Chương 91: [2.17] A Little Slice of Hell (Part 5/5)

Just what the heck was this feeling? This… was happiness? Angelica felt nostalgic, almost, like a warmth that had been absent from her life for a long time. Ever since becoming a Demon, things had been on the ups overall, and maybe she would even call some of the days since as happy ones, but none of them were like this. It was almost a toned down feeling of the elation she received when leveling up her Demon Rank, but more consistent, persisting past the few seconds she usually felt.

Maybe it was just steadily meant to wane, or perhaps it was due to her own conflicting thoughts that the happiness was dwindling away ounce by ounce. She should feel bad about this, so bad. While her eyes were likely aglow, Gawk's had lost a little of his luster, but only for a second.

"That really perked you up!" He was the first to comment.

"Yeah, it's umm, not bad. How are you feeling?" At least in her amped state, she could still feel concern.

"Oh, I'm fine," he assured her.

"Honestly, I don't really feel less happy. Maybe for a split second, there was a bit of weird hollowness, but that's gone, now! And if anything, I got to help a friend, so that makes me even happier!" Damn, he really was an endless wellspring. So, surely, he wouldn't mind if she just helped herself to another dose. Yes, just a bit more… No, stop it. I said stop it. Angelica, stop it!

[Order forcibly accepted | Current Contract: Cease your actions at once] Not only had she given a named order to literally force her reaching hand to stop, but apparently she'd unconsciously used Command on herself, as well, for extra oomph. Gelic even took a step back from Gawk, getting him out of her arm's reach, to ease the temptation until it subsided. [Contract Complete] [Summoner Rank: Novice Lv. 2] Huh, apparently getting her to stop that drug-addict-like behavior was worthy of a level.

It'd deserve consideration as a potent training method if the actions didn't absolutely terrify her. No, she needed to seal away this Skill now before it became a real problem. But, really, was it that much of a big deal to worry about? Everything would be fine and work itself out. Damn it, no! That was the happiness infecting her ability to think properly, just as intrusive as Malice. It wasn't making wrong points, but she needed a clearer head.

"Let's, uhm, keep wandering around, if that's fine," Gelic requested. She needed to focus on other things and let the happiness high wear off until her thoughts were rational again. So the two of them continued their stroll for a while, and, boy, was it suddenly a lot more stimulating. Before, it had all been a bit overwhelming, but once the reality of Hell settled, Angelica had quickly come to adapt.

Now, though, it was like she was looking at the place through fresh eyes, admiring every detail; the refined, eccentric architecture, mostly of stone, but also of bone, metals, crystals, anything that could withstand the heat. Unlike her city, which felt like it was getting more bland and corporately uniform with each passing year, every building had a distinct personality, showing the passion of whoever created it.

She admired every Demon in their uniqueness, taking mental images of many as inspirations for future characters to appear in Merlina's Boutique, with their likenesses tweaked of course. And they even came across another shop that she couldn't help but rush into and check out, one selling the stoney cushions that they had in the Demon Services Office. Perhaps it was the happiness combating her typical frugalness, but she bought three of them without a second thought, each coming in a different shape.

One for a pillow, one as a cushion for her desk chair, because her scrawny ass barely provided any comfort, and one as a cat bed for Cherub. [Lost 40 Essence] That felt cheap, but she had been given a discount for the bulk purchase by an overly friendly pair of floating wings made of gas. Why something incorporeal was selling tangible comfort was beyond her, but, hey, they were good at their job, at least. [Second Stomach Lv. 4] [Vigor increased] [Famine Attunement increased] It was her first time using the Skill without straight up shoving the items down her gullet, using the MP cost, instead, since no way they were gonna fit into her proboscis. Thankfully, it wasn't too magically expensive, and, apparently, the new experience was worth a level. The stone cushions took up basically all remaining space, and she'd be feeling the stretch if not for the well-timed level.

They were worth it, though, and would serve as practical souvenirs from her trip, too, rather than something tacky that would sit on a shelf forever only to be glanced at on occasion and maybe invoke a fond remembrance. Because Hell had plenty of that stuff, too, Moltocai merch abound, probably for Demons from other areas. That, or Angelica genuinely couldn't figure out what the stuff was for, not that she lingered on any shop window for too long. [Heat Resistance Lv. 20] [Vigor increased] [Inferno Attunement increased] The bulk of her happiness spike wore off while she and Gawk stared in awe up close at the Fitiir Headquarters, the giant molten hand at the center of the city. Even despite the levels, it was like she was standing next to a heater cranked up to the max, or maybe at the edge of a volcano. And some Demons lived inside there? Yeesh? It was definitely sobering.

"So what are you going to do next, Gawk?" Despite their inevitable departure, she couldn't help but be curious what was next for her friend, what she would possibly be doing too if she were any other Demon.

"Hovel hunting?"

"Yeah, well, maybe." He sounded unsure.

"I think, first, I'm going to try to join a Cult. Err, probably not this one, since they mostly take Demons that specialize in Inferno and Petrific Attunements. But I'll still try. I'll try them all! Cults are definitely the best way for those without prior connections to make something of themselves and start helping the cause as soon as possible!

