Devil’s Contract

“Crash…”

In my blurred vision, the scenes seemed to keep switching.

…No, they were switching.

The surroundings were extremely noisy, but I could no longer hear any sounds.

“Haa… Haa…”

My lungs burned as if on fire, my legs had lost all feeling…

Only the cold rain slapping my face and the scorching heat of tears sliding down my cheeks were so vivid.

It hurts, it hurts so much.

My heart didn’t feel like my own at all—it was more like a lesion.

So that’s how it is…

I had run away.

Noel seemed to want to say something more, but I had no mind to listen.

So, Noel’s heart had already been taken by someone else.

Regret, unwillingness, anger, jealousy… negative emotions sank into the depths of my heart like a quagmire, thick and muddy, impossible to escape.

I didn’t know how long I had been running… until my legs could no longer move at all.

As if guided by fate, I stopped in front of the church.

Come to think of it, the nun had said to come find her once I made up my mind… but I had acted impulsively, without thinking.

The current me must be completely soaked, looking utterly wretched…

This outcome now must be retribution for going against the goddess’s will.

“Click.”

Just as I was mocking myself like this, the door suddenly opened.

“I have been waiting for you for quite some time, Lord Miller.”

Standing before me was the smiling nun… those vivid red eyes seemed to contain a unique magic.

“Come, let me listen to your sins.”

Being gazed at by her, I would unconsciously pour out my heart.

When I came to, I was already standing inside the church.

“I… confessed to the person I like. But her heart had long been taken by her fiancé.”

“Oh dear, that’s truly unfortunate… So, what emotions are filling your heart right now?”

“Jealousy, it shouldn’t be hatred. I hate him.

I hate his sunny and cheerful demeanor, hate him for stealing her from me.

I hate everything about him! Are these thoughts of mine a sin?”

“Of course… this is jealousy, a grave sin… but your love is not wrong in any way.”

The nun whispered in my ear.

“It is less the salvation of an angel and more the temptation of a devil.

But my mind was already overwhelmed by intense emotions, and I had no attention to spare for caution…”

“Now, what is it that your heart desires, your wish?”

“I… I want to kill him!”

“That is a great sin… but I will forgive you…

No matter what sin it is, I will treat them equally and grant redemption.”

Those… are wings?

Did I just see an angel?

But… why is the angel black?

“Sign a contract with me, young lady, and then… your wish will come true.”

Without any hesitation, I took that hand.

Then, my consciousness fell into the abyss.

“Hehehe~ As expected, humans are so easy to deceive~ As long as you stir their emotions, their desires will swell, they will abandon thought, and easily fall for it~

Come, it’s time for the hunt~”

…

“Smack!”

“Ailena!”

Just as I was preparing chocolate in the servants’ dormitory kitchen, someone suddenly burst through the door, shouting my name loudly.

I looked up— wasn’t this Nino?

…Wait, why was she completely soaked?

Seeing her panting like that, had she run back in the rain?

“Ailena! Help me!”

“…What happened?”

“My lady… she’s gone missing!”

I quickly grabbed a towel and wiped her soaked hair, even the strands sticking to her face.

“She was chatting happily with Miss Ethan, but I don’t know what happened—she suddenly ran off!”

They were getting along so well, how could she suddenly run away like that?

Her stamina has always been poor, yet she suddenly ran as if flying.

I couldn’t catch up at all! When I came to, her figure was gone!

Monica and Miss Ethan are helping to search… but even now,

we haven’t found her! Ailena, please help me! I beg you…!”

She clasped her hands together, bowing at ninety degrees, her attitude extremely sincere.

“Alright, alright, I’ll help you. Stand up first…”

I wasn’t cold-hearted enough to ignore someone in need.

“…Thank you!”

“We can thank later… Let’s find Lord Miller first.”

I casually threw on a raincoat.

“Did you notify the teacher?”

“Not yet…”

“Then you go notify the teacher; I’ll go look for her.”

“Okay.”

And just as I was about to head out, that slightly different premonition crawled over my body again.

…Could it be?

Without much thought, I immediately ran toward the direction that gave me chills.

…

“…Ailena?”

“Hm? It’s you two?”

Passing a three-way intersection, I was called out by two familiar voices.

“Miss, and Sophina?”

At this moment, the miss was holding a carefully wrapped gift box; while Sophina only held an umbrella, perhaps simply wanting to go somewhere to trigger the male protagonist’s favorability event.

“Perfect timing, Miss, Sophina, I need your hel…”

…

“Boom!”

Before I could finish, the distant horizon was dyed with firelight.

“…Still one step too late!”

“That side… is the boys’ dormitory?”

“What happened?”

“…I don’t know the details, but demons might have appeared!”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

Casually stuffing the gift box into her pocket, the miss immediately dashed toward the boys’ dormitory.

“…Is there this plot? Bad timing!”

Though she said that, Sophina followed us running.

Although it seemed like complaining, “Sophina” also ran with us.

…

“Help! Ahhhhh!”

“Run!”

“It hurts! Ahhh!”

When we arrived at the scene, the boys’ dormitory was already in complete chaos.

And the culprit causing the commotion was floating in the sky, overlooking everything on the ground with lifeless eyes.

“No… it’s not that guy…”

“As expected, it’s Rebecca…”

At this moment, she was dressed in a flaming gown; all falling raindrops turned to steam the instant they approached her; her limbs were covered in thick, mud-like black fire; her face was etched with blood-red patterns resembling a magic array; her pupils had turned a bewitching red, paired with black sclera, an ominous aura assaulting the senses.

“…The viscount’s daughter is actually a demon?”

Even the miss was stunned.

“No… that’s not a demon.”

“Sophina” remained remarkably calm.

“That’s the state after contracting with a devil… and devils are a type of demon that specializes in toying with human hearts, manipulating the contractor.”

“Their special ability is to amplify human emotions through words, inflating desires, and signing a contract with the target at the cost of their soul to control them.”

“Though I’m grateful for the explanation… but…”

“…Why do you have such knowledge?”

The miss asked on my behalf.

After all, people in this world know very little about demons, and the game barely introduces them, so even I wasn’t very clear.

“Uh… I once accidentally found an ancient book and read about it… ahaha…”

The ancient book was definitely fake; her knowledge probably came from something like the game setting collection.

Though my sister gave me the setting collection, since I hadn’t cleared the game yet and was afraid of spoilers, I never looked at it.

Thinking about it now, that was a huge loss…

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Firelight erupted everywhere.

Off-topic talk ends here for now…

First, let’s shoot down this guy who’s bombing everywhere!