True to form, Hereis’s ambition proved to be quite extraordinary. Jeha possessed no knowledge of the human realm in this dimension. Yet, observing the high priest command the attention of royalty and nobles during his address, it was undeniable that divine authority held considerable sway in this place. The temple, glimpsed beyond the mirror, was colossal, magnificent, and opulent. It was likely that most of these humans lived as fervent devotees of a monotheistic deity. Consequently, to thoroughly defile such a wealthy temple, one that wielded immense power in the name of God, and to drag the divine name to the very depths of ignominy, would be a task far from simple, despite how effortlessly it might be spoken. The undertaking was simply too vast. Even from the perspective of a seasoned Demon King, one who had endured through countless ages, it did not appear to be an easy endeavor. Moreover, it was abundantly clear that such a venture would entail a myriad of profoundly troublesome issues.
“Our contract was to defile *you*, Hereis, and it extended no further than that, if I recall correctly?”
Jeha immediately drew a firm line. He was already vexed by the mere act of existing; he certainly had no desire to shoulder such an enormous workload.
“……”
Hereis subtly bowed his head, his gaze falling downward. The delicate curve of his lowered lashes created a soft shadow beneath his eyes. He appeared to be deep in thought, undoubtedly pondering how best to sway Jeha.
Upon witnessing that beautiful, seemingly melancholic sight, a sudden, inexplicable urge to grant his every wish surged within Jeha’s mind. He felt certain that if Hereis were to plead, he would find himself unconsciously nodding in agreement.
‘Was this, then, the power of beauty?’
Jeha bemoaned his weakness inwardly. He had always prided himself on not being the type to judge individuals by their outward appearance. Yet, confronted by such an absolute vision of beauty, it seemed he, too, possessed an undeniable, inherent susceptibility to attractive visages.
…No, it wasn’t merely that. It was his profound desperation to meet Jeha, even to the point of casting himself to the very brink of death, and his earnest resolve to achieve his objective through such extreme measures, that truly stirred Jeha’s heart.
“I recall that the contract was specifically to defile *me*.”
“……”
“But Jeha-nim, from the very moment of my birth, I entered this world with divinity imbued within this physical form, and I was separated from my mother’s embrace to enter the temple even before I was weaned. From the time I drew my first breath, I was God’s possession, and to me, God *was* the entirety of the world. To thoroughly corrupt and defile one such as myself is, therefore, to corrupt and defile a possession of God. Could you not, then, assist me in taking just one small step further beyond that?”
“Is this truly a matter that can be resolved by taking ‘just one small step further’?”
At Jeha’s words, Hereis slowly lifted his lowered lashes, meeting his gaze with clear, cerulean eyes.
“In the beginning, there was light and darkness. Where there is no light, there is no darkness; and where there is no darkness, there is no light.”
Hereis murmured softly, his words resonating like a passage from some ancient scripture.
“Just as light ceaselessly strives to repel darkness, is it not the very destiny and fate of darkness to stand in opposition to light? The entire continent is presently enshrouded in the name of God. Even emperors and kings humbly bow their heads before the temple. Do you truly feel no urge to overturn the current state of this world, one so utterly dominated, in the name of the Demon King of Sloth and Corruption? …With me?”
Uttering, ‘…with me,’ Hereis extended his hand and carefully placed it upon Jeha’s, his fingers gently enveloping the back of his hand. Hereis, his gaze profound and unwavering, was so utterly elegant and seductive that Jeha’s heart began to pound uncontrollably.
‘If you were truly seeking the next Demon King, you should have found someone precisely like *this* and bestowed the title upon them, you wretched Bellarossa!’
Jeha roared inwardly, a silent, furious scream.
If Hereis were to hold his hand and ask, “Come, would you not fall into sloth and corruption with me?” Jeha felt that a hundred out of a hundred would undoubtedly nod in fervent agreement. To overlook such a magnificent candidate for the Demon King and instead appoint someone as unremarkable as himself? This was an egregious error.
‘Don’t bother with me, just become the Demon King yourself,’ the words teetered on the very edge of spilling from his throat.
“I earnestly implore you, will you not join me? If you would but grant me this, I, Hereis, will unreservedly dedicate this body, this soul, and all that I possess, to Jeha-nim.”
‘Is this some kind of grand proposal of the century?’
Jeha cried out inwardly, struggling desperately to prevent his expression from twisting into something undignified.
Whatever Hereis might have surmised upon observing Jeha’s stiffened countenance, he rose from his chair and gracefully knelt before him. Taking Jeha’s hand, he clasped it reverently in both of his own, and, pressing his forehead to the back of Jeha’s hand, he implored him with fervent sincerity.
