Chapter 67 - Volume 4 (2/2)

“Please leave it to us. Open… [Lost Paradise]”

“…hah?”

As the black space immediately expanded, and wrapped around the [Black whirlpool], the black space disappeared like it had been swallowed…… what is that? It’s the first time I saw it.

“It’s a failure.”

“How fast!”

If one looked closely, some of the wisps of the whirlpool were still there, and it sparked on contact with the [Sanctuary].

Noa was working fast, but I don’t know anything but the basics, so I gave up.

“Maintain the status quo…?”

“…that would be good, maintain it for several hours.”

Opening the golden magic-engraved pocket watch that I had given him, he spoke matter-of-factly.

“Is it hard to break it up from insideー?”

When Nia said so, Tina and Fannie smiled Demonic smiles. Well… there’s no choice but to do so in the end?

The size of the whirlpool is about 2 meters. When we descended onto the ground, the two boys came rushing towards us.

“Lucy…”

“Oi, this is dangerous…”

Noel and Rick tried to follow us, and the two of them were playing at something.

“……I see”

This is probably a pocket dimension made by an unknown Demon.

People who had a holy [Air] or a strong aura of [Malice] couldn’t enter it.

“Rick, Noel, [We] can’t enter this. Don’t worry. It will turn back to normal.”

“Such a thing…… only Lucy…”

“I don’t think there’s a need to worry since it’s you……”

… Hey.

“Well, in that case, I’m off”

We went into the vortex with the cheeriest voice that I could muster, as we were sent off by the people who were looking on worriedly.

…… I’m not letting such a delicious soul escape so easily.

However, I didn’t notice.

There was someone with a strong will and deep [Malice] that was staring at our backs……

＊＊＊

[Here are the souls of the people who were here… if it is not enough, I will gather as much as needed.]

That was the price he…… the price of the [Contract] between Geas and the Demon.

Geas had named himself as such so that he would never forget his status and oath.

Geas, who had obtained knowledge and secret arts from the Demons, had used magic against the adults as a baby child, and killed a person for the first time.

Then Geas had lived through summoning Lesser Demons in order to promote himself.

The number [999] had appeared in his peripheral vision after he had contracted with the Demon, but three years had passed before he even noticed it.

The amount of souls that that Demon wanted in order to break through the walls between dimensions was huge.

Still, knowing of the existence of high-quality souls, he steadily gathered them, and became able to collect them well.

“……Is the number decreasing?”

He noticed that the number that hadn’t changed thus far was decreasing like a counter.

“What’s going on? Please answer me, Lord Heraness.”

The named Demon that called itself Heraness declared.

[When that number reaches [0], your wife will cease to be your [Wife].]

“……Wh…at?”

Heraness showed images of the [Other World] inside Geas’ brain.

There, his wife, his childhood friend, was being handed a ring from an unknown man, and was laughing with an embarrassed face.

His wife was a little older than when he knew her. It seemed that since then… a few years had passed since he had disappeared.

[The number decreases by one a day. This image is a picture of the [Future]. When that number disappears, your wife will give up, and become the property of another man.]

Geas sank to his knees in disbelief.

The counter numbered [627]…… so if the words of the Demon were to be believed, in less than two years, that image would become [Reality].

“……T-, two years…?”

The amount of souls that he had collected in these three years, was only about 20% of the amount. Regardless of how efficiently he collected them, he would not be able to fulfil more than half in less than two years.

To the terrified Geas, the Demon whispered.

[Then, put in that [Number] of souls. In compensation for that number, the counter will increase.]

Increase the number on the counter with souls, and delay the time.

Since that day, Geas’ hardships began, and a century had passed.

＊

[What’s wrong, Geas. You’ve only gathered about 70% of the souls.]

The Space-Time Gate…… the so-called subspace. In its deep dark innards, the man sitting on the throne whispered.

A slender, slim body. Bright red lips on a beautiful face of pure white. Combing his fingers through his long, rust-colored hair, his golden snake-like eyes reflected Geas’ image with a tinge of amusement.

“Heraness…… I’ve reached the limit. I don’t have any more time…”

While shedding tears from his old, weathered body, Geas fell onto his knees.

[If you use half the souls now, won’t you be able to extend the deadline for another few years?]

“It’s impossible now. My body doesn’t have many years left in it……”

[Would you rather give up? Wow, the heart of a human sure is fickle. Even if she became the property of another man, and had a child and became happy, you only need to steal it. Isn’t it easy…? Fufufu]

“……Su-such a thing”

Heraness knew that Geas was already at his limit.

That was why he thought that it was time to destroy that heart and harvest that soul full of despair.

[Well, to deprive, to kill, you’ve done all these just to gather souls? You should be able to do it easily. …Fufuhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha]