The Priest of Corruption

Throughout their journey in the underground passage, Lady Dachia continuously expressed her astonishment.

"I never knew such a place existed in the capital.”

“I'm unfamiliar with the capital myself.”

“Usually, country folk are astounded by structures like this, but you don't seem surprised at all.”

That's because I had seen such things before I fell into this world.

lust as I was about to respond, a man cloaked in black appeared from the other end of the passage.

“Someone is approaching.”

Dachia turned to me, her face serious.

“Should I use magic if necessary?”

“I'd rather not die in a collapsing tunnel...”

“Stop! I've improved significantly! You know that.”

“I recall it wasn't sufficient for use in a potentially collapsing basement.”

“I can do it! Trust me!”

“I'll trust you next time.”

As we bickered, the man shrouded in black suddenly stood before us. I prepared to draw the Butcher if necessary, then asked,

“Are you here to guide us?”

He didn't respond, merely nodding silently. The mysterious man then took the lead, retracing the path he had come from.

Dachia moved closer to me and whispered.

“He's rather eerie, not speaking like that.”

“He doesn't seem interested in us, so I don't think we need to worry.”

“Still, it's surprising that even demons have friends. I've heard that demons are evil and can't make friends.”

“Many people struggle to make friends, even if they aren't demons.”

“That's actually true.”

At the end of the winding hallway, a black door awaited us. Our guide stood silently by the door.

“That means we can go in, right?”

“It seems so.”

As soon as I nudged the door, it swung open smoothly, as if oiled.

We entered a bedroom, entirely painted black. A woman, scantily clad in a dress, lay on a luxurious bed adorned with black lace, a cigarette dangling from her lips.

let-black hair, black eyes, and clear pupils. The provocative beauty moved the cigarette in her mouth and spoke, a cloud of grey smoke escaping her lips.

“Why are you here?”

I presented the butterfly badge the demon lord had given me. A deep furrow formed on the woman's forehead as she examined the badge.

“That's not what I asked. I asked why you came to me.”

'Kill!!!'

Mother screamed that the woman was also a demon. A demon, huh? I carefully chose my words.

“I came here to ask for a little help.”

“Help?”

The woman slowly rose from the bed. She adjusted her loose shoulder straps and sat comfortably on the bed, her shoulders still resting against the headboard. Her gaze swept over my body.

“Your name.”

“I am Marnak, and this is Lady Dachia Irmel.”

“Marnak? The renowned Marnak?”

“Most likely.”

“Hmm.”

The woman tapped her cigarette and continued at a leisurely pace.

“I am 'Writhing Curiosity', a demon. Since you've brought that badge, I presume you won't draw your sword upon learning I'm a demon, correct?”

“I won't.”

“Then come and sit. It's tiresome to keep looking up.”

We took our seats. Writhing Curiosity studied my face and smiled.

“Since you didn't react to my revelation of being a demon, I assume you're not a Priest of Maintenance, correct?”

“Correct.”

I had initially come seeking assistance in locating Mother's relics, so I had no intention of concealing my purpose.

“I serve the Mother of Corruption.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Son of Corruption? Are you truly the Son of Corruption?”

“What's the matter?”

“What, you ask?”

She picked up her cigarette and gestured towards my face.

“You're not insane, despite being the Son of Corruption. Come closer. Let me read you.”

Read me?

“Is that really necessary?”

“Not particularly. It's merely my curiosity. My name is 'Writhing Curiosity'. Wouldn't you expect me to be curious about everything based on my name alone? However, I can't discern much with this body, so don't fret. I merely wish to understand why you're so different from the others I've encountered.”

Her reasoning seemed sound. As I pondered, Writhing Curiosity, who had risen from the bed, reached out towards my face.

Slap!

'Kill!! !'

With a soft glow emanating from my pocket, Mother emerged in the form of a girl, questioning who dared to touch me.

The previously drowsy eyes of Writhing Curiosity widened even further. She alternated her gaze between Mother and me, asking,

"... Who exactly are you?”

“lust as I stated earlier...”

She reclined on the bed again, massaging her temples.

“Something significant is about to transpire.”

“What are you referring to?”

“What, you ask.”

Writhing Curiosity extended her hand, pointing at Mother in my arms.

“It implies you're stirring up considerable trouble. You're collecting the sealed relics of the Mother of Corruption. How many have you gathered so far? Four, five perhaps?”

How on earth did she know I had collected four?

I straightened my posture.

“Could you elaborate?”

“No. I can't. I can't. Ask her.”

'Kill...?'

Looking at Mother's face, she tilted her head, seemingly clueless.

“She claims she doesn't know anything.”

