IWMHWD 97

Chapter 97: Contract with the Devil

2024.02.05

“…If you keep saying things like that, women will misunderstand.”

Cordelia pouted and tried to protest in her own way. Rosenbluer probably spoke without much thought, but she wished he understood that a single word from him could make her wobble like a paper doll.

“I kind of wish you would misunderstand me.”

“What do you mean—ugh!”

She absentmindedly looked up and was startled by how close Rosenbluer’s face was. So close that his breath almost touched her nose. If she hadn’t been sitting, she might have tumbled backward.

“Is my face enough to make you scream?”

“Y-You’re just too close!”

“Then misunderstand quickly. Though it’s still the mourning period, I can’t say it openly yet.”

“Huh?”

Rosenbluer said something cryptic and then stepped back. Cordelia finally exhaled the breath she had been holding.

But Rosenbluer didn’t stop there.

“Let’s start with something simple. Call me ‘Blaire.’”

“Huh?”

“Blaire.”

“B-B…”

Caught off guard by his sudden demand, Cordelia couldn’t continue, like a newborn baby just starting to babble. Her heart had been racing since earlier.

When she failed to say the next word, Rosenbluer laughed.

“Looks like you need practice. Then practice until the next time we meet.”

“Huh? Y-Yes…”

By the time she realized this wasn’t right, Rosenbluer had already left. Cordelia returned to Leonard’s laboratory with a dazed expression, as if in a trance.

“Why are you empty-handed?”

“Huh?”

“Where’s my meal?”

“Oh, right!”

Leonard’s words reminded Cordelia why she had gone to the dining hall. For the past week, Leonard had been bringing her meals himself, but today she was finally allowed to run an errand for her master’s meal.

“Sorry! I was eating when a man—”

“What man?”

Cordelia told him everything honestly about Elias—the man she had met earlier. How he suddenly spoke informally and even suggested they become close. Leonard’s face grew stern with every detail.

“I didn’t know the southern region was this open. He asked if I wanted to meet him. I’ve never heard anyone say that. The South must really be different.”

“What was that bastard’s name?”

“Elias… um, I forgot.”

“You’re not hiding anything, are you?”

“Why would I hide him?”

Leonard stared at Cordelia as if checking whether she was lying.

“Alright. That can be checked later. But were you so distracted by him that you forgot my meal?”

“No, it’s not that. That man was chased away by Rosenbluer. But while I was talking with Rosenbluer, he suddenly told me to call him ‘Blaire’… I’ll go get the meal right now!”

Cordelia hurriedly tried to leave the lab, speaking in a flurry. Leonard grabbed her arm firmly.

“Blaire?”

“Huh?”

“Wait.”

Before she could respond, Leonard went to his study and brought something back, handing it to Cordelia.

“What’s this?”

“Shackles. Want to wear them? Should I put them on?”

“…?”

Cordelia blinked, utterly confused. How did this absurd conclusion make sense?

“Did I do something so wrong? Of course, I forgot your meal, but it’s not a crime worthy of shackles.”

“No. You committed a very serious crime.”

“What crime?”

“For not understanding my heart.”

“What? That’s what you call a crime? How am I supposed to know your feelings?”

Cordelia protested vehemently. Forgetting a meal errand did not warrant such a ridiculous punishment.

But Leonard persistently held out the shackles.

“What are you waiting for? Put them on.”

“Haha, you’re joking, right? You almost got me.”

“Why would I joke? Hand over your hands.”

He said it seriously. Naturally, Cordelia refused and quickly hid both hands behind her back.

“Ah, I get it. I understand your feelings now!”

“What is it?”

“You’re incredibly, incredibly…”

“Incredibly?”

“Starving! I’ll go get your meal right now!”

Cordelia opened the door and bolted. Leonard laughed as he watched her run off without looking back. Candias floated over and was shocked to see the shackles in Leonard’s hand.

“Isn’t that Raziana’s chain?”

“Yes.”

“You crazy man. You’re going to put that on Cordelia? If you strap one each, they can never be apart within a certain range!”

“Yes.”

Once the door closed and Cordelia disappeared from sight, Leonard’s smile vanished as if it had never been there, leaving only his brilliantly glowing violet eyes.

“All kinds of flies gather.”

“Flies? Is there a bug in the lab?”

“I can’t just burn them all.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Really, I need to lock her up somewhere.”

