CHAPTER 97
The Ex–Demon Lord and a Devil’s Guidance (Part 2)
Why do demons worship the Evil Gods and do their bidding?
Because the Evil Gods were, as their name implied, gods to the demons.
Like how the Old Gods created humanity and had us serve them in the distant past, my interpretation was that the Evil Gods had made the demons to act as their tools in this world.
Alvarto Egzex was one of the demons created by the Evil Gods.
In which case, the man who brought him into being would know the secret to Alvarto’s immortality.
The question was…would he simply give us the answer we needed? While I was plagued by doubt, we had no other choice. So we used teleportation magic to go to him.
The Mountains of Madness—that was the moniker for these lands. It was an enormous natural landscape that was formed by a large formation of mountains. The primal beauty of the lands drew people in—and consumed them once they stepped foot inside.
Were it simply a beautiful natural landscape, no one would have called them the Mountains of Madness. A malevolent insanity permeated this place.
For most people, stepping into these lands was the last conscious decision they would make. Almost all of them would lose their minds and end up slaves to hysteria. After that, the only fate that awaited them was a tragic one.
It was by drinking the blood of those unfortunate souls that these mountains maintained their beauty.
“…I’d hoped to never set foot in here again.”
“Didn’t expect to come back here for something like this.”
As we stood in the midst of the peaks, Olivia quietly voiced her displeasure, and Verda responded, chuckling. Neither was influenced in the slightest by the insanity that permeated the Mountains of Madness.
They weren’t the only ones who remained unaffected. Lizer, Sylphy, and I were similarly fine. Our hearts weren’t that fragile. The psychological miasma emanating from the peaks was little more than a light breeze to us.
However, Ginny was struggling to cope.
“Urgh… Mmrrph…”
She let out a groan as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her right hand. I leaned in and said to her in a worried tone, “Miss Ginny, it would probably be best if you waited elsewhere.”
“No, I refuse…to be the only one…doing nothing…”
Perhaps the Mountains of Madness were taking their toll on her. Ginny was in a highly emotional state.
“I have my pride…! I don’t want to be left behind…! I can’t be left behind…!”
Ordinarily, she’d never make a scene like this in public. But this tenacity was a thing Ginny had acquired through her emotional growth, a precious accomplishment that, to her, was priceless. It shimmered from within her, and I decided to trust that it would be enough to shield her from the wrongness that emanated from these peaks.
“…Then shall we be on our way? To the source of this insanity?” With that, I glanced to the east. The giant ruins that lay at the heart of the mountains. That was where he was waiting. “…Please steel yourself for what’s to come.” Anything less, and they’d be swallowed by his power.
We were all tense as we stepped into the ruins. It was dark. Without a single light source, the interior was cloaked in heavy shadow.
“This place is depressing. Although that’s likely due to more than the absence of light.” With a sigh, I created a small luminous sphere with my magic. The ball lit our surroundings, and we began to venture farther in.
As we proceeded, Ginny muttered an observation aloud. “It’s extraordinarily complicated…”
“Right? Without a proper grasp of the layout, I’m pretty sure one hundred people out of one hundred who come in here would end up lost. But it’s a necessary part of the design, so there’s nothing to do about it.”
“What do you mean?”
“This place was built to strengthen the seal on the inhabitant. The corridors are actually built in the shape of a giant magic circle. This structure is a giant containment device.”
Yes, I’d constructed these ruins from scratch solely for that purpose. The array the halls formed was designed to remain for perpetuity, creating an inescapable jail.
Unfortunately, even this wasn’t enough to provide peace of mind. Lizer appeared to be in agreement with me on that. As we walked through the complex series of corridors, he furrowed his brow and spoke.
“A containment system designed with the full might of the Demon Lord Varvatos. That alone should be enough to damn the target to eternal suffering. Yet…the individual kept here is capable enough for me to doubt this place’s security.”
Lizer’s statement was true. The creature imprisoned here would never allow us to rest easy. The fact of the matter was that the devil who lived in these mountains had crafted a situation outside of my expected outcomes. The very fact that this region was known as the Mountains of Madness was unmistakable proof of that fact.
