Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 237: Belphegor

Date- 14 Jan 1877

Time- 23:50

Location- Earth, South Korea, North Gyeongsang Province, Taegu Village

“Our work is done here. Let’s get out of here before the clock strikes midnight. Today is Dokkaebi’s night with his new bride, the night is bound to be warring. Lock up your doors and bar your windows. No matter what you hear tonight do not come out or you may end up making up for your mistake with your death.” The Old Shaman Instructed the villagers with a grim expression to which the villagers nodded in unison.

“Okay, everyone you heard the Senior. If you value your life, head home and stay inside no matter what till the sun raises. For the future, this area of the forest is forbidden as I believe none of us wants to enrage the Dokkaebi again.” The Village Chief announced as he took a last glance at the retained Corey laying on a giant witchcraft circle drawn with her father’s blood.

…

Hearing the villagers leave the restrained and gagged Corey struggled hard to remove the clothing which Kim Ji used to cover her face. Finally managing to get rid of the cloth covering her face Corey searched for a sharp-edged stone on the floor of the forest under the moonlight.

But to Corey’s fortune instead of a sharp-edged stone, she found something better, a knife. The Shaman had discarded the knife he used to slit her father’s throat with nearby the tree her father’s corpse was hung upside down on earlier. Suppressing her tears Corey wormed and crawled on the bloodied and dry leaf-covered ground towards the knife. Picking up the knife Corey started to undo the ropes restraining her hands and legs.

As Corey freed herself, the first thing she tried to do was get to where the villagers had buried her father, but just as she was about to leave the blood witchcraft circle that was drawn by the old shaman, Corey heard a voice, “Where do you think you are going, little girl?”

The Voice was deep and very seductive to hear, hearing this voice goosebumps rose all over Corey’s body. Worried and frightened that she was discovered by the villager, Corey turned to search for the owner of the voice only to find an empty forest. There was no one else there except her. But Corey was sure she heard a voice, so she scanned the forest under the moonlight cautiously. Being a hunter Corey knew that in a crowded place like the jungle her ears were more reliable than her eyes.

“You won’t be able to find me, little girl. Just stay put obediently.” The Deep Voice sounded once again but this time Corey was prepared and focused on the voice to find its owner. To her surprise, the voice did not sound from one direction, it sounded from all the directions which is impossible to achieve.

“Are you the Dokkaebi the villagers spoke off earlier? Show yourself” Corey asked grudgingly as this Dokkaebi was one of the reasons behind her father’s death, despite her fears Corey wanted to kill the Dokkaebi to avenge her father. While being restrained Corey had heard the villagers talking about how they all hoped to please the angry Dokkaebi by presenting her as its Bride.

“Yes, that’s one of the name’s you earthlings call my kind. I prefer to be called Belphegor the 3rd, the lord of the 7th Nether Flame realm. That’s my name after all. And I am standing right in front of you, it’s not my fault your mortal senses can not perceive my presence ” The deep voice introduced itself as Belphegor the 3rd, the current ruler of the 7th Nether Flame realm.

“So what if I cannot see you I will still kill you! I will kill you!” Corey yelled, plunging the knife in her hand at the space in front of her.

“Hahaha…” Belphegor laughed loudly seeing Corey despite her fear and despair trying to avenge her father. Being a demon Belphegor only knew that weak submit to strong. That was how demons survive in the dark realms. A weak demon would run or submit or betray its old master at the sight of a higher realm demon But this human in front of him did the opposite.

At first, like all other demon lords, Belphegor also thought that these desperate actions of humans were foolishness. But throughout his time as the lord of the 7th Nether Flame realm, Belphegor has realised that those foolish actions of the humans made them a threat to demons. Fortunately, not all humans have such praiseworthy resolve as Corey, otherwise, the demon race would have been extinct already.

“Little girl, tell me your desire and I will fulfil it.” Belphegor finally found a soul worthy to become his plaything, maybe it will keep him entertained another decade or so.

“Why?” Corey was confused and did not understand. Why does a demon stretch out a helping hand when her race pushed her to death.

“Because you are my bride, remember. But since you are too young and not my type I have decided to adopt you as my daughter. As your adoptive father I want to fulfil your desire, now hurry up and tell them to me I will fulfil them.” Belphegor started doing his thing and gave Corey a good sale’s pitch.

” Bring my dad back to life. ” Corey no longer cared or fear seeing Belphegor being generous; she asked him to bring her father back to life. Instead of asking for revenge or power, Corey asked for her father to live once again.

“Except for that, ask anything else. Even I can not bring back the dead.” Belphegor thought consumed by hatred for villagers and the shaman Corey would ask for revenge or vengeance which he was prepared to grant but he wasn’t prepared to bring back her father to life, so he lied.

“…” Hearing Belphegor Corey broke into tears once more, losing all hopes for her father’s survival.

“How about Vengeance on the people who did this to you and your father. I can do it with just a snap of my finger.” Belphegor tried steering Corey’s train of thoughts towards Vengeance for the death of her only family