The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 28: Subjugation Contract

The highest-ranking demon Astaroth, summoned by my brother Ilario, laughed softly. Even with her arms severed and having received attacks from prayer, she still had composure.

No.

I didn’t know if you’d call that composure. I just felt an eerily ominous atmosphere. While shouldering my sword, I watched her without letting my guard down.

Then, after a moment, Astaroth raised her face. Her pale purple eyes gleamed strangely in the darkness.

“Even if I’m not at full strength, I understand. You have frighteningly tremendous talent. You’re different from the fool who summoned me.”

“Thanks for the high praise. You still seem energetic, so should I beat you up a little more?”

I wrapped the sword blade in divine prayer again. Seeing this, Astaroth lifted the corners of her mouth and said:

“Please wait. I have a proposal before you swing that blade.”

“A proposal?”

“Yes. You are far superior to that mediocrity over there. Since this is a good opportunity, won’t you—make a contract with me?”

What was smoothly extended was Astaroth’s white, smooth right hand. Carrying a smile, she took the demon-like option of escape.

In response, I grin and answer:

“I refuse.”

“…Eh?”

The demon was taken aback. She probably never thought she’d be rejected.

To Astaroth, who widened her eyes, I kicked off the floor and closed in.

I sliced through Astaroth’s other arm as well with the sword still wrapped in divine prayer.

“Kyaaaaaaah! W-why⁉ If you contract with me, there would be benefits for you too…”

“You’re probably planning some contract favorable to yourself anyway, right? Negotiations are a pain. It’s easier to beat you up and subjugate you.”

“S-subjugation⁉”

There were roughly two methods of contracting with demons.

One was equal conditions like I exchanged with Lilith. A general contract that was only formed when both parties agreed.

And the other was a subjugation contract, where you force down the opponent with power and make them accept only your conditions.

In subjugation, the demon was almost one-sidedly enslaved. They could not oppose me as their master.

Creatures like demons could only be trusted through subjugation. I’d been aiming for that from way back.

This time, there was a highest-ranking demon shackled by Ilario right in front of me. There was no way I’d miss this chance.

“Do you think I’ll accept your conditions? If I’m killed, I can return to my original world anyway.”

“That’s right. I know that much. But that’s only if you die, right?”

“Wh-what are you…”

“I’ll torment you slowly without killing you. While I’m at it, I’ll also use this as verification for how to efficiently wound demons.”

Kukuku. How many birds with one stone is this? It’s too good, I can’t stop laughing.

Seeing me gradually close the distance, Astaroth’s shoulders trembled greatly.

Is it just me or is her face a bit pale? Do demons feel fear too?

“I-I’ll compromise on the conditions a little…”

“Right, first one hit.”

I caressed her face with the sword as if cutting thin skin.

The sword blade still had divine prayer—divine power mixed in. To her, it was equivalent to deadly poison.

“Eeek⁉”

Even with just a grazing wound, she distorted her expression. The color of fear grew stronger and stronger.

“Come on, come on, submit to subjugation. It hurts when you touch divine prayer, doesn’t it?”

I wrapped divine prayer around my other hand, my left hand that wasn’t holding the sword. When I touched her with that hand, I heard a sound like flesh burning.

At the same time, Astaroth screamed.

“Nooooooo⁉ M-my leg… it’s burning…!”

“Slowly from the bottom. I have time, so don’t worry. Even if your spirit breaks, I’ll keep going.”

I closed in steadily. Astaroth was already at her limit.

She couldn’t endure the pain and suffering that awaited her.

Demons were fundamentally faithful to instinct. Not just desire. They were sensitive and weak to pain and suffering too. So I thought if I excessively stimulated her fear, she’d easily fall.

Just before my left hand extended and touched her abdomen—.

“I-I understand! I’ll form a subjugation contract!”

Astaroth’s scream echoed throughout the room. My movement stopped.

Behind me, Ilario let out a pained voice:

“Th-the demon I summoned… isn’t mine anymore?”

Unfortunately, she’s mine now. This is what happens when you attempt summoning beyond your means from the start.

“Then let’s contract right away. You will obey my every command.”

“I humbly accept.”

In her tattered state, Astaroth prostrated herself.

I touch her and form the contract. No restrictions. One-sidedly obeying my orders. These were the rules I established.

Astaroth’s cursed power, which had been temporarily connected to Ilario, now connects to me instead.

With this, she completely became mine. By re-contracting, she reconstructed her own body. She returned to an uninjured state.

“This is your cursed power… magnificent.”

Astaroth checked  her own body. Even from my perspective, Astaroth’s total cursed power had shot up dramatically.

Ilario and I were completely different in scale.

If we fought again now, I might not be able to beat her. She had changed enough for me to think that.

“Looking forward to working with you, Astaroth.”

“Yes. Please treat me well. Um… what’s your name?”

“Luka.”

“Luka-sama. Fufu. I feel like I might awaken to the joy of being dominated by someone.”

Perhaps because we’d already exchanged the subjugation contract, surprisingly, Astaroth had given up completely.

She formed a bewitching smile and embraced her own body.

“Ah… if possible, I’d like Luka-sama to continue disciplining me from now on.”

“Huh?”

What the hell is this girl suddenly saying?

“Actually, that torture earlier was painful and agonizing… but when I thought it would end… I felt sad for some reason. It must be the influence of fulfilling the contract. The binding from subjugation makes me unable to help wanting you.”

“Seriously?”

I didn’t think the subjugation contract had such a flaw.

She probably had the predisposition from the beginning. Meeting a strong person like me, experiencing one-sided pain that would normally be impossible, and being subjugated awakened her.

To masochism at a level that makes you recoil.

“Was contracting a mistake?”

What a pervert was born.

“Aahn! Don’t say such cold things. It excites me.”

“Are you invincible?”

I never knew that subjugation contracts were set up to make you feel affection for the contract master…

In her case, she went another half-turn and became strange. Mainly in the head.

Ilario hung his head while bleeding from his arm. Astaroth wriggled her body while excited.

Lilith letting out an exasperated sigh directly above. Surrounded by such an incomprehensible bunch, I was already feeling exhausted.

However, by contracting with Astaroth, my total cursed power jumped even higher. If I use curses in this state, I feel like I could kill anyone inferior without question.

Should I try it on Ilario?

Just kidding.