Toying with hearts, seducing humanity.
Terrifying, cunning—the root of all evil in the world.
Every misfortune, every dark event, traced back to them.
That was the picture painted by countless legends about devils.
And today, Shiho Miyano was facing one head-on.
Her fists clenched tight, her body trembling faintly.
Come on, brilliant mind—think of something.
"Look, I just saved your life. You don't have to be that afraid of me."
Kaiser glanced at her and spoke up.
Shiho paused, relaxing just a fraction.
He had a point.
The idea that all devils were evil might just be an old stereotype.
"Since you're calming down, let's get to business."
Shiho blinked. "Business? What business?"
Kaiser smiled. "Let's discuss payment."
Her pupils contracted in disbelief. "You're... extorting gratitude for saving me?"
"Exactly. Well summarized."
He gave a half-smile. "After all, we devils never do anything without a price."
Gulp.
Shiho swallowed hard, a wave of despair washing over her.
It... actually made terrifying sense.
"Wh-what kind of payment do you want?"
Kaiser extended his hand. "Let me place my mark on you."
Shiho crossed her arms over her chest, cheeks burning with indignation. "Y-you... you perverted devil!"
"Huh? How did you guess?"
"..."
Her mouth twitched.
Maybe she should try running?
Remembering what happened to those cursed spirits, she deflated like a punctured balloon.
No chance of escaping.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself with internal pep talk.
He did save my life, no matter what.
It's just a touch—it's not like I'll lose anything.
Damn it, I've never even had a boyfriend.
Though... this devil is pretty handsome.
Biting her lip, she made up her mind.
Stepping closer, she tugged her collar aside, face flushed crimson. "J-just once, okay?"
"???"
Kaiser blinked.
What on earth was going through her head?
Was this what happened when smart people overthought everything?
Realizing the misunderstanding, he saw no need to correct it.
As long as it served his purpose.
Without hesitation, he reached out.
"Wait—why are you unbuttoning anything? Control yourself, Mr. Devil!"
"Don't overthink it. It's just easier to place the mark this way."
"H-hold on."
Shiho tensed, her face turning scarlet. "What exactly do you plan to do with that finger?"
"Relax—it's definitely not what you're imagining."
"So you know full well how perverted this seems."
A soft glow flickered as the heart-shaped pattern appeared and faded.
"Th-that's it?"
Shiho asked instinctively.
Kaiser smirked. "What more did you expect?"
"..."
Her face exploded in red.
She had completely misunderstood.
Thump! Thump thump!
In the next instant, Shiho had no time to dwell on embarrassment.
Her heart pounded wildly, every cell in her body singing with exhilaration.
At the same time, arcane symbols briefly surfaced across her skin.
[Shiho Miyano]
[Race: Devil]
[Master: Kaiser Lucifuge]
[Level: LV9]
[Skill: Heart of Magic]
[Heart of Magic: No magic in the world holds secrets from you; mastery comes swiftly and naturally.]
"Starting as a devil and already at the peak of Low-Class?"
"And Heart of Magic—nice skill."
Kaiser glanced over the details, a satisfied smile curving his lips.
A perfect start.
He'd only just arrived in the human world and already secured his second servant.
He pulled out paper and pen, jotting down her stats.
Shiho leaned in to look, then gasped. "I'm... a devil now?"
"Yep. I thought I mentioned that."
"Heh... heh heh."
Her eyelid twitched.
You didn't mention a thing.
She opened her mouth to protest, then sighed and let it go.
Whatever.
She was already on board this ship.
And becoming a devil didn't seem like a bad deal at all.
She still looked human—aside from the new wings and tail.
Plus...
Shiho clenched her fist.
It felt like she could punch through a wall now.
And this Heart of Magic...
She might actually learn real sorcery.
Remembering the power Kaiser had displayed earlier, a spark of excitement ignited within her.
Suddenly, something else occurred to her.
"Hey—since you're my master now, doesn't that mean you have to protect me?"
Kaiser nodded. "Of course. That's only natural."
"Then... you can help me get revenge, right?"
Her voice turned sharp with resolve.
Hmph.
Black Organization.
You never saw this coming, did you?
"Fine. Lead the way."
...
Kuoh Town.
A hidden research facility.
Kaiser and Shiho descended from the sky.
Shiho stared in a daze.
So this was what flying felt like.
"You know, you could have just taken me straight to their headquarters and ended it all in one go."
For Kaiser, wiping out the Black Organization would be as easy as crushing an anthill.
"I wish."
Shiho snapped out of her reverie and shook her head helplessly. "Unfortunately, they never fully trusted me."
As they spoke, the two advanced toward the building.
Their arrival was caught clearly on surveillance, immediately alerting the guards inside.
"Sherry, what the hell do you mean bringing an outsider here?"
"Have you betrayed the organization?"
Several figures in black calmly attached silencers to their guns.
Shiho swallowed nervously, whispering, "Devils aren't afraid of bullets, right?"
"How little faith do you have in devils?"
Kaiser rolled his eyes. "Change your mindset."
"Against devils, even firearms make ordinary humans far too fragile."
As he spoke, demonic energy rippled outward.
Crack!
One guard's neck twisted unnaturally as he crumpled to the ground.
No experience gain from regular humans?
Kaiser's eyes flickered briefly before he shrugged. "See? Just like that."
"B-but I've never killed anyone!"
Shiho backed away, hiding behind him.
"..."
Kaiser tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Aren't you the one who wanted revenge?"
He grabbed her collar and lifted her forward.
Shiho flailed. "I-I need to think about this a little more!"
"No time for second thoughts. Real combat is the best training."
At that moment, the remaining guards snapped into action.
"How did he die?"
"Forget it—open fire!"
In the next instant, muzzle flashes sparked.
Several bullets streaked toward Kaiser.
Without hesitation, he positioned Shiho in front of him.
"Shiho, you're up."
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