"Though, I know the odds are stacked against me. Imps are outright banned from joining Cults, so it was impossible before now. Gremlin is the usual Rank for entry with most Cults, with Hellions being allowed on occasion, and Pucks under very special circumstances. I know I'm nobody special, but I also don't know for certain it can't happen until I try! Only after they all reject me, will I give up and try something else. Oh, but don't worry, I have somewhere I can stay for a few days while I give this a shot.

And if I find a welcoming Cult, I'll be sure to let you know and see if they'll take us both. It'd be so great to join a Cult with a friend!"

"Uhh, sure, okay." Angelica was still rather standoffish about the idea of joining a Cult, but she didn't want to dismiss his sincerity. The name alone put her off, but she didn't know enough about them to really judge. Hopefully, they were a lot more upfront and honest about their practices than the kind from her world. Though, really, no matter how she thought of it, even if they were run like businesses with Cults just as a Hell-flavored moniker, she wasn't really interested.

There were plenty of reasons why she remained a freelancer in her world, besides the crippling anxiety. She'd already worked for a figurative demonic boss, so she wasn't particularly thrilled about the idea of a literal one.

"Well, I wish you luck." Angelica made sure to support him. Now that it had come time for them to part ways, though, she did have one last issue that could use his knowledge, and one last need to flaunt her ignorance.

"So, umm, how do I actually get back to my planet? The Demon Growth System is what brought me here this time, so I could Evolve. I mean, I know I could just call my master and ask that they take me back, but I'd like to come and go to Hell on my own when needed." Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

"Ah, yeah, totally makes sense." Gawk was happy to help once more.

"So if you go back to the Terminal Nexus, any of those circles will take you to any world. Well, any you're cleared for. If you know roughly where on that plane of existence you need to go, it will take you to the closest one. Otherwise, it will just spit you out at a random one. Some planets have a lot, some only have a few, depending how easy they are to hide. And for coming back, if you go to any of those Circles, you can go to any Nexus in Hell, well, besides the few restricted areas.

"I've never had to use it myself, but there's also the Hellward Skill. Well, I guess it's not really a Skill, since it doesn't appear when you scry, we just all have it innately. So I guess spell would be a better word? Like the Summoners use! Anyways, if you use that, it does two things. First, it will point you toward the nearest circle if you're ever unsure. And second, if you need to get to Hell immediately, it can do that too, but it'll cost you Essence to power the transfer, as, like, a tax.

It's a percentage of how much you currently have based on your Rank, and I think there's a cap, too, so it's never enough to make you destitute."

"Thanks so much!" Activate Hellward. [You're already in Hell, dumb-dumb] Gelic hadn't actually expected it to do anything. She just wanted to confirm it was a thing she did have, in case one of her Secrets somehow negated the expectation. With no further questions, they headed toward the Nexus together, since, apparently, the flying eye had to head that way, himself.

"Well, it's been great going around Hell with you, Gawk." Back where they first met, Gelic did her best to hold back her emotions. She didn't know how tears would work with her mask, assuming they just didn't evaporate.

"Thanks for putting up with my ignorance and showing me around. I'm glad we met, and hopefully we can hang out again in the future."

"Yeah, it's been a blast, Gelic!" If he felt sad, he wasn't showing it, though such an emotion just could be impossible for him.

"And, of course! You're my first Accomplice, so we'll have each other's backs, always! Let's meet again soon. Maybe we can even get Summoned together, sometime. That'd be fun. See you around!" Before he left, Angelica extended a wing in his direction. That left him confused for a few moments, but he eventually caught on after a few seconds, likely recalling the weird human custom. He moved closer, and wrapped his own wing around hers, and they shared a shake.

With a few more flaps, Gawk fluttered into the closest circle and vanished. Angelica followed close behind, muttering the destination in her mind: Casniem, as close to home as you can get me. Once more, she was engulfed by the fires of Hell, though this time, it felt like little more than a sudden gust of warm air. And when the flames vanished, there was dirt beneath her feet, surrounded by a ring of mushrooms, intricately dotting the portal's pattern. A fairy circle?

She'd heard of them, and had even drawn one before in Merlina's, when the protagonist had to go to a fairy village. It was kind of a fun surprise, since it let her lean more into her own delusions of being a fairy in bug armor. Gawk had mentioned them being hidden, and maybe that meant disguised besides just concealed. Well, this one was concealed in another way, too.

It was indoors, in a small shack with a single light bulb dangling above to illuminate the space, so, clearly, some human was involved with keeping the space secure. Ah, Cherub's going to be pissed. Angelica immediately morphed into her own human form and pulled out her phone. It was well after midnight, which meant the kitty would be starving and angry, entirely by his own choice, since he had an auto-feeder, just not the food he wanted.

She ignored the glowing message icon for now and pulled open her map, wanting to see how far from Vulgrest she'd landed. You've gotta be fritsing me. She was actually pretty close, just on the outskirts, but that wasn't the surprising part. According to her GPS, she was currently at Bog Hoolie's Freaky Funhouse, "Full of oddities and mysteries that will freak your mind!" Or something like that.

