There was a saying:
“Strike while the iron is hot.”
Returning briefly to Hell, Dantalion summoned Sitri and ordered him to bring Velma.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just extract her memories from the designated Hell?”
“There are things that can’t be learned just by skimming through memories.”
After all, experience holds more value than mere memories.
Though the two may seem similar, they belong to distinctly different realms.
It’s like how you can’t claim to truly understand person B just because your friend A has told you about them.
“This is such a hassle.”
“Handling the hassle is what a secretary is for.
Go fetch her, quickly.”
“Yeeees….”
More importantly, there was someone to take care of the bothersome work.
Dantalion leisurely sipped a canned coffee, lost in thought.
‘She was someone who held onto her pride until the very end. If she realizes my intentions, she might put up quite the resistance.’
Most people don’t last a week in Hell before their minds break.
However, there are always exceptions.
Those with strong egos sometimes manage to endure the punishments of Hell.
‘If that’s the case, I might have to personally administer the punishment this time.’
What punishment would be fitting?
The last one he executed was borrowed from the Black Abyss Hell of King Wudao Zhuanlunyán.
In the eternal silence dyed in pitch darkness, like stars in the night sky—
“Grand Judge~ Your freshly delivered sinner has arrived!”
“When will you finally drop that ridiculous tone?”
Dantalion gulped down his coffee and turned around.
Splat!
Velma, clad in tattered rags, collapsed onto the floor.
The phrase “freshly delivered sinner” wasn’t an exaggeration—her skin reeked of sulfur.
She had likely been impaled with spears by demons in a lava bath as part of her initiation.
However…
“Her condition looks terrible.
Did you do something to her?”
She was trembling uncontrollably, her entire body shaking.
Sitri shrugged and snickered.
“There was no need to do anything.
She was already like this when I pulled her out of the lava bath.
A spear went right through her eye—”
“Hiiiieeek—!!!”
Velma let out a terrified shriek, clearly traumatized by the spears.
At least she didn’t wet herself.
Those guilty of the sin of pride have their urethras and anuses sealed shut—that was probably why.
Snap!
With a flick of his fingers, Dantalion summoned a crimson cloth and used it to lift Velma off the ground.
She flailed helplessly, looking comically like a puppet tangled in its own strings.
Considering her lack of balance, Dantalion kindly steadied her by grabbing her face and fixing her gaze.
However, rather than appreciating the gesture, Velma let out an ear-piercing scream…
“Every time you scream, I’ll extend your punishment.”
“……”
A single lesson at eye level was enough to shut her up instantly.
Dantalion stared at her frozen figure for a moment before asking,
“Explain in detail about the group you’re part of.
Also, give me your thoughts on what actions they might take if you were to disappear.”
As he spoke, he pulled a cigarette from his pack.
Though she was utterly terrified, she was still a prideful woman who had clung to her dignity even in the face of death.
If she refused, he would simply throw her into the punishment chamber and enjoy his cigarette at leisure—
“I belong to a group called the Guin Society we worship the demon lords our leader is a master of mind control—”
“…”
How could someone make a decision faster than the time it takes to smoke a single cigarette?
The fact that he had even bothered considering punishments now felt ridiculous.
Velma, having lost all hope and willpower, was completely obedient.
After gathering all the necessary information, Dantalion gave Sitri an order.
“Return her in the most roundabout way possible.”
“Th-thank you!
Thank you so much!”
There wasn’t really anything to be thankful for.
In Hell, even happiness was a tool of torment.
Sometimes, a short rest could be more agonizing than an all-out sprint.
After confirming the two had left, Dantalion connected to his mascot.
For a moment, he let himself drift through the flow of dimensions, following the mascot’s signal.
‘It’s already night.’
Waking up inside the mascot’s body, Dantalion looked around.
The soft chirping of insects filled the night air.
Near a warm bonfire, Johanna and Emily were deep in sleep.
Normally, it would be common sense to have a night watch for safety…
“Krrrkk… krk!”
“He’s really sleeping well.”
Thomas, leaning against a tree, was sound asleep.
Had he been so exhausted from following Johanna around and witnessing all sorts of chaos?
Still, it was a problem if the night watch neglected their duty.
“If the guy escorting Johanna to the capital is weak, that’ll be a real issue.”
Dantalion climbed onto Thomas’s shoulder.
No need for excessive power—just a small boost would suffice.
‘This should do.’
A single red droplet formed at his fingertip.
