Chapter 8
The Mother Impregnated with Love
(Part 1)
As I walked from the square, following my Master towards the district with commercial facilities, the door of a library ahead swung open.
It was my Master who emerged from the doorway.
For a moment, I forgot about the exorcists behind me and moved to approach him, but my steps halted when I saw the woman who followed him out.
The faintly burning soul deep within her body was unmistakably that of a demon.
Moreover, it was different from the camouflaged demons that had been around earlier. This was the soul of a powerful demon, still burning strongly.
“The magical power is significantly stronger, beyond comparison with the camouflaged demons from before… It’s likely Ozma.”
As I said this, I felt the gazes of the exorcists behind me focus.
Scarlet stomped over to stand beside me and glared.
“Are you sure?”
“At the very least, there’s no doubt it’s a demon.”
“Eh, wait a second, Dia! I don’t understand the situation!”
My Master raised his voice, sounding flustered.
The woman who had exited the library with him quickly hid behind him, as if using him as a shield. Her eyes looked frightened, but even more so, they glared at us with clear resentment.
“This person… my chains didn’t react to her. So, I thought… she probably isn’t a demon.”
“That pregnant woman is human. But the other one inside her is not.”
For a moment, my Master seemed to want to say he didn’t understand, but he quickly grasped the meaning of my words. The pregnant woman was sweating and visibly extremely agitated.
“What about the child in her womb?”
“Gh…!!”
As my Master turned in surprise towards the pregnant woman, she restrained him by locking her arms around him. Then, she produced a knife from somewhere and pressed it against his neck.
Caught off guard and captured in the woman’s arms, my Master looked at me with an apologetic expression.
“Ugh… Is that the same knife that ragged demon had before…? When did she…?”
The pregnant woman didn’t respond to my Master’s muttering, instead just shouting, ‘Don’t move!’
My Master, being a nearly adult male, could probably break free from the woman’s grasp, but it seemed he hadn’t expected her to be armed.
Seeing a trickle of blood run down his neck, I unconsciously clenched my fingers.
If not for this situation, I could reduce her to dust in an instant, but with exorcists right behind me, I can’t use magic. Perhaps I should revert to my true form and turn the exorcists and this entire town to dust after all.
As I considered this, Scarlet, standing next to me, snorted derisively at the pregnant woman.
“Driven to taking a hostage? It’s about time to give up, Maria.”
“Eh? Red-haired guy, are you an acquaintance of this Maria?”
My Master muttered, his eyes wide.
“Not an acquaintance. But that woman is somewhat famous in Forestlake. Maria the prostitute… I’d heard she stole money and goods from her clients, but to offer her own child’s life to Ozma… I never thought she’d sunk that low. Why would you do such a thing?”
“Why, you ask!? It’s obviously because I love him from the bottom of my heart! The money, this child’s body… I prepared them all for Lord Ozma… my savior! Why else would I let myself be held by men whose only value is their sperm and money! For this child too, being used by Lord Ozma is the highest joy!”
The pregnant woman shrieked in a shrill voice, as if something had snapped.
I gathered that this woman was a prostitute in Forestlake, swindling money and goods from her clients for Ozma. On top of that, to safely bring Ozma into this town, she deliberately avoided contraception to create a child for camouflage. Good grief, a woman doing things just like a demon.
To me, it was a ridiculous story from the moment the exorcists found out we’d fled to Miscar Town, but I could sense the anger from the expressions of the exorcists and my Master behind me.
“Lord Ozma saved me one night. He devoured the life of the demon that was trying to attack me! The moment our eyes met, the world twisted and swayed with happiness, and I fell in love with Lord Ozma. No, since Lord Ozma saved me, this must be mutual love…!! Unlike those useless exorcists, Lord Ozma is the true savior. He and I are destined to be happy together forever!!”
Hmm, so Ozma hypnotized the woman whose life he saved and who let her guard down. Still, it’s excessively effective.
Whether it was due to that incident or her original personality, she seemed to be quite mentally unhinged. Her words were utterly nonsensical. In a way, she’s fortunate.
A normal human would find this pregnant woman’s claims hard to comprehend.
Scarlet made a loud, disgusted click of his tongue at the sight of the pregnant woman speaking of Ozma as her savior with a rapturous smile.
