The artificial body designed with the assumption of being a magical girl’s mascot was sturdier than expected.
If it were fragile enough to break under the weight of a mere 14-year-old girl, how could it possibly provide support when facing monsters?
“How could a servant of Lord Dantalion commit such blasphemy?
If you so wish, I shall atone with my life…”
However, there was no way Joanna could have known that.
Sneaking Dantalion into her room without her parents’ knowledge, Joanna immediately dropped to her knees.
With a solemn expression, she drew a dagger from the scabbard tied to her leg and aimed it at her own throat.
Dantalion, who had reformed their physical shape, waved their hands in alarm.
“This body is based on a slime, which makes it highly resistant to impact.
So, there’s no need to worry.”
“But still!”
No, what kind of 14-year-old even considers suicide?
Barely managing to dissuade Joanna, Dantalion moved on to the main point.
“Joanna, the reason I came to you in this form is because I have a proposal.”
“You don’t need to propose anything!
If it’s Lord Dantalion’s command, I am prepared to lay down my life without hesitation!”
I definitely intended to raise Joanna to be a kind and good child…
So how did she turn into a fanatic?
Dantalion suddenly reflected on whether there were flaws in their method of education.
But they had never said anything bad.
Not once had they uttered words soaked in the stench of blood.
‘This is why a child’s emotional education must begin early.’
Clicking their tongue internally, Dantalion thought of Albert.
It was frustrating that they couldn’t impose an additional punishment for the sake of fairness, having already delivered a sentence.
Clearing their throat to shift the atmosphere, Dantalion continued speaking.
“Your spirit is admirable, but you should take some time to think it over.”
Snap!
With a flick of their fingers, Dantalion summoned a black scroll.
Since the contract was based on a magical girl, it was only proper to respect the conventions of the genre.
No matter what, forming a contract could not be overlooked.
“This is a contract that will strengthen the connection between you and me.
It is a highly binding contract, so you must carefully review the—”
“Yes?”
Before Dantalion could finish, Joanna snatched the scroll and signed it with a quill pen that materialized in midair.
Of course, she hadn’t read it.
She wasn’t just saying she was willing to stake her life on Dantalion’s commands—she truly meant it.
Before Dantalion could even stop her, Joanna’s name was inscribed onto the contract.
Fwoosh!
The completed contract was consumed by the flames of Hell.
The blazing fire transformed into chains that wrapped around both Dantalion and Joanna’s souls.
The contract, forged through their very souls, was now permanently etched into them.
Dantalion silently observed Joanna.
They had worked hard to prevent any unfair clauses, yet she didn’t even bother reading it once?
Even though Dantalion’s expression was unreadable, the atmosphere alone was enough to convey their feelings.
“L-Lord Dantalion despises sin more than anyone!
So I didn’t think there would be anything bad in the contract!”
Joanna looked up at Dantalion like a puppy that had just been scolded by its owner.
But who was Dantalion?
A grand demon who had served as the High Judge of Hell for over a thousand years.
Basic tactics like appealing with tears and emotions, which countless sinners had tried to escape judgment, were…
“…Still, you should develop the habit of reading contracts.”
“Yes!”
That actually worked pretty well.
Then again, Joanna wasn’t a sinner dragged into Hell.
More importantly, she had made this choice out of trust in Dantalion.
Scolding her for it would be too cruel.
“There’s no helping it.
I’ll summarize the contents of the contract for you.”
“I will listen to every word without missing a single one!”
Adjusting her posture politely, Joanna’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
Dantalion chuckled and carefully explained the contract to ensure Joanna didn’t miss anything.
Assistance in utilizing granted powers, potential for new abilities based on her capability, guidance and advice through companionship, and so on.
Then, as she listened intently, Joanna suddenly raised her hand.
“You may ask your question.”
“Yes, when you mentioned accompanying me regularly, does that mean…?”
“I plan to follow you around using my artificial body.
