I glanced at Yuria.
She had wiped all expression from her face, her brow furrowed slightly as she stared at the tent's entrance.
There's no particular reason to refuse. Besides, I'm curious why Bella is so interested in Yuria.
I trusted Yuria would handle the situation well.
I murmured to her, "Yuria, talk to Bella. I'm curious why she's so interested in you."
"Yes, I understand," Yuria replied, nodding.
Seeing her nod, I turned to Bella and said, "Yuria says she's fine with it too. If you two want to talk privately, I can step out."
"No, it's fine. Young Master Sung Yujin isn't feeling well, so he should rest inside the tent. Yuria and I will talk a little ways away."
I handed Yuria a wireless earpiece, a camera, and a listening device. The earpiece could be hidden under her hair, making it invisible.
Even if Bella, a native of this world, were to discover them, she wouldn't recognize what they were.
"But does this conversation really need to be just between the two of you?"
"It's a personal matter. Nothing serious, so you don't need to worry."
"So it's something I shouldn't know?"
"Heh heh. Ask Yuria about it later."
Yuria, now equipped with all the devices I'd given her, opened the tent flap and stepped outside. I sat on the bed and weakly waved at Bella, feigning illness.
"Oh my. I'm sorry to disturb your rest."
"It's quite alright. I'm feeling unwell today, so I need Yuria's care. Will this conversation be brief?"
"It should be over within thirty minutes."
"Young Master Sung Yujin, I'll be back soon."
Bella and Yuria left.
I immediately pulled out my laptop. I had secretly attached a camera to Yuria's waist.
The sound of their footsteps accompanied the view of Bella's retreating figure as they ventured deeper into the forest.
"Yuria, were you surprised to be summoned so suddenly in the middle of the night?"
"Yes, I was. I never dreamed Lady Bella would call for me."
"I didn't expect to meet you today either. I was quite startled when I saw you."
"...You've never spoken to me privately before. What do you wish to discuss?"
Is Bella connected to Duke Helbrit? As far as I know, Bella and the Duke Helbrit have no connection whatsoever.
Of course, my knowledge isn't perfect. I'm not a writer from this world, so there might be hidden settings I'm unaware of.
"Isn't this far enough? If we go too deep, it'll be difficult to find our way back."
"No, Yuria. Let's go a little further."
They continued moving for nearly ten minutes, venturing further away from the base camp.
Bella stopped walking and turned to face Yuria. The warmth that had been on Bella's face earlier was gone, replaced by a cold, piercing gaze. This was Bella's true expression.
"Since we've come this far, there's no need to hide anymore."
Bella's tone shifted.
"I'm not sure what you mean, Lady Bella."
"I understand. We have to hide. If our true nature is revealed, we'll be ostracized and eventually hunted down.
We can only trust each other. The reason I was so glad to see you is because we're the same."
"...Lady Bella, you're mistaken. We are not the same."
"No. We are the same. We're comrades."
With those words, Bella began to undress. Her elaborate gown fell to her feet with a soft thud. My eyes widened. She wore nothing but panties, having foregone a bra entirely.
I shifted uneasily.
The thought struck me that Bella might try to kill Yuria.
How strong is Bella now? Can she properly wield her Demonic Power? Could Yuria successfully escape from her?
A whirlwind of thoughts swirled through my mind.
"Don't lie. Hepl told me he could sense the stench of demons and corrupted mana on you."
"Hepl... the Plague Demon."
The Plague Demon Hepl. An Archdemon recorded in numerous texts.
...So that's why.
Now I understood why Bella was interested in Yuria. Bella's demon must have sensed the corrupted mana Yuria possessed, along with the scent of the low-grade parasitic demon Saphin.
When I smelled her, all I could detect was Yuria's sweet fragrance.
The term "Demon's scent" likely refers to something akin to Demonic Power, not an actual smell. After all, Yuria still tortures Saphin occasionally.
"Lady Bella, you're mistaken. I haven't made a pact with a demon."
"...You don't trust me, your comrade?"
"I've said it countless times: I'm not your comrade, Lady Bella."
"That's harsh. I was so happy to meet Yuria. But if she keeps acting like this... I might get angry."
Her green magic circle began to glow faintly. Bella released the breast she had been holding, and it swayed dramatically before settling back into place.
"Yuria, I'll say it again: we're comrades. Show me the mark of our comradeship on your body."
Dark mana surged from Bella's body, the power of a demon. It resembled corrupted mana but was distinct demonic power, magic power.
Behind Bella, the form of a demon materialized: Hepl, the Archdemon with whom she had forged a contract.
I urgently whispered to Yuria, "Yuria, just play along. This is both a crisis and an opportunity."
Bella was a witch bound to an Archdemon. If she fully unleashed her power, Yuria would struggle to match her. Even if I intervened, I had no surefire way to turn the tide.
In that case, lying might be the best option.
And perhaps this could give us a foothold in the Demon Society Pantheon.
The Demon Society Pantheon. Gaining continuous intelligence on their most troublesome members could prove invaluable.
"Lady Bella, I'll be honest with you. I haven't made a pact with a demon yet."
"...Yet?"
"I'm preparing to make a pact. I did summon a demon, but it was a low-grade one, so I postponed the contract. I want to contract with at least a mid-grade demon or higher."
