In a deserted park,
Yukino hid in a bush. Her usually cool face was now filled with terror.
Her gaze was fixed on the distant path.
There, a monster with four arms and two heads seemed to be searching for something.
Hide!
She had to hide well!
If she was found, she would definitely die.
Tiny beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
She had just gotten off the plane, and already this monster had targeted her.
She wondered what had she done to provoke it.
'No!'
'Could it be that things like Cursed Spirits actually existed in this world?'
Thinking this, her eyes suddenly lit up.
'Right!'
'Someone on the plane had mentioned something.'
'Where had I put that flyer?'
Fumbling, she finally pulled the flyer from her pocket and whispered, "If a Devil really exists, please grant my wish."
Then, she smiled bitterly.
She was just grasping at straws.
Even if Devil summoning were real, it wouldn't be on such a cheap flyer.
Just as she thought this, her eyes suddenly widened.
Hum!
The flyer shimmered with light, and a magic circle spun to life.
The next moment,
Three figures stepped out.
Looking at Yukino, Ayato smiled. "We meet again."
Yukino was completely stunned.
'This boy... was actually a Devil.'
"Summoner, state your wish."
Yukino spoke instinctively. "Can you... get rid of that monster for me?"
"An easy wish."
Ayato agreed immediately.
Seeing this, Erica stepped out of the bush.
"Here!"
"You're here!"
The Cursed Spirit also noticed Yukino and lunged at her.
"Can't you see there are people here?"
Erica asked with a smile.
"You... you can see me?"
"Haha, you can see me?"
The Cursed Spirit became completely excited. Just as it was about to move, a beam of magical energy came its way.
Bang!
The ground shook. The Cursed Spirit instantly crumbled and vanished into the air.
Watching all this, Yukino swallowed and murmured, "Are you... really Devils?"
"Of course."
Ayato spoke. "Didn't you see it with your own eyes?"
"Even so, it's still too unbelievable."
Yukino's expression was complicated.
'Devils... actually existed.'
'And I had met three of them at once.'
"I've granted your wish. Now it's time for you to pay the price."
"What?"
Yukino was stunned.
"Making a wish to a Devil naturally requires a price. You wouldn't want to break the contract, would you?"
Ayato smiled. "That's not allowed."
By now, Yukino had fully realized.
'This is bad.'
Her body trembled slightly.
'According to legend, a Devil's help couldn't possibly be free.'
'But what could I do?'
'What could I possibly offer?'
"Don't overthink it. The price has already been decided."
Hearing this, Yukino asked instinctively, "What is it?"
Ayato said matter-of-factly, "Becoming my possession, of course."
Yukino jumped back, her voice trembling. "Th-That's not possible. That's not fair."
"How is it not fair? I saved your life, didn't I?"
"Y-Yes, that's true."
"So you belong to me."
"..."
Yukino's lip twitched.
It was logical and convincing.
But giving herself to a Devil... still felt impossible to accept.
'What if I ran away?'
She looked at the three of them, then thought about the situation moments ago. She fell silent.
'How could I possibly escape?'
She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
'Out of the wolf's den, into the tiger's lair.'
'Maybe this is fate.'
'This Devil has two beautiful girls with him. He's definitely a huge pervert.'
'But thinking carefully, it's still better than being killed by that monster.'
'And to be honest, this Devil isn't bad-looking.'
'Ahhhhh, what am I thinking about?'
Yukino frantically shook her head, her hair becoming disheveled.
"?"
Ayato looked at her strangely.
'This woman... also seemed to have quite a rich inner world.'
"Haah!"
Taking a deep breath, a look of determination appeared in Yukino's eyes.
She glanced at Erica and Liliana and stammered, "C-Can the two of them leave for a moment?"
"Why would they need to leave?"
Yukino's face flushed red. She said angrily, "You don't expect all of us to... together, do you? Th-That's not okay."
"..." x3
Ayato and the other two looked at her in surprise.
'Good grief. She had quite the imagination.'
Erica suppressed a smile and said, "You've completely misunderstood."
Liliana added, "But not a bad thought. A quiet park late at night... could be used as material."
Hearing this, Yukino was confused.
'So... it wasn't what I thought?'
She had just started to relax when she realized she was wrong.
"How could the Reincarnation Ceremony take place in this park?"
Ayato took out an Evil Piece. "Even though it's night, people might still pass by. We should find a hotel."
'A... a hotel?'
Yukino's just-relaxed body immediately tensed up.
'Sure enough!'
'I really hadn't been mistaken.'
'Doing it together would be too chaotic.'
"King, if you keep teasing her like this, this young lady might break, you know."
Erica gave Ayato a look.
"But it's fun, isn't it?"
Ayato smiled maliciously, then held up the Evil Piece. "Alright, I'll stop beating around the bush. Simply put, this thing goes into your body. Don't overthink it."
Hearing this, Yukino breathed a sigh of relief, but still asked nervously, "What is it?"
"An Evil Piece used in the Reincarnation Ceremony."
Ayato explained. "It will turn you into a Devil and make you my servant."
Yukino was stunned for a moment, then her face flushed.
'So... I had misunderstood.'
'But... I would have to become a Devil?'
'Abandon my identity as a human?'
Her expression was complicated.
But it seemed she didn't have a choice.