18 Aging and Decay

Saigou's words tempted Natsuki Minamiya to believe, but her instincts told her that the words of such an evil and terrifying entity were not to be trusted.

Natsuki was not the type to surrender without resistance, nor was she someone who would give up all struggle without a moment's thought.

Although Saigou had told her that resistance would be futile and that even choosing self-destruction would only add to the mockery, she could not know the truth of his words without trying.

As soon as this thought crossed Natsuki's mind, darkness surged before her eyes, coalescing into a dagger as black as obsidian.

In pain, Natsuki dropped to one knee but suddenly lifted her head.

Her azure eyes, as vast as the sea, could not even reflect the grandiose figure before her, indicating just how immense and terrifying this presence was.

She could not discern any human-like qualities in that horrifying figure, as if everything it did was not meant to torment her but merely an idle thought from a being indifferent to ants.

It was as if a grown man, finding ants carrying food, did not intend to kill them but found it amusing to squat and block their path with his finger.

For humans, it might be a fleeting amusement, but for the ants, it could cost their lives.

Without hesitation, Natsuki decisively picked up the obsidian dagger from the ground and pressed its tip against her heart. With a determined grit of her teeth, she drove the dagger in.

To say she felt no fear would be a lie; after all, she was just an eighteen-year-old girl, a normal human being.

Faced with the inevitability of death, every human would naturally feel fear.

Yet Natsuki's resolute and courageous heart allowed her to overcome this fear.

As the pain struck, her blood flowed away, her brain suffered from severe oxygen deprivation, and the essence of life swiftly escaped from her wound.

At this moment, Natsuki was merely a human, facing a severe injury to her heart, without the aid of her magical powers to heal herself.

Soon, Natsuki felt darkness closing in, and her consciousness began to wane.

'So this is the feeling of death…'

Natsuki sighed softly within her heart, feeling that there was nothing particularly bad about it.

Her exquisitely beautiful body, like a doll, collapsed onto the void.

After what felt like an unknown period, Natsuki felt her consciousness returning. She slowly opened her hazy eyes and gradually rose from the ground.

Memories of her final moments before self-destruction resurfaced in her mind. She looked down and saw that her once-flat chest bore no wounds, and her clothes were intact.

Even the numerous bloodstains that had marred her body were now healed.

The obsidian dagger lay at her feet, its tip stained with blood, confirming that everything she had experienced was not an illusion.

She had indeed chosen to end her life; she had indeed died, but now she was alive once more.

Natsuki lifted her gaze to confront the terrifying presence again, but the mere sight of it brought tears to her eyes from the pain.

Quickly, she lowered her head and sighed softly.

Even death was beyond her control; she had truly become a living puppet.

Though she had once been told by friends that she was as exquisitely cute as a doll, Natsuki had never imagined she would become a puppet in reality.

It seemed reasonable to consider that a lord who claimed to command death and darkness, even capable of reversing life and death, would have such power.

"Have you ceased to resist?"

The terrifying figure spoke with an emotionless tone, devoid of human warmth.

Natsuki gathered her thoughts. She was not one to admit defeat easily.

"I accept this contract, unknown deity!"

This time, Natsuki decisively agreed to the contract with the entity.

Since she couldn't even choose self-destruction, Natsuki Minamiya decided to challenge this unknown entity's game and sign a contract to sell her soul.

After all, as a witch, selling her soul was inevitable. If she was going to sell her soul, it might as well be to this entity.

The earlier statement made by the entity wasn't entirely wrong.

Even if she were to sign a contract with the devils she was familiar with, the terms would essentially revolve around the witch's desires—these desires being the capital for maintaining the contract.

Now, while the contract's content remained unchanged, the demon she was dealing with seemed even more formidable. Thus, the power she would gain from this contract was theoretically greater.

With this perspective, it seemed somewhat acceptable.

Natsuki self-deprecatingly thought to herself, finding comfort in this way, as it was the only solace she could muster.

Unlike before, where breaking a contract would only cost the witch herself, violating this contract could now have repercussions for the entire world.

What troubled Natsuki the most was her own wish.

To win this game, she had to fulfill her own wish.

Yet, her wish was "peaceful coexistence between humans and demons," a goal so grand it was akin to hoping for world peace.

At this moment, Natsuki found herself lamenting why she had such an ambitious wish. The difficulty in achieving it seemed insurmountable.

However, Natsuki was not one to give up easily. Her resolute and courageous heart was the most beautiful facet of her character.

"Your soul is now accepted; the contract is hereby established!"

"...The avatar I create will grant you power. It will be your guardian, as well as your monitor!"

"If you breach the contract, it will sever your head, and darkness and death will utterly consume your land!"

The indescribable voice imprinted itself on Natsuki's mind, and she felt her thoughts stretching infinitely, departing from the enigmatic space.

Once Natsuki vanished, Saigou, seated on his throne, dispelled his false guise, revealing his true self.

Savoring the nourishment that steadily fueled his growth, he squinted and said, "...By accepting the contract and gaining a connection to the world, I receive the nourishment for my growth."

"...From Natsuki Minamiya's situation, it seems that those favored by my invitation possess a strong desire."

"Given this, why did only Natsuki Minamiya accept the invitation while others did not?"

Saigou pondered, toying with Natsuki Minamiya's soul, but he could not discern the reason.

"Never mind, if it's unclear, I'll leave it be. With a world providing nourishment, I cannot afford to lose it easily."

With that thought, Saigou moved his mind in alignment with the beacon provided by Natsuki Minamiya, vanishing completely into the darkness.

...

Aya Tokoyogi walked anxiously around the ritual's magical circle, her worry mounting as she struggled to understand what had gone wrong with the ceremony.

At that moment, the ritual's circle once again began to emit a glow of magical power. Her sharp eyes, filled with tension, widened in astonishment as she saw the petite figure of Natsuki Minamiya reappear within the ritual's array.

"Natsuki, what on earth has happened? Did the ritual complete? I..."

Before she could finish her question, her graceful form shuddered.

Behind Natsuki Minamiya's doll-like, exquisite body, a terrifying devil of pitch-black flames abruptly materialized before her.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am one of the avatars created by the Supreme Great Lord, Lord of Aging and Decay!"

"...You may call me Zarathustra, and Natsuki Minamiya, as well as... the Witch of the Notaria!"

The devil, formed from dark flames, spoke with a refined courtesy, yet his words were laced with malice and delight.

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