Conversion

The demon twins stepped up to the demon gate and touched it with their palms.

Their mana was siphoned out of them and poured into it.

The eyes of the demon gained a vile orange color before splitting into two and opening up, revealing a menacing figure behind the door.

Heavy pressure assaulted all 4, causing everyone to drop down and kneel.

Noir: "I greet the Count Balazear."

Blance: "I greet the Count Balazear."

Mei dropped Aster down and knelt. "I- I greet the count."

'I greet the cou- what the hell am I doing, I am supposed to be unconscious!'

Baffled by his stupid blunder, he honed his senses and observed the incomer.

Count Balazear was an intimidating man. His towering figure and eyes, dark orange in appearance, pierced right through whatever stood in their way. His presence alone exuded pure power, leaving no doubt that he was a force to be reckoned with.

Aster could not see the man with his own eyes but he felt his piercing gaze right at him which told what he needed to know.

'He is definitely not at his level for sure.

Nonetheless, he is stronger than me.

…

I can't help but feel like I made a humongous mistake.

Should I have escaped back then? Isn't my fate basically sealed with this dude around?

…

Shit.'

His thoughts raced as he heard heavy footsteps approaching his position.

He calculated his odds of escape and the worst-case outcome.

'Let's see…

I am stuck underground with limited space, surrounded by 3 people that I would normally find hard to face at once and a dude who can fold 4 of us without breaking a sweat.

Yeah, it doesn't look good. Not good at all.

And the worst case scenario, I get converted into a demon.

Becoming a demon is fun and all but that would mean I have to become their vassal, a servant and a slave.

Damn it.'

The footsteps ended right next to him and he expelled all thoughts and tried to act dead as much as he could.

"How come you wear the outfit of a maid while being an outsider?" A deep voice softly muttered but everyone heard him.

'Huh?'

Heavy breathing was heard from the opposite side of the menacing man.

Mei's pulse quickened, her breath was ragged and she sweated buckets under her mask.

Gulping, she said what she had to say.

"I forged a contract with Miss Blance and Noir. I would work as their maid for 120 years and receive their protection and a moderate amount of fortune.

According to the contract; during my servitude, I will not be forced to convert unless I desire it and my decision is not to be influenced by any means until then."

Balazear's wrinkly face scrunched up in disgust.

"Tsk, If it were me, I would have forcefully converted you without wasting any time on contracts."

He looked distastefully at the twins before gazing down and Aster.

"Ah, this one. A fine specimen indeed. He would make a fine demon. Even marrying you two to him isn't out of the question." Satisfaction appeared on his wicked face for the first time then it scrunched up once again.

His head snapped towards Blance.

"He smells like mossy hair. Tell me, why does he smell of Sloth!? Have you not destroyed his ego?"

Her eyes widened in shock. The twins managed to exchange glances before getting slapped in the face by him.

"Tsk. Can't do a single thing right."

Mei wanted to defend the twins but found herself unable to move. They were benevolent employers, for being demons at the least.

But it wasn't enough for Mei to risk her life.

Meanwhile, Aster was reaching a mental breakdown.

'Fuck, shit, damn it, arghhhh.'

'Sloth was one of the titles of the 7 natural demons. Of course, they would recognize traits like these.'

He considered getting up and making a run for it. 

THUMP

That was until something heavy appeared next to him.

Balazear lifted him up by his neck.

"You think you are sneaky? I am not going to be fooled!"

At that moment, his expression changed.

"It disappeared?"

It was indeed the case. The smell of sloth emanating from Aster had ceased.

"Maybe he was already on his breaking point?"

Confusion went rampant in the demon count's head. 

It happened too suddenly to be natural but he had never heard of someone getting rid of a trait on the spot.

'Damn it, I will look like a fool.'

For good measure, he delivered a few 'soft' punches to Aster's gut.

[-1307hp]

[-2001hp]

[-1901hp]

A metallic taste filled Aster's mouth but did not spill out.

Balazear threw his limp body at Blance and acted as if that bit of violence solved it.

"Do it while he is still alive. I will observe." 

He then went and stood in the back as if nothing happened at all.

The intimidating aura subsided, giving everyone room to breathe.

Mei got up and checked on her employers before carrying Aster and heading into the chamber.

It was a spacious dome with a bronze altar in the middle.

There were no special and extravagant decorations except a statue of a figure on the opposite of the door.

The figure's face was blurred due to time but the name etched on the pedestal below the statue gave it away.

"LORD OF GLUTTONY, BEELZEBUB"

"The first gluttony demon to ever be born"

The statue, the pedestal, and the altar were masterfully crafted using the mythical bronze-colored metal orichalcum.

Mei carried and put Aster on the circular altar, which had the same monster depicted on the door engraved on it.

The monster had a multitude of eyes, an open maw, and rows of pointy teeth suited to rip its prey apart.

It had a snout like a pig but it would be more suited to call it a horn.

Blance: "*Sigh* Here we go."

Noir: "Remember, a constant stream of our mana."

"Yeah, I remember. Let's do this."

Mei positioned Aster in a starfish position before retreating to the edge of the dome. She wouldn't want to be close lest she wanted to become a demon too.

Blance and Noir stood on Aster's left and right side respectively. Both of them raised their hands and a malicious purple stream left it.

Like a snake, the purple stream encircled Aster before entering via his mouth.

The mana infested with demonic energy circulated within his body and would awaken the dormant power hidden within his body.

It circulated within him and the dormant power awakened, thereby transforming his body into something different, something vile.

That would have been the standard procedure but the demoness twins did not take one thing into account.

His system.

Aster woke up due to the energy surging through him and was greeted with a message.

[You have gained Demonic essence×17]