The next day.
As I sat up in bed, I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes.
A strange sensation emanated from my wrist, where Samuel resided.
‘What is this?’
I looked down at my wrist.
A distinct power pulsed from it.
To be precise, it didn’t feel like my power, but Samuel’s.
‘Could it be… Did he finally find a way to return to his original body?’
No, Samuel had made it clear that wasn't possible at the moment.
He had stated that his recovery was solely dependent on visiting the Gluttony territory.
And that was the reason he wanted to take me there.
Then…
What was the cause of this foreign sensation emanating from my wrist?
‘It doesn’t feel like Samuel’s mana has amplified…’
The amount of mana Samuel possessed was minuscule.
He had depleted a significant amount while recovering his form.
Indeed, the amount of mana I could sense from him wasn’t substantial.
Therefore, the cause had to be something else entirely.
‘What in the world…’
The mana signature radiating from Samuel’s side was extraordinary.
It was a transformation of its very nature.
Fundamentally, the mana of humans and demons possessed distinct energies.
That was how one could easily distinguish between the two races.
Moreover, prolonged exposure to these differing energies led to an accumulation of that specific energy within an individual.
This was partly why I was concerned about not being able to master Adel’s mana control technique.
That was precisely why I had requested a mana control technique suited to my current body, rather than the one the original Adel possessed.
However…
‘How is this possible?’
The nature of Samuel’s mana had completely transformed.
Could this truly be happening? It was an ominous sign.
The mana Samuel now possessed was a chaotic blend of its previous state and an unsettling external force, radiating an intense aura of dread.
Of course, at my level, such fear wouldn’t sway me.
Even though Samuel was essentially a parasite residing within my body, he hadn’t caused me any harm.
Even now, as his mana exuded such a bizarre aura.
‘…Could such a drastic change occur overnight?’
Yesterday, there was no trace of this energy from Samuel.
This meant that he had undergone some kind of transformation during the night.
Since I was asleep at the time, I couldn’t have witnessed it firsthand.
Perhaps it would have been different had Sijo been awake.
However…
― *Chirp…*
I glanced down at Sijo, who was sound asleep in my arms.
He was oblivious to the passage of time, still deeply slumbering.
‘…Looks like you’re of no help today.’
*Stroke-*
I gently stroked Sijo, who was tossing and turning in his sleep, as if something was bothering him, before shifting my gaze.
Then, I spoke.
“If you’re awake, please respond.”
[……]
Samuel, the one at the heart of this situation, remained silent.
I couldn’t help but furrow my brows in frustration.
‘What in the world have you done?’
Unable to contain my curiosity, I continued to question Samuel.
I had been curious for a while, but I refrained from asking as long as Samuel kept his mouth shut.
However, this time, I had to hear his answer.
And there was a good reason for that.
: 【 Samuel Ⅱ 】
Samuel, who was listed as my trait on the status window…
Upon checking, I discovered his stage had increased.
What?
How was this even possible?
He was merely a parasite residing within my body, wasn’t he?
What could he have possibly done to achieve a stage increase as a trait?
I fell into deep thought.
Samuel could only utilize magic by drawing upon my mana.
However, there had been no recent battles, so he hadn’t used any of my mana.
Furthermore, he had even recovered most of the mana required for his physical restoration.
He had mentioned that all he needed was to visit the temple within the Gluttony territory.
It seemed unlikely that Samuel had advanced his stage using my mana.
In that case…
‘Did he achieve this stage increase through some other means?’
Could he have attained some kind of enlightenment while residing within my body?
Nothing immediately sprang to mind.
Samuel’s magical talent far surpassed mine, so he couldn’t have learned anything from me.
This meant that he had achieved this stage increase through some external factor.
…There was only one possibility that aroused my suspicion.
‘Could it be the influence of that book?’
I glanced at the gray book resting on my desk.
As always, it remained silent, showing no reaction towards me.
However, Samuel had mentioned that it had spoken to him, so there was definitely something peculiar about it.
If the book posed any danger, it would undoubtedly affect me as well.
That was precisely why I had to question Samuel and get some answers.
*Sigh*
Letting out a sigh, I muttered towards Samuel,
“If you refuse to speak, I’ll have no choice but to resort to force.”
*Flinch*
Samuel’s body trembled at my words.
Thanks to Fron’s ruthlessness, I had learned a very effective threat.
And as expected, Samuel was indeed awake.
‘You sly devil.’
I continued, my voice laced with pressure,
“It seems you’ve discovered something about that book. I’d appreciate an explanation.”
