“!”
My shoulders, startled, were enveloped by a warmth that had become familiar.
“I was just having trouble concentrating.”
I turned around at the low, soft voice.
Thump.
Helbas, who had dropped the map he was holding, jumped up in place.
“Forelegs, forelegs... No, I thought they were still wings.”
He talked nonsense, making excuses about the useless information that his arms would become wings when he transformed into a bird, and then transformed into a bird and flew out the window.
Belled’s narrowed eyes followed him behind him.
“...For now, shall we go?”
“Yes.”
I nodded, thinking that people’s reactions were strange today.
The door to the altar of the opening ceremony that I remembered was under extremely strict security.
Even though the only one who could open the door was the Saintess who was performing the opening ceremony.
But the gates of hell here seemed different. The gates of hell were large enough to fit five people standing side by side, and if they weren’t densely decorated with ancient script, they wouldn’t have been suspicious. You might have just thought there was an underground storage room beyond.
That’s how unguarded this place was. It seemed like they cleaned it up neatly, but it was no different from the rest of the mansion.
“Is there a fountain of desire beyond there?”
I examined the door. I thought I knew what “the door is closing” meant.
Literally, the door that opened on both sides was about to close with a small gap of less than two centimeters. Even if I looked through the gap, all I could see was pitch-black darkness. A pitch-black space where anything that entered would be swallowed up by the darkness.
I didn’t dare to put my hand inside, so I stepped away from the door.
“...You know the fountain of desire.”
When I seemed to have examined the door, Belled answered. He looked a bit surprised.
“That’s not a well-known fact to humans.”
I shook my head at that.
“I heard it when I came here too. From Decarabia.”
My shoulders, startled, were enveloped by a warmth that had become familiar.
“I was just having trouble concentrating.”
I turned around at the low, soft voice.
Thump.
Helbas, who had dropped the map he was holding, jumped up in place.
“Forelegs, forelegs... No, I thought they were still wings.”
He talked nonsense, making excuses about the useless information that his arms would become wings when he transformed into a bird, and then transformed into a bird and flew out the window.
Belled’s narrowed eyes followed him behind him.
“...For now, shall we go?”
“Yes.”
I nodded, thinking that people’s reactions were strange today.
***
The door to the altar of the opening ceremony that I remembered was under extremely strict security.
Even though the only one who could open the door was the Saintess who was performing the opening ceremony.
But the gates of hell here seemed different. The gates of hell were large enough to fit five people standing side by side, and if they weren’t densely decorated with ancient script, they wouldn’t have been suspicious. You might have just thought there was an underground storage room beyond.
That’s how unguarded this place was. It seemed like they cleaned it up neatly, but it was no different from the rest of the mansion.
“Is there a fountain of desire beyond there?”
I examined the door. I thought I knew what “the door is closing” meant.
Literally, the door that opened on both sides was about to close with a small gap of less than two centimeters. Even if I looked through the gap, all I could see was pitch-black darkness. A pitch-black space where anything that entered would be swallowed up by the darkness.
I didn’t dare to put my hand inside, so I stepped away from the door.
“...You know the fountain of desire.”
When I seemed to have examined the door, Belled answered. He looked a bit surprised.
“That’s not a well-known fact to humans.”
I shook my head at that.
“I heard it when I came here too. From Decarabia.”
Belled narrowed his eyes briefly at that. I, who had been focused on the door, continued.
“I heard that if you drink the water of the fountain of desire, you will become a demon.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Belled said with a short sigh, dispelling the cold atmosphere.
“We can’t go now, though.”
His lips twisted.
“If that were the case, we wouldn’t have to suffer from a lack of magical power, and the demons wouldn’t have to slowly turn into monsters and die.”
“If this door were to open again...”
I tried to grab the doorknob. It didn’t seem like it would budge with my strength, but I must have felt bad for putting in so much effort. I thought of Belled’s expression at Kilatia’s funeral, or Decarabia’s expression when she thought of Kashirin, who needed to rest because he was lacking magical power.
It would be nice if this door opened.
That was when I, thinking that, pulled the door.
Squeak.
I opened my eyes wide at the unusual sound from the hinges.
The door opened slightly.
Belled doubted his ears.
“...This is.”
Beryl didn’t seem to notice it in detail, but he could clearly feel it.
A clear flow of magical power.
From inside the gate of hell, concentrated magical power that seemed to revive all the cells in the body was gushing out.
At that moment, he realized.
“...The gate of hell.”
The gate of hell that was closing opened. Just a little, but definitely.
“Could it be that it opened?”
Beryl panicked and tried pulling the door again. However, no matter how much she pulled, the door did not move at all.
Belled grabbed her hand.
“That will hurt your arm.”
Then he tried pulling the door in the same way she had pulled it.
Of course, the door did not move at all. Of course, that was natural.
