MPBAGS Chapter 10

"...Mmph...urgh!"

The girl twisted her body around. Doesn't she ever get tired? Donau, who had been sitting leisurely in a chair drinking tea and reading, clicked his tongue at the groans that were disrupting his reading.

Even though her mouth was gagged, everything was perfectly interpretable.

The things she'd say were obvious anyway. Please save me, I was wrong. Pathetic, groveling words like that. Ha, how ridiculous - begging blindly without even knowing what she did wrong.

Donau looked at the girl like she was a bug, then soon turned his gaze away.

There were no curtains, so he had hastily nailed wooden planks over the window in case anyone might peek inside. Red light seeped through the small gaps between the boards. The sunset was already setting.

There really wasn't much time left now. The red would fade and darkness would soon arrive.

Donau looked lovingly at the paper he was reading.

It was a single note he had picked up from the Rohanson Count's estate where he worked. He had discovered this treasure last night while cleaning Evangeline Rohanson's room.

[҉How҉ ҉to҉ ҉Summon҉ ҉a҉ ҉Demon҉]

An ordinary person would have dismissed it as child's play. But Donau, working at the Rohanson Count's estate, had the excellent judgment to recognize that this was real.

Evangeline Rohanson had hanged herself and died, then came back to life. Who else but a demon could do such a thing?

His stupid colleagues had made a fuss about being possessed by ghosts! Becoming a demon! Getting scared of just a girl and making such a commotion. What low-level fools! The important thing was how they managed to revive Evangeline Rohanson!

And who summoned the demon!

Only Donau could figure out the reason.

Evangeline Rohanson's maternal family was the Duke Hosaquin's house. Count Rohanson had been receiving massive medical support from the ducal family since Evangeline was young, using the excuse that she was sickly.

While cleaning the count's office, Donau had witnessed that dizzying parade of incredibly long numbers. Thanks to getting beaten for peeking at documents, the memory was still vivid.

But if Evangeline died, all that money would disappear. So Count Rohanson must have made a contract with a demon to revive his daughter!

That damn count! No matter how much he pretended to be nice, he was just another money-grubbing noble! Donau had suspected the count's dirty intentions for much longer.

And Donau would become a much more proper noble than someone like Count Rohanson.

Finally, draw with the blood of the innocent, the line of virtue. With your bloodied hands, draw the circle. Kneel in gratitude and beseech for salvation.

Make the thorn bush bear grapes and the thistle bear figs, marvel and bow down. Turn the earth and welcome the angel of light who shall descend to the world.

The preparations were complete.

He had kidnapped a girl who was loitering outside. He had also drawn the pattern to summon a demon on the floor with his own blood. Drawing that large pattern had left Donau's arms and fingers covered in knife cuts.

Now he just had to wait until sunset and use that girl's life as payment to summon a demon...

After reciting the procedure over and over again, Donau tore the paper into small pieces and swallowed it. The dry paper felt as sweet as perfectly ripe fruit as he ate it.

He couldn't let just anyone see such special information. The opportunity to become special should be his alone.

"Finally!"

And finally, the day was setting. Donau struck a match and lit a candle.

Picking up a well-sharpened knife from the table, Donau danced to the accompaniment of gasping breaths. It was a waltz that a gentleman might dance. Following Donau's movements, the candlelight flickered and the shadows cast on the wall swayed.

Dancing with his shadow as a partner, Donau imagined his future after summoning the demon. Himself not in this shabby house, but under brilliant chandeliers.

"You waited a long time, didn't you?"

Then Donau stopped right in front of the sacrifice and crouched down. Her eyes still blazed fiercely, glaring at him without dying. Donau thought she was a bit impudent.

He brought the knife to her throat. He wanted to prepare it to the demon's taste if possible. The demon would surely like something bloody. Blood beaded and flowed down from the thinly drawn line. Donau was completely excited by this delicate and artistic work.

And just as he was adjusting the blade again, there was a thunderous noise and dust swirled inside the house.

Had the door been torn off? Damn, who reported to the guards? Shit. He might be able to beat a young girl, but probably not an adult man.

Coughing and spitting amid the dust, a silhouette approached. The first thing that caught his eye was a pure white dress no different from a nightgown. And the next thing his gaze went to was equally colorless, pure white hair.

"Evangeline Rohanson?"

He was relieved for a moment that instead of a sturdy adult man, a sickly young lady who could probably be subdued with one hand had appeared. But the moment he finally made eye contact with those bright red eyes, Donau gasped.

Marvel and bow down. Welcome the angel of light who has descended to the world.

The sound of trumpets could be heard from somewhere.