“Hoo, this girl... she possesses quite a bit of mana, doesn’t she? You gonna use her as a sacrifice or something?”
“It’s not to my taste to use sorcery that requires sacrifices.” Saying that, Zagan tapped the sole of his foot against the ground once more.
A faint light wrapped around the girl’s body, and she vanished. This time, she should have been delivered to the outside of Zagan’s domain.
“What a waste. You should’ve given her to me if you didn’t want her.”
“Don’t go abducting people in my domain. I’ll be treated as the culprit.”
“Heehee, that sure sounds nice. Guess I’ll do just that next time.”
“...You go and do that, and I’ll blow up your base, got it?” This man was truly liable of doing just that, and Zagan scowled at him with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
However, even that was only for a few seconds, and Zagan let out a sleepy yawn.
“Hey, what’s that, you seem awfully drowsy.”
“I was absorbed in reading books on sorcery all night. I’m going to sleep. If you need something, come back later.”
“Wow, you don’t gotta care about something like drowsiness if you just fiddle with the adrenaline in your brain a bit, right? I came outta my way to visit you, so don’t say something so cold.”
“It’s precisely because you do that sort of thing that you look so unhealthy.” Sorcerers were those who devoted their entire lives to the research of sorcery and aimed to surpass humanity.
They lived precisely so that they could research sorcery. That was why sorcerers began by studying how to manipulate their own flesh and blood in depth. This wasn’t just something simple like augmenting their physical strength, however. It was the basics of sorcery to manipulate the insides of their own bodies at a cellular level. For that very reason, sorcerers were far removed from matters such as disease and life span.
After arriving at that stage, one was finally able to name themselves a sorcerer.
However, if they didn’t have any water or nourishment, then they would still starve and die. They were able to swindle the need for sleep, but they were unable to rid themselves of it entirely. And so, the result of that was the facial features that Barbatos possessed.
That was why Zagan didn’t touch upon such sorcery much.
Barbatos let out a laugh as if he found the notion strange.
“Don’t say that. I came by with an interesting story for you.” Despite putting on a wicked front, Barbatos placed his arm around Zagan in a friendly manner.
“An interesting story?” While forcing back the arm from his irritating friend, Zagan asked that question in return.
A smile then rose up on Barbatos’ skinny face.
“Damn straight. You know that one of the Archdemons, Marchosias, died just recently, right?” Hearing that name, Zagan’s eyes opened wide.
The term Archdemon did not refer to the king of monsters like something out of a fairy tale. Instead, it was a name given to the masters of sorcery who stood at its summit.
Along with that title, they were given a tremendous amount of mana, and were able to subdue lower-ranked sorcerers as their servants. This itself was the culmination of all power and authority that sorcerers desired.
Originally, there were thirteen ‘Archdemons,’ but one among them who was over a thousand years old finally breathed his last. Even though they used sorcery to extend their lifespan, it seemed that one thousand years was the absolute limit.
When it came to news of those Archdemons, even Zagan was unable to ignore it.
“Oh? What’s that? You’re making a face like you wanna hear more about it, you know? No, wait a sec. You said you wanted to sleep, right? Hmmm, though it’s unfortunate, I don’t really wanna incur your wrath here, you see.”
“Quit putting on airs and just tell me about it.”
“...Man, you’re the same unsociable ass as always.” After letting out a disconcerted sigh, Barbatos continued speaking.
“There’s a town called Kianoides, right? It was within Marchosias’ domain, and there’s a huge auction opening up there. Everything, from proper goods to the more illegal stuff, is being sold there.”
“You don’t mean...” The sound of Zagan gulp rang out.
“That’s exactly it! I’m sure it’ll show up. The legacy of the Archdemon, I mean.”
This sounds real shady, was the first thought to come to Zagan’s mind.
However, Archdemon Marchosias was over a thousand years old. Even if Barbatos plainly called it his legacy, it likely wasn’t limited to just one or two simple things. That was why one among those leaking out into an auction didn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.
Barbatos then poked at Zagan with his elbow.
“So look, you should come too. If you’d like, I’ll let you pick out one or two women. Also, how do I put it... while we’re at it, it’d help me if you could provide a little assistance, you get me?” Saying that, Barbatos mimicked the shape of a coin with two of his fingers.
In other words, it seemed like he didn’t have the funds to participate in the auction.
And although he let out a sigh, Zagan did not turn him down.
“If that’s the case, I’ll be taking his legacy, you know?”
“Hey, seriously? I’m the one who told you about it.”
“If you don’t like it, try someone else.”
“There’s no way there’s another sorcerer out there who’d lend me the gold, right?” As Barbatos clung to him on the verge of tears, Zagan ended up following him along to the auction.
However, one thought crossed Zagan’s mind.
Women... right.
Zagan was also a man. It wasn’t like he had no interest in the female body.
In truth, the girl just now struck home entirely.
Nevertheless, rather than feeling the charm of the scene of normally waiting upon a woman, the impression of it being too troublesome was far more pronounced.