“That’s enough of your disgusting drivel. Right, Plume?”
“Yes, we’ve quite successfully bought enough time.”
As Plume replied, a magic circle appeared at the pregnant woman’s feet. It was the teleportation magic we saw at the town entrance. It seemed to be Plume’s magic.
The pregnant woman cried out in panic, but was swallowed by the light of the magic circle before she could resist.
“Kyan…!”
As the light of the teleportation circle vanished, the pregnant woman fell to the ground on the other side of Scarlet… next to me. She was slammed onto her back, looking confused and unable to comprehend what had happened.
Scarlet swiftly drew his sword and flicked away the knife the pregnant woman was holding. The blade was severed into two pieces that clattered to the ground some distance away. It was likely useless now.
After deflecting the knife, Scarlet pointed his sword at the pregnant woman.
Without a hostage and her weapon destroyed, the woman had no means to resist. Unable to even stand, she could only scrabble backward.
But Chronoa, who had somehow moved away from me without my noticing, circled behind the pregnant woman and easily bound her with a rope.
“What are you doing!? Don’t touch me!!”
The pregnant woman thrashed her body, but it was utterly futile.
Turning my gaze to my Master, I saw Riza healing the cut on his neck with magic. My Master also seemed flustered, unable to fully grasp the situation, but he bowed his head to thank Riza.
They instantly understood their roles and acted accordingly, even without detailed instructions from their leader. Excellent coordination.
Humans from 1000 years ago would rarely have been able to coordinate so well.
“Umm, Dia, I don’t really get it, but I caused a lot of trouble, didn’t I? Sorry.”
My Master approached me, scratching his head apologetically.
“No, I am fine. More importantly, are you not thirsty? Here is some water.”
“Eh? Why?”
Saying this, I handed him the bottle containing holy water that had been passed to me by Plume.
He made a face as if to say he couldn’t follow the conversation, but he seemed to be thirsty, as he muttered ‘well, whatever’ and gulped down the holy water in one go.
And then he spat it out spectacularly.
“It’s dissssgusting!! What is this, holy water!?”
I hadn’t thought it was so foul that he’d spit it out like that.
“My apologies. Being a demon, I cannot drink it myself.”
“…Is it okay to say that in front of the exorcists?”
My Master looked at the exorcists with a slightly panicked expression. The exorcists looked surprised.
They were probably astonished by the fact that my Master, truly human, was traveling with me, knowing full well I was a demon.
Thinking it best to put on another act just in case, I linked my right arm with my Master’s left. I held his hand tightly, as lovers do, and gently closed the distance until our shoulders touched.
“Eh, D-Dia? What’s wrong?”
Since I rarely initiate physical contact, my Master seemed startled by my sudden action.
But he didn’t seem to dislike it; in fact, his cheeks flushed, and he appeared embarrassed. He fidgeted shyly but didn’t shake off my hand. Instead, he returned the grip, albeit weakly.
If this is how he reacts, it might not be bad to do this occasionally.
“I was so worried… I’m truly glad I could meet you again, Master…”
“W-What are you saying, so out of character!? O-Other people are watching… Hah!”
My Master, his face bright red, looked towards the exorcists, who were all deliberately averting their gaze. They turned their heads away awkwardly, looking uncomfortable.
Even Scarlet couldn’t completely hide his disgust but didn’t voice any complaints.
“Eh… This is so awkward…”
My Master’s face, which had been bright red, quickly turned pale blue.
Finding it amusing, I gently patted his head.
“Kiiiiiiiii!! What’s with you two, you’re disgusting!!”
A shrill, unpleasant voice suddenly rang out. The source was, of course, the captured pregnant woman.
Though her body and legs were bound with rope and she could only struggle, her attitude was as haughty as ever. Even when Scarlet yelled ‘Shut up!’, she either didn’t hear or ignored him, continuing to shriek.
Judging that anything he said would be useless, Scarlet gave some instruction to Plume.
The pregnant woman’s voice was too loud to hear clearly, but Plume seemed to be taking out something like a cloth.
Perhaps they were going to gag her.
I thought there was no need for us to do anything and was simply observing, when the pregnant woman abruptly stopped screaming as Plume approached within a few steps.
Not only that. Until just now, she had been struggling despite being bound, but her movements completely ceased. Her eyes were wide open, and her skin turned a ghastly pale. Sensing something was wrong, Plume stopped and became wary. My Master and the exorcists also looked completely bewildered.
