Maou no Hajimekata - Chapter Prologue

Prologue

The man wield the pick towards the dark and deep ground where the sun didn’t shine on.
The man’s miserable look matched the narrow and dark underground tunnel.
Like his old age, the face had no space uncovered by wrinkles and his back was crooked. The cloth he wore was a gray robe in tatters, and even more, covered with the narrow tunnel’s dust and dirt, It made his miserable looks even more shabby. And the lantern hung on his waist seems to be quite old, it was just barely lighting the man and his surrounding.

The whole body was covered in sweat, no more strength was left in the arms wielding the pick.
His breath was feeble and the man was so exhausted that it’d be no surprise if he’d die at any moment.
Both the man’s outward appearance and the content were worn out of fatigue. But only his eyes were glittering strongly.
The man was desperately wielding the pick like he was possessed by something. He wielded. He wielded.

Then finally.

Suddenly, with a loud noise, a part of the dirt wall crumbled down.
The man opened his eyes wide and glared fiercely beyond the side and

「Fu……hahah, ahahahahah」

he started to wield with his pick with more eagerness than ever, more than before.
The dirt wall was filled with cracks in no time and soon, there was a hole made big enough for a person to pass through.

The man threw the pick and with a loud laughter, he went in while he was dancing.

「Hahahahahah! Done it, I finally done it!
This mellow scent of magic that I could even feel and taste!
I finally found it!」

Saying so, the man fumbled on his chest and brutally ripped off his necklace. The only accessory of the man shabbier than a beggar had a little glass bottle in the size of a little finger hung on it.
The man placed the bottle in the center of the cavity in front of the previous underpass. Then the air around started to swirl and concentrated slowly towards the bottle. At the same time, a liquid of amber colour started to spring inside the bottle.

「This much crystallization of magic concentration never seen so far…!
Good, with only this!」

The man put the bottle on the ground and started to cast a spell in a low voice.
Then about half a day passed.
The long long spell started to tinge of heat and his faint mumbling-like voice changed into a powerful voice.
When he ended the spell almost like shouting at the end, the man’s body got covered in a strong light.

「The power’s overflowing…Is this a young body!」

And when the light disappeared, there was a young and strong young man standing up there.
There was no faint trace left of the appearance of the old man crooked and covered in wrinkles. The tall figure straight like a sword and the face’s neat features. The limbs overflowed with power and the skin smooth as silk. But only the glittering pair of eyes was the same with the old man before.

「Oh, is it already full?」

As if it would soon overflow, the liquid already filled about 90% of the bottle.
The amount slightly reduced as the man became younger but the accumulating speed was overwhelmingly faster.

The man decided to display his ability while casting a spell. On the tip of his finger, the amber coloured magic aura overflowed and penetrated the bottle.
The bottle swelled up in an instant and it became large that a person could go in.

「This should be enough for the time being. Now then……」

The man mumbled a short spell to lit the light of magic and started to cast a longer spell.
When the light coming from the man’s fingertip hit the cave that was a natural cavity, it changed its appearance to a dreary basement made of bricks in a brink.

After that, the man bit his fingertip with his teeth and started to draw a magic circle with the blood on the cobblestoned floor.
When he was done, he lightly stroked the magic circle and after checking the result, the man started to cast a spell once again.

It was a much longer and a more complex spell than the one to become younger.
The sweat flowed like pearls from the man’s forehead and his face was distorted in pain.

The air was trembling, the flame of the lantern left outside of the room suddenly died.
And in the place that kept the silence till now, a sound like stringing a bow echoed.

The darkness dominating the lightless place wriggled as if it had a conscience and it slowly took form.
That shadow still stayed dark in the darkness without light and started to take a clear shape…

And it made a voice like a bell sound.

「…….The one who called me is, you?」

What showed up in front of the man was a bewitching beauty that wore something that was a cloth only by name.
Her long and glossy black hair extends on her white skin as if to wrap it.
Her slender limbs were thin but her ‘features’ were firmly asserting their presences.

「That’s right」

The man nodded at the woman’s question.

「It is so……Well then, as to return my thanks for calling me, I’ll show you an exquisite dream.
Could you erase this magic circle please? I won’t be able to kiss at those nice lips if this remains」

The frail woman, like clinging on him, made a sweet voice.
But the man sneered.

「That won’t be possible. If I erase that summoning circle, you would be able to act freely.
And obviously, you would instantly deprive my soul and go back to the demon world.
Erasing the magic circle is after the contract is formed.」

When the man said so, the woman’s expression completely changed.
From the frail girl evoking compassion, to that of a shameless and experienced whore.

「That’s boring, it was just a little joke.
There’s no way a magician whose able to prepare this much magic power(*魔力/maryoku) would make such elementary failure 」

The female devil sat in the empty air as if there was a chair midair and then crossed her legs.
Regardless as to not try to be aware of it, it was lascivious and sensual.