If you don’t want that, I can remain hidden and only reveal myself when necessary.”
Dantalion nodded, as if it were a perfectly reasonable question.
At 14, she was at an age where adolescence made many things uncomfortable.
Even if she served Dantalion, constantly feeling their gaze might be unsettling—
Snatch!
Joanna suddenly grabbed the petite Dantalion and pulled them close, her breath rough.
“D-Does that mean… you’ll always be watching over me?”
“That’s right. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can maintain some distance—”
“It’s fine.”
Her eyes seemed a little strange…
Was it really fine?
Even as Dantalion continued explaining the contract’s terms, Joanna remained dazed, absentmindedly playing with the small Dantalion on her lap.
She stroked their soft, squishy head, placed them on her shoulder with a giggle, and even pressed their cheeks with both hands.
Seeing her affectionate reaction, Dantalion felt a sense of pride.
‘Good thing I used slime as the base material!’
Dantalion knew slimes were a popular monster, but they hadn’t expected this level of enthusiasm.
As someone with no sculpting talent, Dantalion gained newfound confidence in their creation.
“Hehehe… always by my side.”
Joanna’s reaction seemed a bit unusual, but Dantalion decided to overlook it.
After all, the sensitivity of adolescent girls was something adults could never fully understand.
Truly, they were magnanimous and understanding adults.
A few months after the contract, Joanna underwent her coming-of-age ceremony.
And soon after, a letter of recommendation from Johannes arrived for her.
Not just any letter, but a recommendation to the most prestigious Imperial Academy.
Naturally, the noble families of the city quickly spread the news of Joanna’s admission to the academy.
“What?!
Miss Joanna is enrolling in the Imperial Academy?!”
“Prepare a sponsorship fund immediately!
We can’t afford to miss this future connection!”
“The mayor has already decided to personally send a carriage and a sponsorship gift. Considering the amount—”
“Then we should send a gift as well.
Something portable, not too large or cumbersome.
Find something immediately!”
It was only natural for a small town to celebrate when a famous figure was born among them.
Graduating from the Imperial Academy meant a future paved with gold.
And if she failed to graduate?
Well, Joanna’s beauty and character were exceptional—surely, she could still find an excellent husband.
If a small gift could help leave a good impression on such a person, then it was well worth it.
Nobles, eager to curry favor with Joanna before she left, spent their days sending her gifts.
“Father…
No matter how you look at it, this is way more than what a carriage can carry.”
“Hahaha, it just means that people really like you, Joanna.”
Joanna sighed as she looked at the mountain of gifts piled onto the carriage.
She knew Clove was a kind-hearted man, but taking all of this with her to the capital was simply impractical.
Climbing into the storage area, Joanna began sorting through the items, tossing out anything unnecessary.
“I don’t need such an extravagant necklace.”
“A dress?
The academy isn’t a ballroom.
What am I supposed to do with so many of these?”
“What’s the point of decorating a weapon with jewels?”
They say the first step to organization is throwing things away.
Without hesitation, Joanna excluded anything she deemed useless from the cargo.
Clove, ever the softhearted one, looked on with a concerned expression.
“But these were all gifts meant for you.
Shouldn’t you take them?”
“It’s not like I’m leaving forever.
The rest can stay at home.”
“Hmm…”
Clove couldn’t argue with that logic, though he still looked a bit disappointed as he helped move the rejected gifts aside.
Dantalion, watching the scene unfold, nodded slightly.
‘He must be worried about his daughter being looked down upon.’
For nobles, flaunting luxury was a means of asserting their authority.
Which meant that a noble with no wealth would inevitably lose their standing.
Perhaps Clove had packed all these unnecessary trinkets out of concern that his daughter might be treated poorly.
“This one is actually quite pretty…”
“……”
A dress covered in an excessive amount of floral patterns?
That would suit Joanna?
Dantalion momentarily doubted Clove’s sense of aesthetics.
After trimming down the cargo, Joanna climbed into the now much cleaner carriage.
