Keira wasn’t interested in how the war between humans and demons had been going on for a long time. What she cared about were the characteristics of the demons or black magic.

Oral tales were more helpful than stories about the war’s history and their armies.

The characteristics of demons commonly pointed out by several oral tales…

「 “Let’s make a bet, kid. If you’re right, you don’t have to pay the price of the contract. But if I’m right, I’ll take your sister’s soul as well.”

It was all or nothing. The boy accepted the devil’s offer.」

「The two demons made a promise. They will give their heart to whoever finds the root of the mountain first.」

「A demon officer said that if the king of the faeries and the star of the witch Arachne rose at the same time tonight, he would defeat the army fifty miles out.」

In the oral tales she found, demons often made bets. Whether the opponent was also a demon or a human being, the demons often bet on something.

As if he read something similar, Zeke said.

Zeke: “I remember something in General Spio’s memoir. ‘Demons have a strong desire to win. To them, fighting to win is not a fight but a game. They enjoy winning, even with minor disagreements.'”

Keira: “So, they enjoy betting because they have a strong desire to win.”

Zeke: “Yes, they seem to enjoy getting the price of victory from their opponent.”

Like a hunter flaunting his prey.

‘Bet, bet…’

Advertisements

Keira wondered if Cosette had wagered with her.

Three seasons passed when she lived with her under one roof.

‘Cosette had never proposed a bet with me.’

But Keira didn’t give up. She needed concrete evidence to claim that Cosette was related to demons or black magic. 

She couldn’t fixate on the claim that demons liked to bet.

She concentrated on the book again. But after a while, another thought came to her.

‘Come to think of it, there was someone who did.’

Erez. He proposed a bet to Keira twice.

In fact, Keira had very little experience with betting with anyone. To be a little more precise, she didn’t have anyone brave enough to dare to challenge her to one.

When she thought of Erez, she wondered if she could also tell him about this– that Cosette was trying to destroy the spirit stone.

Despite his eccentric personality, wasn’t he the only one she could confide in? 

Her concern didn’t last long.

She decided to discuss it with Erez and mention her theory. 

“…nim? Noonim?”

Keira: “Hmm?”

She was lost in thought that she didn’t realize immediately Zeke was calling her.

Keira nodded her head and answered hastily. 

Keira: “Did you find anything useful?” 

Zeke: “No, but I find something strange.”

Zeke turned the book around and showed it to Keira.

Zeke: “Look here.”

The book was about the history of the war. It was unlikely they’d find any helpful information, so Keira had filtered this out from the beginning.

Zeke: “This part was recorded a week before the first elementalist received a revelation from the goddess and formed a contract. And the next page was the end of the war. Because of the barrier, the demon army was forced to retreat.”

Keira: “Of course it is. What’s weird about it?”

Zeke: “It means that there were hardly any battles before the war was over.”

Only then did Keira understand what Zeke was trying to say.

According to the records, demons liked battles, massacres, and slaughter. 

It was very strange that an army of such a race had not made any movement for over a fortnight.

Unbeknownst to Keira, who didn’t go to the academy, its history professors often argued over that period.

“The demons who recognized the goddess’s intervention in advance saved themselves first.”

“If they were afraid of the goddess’s intervention, they wouldn’t have started a war in the first place, would they? There must be another reason.”

Advertisements

The professors’ lengthy arguments always ended without a conclusion.

It was natural since they didn’t know the enemy’s circumstances at the time.

Keira: “Z-Zeke.”

Zeke: “Yes?”

Keira: “You’re right that it’s strange, but… That’s not what we need to figure out now.”

Zeke: “I know. I just said it because it was kind of weird.”

Keira: “Thank you for the help. Let’s focus a little more.”

Zeke: “Okay.”

Zeke looked down at the book again, and for a while, only the sound of turning pages filled the library.

Moments later, Keira thought as she got up to get another book.

‘It really is strange.’

The demon army, which constantly slaughtered everything under its wake after going to earth, had not moved for a whole month.

Moreover, coincidentally, the battle stopped just before the elementalist signed a contract with Beatrice.

Was there a correlation between the two events?

She only continued concentrating on finding information again when she moved to another book. 

‘It was a few hundred years ago, but now that I’ve thought about it, what difference does it make?’

Now, she had a different task to solve.

Keira took a heavy book from the bookshelf and placed it on her table with a thud.

She needed to find proof of Cosette’s identity.

Keira wrote an anonymous letter to Erez Shore, saying she would like to meet at the enclosed address.

Even though the only indicator was the initial ‘K’, Erez seemed to know it was Keira who had sent the letter, so he showed up for the meeting on time. 

Erez, wearing a robe, pulled aside the curtains and walked in.

Keira said half-admiringly.

Keira: “So you knew why I sent the letter.”

Erez: “I knew you didn’t want others gossiping behind your back if we see each other. It’s not that I wasn’t aware of them; I just didn’t care about what others thought.”

Advertisements

Their meeting place was an empty mansion owned by her mother’s family. Here, she could meet people without being noticed.

Keira: “There’s no maid, so if you want some tea, you can make it yourself.”

Erez: “It’s okay. Seeing you suddenly asked to meet, it seems like an important conversation.”

He poured himself a glass of fresh water and took a seat on the sofa across from Keira. Then he nodded as if telling Keira to get straight to the point.

Keira: “I think I know what Cosette ultimately wants.”

Erez: “Hmm?”

He raised an eyebrow curiously.

Rather than curious… it looked more like he was skeptical she’d actually know it, and it annoyed Keira. 

Keira: “It’s a conclusion I’ve come to after thinking about it for a long time. Take it seriously.”

Erez: “Okay, okay. I will, so tell me.”

Erez replied dryly and raised the glass of water. He didn’t look serious at all.

Keira: “It seems she’s aiming to destroy the human world.”

Erez: “Pfft.”

No, he wasn’t stifling his laughter. He almost spat out his water. 

Erez: “Cough, cough!”

He dropped the glass and coughed heavily. Keira even had to pat him on the back to help him.

Keira: “Are you okay?”

Erez: “Ahem.”

Erez couldn’t raise his head for a long time to catch his breath. Then, as Keira patted his back, a strangely embarrassed feeling overcame her.

‘Well… It sounds like a completely fictional story.’

If someone had said that the goal of a woman now only twenty years old was to destroy the world, Keira wouldn’t have believed it either. 

As Keira’s face turned red, Erez suddenly jumped up, his eyes wide.

Erez: “How did you know that?” 

Keira: “…Hmm?”

Erez: “How did you find out? Did she tell you herself? No, of course, she wouldn’t…”

For some reason, his reaction was quite different from what she expected.

Before Keira could even justify her theory, Erez had already seemed to believe her absurd claim.

Keira: “I have memories of the past. I used it a little… I’ve concluded that Cosette is looking for the spirit stone. However, it’s only a medium that proves the contract between the spirits and humans. The reason why it is hidden is to prevent destruction.”

Advertisements

Erez: “Right.”

Keira: “She’s not trying to find that and put it in her room as decoration, is she? So, the only answer is destruction. If the contract is broken, the barrier will disappear, and… Another disaster will come.”

Besides, it wasn’t just that.

Keira: “Do you know the details of the prophecy from twenty years ago?”

Erez: “Of course.”

Keira: “Most people, including myself, interpreted the disaster that the goddess spoke of as a drought caused by the absence of the sp