'Isekai'. To die in your world and wake up reincarnated in another world. Every fantasy geek had dreams of it and here I am getting a free pass to another world without having to go through something as gruesome as death. Talk about luck.
But!! I should have known being an anime veteran that something that easy was never going to happen. What was I thinking letting my fantasies get the better of me. Truly a fool I have been.
Kiri, who was supposed to be my guide to the Demon World, was standing with her chin up high and spoke like an arrogant young miss , "Stop blabbering to yourself human and get on your knees before you're forced to."
''Well this is really quite the welcome party Kiri", I wittingly said while gulping and sweating. I never thought that I would be welcomed by such horrifying demons and not to mention the death glare each and everyone of them is giving me. I'm pretty sure they are going to make a red carpet using my blood. (Dad ,mom ,my dear sis and bros… Your brother is truly a fool and this might be my last birthday. Ahhh… I wish I could have at least finished AOT).
-30 mins ago-
''Go to the demon world? You mean I could really go there? YES!!' By all means, take me. But before that, let me atleast put a note for my family. I don't want them filing a case with the police. It would be quite troublesome. I will let them handle the situation.''
Kiri went towards the door and started scribing some unknown words on it. "You do so, I will prepare the gate'', she said.
(This is like a dream. Actually all that has happened felt like a dream. But this is reality. This is no longer an anime fantasy. I really am going to a parallel world. I wonder what destiny awaits me on the other side. Hehehe....)
I was so engulfed in my own 'Isekai' fantasy but little did I know, Kiri was planning something behind my back.
I had just finished my note, wore some new clothes as if I'm going on a trip and just as I was about to grab my shoes, I noticed a box wrapped neatly with a card wishing me birthday. It was from my sister. I opened the box to find a cool pair of shoes and they look good and expensive too. I immediately hopped into the new drip and was feeling good as ever. I thank my family in my heart and took one good look at them for what could possibly be the last time I'll see them.
I realized I had made a selfish decision but something tells me that this was now or never and this opportunity felt like a fated one. I went over to where she was and she told me that she had completed the gate and was ready to leap(from one world to another).
I put the note on my bed and with no regret in my mind, took a deep sigh and looked over at Kiri all excited for the unknown adventure that awaits me. Kiri said a few words like incantation and the scribblings she drew illuminates and she pulled out a strange looking item and attached it on the door. The moment she did that, the item opened up a portal through the door. "All that's left to do now is to jump and we'll be transported to the demon world", Kiri said with a serious expression. She looked at me, nodded and jumped straight into the portal.
"Demon World, here I come". And with that overflowing confidence I took the leap and was swept through the portal like a vacuum cleaner.
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(My back hurts). I was on my back and my eyes closed. The leap was rougher than I thought. I slowly opened my eyes and saw a ceiling. It was beautiful and seemed like a ceiling that was in some medieval buildings and pretty far away from my sight. About 30 feet or so. Something in me suddenly sent chills down my spine. I felt like I was not alone in that room and my thoughts came back to me. I got up and started looking around through blurred vision. ''Oii Kiri where are you?" I closed my eyes and rubbed them trying to fix my clouded vision when I heard a voice behind me. "I'm right here".
"Is this blurriness a side effect or something?"I asked as I looked behind me and there she was. My vision was coming along and that's when I realized where that feeling was coming from. "Umm.. Kiri, is this kind of like a welcome event?" She simply smiled as I stared at the few figures behind her giving off a scary aura. Then I looked at her and she said with a cute smile on her face. ''Welcome! To the Demon World''.
__________________________________________________
My life sucks. Just how many times do I have to be cheated by women. I thought I learnt my lesson but I guess I still have a lot to learn. Apparently when Kiri was 'creating' the gate, she did not just create a gate to the Demon World but she also sent a distress signal to her 'family' and had everything gone according to her plan. And talk about the worst. Right now I am being chained and dragged around like a slave to be sold. What a life indeed.
I was in my own thoughts. Kiri was nowhere to be seen. She left me at lighting speed as soon as I was cuffed. All alone with five scary demons. They look like humans but I can 'somehow' tell they are not. The scary aura they are giving off is similar to when Kiri got mad. Yup, probably ever since Kiri appeared I have become more sensible to these things. I can't explain how though.
I was then made to sit in solitary for what felt like maybe… two hours or so. Then I was again dragged by the chain around my neck and was led to a magnificent looking building. The building also had statues of Seven badass looking people or I guess 'Demons' and one of them particularly had me gazing at it intensely as I was dragged through the path.