It was a diluted essence of power, thoughtfully flavored like honey.
He popped it into Thomas’s mouth, who unconsciously licked his lips and swallowed.
“Mm… delicious.”
Judging by his sleep-talking and satisfied expression, it had worked.
Of course, it wasn’t just any honey—it was Hell’s honey, after all. There was no way it wouldn’t taste good.
“…Wait, that’s not the point.”
What mattered wasn’t the taste, but the effect.
His wrinkles smoothed out, and his brittle hair regained its vitality.
His sagging muscles tightened, and his weakened lungs and heart functioned like brand new.
He probably wouldn’t get sick anymore, either.
“If he dozes off during night watch again, I should consider withdrawing my power.”
“Mmm….”
Thomas shivered from the cold.
Watching him, Dantalion moved to a more comfortable position.
If there was no night watch, he would just take over for tonight.
‘So this is what Sitri meant by ‘fire gazing.’’
Sitting before the bonfire, Dantalion opened a crimson book and cast a low-tier barrier.
The liquid forming his body spread outward in all directions.
The name of the barrier was Arachne’s Nest.
It had no physical effect, but beasts and lesser creatures instinctively feared it.
And if an intelligent being dared to step inside—
Rustle!
“I didn’t think Velma was strong enough to survive…
So she had companions after all.”
“Seeing how they’re sleeping so soundly, I guess she kept her mouth shut.”
A group of figures emerged, disrupting the silence of the forest.
Each wore a hooded robe, their faces obscured—it was clear they were Velma’s allies.
One of them chuckled and spoke.
“Khehehe, do you have any idea how much trouble I went through to spread the sleeping incense ahead of time?”
“You, of all people, actually doing something useful?
All you ever think about is raping women.”
“Don’t act so high and mighty.
Half of the Guin Society’s funding comes from my brothels, remember?”
It seemed there was a reason Johanna’s party had fallen into such a deep sleep.
That meant Thomas wasn’t entirely at fault—this was beyond his ability to prevent.
As the argument between the two grew more hostile and bloodthirsty—
“Now’s not the time to fight.
And we can’t deny that Geoffrey’s efforts have given us a great opportunity.”
“Joseph…
I’ll let this slide for now.”
A man with a golden badge on his robe—clearly the leader—intervened.
Joseph, the leader of the Guin Society, glanced over Johanna and Emily.
“The girl we originally targeted is nothing special.
But that one… she’s the real prize.”
“Judging from the memories at the scene, she’s no ordinary monster.
If she grows stronger, she’ll become a huge obstacle to our great plan.
We should eliminate her immediately—”
“Or we could use her talents for our own cause.
That would be far more beneficial.”
His voice dripped with undeniable greed.
Several of the robed figures gathered closer in agreement.
“Heh, pretty women are always useful.”
“She’s not as pretty as the ones I like, but… getting a powerful new asset isn’t something to pass up.”
“Let’s put it to a vote.
Majority rules.”
Demon-worshippers were always greedy.
After all, why else would they go through such lengths to worship forbidden gods?
“It would be best to subdue them quickly and transport them to the headquarters.
Everyone, link your minds.”
“Ugh, I hate that—it feels disgusting…”
From above Joseph’s head, an aura resembling a bundle of nerves extended outward.
The writhing energy reached toward his subordinates, attempting to establish a mental link through their heads.
Given that mental abilities grew stronger in proportion to one’s willpower, it was a rather effective strategy.
After all, ten minds working as one would naturally be stronger than a single mind.
“Then, let’s begin.”
Joseph, having finished his preparations, confidently stepped toward Johanna.
Or rather, he tried to step toward her.
The moment his foot touched the web-like strands beneath him, Joseph—and everyone else in his group—froze in place.
The experience of losing one’s memory is never a pleasant one.
Awkwardness, nausea, confusion, fear…
It was a deeply unsettling sensation, as if one’s arm had been torn off and crudely stitched back on with a different one.
“Uuweeegh!?”
“Where—where are we?!”
“I can’t see anything!
Light—someone bring some light!!!”
The members of the Guin Society, awakening from their fractured memories, scrambled in panic.
This space, shrouded in complete darkness, was filled only with suffocating silence—there was nothing else.
They had all been pulled into this place together, yet none of them could recognize each other.
Their eyes, ears, and sense of touch…
All external stimuli had vanished.
“Welcome to the depths of my mental barrier.”
Before them, a figure emerged from the darkness.
The Guin Society tensed upon seeing the only visible being in this void.
