Necromancer Of The Black Bible (169)

Alseira, Dikrea’s chief of staff.

She watched, in its entirety, the scene beyond the contract gate where Dikrea submitted.

And then.

Only when Dikrea became like a dog, finished the deal, and the contract gate closed did she finally regain consciousness.

“Ugh!”

The brainwashing spell Dikrea had placed.

A spell that made one unable to think of anything other than obedience to their lord.

When that spell broke, fragments of past memories flashed through Alseira’s mind like lightning, each stab causing piercing pain to tear through her thoughts.

“Aagh!!”

Alseira could not steady herself and collapsed to the floor.

She then convulsed several times.

The past of defeat at Dikrea’s hands.

The process of having her right eye gouged out and implanted with the artifact Cadenza, and the subsequent period of enforced obedience.

Only after she saw the scene of Dikrea disappearing beyond the contract gate did Alseira’s headache subside.

“Hah, hah-”

Alseira rose from her seat, cold sweat beading on her skin.

‘What on earth happened?’

Fragments of memory still echoed in her head.

She couldn’t tell whether it was reality or a dream.

But as time passed and her breathing steadied, she slowly became aware of her current situation.

‘This is the Citadel of Void. The balcony of the Citadel of Void.’

At that moment, memories related to this place began to fall into place.

Dikrea’s despair-tinged laughter and orders.

And the magic circle that had completed its effect.

With these confirmed, Alseira realized roughly when she was.

‘Dikrea surrendered to Damian. Thanks to that, I was freed from the spell.’

Alseira also recalled the situation Dikrea had faced.

‘Illinas’s advance.’

The last thing she remembered was not good.

The defensive lines had been completely broken, leaving only the ramparts.

‘This is no time for standing still.’

Alseira hesitated a moment and then stood.

The view beyond the balcony was, truly, a scene of devastation.

The army Dikrea had painstakingly raised lay annihilated, countless corpses strewn about.

Before long, demonic warriors were kneeling behind her, awaiting orders.

“Commander. The last defensive line has been breached.”

“The gate is also in danger.”

“You must make a decision.”

Alseira pressed her hand to her brow and reviewed the situation.

‘There is no chance of victory. Dikrea fled. What Illinas wants is….’

Their obedience.

Alseira felt faint at the choice looming before her.

The thought of the obedience spell that would be forced upon her felt suffocating.

‘Do I really have to survive at such a cost?’

Alseira stared into the distance, lost in thought.

She had chosen life over death to come this far, but the time she had lived through was hardly better than dying.

Above all, her memories were so faint she doubted whether she had truly been living.

Alseira made up her mind.

Then she spoke to the subordinates watching her.

“Dikrea has fled.”

The subordinates’ expressions did not change.

As if they had expected it.

Alseira looked at them and continued.

“There is no way for us to escape this place. We have two choices left: fight until we die, or submit to them.”

The subordinates’ faces contorted.

They knew what submission meant for demons.

A demon who surrenders in war is treated as a slave.

If they do not obey orders, they will receive any punishment,

and it would not be surprising if they were killed at any moment.

Then one demon spoke.

“Commander, what will you do?”

It was the question they had been waiting for.

Alseira spoke in a calm voice.

“I will bargain.”

“Bargain…?”

“Yes. I have Cadenza. I’ll try to make a deal with Illinas using it.”

It was a plausible plan.

Cadenza is an artifact of the highest rank even in the upper Demonic Realm.

It was the driving force that allowed Dikrea to maintain power comparable to Illinas.

While Illinas had an artifact called the Ten Thousand Eyes that could peer into many places across the world, Dikrea had Cadenza, which could see further into a single subject and trace its origin and past.

Illinas would certainly be interested in Cadenza, and using that might make a deal possible.

Alseira told everyone.

“I cannot take responsibility for your fates. So you must each choose for yourselves. What will you do?”

There was not much time for choice.

Shortly after, the palace doors were smashed and the enemies rushed in.

A fearsome Hellfire Knight, with his lackeys, charged toward them in a roar.

Alseira thrust out both hands and shouted.

“I wish to see Illinas!”

At the same time, she spread a protective barrier.

The ‘Natural Shell’ created using Cadenza.

It was a shield capable of repelling any attack or magic until her mana ran out.

The Hellfire Knight struck the barrier several times, then, dissatisfied, shouted.

“Do you think this will change anything?!”

“I have Cadenza. Tell him I wish to present it to Illinas.”

At Alseira’s words, the Hellfire Knight ultimately left his subordinates and departed.

‘Could I really persuade Illinas?’

Alseira sighed and turned back.

The number of her followers had not diminished.

They were prostrated behind Alseira as if they had already made their decision.

A little later.

The space split, and a demon appeared.

A demon with subtly violet skin and a dark brown beard.

From the split pupils, she could tell who it was.

‘Shador?!’

Shador, the sorcerer of darkness, was famous even in the Demonic Realm.

He was both powerful and rumored to be vicious.

‘As expected, meeting Illinas alone would have been impossible.’

Alseira bit her lip.

She had expected that an artifact like Cadenza might get her a direct audience with Illinas.

But Illinas had many capable resources at his disposal.

‘Still, I should take comfort in meeting at least his right hand.’

Alseira steeled herself and waited for Shador to approach.

