Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer?
Chapter 227: This World Is (12)

Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer

Chapter 227 This World Is (12)

> [You.]

Mammon opened their mouth as they stared at what remained of the city that had almost been utterly erased.

> [You made a wish contract.]

The lava they’d unleashed to wipe out the mortals was completely gone, having evaporated into nothing.

> [You actually formed a wish contract with a mortal.]

The same also went for half of their body. Mammon clutched at where their other half had disappeared, raising their claws.

They weren’t a Demon who governed over Wrath, yet rage was surging through them.

> [You…!]

A contract between a mortal and a Demon was usually a loan contract.

In a loan contract, the contractor paid a price, and in return, the Demon lent them power equal to what had been offered.

No matter whether the Demon used that payment to grow stronger or trade with other Demons, they were first obligated to grant their contractor the promised power.

However, from the Demons’ perspective, loan contracts were much more convenient. Even if the contractor died, all the Demon would lose was the power they’d lent—if they were lucky, they could even reclaim it—so there was no real risk for the Demon themself.

But a wish contract?

A wish contract was completely different. A sacrifice was always converted into pure power for the Demon, and in exchange, the Demon was bound to fulfill the contractor’s wish.

Since the Demon wasn’t lending any power, there was no risk of them losing any Demonic Energy if the contractor died, but the Demon had to move personally. They couldn’t just make their contractor work for them.

And even if the contractor died, the wish still had to be fulfilled. If the wish had too many loopholes, a clever Demon might somehow get out of it, but if it was airtight, the contract could end up completely screwing over the Demon.

This greatly depended on the wording of the wish.

> [But with whom? I don’t sense any traces of a contract on you…]

However, there was one advantage to a wish contract: as long as it was in place, the Demon could instantly receive power from the ancient magic whenever a sacrifice was made.

As long as the contractor and the Demon worked together, the Demon could receive power repeatedly, not only once.

Like how Mephisto had skipped all the necessary steps and just received power from the absolute law.

> [No way?]

> [You’re a little slow on the uptake, aren’t you?]

But who had Mephisto made a contract with? And what had that contractor wished for?

As Mammon kept guessing, they came to a shocking realization.

> [So that’s it. No wonder something felt off. Even when you were at a disadvantage, you still refused to abandon that vessel…!]

Before the fight began, Mammon knew there had to be a reason Mephisto wouldn’t let go of her vessel, even at the risk of having her soul captured by them or Satan.

For example… maybe a mortal soul was clinging to Mephisto’s, keeping her trapped in that body, unable to abandon this vessel.

But… what if that mortal soul had formed a wish contract with Mephisto? What if part of the contractor’s wish was that Mephisto never abandon this vessel, no matter what?

It must have been prepared to be consumed when making the contract, all to ensure Mephisto could never escape…

> [Did your contractor wish for mutual destruction…?]

If Mephisto were trapped in her vessel, she would die along with it. Considering how much her host hated Demons, it wasn’t impossible.

But in that case, how could the current situation be explained?

If her contractor’s goal was to die alongside Mephisto, why was it giving her more power?

> [That’s right. It’s a real pain.]

> […Tsk, that you’re actually admitting it makes me doubt it again.]

> [No trust between fellow Demons at all. I feel hurt.]

…No. There was an explanation.

Mammon remembered how Mephisto had gone out of her way earlier to get rid of the Hero.

If Mephisto’s contractor had wished to protect mortals, and it prioritized saving people over mutual destruction, everything made sense.

Mephisto had definitely formed a contract with the original owner of that vessel. The exact terms were still unclear to them, but that much was certain.

> [You’re still hiding something… How am I supposed to trust you, huh?!]

Mammon gathered their last remnants of Demonic Energy and strengthened their defenses.

How had Mephisto even hidden that contract? There were too many unanswered questions, but those would have to be resolved later.

Boom! Boom! It was far more urgent they somehow restrain Mephisto, who was rushing forward to kill them before they could regenerate.

> [Damn it!]

Unlike Mephistopheles, their regenerative abilities were relatively weak. There was a reason they’d kept their distance, hid themself in lava, and relied solely on ranged attacks.

However, with half their body gone, that delicate balance had been shattered. If they focused on defense, their body would crumble too quickly to keep up, and if they focused on regeneration, Mephistopheles’ attacks would be too relentless to stop.

Mammon was filled with nothing but frustration at that. Everything they’d counted on had been picked apart by one unforeseen variable after another.

> [What’s wrong? Weren’t you going to sit back and enjoy my little tantrum? Where’d that guy go?! Huh?!]

> [Damn it!]

The surging waves of lava were cleaved. The blade that penetrated it instantly caused an explosion, rattling Mammon’s barrier.

