Those who pursue the arcane can largely be divided into two types.
The first consists of those who strictly adhere to tradition, advancing only within the boundaries set by the world’s established rules.
To them, any power obtained through improper means is tainted, and only research conducted through orthodox methods holds true value.
These are the scholars who prioritize process above all else.
The second type, however, cares little for the path they take as long as they achieve progress.
They advance toward their goals by any means necessary, believing that clinging to a so-called “pure” process is nothing more than an excuse for failure.
To them, even a twisted road is beautiful—so long as it leads to results.
And by this standard…
Mari—the Great Witch—firmly belonged to the latter.
Having lived a fierce and relentless life since childhood, she viewed an obsession with process as nothing more than a privilege of the weak.
She was the kind of person who wouldn’t hesitate to crawl through the filthiest of mud if it meant achieving her goal.
Because of this, she had never been one to shy away from practices that society deemed unseemly, if not outright forbidden.
For instance, black magic.
The study of black mana—the foreign energy often wielded by demons—wasn’t outright forbidden in the Empire, but it certainly wasn’t looked upon kindly.
This unstable, interdimensional force had a tendency to trigger magical accidents, making it dangerous to handle.
But to Mari, the unpredictability of black mana wasn’t a deterrent—it was fascinating.
After all, as someone who had dedicated her life to magical research, its chaotic nature presented an endless source of raw intrigue.
And in practical terms, black mana had already proven itself to be an incredibly useful tool, aiding her in numerous breakthroughs.
Despite its demonstrated effectiveness, however, the use of black magic remained largely underdeveloped in the Empire.
The reason?
The clergy, who claimed it defied the will of the gods.
And the so-called orthodox mages, who rejected anything that strayed from their traditions.
Because of these forces, the study of black magic in the Empire had never progressed beyond the basics.
To Mari, this was a frustrating waste of potential.
And deep in her heart, it left her with a small but persistent desire.
To one day set foot in Pandemonica, the capital of the Demon Nation.
A city known as the sanctuary of black magic.
As the heart of enemy territory, it was nearly impossible for an imperial citizen to visit under normal circumstances.
But if the opportunity ever arose, she longed to witness the pinnacle of black magic with her own eyes.
And now.
That opportunity had arrived in the most unexpected way.
The realization made her heart begin to race with excitement.
‘I thought if I ever got the chance to go, it would be in the middle of a battle… I never expected to visit so casually like this!’
There was a vast difference between invading a city during wartime and visiting it in peacetime.
Especially for someone like Mari, whose interest was largely academic.
Of course, as a human, her presence there would undoubtedly cause complications.
But as a witch who had dedicated her life to magical research, it was a risk worth taking.
‘If I get the chance, I have to visit the Magic Tower there. No way I can do it alone, though… I’ll have to find a way to convince Poltuga to help me…’
—
“How is it?”
“Ahh~ It looks perfect on you, Lord Kesar! You truly suit anything you wear~♡”
Standing before a mirror, Kesar examined himself in his formal attire for the banquet.
Beside him, Flantsu showered him with affectionate praise.
Preparations were in full swing for the banquet in Pandemonica.
The journey was long, and this wasn’t just any ordinary gathering—tribute for the Great Demon King needed to be prepared, along with various other necessary supplies.
With everything that had to be arranged, the entire castle was in a frenzy.
“Hmm… The outfit seems fine. As for the key tributes, we’ve prepared the severed head and sword of that Imperial admiral… James, was it? Along with his ship’s figurehead.”
“Well done, Antony.”
With most of the preparations completed, the end was finally in sight.
Antony, after checking the final list, tucked it away and spoke in a quiet voice.
“But Lord Kesar… what do you think this is really about? There’s no way His Majesty the Great Demon King is hosting this banquet out of pure goodwill.”
“I agree,” Kesar replied.
“Lately, we’ve been receiving increasingly unreasonable orders. I can’t help but wonder if there’s some hidden scheme behind all of this.”
Flantsu, despite being enamored with Kesar’s appearance in his formal wear, couldn’t shake her unease about the event.
As a noble-born demon, she had a general understanding of how politics worked among the high-ranking demons.
In their world, even the most loyal vassal could be branded a traitor and executed overnight.
Whenever politics were involved, whether the outcome was good or bad, one always had to remain wary.