I stared anxiously at Bella on the screen, wondering if she would buy my story.
"I see. I understand. Summoning demons isn't easy. Even I wouldn't have been able to contract with Hepl without my family's treasure."
She bought it.
I let out a sigh of relief. The magic power radiating from Bella's body vanished.
"I heard you're emitting corrupted mana... How did you obtain it?"
"I created it myself. I heard demons are particularly fond of corrupted mana."
"That's right. I adore corrupted mana. It's the source of Demonic Power for demons. But even demons can't easily create it. Yuria, you're truly remarkable."
"If you desire it, I will give you corrupted mana."
"Really?"
From the shadows, Yuria produced a glass vial filled with corrupted mana.
Bella's expression shifted to astonishment at Yuria's magical prowess.
"...As expected, Yuria is no ordinary woman. It's hard to believe she hasn't yet made a pact with a demon. Any demon would eagerly contract with someone like her."
"Summoning demons isn't as easy as it seems."
Bella accepted the vial from Yuria. She uncorked it and raised it high.
Behind Bella, a green-skinned demon materialized. A viscous, unknown fluid oozed from its skin. Its head resembled that of a fly, and it had three mouths.
The Plague Demon, Hepl, revealed himself and clung to the glass bottle, greedily sucking up the corrupted mana.
"Ah, just as I thought corrupted mana! It's so delicious! But the quantity is a bit disappointing."
The demon chuckled dryly.
"Yes, I can feel my power growing, even if only slightly. Corrupted mana is truly remarkable."
"Exactly. So stop wasting time playing noble and focus on acquiring more corrupted mana."
"It's not a waste. To operate effectively, there's no status more convenient than nobility. And our goal is to dominate the continent, isn't it? The nobility provides excellent experience in ruling."
"Whatever. Just don't get too carried away. You still need to keep offering humans to me regularly."
With that, the demon turned his gaze toward Yuria.
I couldn't see Yuria's expression, but I could guess. She probably wasn't showing any emotion. I doubted she feared demons.
"I smell a strong demonic presence on you, bitch. Did you summon, kill, and devour a low-grade demon?"
"I've never eaten a demon."
"Heh. So you admit to killing one? You're an interesting woman. Bella, teach her how to summon demons. She has talent."
"Understood, Hepl. I think so too."
The demon vanished.
Bella put on the dress she had taken off and began teaching me how to summon demons.
"To summon a demon, it's best to start by creating a ritual altar. When performing the summoning, killing a young person under twenty makes it easier to summon the demon."
As I listened to Bella's explanation, I shook my head. Though I didn't fully understand the magical terminology she used, I could tell it was a horrifying method.
"I understand," I said.
"Yuria, why don't you come to the Hutris Family with me? I'll help you with everything. I also want to learn how you create corrupted mana."
"That's impossible. I have duties to fulfill for the Prucus Family. I'll teach you how to create corrupted mana. First, we need to find a suitable prison..."
"Wow... so that's how you make it. It might be a bit difficult for me to replicate."
"You'll get used to it with practice."
After their conversation ended, they returned to my tent.
"Did you have a good talk?" I asked.
Bella smiled brightly at my question.
"Yes! It was a truly enjoyable time. I'd love to talk with Yuria again sometime."
"If you're willing, please visit my territory next time. Lady Hutris would be most welcome."
"Ah, you mentioned becoming the lord of Tevra next month. Would it really be alright if I visited?"
"Of course."
"That's a promise then. No take-backs! I'll definitely come visit later."
"I look forward to that day."
"Well then, I should be going now. Sweet dreams, Young Master Sung Yujin. And you too, Yuria."
"Yes. Good night, Lady Bella."
Bella left.
I immediately grabbed Yuria's wrist, pushed her onto the bed, and climbed on top of her.
Yuria's eyes met mine without the slightest flicker of hesitation. I reached out and touched her soft cheek.
"I was worried about you, Yuria."
"I'm sorry for making you worry, Master. I wasn't good enough."
"Not good enough? That can't be true."
I lowered the fabric covering her chest, revealing her pale breasts and the pink nipples above them.
"You don't need to make a pact with demons. They can't be trusted. They'll twist the terms of any agreement."
The idea that demons value contracts is a myth from another world. In this realm, they treat contracts like worthless trash.
My left hand slipped beneath her skirt, gliding over her thigh-high stockings before sliding beneath her panties to probe her depths.
"Yes, I won't make a pact. Ugh..."
"We should use Bella Hutris as much as we can, then kill her. The Plague Demon's power she possesses is too dangerous."
Even using her would be difficult. If she proves too dangerous, we'll have to eliminate her without hesitation.
"Haaah... Master..." Yuria gasped, her breath hot and ragged.
Squish.
A lewd sound escaped from her nether regions.
***
The next day.
We set off at dawn, just as the sky began to lighten. Before long, we reached the city of Hutris, where we parted ways with the Hutris siblings.
Before parting, Bella secretly slipped something to Yuria: a book detailing everything about demons, including summoning rituals and contract methods. If its existence were discovered, it would undoubtedly cause a massive uproar.
There was no need to burn it. We could either take it back to the real world or store it in Yuria's shadow, where her shadow subspace magic would render it undetectable.
Just past noon, we finally arrived at the Huge Snow Mountain.