Chapter 06 …
2. Solomon’s Ring
Solomon first explained what was required to summon a demon. Magic was something I would eventually have to study, but summoning took priority. I agreed with his opinion. No matter how much magic a human learned, it would never compare to summoning a single impressive demon.
A ritual to summon a renowned demon consists of several components. The first is a sacrifice. After that, one must learn the demon’s name and possess the spiritual power—or magical power—necessary to summon it.
The term spiritual power as used by magicians differed from how ordinary people used it. It referred to divine power—what was commonly called holy power.
Generally, humans are born with talent biased toward one of two types of power. These are categorized as the magical type and the spiritual type. Those who possess the Ring of Promise have excellent compatibility, since the ring automatically converts energy into whatever form is needed. For example, I am fundamentally a spiritual-type human with almost no magical power, yet I can freely convert divine power into whatever form I desire.
This “energy,” so to speak, was similar to vitality or stamina. It is heavily consumed when performing magical acts, and can be restored through rest, spiritual communion, transcendent contact, or—at times—human sacrifice.
The way humans recover power and the way demons recover power are not all that different. Even without being magicians, all living beings unknowingly consume energy to move their bodies, manifest power, and sustain their souls.
Naturally, excessive depletion of this power places a heavy burden on the physical body. Since human power alone is generally insufficient to summon a demon, sacrifices are prepared to compensate for the deficiency.
To concretely connect the prepared sacrifice to the demon, the first step is to call the demon’s existence. What is required in that process is its name. A name defines an existence and links relationships; within it are bound the one who named it, the one who allowed that name to exist in the world, all the years the name has endured, and every relationship tied to it.
Thus, for those with spiritual abilities, a name is the root of the soul, a means of curse, a weakness—and at the same time, a source of authority.
In short, summoning a demon means calling its name to define its existence, offering an appropriate tribute to that defined being to connect a “path,” and through that path forcibly dragging a “thing from the depths” up into the world above. Magicians are, in essence, those who always stand with one foot outside the world, quietly gazing into pitch-black darkness.
My case was somewhat exceptional. Those who possess the ring gain authority that allows coercion during the first summoning recorded in their soul, even if sacrifices or power are insufficient. Moreover, according to Solomon, the name Vassago was originally under Solomon’s ownership in its true form, meaning all conditions were effectively satisfied.
The only problem was that I had lived my life completely detached from anything resembling magic. I couldn’t suddenly become proficient in magic just because I wanted to, so I had no choice but to rely on the ring. To do that, I needed to care for it as attentively as if it were part of my own body. Perhaps because he was worried about actually making me summon a demon, Solomon repeatedly advised me not to take the ring off my body.
The ring had originally been something I carried as a keepsake anyway, so I was already accustomed to keeping it with me. Especially after Solomon appeared, I couldn’t fully trust him, so I never once removed the ring. Carrying it at all times was fortunately not difficult for me.
Once the three essential conditions were fulfilled, the next requirement was a magic circle for summoning—commonly called a summoning circle.
Various summoning circles were illustrated in detail in the Lemegeton. Solomon advised that since he himself had created and verified them, using those circles would be safest. That way, I wouldn’t die from twisted magic and bloodshed caused by a flawed circle.
Since I didn’t yet possess the Lemegeton, Solomon offered to help this time. The magic circle he drew on paper was still quite complex, even if it was supposedly “simplified.” I often carried that paper with me, imprinting the circle into my mind.
Generally, demon summoning begins by drawing two large overlapping circles and filling the space between them densely with the demon’s name. The demon’s sigil is drawn at the center of the inner circle, and Vassago’s sigil was a collection of strange geometric shapes.
When drawing a magic circle, it’s best to use materials suited to the individual demon’s traits, but since all demons like blood, using blood would usually result in success—or so I was told. While hearing this explanation, I seriously considered whether banishing Solomon outright might be more beneficial for my life overall.
In any case, once all of that was done, the final requirements were air, environment, and darkness. It was better to match temperature, humidity, and terrain to the demon’s preferences. In Vassago’s case, summoning him in a damp, misty place—or a cemetery—was said to be effective, so I decided to wait for a rainy day.
Still, summoning a demon in a graveyard felt unsettling. When I hesitated in silence after hearing the detailed explanation, Solomon quickly interjected that it didn’t necessarily have to be a cemetery. He said it was merely a matter of efficiency, but I chose to trust the ring’s power rather than perform something so dubious in a graveyard.
“By the way, if darkness is required…”
“What are you curious about now?”
Solomon, who had been struggling to pull out a textbook several times larger than his body from the bookshelf above the desk, turned his gaze toward me. I raised my hand to help him with the book and stared intently at Vassago’s sigil.
“Is turning off the lights enough?”
“It’s insufficient, but not bad. In my era, we couldn’t handle that convenient thing called electricity, so turning off the lights meant complete darkness. In Vassago’s case, if you create a damp environment with mist, it will naturally be dark anyway.”