‘Especially Lord Kesar… his background makes him vulnerable. There are plenty of demons just waiting for a chance to tear him down…’
Even Flantsu herself, when she first met him, had harbored her own reservations about his position.
Under the rule of the current Great Demon King, a policy of equality had been implemented.
Even so, as a demon of noble lineage, Flantsu had hated the idea of serving under someone like Kesar.
Though her feelings had completely changed after that day’s events, she still remembered how she had once resented it.
And if she, Kesar’s direct subordinate, had felt that way, then it was obvious how the arrogant high-ranking demons surrounding the Great Demon King must view him.
Antony and Flantsu both voiced their concerns, their unease apparent.
To this, Kesar responded in a quiet voice.
“It’s true. His Majesty the Great Demon King wouldn’t summon me just for entertainment. There’s a very high chance something else is at play.”
“…Yes, I suppose that was to be expected.”
It was an obvious concern.
But at the same time, there was no way to prepare for something they couldn’t see coming.
For now, the best course of action was to wait and respond accordingly when the situation unfolded.
Hearing Kesar’s words, Flantsu let out a bittersweet sigh before speaking with firm determination.
“Do not worry, Lord Kesar. No matter what happens, I will protect you.”
“…Thank you, Flantsu.”
“Hehe~♡”
“…I really do appreciate it, but—could you please take a step back?”
“…Hngh… Alright.”
Reluctantly, Flantsu pulled away after having subtly pressed herself against him, pouting slightly as she did.
“If it’s just the Magic Tower… well… I guess I can go with you.”
“Thank you! Really, thank you! I’ll definitely repay this debt someday!”
Mari expressed her gratitude repeatedly.
To this, Poltuga let out a sigh and responded with a tired smile.
“A debt… doesn’t really matter. But if something weird happens while we’re there, try to stop it, alright? Like, if a shelf full of potions suddenly explodes… or if a chandelier hanging from the ceiling just decides to fall.”
“…I’ll be careful.”
Mari responded seriously, unable to take Poltuga’s words as mere jokes.
Just as they were finishing up their conversation about the schedule.
“We’re almost there.”
“Ah!”
At the coachman’s words, the two of them immediately turned to look out the window.
And there it was—a vast, imposing city.
A deep, molten red glow seemed to shimmer throughout its structures.
At the heart of the city stood a towering spire, surrounded by five smaller towers positioned symmetrically around it.
Beyond them, countless smaller buildings sprawled outward.
This was the capital of the Demon Realm.
The Demon King’s Castle itself.
This was Pandemonica.
“Kesar has nearly arrived?”
“Yes, my lord.”
Adolf Gearmann, who had been carefully maintaining his sword, paused at his servant’s report.
A banquet had been arranged in accordance with the Great Demon King’s decree to celebrate a victorious campaign.
But Adolf already knew exactly what it really meant.
‘His Majesty… has finally made his decision.’
For a long time, Adolf had been warning about the threat that Kesar posed.
However, the Great Demon King had remained uncertain, unable to fully make up his mind.
After all, from the outside, Kesar appeared to be nothing more than a loyal and capable vassal.
A powerful warrior, yes—but unfortunately, their lord lacked the insight to truly see through people.
But now…
Finally, their ruler had accepted Adolf’s concerns and was beginning to act.
It was time to confirm Kesar’s true nature.
And to eliminate him, if necessary.
‘A matter like this… His Majesty must witness it personally and reach his own conclusion. And my role, as his vassal, is to ensure he sees the truth.’
That cunning man wouldn’t easily let his mask slip.
If handled poorly, this could backfire—only deepening the Great Demon King’s trust in Kesar and ruining everything.
To prevent that, the best course of action was to seize upon Kesar’s weakness and drag out what lay beneath.
And fortunately, Adolf had recently obtained something useful for exactly that purpose.
A single, glaring inconsistency in Kesar’s otherwise immaculate record.
Of course, it wasn’t enough to completely bring him down—not yet.
But a wild beast didn’t need to be slain outright.
All it needed… was a tight collar.
For now, that would be sufficient.
And if Kesar refused to submit…
Then Adolf would have the perfect justification to slaughter him.
‘To think he’d create his own weakness at a time like this… Hmph. That’s what happens when your very foundation is fragile.’
With that thought, Adolf slowly set down his meticulously sharpened sword.
Then, he picked up a document resting beside him.
It was a magically recorded image.
A single illustration.
Depicting a human witch with striking red hair.