“You’ve finally gone mad, haven’t you?”

Candias’ words made sense because Leonard was muttering to the air. The surprising thing was that when Cordelia returned later, his coldness instantly vanished.

“Master, I brought your meal hot. Eat before it cools. Come on, sit down.”

Cordelia placed the tray down with a sly smile. Leonard folded his arms and watched her.

“If you ever get distracted by strange men again and forget my meal, I’ll put those shackles on you for real and won’t let you leave the lab.”

“Of course. You know my priority is always you, Master.”

“Your words sound good, but…”

Cordelia clasped her hands tightly, trying to please her master. Her instinctive fear told her that if she didn’t, those shackles might really be fastened on her wrists.

She sat across from Leonard at the table.

“Oh, on the way here I met Lydia.”

“When is she returning to Elfenbaum?”

“Huh? You heard from Rosenbluer that Lydia’s going back?”

“Do I need to ask? Rosenbluer won’t keep my sister here. He’ll find a way to break the contract and return her to her true nature.”

“Do you think that’s right, Master?”

Cordelia rested her chin on her hand. Leonard noticed there was more than pity in her eyes and asked,

“Why do you ask?”

“Just… it made me think. Maybe Lydia made a contract with a devil because she desperately wanted to learn magic.”

“Being desperate doesn’t excuse everything. You and she are different. If Lydia really wanted to learn magic, she always had the chance. She just didn’t want to put in the effort. She wanted in a month what others would take ten years to achieve.”

“You’re right.”

Cordelia nodded, persuaded. Unlike Cordelia, who had never seen a real mage, Lydia had ample opportunity to learn magic. Skipping the arduous process could be insulting to those who persevered.

Suddenly, Candias retched, and its eyes split in half. A letter popped out from within.

“What… what is that?”

Cordelia was shocked. Leonard picked up the letter calmly.

“It’s from outside.”

“Outside?”

“Outside the Demon Guild.”

“Oh.”

It was strange that there was no way to communicate with the outside from within the Guild. But seeing an eyeball split in half was still chilling.

Leonard glanced at the letter briefly and stood up.

“I’ll be out for a bit. Do the homework I gave you. I’ll come back and check.”

“Yes. Please go.”

Left alone in the lab, Cordelia returned to her desk. She opened her books and picked up her pen, then suddenly remembered something she had meant to ask.

“Oh, right.”

“What is it?”

“I forgot to ask why eye colors change.”

“Whose eyes changed? That’s advanced magic.”

Candias flew over.

“Really? But when I spoke with Lydia earlier, her eyes definitely turned black. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but it lasted a while this time.”

“Lydia? The one who made a contract with a devil?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know who she contracted with?”

“No. She hasn’t mentioned it.”

“You said her personality changed too, right?”

“Yes.”

Cordelia replied casually but was focused on complex equations in her mind.

“Could she have descended?”

“Descended? What’s that?”

“Receiving a demon’s full power into her body.”

Hearing this new term, Cordelia straightened instinctively.

“Is that different from a contract?”

“Yes. A contract transfers only part of the demon into the human world, so the power is weak. Descent brings the demon’s true form entirely, which is unimaginably powerful. I only have one eyeball in the human world; otherwise, it’d be incredible.”

“Huh? Wasn’t the demon supposed to have only one eye?”

“What are you talking about? Demons look almost human. Atilei just contracted with my one eyeball to be here.”

Candias bragged about its true form while Cordelia nodded and asked,

“Does descending change eye color and personality?”

“If the demon takes control of the body, yes. But it’s probably not descent. Descent causes massive collapse, which is strictly forbidden in the human world.”

“There was a collapse recently.”

“What?”

“A collapse. Matilda said a major collapse happened in the southern Hershe after twenty years.”

“…”

Cordelia and Candias were silent for a moment. Then Cordelia jumped up.

“D-Does this mean the demon descended into Lydia? What happens when it does?”

“The body and mind are completely controlled by the demon, going berserk until the end… then boom.”

“Boom?”

“It explodes. A human body can’t withstand a demon.”

Hearing this, Cordelia couldn’t stay still. Even if unlikely, she needed to know quickly. She hurried to the lab door, Candias following.

“Where are you going?”

“To Lydia—or no, to Rosenbluer first!”

“Atilei said to stay here… and she’s already gone.”

Candias shook its head at the closed door.