Chapter 45: VS. Matifa – 1

Matifa kidnapped Seria and she’s waiting for me somewhere. I guess it’s that place.
The same throne earlier this day. It’s the place that triggered the farewell, it’s the place Matifa would be attached the most.

I went there together with Misha, a repulsive magical power is showing emitted from the other side, she’s waiting for me to come.
I made a strategy guide against Matifa inside my head. I can no longer escape nor hide. ‘Fair and square’, I opened the door to the throne room.
The rubble that were inside during the battle was removed beautifully, a torn off red carpet and the stone pillar here and there near it.
Then, deeper inside, Matifa arrogantly sits down on the throne which normally is only for the king to seat.

「Hey, you came without running away. I was somehow worried when you didn’t come and thought that you would run away from fear」

Adult Matifa overlooked us from above. Though it looks like that composure was regained after sometime but it was only the surface. She’s furious inside, it’s clearly seen from her magical power.
Next to her is Seria that’s been suspended with a chain that extends to the sky. Her skin has a faint blush in it, it seems that she’s been raped by Matifa earlier. The amount of love nectar dripping down on her legs tells that.
Thinking what caused it is unnecessary. She vent out her anger as I ignored her and played with Misha.

「You peeped at everything anyway. Listen up and give up already. Then, I’ll also forgive what you did during daytime」

I was dying because of Matifa. Matifa almost died because of me too. We’re now equal. Seria is the only person involved as a victim. It’s the usual. It would’ve been done with forgive and forget, but I don’t care about it at all.
But, I know that’s not the case. As expected, Matifa brought her eyebrows close in irritation.

「You, that att.i.tude is unacceptable. Certainly, this is a trial I imposed to you, but do you think you can get away safely? If you underestimate me that much, then should I get serious too?」
「Then get serious. I don’t want to hear an excuse of you not getting serious when you lose after all」

If she’s not serious, I’d be troubled instead. The significance of my win will arise if she’s beaten when she’s serious.
Matifa gets further frustrated to my underestimating att.i.tude.

「Tell me. Where did you gain that confidence?」
「Thanks to Misha. Misha taught me about the true you. Knowing that, I’m not scared anymore. Matifa, do you remember your contract with me?」

I pat Misha’s head and she snuggled me gladly. I showed to Matifa our intimacy then Matifa pursued the matter ignoring us.

「I’ll present you something in exchange for information?」

That’s the contract tying me and Matifa. It’s a contract where Matifa gives me something as a compensation for information she doesn’t know.
Though I suspect that it was a contract with the devil that time, but actually the devil is the one who contracts with the witch. In short, I’m the demon. I’ll let Matifa know that.

「That’s right. I’ll tell you an exceptional information right now. The compensation is you yourself, Matifa. Are you ready?」
「Information equaling me? There’s no such thing as that. Listen, There’s nothing that can subst.i.tute a value of a person. There’s a slave system but It’s impossible to buy and sell people in the first place. It’s because no one can measure the value of a person1」

Matifa declared confidently. But, she doesn’t know the value of information.
Information is usually neglected in this world. An example is the long distance information transmission.
However, depending on the situation, information can steal away people’s life, it can also be used to save in reverse. There are times when people’s life are changed.
Matifa who studies magic should understand the life of a human but this girl’s sense of values has concluded itself. She doesn’t the impact of the information brought by others. That’s why, she made that contract. It’s a contract of a demon.
By the time she made the contract, my victory was confirmed.
That’s why, I told Matifa.

「I see. Then, you don’t have complains. Listen, this is the first information. You’ll be defeated right here and become mine. This is a fixed information in the future」

Proclaiming my victory, Matifa swung her fist and stood up from the throne.

「Could you stop that bulls.h.i.+t!? There’s no way I’ll accept that uncertain thing! Even the contract isーー」

Then, Matifa’s words were interrupted.

「What happened to the contract? Isn’t it effective?」

Throwing my words to the surprised Matifa, she shook her head in disapproval.

