Kaiser's villa.
"Mr. Devil, please—let me become a devil too."
Akemi dropped to her knees.
She lowered herself fully, hands overlapped on the floor, forehead pressed against them.
A flawless dogeza formed in an instant.
Kaiser looked down at her, an unusual spark flickering in his eyes.
As expected.
People here really pulled this move without hesitation.
Though...
It did feel secretly thrilling.
"Master, just say yes to her."
Shiho sidled up beside him, wrapping her arms tightly around his.
In an instant, Kaiser felt his arm sink into soft, enveloping warmth.
Shiho's cheeks tinted pink as she leaned in close, whispering, "If you do... I'll make it worth your while."
Kaiser shot her a peculiar glance.
Well now.
It hadn't been that long.
And she was already coming up with new ways to tempt him.
It was genuinely enticing.
Besides, he hadn't planned on refusing Akemi anyway.
On his system panel, the Devil Contract skill glowed brightly.
That meant Akemi possessed the qualifications to become a servant as well.
"Since you're asking so nicely, fine—I'll agree."
Kaiser relented with feigned reluctance.
"Thank you, Mr. Devil."
Akemi's face lit up with a relieved smile.
Shiho exhaled in quiet joy, happy for her sister.
"Then let's begin the reincarnation contract."
Kaiser raised his index finger, a thin thread of golden blood welling at the tip.
Akemi blinked. "Mr. Devil, are you hurt?"
"No. The contract requires my blood."
Kaiser explained calmly. "I'll inscribe a mark on your skin with it. Once done, you'll be reincarnated as a devil—and become my servant."
"I see."
Akemi nodded, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "So what do I need to do next?"
What would a ritual to turn someone into a devil even look like?
"First, remove your outer layers."
"..."
Akemi blinked, a flicker of shock crossing her face.
Remove... clothing?
She hadn't misheard.
Was this ritual really proper?
Shiho quickly interjected, "Sis, don't misunderstand. Master needs clear access to place the mark—clothing would get in the way."
"It's all standard procedure."
At Shiho's reassurance, Akemi's eyelid twitched.
After a few seconds of silence...
She slipped off her outer garment, revealing the pristine layer beneath.
Clutching the discarded clothing to her chest, she shielded some of the exposed, tender skin.
"Th-this should be fine, right?"
Akemi's cheeks burned faintly.
This was the first time in her life she'd been so exposed in front of a man.
Even with mental preparation, it was utterly embarrassing.
Kaiser glanced over—it was still somewhat obstructive. "Lower your arms a bit more."
Akemi drew a steadying breath, cautiously shifting the bundle downward.
The motion caused a noticeable bounce.
Kaiser wasted no further time. He reached out, letting the golden blood drip onto her flawless skin.
Hum!
A magic circle shimmered across the floor.
Pale golden light traced a heart-shaped pattern on her flesh, countless arcane symbols flashing briefly within it.
Thump! Thump thump!
Akemi suddenly felt her body transforming.
Her heartbeat quickened, blood warming as every cell shifted and awakened.
Then...
Lines of data materialized clearly across her skin.
[Akemi Miyano]
[Race: Devil]
[Master: Kaiser Lucifuge]
[Level: LV9]
[Skills: Demonic Marksman, Devil's Pistol]
[Demonic Marksman: Innate mastery over firearms; any weapon becomes an extension of your will with effortless precision.]
[Devil's Pistol: Converts magic into demonic bullets, fired through the Devil's Pistol. Proficiency in magic increases firing rate; different forms provide unique amplifications to the rounds.]
"Skills vary in number depending on the servant."
Kaiser glanced at the details with satisfaction, pulling out paper and pen to record them.
Shiho blinked nearby.
"Demonic Marksman and Devil's Pistol..."
Her sister had gained two skills—more than her own—and they were perfectly suited for combat.
Her sister's marksmanship had always been impressive.
This way...
Akemi would grow strong quickly.
A smile curved Shiho's lips at the thought.
Once the ritual concluded...
Akemi sat in a slight daze, instinctively clenching her fists.
The surge of power—dozens of times greater than before—was unmistakable.
And...
A pistol now hovered before her.
Jet-black overall, radiating a lethal elegance, its grip engraved with a pair of demonic wings.
"This is the Devil's Pistol."
Kaiser handed her the sheet he'd just written.
"What's this?"
Akemi took it automatically.
"Your servant panel."
He gave a brief explanation.
Akemi's expression cleared with understanding.
Like a video game system?
With that in mind, she scanned the details.
LV9?
According to Kaiser's earlier explanation, that still placed her in the lowest tier of devils.
Yet even this...
Felt overwhelmingly powerful.
Akemi marveled quietly before her gaze landed on the skills.
"Mastery over firearms..."
The Demonic Marksman description stirred complicated emotions.
Her days learning to shoot in the organization hadn't been pleasant.
But now, as a devil, she could finally leave all that behind.
A smile spread across her face as she continued reading.
Her eyes brightened in the next moment.
"So this is the Devil's Pistol?"
"This is true supernatural power."
Akemi gripped the weapon, already reluctant to let go.
"Master, when can you teach me magic?"
She looked up, eyes brimming with anticipation and excitement.
Seizing the moment, she'd smoothly switched to calling him "Master."
Quite adaptable.
Kaiser nodded approvingly. "Shiho has a basic magic tome—ask her for it."
"If anything confuses you, she can help too."
At that, Akemi practically bounced over to Shiho in excitement.
If you want to read more than 20 chapters early feel free to visit patreon.com /Archus