[…You noticed.]
“Well, let’s just say I found out by chance. You’ve become stronger, haven’t you?”
[Hmm, it seems I’ve reached a new level of power. However, I haven’t had the opportunity to test it yet, so I can’t be certain. But if you say so, it must be true… You possess the eye to perceive the essence of magic, after all.]
‘The essence of magic?’
What was he talking about? I had no such ability.
He must have been mistaken.
Perhaps he had witnessed my magical talent for assassination and assumed I possessed a similar level of potential as him.
…In reality, I was struggling to even keep up with ordinary students, let alone Samuel.
However, there was no need to correct his misunderstanding. I decided to brazen it out.
“Since you’ve been found out, why not come clean? It’s clear that this has something to do with that book.”
[…I won’t deny it. While I haven’t been consumed by the book’s desires, it’s true that I’ve been influenced by it.]
To my surprise, Samuel readily admitted that he had grown stronger through the book.
In any case, what had Samuel gained from the book to achieve such a significant power boost?
While my knowledge of magic was limited, the fact that it was described as a ‘stage increase’ on the status window indicated a remarkable advancement.
What exactly had he obtained?
To me, the book was nothing more than…
‘…A collection of grotesque and fearsome-looking demons.’
Of course, there were some strange symbols inscribed at the bottom of the pages.
They were unlike any ancient script I had ever seen, completely indecipherable.
The Information Paper had demanded an exorbitant price to reveal the book’s true nature.
It was the same amount required to inscribe Adel’s mana method onto my soul.
I could confidently say that the mana method I possessed was among the most powerful in both the human and demon realms.
Yet, simply uncovering the book’s identity warranted the same price…
…For a book filled with illustrations of demons, it seemed absurdly overpriced.
Samuel had claimed to hear the book’s voice, so he must have sensed something I hadn’t.
Driven by curiosity, I questioned Samuel once more,
“What is the true nature of that book? To me, it appears to be nothing more than a collection of powerful-looking demons.”
I couldn’t sense anything from it.
‘Could it be a Unique Artifact?’
But among all the Unique Artifacts with the “Unique Artifact” setting, could there really be one more valuable than this magic book?
My curiosity knew no bounds.
As I stared intently at Samuel, who had taken the form of thorns, he finally spoke.
[…As you said, to an unknowing demon, it would appear to be an ordinary book. At first, it was the same for me. I couldn’t comprehend its contents.]
According to Samuel, descriptions of each demon were written beneath their illustrations.
However, as if someone had intentionally erased them, several pages, including both illustrations and descriptions, were missing.
All that remained were…
― ……♤▦◁
…Symbols similar to those found in Besaha’s laboratory.
Could there be a connection between Besaha’s ancient symbols and the ones in this book?
I had been meaning to visit Besaha again, not only to decipher the contents of the Demon God’s Oath but also because I was running low on mana potions.
…As I was lost in thought, Samuel’s next words snapped me back to reality.
[I have a hunch about its true nature. However, it’s merely a legend passed down through generations, so I need further confirmation.]
His words piqued my interest.
‘Legend?’
I was eager to learn more about demon realm mythology.
This was my chance to delve into those tales through Samuel.
“A legend, you say? Now you’ve truly piqued my curiosity. Tell me more.”
[…As I said, I don’t have all the answers. I simply recall that such a legend exists.]
“But your memory is quite impressive, isn’t it, Mr. Samuel? Why can’t you remember everything?”
[How should I know? It’s not like I can force myself to recall forgotten memories. Now be quiet and listen.]
“Hmph, very well.”
With Samuel’s irritable dismissal of my curiosity, I fell silent and focused on the legend he was about to share.
…And so, Samuel began to recount the demon realm legend.
As he spoke, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.
[In ancient times, there was a wise king in the demon realm. Blessed by the Demon God with unparalleled intellect, he commanded the respect of countless sages and scholars, even managing to subdue 72 monstrous beings of immense malice.]
[The Wise King, with the aid of these monsters, succeeded in unifying the demon realm. However, he later chose to seal them away, fearing their overwhelming power. It is said that their numbers amounted to 72.]
The Demon Realm’s legend…
It bore a striking resemblance to the myths I knew from my previous life.
Although they were considered mere folklore in modern times and absent from religious texts, they were stories deeply ingrained in human consciousness.
The Wise King.
The 72 Demons.
Wasn’t that referring to ‘Solomon and the 72 Demons’?
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A connection to his "previous" world. God, door 1 opened.
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