Chapter 97
“Do not worry, Count. Unlike the false information we’ve been fed until now, isn’t the scripture true?”
At the words meant to reassure the uneasy Count, a voice agreed.
‘What… is this?’
Flora’s ears perked up at the unusual tone. Her consciousness, which had been drifting to sleep, snapped awake, and she strained to listen to their conversation.
“Still, we were lucky. Who would have expected a child among the mercenaries? It would have been difficult to organize the expedition and prepare a new offering otherwise.”
“It is because that person supports us. Had we not overheard the executioners, we would not have believed it.”
Huh?
No matter how she heard it, this was clearly not about using a bait.
“The scripture says that the soul of a child is the source of their power, their driving force. We will bring joy to them, and eventually, we will stand by their side.”
Flora felt a frustrating sense of something hovering just at the edge of her memory.
“Yes, today the plan will finally be carried out. After all this time, we have the chance to meet them. At last.”
‘I feel like I almost remember…’
“By the way, it seems we caused quite a commotion bringing them here.”
“It may seem like a disturbance among the mercenaries, but no one else will pay it any mind.”
“You were told to be careful even about small things.”
At the sharp reprimand, the knight confidently answered as if to reassure him.
“Only Lucifer would listen to the mercenaries so diligently in the first place.”
Then, as if aware of Flora in the box, he lowered his voice slightly to whisper.
“If they mention the executioners, just pretend you don’t know. And if the child disappears, say they ran off alone and vanished suddenly.”
‘You whispered, but I heard everything, idiot.’
“Hmm.”
At the Count’s uneasy voice, he added:
“And even if there’s a problem, Count, it won’t harm you. If anything happens, I will take full responsibility.”
When the knight laughed boldly, the Count finally replied, “I see.”
“Yes, even Lucifer wouldn’t recklessly act against the mercenaries like at the meeting.”
“Once they appear, everything will be settled.”
“Indeed. Hahaha. I don’t know why they favor children’s souls, but if that is their wish, then we must serve faithfully as their servants.”
‘Faithful servant?’
As a noble of the empire, the person one should serve would be the royal family. If that were the case, they would have used the precise title of Emperor or the Imperial Household.
“Surely, they will regard this heart of ours favorably and grant our wish, just as the scripture says! It is a right naturally given to the first followers!”
‘Scripture… faithful servant… wish… follower… right…’
Flora went over these suspicious words in order, trying to make sense of them.
At that moment, something flashed across her mind.
‘Wait, no way…!’
These people were not simply members of the expedition.
‘Expedition, my foot! Rather… wait, why is my head spinning like this?’
Just as she tried to continue thinking, her eyes began to feel heavy, as if stones were pressing on them.
“The breathing has changed. The effects of the drug must be kicking in.”
“Even after being buried in the box, the reaction is quite delayed.”
She hadn’t expected them to use a drug like this.
“Sleep well, little one. Consider it an honor to become their nourishment and die willingly.”
In her fading consciousness, a memory of Morris from long ago passed by:
A village engulfed in flames, a man screaming in agony, surrounded by dying villagers.
“Damn devil worshippers! Die already!”
Struggling and shouting with all his might, he was eventually killed by the people around him—a frail soul whose end was witnessed by Morris as her consciousness completely shut down.
A quiet room, music softly playing.
Morris sat leaning against the sofa, eyes closed. Someone appeared quietly above her.
Swish—the sword in their hand flew out as they swung it.
Not only the sword—the man himself was thrown against the wall, crashing loudly to the floor.
“Is this the 998th failure today?”
“999th.”
Without opening her eyes, Morris asked, and from the shadows, Janet appeared, bringing tea.
“How pathetic can they be.”
“It’s embarrassing to call oneself a direct subordinate of a demon.”
“Quiet!”
The man with deep pink hair, unable to accept that he was a demon despite serving her, shouted.
“Why do you always pretend to sleep? Do you think you’re human?”
“You’re the fool for falling for the act.”
Unable to contain his frustration, he vomited blood. Seeing the blood in his hands, grief overwhelmed him, and he slumped to the ground, sobbing.
Morris asked coldly, “Because you’re human-born, perhaps. So emotional. Why do you cry every time you see me?”
“Don’t you understand? I want to kill you! But every time I try, I fail!”
“Then why do you keep failing?”
As she spoke calmly, Morris opened her eyes.
The pink-haired man instinctively shut his mouth tight, terrified at her gaze.
“I even gave you the chance to kill me personally, yet you never succeed. You should have given up by now, but you don’t. You just cry every time—how long must I endure this?”
“…Even though you never really endured anything.”
“That’s unfair, isn’t it? Unlike when I dealt with humans, you are my demon, so I give you these chances.”
As Morris extended her hand, he was instantly pulled in front of her.
“When I first created you, the first words you said were that you wanted to kill me. For your pitiful sake, I gave you 1,000 chances. But now, 999 attempts later, there is no sign of success.”
“It’s not over until it’s over! There’s still one chance left!”
“Do you truly believe that? If you do, nod.”
He wanted to nod immediately, but cursed as he couldn’t.
“My foolish demon, your petty pride won’t save you. It will only eat away at you.”
“…Damn! I truly hate you!”
He clenched his anger.
Human-born, now a demon, he remembered his own death.
Having lost his parents early, he had three precious younger siblings.
The triplet boys were disobedient, younger by ten years, needing a lot of care—but they were kind, cute, and lovable.
When his parents died, they saved him from despair, and he resolved to live for them.
Until they went missing.
The missing siblings, suspicious villagers, the unsettling kindness of the village—he discovered the truth he did not wish to know.
The devil worshippers had offered his siblings as sacrifices for the great demon.
The cruel truth revealed after relentless pursuit: his precious siblings died at the hands of those mad with devotion to demons.
Driven mad by grief and despair, he set fire to the village in revenge and was surrounded by villagers, dying.
Had he known he would fall into the hands of a demon like Morris, he might have handled the villagers more wisely.
Morris was a strange being.
Even after becoming human, she didn’t erase his memories, instead turning him into a demon.
He hated her, wanted to kill her—and tried, but always failed.
As he controlled his rage, a small, gentle hand rested on his head.
Like stroking a pet, the affectionate touch ruffled his soft pink hair, and his face flushed redder than his hair.
He hated this great demon who created him.
The demon that led his siblings to death, the monsters, the devil worshippers—all horrid.
“I like your stubborn nature, so I won’t give up. Even for a single chance, I won’t be careless.”
Yet, when receiving such gentle touch, his hatred wavered.
“My foolish demon, won’t you start serving me as your master?”
No matter how he steadied himself, every time, just like now.
Morris was not as dreadful as the cruel villagers worshipped.
Though she didn’t admit it herself, she was kinder and more humane than them.
“Damn it… hate breeds affection, I guess.”
His siblings were gone, and now only Morris remained.
He guessed that the one chance he had clung to like hope was gone. He was lonely, scared, and exhausted.
The last pride he held as a human shattered under her touch.
His human memories erased by Morris’s magic like a wipe, leaving no trace.
Watching him close his eyes quietly, Morris smiled, feeling him entirely hers.
“Good. From now on, your name is —.”
Thus, the second demon serving Morris, a demon of destruction feared by all humans, was born.