There was also the way of just treating them like a tool. But in that case he figured it would be better to just use a sorcery apparatus that accomplished the role it was given without any need to open one’s mouth.
It wasn’t like he had no desire to be loved, but thinking about how he had to get the other party to feel that way was also simply too troublesome.
Rather than the charms of the body, all the possible demerits produced by fulfilling that desire floated through his mind. That was why Zagan knew naught of women to this very day.
More importantly, if humans aren’t strong enough, they’ll die right away too.
No matter what was done to a weak human, they couldn’t complain.
If they wanted to protect themselves, they had to become strong.
That was why... Zagan became a sorcerer through sheer will by the young age of eighteen.
...Well, even if such an aloof sorcerer put on airs, his thoughts on the matter only held true up to this point.
◇
Kianoides was a canal town.
With branches that extended out in all four directions of the continent, it was a town that owed its prosperity to the distribution of goods using boats that flowed along the canals. Not only merchandise, but even various races all gathered in this place.
Aside from just humans, there were the therianthrope who possessed fangs and fur like that of beasts. The avian who possessed wings on their backs. And the dwarves, who despite looking quite short and boorish, prided themselves on their finely detailed ornaments.
With each of those races flying their own coat of arms on their sailing vessels, even the wind blowing into the canal was unable to erase the scent of the soil from the hustle and bustle. In this country, it was one of the most flashy towns. It was even said that within a single day, over a million people would come and go.
And within that very town, there was a line of several people wearing collars around their necks with chains connected to them.
Slaves.
/> There were humans, as well as those from other races. The one leading them was also not necessarily a human. There was a dwarf beating a large human man with a cane, and there was also a beautiful avian woman abiding by them. There was even a therianthrope drinking milk out of a plate left on the ground like a dog.
A portion of them were definitely being sold off at the auction as merchandise, so to speak.
The difference between those who were and weren’t slaves was only at the level of the difference in wealth and power, or whether or not they had good or bad luck.
Because Zagan didn’t want to end up like that, he desperately sought power. That was why feelings of sympathy did not swell up inside him.
Eventually, Zagan muttered something odd to himself.
“I feel... a strange tingling in the air.” It was the atmosphere of the town.
This was not his first time coming to Kianoides, but Angelic Knights from the church were patrolling here and there. It also felt like the people of the town were afraid of something, and the air felt like it was filled with some sort of indignation, as if there was some presence there that normally was out of place.
Barbatos laughed out loud, as if he found it pleasant, upon hearing his words.
“Seems like some idiots out there have been gathering nothing but young women to use in experiments, you know?”
“As sacrifices? They’re treading on quite the thin ice there, huh?” If one were to use a sacrifice, it was possible to manipulate sorcery that would not activate using their own power. As a catalyst for sorcery, it was quite common.
However, getting sacrifices like that required buying slaves or abducting waifs whose identities were completely unknown. At a minimum, there was a need to cover one’s tracks.
Zagan couldn’t understand the meaning of going out of the way to abduct common girls, while braving the dangers of catching the attention of the church. It was like they were picking a fight with the church itself.
Barbatos shrugged his shoulders faintly.
“Who knows? When you start restricting yourself to the day they were born, sometimes stuff like abducting women will come up, right?”
“Do they plan on summoning a demon or something?”
‘Demon’ was the name of a horned and winged monster that would come up in tales. It wasn’t definite whether something like that could actually be brought into existence, but there were traces that ‘something’ befitting of gods and devils existed in this world.
If such a thing were to be summoned, then a ritual like the one Barbatos was speaking of would be required. However, Zagan believed it to be nothing more than a wild dream.
As he made an exasperated expression, Barbatos continued to let out a pleasant laugh.
“That reminds me, Zagan, it seems you’re one of the suspects, you know?”
“How foolish. Sorcery that requires a sacrifice is useless at urgent moments, right?”
“Heehahaa, no kidding. Actually, there aren’t any weird companions who would go along with you anyway.” Having that said to him, Zagan unintentionally slumped his shoulders.
Well, it’s not like I need companions.
He was used to being lonely. He was used to it. And though they were talking of such things, the objective of these sorcerers was not sightseeing.
Barbatos guided Zagan to a place underneath the town. This underground location was an ancient ruin, likely an arena or something similar, that was left behind, and with a portion of it repaired, it was a place where dealings were done for goods that could not be sold on the surface.
The venue for the auction was in a portion of the arena itself. Using the circular setting as a stage, guest seating was lined up around it. It seemed that the auction had already begun, and the sound of several voices yelling out numbers was already resounding.
The only place that was illuminated was the stage, and not even candles were in place among the guest seats. That was not an unfriendly act, but rather one done in consideration so that the guests couldn’t see each other’s faces.
...Well, not that it had much meaning to a sorcerer.
As they secured their own seats, Barbatos let out a whistle.
“Yo, take a look, Zagan. The ‘Black Blade’ Kimaris, and over there is the ‘Enchantress’ Gremory. Plus, we even have the ‘Apparition’ Valefor right over that way. With the lights still off, it was natural for any who named themselves a sorcerer to at least use sorcery so that their eyes would work in the darkness.
