Chapter 75

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 75

Chapter Title: Paimon's Pure Mana

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Paimon frowned with one eye as he looked at me. Then he clicked his tongue and glanced around.

"There's no music here, and no place fit for a grand march. Calling me to such a wretched spot— you must be out of your mind. What are you waiting for? Get on your knees and pay your respects this instant!"

The first demon I'd summoned, Bune, had been a bit oblivious but overall gentle and kind. Paimon was nothing like that.

'But he's awfully pretty.'

He had an elegant beauty, just like Lady Javelin. As that thought crossed my mind unbidden, Paimon's eyes widened.

"I'm a big brother!"

He flinched and quickly corrected himself. "No, a man!"

'He seems a bit clumsy.'

"What? How dare a mere human—!"

Thwang!

A sharp gust of wind whipped up. It was like the razor-edged winds used in battle magic, so I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut and shielded my head with my arms. But even after time passed, no pain came.

'Huh?'

"D-Damn it..."

'Paimon, could it be you can't actually attack me?'

"No!"

He shouted, but his face clearly said oh no. I let out a soft hum and smiled.

'I get it now. No matter how much of a demon you are, once summoned by me, you can't hurt me.'

Bune had been so docile, even calling me "baby" and doting on me. There'd been zero risk of attack, so I hadn't realized it before, but apparently summoned demons had this restriction.

'Anyway, got it. Now, I have a few questions.'

"Why should I answer a human's questions?"

'Because otherwise, I won't grant your wish.'

"What?! Once you've summoned me, you have to grant it! Where's the summoner who thinks they can keep me here long? You won't last either."

'If you hate being called here so much, just go back. So why don't you?'

"Th-That's..."

'You don't want to go back—you can't go back, right?'

Paimon's eyes trembled faintly.

It wasn't hard to guess why he couldn't return.

1. His wish was so desperate that he couldn't go back until I granted it.

2. Granting the demon's wish and letting the demon use their power on me were both conditions for returning.

Paimon wasn't as friendly as Bune, so I couldn't just ask which it was. But one thing was clear.

'I'm the one holding the advantage in this deal.'

"Y-You little demon...!"

I shrugged and smiled.

'Thanks for the compliment.'

"So what do you want to ask?!"

'First off, Veronica couldn't see you earlier. Why? Bune was visible to people when he manifested in human form.'

"That guy's got no sense at all. Tell him to manifest, and he just does—never thinks to make sure mortals can't perceive his true body."

Ah...

I recalled Bune's dopey smile and fell silent.

'So, what's your wish?'

Paimon's eyes sparkled as he spoke.

"Pure mana."

'You already have tons of mana. Aren't you a high-ranking demon?'

"Instruments made from human mana produce a far more beautiful sound than demonic mana. I'll craft a trumpet with it to play a grander fanfare every time I'm summoned to the mortal realm. So it must be of the highest purity."

As he spoke, Paimon hugged his arms in rapture. I gave him a blank stare and slowly shook my head.

'Then, third question. If I give you pure mana, what can you do for me?'

He grinned and waggled his eyebrows.

"I'll make every human revere you. The world's greatest glory will be yours."

'Not really...'

The Ballua family had always been scholars among the Five Great Ducal Houses, the most honored of them all. But we'd struggled desperately to uphold that honor.

Despite being a ducal house, our fortunes declined day by day because we nobles weren't supposed to chase money—we just guarded our honor until the warehouses emptied out.

In the end, we'd even borrowed money and scrambled to catch the Emperor's eye for tea trade rights, blinded by desperation for cash.

For me, after all that, honor meant nothing.

"Then I'll make you the world's greatest musician."

'Not that appealing...'

"I'll make you a composer who churns out masterpieces. Someday your Emperor will say, 'I could abandon my country, but never you.'"

'Eh...'

Bune's powers would actually be more useful. With those, I could show Louis to the council one more time.

The thought slipped out, and Paimon's face twisted.

"How dare you compare me to that fool! I'm proficient in every art, and in science and magitech, the greatest among demons—!"

'Magitech? So you can make special magitech tools? Like, say, a long-distance teleport array.'

My eyes widened, and Paimon let out a snort of laughter.

"Of course."

I leaped up and hugged him. He panicked—"Wh-What are you doing?!"—his face flushing red, but my eyes had turned into franc signs long ago.

"B-But even if I tell you how, without a technician, it's useless. Honor might be better after all."

