༺ Trouble (3) ༻
System Message
The first thing that came to mind was that I could take away Yuria’s Demonic Aura after I made her feel better.
Though, I wasn’t planning on using it here.
‘…It’s way too early to use this.’
Originally, I was saving it to use on Faenol, but this was an emergency, there was no other choice.
Revealing my hand like this was better than letting the Purple Devil go berserk at least…
Like, I could always get the Demonic Aura back by leashing Yuria and dragging her to Mister Angels.
[…You have no more conscience left at this point, huh?]
“…”
Okay, look, even if I sugarcoated my words, it wouldn’t change the action itself!
Besides, it should be fine, as long as I didn’t enjoy the process!
[…It’s over for you. You’re way too gone at this point.]
“…”
[I don’t think this is because of some kind of influence by your race change. Your personality is just becoming shittier.]
Okay, cool, now shut up.
Ignoring Caliban’s words, I strode into the classroom.
[But, a Devil’s still a Devil, I guess. Are you trying to tell me this aura is incomplete?]
From inside the amulet, such a sentence flowed out.
He probably said such a thing after witnessing the scene unfolding in my surroundings.
White aura flowed out of my chest, filling the entire space. Influenced by it, the students had dazed looks.
Dozens of them stood still and upright, as if they had fainted while standing.
Due to the characteristics of this School, those students must be aiming to be Battle Priests. In other words, some of them should have stronger resistance towards this kind of mental interference compared to students’ of other Schools..
Yet, even they had lost control of their minds.
The White Devil’s Authority, ‘Enthrallment’, gave its user the ability to exercise control over the mind of the target.
If they were at the level of a Venerable Monk, or a high-ranking Battle Priest, whose very nature were to discipline one’s mind, they might not succumb to this level of Aura. But because they were merely students, even this incomplete Aura was enough to captivate them.
I could ask these guys to do anything right now and they would comply.
“Alright. Attention.”
I clapped my hands to shift their focus to me.
Their dazed eyes simultaneously concentrated towards my face.
“Forget everything you’ve seen here. Got it?”
With those words…
A white aura briefly flared in everyone’s eyes.
This meant they recognized my ‘command’.
“Good. Now, disperse quietly.”
Shortly after I said this, everyone left the classroom in an orderly fashion.
Almost as if nothing had happened.
[Is that all? Are you sure it’ll be okay?]
“What?”
Was there something that wasn’t okay about this?
[This kind of memory erasure can be reversed later if someone tries hard enough. Since they’re Battle Priests, they should be familiar with purification rituals. This kind of thing is very risky and—]
“…What?”
[…Huh?]
We each exchanged such puzzled noises.
It felt like we were not quite on the same page.
“What are you on about? Let me remind you, this is a Devil’s Authority, okay?”
[Okay, look, I’ve seen others use similar abilities to this before. All of them could easily be broken through, you know?]
Ah.
I get it.
This guy thought that what I did was ordinary brainwashing or hypnosis. Well, it did seem similar to those, I guess.
And he was right, those kinds of things were easy to break and using it carried a high risk.
However, despite it being incomplete, this was still a Devil’s Authority.
“This isn’t brainwashing or hypnosis, they’re just following my orders ‘because they like me’.”
In the first place, the ability’s name was ‘Enthrallment.’
They retained their memories of everything, they just followed everything I said because they ‘liked me so much’.
This ability wasn’t as simple as me making them forget something because I told them so. It was that they chose to listen to my request because I ‘wanted’ them to forget.
And they weren’t even aware of this happening.
[…What is that even supposed to mean?]
“It means, you don’t need to worry about the aftermath.”
By the way, they wouldn’t just forget everything that happened here, they’d also actively cover up the evidence to prevent rumors from spreading, silence anyone who knew about this, and even if they were tortured, they wouldn’t speak of it until they die.
They weren’t merely following orders; They’d do their best to achieve the ‘result I desire.’
“In short, they’ll do anything I say here except for one thing.”
A command to harm me. They would never obey that.
[Why wouldn’t they?]
“You can’t possibly hurt someone that you love, can you?”