「What then? I mean, what should I do? Do I suck the sperm from some stupid men? or should I show an endless nightmare to your enemies? It’d be also fine to show you the best night you ever had」

「Umm. I want you to make a dungeon.」

At the man’s words, the female devil unintentionally fell down from the invisible chair.

「As you are only dressed like in lingerie, I won’t be enjoying even if for such a thing.(*=sex)
If you are a succubus, you should at least know that revealing panties is important…」

「Such a thing doesn’t matter!
Now, I feel like I heard you saying about making a dungeon?!」

「Aah, I told you so」

The man nodded, opened his two arms wide and looked all around the basement.

「A labyrinth so deep, wide and heinous that has never been seen before.
A great labyrinth that awaits with countless traps, monsters and treasures.
I want to make a ridiculously big dungeon as if it’d rule the world of underground」

The female devil instinctively pressed her head. Although it was a body unrelated with illness.
This was the first time to have an headache apart from physical blow.

「Hey you……by all mean, I could still understand if I was summoned to be that dungeon’s guardian. It was not like I was never called for such conditions…
But to make a dungeon, just what does it mean!? Leave that kind of works to goblins or golems!」

「Of course I could leave the digging task to such creatures.
But I need someone to help me with a lot of work other than that.

How should I place the dungeon’s passages or rooms? What about the traps and monsters?
If the guarding monsters are living creatures, there is also a need for food. How to procure it?
If our dungeon gets bigger, there’ll be also those who would threaten us. Then how do I deal with such fellows?

There’s innumerable quantity of things to do and to consider.
I want you to help me for these. 」

「……I see that, but why me?」

To the female devil who sat back, the man raised three fingers.

「There are three reasons.

First, I don’t believe in humans. Humans will always betray you.
The likes of mystic creatures or demi-humans are also the same.
On the other hand, you devils will try to fool people whenever you can but are absolutely unable to break a contract.
That’s why I chose a devil instead of a human.

Second, in general, the higher the rank the devil is, it will have stronger power and intelligence but it requires that much of an amount of magic as to make contract and maintain.
You succubuses are a totally different specie that involves close to the human desire and live by sucking its vitality.
You are not very strong but instead you are knowledgeable about magic and intelligent, in addition of being well versed in subtleties of human emotions.
That’s why I chose the succubus.

And the third is…」

「After all, if I were to keep somebody besides me, it’d be much better to have a young female, at least externally beautiful.
That’s why I chose you.」

The female devil looked the man agape for a while, then laughed.

「…….I see. Alright, that work, I’ll help you.」

「So, I want you to accept it by signing this contract」

The man took out a paper from his pocket and showed it to the female devil.
It was still in the dark but to the devils, servants of the darkness, it doesn’t matter at all.

「You have already prepared the deed of contract? You are thoroughly prepared……
but what the hell is all this!? Just how much article is there!?」

On the parchment that was presented over the magic circle, clauses were written compactly in small characters.

「Didn’t I already mention that you devils will fool humans whenever they can.

That text is to prevent it. As there’s no clauses that are extremely disadvantaging you or unfair so be assured…..even said so, you wouldn’t be able to trust me.
Read it as much as you’d like, it doesn’t matter to me」

「There won’t be such things, I won’t be betraying you. Geez……
Ah really, the letters are too small……」

The succubus mumbling complaints and reading the provision while squinting.

「Un, for the time being, it’s fine……

This, I hope you didn’t put clauses written in so small characters that it isn’t visible with  the naked eye or invisible characters written in special ink. If there is, the whole contract would become invalid」

To the female devil who directed a look of doubt, the man frowned like he was disappointed.

「Although I already told you there was no such disadvantaging clauses to you. You are some skeptic guy」

「You are not the one that should say it!……well, it’s fine, I’ll sign.」

「Aah. Thou, O Succubus. In accordance of this contract, dost thou swear on thine name and  to become my power? 」

Name takes serious significance to those involved in magic like magicians or devils.
If one reaches a certain level of power, it is even possible to curse and dominate the soul at the very moment he gets to know the other party’s name.

The contract with devil uses this principle and the contract made with the name is impossible to break whatever happens.

「On my name, Lirshana, I swear.
To lend you my power in accordance with the contract」

「Then, on my name Ain・Soff・Oulu, I pledge to follow this contract」

In response to the words of oath, the contract shone. Then wrapped in flames, it burnt up instantly.

The content of the contract was engraved in the two souls and It became impossible to add or modify it.

「Then I ask you regards……As for me, you can call me Oulu」

「Yes yes. For me, Lir is fine……treat me well, Oulu」

I feel like I’m involved in something weird.
Those words, Lir barely swallowed.

When the two held each other’s hand across the magic circle.

This is how the everyday story building labyrinth for the two started.