章節 48: Chapter 28: Part 2
After securing the ring, I wasted no time returning to Prince Manor. I had that feeling you get when you know you're about to have a relaxing session of watching porn or gaming, and no one is going to bother you. The moment I stepped into the grand entrance hall, I headed straight for the dungeon, a place I'd repurposed for my more shady dealings. Gramps used this place for his ritual crap, and now so did I.
The Prince Dungeon somewhat resembles the Ministry's design, with cold, black stone walls and tiles that give it a feeling of desolation and creepiness. The air smells like incense and other substances that are usually potion ingredients or used in rituals. Seriously, Gramps spent a fortune creating this place and turning it into what it is now, and all I did was add some runes here and there. Anyway, the place is a complete contrast to the pristine white used for the rest of the manor. The most tiresome part of the whole setup is probably the powerful enchantments meant to secure privacy and safety because they have to be etched by hand. I locked all entrances, ensuring absolute solitude. It was time to call upon Gaap again.
I didn't waste my time by flirting and doing nothing useful. I spent hours upon hours in the library researching various topics, and one area I delved into extensively was demonology. Thanks to Sluggy, that endeavor bore some fruit!
I discovered who Gaap is. He's a Solomonic demon entity, and there was even a drawing of the little fucker. In the drawing, he is depicted as a towering, bat-goat with a fugly goatee beard and stupid horns. The most disgusting part is that his shape constantly shifts into all the people who have sold a part of their knowledge and identity to him, with glowing, malevolent eyes that pierce through the darkness in an eerie red.
I looked at my hand and pointed it toward the center of the room, where I had prepared a summoning circle with meticulous care, using the same ancient incantations written in the book I read in the forbidden section of the library. Honestly, I am one lucky bastard because the demon has an agreement with Bailed, any other idiot who doesn't have this luxury would end up being devoured by the demon as soon as they summon it.
*Sigh*
'Seriously, sometimes I feel like I'm just surviving on plot armor rather than thanks to my own merit!' I think with an amused grin.
The air grew heavy and cold, as a dark energy starts swirling around my right arm. Suddenly, I heard his voice, creepy and somewhat flirty, reverberating through the dungeon and sending shivers down my body.
"Finally!" the voice that came out of my palm echoed throughout the dungeon.
"..." I didn't reply, instead trying to get used to the sensation.
"Oh, you've taken countermeasures? Smart, but unnecessary! I have an agreement with Bael, and I'm not one to break a deal," Gaap said as soon as he noticed the difference this time.
"Whatever, you're a demon and I'm not a moron. It took some time, but finally, I've collected two soul pieces and decided what I want from your catalog," I replied, trying to keep my composure.
"Two? Impressive. So, what is it that you want from me?" Gaap asked, his tongue lashing out from my arm, singeing upon contact with the barrier I had in place.
"I want something I've always desired: the power to consume books, absorbing the knowledge within, but without you gaining any of it. You shouldn't be able to access any knowledge I acquire in this way. Knowledge will be exchanged for a real price if I want to, and it won't be given away willy-nilly."
Gaap sighed, a sound that resonated like a gust of wind through a graveyard. "So be it. But that is just a wasted effort; eventually, everyone comes around to give me what I want. Give me that soul piece!"
"Wait! I want the item back just as it is, without any tricks. Do you agree?" I insisted, my tone firm.
"Sure, I will set up the contract if you don't trust me. What do you wish for the second soul piece?" Gaap's tone was filled with a mix of amusement and intrigue.
"Do that. I want the contract. My second wish is to have the power of precognitive sight, but in a way that doesn't give me headaches or any such nonsense. The power without any shortcomings, and it should be a power that my descendants can inherit. I want it to work like the Demiguise's power, but better and more efficient!" I declared, having contemplated long and hard about this.
"Oh, are you getting sentimental?" Gaap taunted.
"No! I've just come to realize that I need reliable minions, and the most trustworthy ones will probably be my own descendants," I retorted without missing a beat.
"I can help with that if you so wish!" Gaap offered.
"I know, but I want to work out a solution on my own," I said, determined to maintain control.
