The archmage Lumina needed the thirteenth end to advance into a higher being. The moment she entered into a contract with Maphel’tan, she would draw closer to that distant realm.

One requirement for advancement was “meaningful contact with a transcendent being.” Apostles were transcendent beings from birth, and contracting with one was the fastest, surest way to fulfill that condition.

Soon, her long-cherished wish would come true. Excitement gleamed in Lumina’s eyes.

Ilea looked at her, her eyes curving into a smile.

“In short, Lady Lumina, you orchestrated all this to meet an Apostle.”

Lumina answered immediately.

“That’s right. Follow Lord Muel’s prophecies, and you always get what you want in the end.”

Muel was the Archdemon Lumina served. A fallen angel, he possessed remarkably accurate foresight.

“Was Muel’s prophecy also the sole reason you pressured the Watcher of the Abyss?”

Maphel’tan had already given Ilea a rough account of everything.

King Roderick had employed various tricks to lure Yohan into a trap. The king was not capable of devising such a scheme alone, so someone else had to be behind him.

Now it turned out that person was the archmage Lumina.

Lumina spoke with perfect composure.

“Exactly. ‘Establish yourself in the royal capital and drive the Watcher of the Abyss into a corner. Then you shall encounter an Apostle of the End.’ I merely followed that prophecy. You seem rather close to the Watcher of the Abyss... so let me make my position clear. I bear neither him nor you any particular ill will.”

Lumina had merely followed Muel’s prophecy in order to advance. She had put political pressure on Yohan to meet an Apostle. She had no other particular objective.

Ilea looked puzzled.

“Torment the Watcher of the Abyss, and you will meet an Apostle of the End. Weren’t you the least bit curious how that proposition could hold true, Archmage?”

Lumina frowned slightly.

“Why would I be? If I follow the prophecy, I’ll get what I want.”

Disappointment spread across Ilea’s face.

“... You call yourself an archmage, yet you blindly obey some prophecy. You feel no doubt, no desire to investigate, not even curiosity. In the end, you’re just another human beguiled by a Demon.”

Lumina’s expression darkened too. Listening to Ilea brought unpleasant memories flooding back. Some seventy years ago, the Great Witch Rahel had said much the same thing to her.

[“Lumina, how long will you let Muel toy with you? Keep this up, and you’ll be used and discarded. Mark my words.”]

Lumina’s eyes hardened.

“What do you witches know about me to spout such insolence? I attained an exalted realm in the body of a mere human. Just watch. I, Lumina, will be the first to inscribe my name upon the rank of transcending heaven, where no archmage, nor even a witch, has ever stood.”

Ilea sighed as though resigned.

“Very well. First, show me that you can advance beyond archmage. Though I imagine you’ll find it difficult.”

Lumina snorted.

“My advancement is already a foregone conclusion. What is there to prove? The Apostle will come to me before long.”

Ilea smiled gently.

“You’ll probably meet him today. Right now, if you wish.”

Lumina frowned.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Ilea snapped her fingers. A ripple of mana spread in all directions, and Lumina’s necklace began to convulse. King Roderick’s screams came through the communication artifact.

Ilea spoke calmly.

“Until a moment ago, I had temporarily cut this space off from the outside. I’ve just opened it again, so feel free to speak with the human king.”

Lumina had not noticed Ilea’s magic at all. The archmage’s pride crumbled. A vein rose faintly on her forehead.

“... You odious little brat.”

Ilea was still smiling.

“Don’t frown. At your age, you’ll only give yourself more wrinkles.”

She had touched Lumina’s sorest spot. Pure white mana erupted from the archmage.

“I’ll beat those manners into you this instant!”

Ilea’s expression grew icy. She spoke in a low voice.

“Stop. It would be sad to die before you even meet the Apostle.”

Blue mana burst forth and began engulfing the room. A dreadful pressure bore down on the archmage. Roderick’s groans continued to issue from the communication artifact.

Lumina ground her teeth.

“... Stay right there, bitch. Just you wait.”

She touched her necklace, and a view of the palace’s great hall unfolded before her eyes. At once, her face lit up. A pitch-black Demon was there: the Thirteenth Apostle of the End.

Ilea smiled.

“I told you. You would meet him today, right now.”

Lumina cried out the activation phrase. Maphel’tan vanished from the great hall. Like Ilea, he had been abducted into a separate space.

* * *

Maphel’tan had been employing all manner of methods to make King Roderick talk. He instilled terror, cut off his breath, and even used his power, Words of Command. Yet despite his painstaking efforts, he obtained no meaningful information.

Roderick knew nothing. He was merely a puppet on strings. Even with his vigor restored by demonic energy, the king remained a fool.

Maphel’tan stifled a groan.

‘What did I expect from a man like this?’

It seemed he had no choice but to wait for Ilea. She would surely come back with something to show for her efforts.

Leaving Roderick where he was, Maphel’tan took a seat on the throne. A pitch-black Demon lounged in the seat of honor in the great hall.