But I, who can see souls, could perceive the internal situation.
“Ah… That’s a bit of a problem.”
Just as my Master and the exorcists turned their gazes towards me at my words.
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaa!! Aaah, g-gyaaaaaaa!!”
A scream of pure agony, different from her previous tantrum-filled shrieks, echoed from the pregnant woman.
She collapsed to the ground, trembling in apparent suffering. Foam bubbled from her mouth, her eyes were unfocused, and tears dripped down her cheeks.
Riza hurriedly approached the pregnant woman and cast healing magic, but it had no effect.
The magical power released to heal her was being absorbed entirely by the entity inside her… the fetus, before it could take form as a spell.
“Hey, you perverted demon!! Answer me, what’s happening!?”
Scarlet’s face showed panic as he shouted.
Even though this woman was apparently a felon they intended to capture, for him to be this concerned… I cannot understand humans.
Thinking I had no obligation to answer and remaining silent, my Master tugged on the hem of my clothes and called my name. It seemed he also wanted an explanation. If it’s my Master’s request, I cannot refuse.
“The pregnant woman’s soul and magical power are being devoured by the demon named Ozma, who is camouflaged as the fetus.”
“Is there… nothing we can do about that?”
“If we separate Ozma from the pregnant woman.”
However, since Ozma is inside the woman’s body, it wouldn’t be easy to tear him out.
At that moment, a large amount of fluid gushed from the woman’s body, wetting the ground. Seeing the woman’s suffering intensify, Riza’s face also turned pale.
“No way… Her water broke? Does that mean labor pains are starting? At a time like this… Wh-what should we do?”
“Eh, is Maria giving birth!?”
My Master tugged on my clothes. I can only see souls, not the internal physical structure. But it’s probably different from a normal birth.
I can see the movement of the souls clearly. While devouring the woman’s soul and magical power, Ozma is trying to forcibly tear his way out. Her body likely isn’t fully prepared to expel the ‘child’. It’s unclear whether the soul will be consumed first or the body will give way first, but one thing is certain.
“If this continues, the pregnant woman will die within a few minutes.”
Ozma must have realized that if he were taken to Forestlake like this, escape would be impossible.
Emerging now is also risky, but it seems he’s staking his last hope on expelling the troublesome infant body and trying to transfer his essence into the woman’s body.
From the state of his soul, I can tell he has stored up a considerable amount of magical power. If he can successfully possess her, he could undo the ropes with magic and heal the severe injuries from the childbirth.
Of course, the pregnant woman herself would not survive.
“Damn it!!”
Scarlet drew his sword again and aimed it at the pregnant woman.
“Riza! I’m going to slice open Maria’s abdomen, including the fetus. Immediately after, cast the most powerful healing magic you can on Maria.”
“Sc-Scarlet! That’s far too dangerous, no matter what! If you do that, Maria will probably also…”
“But if we do nothing, Maria will definitely die. It’s the only way!”
I see. Certainly, that method could kill only Ozma and leave the pregnant woman with a chance of survival. But the probability of success is extremely low.
I was about to watch the outcome from a distance when my Master ran towards the pregnant woman.
“Master?”
I reached out to stop him, but he slipped past my grasp and went ahead.
Good grief, after just being taken hostage, he’s far too kind-hearted.
My Master stopped Riza and Scarlet, who were near the pregnant woman.
“There is a way to save Maria. Well, I can’t say much about the childbirth itself, but there is a way to deal only with Ozma.”
“Really!?”
“Yes. Like this…!!”
Saying this, my Master created chains of sealing using magic.
The glowing red chains, imbued with powerful demon-sealing power, extended straight from his arm, piercing through the pregnant woman’s abdomen.
“Got him!”
“H-Hey, what’s going on? What about Maria…?”
Surprised by my Master’s action, Scarlet looked frantically at the pregnant woman.
The woman’s pain had temporarily subsided, and she looked confusedly at the chain piercing her abdomen. Though it was impaling her, there was no external wound, astonishing both the woman and the exorcists.
“I can use chains of ‘binding’ and ‘sealing’. Binding works on humans, but sealing only works on demons. So, against a human, they are powerless, as you can see, but it’s a different story for a demon’s soul.”