And the moment even the slightest crack appeared, Ratel would lunge in like a needle. Just fending it off took everything out of them.

Even more infuriating, though, was that throughout all this, Mephisto barely used any Demonic Energy. She, who completely had the upper hand, was only burning as much energy as she naturally recovered while pushing them to their limits.

Unlike them, who were so focused on defending themself that their consumption was extreme.

Mammon knew if this continued, they’d end up losing.

> [My King! Do something!]

They even urged Satan, who was watching, to move. However, he did not interfere. It was likely because the blessing he’d already granted was too much for him. Mammon understood that.

> [Damn it!]

They understood, but that didn’t stop them from resenting him. They were about to die, so how could they not?

> [No, no, noooo!]

I don’t want to die here. I can’t die here. I must claim everything in the world.

> [Y-you! If you kill me, you’ll be alone forever—!]

> [Feeling desperate, so now you’re trying threats?]

In their sheer panic, Mammon tried to make a deal. To God, Mephisto was an invader just like them. Turning her back on Hell, the one place that could be an ally, would be a significant loss to her as well.

> [But you know.]

But did they really think that would work?

> [I’m already used to a world where everyone is my enemy.]

This was Wrath, a being who wanted to destroy Hell itself.

Crack!

Ratel tore through every last one of Mammon’s defenses and buried itself deep into their body. Mephistopheles was also injured, but she didn’t care much about the flesh melting away in some places, completely ignoring the pain as she just stared into Mammon’s eyes.

> [Let’s end this.]

Her bright red eyes became crescents, seemingly mocking them.

Mephistopheles, remembering all the disasters that had come at her without reason, the humiliations she’d endured in her weakest, most pathetic days, unleashed every last ounce of her hatred.

* * *

* * *

.

.

.

Bang!

She pulled Ratel out from deep inside a massive crater. What remained of Mammon was shredded and crushed, nothing but scattered fragments.

However, although their body had been destroyed, their name and power had yet to fade.

「…They’re still alive.」

Just then, the one who’d exhausted themselves after having part of their soul consumed whispered dryly. Even though their voice cracked, they still demanded the fulfillment of the promise, as unyielding as ever.

‘You want me to kill what’s left of them too?’

「If you leave them alive and they come back, your life will also be in danger.」

They weren’t wrong. Mephisto immediately acknowledged that logic.

However, just obeying them… hurt her pride quite a bit.

‘The corpse is mine.’

She wasn’t about to work for free, so she at least had to take something. Her contractor said nothing. You could say it was a silent agreement.

They knew with their soul already weakened, letting Mephisto grow stronger would only make things worse for them. But they also knew she wouldn’t move without this much, so they relented.

Mephisto’s lips pulled into a mocking smile.

> [O ancient magic.]

Of course, even for her, there was still a price to pay for this. She had to invest something in return.

She ignited flames on the ground, shaping them into a simple magic circle before offering Mammon’s name and power as the sacrifice.

If it were left alone, the priests would just Purify it, or worse, another Demon might steal it, so she offered it up as a sacrifice without missing a single beat.

> [O absolute law.]

Fwoosh! Fwoooosh! Flames danced everywhere, waving incantations into the air. With each word engraved by the flames, the dark and gloomy night grew even darker.

> [O balance of the cosmos.]

And right when the world was at its darkest, the scales tipped.

> [A fitting price.]

Mephistopheles’s sword moved once more.

—! A heat so intense that it devoured sound itself consumed the entire coastal area of the city. All that remained was the turtle shell, which had intentionally been spared.

Of course, only its form remained, the insides having been thoroughly cooked. However, the serpent hiding inside the Primordial Beast had somehow survived, its life hanging by a thread.

> [Hmph. Maybe I didn’t even need to offer their name. Too much excess power was left over.]

Had she known, maybe she should’ve asked for a total increase in power instead of just a temporary boost. She’d only chosen it because the former would’ve taken too long to kick in.

She didn’t even have the time to consume and digest it all herself, and even if she tried, the power was too unstable to absorb and would just mess up her essence. Moreover, her contractor surely wouldn’t allow it.

In the end, this was the best option.

Feeling the sting of regret over the power that would soon evaporate, Mephisto decisively prepared to deal the second blow. Flames surged forth and consumed the turtle shell, leaving only a pure white serpent behind.

> [Eat.]

What came next was already set in stone. Ratel, which she had thrown forward, expanded its form as it absorbed the power.

Swish!

The blade, now a massive badger-like beast, clamped its jaws around the serpent and swallowed it whole.

Of course, it wasn’t actually eating it. Ratel wasn’t a living creature but merely a highly sophisticated device.