Dantalion, on the other hand, appeared completely at ease.
“The last time I had visitors here was, what, a hundred years ago?
How delightful.”
“When we confirmed Velma’s death, we knew we weren’t dealing with an ordinary person…
So, you’re an agent of the demons.”
Joseph nodded as if he had finally pieced things together.
This place was likely an illusion conjured by a demon.
Typically, encountering such a hallucination for the first time would cause one’s mind to collapse in panic.
However, this wasn’t Joseph’s first battle against a mental entity.
“You’ve chosen the wrong opponent.
This isn’t my first time fighting a demon’s mental projection.”
Demons often granted power to their followers, searching for a suitable vessel to inhabit.
Without a physical body to descend into, a demon couldn’t fully unleash its true power, becoming extremely vulnerable.
Having fought demonic spirits twice before, Joseph was brimming with confidence.
“You seem quite sure of yourself.
Well then… let’s see how long you can keep your mind intact.”
“What?”
In that instant, Dantalion vanished.
Joseph was caught off guard.
Normally, when fighting a demon’s mental projection, it was common to engage in combat using one’s imagination.
But this time, the opponent wasn’t Dantalion—it was the space itself.
The pitch-black sky split open, revealing countless shapes, large and small.
“…?”
They were eyes.
Dozens, hundreds…
No, an uncountable number of eyes.
The world was no longer a void of darkness. Instead, it was filled with an overwhelming, suffocating presence—millions of unblinking eyes watching them.
The eyes neither blinked, spoke, nor moved.
In a desperate frenzy, some of the Guin Society members launched magic and arrows at them.
But have you ever seen a star fall just because someone shot an arrow at the night sky?
No matter what they tried, nothing changed in this world.
Realizing the sheer absurdity of the situation, the Guin Society members began to rage.
“This—this isn’t normal!”
“If you’re a demon, then fight like one!
This isn’t—this isn’t even a battle!!”
“What do you want from us?!
What the hell do those eyes even mean?!”
Yet, the terrifying thing about anger is what follows once it fades.
Like a volcanic eruption collapsing into smoldering ruins, their boiling emotions struck the ceiling, then plummeted into an abyss of despair.
When would this end?
How could they escape this place?
Why did those eyes do nothing but watch?
Was it… was it impossible to ever leave this place?
Their once-determined minds began spiraling, falling into an inescapable cycle of dread.
“H-Haha!
Hahahahahaha!!!”
Having reached the conclusion that escape was impossible, Joseph burst into hysterical laughter.
He laughed and laughed, staring at the endless sea of eyes.
A man who had spent his entire life scorning laughter now cackled like a fool, disturbingly loud and unhinged.
There was nothing else to do.
He kept laughing.
And laughing.
And laughing.
Until his mind fragmented and dissolved into nothingness.
“Ugh…?
Why do I feel so refreshed today?”
The next morning, the first person to wake up was Thomas.
He stretched and rolled his shoulders, surprised by how light his body felt.
He had never slept so deeply while camping out in the wilderness before.
‘…Wait a second.
Wasn’t I supposed to be on night watch?’
At that moment, memories beyond the gap of his consciousness struck him.
His whole body stiffened.
Falling asleep while on guard duty, outside in the wild?
He never imagined himself doing something so reckless.
He had seen Lady Johanna butcher people, and yet he had slept like a baby?
Snapping his head around, Thomas hurriedly checked on the others.
Both Johanna and Emily were still fast asleep.
“Phew…
I almost lost my damn head.”
Fortunately, nothing had happened overnight.
Reassured, Thomas got up and turned his head in the opposite direction.
“…Huh?”
And then he saw them.
A row of robed figures, perfectly still.
Why the hell were there ten statues in the middle of nowhere…?
Flinch!
“HYAAAAAAH?!???!”
When their unblinking eyes locked onto his, Thomas screamed like a startled girl.
Flailing his sword wildly and letting out another panicked shriek, he hesitated for a moment.
Realizing that nothing was happening, he cautiously peeked through one squinted eye.
“…What the hell?”
The figures did nothing but stare.
Feeling emboldened by their lack of movement, Thomas poked the closest one with his sword.
Still, no reaction.
Growing bolder, he reached out and pulled back the hood.
“What in the—?”
“Bam Bam…?”
Joseph’s eyes were dilated, his pupils unfocused and skewed in a cross-eyed gaze.
Drooling uncontrollably, his lips curled into a mindless, vacant grin.