I replied with a bitter smile.
“If I were to tell them to harm me, they’d say something along the lines of they’d rather take their own lives instead.”
[…]
After a long silence, Caliban finally spoke.
[And this ability is incomplete?]
“Yes.”
The complete version could assert the Authority over an entire ‘continent’.
If it was the White Devil, she’d be able to enthrall every sentient being in this world.
[…What kind of batshit crazy power is that?]
Caliban spoke in a despondent tone.
I smiled bitterly in agreement.
Well, that was just how Devils were. Trying to understand them was essentially a losing game.
Anyway, I had eliminated the conditions for Seras to go psycho mode again.
More importantly, I needed to treat this guy quickly before he died.
With that in mind, I looked at the male student writing on the floor.
“Sigh.”
Exhaling a sigh, I took out a case from my pocket.
It was a potion set for emergencies. I always carried it just in case I got hurt.
[…]
“What?”
[I felt sorry for you.]
“…”
[How often must you feel threatened that you need to carry around a set like this?]
To think that even you would empathize with me…
I guess that just showed how dire and miserable my circumstances always were.
My life… So tragic…
[Ah, but I have one more question.]
“What is it?”
[This ability to control is impressive and all, but it seems like you’re going to use it against the Red Devil? Does it even work on other Devils?]
“…Ah, that.”
Well, this power was rather simple.
So, obviously, it wouldn’t work on Devils.
However…
Originally, it was impossible to even ‘make contact’ with certain entities, but with this power, I could make them come out.
Even the Red Devil, who was immune to my Fatal Charm, could be summoned at least once by using this.
[…Aha. So to her, you, who already look tasty, will seem even more appetizing?]
“…”
That was a weird way to put it, but he wasn’t wrong.
With that thought, I looked at Seras, who, like the others, was standing dazedly.
Since a while ago, purple aura had been fluctuating in her eyes.
Ah.
I should start my preparation.
It was about time for the effects to kick in.
[Prepare for what?]
Well…
Like I said, this was an ability that could even summon the Red Devil, who showed the least interest in me, once.
Now, with that in mind…
What kind of effect would it have on someone who’d willingly meddle in my business like a lunatic, even when I tried not to give them any attention?
System Message
[ The Aura of the ‘Purple Devil’ is felt! ]
[ ‘Fallen’s Seal’ reacts! ]
Following that message, Seras’ eyes were completely filled with the color ‘purple’.
Then…
“MASTERRRRR—!!!”
Seras, in a high-pitched voice that didn’t suit her at all, threw herself into my arms.
It felt like my body was being folded in half.
She was a Grand Assassin alright. Her physical abilities were crazy. Just her embrace felt like I was being hit by a truck.
As I gasped because the air was knocked out of my lungs, Seras kept rubbing her face against my chest.
“Master, Master! I missed you!”
She excitedly threw those words with a joyful voice.
Her pupils sparkled as if stardust were falling from them. It was an unimaginable expression considering her usual demeanor.
She was like a large loyal dog meeting its owner after years of separation.
“Hey, hey, stop…!”
Of course, no matter how dog-like she was, it was still way too excessive for her to actually lick my face. Seriously, put your tongue away!
As I backed away, startled, Seras, undeterred, spread her legs wide while embracing me like an industrial vise.
It was as if she was a small child clinging to a grown adult.
As if she never wanted to let go. As if she wanted to be even closer to me.
Of course, my physical strength wasn’t great enough to properly withstand a full-grown woman charging at me with all her weight.
As soon as I staggered and fell, Seras covered me as if she had been waiting for this moment. With no room to retreat, I had no choice but to be at her mercy as she relentlessly licked my face.
“…”
Seeing one of the continent’s top assassins doing this kind of thing would certainly be a horrifying sight, but it was probably not of her own will.
To explain, uh…
Her behavior was heavily influenced by the ‘personal’ tastes of the Purple Devil.
[…What? If this is all she does when she goes berserk, then she doesn’t look dangerous at all.]
While my face was getting smeared with saliva, Caliban said such words.
‘This isn’t her going berserk.’