"Quit staring!''. Spoke one of the demons who saw me looking at the statue. At this point I'm amazed at myself for not losing my cool . I was pretty sure to have at least panicked a bit. But I don't feel anything like that. We went deeper in the castle and came to a passage that led directly to a huge door . As we moved closer to the door I felt a chill down my spine. Somehow I knew that behind that door only death awaits. Instead of being scared I was more scared at myself for smiling. Somehow my deluded self was actually looking forward to this. "What a bad joke this is", I said to myself.
The demon guard noticed my smile and said, ''You have quite the guts smiling at this point, 'human'. I applaud you for that. Not even demons would smile being dragged in here. You have my respect and for that I shall tell stories of you after this trial."
''Well thank you for the compliment", I replied. Although from his words, It's like he was sure that whatever is behind that door, only death awaits.
''Hahaha..", he laughed sarcastically ."Well then, human. I hope that they will grant you a quick death.''
''Hmm..not even funny.''
Finally the doors open. Before me all the way to the end of the hall is a podium that seems to be where all the big shots were sitting. I saw Seven huge seats and Five Figures and I knew that they were no ordinary Demons. And below them are a few other demons who also seem to be part of the big shots of this demon world but not as exalted as the one over there. And in front of me, well who do you think it is? Why,it's no other than lovely Kiri. Smiling at me in the cutest way possible. Apart from them there were other demons all around the room. But they don't seem to stand out as much. What still bothers me is a huge empty seat at the top of everyone else(higher elevation).
I was staring around the room when suddenly a lady came to me and looked me straight in the eyes. There is no doubt the bloodlust she is giving out and that similar aura is pretty obvious and it totally ruined her pretty face. I looked at her and asked, ''You're her mother aren't you?''.
''Well that's surprisingly annoying you guessed that.That's right, I am her mother. Human, before we start your questioning and trial, I order you to remove the contract you hold with my daughter this instant along with that name you give her.''She spoke in an elegant manner but her face tells me otherwise. This woman is willing to end things right here and now. So even demons share familial emotions huh.
I quickly replied seeing how distressed she was. ''So you say but I don't know how I did that in the first place.''
''If that is your answer, then it is clear as day that you have chosen death. Play the fool longer and the longer I will have you feel unimaginable pain!" She said so with all certainty that I do not doubt her for even a second.
"I really do not know. It all happened so quickly and I am just as clueless as you are. That is the truth." I pleaded while making sure I also do not seem weak.
"While that may be true and my daughter has testified that you might really just be as clueless as us but I am still not convinced. We will wait for the result of the analysis that has been done to find out what kind of contract has been bonded between you two and depending on the result, I will not hesitate to kill you so that my daughter will be free of this absurdity."
The crowd that was there shouted similar chantings ,"That's right just kill him and be done with it. To think we have to waste our time for a mere human. What is taking this trial so long? Seriously, just kill him and the contract will be void. Isn't that obvious?"
As the crowd was complaining and criticizing one of the figures let out a threatening aura throughout the hall and silenced the whole crowd with that. A voice was heard filled with anger and disgust, "You'd be thankful that I'm keeping my cool, else I would have made sure whoever said that will have his head hung on the pole!". The voice sent shivers to the point that I noticed the other demons sweating profusely.
The Demon withdrew his aura but you could somehow feel his anger still and he spoke again, "You would dare risk my daughter's life with your pathetic judgment! Raise another complaint if you dare!".
(Daughter! Does that mean that Demon up there sitting in one of the seats, is Kiri's Father? I really F up myself with this one. I'm so done if I'm not already done. R.I.P me.)
While the tension in the air was thick, a man suddenly appeared from behind us and he seemed like a highly intellectual demon at that. He look at me and then at those high demons and said, ''We have completed the analyst for the contract between them.''
The demon who was just speaking quickly asked, ''So what contract do these two hold?''
….
The room was quiet and felt like a long pause with everyone having their eyes on the intellectual looking demon.
The demon finally spoke in a heavy tone giving an answer that felt difficult to say.
"I…It is 'A Slave contract'..."
The crowd that was busy complaining suddenly had their mouths wide open and their eyes seemed like they were going to pop out.
Then the demon continues...
''If by any mean the Contract Master were to die, all slaves under his authority…will meet the same Fate as his.''
…