“…The containment magic Var created was supposed to completely contain the target’s power and reduce him to a creature that was as powerless as a baby… And yet…”
“He continues to influence the outside world anyway… If that was intentional, it would simply mean he was extremely powerful, but…” Verda looked unusually tense, and sweat had formed on her forehead.
Yes. If the state of these mountains was deliberate, then all that meant was that he was monstrously powerful. The reality was worse, however. That devil wasn’t consciously doing anything. It wasn’t an attempt to expand his malicious power or engage in villainy by punching a hole in the seal.
No, his very existence was enough to corrupt the world. That was what had twisted these mountains into what they were now.
“…People have constantly described me as being overwhelming or supernatural. But compared to him, I’m the very epitome of normal.”
Yes, that devil was probably the only one worthy of being called supernatural. He fit no definition of natural. And the moment I pictured that monster in my mind…
“Oh, hello there. Welcome to my home.”
…a voice rang out in my head.
It was a beautiful sound, and yet at the same time, it was so discordant that it made me feel sick to my stomach. There was no mistaking the source…
“Mephisto Yuu Phegor…!” I shouted out the identity of the speaker, my voice filled with disgust. Evidently, the tone gave the recipient some pleasure.
The next statement that rang in my head was extremely cheerful.
“Well, well. To have more guests after Lizer’s visit the other day. Given how much I love company, you have no idea how pleased I am.”
There was no deceit in the lively tone. To Mephisto, we were like old friends, and he was overjoyed at seeing us again. He was completely unbothered by our hostility and sent us cheerful, friendly thoughts. He was the very definition of selfishness.
That fact made him as frustrating and irritating as he had always been.
“So, I would ordinarily like to welcome you all in, but…I think I’d like to have a tête-à-tête this time.”
No sooner had the statement sounded in our minds than a glittering bouquet of roses appeared in front of me.
“You are the only one permitted to go any farther. If you object, then I’m afraid you’ll all have to leave.”
I glanced at the others for confirmation.
“…Very well. I’ll head your way. By myself, of course.”
I ignored the bouquet floating in the air and stepped forward.
“Ard…be careful…,” Ginny entreated in a frail voice from behind me.
“It’ll be all right. There’s nothing to worry about. Focus on caring for yourself for now.” I thanked her for her concern and continued down the passage alone.
I walked through the familiar halls of the ruins. With each step, I felt the weight of his presence grow. It was proof I was getting closer to that devil.
“…You know, after the recent incident with Lizer, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to see his face for at least another hundred years, but…I guess things never go the way we want.”
I moved forward with a sigh and stood in front of a giant gate. Once it opened, he would be waiting beyond it. That hated black aura was leaking out from beyond.
“We’ve known each other for so long. There’s no need to knock. Come on in.” He spoke as though he was the master of this home. His attitude made it clear that he didn’t consider himself to be a prisoner in the slightest.
“Sigh. You really are an irritating man,” I spat, making my ire plain. Then I reached out to touch the gate. The moment my fingers made contact…it creaked and began to move, opening like the maw of a giant monster.
“Hello there, darling. It’s been a long time. Quite a long time.” He welcomed me with a devilish smile on his angelically beautiful features. My greatest enemy welcomed me in.
When I clocked his demeanor and the state of the room, I let out the deepest, longest sigh of the day. Back when I had first sealed Mephisto here, multiple black swords had been embedded in his body, and then he had been bound in dark restraints, completely robbing him of movement.
That wasn’t all. I had blocked his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears to keep him from speaking, breathing, or anything else. That done, I’d set the black swords to inflict such agony that he would regret ever being born.
Of course, he should’ve been incapable of employing any magic, supernatural power, or divine abilities. The intent was to leave him struggling here in pain for eternity.
“…I’d expected as much, but this is still irritating to see for myself.”
The black swords that were supposed to inflict unending anguish and the restraints that were supposed to keep him in place were nowhere to be found. He looked wholly comfortable, draped in a strange outfit made of white and black fabric. The interior of this room had also changed dramatically.