There was no way he hadn’t tried hard to open this door. Since there is a physical entity called a 'door', wouldn't it be possible to open it by force? ... He thought that too.
However, the price of trying to open a door by force was unimaginably high. Furthermore, the door that he finally opened would close again immediately.
This was an obvious change. It was a coincidence that Beryl, who could not move her magic at all, had made, but it was a clear change.
Could it be because she was the Saintess who presided over the opening ceremony?
Even she seemed unable to open the door any further. The door only responded to her for a moment.
“...It doesn’t seem to open any further.”
Beryl pulled at the door and slumped her shoulders. She seemed genuinely sorry.
“Even if it’s not the opening ceremony, it would be good if the gates of hell opened, right?”
Belled nodded at those words.
“Yes, if it opens even a little bit more here, no one will die from lack of magic right away.”
At those words, a new word was engraved in Beryl’s mind.
Curse.
According to him, the Gods did not look favorably on those who tried to create the future with the human ability of magic instead of relying on the power of the Gods.
“In that case, I would rather go to hell.”
That’s what he had said. However, the fear that everyone could die as the gates of hell closed was closer than she thought, so much so that she could see it with her own eyes.
What was he thinking as he watched this?
“...When you were cursed, weren’t you scared?”
Beryl and Belled’s eyes met.
In an instant, Belled felt his mind clear. Because the magic power that was as clear as the door was coming out of her.
No matter how you looked at it, this was a change she had made. The corners of his mouth curled in satisfaction.
“There’s no reason to be scared, right?”
He tilted his head slightly.
“I still don’t know if it’s wrong to reach something with human effort.”
A moment of discomfort crossed his face. The discomfort he always felt when encountering things from the temple.
However, he didn’t feel that kind of feeling from the Saintess who was at the top of the temple before his eyes.
“If we live relying on the power of the Gods, one day the Gods will change their minds and leave us, and we will be unable to do anything.”
His calm voice rang out. That was a truth that some of the humans who had served the Gods for a long time, including Belled, had come to realize.
“That’s why it was my and the wizards’ choice to find a way to live on our own, and I have never regretted that choice for a single moment.”
It was a clear answer. Beryl looked up at Belled with a new look.
When their eyes met, Beled asked,
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
It seemed like he could answer anything.
Was there something he absolutely had to hide from me?
When he was with others, he had been careful with his words, but when he stood in front of Beryl, it felt as if he could tell her everything.
It was strange, even though they had only just met. Was it because of her clear magic, or because he couldn’t stop thinking about the nights he had spent with her, or because...
“...Human. Fierce.”
“I heard that if you drink the water of the fountain of desire, you will become a demon.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Belled said with a short sigh, dispelling the cold atmosphere.
“We can’t go now, though.”
His lips twisted.
“If that were the case, we wouldn’t have to suffer from a lack of magical power, and the demons wouldn’t have to slowly turn into monsters and die.”
“If this door were to open again...”
I tried to grab the doorknob. It didn’t seem like it would budge with my strength, but I must have felt bad for putting in so much effort. I thought of Belled’s expression at Kilatia’s funeral, or Decarabia’s expression when she thought of Kashirin, who needed to rest because he was lacking magical power.
It would be nice if this door opened.
That was when I, thinking that, pulled the door.
Squeak.
I opened my eyes wide at the unusual sound from the hinges.
The door opened slightly.
***
Belled doubted his ears.
“...This is.”
Beryl didn’t seem to notice it in detail, but he could clearly feel it.
A clear flow of magical power.
From inside the gate of hell, concentrated magical power that seemed to revive all the cells in the body was gushing out.
At that moment, he realized.
“...The gate of hell.”
The gate of hell that was closing opened. Just a little, but definitely.
“Could it be that it opened?”
Beryl panicked and tried pulling the door again. However, no matter how much she pulled, the door did not move at all.
Belled grabbed her hand.
“That will hurt your arm.”
Then he tried pulling the door in the same way she had pulled it.
Of course, the door did not move at all. Of course, that was natural.
There was no way he hadn’t tried hard to open this door. Since there is a physical entity called a 'door', wouldn't it be possible to open it by force? ... He thought that too.
However, the price of trying to open a door by force was unimaginably high. Furthermore, the door that he finally opened would close again immediately.
This was an obvious change. It was a coincidence that Beryl, who could not move her magic at all, had made, but it was a clear change.
Could it be because she was the Saintess who presided over the opening ceremony?
Even she seemed unable to open the door any further. The door only responded to her for a moment.
“...It doesn’t seem to open any further.”
Beryl pulled at the door and slumped her shoulders. She seemed genuinely sorry.
“Even if it’s not the opening ceremony, it would be good if the gates of hell opened, right?”
Belled nodded at those words.