「Foolis.h.!.+ There’s no way!!」
「Listen, in my world, information about the future has an absurd value. It doesn’t matter whether or not it’s true. Even unclear prediction has a value. It’s even above oneself. Then, hearing it means that alone would mean your defeat. Do you understand?」
「Don’t joke with me! There’s no way I’d accept that!」

Matifa is enraged. It seems that she didn’t think that information has value.
Matifa has to pay the compensation in consideration to the value of the information given. It would harm the contractor if she didn’t pay then the contract itself will be broken. She can’t do that as a witch. That’s why, Matifa can’t kill me unless she paid the price.
The start is a success.

「That’s a shame. Contracts are absolute for a witch right? No matter how much you yell, the result would never change」
「Even so! It would be easy to weaken you without killing you! That’s why there’s no way for me to lose!」
「You’ll understand when when it happens. I’ll make the play with this. Isn’t it too tight for Seria now?」2

I cast my eyes on Seria who’s been silent on our exchange since earlier. Though she’s looking down, I can understand that she’s conscious.

「Fun! Seria, do you want to say something?」

The questioned Seria murmured.

「…As expected」

A small voice of anger shut itself up during the audience. Then, Seria looked up and cried.

「You’re really the cause after all! Don’t say something so foolish and apologize to Matifa already! Then, release me already!!」

No doubt, she scolded me. She’s telling that it’s all my fault. I ignored her stupid opinion.

「What? Even Seria thinks I will lose?」
「You might win but in the end you’re at fault!? You definitely did something that made her angry. Hurry up and apologize already!」
「…Seria, I’ll punish you later」
「Why!?」

Seria completely thinks of me as the bad guy. Certainly, I’m the bad guy but Matifa is also at fault in this case. Nevertheless, she blames only me as the bad guy. I’ll be looking forward to later.
I also asked Misha.

「Misha, do you want to say something?」
「Uun, I’m fine. I believe Master」

There’s a great difference between these two people. She’s obedient and pretty cute.

「I see. Then I’ll ask for you a.s.sist」
「Un」

When I and Misha nodded to each other, I faced the angry Matifa at the throne.

「Well then, Matifa, should we start?」

I pulled out Master’s cursed sword.
Matifa saw the sword when she was pierced earlier, she now spoke curses as provocation.

「Fun! That’s a dagger of a national treasure cla.s.s isn’t it? Is that the source of your confidence?」
「This? Very well. I can go through your magic defense」

Showing it off, her face keeps distorting beautifuly.

「I know. Combine it with your ability and it’s heinous. It’s impossible to evade nor defend. But, I prepared some countermeasures」

Saying that, Matifa invoked her magic.
A dark color of magic fills the throne room. The shadow begin to take a shape of a human. The black haze becomes a lump and the outline gradually became clear.
Then, the finished one is the leader of this country. It’s a jet black figure of a person of ministers and knights of this country. The audience during the daytime was reproduced.
The jet black Ortiz sits on the place Matifa was sitting a while ago and it spoke in Matifa’s voice.

「This is my double. Where’s the real me? You’ll never know? This way I’ll be able to seal off your movements. It’s better not to use invisibility. At that time, an indiscriminate attack enough to not kill you will be released at all directions」

I feel magic identical to Matifa’s appearing on each shadows. Their appearance may be different but they’re all Matifa’s double.
Matifa’s double transformed into another. Perhaps, it’s not just their appearance that resembles them. The ability should resemble their respective originals.

「Can you see it Misha?」
「Uun, the smell and sound is all Matifa-sama. The difference is only the appearance. 」

It seems that Misha can’t distinguish the real one. But, Misha and I am not worried. We looked at each other and nodded. We were able to understand each others thoughts with just that. Destroy everything.
I and Misha took posture then Matifa handed down a question.

「Can you know where’s the real me? Can you find the real me before you fall? If so, I’ll return Seria to you」

It seems that Matifa hadn’t recognized me as enemy yet. This is a trial Matifa imposed to me or so she said. She’s underestimating me in all respects.

「Don’t say such a half hearted thing. Come at me seriously」
「You’re really conceited. There’s no need for me to get serious at you. It’s the same thing to Misha. You’ll never be able to match me」
「I see. Then I’ll make you do it by force. 」
「Un, Matifa-sama, get ready」

Then, I and Misha and Matifa started the battle.