As Zagan looked in the directions that Barbatos was pointing out, he caught sight of several shadows clad in an extraordinary atmosphere.
Zagan was not acquainted to them, but they were all rather well-known sorcerers. Humans were the most common race, but among the ones present there were those from the other races. The Black Blade, Kimaris was a therianthrope with a proud mane. The Apparition, Valefor was hiding their entire body with a robe, hood, and mask, so their race was unknown.
Black Blade, and other such prefaces were the second names of the sorcerers. It could even be said to be their titles. It was something bestowed upon a sorcerer with a certain extent of power.
The most famous one was likely Archdemon Marchosias’ second name, which was the ‘Eldest.’ Even Barbatos was known by the name ‘Purgatory.’
Zagan was also a fairly well-known sorcerer, but he had yet to be bestowed with a second name.
Probably in part due to the fact that he was still young at eighteen years of age, but the bigger reason was that the one who oversaw all those in the area, Archdemon Marchosias, had passed away. It was the role of the Archdemon to bestow a second name, but he had perished before granting one to Zagan.
In short, a second name was proof of one’s power.
Though they were strangers, Zagan was slightly interested in the sorcerers who possessed a second name.
“Are they strong?”
“Extremely. Like you and me, they’re all names that come up as candidates to be the next Archdemon.” Currently, due to Marchosias’ demise, there was a single open seat among the Archdemons.
There was a conference among the remaining Archdemons as to how to fill that seat, but it would likely be one among the recommended sorcerers who possessed power.
“Man, if even that lot came on over, then it seems the talk of the legacy is the real deal, huh?”
“Sure hope so.” If it wasn’t the case, there was no point in throwing aside his sleep.
And even while that was all going on, the auction was proceeding.
“To all of you who have gathered here today. The next item is the final item of the day, and it is also our greatest!” Listening to the host’s voice, Barbatos bent forward in excitement.
“Well, looks like it’s about time, Zagan.”
“Yeah.” He didn’t know for sure yet whether there really was something like an Archdemon’s legacy here, but it was now the moment where the showpiece was taking center stage.
And what eventually rose up to the stage... was a person of small stature with a hood covering their head. A mantle stretched down all the way to their feet, so even their race was unknown. They weren’t as small as a dwarf, but if they were of any other race, it would be the size of a child.
Now then, as for the legacy in question, was the hooded person holding onto it? As all present in the venue focused their attention on that figure, the host began explaining.
“What we have here, is merchandise that was originally to be delivered to Archdemon Marchosias. However, before it arrived, Marchosias perished, and so the undelivered merchandise in question has been sent to us, given the circumstances.” Hearing those words, Barbatos grimaced.
“So it’s not the legacy?”
“It’s probably one of his catalysts, then.”
There was more to invoking sorcery than just drawing a magic circle or chanting a spell. In fact, there were numerous occasions where tools were used too. From the ink used to draw the magic circle, to t
he ornaments donned by the sorcerer, or even using sacrifices to bolster the power of the sorcery.
Such tools were called catalysts, but the differing quality of them demonstrated a difference in power.
It was unfortunate that it wasn’t the legacy, but Zagan’s interest was pulled at the fact that it was a catalyst chosen by the ‘Archdemon’ himself.
Shortly after, the mantle was removed from the figure within his view. And what was revealed... was a lovely girl with pointy long ears.
He knew at a single glance. She was of the legendary race who lived in Norden, a land that nobody could ever step foot in. Yes, an elf.
She had snow-white hair that extended down to her waist, and a deep crimson ribbon that adorned it. She had a small face and large azure eyes that looked like the summer sky, and her lips were a moderately pale pink. A white dress was wrapped around her dainty limbs, and she had an appearance which made one think of a noble’s daughter.
However, she had shackles around her hands and feet, and a collar that sealed mana placed around her neck.
Looking at that girl’s eyes, Zagan felt his heart tremble. He felt the sensation of something running from the tips of his toes all the way to the top of his head.
Dark... and empty eyes.
They were eyes which reflected nothing, thought of nothing. They were those that belonged to one who had given up on everything in the future.
And yet, for some reason, Zagan was unable to avert his gaze from them.
“This is a member of the legendary race, an elf which was captured in Norden! Not only that, just as you can see, she has snow-white hair. It has not been dyed. This is an elf with naturally white hair!” Rather than people, elves were said to be closer to a type of god or spirit.
And regardless of the species, individuals with white hair were rogue specimens, many of which possessed extraordinary amounts of mana.
Using a white-haired elf as a sacrifice would make it truly possible to attain power befitting of an ‘Archdemon.’
As the host circled the elf, he scooped up her hair fluidly with his finger.
“Not only that, but even as a woman she is quite the sight, so other than being used as a sacrifice for sorcery, she has an exceedingly high value as a pet. Whether you tease her or chew on her, it is all up to your discretion, my dear customers!” The host then made a loud declaration.
An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride - Volume 01 Page 2