As I replied to him, I activated a skill.
System Notification
[ Using ‘Scan’. ]
[ Gathering information on the target. ]
[ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ]
[ Seras Evatrice ]
Characteristic: Vessel – Purple Devil
Status: I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like-
“…”
Let’s skip this creepy ass window for now.
[ Status Info ]
[ General ]
Strength: A+
Agility: SSS
Endurance: B
Luck: B
Power: A-
[ Special ]
Magic Power: A
Law Power: F
Divine Power: A
[ Misc. ]
Current Fused ‘Devil Fragment’ Amount: 1
Stage 1 Fusion Progress: 3%
Corruption Progress: 1%
Look at this.
The Fragment Fusion Progress was at its lowest. Even the Corruption Progress was lingering at 1%
This was a phenomenon that could only be seen with the Purple Devil.
Even if she didn’t go berserk, she was able to express her ‘will’ through the ‘Vessel’.
“…”
This shit was scary as fuck.
Even the White Devil, THE Devil of Obsession herself didn’t rush out, suppress Yuria’s personality and do whatever she wanted.
Sure, they were Vessels and all, but once they got seriously entangled with a Devil, a mental breakdown would definitely occur, it was just a matter of time. If the Vessel’s personality was forcibly suppressed like this by the Devil’s will, the Vessel could actually become a vegetable, unable to act nor think.
And if the Vessel ended up like that, it would be a huge loss for the Devil, as they could only exert their influence in the Material Realm through them as a medium.
However…
This crazy Devil disregarded any of that and just rushed in.
When thinking about such a reckless tendency, where she consistently meddled ‘for me’, there couldn’t be anything more terrifying than that.
“Seras.”
As such…
What I had to do here was quite clear.
I needed to lay some groundwork to ‘control’ that tendency.
“Yes, Master! Just tell me to do anything! Anything! Command me! Boss me around however you want! Anything I can do, I’ll do, so—!”
“This is a command. Don’t come within a 5 meter radius from me.”
Seras’ words were cut off abruptly.
༺ Trouble (3) ༻
System Message
The first thing that came to mind was that I could take away Yuria’s Demonic Aura after I made her feel better.
Though, I wasn’t planning on using it here.
‘…It’s way too early to use this.’
Originally, I was saving it to use on Faenol, but this was an emergency, there was no other choice.
Revealing my hand like this was better than letting the Purple Devil go berserk at least…
Like, I could always get the Demonic Aura back by leashing Yuria and dragging her to Mister Angels.
[…You have no more conscience left at this point, huh?]
“…”
Okay, look, even if I sugarcoated my words, it wouldn’t change the action itself!
Besides, it should be fine, as long as I didn’t enjoy the process!
[…It’s over for you. You’re way too gone at this point.]
“…”
[I don’t think this is because of some kind of influence by your race change. Your personality is just becoming shittier.]
Okay, cool, now shut up.
Ignoring Caliban’s words, I strode into the classroom.
[But, a Devil’s still a Devil, I guess. Are you trying to tell me this aura is incomplete?]
From inside the amulet, such a sentence flowed out.
He probably said such a thing after witnessing the scene unfolding in my surroundings.
White aura flowed out of my chest, filling the entire space. Influenced by it, the students had dazed looks.
Dozens of them stood still and upright, as if they had fainted while standing.
Due to the characteristics of this School, those students must be aiming to be Battle Priests. In other words, some of them should have stronger resistance towards this kind of mental interference compared to students’ of other Schools..
Yet, even they had lost control of their minds.
The White Devil’s Authority, ‘Enthrallment’, gave its user the ability to exercise control over the mind of the target.
If they were at the level of a Venerable Monk, or a high-ranking Battle Priest, whose very nature were to discipline one’s mind, they might not succumb to this level of Aura. But because they were merely students, even this incomplete Aura was enough to captivate them.
I could ask these guys to do anything right now and they would comply.
“Alright. Attention.”
I clapped my hands to shift their focus to me.
Their dazed eyes simultaneously concentrated towards my face.
“Forget everything you’ve seen here. Got it?”
