Chapter 73 – I’ll Tell You Everything! Just Let Me Live!

“From now on, I’ll explain in detail what I can do for you.”

“…”

“Sorry! Sorry!! Ahem! I-I’ll explain in detail, is that okay?”

Deus was merely looking at him, suggesting he speak comfortably, but Astaroth kept acting like this.

He considered reassuring him, but the other party was a demon, not a Cradle student. Even if he was seeking asylum, he was still, technically, ‘the enemy,’ so excessive kindness should be avoided.

Besides, there was a high-ranking imperial official right beside him. He had to be careful not to say anything untoward. Or so Deus thought.

Of course, the Minister of Foreign Affairs wouldn’t care what stance he took.

After all, what nonsense would it be to criticize a man who’d slain three demons for being ‘too kind to a demon?’

“First, um… Here, I’ll be as cooperative as possible… Secondly, of course…”

Astaroth, bless her heart, was prattling on, as thoroughly as could be. Though these words originated not from her, but from the man’s mind, memorizing them was something she, too, was confident in.

And so, when the result of all her effort was finally unfurled before Deus.

“So. Let’s summarize, shall we?”

Sitting still for too long had made him a little stiff. The Avatar flexed his hand, making a fist and releasing it, before finally speaking.

“From now on, I will devote myself entirely to the Empire. Whatever it may be, whatever conditions it demands, I will endure.”

“Mm.”

“And. If you wish to find a way to Hell, that path too, can be explored.”

“Correct.”

Loyalty to the Empire, fighting for this world…such things were of little interest. Do as they pleased.

But the second condition was quite…no, *very* intriguing. To be able to help find a way to Hell.

He had already begun to select the personnel to storm Hell, but the method itself remained a complete mystery.

Could they somehow reverse-engineer a Gate? But if that were possible, other espers would have discovered it long ago.

Something else was needed, something they couldn’t figure out here. After all, *they* were the ones who opened the Gates in the first place, and *they* were the only ones who could come and go.

The only things espers could do were capture what came through, or, even if they went through a Gate, clear out just the other side. That was it.

Tearing through space and crossing into another world was something even esper abilities couldn’t manage.

“Well. I like it. Very much so.”

“Really?! That’s a relief!”

“However, there are still some problematic points.”

Going to Hell was only beneficial to him. For the Empire, it was actually rather pointless.

They couldn’t come here anymore, anyway. They’d exhausted their energy. Now they’d have to send monsters instead of demons, and it was difficult to get the same results as before.

The Empire’s espers were more effectively killing the monsters and closing the Gates. It was still a disaster, but no longer on a world-ending scale.

So, under these circumstances, opening a Gate to Hell offered the Empire absolutely no advantage.

“Firstly. When opening a Gate to Hell, it must only allow us to go, and prevent them from coming here.”

“…”

“Secondly. Since we won’t be living there forever, we must of course consider the possibility of returning.”

Have you thought about these issues as well? Deus’ question fell.

Astaroth went, “Uh… um…” and started to explain something, but then scratched her head and muttered, “Ah. I guess I can’t do it. Hey. You come out and talk. I hate difficult things. Too annoying!”

“Sigh.”

Immediately after, a sigh escaped and something abruptly rose up from behind Astaroth.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was nearby, was horrified and tried to get up from his seat, but Deus remained expressionless, and he soon regained his composure and sat down.

“We meet again.”

“Indeed.”

“First, about Astaroth-nim…”

“…”

“Ahem. I will explain in Astaroth’s stead. Is that acceptable?”

Of course. The information you provided was very useful. I think I can trust you.

As permission was granted, the man gracefully bowed and said, “Thank you,” before opening his mouth.

“Firstly, regarding the first point. Making it possible for us to use the Gate to Hell, while preventing them from doing so. To put it simply, it is possible.”

“Possible?”

“Aye. But it needs energy.”

At the word “energy,” Deus’s expression hardened, snapping shut like a steel trap. The man, of course, but even Astaroth, and the Foreign Minister himself, visibly flinched, a collective shudder rippling through the room.

It’s a constant thought, but who, truly, is the demon here, and who the human? It’s getting hard to tell.

“That ‘energy’ isn’t, perchance, of the negative emotion sort, or something akin?”

“That only applies when opening the gate from *there*! In Hell, such negative emotions are the primary driving force! But this is not *there*, is it? What is primarily used *here*?!”

