?”Talking like this won’t get us anywhere near any solution,” Selica sighed, “Let’s head to Sena’s office for Roberta to see the contract and read it,”

“I’ll go check on how Arad’s egg is doing,” Mira stood, “I’m sure we’ll need his help with this,”

“Can he really beat a devil?” Abel stared at them, “I know Arad is powerful, but this isn’t a problem that could be solved with raw strength,”

Mira smiled, “Arad is probably the smartest of us when it comes to understanding an opponent and adapting to him. I’m sure he’ll figure a way to win,”

****

“HAHAHAHA!” The devil laughed in his house, sitting on a chair and staring at the mortal world through a scrying crystal, “They are thinking of a way to void the contract. Fools, aren’t they?” He looked back at a bowing woman, chains dangling from her neck and limbs.

“You’re the fool,” The woman smiled, “Do you think you can beat my Roberta?”

The devil smirked, lifted his hand, and pulled the woman by her neck chain, “For a woman that forced her daughter to sign a devil contract, you’re awfully trusting of her ability,”

“I might be a lost cause. But Roberta isn’t,” Robera’s mother glared at the devil.

“Cry as much as you like,” The devil pushed her away, “Soon, I’ll have her soul and eyes, and at that moment, all devils shall bow to me infinite wisdom.”

“Infinite wisdom, you say,” The mother giggled as two horned devils dragged her back to her cell. “She’s the one to laugh last,”

“If she doesn’t know, she’ll never get out of this,” The devil stared at her getting dragged away, “Soon, you’ll be of no use and get thrown into the worm’s pit,” 𝘪𝑎.

As the mother got dragged away, the devil stared back into the crystal, looking directly toward Roberta’s glowing golden eyes, “Those shall be mine. They’re too good for a mortal to have,” He waved his hands, “I’ll away your arrival,” The crystal went black as he turned it off.

****

Roberta stood with Selica and Sara, “We’ll go to Mistress Sena,” Selica said, “You go and check on Arad. We might end up needing his power,”

“And ask Zephyr for her opinion. We can’t ignore the wisdom of an ancient spirit like her,” Sara added, “She could know more than anyone else,”

“Got it,” Mira nodded, walking out and rushing toward Arad’s house.

Abel stood and looked at his sister, “I’ll get one to hold the shop and then go do some research,”

“Mother’s library,” Sena stared at him.

“I know you don’t like getting in there, so I’ll go and check it,” Abel smiled. 𝘪𝘦.𝘤𝑜

“Thank you,”

“Don’t mind it,” Abel waved his hand as he walked into the back rooms of the shop. “Juliana! Where are you?”

“Master Abel?”

“Come here and hold the shop for me!”

They could hear him yell as they left.

****

As the girls walked out of the city’s gate, they saw a stream of steam approaching from the forest. Upon a closer look, it was Merlin and Amber walking with a massive burned snake dragged behind them on a magic platform. The heat rushing out of Amber’s body melted the snow.

Sara blinked, “Merlin! Do you have a moment?”

“I always have time for 30% of my research budget,” Merlin smiled, approaching them.

Merlin got the funds for her research from several sources. For example, the heater’s funds were collected from the people of the city. They got informed that Merlin was working on a device to heat the entire city through the window and that she needed a stupid amount of money for testing and magic components, so the people made a donation box and filled it with money for her. Albeit, that wasn’t enough, so she had to do some quests to supplement the remaining amounts.

The lord occasionally funds her research, and he contributes a lot, but when Merlin wants to try something questionable, he always says no. This usually is for research on things like different alchemical drugs, magic items with strange properties, or outright inhuman objects like pain droplets.

But, It only happened that Sena usually funds those things for her as they sell well in the black market. She’s the one who funded the research on the healing potion that turned Alcott into a woman for a month.

“You see me as funds?” Sara sighed, “We need your help with something, and it’s urgent,”

Merlin looked at them, “Roberta and Selica are here. I did sense a devil’s presence around Sena’s office earlier. Is this about that?”

“You know?” Selica stared at Merlin, “Mistress Sena put a barrier, didn’t she?”

“I did make you a small heater for your office, didn’t I?” Merlin smiled, and Selica growled, “You installed spying devices there?!”

“Who knows?” Merlin looked away, “It’s not like I’m spying on everyone,”

“You Claug of humans,” Selica sighed, “But, since you already knew…Let’s head to the office,”

Amber looked at them, “What is this about?”

“It’ll be a long story,” Merlin looked at Amber and then turned toward Roberta, “Don’t worry, I might be able to catch the bastard and cage him,”

****

Inside Sena’s office, everyone sat around a table with tea already poured, “You’ve been spying on me?” Sena glared at Merlin.

“No…” Merlin looked away, “But let’s focus on the devil,” She changed the subject, her eyes shifting toward Roberta with a grin, “What do you have that he wants?”

“What?” Roberta gasped.

“Unlike popular belief, devils aren’t unreasonable. Give them what they want, and you’ll get what you want,” Merlin’s eyes looked closely at Roberta, “If we gave him what he wants from you, I’m certain he’ll leave you alone.”

“He wants Isdis and father’s lives,” Roberta pointed at the contract that Sena pulled.

“A devil’s goal is always the target failing the contract. From that, I can assume he wants you, not those two.” She pointed at her, “We need to figure out what he wants,” She waved her hand, leaving a trail of magic.

“Giving a devil what he wants is a bad idea,”

“Probably, but a good one for Roberta’s safety,” Merlin replied. “Do you have any magic items that you’re attuned to?”

“No,” Roberta shook her head.

“Then follow me to the backroom,” Merlin stood, “I’ll use some spells to inspect your body for anomalies. You might have something inside you that he wants,”

“Inspect?!” Roberta gasped.

“It’s just a spell. It’ll interfere with my spyware here,” Merlin whispered to her.

“I heard that!” Sena growled.

****

“I want those eyes of hers,” The devil giggled, “But they are attuned to her soul. You can’t separate them from her by normal means,”

.