Renji Kurogane's eyes snapped open. For a moment, he thought the darkness around him was nothing but the remnants of his own life fading away. Then he realized that he was sitting in a waiting room. His hands were on his lap, and he froze when he noticed the figure sitting opposite him.
It was a woman.
Her eyes glowed a sharp, terrifying yellow. Small, curved horns jutted from her forehead, curling just above the hairline, and her long black hair flowed down her shoulders, framing a face that was undeniably beautiful—yet wholly terrifying.
Her smile hinted at teeth sharper than humans, and there was an aura of predatory power surrounding her.
Adrien recoiled instinctively.
"Am I… in Hell?" he yelled, leaping back from the chair. Terror surged through him like lightning.
I shouldn't be here! I put criminals behind bars! I was perfect! Heaven is mine!
The demon tilted her head, unimpressed.
"Is everything alright?" she asked, her tone sharp with confusion. "You are in court."
"A court? Am I about to be tried for my sins to see if I go to Heaven or Hell?"
Adrien froze, then blinked. Slowly, a grin spread across his face.
Hmm. I like this system. A court to determine my fate—God really implemented a way good for me to defend my case.
"What kind of sick joke is this? I didn't hire you to mess around with me. Especially not before this big case. I need you to win!"
This is not a court for Heaven or Hell? Where am I?
But more importantly, I need to win a big case?
Yet the thrill of a challenge bubbled in his chest. He smiled.
"A trial, huh? Fine. Let's see how this works. I accept the challenge."
The demon's smile darkened.
"I hope you know what you're doing. Because if you don't win this case… I will eat you, you half-blooded whelp."
"Prepare yourself to starve because I never lose."
"Nice joke. In what world?"
Ignoring the comment, Adrien jerked back again, his heart skipping a beat. Half terrified, half exhilarated, he muttered under his breath.
Case…? What case? I know nothing about it. I need to gather as much information as I need.
Then he noticed something clipped to his chest: a small badge. Squinting at it, he read the engraved letters, and his eyes widened.
Adrien Veil. The Devil's Attorney.
"The Devil's Attorney?"
A human face stared back at him. His hair was black, his eyes a deep, almost navy blue, and there was a small tuft of vibrant blue at the front.
He looked fragile, almost… fragile, not at all like the towering, muscular man he had been in Tokyo.
Wait. Something feels different about me! Where are my muscles?My broad shoulders? My perfect hands?
A glance toward the glass wall confirmed it.
He was now a slender, fragile-looking young man. His broad chest, thick arms, and gym-honed legs were gone, replaced by something almost childlike in its frailty.
Renji groaned.
Did I get reincarnated like one of that stupid anime my nephew watches? This is terrible. And… I have a case to win. And as the Devil's Attorney."
A laugh erupted in the waiting room, and all eyes turned to him.
So, this woman who killed me in my previous life had cursed me with her words—and now I'm literally the Devil's Attorney.
Fine. It doesn't bother me. It doesn't matter who I work for. As long as I'm winning.
He adjusted the badge again, tracing the small image of his new face.
"Adrien Veil," he muttered. "Interesting. Not bad."
A shiver of excitement ran down his spine. He knew nothing about the laws of this world, yet he was already trembling with anticipation.
Earth has been too easy lately. Every case I touched was a victory. Boring. Too predictable. But this… this will be interesting.
I can win this. I will win this.
The case file will tell me everything. I just need to read it carefully.
Adrien snatched the file from the floating desk in front of him, flipping it open. He scanned the first page.
[CASE FILE]
The case involved a human accused by a demon of violating a soul contract. The demon's name was written elegantly at the top: Lilithra Veyrisse, a girl whose aura seemed fragile but dangerous. She had lent her strength to this human in exchange for ten years of his soul—but he refused to honor the contract.
[ATTORNEY NOTES]
I know nothing about this law. Not the rules of magic, not the laws of contracts between demons and humans, not a single precedent in this realm. Perfect. Excellent. A true challenge.
Adrien's pulse quickened. He had always thrived in the courtroom, turning impossible cases into flawless victories. Here, he realized, he would need to combine law, magic, and a brand of cunning no human lawyer had ever used. And he loved it.
He glanced again at the demon sitting across from him. Her expression was amused but deadly serious.
"Tell me more about the court and how it works. I need you to brief me on everything you know if you want to win."
"Aren't you supposed to know this already? If I wasn't completely broke, I wouldn't have hired you. I have no choice but to rely on a loser like you."
A loser?! How dare she!
"Hey! I've never lost in my life! So, tell me—do you want to win, yes or no?"
"Fine. Be delusional. But I don't see how this is going to help either of us. We are losing anyway. At least, I know what I'm going to have for lunch."
"The trial itself," the demon began, her voice cold and precise, "is held in a courtroom that exists somewhere between realms, presided over by entities neither fully mortal nor entirely demonic. The inter-rulers. Witnesses, humans, demons or monsters can be summoned magically, and every word spoken carries literal weight in the balance of justice. Spells are allowed during arguments… as long as they are not lethal."
"Great. Before we start, I needed to make sure my client understands a bit about how a court works," he said, trying to make himself look confident.
The demon simply stared at him in shock, still unimpressed.
"Now, what do you know about law? Where can I read more about it?" he pressed, trying to extract anything useful.
"Are you for real?" she snapped. "It's not my job but yours to know about all this. Do I really have to remind you that you can summon a law book with your spell?"