Mana, perhaps? That would be a fitting answer, wouldn’t it? There is also supernatural power, but that uses stamina as a consumption cost.

When I offered an answer along those lines, the man quipped, “Then I will somehow try to create it with that mana. As it happens, I am quite skilled at opening doors!”

Wondering if it’s true, I looked at Astaroth, who nodded in confirmation. I think I can trust him.

“Secondly, it’s an extension of the first part. Naturally, I will also maintain it so that we can return. This will be more on my shoulders than the energy of this place… though, with Astaroth’s blood, it’s not entirely impossible.”

“Hold on. Why is my blood suddenly involved?”

“Why do you ask the obvious? If you consider where I was created, the answer comes quickly, does it not?”

Blood? Blood, huh.

“If you need that woman’s blood, I can draw it for you. Painlessly.”

“How can drawing blood be painless?”

“It’s possible. Do it fast enough that you won’t feel a thing.”

A joke. Surely he doesn’t mean it. But the two of them. No, all three, seemed to take it seriously.

“Spare me. Please.”

“Please, spare us.”

“Deus, student? You, uh, shouldn’t kill them, though.”

“A joke, a joke.”

They’ve laid all their cards on the table, and Deus and the Empire have seen them.

At this point, it’s fair to say they’ve abandoned everything demonic to survive, exposed everything.

“Then the remaining issue is how to package this,” the Foreign Minister offered cautiously, but again, it was the man who answered.

“Let me state upfront, Astaroth has never raised beasts and sent them beyond the gate.”

“Really?”

*How are we to believe that? How can you prove your words?* Their gazes seemed to ask, prompting the man to hurriedly add, “Astaroth is the epitome of laziness. She lounges about so much that I have to cook and clean. In fact, the reason she created me might be because she needed a slave.”

“Hey!”

“Quiet. Isn’t it honestly the truth? The reason we were able to cross over like this is because Astaroth was so indolent. That side – no, those demons – didn’t anticipate she would move like this.”

Despite coming from Hell, he now unhesitatingly refers to the demons as “those demons.” What a flawless about-face! The Foreign Minister even let out an impressed *kiyya* beside him.

“Furthermore, the incident in the South. As Deus-nim knows, she harmed no one. Were there any human fatalities because of that incident?”

“No, there weren’t.”

“Precisely. Here, Astaroth, while a demon, is just that – a demon. She hasn’t caused any significant harm here. Therefore, if we emphasize this aspect when she defects, the Empire will not face any awkwardness.”

How can he sustain such a torrent of words without pausing for even a second?

So much so that the Foreign Minister next to him muttered, “I want to bring him to the Ministry.”

“Ahem. Deus, student. With that much, the Foreign Ministry can handle the part about accepting her into the Empire.”

“I see.”

“However, His Imperial Majesty has directly ordered that all matters pertaining to demons be entrusted to Deus, student, so I will await your decision.”

He defeated the demon, and he let her go, so he can handle the aftermath on his own?

Deus, after a moment’s contemplation, turned his gaze to Astaroth and the man.

“Astaroth.”

“Yes. No, Sir!”

“…Just speak comfortably. And you there… hmm. Do you happen to have a name of some sort?”

“Ah, um. Now that I think about it, I don’t believe I’ve ever been called by a name.”

Deus then looked at Astaroth. The look carried the unspoken question: ‘Seriously? You made him, and you didn’t even give him a name? Did you just make him like a slave?’

“What an outrageously exploitative boss.”

“What are you talking about? Where else would you find a devil who cares for someone as well as I do?”

“Regardless. If you don’t have a name, then, alright. From now on, you will be called by this name.”

Deus wrote something next to Astaroth’s name on the conversion form.

After seeing it, the man began to read the word aloud.

“Jarvis.”

“Yes. Jarvis. From now on, your name is Jarvis.”

“Is there perhaps any meaning or significance to it?”

“There is, but you wouldn’t understand even if I explained it, so let’s skip that.”

“I see. Jarvis. Hmm. Even so, if you, Harbinger of Dawn, bestowed this name upon me, then I trust it holds a meaning of great virtue.”

Astaroth and Jarvis. It’s a bit of an odd combination, but who cares? It’s a perfect name.

Chuckling to himself, Deus decided it was time to lay out his terms.