Gaap spat out a contract, the parchment black with glowing blood-red letters. I spent the next few minutes scrutinizing it, discussing every clause and detail with him. Demons are inherently untrustworthy, and this experience just proved my assumption.
"Okay, I reworked the contract and took out all the fun. I hate dealing with you already," Gaap grumbled.
"Sure, whatever. I hate dealing with you too," I replied before throwing the Gaunt Ring and Ravenclaw's diadem into the circle. He picked them up with his long tongue, pulling them into his maw.
"Oh, how peculiar! I really understand now why you wanted the items back. They're masterpieces!" Gaap said excitedly moments later.
"I know. No funny business now! Are you done?" I demanded.
"Yes!" he replied as he spat out a stone and a ring. The next thing I knew, my eyes were in excruciating pain for about three seconds.
As soon as my sight returned, I saw the world somewhat differently. It was as if everything was moving in slow motion and in frames. Normally, someone seeing this wouldn't be able to follow, but I could. I knew where Gaap's tongue would lash out next, and then it came as I saw.
"Well, this is surely one interesting change that will need some getting used to," I said excitedly.
I looked at the stone and the ring. Before even asking, I saw a future in which I was holding the ring and it enlarged to a bracelet, then a tiara, but it was plain.
"Hey, where did all the stones go?!" I asked the demon.
"Oh, those? They were just decorations, and that soul piece was attached to them!" Gaap explained.
*Sigh*
"Yeah, we are done!" I said to Gaap, breaking the connection before he could say another word.
"Finally, one problem solved for good! Now, one final step," I murmured to myself, a smile creeping onto my face as I contemplate the next step.
I immediately pull out all three Hallows. I wear the cloak, hold the stone in my left hand, and grip the wand in my right. The moment I hold all three, I start talking like an idiot who has watched too much anime.
"Shenron, heed my call!" I shouted, then realized I was supposed to summon Death, not a dragon. Awkwardly, I corrected myself, "I am sorry, I meant to say, Death, heed my call."
The room instantly freezes. The smoke that was billowing moments ago is now suspended in the air. It feels as though this room is out of sync with time.
Due to my new ability, my perception of time had completely changed, but now it felt as if my ability was turned off, and I was back at square one. The only conclusion I could draw was that 'Death,' or whoever created the Hallows, was already here and had somehow managed to freeze time and space.
"Hello?" I asked the empty room, but no reply came back.
"..."
"Okay, for a second, I thought some ugly ass motherfucker would pop up and give me the fright of my life!" I said, trying to sound cheerful.
"..."
"Idiots stay silent!" I exclaimed, hoping to provoke a reaction.
"..."
"If you don't reply, your momma was fucked by Dumbledore!" I knew something was here, but it seemed determined to make me believe the legend was fake.
If 'Death' didn't show itself, any sane person would begin to doubt the legend and give up trying to become its master. So, I had to make 'Death' reveal itself.
"..."
"Well, as much fun as it is to insult you, I'd much rather you just show yourself," I said, trying to coax Death into appearing.
"..."
"Hey, I know you're there, and that you've cut us off from time and probably space too. So why are you making this difficult for us both and wasting time?!" I asked, trying to elicit a response from the entity.
Slowly, without me noticing, some kind of fog started creeping up to my knees, going further and entangling me. When I looked down, I froze in fear because it had already crept up to my neck.
'Well, the person who fucked around with death is about to get fucked around!' I thought, ironically amused.
When I looked back up, I saw a tall woman with raven black hair that waved as if she were made of water or underwater. She had appeared in front of me and was looking down at me.
"How intriguing!" the woman's silky voice sounded as she disappeared and reappeared, hovering above me.
"What is intriguing?" I questioned.
"You are not one of them! But still, you have managed the task," she said. She disappeared once more and reappeared behind me, one of her fingers trailing on my shoulder.
Her touch was amazing, sending a shiver down my back.
"Are you Death?" I asked, but I assumed she wouldn't give me a straightforward answer. Up to now, she hadn't given me any answers.
"Well, in a way, I am Death, yet I am also Life," she said as she looked around the place, finally looking back at me.
"Who are you?!" I asked again, but the dumb godly being ignored my question.