Originally, it was a plain, unadorned stone chamber. Yet now, there was an alabaster carpet on the floor, and elegant furniture stood atop it. A sparkling chandelier was hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the surroundings. Beautiful wallpaper adorned the sides of the room, and there were even several pieces of art hanging on the walls.
I gritted my teeth as I looked. The decor suggested Mephisto had spent decades, maybe centuries, coordinating the furnishings.
“Don’t look so angry, my darling. At first, I intended to keep things as you wanted. I swear. I figured you had earned that reward by outmaneuvering me, so I was planning to suffer in agony here for eternity as you wished. But, well…you know how easily I get bored. After around three hundred years, I started to get tired of my surroundings.” He shrugged his shoulders and stuck out his tongue like I’d caught him in the middle of a prank. “I felt guilty for it, but I wanted to stay true to myself. So I removed your restraints, although it pained me deeply. And while I was at it, I figured I might as well pull out the swords, too. They were really getting in the way of my daily chores, after all.”
He shouldn’t have had any regular activities to begin with…
“After another two centuries or so, I was struck by the desire to see your face again. So I tried to break out, but… Well, you’re an impressive one, worthy of being my darling. Try as I did, I couldn’t get free. I ended up just sitting here for a long time… To say that I’ve been bored would be an understatement.” He shook his head with an expression of faint exasperation. Still, his golden irises remained bright and sparkling. Irritatingly so. “I didn’t complain, however. It was more productive to find a way to enjoy my current circumstances than to continue lamenting how dull things were. Don’t you agree? It’s when things are hardest that you need to think positive. That’s one of my core philosophies.”
Mephisto chuckled rather proudly.
“That’s why I decided to enjoy this environment. I thought about the things only I could do and acted on all of them. The results are here before your eyes. I made furniture, I tried painting, writing books… It really was a fulfilling, enjoyable time.” He said it all so gratefully, thanking me for the opportunity. There was no sarcasm in his voice. He was perfectly sincere. “The thing is, while living here was very amusing…I can’t live alone. You were always on my mind. You, who share such a powerful bond with me.”
Mephisto blushed as though he were feeling a bit shy. He squirmed and pressed his index fingers together.
“As you know, I tend to grow lonely easily. I’ve truly missed you. For the last few millennia, I desperately waited until I could meet you again. From your perspective, I suppose it seems you saw me only a few days ago. However, that thing you met was one of my avatars, not the true me. This is the first I’ve seen you myself in thousands of years. Ahh, yes. I don’t feel like I can restrain myself any longer. Can we start with a hug and a kiss—?”
“Quiet. Shut up. Just die.”
Gross. That one word said it all.
Despite my clear rejection, that irritating devil maintained his grin.
“Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha. You don’t need to be so shy. Oh, or are you worried about the fact that you look different now? It’s okay. I don’t care about your appearance. You were indeed more beautiful than any other in the world before your reincarnation, but that wasn’t what I fell in love with. It’s with your very existence—”
“Bite off your tongue and rot,” I stated coldly, keeping my expression level. It seemed that was finally enough to convince him there was no chance of anything happening, and he held up his hands in surrender.
“Hmm. Then I guess I’ll have to satisfy myself with talking to you.” He looked disappointed, but kept his distance and sat down at a table. “Go on and take a seat. Why don’t we chat over tea? I’ve started a little garden recently. I’ve been able to grow some nice tea leaves, so—”
“Our relationship isn’t the type where we chat over drinks.” My heart remained icy through this exchange.
I don’t think I would’ve felt such disdain had we simply been enemies. There were plenty of rivals I settled differences with. I would sooner die than do as much with this devil, however.
“Yeesh. You really are a spoilsport. I guess that’s all right. No matter the attitude you take, it doesn’t change the fact that we share a strong, unbreakable bond.”
“…Stop your rambling.”
“No, it’s true. I’m the only one you can really be friends with.” Mephisto smiled knowingly at me. Was this his usual babbling, or was he taunting me? Either way, I had no intention of humoring him.
