It Seems the Demon King Has Returned to a World Where Gender Roles Are Reversed - Chapter 80

 Chapter 80 :

“Now that I think about it, I made a promise, didn’t I? That I’d give you a gift the ‘next time’ we meet.”

“…You’re not saying this is the gift, are you?”

Erika asked with a hint of self-deprecation. Ragna chuckled and replied,

“No, of course not.”

“…”

At his leisurely response, Erika looked at him with reddened eyes.

“Before that, Erika.”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember, by any chance, the contents of the book we were researching together? There was definitely a part describing the Demon King.”

“What does that have to do with…”

“Recite it. If you do, I’ll release the bindings holding you right now.”

“…”

Erika blinked, staring at Ragna.

But his expression was entirely serious.

With a mix of doubt and hesitation, Erika began to recite the passage from memory.

“…Its appearance was like that of a black lion. A black mane covered its entire body. The clothing that enveloped it was unlike anything ever seen. The dark face, as if from the depths of an abyss, was shrouded in shadow, and its two eyes burned like freshly kindled embers. Above its head sprouted two horns, resembling those of a goat, or perhaps carved from jagged stone—”

At that moment,

“Yes, something like this.”

“…!”

Erika’s voice stopped.

The figure of Ragna standing before her began to distort. Like a monster shedding its skin, his body swelled, and the hair on his head grew rapidly.

His skin darkened as if rotting, yet his two eyes burned an intense red.

And the horns,

Those horns!

Horns that looked as if carved from stone!

Erika’s jaw trembled.

A groaning sound escaped through her clenched teeth.

The Demon King!

____________

“H-How…? W-What’s happening?!”

“…”

Hot smoke, like the flames of hell, poured from its mouth. The creature that was once Ragna, resembling a black-muzzled beast, twitched its snout and stared at Erika with those burning red eyes. Slowly, it raised its hand.

“Ugh, haaagh!”

Gasping in primal fear, Erika trembled violently.

At that moment, a light glowed from the hand of the thing that was Ragna. The magical bindings around Erika unraveled.

But Erika didn’t flee.

No, it would be more accurate to say she couldn’t even think of it.

Her mind was consumed by fearindescribable, overwhelming fear.

“Hic…”

“Calm down.”

“…!”

A voice came from the creature’s mouth, resembling a dog’s muzzle.

It was Ragna’s voice, the one Erika knew.

Only then did Erika realize that this creature was Ragna.

Or rather, that Ragna’s true identity was this thing

“I won’t kill you. I promise.”

As if looking at an insect, the creature twisted its mouth, speaking in a way that suggested a smile.

“Ugh…”

“Erika Tranmier. You asked earlier, didn’t you? ‘What are you going to do now?’”

“…!”

At those words, Erika’s face turned pale.

It was all too easy to imagine what this *thing* might do next.

It said it wouldn’t kill her.

But how could she trust that promise? Or perhaps it was just a common taunt from stories. It wouldn’t kill her but it would inflict pain just as bad.

“…Ugh!”

The shock was so intense that Erika clutched her chest, gasping.

Her body ached terribly.

It felt like a seizure could strike at any moment.

But then, the creature’s voice reached her ears.

“But this time, I’ll be the one asking. What do you want to do?”

“…?”

Erika barely lifted her head to look at the creature. It raised both hands and said,

“If you so choose, you can live the same life as before.”

“…?”

“I won’t reveal your identity. And you’ll forget about me. Your life will continue as it is now… just that. Tomorrow will be the same as today, repeating endlessly.”

“…”

“But if you choose the other option…”

“…?”

“I will make you my slave.”

“…! W-What does that…”

“Not unconditionally, of course. I’ll pay a price. I’ll free you from the pain of the disease eating away at your body.”

Erika’s eyes widened at the creature’s words.

_________________ 

There’s an old saying.

The scales of a demon are fairer than any merchant’s.

At first glance, it sounds absurd.

A demon represents unfair contracts, a beast that leads humans to ruin.

To say a demon’s scales are fair? It’s nonsense.

But upon closer inspection, the saying isn’t unreasonable.

If the scales weren’t fair, humans wouldn’t accept the contract in the first place.

Humans always want to gain something from a deal.

And so do demons.

But the contracts demons desire are ones that lead to human ruin. Thus, demons must dress up their scales to make the deal appear fair.

That’s why a demon’s scales are always balanced.

And now, the choices held in Ragna’s hands were exactly like those demon’s scales, perfectly balanced.

“Ugh…!”

Faced with those choices, Erika looked at the creature with eyes filled with confusion.

But it stood before her confidently, like a judge.

There was no deception.

One choice offered peace.

She could return to her current life.

She’d forget about Ragna, but what did that matter?

Forgetting such a being would be better.

It was easier to pretend it never existed.

But to become the slave of such a creature?

What kind of fate would await her?

Something so horrific it was unimaginable.

Perhaps even the words coming from its mouth were all lies.

But even so.

Despite that, Erika couldn’t tear her eyes away from the offer.

Because what it held was freedom.

Freedom from the pain that had tormented her body since birth.

“I… I…”

She had to refuse.

No matter what, she had to spit out the words of refusal.

But those words stayed stuck in her throat, circling without emerging.

She couldn’t choose.

Her mind screamed to choose the first option, to return to her normal life, but her heart rejected it.

For years, that pain had gnawed at her, leaving her trembling in agony.

Even when magical power finally began to flow through her body, allowing her to move, before that, she had been confined to a bed all day.

To save her, her mother had poured everything into it.

This was freedom from that disease.

“Choose, Erika.”

“I… I…”

As if urging her to answer, the creature raised both hands.

Pointing to its left hand, it said,

“If you take my left hand, I’ll leave this place. The memory of today will be erased from your mind, and you’ll return to your dorm. Tomorrow will be just like today.”

“…”

“But if you choose my right hand, as I said, I’ll make you my slave. I’ll claim your soul and make you my loyal servant. But in return, I’ll heal your body.”

A demon’s scales are always fair.

The saying continues.

The scales may seem balanced at first glance.

And the choices hanging on those scales.

But in the end, a contract between a human and a demon is designed to benefit the demon.

The same was true for the choices in Ragna’s hands.

The left hand offered a normal life. The right hand offered a contract and its reward.

It seemed reasonable at first glance, but it was a sham.

The normal life Ragna offered cost him nothing.

It was a deal with zero loss or gain for him.

So even if she chose the first option, Ragna wouldn’t lose anything.

But the contract offered by his right hand.

That was an opportunity for Ragna to gain a loyal servant named Erika.

Of course, he’d have to pay a price, but that was a necessary step to use Erika freely.

It was a troublesome and risky method, but not impossible.

In that case, gaining a pawn like Erika through the contract was far more advantageous.

Living in this world, having someone to control at his whim would broaden his options.

In the end, this contract demanded Erika’s loss and forced her to decide whether to accept it.

It was, in every sense, a demonic contract.

But even so, those who contract with demons never realize it.

Or even if they do, they can’t refuse.

Because the reward on one side of the demon’s scales is something they’ve desperately wanted for so long.

Erika’s hand moved.

And it grasped the hand Ragna extended.

“…Alright.”

“I… I…”

“As per the contract… you are now my slave.”

“…Ugh.”

The hand she grasped was his right hand.

Ragna’s right hand.

As if he had anticipated this, Ragna let out a guttural laugh from deep within. He dispelled the illusion that had mimicked the Demon King’s form.

As black smoke spread, his body returned to its original form a boy.

But his burning red eyes still gazed at Erika with a mocking glint.

Under that gaze, Erika turned her head away.

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Translated by Reversalnovel.web.id