“I suppose so… Then how do you summon Agares, whom you mentioned before? If the lights are on, it wouldn’t be dark.”
“Fire itself is a sacrifice. Using something like ashes from a fire would probably work.”
“Why are you guessing…?”
“I summoned him during an earthquake. I don’t know much about other cases.”
When I questioned him suspiciously, Solomon answered calmly and opened a book. This time, it was a Western history textbook. He began speed-reading, occasionally letting out small exclamations of admiration.
“Then I guess I should do the same.”
“That would mean always carrying a magic circle and materials with you. You could end up branded as someone interested in demonology. I was already in a secure position back then, but you aren’t. I wouldn’t recommend it.”
You’re awfully confident for someone who’s the one pushing me into trouble. Narrowing my eyes, I closed the page with Vassago’s sigil and replied curtly.
“No matter how I think about it, this won’t work. Sir, please reconsider. This mission seems full of things that are too dangerous for me. More than anything, my social standing is at risk.”
“Then summon Vassago and ask him for a method. He’s been involved with various demons over the years. To be honest, even I can only speak from experience when it comes to demons.”
Solomon tried to persuade me soothingly. With no better option, I decided to wait and focus on memorizing the summoning circle.
Still, it was only early February. There were days when the ground was muddy, but misty, damp air was rare. The summoning of Vassago kept getting postponed.
Meanwhile, evil spirits continued to appear tirelessly, as if they had gained momentum. As Solomon said, none of them were particularly powerful yet, and thanks to Assel showing up at just the right times, they disappeared or were driven away on their own.
There was no need to explain the situation to him or ask for help, nor did Solomon need to consume spiritual power himself. According to Solomon, Assel possessed inspiration as remarkable as his ability, unconsciously driving away the energy of evil spirits.
After this happened several times, Solomon grew interested in Assel again. Perhaps he found him endearing, as he would often cling to the top of Assel’s head and lie there.
With his unusually pale light-brown hair and light brown eyes that almost looked caramel-colored, the boy’s fair, delicate face sometimes resembled a sacred painting. I began to wonder if even his appearance had been influenced by his abilities.
“When do you think it’ll rain?”
“I’m not sure. I used to be able to read heavenly signs to some extent, but whether because my spiritual power has weakened or because the times have changed, I can’t read the sky’s energy very well these days.”
Having finished an entire book in an instant, he fluttered toward the new book I had borrowed from the library yesterday. Soon after, he frowned slightly, shook his head, and stood in front of me.
“That said, I can’t just idle away, so I’ve been looking into a few things lately.”
“Like what?”
“Whether there might be a demon nearby that you could seal without a helper.”
“Sir, I’m too young to die.”
“If you finish preparing properly and wait, it’s not actually that difficult. I’ll help too. Honestly, your spiritual power is exceptional. Gabriel hinted to me that an angel had once been sent down to watch over you—seems you were greatly influenced by him.”
“An angel?”
I asked reflexively, and suddenly remembered that angel. The beautiful man bathed in sunset light who used to stretch out an arm to block my way whenever I tried to approach evil spirits as a child.
His flame-like hair and elegant eyes imbued with a reverent glow remained vividly in my memory. His eyes were a clear golden color.
In my childhood memories, he possessed colors that were strangely vivid. Amid recollections tangled with gray scenery and green fields, that angel alone stood out unmistakably.
He never directly touched me or spoke to me—not until the day my grandfather passed away, when he finally held me back and whispered his first words to me in clear language.
Now, I roughly understood the meaning of what the angel had said that day.
“He was there when I was little. I think he always sat beside me, watching me play alone.”
“Yes, that’s right. He was an angel of fairly high rank with many duties. He probably hasn’t been able to watch over you properly in recent years. Still, the influence you received in childhood seems to have been enough for your spiritual power to grow in such diverse ways.”
As I slowly blinked and mulled over Solomon’s words, memories suddenly surged back. The peaceful wooden floor of the house where I lived as a child.
After the day my grandfather died, the angel disappeared. Only a single silver-blue feather, glittering on the floor, remained intact. Perhaps that was the very moment when I first felt utterly alone in this world.
But now that I thought about it, it seemed he had simply left because he had many duties. Hmm…
I realized that I was rather sentimental, delicate, and exhausting as a person. I had been projecting meaning onto the angel’s actions and misunderstanding them. That was something to reflect on.
Still, learning that an angel might have been one of the components that formed my power was new to me. I set aside my reminiscence and thought more carefully about my abilities. If it helped when dealing with demons later, it wasn’t such a bad thing.
So, returning to the original conversation, I reconsidered Solomon’s suggestion that, since my abilities were sufficient, I should try dealing with a minor demon.
“Is there really a sealed demon nearby? This place is completely different from ancient Babylon.”
“I told you—some demons escaped from the bronze vessels. It seems one of them is living around here. Otherwise, there’s no way evil spirits would notice my presence so quickly and swarm in.”