With those words…
A white aura briefly flared in everyone’s eyes.
This meant they recognized my ‘command’.
“Good. Now, disperse quietly.”
Shortly after I said this, everyone left the classroom in an orderly fashion.
Almost as if nothing had happened.
[Is that all? Are you sure it’ll be okay?]
“What?”
Was there something that wasn’t okay about this?
[This kind of memory erasure can be reversed later if someone tries hard enough. Since they’re Battle Priests, they should be familiar with purification rituals. This kind of thing is very risky and—]
“…What?”
[…Huh?]
We each exchanged such puzzled noises.
It felt like we were not quite on the same page.
“What are you on about? Let me remind you, this is a Devil’s Authority, okay?”
[Okay, look, I’ve seen others use similar abilities to this before. All of them could easily be broken through, you know?]
Ah.
I get it.
This guy thought that what I did was ordinary brainwashing or hypnosis. Well, it did seem similar to those, I guess.
And he was right, those kinds of things were easy to break and using it carried a high risk.
However, despite it being incomplete, this was still a Devil’s Authority.
“This isn’t brainwashing or hypnosis, they’re just following my orders ‘because they like me’.”
In the first place, the ability’s name was ‘Enthrallment.’
They retained their memories of everything, they just followed everything I said because they ‘liked me so much’.
This ability wasn’t as simple as me making them forget something because I told them so. It was that they chose to listen to my request because I ‘wanted’ them to forget.
And they weren’t even aware of this happening.
[…What is that even supposed to mean?]
“It means, you don’t need to worry about the aftermath.”
By the way, they wouldn’t just forget everything that happened here, they’d also actively cover up the evidence to prevent rumors from spreading, silence anyone who knew about this, and even if they were tortured, they wouldn’t speak of it until they die.
They weren’t merely following orders; They’d do their best to achieve the ‘result I desire.’
“In short, they’ll do anything I say here except for one thing.”
A command to harm me. They would never obey that.
[Why wouldn’t they?]
“You can’t possibly hurt someone that you love, can you?”
I replied with a bitter smile.
“If I were to tell them to harm me, they’d say something along the lines of they’d rather take their own lives instead.”
[…]
After a long silence, Caliban finally spoke.
[And this ability is incomplete?]
“Yes.”
The complete version could assert the Authority over an entire ‘continent’.
If it was the White Devil, she’d be able to enthrall every sentient being in this world.
[…What kind of batshit crazy power is that?]
Caliban spoke in a despondent tone.
I smiled bitterly in agreement.
Well, that was just how Devils were. Trying to understand them was essentially a losing game.
Anyway, I had eliminated the conditions for Seras to go psycho mode again.
More importantly, I needed to treat this guy quickly before he died.
With that in mind, I looked at the male student writing on the floor.
“Sigh.”
Exhaling a sigh, I took out a case from my pocket.
It was a potion set for emergencies. I always carried it just in case I got hurt.
[…]
“What?”
[I felt sorry for you.]
“…”
[How often must you feel threatened that you need to carry around a set like this?]
To think that even you would empathize with me…
I guess that just showed how dire and miserable my circumstances always were.
My life… So tragic…
[Ah, but I have one more question.]
“What is it?”
[This ability to control is impressive and all, but it seems like you’re going to use it against the Red Devil? Does it even work on other Devils?]
“…Ah, that.”
Well, this power was rather simple.
So, obviously, it wouldn’t work on Devils.
However…
Originally, it was impossible to even ‘make contact’ with certain entities, but with this power, I could make them come out.
Even the Red Devil, who was immune to my Fatal Charm, could be summoned at least once by using this.
[…Aha. So to her, you, who already look tasty, will seem even more appetizing?]
“…”
That was a weird way to put it, but he wasn’t wrong.
With that thought, I looked at Seras, who, like the others, was standing dazedly.
Since a while ago, purple aura had been fluctuating in her eyes.
Ah.
I should start my preparation.
It was about time for the effects to kick in.
[Prepare for what?]
Well…
Like I said, this was an ability that could even summon the Red Devil, who showed the least interest in me, once.