“Let’s get to the point,” I declared while remaining standing, which elicited a chuckle from Mephisto.
“You’re after the secret to Alvarto’s immortality, right, my darling?” The way he spoke suggested he’d anticipated this. “You were caught between two contradictions: his wish to have you kill him and her wish for him to live on. The promises are contradictory, and you couldn’t keep them both. Which is why…you abandoned the problems you needed to solve and reincarnated into the future, right?” He shrugged while he spoke. “This is what happens when you don’t settle your debts… Surely your long life taught you as much. Yet you still ran like a fool… The situation must have felt unbearable.”
Seething hatred boiled within me as I listened to Mephisto describe the situation from the perspective of an unrelated outsider.
Damn you. It was all your doing.
I wanted to scream that at him, but I knew it was a pointless effort. Keeping my cool as best as I could, I replied, “Yes, I was truly foolish. I genuinely regret it… That’s why I’m here now, begging for your help.” It was the truth. If Mephisto wanted, not only would I plead, but I was willing to do whatever else he requested.
To my amazement, however, he made no demands of me.
“It’s fine. I’ll tell you,” he remarked casually. “Alvarto’s immortality stems from a spatial link he possesses with the underworld. Since he himself functions as part of the underworld, no matter what methods you use in this world, you can’t erase his existence. He’s a creature from a different dimension and not any ordinary life-form.”
I replayed Mephisto’s words in my head a few times and broke them down, processing them. “…Meaning, you acquired a specific part of the underworld and gave that space itself a consciousness?”
“Ah, impressively done, my darling. So quick on the uptake.” Mephisto smiled at me the way a parent would when proud of their child.
It was infuriating, but I had to concede that he possessed amazing power.
For life to exist, there needed to be a vessel made of flesh and self-awareness. The former was created in the womb, while standard theory stated that the soul created the latter, but…
…Alvarto’s consciousness wasn’t based on a soul. A part of the underworld was what made up his mind. His soul was merely a support mechanism to keep his awareness in the physical world, and there was no lasting damage in destroying it.
“So, unless the portion of the underworld that makes up Alvarto’s consciousness is eradicated, he can never die. Put a different way, destroying that makes it possible to kill him.”
“That’s pretty much it… So? Any other questions?”
I asked three more questions and obtained all the necessary answers. In the end, I got all the information I’d sought by coming here.
“Seems like you’ve devised a plan. I suppose that means—”
“Yes, I have no further use for you.”
Without the slightest show of emotion, I turned on my heel and departed. My business here was completed, so there was no reason to delay. I wanted to get back to the others as quickly as possible. Breathing the same air as Mephisto was sickening and only hastened my steps.
“Yeesh, you could at least give me a kiss good-bye,” he said with a slight pout, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of a response. I continued on my way, determined to ignore him.
And just as I was a step away from exiting the room—
“You have a bad habit, you know?” I couldn’t help but pause at that. Truthfully, I don’t know why. There was something in Mephisto’s voice, a pull that made me freeze in my tracks. “You have overwhelming, absolute power. In battle, your strength is like no other’s. But your psyche, at least in your daily life, is extremely fragile. You tend to unconsciously run from problems that you need to face. This is why, no matter how much you may think you’ve learned your lesson, you keep repeating the same mistakes.”
A shiver ran up my spine. Every hair on my body stood on end. I broke out into a cold sweat and couldn’t stop the sense of dread running through my nerves. The evil that lingered behind me went on, chilling me to my very soul.
“A devil will always reach out and take the hand of someone who desires aid. Yet the moment you accept assistance from that sort of creature, the end is doomed never to change. No matter how well things might seem to go, the result will be identical. After all, there’s no such thing as a devil that doesn’t seek payment for their help.”
And then…
“Make sure you remember that, and this too, my darling.” A heavy meaning filled Mephisto’s voice, giving it a disturbing ring of truth.
“You can never escape the past. It will never let you go.”
…before I knew it, I was running. The gates shut behind me, and Mephisto’s presence grew more distant. Still, I couldn’t stop. My legs kept moving, desperately carrying me away from something.
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