“Then is it Murmur, the one you mentioned before?”
“That… Murmur’s followers wander around just fine even without a master. Broadly speaking, they fall into the category of ghosts. What bothers me is that the ones appearing lately have the form of snakes. If it’s the one I’m imagining, you alone won’t be able to handle it.”
Solomon replied thoughtfully, then frowned and added,
“I’ve been cautious even when surveying the surroundings, and I’ve placed at least a light barrier around you, but… I’m already dead, so there’s only so much I can do. If you’re going to practice, dealing with wandering followers would be best.”
“Is the demon you’re imagining that dangerous? A snake-shaped demon with followers would be…”
I frowned, repeating his description, and began mentally flipping through a list of demons I had read while researching before. Perhaps thanks to the ring, my mind worked better than expected when memorizing things like this.
After long deliberation, I finally pulled a few names from the depths of my memory.
“The Serpent Duke, Eligos? If you say it’s too difficult for me, it must be a high-ranking demon. Or the Hideous Duke Botis? Or the Fair Duke Bune, or the Fourth Prince Furson…?”
“Botis. There’s no other demon whose form is a snake. The others merely command snakes as part of their bodies, use snakes as symbols, or summon venomous serpents.”
“I see.”
“And by the way, you’ve studied quite diligently, Sola. I didn’t expect you to rattle them off like that. Don’t you get confused?”
“These days, the ring seems to give me nothing but strange abilities.”
I glanced down with a slight frown. The first-year common social studies textbook I had opened for preparatory study caught my eye.
“I wish my memorization for studying worked this well. Though I’d prefer it to be without the ring’s power.”
“That’s a good attitude. If you work hard, what can’t you achieve?”
“I don’t want to hear something so irresponsible from the man said to be the wisest in history, sir.”
Solomon chuckled, clearly unconcerned with my tone or choice of words. While rummaging through my bag for another book, he replied casually,
“The Great One in heaven granted you the same opportunity He gave me. How you use it is up to you.”
“I suppose so.”
I replied flatly to yet another round of Solomon’s praise of his “Father” and began organizing my notes. Sensing my lack of interest in conversation, Solomon soon shook his head. Then he pulled out a CD that the school had separately produced and distributed as a supplement to the music textbook, gazing at me with sparkling eyes.
After glancing at his expression, I sighed and stood up. To play the CD, we had to go to the computer room. Gathering my notebooks and textbooks, I strode down the mostly empty hallway—since it was still vacation—and headed there.
“Sir, you say you know everything intellectually, so why are you so curious about everything?”
“Knowledge known as information and knowledge gained through direct experience and realization are different. Hmm, after listening to this, could you also play a Baroque-era CD? I expect that period to be when sacred music reached its artistic peak. It sits between the Middle Ages and the Classical period… I’m quite fond of Bach.”
“Sure, I’ll play it for you. But you’ll have to go to my room and bring that CD yourself.”
“Very well, very well.”
He landed on my shoulder, delighted like a child. No matter how I thought about it, it was hard to believe this person was Solomon, the wisest human in history. Pouting, I poked his cheek a few times before opening the computer room door.
*
“On Valentine’s Day?”
“Yeah, Sola. Are you free?”
What Assel cautiously asked while looking at his phone was about plans for Valentine’s Day. The pastor was scheduled to visit a nearby church soon.
Since Assel was his nephew, it was natural that he would be brought along, and the pastor suggested that I might find it boring to stay in the dormitory alone, so why not come along and eat something good together? I had no particular reason to refuse.
“I’d love to, but is it really okay if I go? You said you’re meeting someone the pastor has respected for a long time.”
“It’s fine. He’s a really good person. He gives great advice in many ways, but he’s also easy to be around. Besides, we’re meeting to help with a charity event anyway.”
Laughing playfully, he told me a little about Father Choi Taewon. It seemed the pastor had met him through volunteer work. “I’ve met him a few times too,” he added briefly at the end.
Assel had participated in various volunteer activities since childhood and still sought out different kinds of work on his own. Regularly visiting the orphanage where we stayed around Christmas to help out was one of them.
I wasn’t particularly interested in volunteer work, so I only participated when the entire school was involved, but still, it was admirable. Assel briefly explained the day’s schedule.
“We’ll probably be preparing to stay up all night playing with the kids in a corner. Running errands and such—adults will be with other adults anyway. I’d be happy if you came, but you might have to help out a bit. You know what it’s like dealing with kids. But if you’re okay with that, let’s go together.”
I recalled the children we often played with around Christmas and nodded blankly. I had no plans other than studying anyway, and if it was just a visit combined with dinner, there was no reason to decline. Having made up my mind, I immediately added the schedule to my planner.
“If it’s okay, I’d be glad to go. Valentine’s Day, right?”
Until then, Solomon had been listening quietly. When he asked whether we were going to meet someone with deep faith, I nodded. Immediately, he began hopping excitedly from shoulder to shoulder. He seemed even more eager about the day than I was.
