Hell was still as desolate as ever.
Before Woo Manyeo could even process the contrast, waves of mockery came from all around.
"Look who's back. Quite diligent, aren't you."
"No matter how diligent you are, you won't get any rewards here. Hahaha."
"How much did Diomedes drink? He didn't cause any trouble, did he?"
"I thought you two would come back later after being driven away by a priest in disgrace."
"…"
Astarion suddenly appeared.
The overwhelming pressure of his power instantly silenced all the demons.
He glanced at Diomedes whose soul had already become muddled and frowned with some disgust.
"You, come with me."
Woo Manyeo cautiously followed behind the battle-worn goat-like figure while maintaining a distance of one step.
He then lowering his head as he waited for questioning from his direct superior.
"What happened."
Woo Manyeo organized his words and described everything that had happened outside as objectively as possible.
During the narration, he added no subjective assumptions or emotional descriptions, nor did he criticize the actions of that fellow demon.
In his view, Hell was like a brand-new company.
He was completely unfamiliar with its way of doing things.
Making arbitrary assumptions would not only offend colleagues but also leave a bad impression on his superior.
As for hiding what had happened from above, that was even more impossible.
He had no way of knowing whether his superior could perceive what happened in the human world.
Perhaps it was already known and this was just a test for him.
Workplace relationships were important, but he had just arrived.
He had only been on the job for a few days, so there was no need to take such a huge risk for the sake of a colleague.
Stating objective facts without emotion was his current optimal solution.
After listening, Astarion did not speak or scold him.
He waved his hand and opened a section of the stone wall.
Behind the stone wall was a dim room.
Inside were all kinds of wooden racks, on which many parchment scrolls and miscellaneous items were scattered carelessly.
"Put the signed agreements here."
Astarion pointed to one of the racks.
Woo Manyeo followed naturally and placed the contracts on it, thinking that Hell was not limited to just one room after all.
There were many contracts on the rack, most of them soul contracts that had already been reclaimed.
Completed and incomplete contracts were mixed together as if they had never been properly sorted or organized.
Woo Manyeo looked around and noticed that on the rack next to it, there were several unrolled scrolls with writing that seemed to be some kind of ancient language.
These characters… he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. But when he looked closely, he could not recognize what kind of writing it was at all.
He could not understand the meaning of the text on the scrolls.
However, the marking carved onto the rack could be understood.
It was in demon language and read witch.
This should be a rack storing items belonging to witches.
Witches?
Were witches actually real?
Then again, he himself had become a demon, so witches being real might not be surprising.
Woo Manyeo took a few more glances and noticed a book wrapped in cowhide on the shelf.
It looked plain and even somewhat worn, with dust on its surface and signs of wear, yet it gave him an inexplicable sense of attraction.
"Stop!"
He unconsciously reached out to take it, but was stopped by Astarion's sharp reprimand.
Astarion stood at the doorway, making it inconvenient for him to look further.
Woo Manyeo could only withdraw his hand and repeatedly admit his mistake, saying that he was merely curious.
Thinking of the ridicule from the other demons, he could not help but feel anxious.
If only he could learn witchcraft.
Mastering one more skill would give him more confidence.
He wondered whether witchcraft was difficult, how one would begin learning it and what the requirements were.
And were those demons telling the truth?
Did completing deals in Hell really not count as commission?
No wonder Hell had developed so poorly.
Woo Manyeo could not help but feel some resentment.
The ones managing Hell were truly black-hearted capitalists, making the horse run without giving it any grass.
Complaining in his heart was one thing, but after placing the agreements, he still respectfully asked, "Lo… Lord Astarion, may I ask if there is anything I need to pay attention to the next time I go to the human world? I have only just transformed into a demon and I do not want to break Hell's rules when I go next time."
When Astarion heard this, he glanced at Woo Manyeo with some confusion. "Didn't you feel it?"