At the sight, Roderick hung his head. As king, he could not face his ancestors. To have the august throne taken from him—and by a Demon, no less.

Roderick clenched fistfuls of the red carpet. Indignation welled up within him.

As he wallowed in self-reproach, his necklace began to convulse. His face brightened faintly. That archmage, the Archdemon Muel—surely they could teach that young Apostle a bitter lesson. The hope he forced himself to conjure consumed his thoughts.

Roderick looked straight up at the throne and shouted.

“You wicked fiend! Return to hell where you belong!”

Maphel’tan let out an incredulous laugh.

“What?”

At that very moment, Roderick’s necklace shone brightly. Radiance enveloped Maphel’tan, and he vanished in an instant.

Left alone, Roderick crawled laboriously toward the throne. He climbed into the seat of honor and bellowed.

“This is my seat! No one dares lay claim to it!”

Hollow laughter echoed through the empty great hall.

* * *

Maphel’tan looked around the strange space. Huge bookshelves and experimental apparatus filled his surroundings.

‘... Ilea would go wild over this place.’

The shelves held books of every description. There were as many forbidden volumes as in the baronial house’s underground library.

Without thinking, Maphel’tan pulled out a book. The pitch-black volume was tightly wound in chains. Just as he was about to break the seal, an unfamiliar voice reached him.

“As expected of the sovereign of all Demons. You recognize that book’s worth.”

Maphel’tan looked ahead. A woman white from head to toe was walking slowly toward him, with Ilea at her side.

Ilea spoke playfully.

“You told me not to so much as touch it. Isn’t this a little too much of a double standard?”

Lumina looked unimpressed.

“Do you think you’re the same as the great End? Stop complaining and watch closely as I advance.”

Maphel’tan’s face twisted.

“What in the world is all this?”

Ilea briefly explained what had happened. After hearing her out, Maphel’tan sank into thought.

‘Lumina, was it?’

The archmage Lumina. She was not a significant character. Her appearance in the original novel was very brief. In truth, he could barely remember any episodes involving her.

‘Was she the archmage Muel used and discarded?’

She was of no importance at all. Maphel’tan was more interested in Muel than in Lumina.

He stared at her. The instant his gaze fell upon her, she bowed her head.

“O sovereign of all Demons, everything the witch said is true. I arranged all this to gain an audience with you.”

Maphel’tan spoke without expression.

“Muel wishes to establish ties with me? Where is he now?”

Lumina immediately shook her head.

“No. It is I, Lumina, who wishes to enter into a contract with you. Lord Muel merely showed me the path that would lead me to you.”

Maphel’tan laughed in disbelief.

“Muel dared commit the sacrilege of drawing me into this, merely to advance the likes of you?”

Lumina was deeply shaken.

“Th-the likes of me? What do you mean—”

Ilea looked at her with pity.

“Lady Lumina, I told you. You would probably find it difficult to advance.”

Lumina had resorted to all manner of schemes to meet Maphel’tan. He felt as though he had been caught in someone else’s machinations. It was deeply unpleasant.

Maphel’tan spoke.

“Mortal, I have no intention of indulging you. Call Muel. I will speak with him.”

Lumina cried desperately.

“If you enter into a contract with me, every forbidden book and treasure, every accursed object and sacred relic in this space will be yours. And beyond that, the knowledge of the ages I have amassed—”

Maphel’tan chuckled, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Stupid bitch. Do you still not understand? Now that I am here, everything in this place already belongs to me. There is no need whatsoever to enter into a contract with you.”

Lumina’s pupils quivered. She had never expected Maphel’tan to react like this.

She murmured,

“Th-the prophecy couldn’t have been wrong. Why would the End treat me... Why on earth... Did something go wrong? Where? How?”

Maphel’tan’s lips stretched into a wide smile.

“I shall tell you myself. You and this space are merely tribute Muel offers to me. A sacrifice to gain an audience with me. Archmage Lumina, Muel has used you. That is all.”

Maphel’tan’s conjecture was probably correct. Demons were creatures that beguiled and exploited humans by nature. Muel was no different.

He must have intended to use Lumina to establish contact with Maphel’tan. An Archdemon would hardly intervene directly in the mortal realm merely to help Lumina advance.

Lumina shook her head wildly.

“No! That’s impossible! Lord Muel would never abandon me!”

Long ago, ever since childhood, Lumina had been able to hear Muel’s voice. The two had been together for a very long time. Muel was her parent, her sibling, and her friend.

They would never betray each other. That belief was firmly rooted in Lumina’s heart.

Maphel’tan frowned in irritation.

“Muel, if you can hear me, show yourself at once. Your servant’s flailing is becoming extremely tiresome.”

Lumina shouted with a venomous expression.

“Lord Muel would never abandon me!”

At that moment, a clear, melodious voice rang out.

『 Child, you have worked hard. Rest now. 』