Chapter 538 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator |
Everyone was speechless.
Belpheghor had been repeating the incantation until Frondier arrived.
In other words, Belpheghor knew Frondier would reach Yggdrasil. He just didn't know when.
[It's a tedious thing to do, but I had nothing else to do here.]
Just how many times did he repeat it? Perhaps even Belpheghor himself didn't know.
But Belpheghor said it like it was nothing special.
It must have been a dull and boring task, with no immediate reward.
However, it seemed like no problem for the Slothful King.
"...Belpheghor, were you waiting for me to come here?"
He didn't know the whole situation yet. But Belpheghor appearing at this moment, and the change in Satan's expression because of it…
This was definitely a variable.
[That's right. I've been waiting eagerly, Frondier.]
"...Why? Belpheghor, what are you up to?"
There was no doubt that Belpheghor was a new variable, but it was also an undeniable fact that he was Frondier's enemy.
The time they fought tooth and nail in the middle of Manggot was as vivid as yesterday. In the end, Frondier won, and Belpheghor lost, falling from his position of Sloth.
There was no reason for Belpheghor to help Frondier. It would be more natural for him to harbor resentment.
[Frondier. This is Nastrond. It's an even worse place than Helheim. So I don't know much about what's going on over there.]
Belpheghor said.
[So, how are things going?]
"...What?"
[You decided to save humanity, didn't you?]
At those words, Frondier blinked a few times, recalling his last conversation with Belpheghor.
─If you've decided to save humanity, see it through to the end.
─That way, I won't have to come back later to eat your soul.
It seemed that the fight from that day wasn't just vivid in Frondier's memory.
Belpheghor asked again.
[How are things going? Do you still think humans are beings worth saving?]
"...."
Frondier couldn't answer right away.
Even after winning the war against Manggot, he had gone through many hardships to get to this point.
And most of it was to save humanity,
and the results were always...
"...Yes."
Frondier replied.
As he answered, he thought to himself.
Belpheghor was indeed a devil. How dare he ask such a question?
[Hehe.]
Belpheghor let out a short laugh.
[Frondier. I am a devil. As a devil, I only have malice. Therefore, everything I do is nothing but evil.]
"I know that very well."
Frondier replied, and he heard Belpheghor's short chuckle again.
[This devil, I...]
Even though it was just a voice, Belpheghor's smile was more vivid than ever.
[...will make you an offer you can't refuse.]
When Belpheghor said that, it was Satan who shouted.
[Belpheghor! What are you thinking?! Frondier has to die here! It is the will of both devils and Gods! You know that!]
[No, that's what 'you guys' think. Satan. You have a very devilish habit of using the word 'all' so carelessly.]
Belpheghor flatly denied it.
And then he said,
[Have you forgotten why I didn't want to be king?]
[...What nonsense are you spouting? It was just because it was bothersome.]
Hahaha. Belpheghor laughed out loud.
[Yes. It was bothersome. The process of unifying the thoughts of all those beneath me.]
[...!]
[How does it feel to be king, Satan? Not bothersome? Those who think for themselves all have their own thoughts. How does it feel to preach to them that 'we are moving forward with the same thought'? Even though you yourself don't think so, you spew it out with a sincerity full of lies, pretending that you do.]
[...You... to reduce the duty of a king to such words...!]
After a long time, Satan's expression matched his title.
As if he was used to it, Belpheghor didn't react much and spoke to Frondier again.
[Now, shall we begin?]
"...I don't understand what you're talking about. What's this offer I can't refuse? Let me hear it first before I decide."
[You said you wanted to save Azier.]
"….!"
[Frondier, when a soul is sucked into Yggdrasil, it's not easy to maintain one's will. It just flows and drifts like a river. You might be able to withstand it to some extent, but it won't last long. In that state, do you think you can find Azier's soul?]
This was the truth that Satan was hiding.
Even if he were to get the chance to save Azier, he wouldn't be able to properly use that chance.
A devil wasn't a devil just because they granted a human's wish and ate their soul.
It was because they didn't even properly grant that wish.
Belpheghor said,
[That bastard Satan is a liar. Don't trust him. Just by his name, you can tell he's a con artist. I have a better way. You don't have to die, and you don't have to be sucked into Yggdrasil. That's why the ritual is clear, and it's a much more certain way to save Azier. What do you think?]
Belpheghor spoke with a pitch even more suspicious than Satan's.
[There's no way such a method exists...!]
Even Satan cried out in disbelief.
However, from Frondier's point of view, he had no choice but to listen.
"...What is it? This method."
[Will you try it?]
"Tell me the method first."
[Ah, don't worry. It's the same thing anyway.]
… The same thing?
Trying it and telling him the method are the same thing?
Belpheghor's words were difficult to understand.
After that, Belpheghor made another strange sound.
[Ah, ahem. Wait a minute. I need to clear my throat for this.]
"What?"
Frondier couldn't understand at all. Meanwhile, he heard Belpheghor coughing and clearing his throat.
And then,
[...Belpheghor, the Demon of Sloth, hereby begins the contract.]
Belpheghor lowered his voice unlike himself and uttered strange words.
[The target is Frondier de Roach.]
Frondier's eyes widened.
He knew now.
A way to cross over to another world without dying, without using Yggdrasil.
Frondier had seen it many times before.
At the Imperial Palace, and on the Agoris continent.
Demon summoning. This was just the reverse.
Belpheghor was trying to summon Frondier, as a devil.
Satan shouted.
[That's absurd! Frondier is a human! Trying to perform a demon summoning on a human! Have you gone mad, Belpheghor?!]
[Don't ask me if I'm crazy about a devil, it's embarrassing to answer.]
[And summoning requires a medium! Especially for someone of Frondier's caliber, an ordinary medium won't do! Unless you have something like a dragon heart!]
As Satan said, there were two problems with this contract.
One was that Frondier was not a devil.
And the other was that summoning a devil required a suitable medium.
[Frondier, what do you think?]
Belpheghor said.
[I can solve one of the two.]
"….!"
[You figure out how to do the other one.]
Figure it out, he says.
Which of the two did Frondier have to solve?
[The hint is right before your eyes.]