Chapter 739
The Wrath of an Eighty-Year-Old Corporate Slave
Alistair surveyed Count Dawn, frozen into an ice sculpture, and habitually stroked her chin.
The Honey Badger, standing quietly to the side, suddenly had her pupils contract.
She had seen a similar look – it was the gaze filled with desire that the Children of the Moon cast upon young blood servants. It was like a chef eagerly looking at a prime cut of beef, thinking about how to slice and cook it.
As an Upper Demon, the Winter Demon, especially one with effectiveness against races like the Children of the Moon with their vigorous blood Qi, would be quite helpful for Eivass’s next action.
Sealing it into a Great Sin Card, while not impossible… it felt like a bit of a waste.
And if only one card was used for sealing, there would only be one choice of card.
—The God of Death.
The same card as Alice, the Earthbound Spirit.
The “God of Death” card had both dark and water attributes. The Winter Demon possessed both these attributes, allowing for the rare creation of a dual-attribute card.
However, as an Upper Demon, the Winter Demon was of a higher rank than Earthbound Spirits, and even Shadow Demons. The materials required to seal it were also more scarce… To be safe, Alistair did not use her own ritual material-exempting ability, but instead ensured the ritual could be established.
It would be bad if the seal failed, and the Winter Demon was awakened, shocking Count Dawn, who was in a deep slumber within endless illusions.
“Mirror Demon.” Alistair suddenly spoke.
“I am here.” The mirror instantly became covered in black mist, and a deep, echoing voice replied, “Please instruct me.”
Although the voice was almost majestic, it was filled with undisguised flattery.
“To ensure your master can be killed, I will need some ritual materials, which might be difficult to find.” Alistair looked at the mirror, which had transformed into a magic mirror by the Mirror Demon’s possession, and said with a straight face, something that the Honey Badger found quite absurd. “Perhaps Count Dawn’s ritual chamber has them, but they might be hard to find quickly. Could you help me look for them?”
“Please say the word, it is my duty.” The Mirror Demon agreed without hesitation, and even proactively added, “Even if my former master does not have the materials here, I can find a way to bring them to you as quickly as possible.”
“…Thank you for going to such trouble.”
Even Alistair was surprised by the Mirror Demon’s enthusiasm in this matter, and the thoroughness and meticulousness with which it handled things.
… Now Alistair understood why the Mirror Demon was unwilling to sign a contract with her.
It was likely already terrified of this master.
From its appearance, it seemed to have been treated like a butler. It was no wonder Count Dawn, despite being a Count of Star Antinomy, had no butler at home… It was probably because he did not trust mortals who could be bribed or controlled.
Judging by the Mirror Demon’s words, it had been summoned over eighty years ago. Count Dawn, as a noble, must have had his own Demonology mentor. The Mirror Demon was likely already bound at the time of the contract.
Such advanced contracts were clearly different from what ordinary Demon Scholars could use – the fact that the Mirror Demon could leave his side at will was proof. When Eivass contracted with the Shadow Demon, the Shadow Demon could not leave Eivass’s shadow.
And once Count Dawn ascended to the Fourth Tier, the Mirror Demon would never be able to defy him again. From then on, as long as Count Dawn was not dead or unwilling to give up the contract, the Mirror Demon would have to remain bound to his side, working endlessly.
Because the Mirror Demon could travel between mirrors, peer into others from any desired mirror surface, and could bring out and seal people and objects from within mirrors, its abilities were too convenient. It was estimated that Count Dawn had grown accustomed to summoning the Mirror Demon whenever he needed something…
…This was not even a 996 work schedule, but a 007.
Such high-intensity work had continued for a full eighty years… This was not a demon, but an oppressed corporate slave. No wonder, upon sensing Alistair’s intentions, it had directly appeared before them and offered to guide them.
—Conversely, if the Mirror Demon held no grudges against Count Dawn, it could have foreseen Alistair’s assassination plan in advance, allowing Count Dawn to escape through a mirror immediately.
“Not at all, it is my honor to serve you, my lord…” the Mirror Demon said very respectfully.
Alistair recalled the materials needed to seal the Winter Demon—relying on vague, incomplete memories, and her own current deep understanding of Ritual Studies, she pieced together a suitable set of materials: “I need thirteen different flowers that wither in winter but still retain their vitality, a fish that has rotted but has been frozen for over thirteen years, and a portion of the first snowfall from the past three years.
“I also need the complete feathers of a crow, the complete skeleton of an Extraordinary of the Twilight Path at the Third Tier or above, a scorpion soaked in five types of poison, a snake that has just shed its skin, a live and vigorous eagle, and over three hundred years of rotten mud, enough to cover a live snake.”
Even Alistair herself thought the ritual materials she requested were too obscure.
Therefore, she added, “If it takes some time to gather these materials, you can tell me approximately how long it will take.”
The implication was that she could take a nap first. And then she would come back to take his life after waking up.
But perhaps its eagerness to finish work and go home for a vacation was too urgent; or perhaps its will to kill its boss burned like a raging fire, uncontrollable…
The Mirror Demon replied without hesitation: “It will take at most half an hour, please rest here for a moment.”
As it spoke, the surrounding mirrors turned black, reflecting visions of ritual materials one by one: “My lord, please confirm if these are the items.”
After checking them one by one, Alistair slowly nodded: “They are indeed…”
“Please wait while I collect them. Please rest here. Or if you wish to explore, you may walk freely; if you wish to visit the ritual chamber or the study, I can transport you there. I have already put all the servants in the Count’s mansion to sleep, so you need not worry about being seen by anyone. And I have opened the seals on all rooms, and removed all warning and defensive barriers from every room.
“Also, if you do not wish to rest on this bed…”
As the Mirror Demon spoke, Alistair’s vision flickered, and another set of luxurious and soft bedding and sofas appeared: “This is a clean guest room bed, and also an unused sofa.
“Refreshments are also prepared for you. These are snacks prepared according to my former master’s preferences, and I can bring other snacks as well. If you wish to have wine, please tell me anytime. The Count’s collection is very complete, and if you like to mix drinks, I can make them for you in the mirror world. I have copied the skills of a bartender.”
As its voice fell, steaming black tea and a plate of pastries appeared on the coffee table. These were items that the Mirror Demon had transferred from elsewhere into the mirror world and then processed.
“If you have no further instructions, I will temporarily leave. If you require it, I can leave a clone to serve the respected lord wholeheartedly in my stead.”
“…Hiss.” Alistair subconsciously inhaled sharply, quickly embracing Vinesse on her shoulder and stroking her feathers to calm herself.
She remained silent for a moment, then said, “There’s no need. You may leave, I would like some quiet.”
“Yes, I will immediately fully withdraw from this room. Before I re-enter, I will shroud the mirror with black mist three seconds in advance to indicate my imminent return, and will not interfere with your secrets.
“Enjoy your rest.”
The Mirror Demon’s respectful and fluent voice faded, and all the black smoke-emitting mirrors in the room returned to normal.
At this, even the Night Demon and the Honey Badger fell silent for a moment.
