from the distance.

“What are you moping around for in the middle of the night?”

Gaf immediately sat upright. A silhouette darker than the night itself approached him.

Crimson eyes gleamed ominously within the darkness.

Gaf spoke.

“…You’re openly wandering around the castle now. You don’t have a cautious bone in your body.”

“Then pardon the intrusion.”

Maphel’tan stopped before Gaf and placed his black hands upon both of the knight’s shoulders.

At the same time, his enormous wings spread to either side.

Before Gaf could resist, Maphel’tan’s body shot into the air.

In the blink of an eye, Gaf and Maphel’tan were suspended in the night sky.

Gaf’s expression twisted with anger and bewilderment.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Holding Gaf so that he dangled beneath him, Maphel’tan said,

“We’re going to deal with the count’s knights. Show me the way.”

He treated Gaf like a piece of luggage, infuriating the knight.

Gaf thrashed wildly in midair.

“You damned demon! Put me down this instant!”

Maphel’tan paid him no heed.

“You’ll die if you fall, won’t you? Even if you are the Lion of the East.”

A lion had no wings.

“You filthy half-breed! You truly are a demon!”

Maphel’tan chuckled.

“What, did you think I was human?”

Gaf’s fury transformed into a delicacy for Maphel’tan.

He could not afford to pass up even such minor experience points.

“One day, I’ll tear you apart with my own hands!”

“I’ll look forward to that day.”

The pitch-black figure streaked across the night sky.