Chapter 155: Governing Destruction and Virtue

Asmodeus.

According to demonology, it was a being that governed Lust—a demon god of fury and carnal desire, originally said to be a seraph. The Goetia, a book recording such existences, described it as a great king who manipulated secret arts like geometry and astronomy.

Its etymology could be traced back to the Zoroastrian demon Aeshma, known by the name Aeshma Daeva—the "Wrathful Demon." In Hebrew, its root word meant "to ruin" or "to destroy." It was the ultimate child of destruction and ruin.

That was the Scripture of the woman known as Lumia Asmodeus.

Born with a peerless beauty that bordered on perfection, I was the origin of a demon destined only to bring about ruin. I had destroyed countless nations; I had corrupted everything I laid my eyes upon.

My instincts, my Scripture... they tormented me and forced everything to its knees.

I remembered the curse of charm that accompanied carnal desire. It acted upon all things, breaking them regardless of whether they were male or female. It was a power I couldn't control, suppressed only thanks to Master.

Normally, I would never use this power. But since I’d been treated to such a good show, I suppose I can expose it just for today.

"Now, Beelzebub... your fate is racing toward ruin. Please, enjoy this full course of destruction and virtue."

As I activated my [Origin Burst], my pet dragon let out a joyful roar. Gold overflowed into the surroundings, shifting its shape and transforming into a variety of weapons.

"A one-trick pony?" Beelzebub asked.

"Unfortunately, this isn't made of mana. Don't think you can just eat it."

"Alchemy... no, an application of your secret arts?"

"Correct. You certainly are well-read," I replied.

I offered a few mock rounds of applause before sending the weapons flying toward my opponent.

They moved like living creatures with wills of their own, pursuing Beelzebub as he took to the sky to avoid them. When he grew annoyed and tried to block them with a knife, the gold instantly eroded the metal upon contact.

The knife transformed into a lump of gold in a heartbeat. It wasn't satisfied with just the weapon, though; the gold began to swallow the demon's hand. Sensing the danger, he immediately discarded the blade.

"I was personally hoping you’d turn into a gold statue, but you really don't know how to read the room, do you?"

"Nonsense... But I’ll make you take responsibility for breaking my tool."

"Then you should have taken better care of it," I shot back. "So, you guys watching? The dragon brat did his part, so you'd better put some effort in too."

I offered a light word of encouragement to those around me.

My mana, which charmed all existences, had a unique characteristic that acted even upon the mana of others. With just a word from me, the efficiency of their magic began to climb.

This wasn't a standard buff. It was an ability that would persist as long as my [Origin Burst] remained active. The more I focused on them, the more their power spiked.

Under my gaze, the mana of Master's comrades surged.

"Yeah, you don't have to tell us..." Ayane muttered. "But we might get you caught up in this."

"Don't worry about that. Mana that's fallen in love with me would never dare bare its fangs at me."

"I don't really get it," the samurai maid added, "but it means we can go all out, right?"

"Exactly. The dragon boy, the ice girl, the samurai maid... and the bonus vampire princess. Just beat that fly-man to a pulp. If we break him, he'll probably start working again."

Most magic tools are fixed by a good smack, after all. My plan was decided.

Because of my mana’s nature, a bit of mental suggestion was likely leaking into their thoughts, but in this case, it was convenient. I decided to ignore it.

Across the unfolded "dining table" of Gluttony, the ice girl took to the air while the recovered dragon boy launched a barrage of spear strikes. The samurai maid utilized her innate mobility to leap through the battlefield.

Beelzebub fought back using magic tied to his domain, but his output was visibly dropping.

The roasting flames dimmed to a low simmer; the washing water slowed to a trickle; the carving knives began to rust. Eventually, the magic itself began to rebel against him.

"You poisonous woman... You have no shame," Beelzebub spat.

"That's just who I am. It's your fault for kneeling."

Against the rain of golden weapons and the relentless assault of the four, the Lord of the Flies grew increasingly irritated.

I'd heard it from Master, but as I thought, I have excellent compatibility with Gluttony. It's not quite a three-way deadlock, but my traits are incredibly effective against a mana-heavy fighter like Beelzebub.

I knew Belphe wouldn't go on a rampage, but she and I have fatally poor compatibility. I was truly glad we weren't enemies. Conversely, Belphe would find Gluttony's abilities absolutely impossible to deal with.

"Sigh... Fine. I suppose I should hurry. I didn't want to use this much mana, but..."

Beelzebub’s expression suddenly went blank.

The surrounding "dining table" closed rapidly, and the mana that had been maintaining the [Barrier Magic] flowed back into his body. Magic has its rules; generally, once used, mana dissipates into the environment. Unless one was like Master or that half-demon, you couldn't manipulate mana once it had been spent.

"So, eating magic works on your own techniques, too."

"Of course. Everything in this world is equally fodder. This places a burden on the King, so I hesitated... but protecting the King is the priority."

The pressure intensified.

The air grew heavy. I even began to feel a gnawing sense of starvation. The space around us creaked as a massive hole opened in the sea. Having uprooted and snatched away every scrap of natural mana in the area, he made his declaration.

"[Origin Burst: Evil Fly Knight King Crowned with Gluttony (Baal Zebub)]"

His attire shifted.

He transformed from a gentlemanly figure into a knight. A band of flames wrapped around his forehead, two massive horns sprouted from his skull, and a lion’s tail grew behind him. I recognized the form—the true appearance of a demon, the Baal Zebub spoken of in the Scriptures.

"Now... shall we?"

He raised his index finger toward the heavens. As he did, his pure white wings were dyed a deep, pitch-black.

"[Origin Finale: Paradise Lost]"

The trumpets of the end echoed through the air.

Over a hundred angels descended from the sky, forming a circular formation. As they blew their instruments, the world was bathed in light. A single pillar of radiance aimed itself directly at the cocoon protecting Master.

"Belphe!" I shouted.

"Yawn... Isn't it a bit cruel to make me work when I just got here? Fine, I'll do it. For Reima's sake. [Slothful Death (Sloth Mors)]"

I called out to her while she was resting, and she drove her finishing blow into Beelzebub as he unleashed his Finale. Her magic restricted the opponent's unconscious mind, halting the very activity of the heart that sustained life. The spell hit home, ending his life.

"Ngh... is this the end? Fine. The objective has been achieved."

The dying demon declared this and used the last of his strength to fly. In an instant, he reached Master’s side and dispelled the cocoon.

"O King, I have devoured the mana of Envy that cursed you. If we meet again... let us dine together."

He turned back toward us one last time.

"Until I manifest again, I leave the King to you. If you prove pathetic, I shall devour you. And dragon brat—take this."

He threw a single spear summoned with the dregs of his power. It was a black, sinister thing that nonetheless overflowed with a holy aura. He tossed it over with a smile.

"Continue to be a friend to our King. It should be of use to you. Until next time."

Wrapping himself in his black wings, he reverted to the form of Baal Wildhunt and vanished into Master.