She waved at Clove and Mesella.
“I’ll be off now.
Take care, both of you.
I’ll try to come back by the end of the year.”
“Don’t worry about us.
If it gets too difficult, just come home anytime!”
“Honey, it’s too early to say something so discouraging…”
“Oh, is it?
Haha…”
At Mesella’s remark, Clove scratched his head awkwardly.
With their farewells finished, Mesella took Clove’s left arm and started walking back toward the house.
However, Clove’s posture as he walked seemed a little… off.
“This must be a good time for them.”
“By the time I come back, I might have a younger sibling.”
For someone with a courtesan’s background, Mesella was showing a surprising amount of restraint.
Watching the still-affectionate couple, Joanna smiled awkwardly.
Once they had disappeared into the house, Joanna turned to the coachman.
“We should get going now.
There’s no rush, so just make sure we travel safely.”
“Haha, I’ve been a coachman for twenty years.
No need to worry.”
The elderly coachman flicked the reins, and the horses gradually picked up speed.
As they passed through the city gates, Joanna leaned out of the carriage window.
Watching her hometown grow smaller and smaller, memories flowed through her mind like a river.
Mesella, Clove, and the people she had befriended at the church…
As she reminisced, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm breeze.
The spring wind, carrying petals in its embrace, bid her farewell.
The journey from the rural town to the capital was quite long.
Especially since there was nothing to do but sit in a carriage all day, boredom reached unbearable levels…
“Today’s book is My Hero Academy.”
“Wow!
Thank you!”
It was Dantalion’s job to keep her entertained.
Summoning a book borrowed from Sitri, Dantalion stacked a small pile of books in the corner of the carriage.
All of them carried themes of good triumphing over evil, making them quite useful for Joanna’s moral education.
‘Watching her sit there blankly the entire trip would be unbearable.’
For Dantalion, who was also riding in the carriage, the lack of activities was the most torturous.
Even Joanna, who was used to a simple lifestyle, struggled with the monotony—so how could Dantalion endure it?
Confirming that Joanna was eagerly reading, Dantalion was about to open a book of their own when—
“KYAAAAAH!!!”
“W-What was that?!”
A woman’s scream echoed loudly from the forest.
Startled, the horses hesitated mid-step.
Thanks to the coachman’s skillful handling, they avoided an accident, but any hope for a peaceful journey was gone.
The coachman opened the front window and spoke to Joanna.
“Ah, it seems something dangerous is lurking nearby.
It would be safest to—”
“Stop the carriage.”
“…What?”
Joanna closed her book and stepped out of the carriage.
The unexpected reaction made the coachman climb down as well.
And then, to his disbelief, Joanna began rummaging through the cargo hold.
“Y-Young lady, surely you’re not thinking of going after the scream?
That’s too dangerous!”
His concern wasn’t because he doubted her strength.
It was simply that he didn’t want to see her put herself in harm’s way over something that wasn’t her problem.
“This isn’t a practice duel.
You could actually die!”
“I’ll be fine.
This isn’t my first experience.”
“…Excuse me?”
A young noblewoman who had never killed anyone before…
What was she even talking about?
As the coachman mustered his courage to try persuading her again—
“I didn’t think I’d get to use Father’s gift so soon.”
“…Huh?”
Joanna pulled out a sword from the cargo hold.
A massive greatsword, forged from black iron—renowned for being exceptionally durable but incredibly heavy.
With ease, she swung the sword as if it were weightless.
The force of the swing sent a gust of wind rushing past the coachman’s face.
‘She’s… even stronger than I heard.’
The coachman stared at her in stunned silence.
Having seen that display, continuing to protest would just be pointless.
Joanna untied one of the horses and mounted it.
“Will you be hiding here until I return?”
“N-No. I can’t let you go alone.”
There was no way he could admit that staying by Joanna’s side seemed like the safer option.
That would just be… too embarrassing.
No matter how old a man gets, pride is still pride.