"So, little demigod, tell me, how did you do it?" the woman finally asked me, with some unhidden annoyance in her voice.
"Huh?!" I looked at her somewhat dumbstruck. "How did I do what?!"
"I am waiting for you to confess," she said demandingly as she made the fog slowly strangle me.
"..." I looked at her as if she were an idiot. The next moment, the wisps of smoke flowing all around me, that had me tightly gripped, started squeezing me even harder. With each passing second, it got more and more unbearable.
"Oh, you are quite strong-willed!" she said with disinterest.
Finally, through gritted teeth, I threw out, "I am not a demigod, and I do not know who you are talking about!"
All the while, I did my best to ignore the pain, but it seemed my reply had angered the woman. I tell ya, women are irrational as fuck, doing what they want, when they want, how they want, and giving absolutely no fucks.
She looked at me for a moment before finally deciding how to act.
"Well, you give off the smell of one of Hecate's children. Also, you're somewhat strong, although your blood is diluted and dirty, so you must be either a weak demigod or a Wixen with some semblance of power at the very least. I don't think those moronic inbreds of Hecate could ever produce someone of your calibre. So you are a weak demigod!! Who is lying!!" she said, and I assumed this was a compliment. But I was mistaken because, the next moment, I felt my skin burning as the foggy tendrils became extremely hot, like molten lava.
"I am not a child of Hecate, maybe a descendant of hers, but not a child of hers," I hurriedly tried to explain.
"Well, I don't believe liars! I will check for myself and see what you are!" she said. The next moment, I felt as though my head was about to split.
She was taking a deep dive into my mind, soul, and very essence, unearthing every thought I ever had, every memory of mine, and all that I am or ever was.
"Lucky that I found you before anyone else did!" she finally said with a smirk, and again, I felt a shiver go down my back.
"What now?!" I asked in a defeated voice. This bitch is ruthless, and I am at her mercy. I wanted to know if this was going to be my end or if she had a scheme in mind.
"Oh, why have you suddenly turned so demure, Severus? Now that I know who and what you are, I feel as though you are worthy of some answers. What a treat! I haven't met such a delightful mortal in millennia. I am Eris! The goddess of Chaos and Discord!" she said with a smirk, and almost instantly, warning signals went off in my head.
The Hallows were created with the intention to sow chaos: people fighting for the Death Stick, fools committing suicide to be with their loved ones. Only the Cloak was an item meant to hide and stay out of trouble, but even that was used by the Potters to create more chaos. And the final nail in the coffin was the promise of mastering death, which brought even more chaos into the mix.
'Geniusly played, bitch!' I thought, a mixture of awe and annoyance.
"I see. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Eris," I said, bowing slightly. Well, I am a noble, after all.
"So, little Severus, I now know everything about you. You aren't one of the Peverells, and I doubt they went around telling others about our bet. Also, with their semi-sentient nature, it would be impossible to collect my little toys unless one knows where to look for them, so clearly you have cheated!" Eris said, clearly enjoying herself.
"What? How is it cheating if I know where to look for them?" I asked her. I knew she was trying to wiggle out of the deal.
"Hey, being a transmigrator makes the whole thing unfair for the others!" she said, leaning back into empty air.
"Ain't my problem! I still had to go out of my way and collect them," I replied. I wouldn't make any concessions; it was hard work to get these items.
I had to provoke Gaydore to make him angry and lose himself in a duel, I had to start a family feud with the Potters, and a poor goblin died for the ring. I needed to make his death worth it. I will always remember you, my little goblin friend! Wait, what was his name again? Did I even ask that? I will ask Farfadet and build a memorial in his name.
"Okay, Severus, entertain me! What is it that a mortal from another world with knowledge about a lot of useless yet interesting things would ask of me?" she said with a flirting grin.
"So, first, the whole 'Master of Death' thing is a hoax, right?" I asked.
"Well, you won't become the master of Death! Hades would never agree to bow down to a mortal. But you get a wish from a goddess, basically giving you the same thing," she said, and I noticed some kind of scar glowing on her collarbone.
'Let me think, what do I want? I want power, I want an ally, I want answers, and I want a way in. Basically, I want everything,' I thought.
"Okay, my wish is..." I began.
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