Sealing the Pact

However… regarding some of the contents within this contract, even the Hero Furenna felt her cheeks grow somewhat warm…

Furenna lifted her head and expressed her lack of understanding to the Demon King Iris.

“In this way, even if war were initiated, humanity and the demon race would fall into a protracted war. The demon race could not possibly exterminate humanity.”

“That’s correct.”

Iris nodded, acknowledging Furenna’s statement.

“You think I would believe that? A treaty that holds not the slightest benefit for yourself?”

Furenna could find no issue with the contract, and its contents were also exceedingly fair.

Once the contract was completed, the souls of the signing parties would connect to each other. If one side violated the terms, the violator’s soul would be completely dominated by the other—a fate more dreadful than death.

“How could there be no benefit?”

Iris tilted her head in puzzlement, her black hair following the motion to slide down her right shoulder and cascade in the slight breeze, adding a unique charm to the Demon King.

Just as Furenna thought the ambitious intentions of Iris were finally about to be exposed, the Demon King uttered something astonishing.

“The benefit is you, Hero-sama~~~”

“The benefit is… me?!”

Furenna’s brain short-circuited somewhat, not having expected Iris to say such a thing.

“I see.”

Believing she now understood Iris’s meaning, Furenna connected it to the content on the contract—that Demon King Iris could command Furenna to carry out tasks not harmful to humans, and the shameful clause of having to call Iris ‘Master’—and immediately became clear on Iris’s objective.

‘She must want to use the contract clause that prevents me from using force against the demon race after the pact, to torment me by any means possible, and subject me to psychological humiliation. But it’s fine.’

Furenna actually hoped that when the time came, Demon King Iris would be heavy-handed in her torment and end up killing her. That way, the Church could summon a new Hero.

Unaware of what kind of pervert Furenna had mentally cast her as, Iris was already impatient to have Furenna sign the contract.

“So, what are your thoughts on this contract? Will you sign, or not?”

Although Iris was inquiring about Furenna’s thoughts, she believed Furenna would not refuse.

If she had handed this contract to Furenna from the very beginning, Furenna might not have agreed and would have sought a way to commit suicide. But by first threatening Tymo’s life to make Furenna agonize, then presenting this seemingly decent contract, she could ensure Furenna’s acceptance.

“I’ll sign it, but you must let Tymo go.”

“Of course, it’s stated in the contract, is it not?”

Iris signaled to Hastur to release Tymo. Tymo, who had just caught her breath, hadn’t even had time to say a single word to Furenna, whom she hadn’t seen in ten years, before they were to part again.

“Hero Sister!”

Tymo didn’t know what she should say. She had too much she wanted to ask and confide in Furenna, but the words stuck in her throat and wouldn’t come out.

She understood that a major reason Furenna was forced to sign the contract was because she herself had been taken hostage. Tymo felt she had no face to speak to her sister.

“Tymo, go back and live well with Grandpa, the village chief.”

Furenna knew that going to the demon lands essentially meant she would not return. She didn’t yet know what kind of cruel torture Iris had prepared for her. Furenna only hoped Tymo could live on peacefully.

The fact that she had caused Tymo’s mother’s death years ago still filled Furenna with immense guilt. Today, having caused Tymo to fall into danger again, Furenna developed the thought that ‘perhaps going to the demon lands, where I will no longer harm any humans, might not be a bad ending.’

“Hero Sister, I…”

Furenna signed the contract. Tymo, who still wanted to say something, was instantly teleported back to “Starfall Village” by Hastur.

The moment Furenna wrote her name, her soul, guided by the contract, established a connection with Demon King Iris’s soul. A strange feeling arose within Furenna.

It was as if something had flowed from Iris’s soul into her own body. Yet, upon careful inspection, Furenna found nothing. No strange magic had been planted within her, her soul was not contaminated. It seemed to be merely her illusion.

Furenna felt the colors of the world before her eyes become much more vivid. Her tense emotions also eased considerably. Even Iris across from her seemed more pleasing to look at, not quite as detestable as before.

“Without further delay, Hero-sama, you don’t have anything to take, do you?” The Demon King Iris swept a glance over the interior of the small wooden hut, which was indeed spartan and empty. “Prepare to set off for the demon territories.”

“I don’t need you to tell me, Dem… ahem.”

Furenna, her face cold, was about to address Iris as ‘Demon King’ when a chill originating from the depths of her soul made her quickly shut her mouth. It was a warning triggered by the contract holder being on the verge of violating the contract.

“Ara~~~ Hero-sama, your form of address isn’t quite right, is it?”

Iris placed her right hand by her ear, deliberately teasing Furenna. Furenna had no choice. After hesitating for a second, she finally reluctantly opened her mouth.

“… Yes, Master.”

“Mmm~~~” Iris wore an expression of satisfaction. “I am the first Demon King to be addressed as ‘Master’ by the Hero-sama. What a historic moment worthy of commemoration~”

“Don’t get too cocky, Dem… Master.”

Furenna was once again forced to correct her address for Iris. But what was this about? Words that were originally a cold refusal with a slight threat, upon changing the form of address, suddenly took on a tone like that of a tsundere?!

Moreover, the contract stipulated that whenever communicating with Demon King Iris, the address ‘Master’ was unavoidable. Trying to avoid calling Iris by name to dodge saying ‘Master’ was impossible.

Refusing to speak wasn’t an option either. For any non-confidential information, as long as Iris asked a question, Furenna had to respond.

Furenna could only rage inwardly. She absolutely could not show any emotion outwardly. Although she had accepted the fate of being taken to the demon lands to suffer torment, Furenna had no intention of displaying an emotional demeanor to satisfy the sadistic desires of the demons.

“I’ll call you by your name, Furenna, from now on. How about that, Hero-sama~?”

“Do as you please, Master.”

Furenna refused to engage in further conversation with Iris, simply waiting for the other to take her back to the demon territories.

Iris did not tease Furenna further. She was in no hurry for this moment. She signaled to Hastur to open the spatial passage back to the demon lands.

After the passage opened, Furenna felt a twinge of curiosity. Humanity had no records of the demon territories, having never successfully invaded them—not even the Hero.

The Fringe Wasteland was truly a God-forsaken land, a place where the Creator Goddess piled the garbage left after creation, fraught with perils.

There, one received no blessings from the Goddess. Even magic would fail. Combined with it being the demon race’s stronghold, managed for thousands of years, even the Hero had no certainty of success.

Furthermore, the Hero only needed to defeat the Demon King. Once the demons launched an offensive, the Demon King would not turtle up in the stronghold but would choose to advance and retreat alongside the Demon King’s Army. Thus, there was no need to find a way to invade the demon territories.

“Come, Furenna~”