'I have one. A technician.'

"What?"

I knew where the unparalleled genius was—the one who razed the Northeast but was spared execution because his skills were too valuable.

I grinned and glanced at the door. More precisely, at Veronica's room beyond it.

'If I make Veronica mine and get Paimon's knowledge...'

I recalled the phrase Mina used for times like this.

'Second lotto jackpot.'

I made Paimon follow quietly, invisible to others.

Then I returned to Veronica's room. She beamed when she saw me.

"Little One! I finished all the preparations you asked for."

With Paimon summoned, the ironclad dragon fossil must have reverted to normal. Veronica had polished the stone infused with my holy power into something lovely.

She threaded it onto a thin chain and carefully wrapped it around my wrist.

Looking in the mirror, it fit perfectly—as if my teeth had never been missing.

'This skill, this speed.'

I flashed the cutest smile I could muster and grabbed Veronica's hand. She went, "Oh," and looked at me shyly.

"I want to be close friends with Veronica."

Very, very much.

Hiding my inner thoughts, I blinked up at her, and her face lit up instantly.

"M-Me too! My dream's always been a friend as strong and cute as you, Little One! The other kids were all scared of me, called me a monster...!"

"From now on, we'll be best friends."

Veronica cupped my cheeks and let out a dreamy "Haaaa..."

"Thank you so much for the teeth. Next time, come to the castle. We'll play together!"

"Sh-Should I? Then I'll bring lots of fun magitech toys!"

"Yes!"

I took Veronica's hand and left the room. I listened intently as she chattered excitedly about magitech.

"Each mineral has different mana conductivity, hardness, and purity, so the formulas vary—it's tricky..."

Seeing me sparkle with interest, no hint of boredom, Veronica looked deeply moved.

I said goodbye to Veronica and headed down the stairs. Just then, Yohan finished talking with Viscount Dubos and stood up.

"All done?"

He asked, so I nodded eagerly.

"Yes, time to go ho—"

Suddenly, a vibration ran through my body. Paimon, linked to my soul, was thrilled.

'Yes?'

His eyes gleamed, making me flinch.

'Calm down. She has plenty of mana too—Veronica, former mage tower master. That's impressive mana.'

'Tainted...? From her failed experiments?'

I groaned inwardly. If so, getting mana as potent and pure as Paimon wanted would be tough.

All humans are born with mana, but few have channels to release it.

Think of outlets like faucets. A hot water faucet only gives hot; cold only cold.

Kids don't know how to turn it on yet, so naturally, the older you get and the more you train, the easier it flows.

We call those like the Duvered triplets or Adrian—who control it freely even as children—geniuses.

'No other genius like Yohan exists.'

There was one, but he had holy power. Adrian.

I pondered, grumbling, then asked Paimon.

'So how do I get the mana?'

'Great! How?'

After hearing the answer, I wanted to grab Paimon's collar and shake him silly.

'That's easy?!'

A few days later, in the Duke's study.

The three Duvered young masters stood in a row before the Duke, their expressions blank.

"Yohan, what's your plan?"

"I'll stay in the territory for now, tracking those who attacked me. After break ends, back to the Academy. Assign Viscount Dubos as my aide."

"Fine. Henri, you?"

"Graduated prodigy academy, so off to an imperial academy. Dorm during term, training at the capital estate on breaks."

Ishak said, "Same here." The Duke nodded to Nos.

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Yohan, right after graduation..."

Mid-sentence, the Duke's gaze shifted to the hallway window.

Henri and Ishak followed suit, their eyes softening into smiles.

A tuft of light brown hair poked up.

The Duke watched the little spy at the window, arms crossed.

She moved cautiously, but each stealthy step made her fluffy locks bob gently.

Hugging the corner tight, she boldly placed a hand on the sill. Then peeked up...

"...!"

Her eyes met everyone in the room. They went wide, and she ducked down fast.

Yohan furrowed his brow.

Couldn't pretend she hadn't been caught.

She was odd, as he'd sensed from the start.

Even as a noble lady, insisting on doing everything alone. Laughing off insults that would've bruised others' pride.

But the truly strange ones weren't her.

"Oh, nice weather today! Wonder what the little one's up to."

"Probably napping."

"Nos, check if Leblain kicked off her blanket."

"Yes, sir!"

After eye contact, desperately pretending not to notice.

They're the weirdest.

'Are they insane?'