“I, Hereis, implore you, staking the entirety of my very existence. Please, join me. If you would but grant this, I swear, I shall become solely yours, obeying any command you deign to issue. My body and my soul, I will wholly dedicate unto you.”
Hereis’s fervent plea was truly earnest and profoundly solemn. Though his archaic manner of speech might have typically struck one as awkward or even cringe-worthy, perhaps it was because his sincerity was so profoundly conveyed that even Jeha, listening intently, felt his own heart grow solemn.
With such profound earnestness emanating from Hereis, a subtle desire to grant his plea began to stir within Jeha. However, the sheer scale of the request was simply too immense. It was an undertaking far too overwhelming for a novice Demon King. How could a beginner, who had to rack his brains merely to corrupt and defile a single human, possibly hope to accomplish such a colossal project as dragging an entire temple and the very name of God into the gutter?
“……”
Neither words of assent nor words of outright refusal came easily to Jeha. He opted for silence instead.
“…Is it truly impossible?”
Hereis asked, after gazing up at him with prolonged, poignant wistfulness. The very act of refusing his earnest plea already made Jeha feel as though he had become a villain.
“…It seems it cannot be done. Indeed, it wouldn’t be an easy matter to accept, I suppose.”
Hereis powerlessly lowered his lashes, an expression of melancholy clouding his face. Even though he hadn’t done anything to apologize for, Jeha’s lips twitched involuntarily from a sudden surge of guilt. He felt fortunate that Hereis had lowered his eyes and couldn’t see his expression.
“Then, the contract to defile and corrupt me is still valid, is it not?”
After a moment of silence with his eyes still lowered, Hereis looked up at Jeha and asked. Jeha, relieved that Hereis was not repeating his earlier request, nodded.
“Of course.”
“That is a relief.”
Hereis smiled faintly. The slight curve of his lips, coupled with the peculiar glint in his cerulean eyes, hinted at some hidden agenda. It was merely a gut feeling.
And indeed, Hereis opened his mouth, maintaining that faint smile.
“Jeha-nim, defiling me is by no means an easy task. Despite slaughtering priests and holy knights who served God with these very hands, I still receive God’s grace in abundance. To defile and corrupt me thoroughly, to cast me into a darkness from which God Himself turns away, methods typically used to corrupt ordinary humans will prove insufficient.”
Though he spoke in a calm, quiet, and measured tone, a palpable pressure emanated from him. It was as if he was warning Jeha not to attempt a superficial fulfillment of the contract. A strong premonition struck Jeha: this contract would be far from easy to execute.
His lips threatened to twitch again. Jeha barely managed to compose his expression before asking, “Then, how *can* one defile you?”
Jeha barely managed to omit the words ‘quickly and efficiently’ which he desperately wanted to insert. It didn’t seem like appropriate language for a Demon King, after all. Who was Jeha? A proud son of Korea, a people who loved speed and efficiency above all else.
“I intend to overthrow this temple, which has utterly succumbed to corruption, and to drag the name of God into the gutter. To do so, I, too, must immerse myself in the mire. Of course, bringing down a colossal temple will not be easy. Therefore, Jeha-nim, you need only lend me your strength so that I may achieve my purpose.”
“Your words are lengthy, but ultimately, it’s the same request as before.”
“No. This is an earnest plea.”
“…It’s all the same, isn’t it?”
Jeha, despite being captivated by the man before him, found this conversation growing a little tedious. He wasn’t sure if it was the manifestation of his slothful trait or something else.
Perhaps Hereis read this in Jeha’s expression. Hereis, as if fearing Jeha might vanish at any moment, gripped his hand so tightly it almost hurt and spoke urgently.
“Bellarossa of Sloth and Corruption. O Demon King. O master of my body and soul. Please, heed my earnest plea. Allow me to dismantle this temple that preys on the blood and sweat of the populace with its false light, and to thoroughly defile the name of a selfish God. I do not ask for much. I will undertake everything myself. Jeha-nim, you need only assist me a little. By doing so, I will be thoroughly defiled and corrupted, becoming a child of darkness, forsaken even by God.”
“Hmm…”
Jeha sank into momentary contemplation. Indeed, thoroughly corrupting a favored child of God, one who retained divine grace even after slaughtering high priests, seemed far from easy. To make him forsaken and abandoned by God would require more than ordinary methods. It felt like an impossibly difficult assignment lay before him. Moreover, this wasn’t a task Jeha could accomplish alone; it was, if anything, a group project he had to complete with Hereis.
“Well, for now… since there’s a contract, I suppose I have to help. However, don’t expect me to grant every single request you make.”
At last, a positive response emerged from Jeha’s lips, and Hereis’s face brightened considerably.
“Of course.”
Jeha, his expression firm, added to the joyous Hereis,
“Of course, there are conditions.”