Shador stared at her for a moment, then slowly approached.

Then he faced Alseira directly and spoke.

“It seems Dikrea has fled.”

“……”

“You don’t have to answer. I already know everything.”

The more he spoke, the more tension hung in the air.

It felt as though every inner thought had been exposed.

But Alseira showed no sign of it and endured; soon Shador spoke again.

“Cadenza is bonded to you. Offering it to Illinas—does that mean you swear loyalty to him?”

“Yes.”

At Alseira’s answer, a grim smile formed at the corner of Shador’s mouth.

“It seems you have a request… what is it?”

“That is….”

Alseira hesitated for a moment.

She had to answer carefully here.

One wrong word could jeopardize the safety of herself and everyone else.

She composed her thoughts and then spoke.

“Dikrea abandoned us and fled. Until now we’ve only been bound by Dikrea’s spell and given her our loyalties. What we want is status. Do not make us slaves. If you agree, we will hand over Cadenza.”

It was the sincere plea of Alseira and all the demons gathered there.

They did not want to become war slaves.

But Shador did not answer immediately.

Instead, he looked over Alseira and the demons behind her, smiled faintly, and asked again.

“If I refuse, what will you do?”

“Then….”

Alseira took a deep breath and answered with a resolute expression.

“I will destroy Cadenza and die together with everyone.”

Alseira meant it.

She preferred death to becoming a slave.

‘I have been subjugated for far too long.’

A life that felt less than living.

She no longer wanted to live like that.

Shador scrutinized Alseira from head to toe.

Then, his gleaming eyes fixed on her pupils as he spoke slowly.

“What is your true name?”

Alseira answered without much thought.

“Alseira.”

Shador continued to stare into her eyes and asked.

“Very well, Alseira. I can grant your request. I will not make you war slaves. But you must become my retainer.”

“Retainer?”

“Yes. In simple terms, my hands and feet.”

Alseira thought.

There was clearly calculation in Shador’s voice, but she couldn’t guess exactly what it meant.

She asked with a sharp look.

“What are you scheming?”

Shador smiled faintly and replied.

“I’m planning to make you and your subordinates my instruments.”

“Behind Illinas’s back?”

“Think about it. Do you think that’s possible?”

Shador was right.

No demon in the Demonic Realm could pull this off without the Demon King knowing.

And becoming Shador’s subordinate wasn’t so bad.

He had a reputation high enough to be called Illinas’s right hand.

‘If we become Shador’s followers, no one will touch us.’

Alseira drew that conclusion immediately.

“Fine. Do that.”

Shador’s smile deepened.

He gathered mana in both hands and spoke.

“Shall we make the contract now?”

“I will determine the wording.”

“Do as you wish.”

Shador nodded, and Alseira slowly recited the wording she had prepared.

It stated that she and the demons here pledged fealty to Shador, and as a sign of that pledge they would gift Cadenza.

Alseira emphasized the final phrase.

“However, we refuse the obedience spell. If you violate this, we will detonate Cadenza.”

Shador, who had listened to the end, slowly shook his head and spoke.

“That condition won’t do.”

Alseira could not ask again.

His mana had already seized control of her.

Shador approached her and whispered.

“To use Cadenza as I please, you must at least submit entirely to me, right? Isn’t that so?”

“Tha- that is…”

“So do as I say.”

Shador presented a new clause.

“The new master may use any means to compel obedience from new subordinates. And subordinates must never mention the master’s name to outsiders. Violation of this will result in annihilation by this contract.”

Alseira could not refuse his words. She transcribed his recitation verbatim into the contract wording.

When the contract was completed, Shador asked again.

“Do you agree to all of these terms?”

“…I agree.”

“Good.”

Shador concluded the contract.

A red chain appeared, wrapped around them, and then vanished.

In that moment, Alseira felt her own will disappear.

The obedience spell she never wanted to experience again.

Alseira tried to resist, but she had already lost her sense of self.

Shador instructed her.

“Lower the barrier. And swear your oath of fealty.”

Alseira did as she was told.

The barrier fell, and she kneeled before him and swore.

Following her, the demons behind also pledged their loyalty.

“We welcome our new lord.”

Shador looked down at them with a satisfied expression.

At that moment, the Hellfire Knight and his men appeared from behind.

“Is everything finished? You should bring them to Illinas, shouldn’t you?”

Shador turned to him.

“You haven’t told this story to anyone else, have you?”

“I have not. I reported directly to you, Lord Shador.”

“Well done.”

Shador gathered mana and formed a small bell.

It was a ‘Bell of Command’.

A terrifying magic that instantly burned those who heard its chime.

Shador lifted the Bell of Command and gently shook it toward the Hellfire Knight and his subordinates.

Triing triing triing-

Then the bodies of the Hellfire Knight and his subordinates became engulfed in a greenish flame.

The blaze continued to consume them.

“No, what on earth is this….”

The knight’s eyes were filled with disbelief, and Shador said, almost pitying them.

“The enemy’s resistance was so fierce. To see a knight like you fall so helplessly.”

“What the hell!!”

“I will report well to Illinas. May you die gloriously in battle.”

“…!!!”

The Hellfire Knight could not respond further.

Engulfed by the command flame, he burned completely to ash.

Having finished everything, Shador immediately communicated with Damian.

-Good news. We have acquired Cadenza.