"I can summon it!" Adrien said, trying to sound decisive.
Great. But how do I summon it?
Adrien furrowed his brow, concentrating hard. He scanned the waiting room. Demons walked around with confident, predatory grace, some tall and terrifying, their eyes glowing faintly in red, yellow, or violet.
Humans and half-demons shuffled among them, draped in robes and garments that gloved with faint magic—something out of a fantasy film, impossible in his old world.
Suddenly, a sharp jolt of realization stabbed through him, like shards of glass piercing his skull. He remembered—the spell.
Fragments of the previous owner's memories flooded back into his mind, bringing knowledge he hadn't earned but now could wield.
He closed his eyes and yelled softly, forcing the words from memory:
"Lex Apparatus Summonio!"
A flicker of light erupted from his hands. Cloaked in silver and shadow, a heavy, leather-bound law book materialized before him. Its cover was deep black, etched with silver runes that seemed to crawl and shift—appearing and disappearing with every glance, forming letters that resembled Latin yet twisted into arcane patterns. Adrien's pulse quickened.
Perfect. Finally, a book that could be useful. But… is this Old Latin? I don't know this language!
He opened the book carefully, and as he tried to read it, shock coursed through him.
I can't believe it. Somehow… I understand every word. It's as if I've learned this language before. How is that even possible? This… this is perfect. Finally, something I can work with.
The pages were filled with black ink on pristine white parchment, revealing laws, case precedents, and explanations of magical contracts—everything he could possibly need to navigate this court. Even the formatting was elegant and meticulous, as if the previous owner had annotated the margins with personal notes, leaving behind guidance for anyone clever enough to comprehend them.
Adrien leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the edge of the chair.
I should learn more about these contracts…
His eyes flicked to the law book, still hovering in the air before him, and as if responding to his intent, the pages began to flutter open on their own.
A soft silver glow emanated from the edges, and the words rearranged themselves into clear, readable text. Adrien's pulse quickened as he recognized the heading:
[THE ARCANUM OF CONTRACTS]
[Realm: Orion]
He inhaled sharply, scanning the first chapter.
[CHAPTER I – GENERAL PRINCIPLES]
All magical contracts between sentient beings, including humans and demons, are governed under the Arcanum of Contracts, enforced by the Inter-Realm Court.
A contract is a binding agreement where one party (the "Contractor") lends their magical abilities, knowledge, or other supernatural assets in exchange for terms offered by the other party (the "User").
Contracts are considered null and void if entered under duress, deception, or without clear understanding by either party.
Adrien leaned closer, letting the glow reflect in his eyes.
[CHAPTER II – FORMATION OF CONTRACTS]
[Offer and Acceptance] – The Contractor presents terms, which the User must acknowledge verbally or through magical sigils.
[Consideration] – Every contract must specify the compensation for the Contractor. This may include portions of the User's soul, life energy, or other magical essence.
[Binding Seal] – Contracts must be sealed with a magical imprint, visible only to the parties involved and the Inter-Realm Court. Breaking or forging the seal carries severe penalties.
Huh… so everything has to be precise. One slip, and the contract is void, or worse.
If I want to win this case, I have to understand this perfectly. No shortcuts. No assumptions. Just like on Earth… except this time, the laws are different.
Adrien's eyes narrowed as he leaned toward the demon sitting across from him.
"Lilithra, show me the contract. I need to see the exact terms before we go any further."
"Hmm. Again?" the demon replied, her yellow eyes flickering with visible annoyance.
With a flick of her wrist, a shimmering scroll appeared between them, hovering effortlessly in the air. Its edges glimmered faintly, and the runes traced themselves in flowing patterns.
Adrien's focus sharpened. His eyes began to glow a vivid blue, reflecting off the magical script. He scanned every word, every clause in the scroll with precision, absorbing each detail with uncanny speed, tracing possible loopholes, contingencies, and hidden nuances embedded in the magical text.
[CONTRACT OF SOUL ALLOCATION AND POWER EXCHANGE]
Contractor (Demon): Lilithra Veyrisse
User (Human): Jareth Corvin
Duration: One day, 01/09/751
Terms:
1- The User shall receive the Contractor's magical strength for the duration of the contract.
2- In return, -the User shall surrender ten years of their soul if they fail to uphold the agreement.
3-The User is borrowing the power of Demon Lilithra, specifically guaranteed to defeat the Dragon Beast of the West.
4- The borrowed power shall be used solely against the Dragon Beast; any other use constitutes a breach.
5- If the User fails to defeat the Dragon Beast after engaging in combat, they are exempt from surrendering any portion of their soul.
6- If the User refuses or avoids engaging the Dragon Beast entirely, they shall still surrender ten years of their soul.
7- Breach of any clause results in immediate nullification of the contract, reclamation of all lent powers by the Contractor, and potential additional sanctions as determined by the Inter-Realm Court.
Contract Expiration: This contract shall automatically expire nine days after its activation.
Ten years for one day of power? This is way too expensive…
Adrien's eyes flicked to the demon across from him.
Just who is she?
A sudden bell echoed through the waiting room. Both human and demon participants glanced toward the grand archway.
"The court is about to begin," a disembodied voice announced, reverberating through the chamber.
Adrien straightened, a thin grin curling on his lips.
Finally… the game starts. Let's see who gets eaten first.