Writhing Curiosity's face contorted into a peculiar expression.

“Did you just 'communicate' with a God? Directly? Without any 'reward'?”

“I frequently converse with Mother, as dialogue is essential for maintaining a harmonious relationship.”

She placed the cigarette between her lips and began to puff again.

“The Son of Corruption, sane and conversing casually with his God? And the Mother of Corruption is oblivious to it all?”

As the room filled with thick smoke, the demon opened her mouth, her gaze shifting between Mother and me.

“Since when?”

“What do you mean?”

Writhing Curiosity tapped her forehead.

“Since when have you been able to communicate normally with others? Especially after your body underwent such 'improvements'.”

“Since the beginning.”

She smiled at Mother, who glared back at the demon with vigilant eyes. The demon shook her head and spoke.

“It's risky to bet everything on one thing. Were you forced into such a situation? You.”

“Yes.”

Writhing Curiosity pointed at me.

“You'll have to work very hard to repay what you've received. Very, very hard.”

“Could you elaborate?”

“If I reveal more, they'll notice. Even this is a tightrope walk.”

Her finger pointed towards the sky.

The sky, or rather, the heavenly gods, would notice? Then there was nothing I could do.

“Then I won't ask anymore.”

“That's wise. It wouldn't be good to ask for a favor and earn my hatred over other issues, right?”

I nodded. The demon was right. My current priority was to find the holy relic believed to be in the capital.

Writhing Curiosity looked at me with playful eyes, large dark circles beneath them. Her eyes held a peculiar color.

“But you know that asking a demon for anything comes with a price, right?”

“Yes, what do you want?”

She licked her lips and slid her shoulder straps down.

“Sleep with me for one night. I've never been with a sane Son of Corruption.”

“No! ”

The response came not from me, but from Lady Dachia, who had been quietly listening. And Mother, like a hawk, lunged at the demon as soon as she finished speaking.

'Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!!!'

A relentless flurry of cotton fists exploded on the demon's face. The demon, smiling, allowed Mother's reckless attack to land without resistance.

“It's too fluffy.”

At that brief comment, Mother looked at her own clenched fists with a shocked expression.

'Kill...?'

'Do I have cotton fists...?'

Mother looked at me with trembling eyes, filled with intense denial.

The denial seemed to say, 'I'm not cotton-fisted, right...?'

I gently averted my gaze from Mother's. Because she indeed had cotton fists.

'Kill?!'

The demon lifted her, settling her onto her lap, and rested her chin atop Mother's head. Mother whimpered, struggling to dislodge the demon's jaw, but her efforts proved futile.

Writhing Curiosity smiled mischievously.

“I'm joking. Don't take it too seriously. Well, if you really want to, I can roll around with you. I've never really been with a sane Son of Corruption.”

After she finished speaking, she pulled her shoulder straps further down.

'Kill! ! !'

Mother quickly grabbed the shoulder strap and hoisted it back onto the demon's shoulder.

“I'll just appreciate the thought.”

“Still, you have to pay something. I don't work for free. Hurry up and pay me.”

She extended her pale palm.

“What are you talking about?”

“The badge in your hand. That's enough. Weren't you told to give it to me when asking for my help in the first place?”

“I didn't hear that at all.”

Writhing Curiosity grinned and took the black butterfly badge from me.

“That can happen. Little pranks add to the joy of life. We should always have fun. Don't you think?”

The demon lord's words about living happily overlapped with hers. I chuckled quietly.

“I think so too.”

Nodding satisfactorily, Writhing Curiosity spoke as she hugged Mother tightly.

“Since you're the Son of Corruption, it's obvious what you want. You came looking for your Mother's divinity-sealed relic, didn't you? You're asking me to help you find it.”

“Yes. That's correct.”

“Good. That Holy Relic, I just happen to have it.”

I was lucky. I had managed to obtain the holy relic promptly so that I could release another one of Mother's seals...

The demon wore a playful smile. It was truly a pity.

“But what can I do? I wagered your mother's relic as a prize.”

Wagered as a prize? That?

'Kill?!'

I questioned the demon on behalf Mother.

“A prize for what?”

The demon responded, tapping Mother's head with her chin.

“I wagered it as a prize for winning the 'Underground Arena' I manage. I've been paid and have told you its location, so the decision is yours. If you want the holy relic, participate and win.”

She extended her hand and touched Mother's chin with her finger, but was promptly slapped on the back of her hand. She grinned, a lone mole under her left eye dancing as she smiled.

“Oh, if you want to receive the holy relic directly from me, come to my bed without your Mother's knowledge. If you spend a pleasant night with me, I'll simply give it to you.”