Chapter 10

With a sudden crackling sound, ice began to shoot from the clouds of dark smoke. Sharp icicles buried themselves in the lawn. Chunks of ice, dangerous enough to cause serious harm, shot toward me and Dominic.

“Dodge, Mel!” Dominic raised one hand and caught the ice chunks produced by the smoke, smashing them into pieces.

How am I supposed to dodge these icicles?! I quickly covered my face and hid behind Dominic. In a crisis like this, it seemed like the best course of action was just to get out of the way and hide. However, the onslaught of the dark, eerie smoke intensified as Dominic fought back.

Razor-sharp icicles began flying toward Dominic in numbers too great for him to keep up with.

“Is that the one who made the contract?” A disturbing voice echoed through the garden like nails on a chalkboard.

Immediately, my vision dimmed, and something began to suffocate me. I wheezed as my airways closed up, and I found myself nearly unable to breathe. It took all my effort to take a single breath, and even that was impossible after a few seconds. I stumbled and fell to my knees.

The dark smoke moved toward me, and its awful words filled the air again.

“I’m going to kill this human!” This was the voice of a demon, shrill and chilling as it echoed through the garden.

What’s with this guy? Just as chills ran down my spine, a heroic voice rang in my ears.

“I won’t let you!”

Dominic rushed to my side and grabbed for the smoke that was suffocating me, trying to tear it away.

“I will kill her! I’ll kill her and get my revenge!” The malevolent spirit simply tightened its grip in response to Dominic’s attempted rescue. I didn’t even have enough air to cough.

My vision was beginning to fade as the smoke constricting my throat penetrated my chest, squeezing my heart. I was dying.

Suddenly, Dominic somehow managed to pull the smoke away.

I gasped and began to cough as I could suddenly breathe again. Panting, I touched the area around my neck where the smoke had gripped me. There was definitely going to be a bruise.

Dominic helped me up and said through gritted teeth, “Show yourself.”

There was a poof, and the cloud of smoke transformed into a child, seemingly around seven years old. It had hair blacker than charcoal, and sharp fangs protruded from the child’s mouth, with pointed horns emerging ever so slightly from its head.

Dominic grabbed the peculiar-looking child by its shirt collar and lifted it before asking menacingly, “Do you really want me to destroy you?” Dominic fixed a stern gaze on the tall, lanky child.

“No, don’t destroy me!” The child, who had been a cloud of dark smoke only moments ago, pouted and touched its face as if fascinated by its own corporeal form.

What on earth is this? I looked behind the child. The building, despite our attempts to clean it, looked messier than ever with all of the ice scattered all across the lawn in front of it.

I coughed, my fingers still gingerly brushing over my aching neck, and took a look around.

First, let’s sort out this situation.

* * *

A few moments later, Dominic, the child who had formed from the dark smoke, and I stood facing each other inside the building. The child—actually a demon who had been sealed for over a thousand years—frowned at the restraining spell binding him.

“This is the demon I sealed long ago, Mel. He was trapped in the sword along with me.”

“I, the Demon of the Winter Moon, have finally arrived in the human world!”

The demon with a child’s body looked at himself in wonder and grinned cheerfully. While keeping my eye fixed on the excited demon, I frowned and leaned toward Dominic to whisper, “You sealed that demon? He must have been held by powerful magic, then. How did it get out?”

“I don’t know.”

“Certainly, the mystery of my arrival into the human world defies even my comprehension,” the demon interjected, “Yet, I find great delight in this place. Come to me, my servants!”

Perhaps because he was an ancient demon, he spoke strangely, using words no normal child ever would.

Dominic sighed as he watched the Demon of the Winter Moon holler excitedly. He turned to me and said, “Using so much of my power after centuries may have disrupted my control. In any case, it seems he has been set free. Not to worry, though. Sealing magic is strong. This escape is only temporary.”

Dominic shook his head apprehensively as he made sure the Demon of the Winter Moon was properly restrained.

“You, apologize to Mel.”

“Accept my apology, ignorant mortal.”

Wow. Does it expect me to just accept that? I had something more important to discuss with the Demon of the Winter Moon, though.

“Did you make all that ice outside?” I asked.

“Indeed.”

I gazed curiously at the pristine, unmelted ice the demon had conjured. “So this ice never melts? Fascinating.”

I didn’t know who this Demon of the Winter Moon was, but the value of the ice he had created was clear. It didn’t melt, even when I held it in my hand.

Besides, it’s ice. Ice was easy to come by where I was from. However, in this world without refrigerators, ice was considered precious.

“I haven’t heard of many people who can create ice that doesn’t melt in this world.”

“That’s right! Only a demon born under the Winter Moon, like myself, can create an endless amount of never-melting ice.”

“What about you, Dominic?”

Dominic, the hero who specialized in combat, avoided my gaze. Now that I thought about it, the demon had a point. Even the distinguished House Babelloa and House Hessman couldn’t easily get their hands on ice. And ice that never melted, like this demon was able to make, was all the rarer.

I might be able to use this demon to my advantage! I had thought of a good way to get revenge on him for strangling me. I gently patted the horns of the Demon of the Winter Moon while smiling wickedly.

“Hey, demon. I have a task for you.”

“A task?”

“Yes. I was hoping you could make slushies for me.”

The demon widened its eyes. Of course, that was all he could do, thanks to the magic restraining it. He seemed so surprised that if he opened his eyes any wider, they were in danger of falling out.

“What? Are you saying you’ll shred me into pieces with slush magic? You’re no human! You’re an archangel!”

What’s slush magic? And why am I an archangel?

“Are you complimenting me?” I asked.

“No, quite the opposite! That was a horrendous insult.”

Dominic smirked as he interjected, “Indeed, Demon of the Winter Moon. I suppose you will be torn to shreds with slush magic soon.”

Huh? I looked at Dominic, confused.

“Mel is a very scary human. I, too, fell victim to her. She swindled me into signing a contract with her.”

The arrogant look on Dominic’s face baffled me. Why on earth is he boasting about that?

However, the demon seemed affected by his words. “I had no idea you were such a remarkable human!”

Why on earth are those rigid horns suddenly drooping like melting marshmallows? And why did his tone suddenly change?

“Indeed. So now, lowly demon, you will be annihilated. Farewell, Demon of the Winter Moon.”

“No, please!” In response to Dominic’s cold words, the Demon of the Winter Moon trembled all over, seemingly in despair.

I haven’t even said a word yet. Slowly but surely, the situation was getting worse in my favor.