"... This just got even more complicated, Mother," Emily muttered, and Evie couldn't help but agree.
This place had caught the attention of one of The Kings of Hell, and everyone knew that nothing good ca from dealing with those Beings.
Evie thought about Victor's words, saying that when she needed him the most, she would summon 'The Devil.'
Evie hated knowing that Victor's premonition could beco a reality. Currently, Evie felt that for Witches, there was no Faction that would make a 'fair' deal with them other than Victor's.
But Evie couldn't trust this 'feeling.'
"Mother, what should we do?"
"I will visit them personally."
"... But-" The girls wanted to retort, saying it was dangerous, but they were interrupted by Evie.
"We are dealing with rlin."
Silence fell in the room.
"He is the greatest genius of 'Energy control' that ever existed, and even though he's a Demon now, I have no doubt that he hasn't lost that ability."
"No Magic can be used in front of him, or he will intercept that Magic. We need users like who can hide their summoning, or everything you do will be useless."
None of them wanted to accept Evie's words, but they had no choice. After all, it was the Queen's decision, and the only one in this room who could contradict the Queen's decision was her biological daughter, Emily Moriarty.
And that's what Emily did.
"We will be watching, Mother. If sothing happens, we will intervene. That's non-negotiable."
"Very well," Evie nodded in agreent with those words.
...
"Hmm, I still think this is very reckless, rlin."
"You're overthinking it, Yama."
"I'm not..." Yama narrowed his eyes. "Despite trusting your ability and my own, isn't it too risky to co here alone? You know very well that man has eyes in this place."
"Ah, yes... The Chaos Dragon God, the only Being to have Divinities on both sides of The Balance... A peculiar existence, isn't he?" rlin's eyes glead with curiosity.
"Don't play with , rlin. Answer my question." Yama narrowed his eyes.
rlin rolled his eyes. "You're too impatient, young Yama. Trust your teacher, okay?"
"I trust you." Yama nodded. "But I don't trust your eccentricity."
rlin fell silent; he was going to say sothing but remained silent when he realized that even he didn't trust his own eccentricity.
"So, what are we doing here?"
"A new world... A new opportunity, isn't that interesting?"
"Tsk, stop beating around the bush and state the truth." Yama was slowly getting more irritated.
rlin realized this, so he spoke in an attempt to satisfy Yama: "... Let's say I'm here to discover the 'Origins' of Witches."
"Oh?" Yama beca interested now. "Are you saying that world has connections with Witches?"
"Probably." rlin was evasive, but for soone who knew him well, like Yama, that was like a confirmation to him.
After all, rlin wouldn't be here if there wasn't sothing that greatly interested him.
"I see... And how can this benefit us?"
"That, my dear disciple... is what I ca to find out," rlin said.
A green Magic Circle appeared in front of rlin and Yama.
"She is coming." The mont rlin said that the Magic Circle shimred, and the white silhouette of a woman appeared.
The light around the silhouette exploded into various particles, and Evie appeared wearing her royal attire along with her staff and crown of green flas.
Her eyes adorned with Magical Circles looked at Yama and rlin.
"Yama, The King of Hell... This is an unexpected visit... I wonder what The King of Hell wants with Arcane?"
"... Won't you invite us in?" Yama asked.
"I'm sorry, but... Currently, my country is going through complicated situations, so the entry of anyone other than Witches is prohibited."
"Interesting... Does this rule apply even to ?" Yama covered his body with his Power.
"Yes, no one will enter Arcane, even if it's you." The Magic Circles in Evie's eyes changed slightly, and at that mont, she had tried to use Evaluation Magic on the targets, but that sa Magic was blocked by the Demon behind Yama.
The speed at which the Magic was broken further confird Evie's suspicions that the Demon behind Yama was definitely rlin.
Evie and the larger Demon's eyes t for a few seconds, and Evie swore she saw a sense of amusent in the Demon's eyes.
She narrowed her eyes slightly and looked back at Yama. "You haven't answered... What has The King of Hell co here to do?"
"... I want to make a deal with Arcane," Yama said.
A scroll appeared in front of Yama, and he acted as if he had done it, but Evie clearly noticed that it was the Demon behind The King of Hell who had summoned the scroll, which could an only one thing. 'rlin clearly knew about the Origins of the portal and had the idea to co here.'
"Take it." The scroll floated toward Evie.
First, Evie thoroughly examined the scroll for any possible traps, and only after doing so did she take the scroll and open it. Upon opening the scroll, she saw the written contract.