Instead, a space connecting the outside of reality with the inside of Ratel’s body was torn open, forcing the massive serpent into the void. If not for the temporary buff, this wouldn’t have been possible.

Retrieving it later would be a bit of a hassle, but by then, the useless body should’ve already dissolved away, leaving only the fully compressed core, so that didn’t really matter.

Satisfied with her new acquisition, Mephisto snapped her fingers.

「…Time to return.」

Just then, her contractor, who’d been silently watching until now, finally brought up the final condition, their voice weak.

‘You’re really impatient. After everything I did to get this opportunity, you could at least let me settle things first.’

But why the hell would she listen? Mephisto grinned, pressing her foot into the ground.

Thud. With a single step, her body instantly disappeared. No. She’d moved, landing outside the crater in an instant.

The scroll draped over her shoulder fluttered behind her like a cloak.

「The promise…」

‘Specific individuals must be kept alive. Once survival is secured, control must be returned to Gretchen. Additionally, mortals are not to be harmed in any way and, if possible, should be protected.’

Giving up control again annoyed her, but it was still better than getting slaughtered by Mammon without even being able to put up a fight. That’s why she’d accepted this deal to begin with.

‘But tell me, is survival truly secured yet?’

But why would she give back control immediately? Sure, she’d fought on the mortals’ side—whatever her real intentions, she’d protected them, right?—but she’d now gone fully Demonic and showed those guys what she truly was.

Mephisto knew better than anyone. The fear that overwhelming power brought.

Would mortals really spare them once Gretchen regained control? Or would they see this as a moment of weakness, an opportunity to kill her while they still could?

‘Even the ancient magic acknowledged it. This body’s safety hasn’t been secured yet.’

Why, even at the cost of making Hell her enemy—then again, she’d never once considered Hell her ally, so it might be weird to say she’d made it her enemy—had she killed Mammon? For survival, of course.

But then, to have this body she just saved killed by mortals would be an absolute waste, wouldn’t it?

Mephistopheles refused to leave such a risk. She needed a guarantee.

Something clear and undeniable.

「You…」

‘Relax. I won’t kill them.’

If it were up to her, she’d have eliminated every potential threat… but the contract prevented that. So, she would have to find another way.

A way to completely eliminate the chance of Gretchen begging to be killed the moment she returned the body.

She started approaching the mortals step by step. She could feel her pitiful contractor tense up, but that amused her more than anything.

Because as long as someone else was suffering, it became easier for her to ignore her own suffering.

“…I-incoming.”

Fortunately, the mortals didn’t immediately point their weapons at her. Even that stupid God’s followers hesitated.

Now that every other Demon had fled from Mephistopheles, leaving them with some safety, they simply stood there, faces frozen. They just looked at her with wary, fearful gazes.

And that pleased Mephistopheles to no end. Yes, it was when she could reign over others with fear that she felt most at ease.

> [Who’s in charge here?]

If it were up to her, she would keep things that way… but that idiot Gretchen, the fool, wouldn’t let her.

That damn Gretchen never made things easy for her.

“Your Lordship!”

Before long, someone stepped forward despite the opposition of many.

It was someone she’d seen through Gretchen’s vision. Probably the ruler of this city (at least, what used to be a city).

She’d expected the Hero to show up, so seeing that guy was a bit unexpected. Actually, maybe it wasn’t. A quick scan of her presence revealed she was still unconscious.

“…Who are you?”

> [Are you asking because you don’t know? I’d think those servants of God already told you everything.]

Anyway, what mattered now was negotiation. Mephistopheles chuckled, changing Ratel’s form. The weapon shifted into a throne, supporting her as she mocked the trembling soldiers.

> [I am Wrath. One of the Great Demons you people are so desperate to kill.]

“…”

> [And at the same time, someone with no reason to obey Satan.]

“…Is that meant to explain what just happened?”

> [Explain? No, no.]

Mephistopheles slowly crossed her legs. That flowing movement put heavy pressure on the mortals around her as soon as they touched.

> [This is a declaration.]

Her crimson eyes located within the goat’s skull curved into crescents.

> [I have no intention of losing the vessel I worked so hard to obtain.]

“…What do you mean by that?”

> [Something like this.]

With the sound of shattering bone, the skull mask on her head fractured. The once wild, untamed white hair shortened and darkened, becoming a blend of ash and midnight.

Crunch. Covered in dark Demonic Energy, her body thickened, and Ratel gained mass. Her clothing also changed into something far more familiar.

“…Mister!”

“Demon Knight…!”

> [Consider this your warning. The moment any of you drive a blade into this heart, I will take over.]

The moment the dark energy swept over her face for the last time. The moment the skull mask completely shattered with a sharp sound.

There sat Mephistopheles, grinning with amusement, wearing the Demon Knight’s face.

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