23 The Contract

Unfortunately, Natsuki Minamiya's expression, though potentially intimidating to others, had little effect on Saigou. To him, it was akin to a kitten mewing—its claws sharp, but not dangerous if one is careful.

Seeing Saigou merely leaning against the railing with a teasing smile, Natsuki Minamiya struggled to keep her irritation in check as she continued eating quietly.

After spending a few months with Zarathustra, Natsuki felt that bickering with the devil had become a daily routine.

As a witch's observer, she had prepared herself for a long-term relationship with this devil. She had expected devils to be cold and unfeeling, only intervening if there were issues with the contract.

However, Zarathustra proved to be not only loquacious but exceedingly vexing, forcing Natsuki to argue with him daily.

On days when Zarathustra was silent, Natsuki even felt that something was missing, a sense of unease settling in.

Despite this, Natsuki felt more fortunate than anything else regarding Zarathustra's attitude. At least he was nothing like the 'great lord' she had encountered in the dark space.

That terrifying entity lacked any semblance of humanity or empathy in Natsuki's perception; it was purely a monster.

Facing such a soulless creature would induce fear even in the most resilient human, leading to a collapse of reason.

But this devil was different. At least Natsuki sensed some semblance of humanity in him.

With humanity comes the possibility of communication, and with communication comes the ability to stave off fear.

Although Zarathustra's words were harsh and his behavior thoroughly devilish, Natsuki still found some solace in their conversations, which alleviated her boredom.

Of course, Natsuki wasn't naive. She knew better than to truly disrespect the devil who was her observer.

She maintained a basic line of respect, occasionally cursing Zarathustra when she was exasperated, but nothing beyond that. She dared not push the boundaries further.

Since signing the contract, she had come to realize just how formidable this devil was.

The sheer magnitude of his magical power made Natsuki believe that even the primogenitor with immense magical prowess couldn't compare.

The primogenitors had limits to their power, whereas this devil's power seemed boundless.

Furthermore, having signed the contract, Natsuki could wield some of Saigou's authority as the Aging Devil.

After using his ability to age all things and beings, she understood just how truly terrifying this power was, which was reputed to be the foremost among the ten death forms.

Saigou admired Natsuki Minamiya, dressed in the private academy's JK uniform. Despite her petite frame, she looked more like an elementary school girl, perhaps just beginning her schooling.

The JK uniform on her accentuated the student vibe, with the collar of her Kanto-style uniform revealing her delicate neck, elegant and charming.

Her straight, slender legs beneath the uniform skirt, clad in black student stockings, were strikingly delicate, almost to the point where a slight touch could seem like it would break her legs.

Her dainty feet, shod in small leather shoes, rested lightly on the ground, her feet swaying back and forth in a playful, adorable manner.

Unlike her usual gothic lolita attire, Natsuki's everyday outfit made her appear as a perfectly crafted doll, sometimes almost lifeless.

Natsuki Minamiya, in her current state, radiated a youthful, lively energy.

The contract between them was in constant flux, with the price being Natsuki's soul.

Saigou was quite relieved that his blood contained the Third Star Particle.

Without it, his magical reserves—essentially his "blue bar"—would be extremely low, likely even less than that of a mage-type Momonga.

He would have to rely heavily on physical strength in a fight, making it impossible to provide significant magical support to Natsuki.

In such a scenario, Saigou would find himself embarrassed, and Natsuki might question how such a weak devil could have so little magical energy.

But now, things were different. The Third Star Particle functioned as a type of perpetual motion machine.

This energy, which could be created from nothing, wasn't just enough for Natsuki to squander. It could change human civilization and supply billions of people around the world, enabling them to venture into the vast cosmos.

Currently, the limit for both Natsuki and Saigou was the output value of their magical energy, not its quantity.

It was precisely the infinite energy from the Third Star Particle that led Natsuki to misunderstand Saigou greatly.

Months ago, Saigou had demonstrated Another Cosmology, which had revealed the power of cosmic creation to Natsuki.

Today's Third Star Particle showed her the concept of a perpetual mechanism.

In Natsuki's imagination, if Saigou combined these two abilities, he could truly destroy the world without the need for the Great Lord to intervene.

If one of the devil's avatars created by the Great Lord was so formidable, how terrifying must the deity itself be?

With such thoughts, Natsuki dared not entertain any unusual ideas and continued to fulfill her part of the contract diligently.

Saigou strolled casually in front of Natsuki, and she showed no visible reaction.

She felt no particular wariness towards Saigou, as it would be all too easy for him to kill her; he was, after all, her executioner.

Over the past few months, she had also come to see that while Saigou's personality was dreadful, in some ways he was also quite mild.

As long as she didn't cross his boundaries or violate the contract, he wouldn't harm her.

Just as this thought crossed Natsuki's mind, she immediately regretted it.

"Hey, that was the only large shrimp in my bento. Did you really just take it without saying a word?"

"…Do devils need to eat to replenish their energy too?"

Natsuki Minamiya watched as Saigou reached out and took the only shrimp from her bento box. At last, unable to endure any longer, she retorted with biting sarcasm.

Her lips curled into a cold, cruel smile.

"I don't know if devils need to eat for nourishment, but as for you, Natsuki-chan, you don't need any. No matter how much you eat, you'll never grow any taller. It's just a waste of food."

Natsuki's irritation flared.

She was tempted to rip out Saigou's heart to see if it was as black as she imagined, but she knew she was powerless to do so.

"Besides, you won't need to eat for much longer. The spell is nearly complete, and you'll soon fall into eternal slumber. It's actually quite a relief—one less person wasting food in this world."

Saigou's mocking words struck a nerve, causing Natsuki to fall into a momentary silence.

Seeing her subdued reaction, Saigou's malicious smile widened. "Becoming the Prison Barrier's guardian was never truly your desire or part of the contract."

"Why trap yourself in an endless, dreamless sleep?"

"If it's the humans who are forcing you, remember, you're a witch now, my contract partner. Why should you care about their opinions?"

"If they push you too far, use my power to execute them mercilessly!"

"Before aging and death, all beings are equal!"

Saigou's words were the true whispers of a devil.

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