“Yes, if it opens even a little bit more here, no one will die from lack of magic right away.”
At those words, a new word was engraved in Beryl’s mind.
Curse.
According to him, the Gods did not look favorably on those who tried to create the future with the human ability of magic instead of relying on the power of the Gods.
“In that case, I would rather go to hell.”
That’s what he had said. However, the fear that everyone could die as the gates of hell closed was closer than she thought, so much so that she could see it with her own eyes.
What was he thinking as he watched this?
“...When you were cursed, weren’t you scared?”
Beryl and Belled’s eyes met.
In an instant, Belled felt his mind clear. Because the magic power that was as clear as the door was coming out of her.
No matter how you looked at it, this was a change she had made. The corners of his mouth curled in satisfaction.
“There’s no reason to be scared, right?”
He tilted his head slightly.
“I still don’t know if it’s wrong to reach something with human effort.”
A moment of discomfort crossed his face. The discomfort he always felt when encountering things from the temple.
However, he didn’t feel that kind of feeling from the Saintess who was at the top of the temple before his eyes.
“If we live relying on the power of the Gods, one day the Gods will change their minds and leave us, and we will be unable to do anything.”
His calm voice rang out. That was a truth that some of the humans who had served the Gods for a long time, including Belled, had come to realize.
“That’s why it was my and the wizards’ choice to find a way to live on our own, and I have never regretted that choice for a single moment.”
It was a clear answer. Beryl looked up at Belled with a new look.
When their eyes met, Beled asked,
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
It seemed like he could answer anything.
Was there something he absolutely had to hide from me?
When he was with others, he had been careful with his words, but when he stood in front of Beryl, it felt as if he could tell her everything.
It was strange, even though they had only just met. Was it because of her clear magic, or because he couldn’t stop thinking about the nights he had spent with her, or because...
“...Human. Fierce.”
Was it because of the words she would sometimes say? He couldn’t tell.
“I think this is the first time I've ever been told I'm human after being a demon.”
He was sincere. Beryl’s eyes widened at those words and then she smiled.
Suddenly, she met his eyes and thought of the priests.
“Don’t be greedy. Everything is meaningless.”
Unlike the priests who used to say that. Unlike the priests who told him to live proudly. Belled was like her.
She was also trying to survive fiercely.
A soft smile appeared on Beryl’s face.
“Yesterday, you asked me if I felt distant?”
Belled looked at her, who was bringing up yesterday’s story. Beryl looked at him and slowly shook her head.
“On the contrary.”
The distance had actually narrowed. They, who lived fiercely, seemed so human.
Now they seemed human. Like people like me.
Beryl smiled without realizing it.
I, who had returned to my office, was concentrating on finishing up my work before dinner.
Belled said that it would be okay to work in the same office for a short while before dinner, but I objected.
“You can’t concentrate.”
Belled froze at those words. It was clear that he had nothing to say.
I, who couldn’t know how rare it was for the Demon Duke Belled to be in a situation where he “had nothing to say and couldn’t respond,” smiled at him.
“So I’ll see you when I’m done.”
He even emphasized the words “when I’m done.” In the end, Belled.
"I'll finish up quickly and we can have dinner together."
I had no choice but to say those words with a tearful look in my eye and leave. I finally remembered that he had given me a glance.
He also wants to be with me.
I blushed again. Because of that, it was not Belled but me who was unable to concentrate this time.
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, Decarabia’s voice was heard from outside.
Suddenly, she met his eyes and thought of the priests.
“Don’t be greedy. Everything is meaningless.”
Unlike the priests who used to say that. Unlike the priests who told him to live proudly. Belled was like her.
She was also trying to survive fiercely.
A soft smile appeared on Beryl’s face.
“Yesterday, you asked me if I felt distant?”
Belled looked at her, who was bringing up yesterday’s story. Beryl looked at him and slowly shook her head.
“On the contrary.”
The distance had actually narrowed. They, who lived fiercely, seemed so human.
Now they seemed human. Like people like me.
Beryl smiled without realizing it.
***
I, who had returned to my office, was concentrating on finishing up my work before dinner.
Belled said that it would be okay to work in the same office for a short while before dinner, but I objected.
“You can’t concentrate.”
Belled froze at those words. It was clear that he had nothing to say.
I, who couldn’t know how rare it was for the Demon Duke Belled to be in a situation where he “had nothing to say and couldn’t respond,” smiled at him.
“So I’ll see you when I’m done.”
He even emphasized the words “when I’m done.” In the end, Belled.
"I'll finish up quickly and we can have dinner together."
I had no choice but to say those words with a tearful look in my eye and leave. I finally remembered that he had given me a glance.
He also wants to be with me.
I blushed again. Because of that, it was not Belled but me who was unable to concentrate this time.
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, Decarabia’s voice was heard from outside.
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