"This..." Evie opened her eyes wide at what she was seeing; this contract was simply too unfavorable... for the Demons under Yama's banner.
She read the contract more carefully and even used so Magic to see if there was any catch, but even after doing all that, she found the contract to be legitimate, with no deception. This was an extrely disadvantageous contract for the Demons and very favorable for the Witches.
'This is sothing rlin would definitely do. That old bastard would do anything for knowledge, even make unfair contracts like this.'
"Are you sure about this?" Evie asked.
"Yes," Yama replied confidently.
"... Let ask again, are you absolutely sure that the Demons under your command will unconditionally support us in anything we do, and in return, all we have to do is give you access to the portal?"
"Yes... Wait, what?" Yama took the scroll and read it. When he saw the unfair contract that would essentially make the Demons subordinate to the Witches, he looked furiously at rlin.
At this mont, there was no respect for his teacher. Yama realized that rlin would easily sell him out for knowledge!
This... This was so typical of rlin! He should have paid more attention.
rlin turned his head to the side and started whistling as if he had done nothing wrong. Veins beca even more visible on Yama's head, and then he looked in Evie's direction with a forced smile.
"Unfortunately, this contract is wrong. My stupid subordinate must have made a mistake."
"I see, that's a sha... You should ensure that this subordinate is punished. After all, this mistake only shows that the King is inattentive." Evie 'kindly' advised.
But Yama and rlin could feel the acidity in the woman's words.
Yama's smile beca even more forced, feeling utterly embarrassed now, but as a King, he had learned to have thick skin, so he accepted this 'kind' advice with a smile on his face. "Of course, I will ensure that this Demon is punished."
Evie nodded. "I see that this conversation is over, so I will be leaving..."
"Wait, Queen of Witches."
"... What?"
"My proposal is not over yet."
Another scroll appeared in front of Yama, and this ti, Yama read it. 'This is acceptable.' He nodded internally as he saw the conditions of the contract.
It was basically a business contract; in exchange for letting them use the portal, Yama's Demons would share the profit found between 30-70.
30% for the Witches and 70% for the Demons. For Yama, this was a 'fair' percentage. Although internally, he didn't like it much, considering that he could just take the portal for himself, right? But by doing that, he would possibly anger a terrifying existence, and he didn't want that.
Yama handed the contract to Evie. "Read the contract and tell what you think."
Evie took the contract and read it... She was surprised at first; the contract wasn't bad, but at the sa ti, it wasn't good. The reason for this was that these Beings would go to the other side, and they could take all the good things for themselves and only give her the leftovers.
"Unfortunately, I cannot accept this contract either..."
Yama's face contorted. "Don't be greedy, Witch." His words ca out in a completely hostile tone.
Evie narrowed her eyes.
"You are not in a position to negotiate anything... Do you know why no one has leveled this place already?"
"It's because we all fear the reaction of that annoying existence."
"If it weren't for that, you and your group of Witches would have already been wiped from existence."
"You are not in a position to be as greedy as you always have been. Know your place, Witch."
rlin, who saw this, only smiled in amusent. He knew sothing like this would happen. Witches like to play the victim, but in the end, it's all a ga of interests.
The Witches don't want to give up the portal, but they also won't accept comrcial contracts where they co out at a disadvantage. They were so used to exploiting other Beings that they didn't realize the situation they were in.
'If this continues, it's only a matter of ti before soone invades this place... And when that happens, that Dragon will intervene and take the whole place for himself, bringing the Witches under his banner.' rlin could clearly see the kind of patient ga Victor was playing.
'He completely understands what Witches are like... This intellect is very much like Diablo's... In fact, it may even be superior because all I'm seeing is just the surface. I'm sure they have other plans beneath the surface regarding the Witches.' rlin thought.
"... Leave, King of Hell."
Yama grunted angrily, the Space around him distorting as if it were about to break, and this action made Evie even more cautious. With just a hand gesture, she created several Magic Circles, and a tense atmosphere surrounded them.
"I said, leave, King of Hell."
"... Mark my words, Witch. One day, you will bow down to soone, and I will be there to witness that mont." Yama turned and started to leave the place along with rlin.
'Don't state the obvious. I know that, but it won't be you.' Despite being proud, Evie knew very well the kind of situation she was in. She was just being stubborn and not giving up. After all, Kings and Queens don't give up easily.
Emily, who was watching this eting inside Arcane, bit her lip. 'I have to do sothing. My mother's stubbornness will condemn us.'
....
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