She'd seen the billboards plenty of times as a kid when riding somewhere with her mother, and even bothered the woman to stop more than once, but Corticia never caved to the backseat whining. Now it made sense why, if there was a literal portal to Hell, assuming Summoners even knew their whereabouts. She'd guessed that a Summoner had likely put up the shack and was guarding it, but maybe that wasn't the case. Does Bog Hoolie have any connection to Summoners or Demons? She posed the question to Divining Ear.

[Not consciously] Huh, a better answer than she usually got. Maybe Summoners were funding him from the sidelines, or something. Or maybe it was even an agent of Hell allowing this arrangement. Perhaps it was easier for the fairy circle to hide in plain sight than have Demon magic perpetually hiding it somehow. And, damn, maybe it was the air of Angelica's own planet, like when the urge to go to the bathroom spikes when nearing one's home, but the exhaustion of the long day finally hit her, making her eager for bed.

It had been a long day, hadn't it? Fighting a Malignant horde, getting eaten alive, going to Hell, waiting to register, Evolving—which had undoubtedly prolonged her energy—making a Demon friend and possibly an enemy, trying extremely foreign foods, a lot of touristy walking and shopping, not to mention all the truths that had been unveiled.

It was maybe even too much for her mind to process currently, and the few lingering shreds of stolen happiness still slipping away were undoubtedly afflicting her mental state, too. But before she could go home and rest, there was one more thing to do. So she stowed her phone in Second Stomach, and then… Back to Hell! But just for a moment. She barely even saw the land she would have deemed nightmarish until just recently. As soon as she felt the warm breeze again, she cast Return.

Really, Angelica just wanted to make sure the spell actually worked in a different reality, and, yep, just fine, she popped back to her apartment with no delay. Honestly, she'd kind of wanted to pop into Krosele and the other worlds she could go to now, just for a second to see them, and she also wanted to test the viability of using hell as a relay point to quickly move around her own world, but that'd have to wait for another time.

Though, going from such hot to cool environments in quick succession probably wasn't doing wonders for her new Puck skin, so she'd want to redo the Weathering Resistance Rune when she got the chance. Good, he's asleep. After returning to her apartment, she found Cherub passed out on the bed like usual, so she had a moment to get his wet food for him before he woke.

"Meow, Mow, Mao, Mew, Mrow!" As soon as her finger pulled back even the tiniest bit of the can's lid, he was up and screaming. So much for the peace. She placed the food bowl down for him and watched him chow down happily for a moment before moving onto the next phase. Angelica had purposely appeared in her apartment in human form, not wanting the sudden appearance of a massive bug to either scare the kitty or make him switch over to attack mode.

But now that he was certain it was her, and would be satiated by succulent wets, he'd hopefully be a bit more amenable to her Puck self.

"Well, Cherub, what do you think?" After every last morsel had been munched, she called out to him as gently as she could, holding out a claw to him, knowing he'd want to sniff first.

"Oh, wait!" Gelic rapidly pulled back her hand for a second, only returning it after doing something crucial. [Venomous Strike deactivated] On the off chance that even a little prod or scratch counted as an attack, she didn't want to risk accidentally poisoning him. It was currently set to Irritant, so it wouldn't do any real damage, but he'd be a very unhappy kitty for a bit. After the usual nose proding, Cherub actually started rubbing his face straight against the claw.

He then basically walked it down his back toward his butt, prompting his owner to pet him properly. And by his face, her new ingrained weapons made for some good scritches. Once he had enough and wandered off, Angelica coughed up the stone pillows she'd purchased. Chucking one on the chair, one on her bed, while leaving the dedicated cat bed in the middle of the floor, since if it was left there, he'd be more likely to actually try it out—as cat law dictated.

And looking at her floor, or rather, the Summoning Circle that had stained through her carpet, she noticed something was different. Gelic. The previously blank space in the Soulbound Circle had been filled with her Alias. Meaning that if she was registered when it happened, the name likely would have filled automatically upon first Summoning, for when foolish Summoners—her—didn't actually specify a target and write the name themselves.

That still didn't quite explain why she had been summoned to begin with, but hopefully she'd be able to investigate that more, soon. And… huh… the way it was written, it was her signature. Well, one of them. The font so closely matched one of the ways she practiced writing it for when she got famous, the one she was leaning to the most.

Honestly, if the whole turning into a Demon business hadn't happened, there was a very good chance she would have actually signed the circle herself once she had her fill of fun fritsing about with the fake magic she'd been casting. Assuming her imposter syndrome as an artist would have allowed it, but, damn, it did look good in the empty space. Well, more things to think about, but for tomorrow, or another day later. Because while that day had been busy, there was so much to do.

Her new life as a Puck was just getting started, and she'd only just begun to chip away at all of her goals. Ah, and before she forgot, she should go ahead and refresh her lifeplan Order. Huh, and this time, she didn't even need to restart it on her own. [Contract Complete and Renewed] [Summoner Rank: Novice Lv. 6]