It’s no wonder the exorcists and the pregnant woman couldn’t understand what was happening, as they cannot see the soul.
My eyes could see Ozma’s soul, restrained by my Master’s chain.
My Master gripped the chain and pulled with all his might.
“Come on out, Ozma, or whoever you are!”
My Master’s chains have the effect of suppressing a demon’s power simply by binding them. If it’s a sealing chain, that suppressive effect must be quite strong. Ozma’s soul was dragged out violently, unable to resist.
At the end of the chain was a mass of light wrapped in magical flames… a bound soul.
The chain, pulled with great force, fell to the ground with a clatter.
Ozma’s bound soul, appearing as a demon in the form of an adult male, had its eyes closed in agony. For some reason, there was a black hole where its right eye seemed to have been gouged out.
“Is that… a demon’s soul?”
The exorcists also stared blankly at the sight.
A demon’s soul is a mass of burning magical power. It seems those who can sense magical power can see a demon’s soul even without a physical body.
As the upper half of Ozma’s form, which had been slammed to the ground, began to rise, the exorcists tensed, ready to draw their weapons at any moment. Ozma slowly opened his eyes, looking resentful, and our gazes met.
And the moment he saw me, Ozma’s eyes flew wide open in shock.
Why was he surprised to see me, rather than the exorcists? As I wondered this, anger gradually filled Ozma’s expression.
‘Diabolos!! Was this your scheme!?’
Suddenly enraged, Ozma screamed not at the exorcists, but at me.
“Eh… Could he be an acquaintance…?”
My Master asked in a small, apologetic voice.
I shook my head. I truly don’t know him. He doesn’t seem to be a member of my human fan club either, and I was so puzzled I tilted my head without thinking.
‘You… Have you forgotten this right eye!? The one you crushed on a whim, this…!’
“Excuse me, mistaken identity… no, mistaken demon identity?”
I interrupted Ozma’s words.
Honestly, I thought this was my first time meeting Ozma, but it seems he knows me.
A thousand years ago, I was a being known to nearly all demons. Given that he seems to have lived for a thousand years, it makes sense he’d know of me.
I do recall gouging out the eye of a lower-ranking demon or two back then. But it wasn’t just one or two, so I don’t remember their faces individually. Besides, all those demons were merely boring ones who fawned over me.
The truly powerful demons, who could live for a thousand years without any effort, showed me respect, and I, in turn, responded appropriately.
Ozma, perhaps disliking my attitude, became visibly displeased. If he weren’t bound by my Master’s chains, he would likely have attacked without listening.
Even now, he tried to use magic, but it was immediately suppressed by my Master’s chains, rendering him powerless.
Seeming to understand that force was useless, Ozma now turned and shouted at Scarlet.
‘Hey, humans! This demon is deceiving you, using you as he pleases!! The one you should be attacking… your true enemy is this demon!!’
At these words, Scarlet let out a bored sigh. The other exorcists were also completely unmoved by Ozma’s words. As for my Master, he puffed out his cheeks sulkily.
“I’m sure he is. This perverted demon is also a real piece of work.”
‘Then release this chain, and together we can—’
“That’s a separate matter.”
Saying this, Scarlet uncorked a bottle of holy water he produced from somewhere and upended it over Ozma’s head.
Unable to escape, Ozma was doused in holy water from the head down.
“Ga, Gaaaaaaaaaaah!! D-dammmmmmmit aaaaaaaah…!!”
The moment the holy water touched Ozma’s burning soul, it rapidly shrank. He screamed and struggled, but quickly weakened to the point of immobility. Until the moment he vanished, he continued to glare at me with pure hatred.
Good grief, while this outcome is entirely his own fault, being blamed by someone I just happened to encounter is unpleasant. To blame others until the very end for his own deserved consequences… what a truly tedious demon.
But holy water is truly potent.
This level of power from just a bottle small enough to hold in one hand… They’ve created something fearsome during my sealing.
Being bound by my Master’s chains and having his power suppressed probably played a part, but it easily erased even the soul of a powerful demon.
“Could it be that holy water is being mass-produced…? Wh-what do we do… Dia, you be careful too.”
“…? Yes, understood.”
Was this the first time he’d seen a demon erased by holy water?
My Master seemed more shaken than usual.