Now, with that in mind…
What kind of effect would it have on someone who’d willingly meddle in my business like a lunatic, even when I tried not to give them any attention?
System Message
[ The Aura of the ‘Purple Devil’ is felt! ]
[ ‘Fallen’s Seal’ reacts! ]
Following that message, Seras’ eyes were completely filled with the color ‘purple’.
Then…
“MASTERRRRR—!!!”
Seras, in a high-pitched voice that didn’t suit her at all, threw herself into my arms.
It felt like my body was being folded in half.
She was a Grand Assassin alright. Her physical abilities were crazy. Just her embrace felt like I was being hit by a truck.
As I gasped because the air was knocked out of my lungs, Seras kept rubbing her face against my chest.
“Master, Master! I missed you!”
She excitedly threw those words with a joyful voice.
Her pupils sparkled as if stardust were falling from them. It was an unimaginable expression considering her usual demeanor.
She was like a large loyal dog meeting its owner after years of separation.
“Hey, hey, stop…!”
Of course, no matter how dog-like she was, it was still way too excessive for her to actually lick my face. Seriously, put your tongue away!
As I backed away, startled, Seras, undeterred, spread her legs wide while embracing me like an industrial vise.
It was as if she was a small child clinging to a grown adult.
As if she never wanted to let go. As if she wanted to be even closer to me.
Of course, my physical strength wasn’t great enough to properly withstand a full-grown woman charging at me with all her weight.
As soon as I staggered and fell, Seras covered me as if she had been waiting for this moment. With no room to retreat, I had no choice but to be at her mercy as she relentlessly licked my face.
“…”
Seeing one of the continent’s top assassins doing this kind of thing would certainly be a horrifying sight, but it was probably not of her own will.
To explain, uh…
Her behavior was heavily influenced by the ‘personal’ tastes of the Purple Devil.
[…What? If this is all she does when she goes berserk, then she doesn’t look dangerous at all.]
While my face was getting smeared with saliva, Caliban said such words.
‘This isn’t her going berserk.’
As I replied to him, I activated a skill.
System Notification
[ Using ‘Scan’. ]
[ Gathering information on the target. ]
[ A 24-hour cooldown applies before reuse is available on the same target. ]
[ Seras Evatrice ]
Characteristic: Vessel – Purple Devil
Status: I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like Master, I like-
“…”
Let’s skip this creepy ass window for now.
[ Status Info ]
[ General ]
Strength: A+
Agility: SSS
Endurance: B
Luck: B
Power: A-
[ Special ]
Magic Power: A
Law Power: F
Divine Power: A
[ Misc. ]
Current Fused ‘Devil Fragment’ Amount: 1
Stage 1 Fusion Progress: 3%
Corruption Progress: 1%
Look at this.
The Fragment Fusion Progress was at its lowest. Even the Corruption Progress was lingering at 1%
This was a phenomenon that could only be seen with the Purple Devil.
Even if she didn’t go berserk, she was able to express her ‘will’ through the ‘Vessel’.
“…”
This shit was scary as fuck.
Even the White Devil, THE Devil of Obsession herself didn’t rush out, suppress Yuria’s personality and do whatever she wanted.
Sure, they were Vessels and all, but once they got seriously entangled with a Devil, a mental breakdown would definitely occur, it was just a matter of time. If the Vessel’s personality was forcibly suppressed like this by the Devil’s will, the Vessel could actually become a vegetable, unable to act nor think.
And if the Vessel ended up like that, it would be a huge loss for the Devil, as they could only exert their influence in the Material Realm through them as a medium.
However…
This crazy Devil disregarded any of that and just rushed in.
When thinking about such a reckless tendency, where she consistently meddled ‘for me’, there couldn’t be anything more terrifying than that.
“Seras.”
As such…
What I had to do here was quite clear.
I needed to lay some groundwork to ‘control’ that tendency.
“Yes, Master! Just tell me to do anything! Anything! Command me! Boss me around however you want! Anything I can do, I’ll do, so—!”
“This is a command. Don’t come within a 5 meter radius from me.”
Seras’ words were cut off abruptly.
