The Merchant

Accepting the scroll, the middle-aged devil handed it over to his employees who would soon begin the task of dissecting the beast corpses into various parts for further processing.

He then turned to me and suggested, "Let's move to the back for our payment discussion."

In truth, there was no need for such a discussion, as he always paid according to the quality of the goods.

An honest devil, it may sound like a joke, but that's who he truly is.

Following the blond man with blue eyes, I entered the depths of his establishment.

As we stepped into his office, I sensed the activation of wards, ensuring our privacy from prying eyes.

From this moment onward, this space would be shielded from unwanted intrusions.

"Akuma, as you know, some of your requests were a bit challenging to fulfill.

I managed to gather a few things for you to check out," he explained, handing me a stack of books without covers, their contents carefully handwritten.

Obtaining advanced knowledge in magic and related subjects was no easy task.

While there were stores that sold various magic formulas, they did not offer anything truly advanced.

By "advanced," I mean conceptual magic—topics like soul theory, hexes, and curses, among others.

These were the kinds of magic that one wouldn't want the general population to possess, as they could be dangerous.

It was precisely this kind of magic that I aspired to master, as simple combat spells were easily recreatable, but understanding the underlying concepts required extensive research.

For instance, conjuring a mere "fire" differed greatly from conjuring a fire fueled by the combustion of gas and oxygen.

As a modern individual, grasping these principles came naturally to me, as they were part of my education.

However, concepts like spiritualization, souls, curses, and hexes belonged to the realm of fiction in my previous life.

I sought to acquire knowledge in these areas to enhance my versatility.

Gazing at the stack of books, I noticed that the front pages were blank, with only titles adorning them.

Upon inspecting the titles that he had obtained for me, I discovered that many of them were... quite explicit. "Spiritual Kamasutra," "Impure Qi Dual Cultivation Technique," "Impure Qi Honeypot Cultivation Technique," "Principles of Magical Sex," and "Theories of the Devil's Sin of Lust."

I wasn't pursuing this knowledge simply out of perversion, although one could argue that I had such inclinations.

The fact was, in this world of DxD, known for its lewd nature, I anticipated that such activities would inevitably occur.

However, I wanted to be more than just a source of fleeting pleasure or a means of venting lust.

I sought to derive benefits from these encounters.

When I learned that there were methods to gain power through sexual acts, concepts that existed solely in erotic novels from my previous life, I became deeply intrigued.

"Are there any additional 'resources' required, Solveig?" I hinted, suggesting that I could provide more bribe money if the previous amount was insufficient.

"No, Akuma, that's not the issue," Solveig replied, his tone hesitant.

"They haven't had the opportunity yet. The books I managed to acquire for you were a stroke of luck because..." he trailed off.

Curiosity piqued, I inquired, "Is it related to something happening in the Phenex Clan?"

"Yes, I don't have much information, but due to recent events, my contacts were able to copy those books from their library," he elaborated further.

I wondered if it had any connection to the organized search I had encountered while hunting earlier.

When I first entered the forest today, I came across territorial guards conducting a meticulous grid search.

What intrigued me more was the presence of some of my mercenary "acquaintances" in the area.

After a discreet bribe, they hinted that the search was related to a missing peerage member, although they refused to divulge further details.

"Are there any other rumors, Solveig?" I asked, relying on the merchant who could procure anything for the right price.

"Rias Gremory, during her birthday celebration upon receiving her Evil Pieces, was unexpectedly betrothed, causing a commotion that earned her the nickname 'The Crimson Ruin Princess.' She discovered the truth and her servants claimed it was because she possessed both beauty and wielded The Power of Destruction," Solveig relayed in a single breath, struggling to stifle a chuckle.

"Who the hell came up with that anyway?" I retorted, finding the situation somewhat amusing. It seemed that the time had come, and I realized I needed to accelerate my plans.

After engaging in some inconsequential small talk, I left the establishment with both my payment and the copied books in hand.

As I strolled along, my mind wandered to the future, contemplating the path ahead. It was clear that steady growth was the key, especially considering the increasing dangers lurking in the world.

Therefore, I needed a means of protection for myself.

The closest solution seemed to be establishing my own peerage, ensuring that they would remain loyal by utilizing the knowledge contained in the books Solveig had mentioned.

It was all speculative at this point, but I firmly believed it was entirely feasible to achieve what I had envisioned.

Another plan had taken shape in my mind—creating my own mercenary group.

I had noticed that most mercenary groups tended to align themselves with specific nobles, leaving a void for a neutral faction among the devils.

That would be my unique selling point—a devil mercenary group with no affiliations, providing services at a fair price.

However, this endeavor required resources and merits; oddly enough, money came secondary in this endeavor.

To cater to their wild nature and save costs, I would need to establish my own distillery for alcohol, as devils were known for their fondness for drink.

Furthermore, a brothel would be necessary for them to satisfy their carnal desires, staffed by both men and women to cater to the various preferences among devils.

Additionally, a training and lodging facility would be vital, along with ample supplies such as magic formulas, martial arts techniques, and potions, as they would undoubtedly be in high demand.

Fortunately, I possessed enough funds to set up a makeshift facility to get things started.

However, I still lacked the merits required for this venture, which I intended to expedite from this point forward.

Merits are important as they would act as the proof of your capability and can actually increase your social standing.

Hunting stray devils on Earth, or what we referred to as the overworld, would be the primary source of acquiring merits.

However, one wrong move during such hunts could potentially trigger a diplomatic incident, emphasizing the need for licenses and certifications.

Before embarking on these hunts, I realized it was imperative to obtain my own set of Evil Pieces.

It would be highly inconvenient to encounter individuals of interest without having the means to recruit them.

To achieve this, I had one viable option—to demonstrate that I possessed the power of a high rank.

It's important to distinguish between class and rank.

Class refers to one's social standing, while rank pertains to one's power level.

Low class encompassed mercenaries, hunters, laborers, and ordinary individuals, while middle class consisted of wealthy merchants and peerage members of nobles, among others.

High class, on the other hand, belonged to the nobility.

To ascend to the high class, one needed to accumulate sufficient merits and establish their own territory.

An example of this was Baron Cheon Ma, a Korean demonic cult founder and reincarnated devil who now held the title of The Heavenly Demon Cheon Ma.

Rankings, on the other hand, were more confusing and vague.

I once overheard a conversation among a group of men, where one boasted about attaining a mid-ranking power level.

However, shortly thereafter, I noticed territorial guards with low rank powers who seemed to possess similar capabilities.

The true nature of rankings remained uncertain, but Solveig had mentioned that one had to prove their rank in order to be recognized for their claimed ranking.

In the near future, a tournament would take place, offering the prize of acquiring one's own Evil Pieces.

It was expected that numerous devils would participate, as securing a peerage was the dream of every commoner devil, opening doors to previously unattainable opportunities.

Most people aimed to be noticed by nobles in order to be recruited into their peerage.

However, I differed in my approach.

If I truly desired independence, I had to secure the first place in the tournament—no matter the cost or method.

Suddenly struck by a realization, I abruptly halted and turned around, eager to acquire something from Solveig that I had in mind.