vrcanaries Chapter 79 Who needs to be coaxed when doing business?
Chapter 79 Who needs to be coaxed when doing business?
You feel that Alastor didn't understand what you meant because Wendigo, who is always as nimble and clever as a deer, suddenly froze in front of you.
Specifically, although Alastor maintained his signature smile, his eyes were wide with surprise.
However, we can't blame him for that, because you casually said "slay them" instead of "kill them all," so there are actually many possibilities behind your words.
Perhaps any demon in Hell who uttered these words would immediately understand Alastor's meaning and mercilessly mock him. But if you were the one saying them, he might have to think twice about the implications.
After all, you really can physically "slay" 3V.
After remaining silent for a few seconds with wide eyes, Alastor suddenly tilted his head to the right, frowned, and squinted at you, saying:
"Please forgive me, but could you please explain your purpose in 'astoundingly amazing'?"
"..."
"Well, it shouldn't be the kind of crushing you're thinking of, but it won't be too far off—but that's all for later, today's focus is on something else."
In response to Alastor's question, you, having prevented him from considering physical elimination, replied in a resolute tone.
Having a formal meeting with Alastor always gives you a subtle feeling, like reciting a text in front of your language teacher—you know it by heart, but you can't utter a single word in front of him.
Perhaps because when facing the radio demon alone, you see him as a learned but harsh elder, and out of some strange insecurity, you rarely look him straight in the eye when you speak.
But if you think about it carefully, when you first had this idea, the best candidate was Alastor. You shouldn't have messed up at this moment, since you had already thought of your words.
Thinking this, you forced yourself to look into the eyes of the relaxed and amused male demon in front of you. The smiling sinner lord seemed to enjoy your somewhat conflicted expression at this moment.
"...Although this may be a sudden announcement, I want to make a deal with you."
You break the silence between yourself and the broadcast demon, your tone as calm as ever.
……very good.
Right now, you're actually quite grateful for your lack of emotional expression.
Although it was really strange for you to bring up this matter, after hesitating for a moment, you still spoke to the sinner lord in front of you.
When you said that, Alastor's lazy gaze immediately turned into a kind of awful excitement.
"...Oh! This is truly a delightful surprise! If it's a transaction, then I'd be more than happy to accept..."
Before Alastor could dramatically extend his hand to you, you, who was interrupting him for the first time, immediately and expressionlessly expressed your refusal: "Stop, this isn't the kind of deal you're thinking of."
You think Alastor might just be naively trying to gamble on the possibility of your cerebellar atrophy, without considering whether he would succeed or fail. Because after you rejected him without hesitation, he didn't seem particularly disappointed.
After being quickly rejected by you, the gentleman, who had clearly been just teasing you, slowly withdrew his hand and then let out a soft, ambiguous hum.
That's just a playful attitude.
Perhaps it was because the ending of Alastor's hum was so alluring that the scarlet gentleman, who was standing upright, suddenly showed a hint of coquettishness due to his dissatisfaction.
"Since it's not what I imagined... then your deal is less attractive to me."
Alastor, leaning lightly on his cane, playfully closed one eye and then looked you up and down with a teasing expression.
"Let's talk about your terms before we begin! While I don't mind spending a little more time with a charming lady, darling, if you want to make a deal with the devil, you can't open the market without some bargaining chips."
If you know the Broadcast Demon well enough, you'll know that he's actually a demon who rarely expresses his opinion on important matters.
In reality, Alastor doesn't take sides in most situations.
A clever Western gentleman will only make ambiguous but particularly sarcastic comments when things are calm.
He was just waiting.
As he said, he needs you to open the bet for him. Alastor will only call when he is certain he will win.
...That's why you don't want to do business with him.
If you don't want to get caught up in his schemes, then the conditions you offer must pique his interest. And getting Alastor interested... is just a ticket to the game.
Because all deals involving demons must be based on valid benefits—but then again, this is hell, and who would willingly make a pact full of traps unless coerced by violence?
You can, of course, use violence to coerce Alastor.
But what you want is his brain, not a resentful bomb that's always thinking about taking your life.
You don't think that Alastor, who is usually not genuinely convinced by others, would wholeheartedly serve that person when coerced.
"..."
"If I'm not mistaken, you should be ranked below Vox in terms of strength among the Sinner Lords of the Pride Ring?"
Suddenly throwing out a topic that would definitely anger the other person, you casually gave Alastor a look, who had been patiently waiting for you to speak.
He seemed surprised that you would suddenly bring up this topic.
But just as you might expect, Alastor, whose sore spot had been hit, narrowed his eyes, and his eyebrows instantly sharpened.
Although you're not the type to actively satirize people, everyone already knows that the Broadcast Demon and the president of Vox Technology are at odds.
Since he didn't know what you meant, the scarlet Wendigo simply stood in front of you making indistinct "shh" noises to show his dissatisfaction with the topic.
His sharp fingers rose and fell on his cane, the broadcast demon's nails making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound on the hard object.
"...You don't need to worry that I have any other meaning, because I'm just describing the current situation."
Although you brought this up because you also wanted to get revenge on this sharp-tongued old gentleman, to avoid a bad ending with Alastor, and looking at the sinner lord who still maintained his good manners but whose smile was somewhat distorted, you silently and deliberately added this sentence.
"You know that the ranking of sinner lords is not based solely on personal strength. As an undisputed powerhouse in your time, you should also understand that part of your power comes from the support of the souls in your own territory."
After explaining your motivation for speaking, you frowned, trying to analyze the terrible situation of the broadcasting demon in a way that seemed terrible to you, an outsider.
"But in the seven years you've been gone, you've also seen how electronic information technology has developed rapidly, and the color screen you once looked down on has now become the dominant force of the times. As the providers of technology, we either accept the ever-changing pace of change and join in, or... But you're no longer suited to orchestrate another massacre, are you, Mr. Radio Demon?"
"..."
"Hmph, as for such a trivial matter, you can just wait and see."
On this somewhat pointed topic, Alastor, who was clearly a man of few words, gave a short hum.
He squinted, strange voodoo symbols floating around the male demon whose emotions were fluctuating.
Alastor is the type to submit to the status quo that benefits him, but he is clearly not convinced when it comes to issues that might involve dignity and self-worth.
Maybe he just wants you not to doubt his ability to pull off another big one—but you hope he doesn't.
Because if he were to carry out another indiscriminate massacre like he did in his heyday, the cleanup would be a huge hassle for you. Not to mention, Shirley would also be put in an awkward position because of his actions, which is something you definitely don't want to see.
"...Stop, stop. I didn't say you lack ability. I believe you can use the new Bloodbath Pride Ring to prove you're still as sharp as ever, but what we need to compare now is the 3V in the business field."
While chatting with Alastor, you have to both coax him and explain your own plan, and you resist the urge to rub your temples.
The way you pronounced "3V" in a flat, monotone tone gave the impression that you looked down on them, even though you didn't mean it that way. But the broadcasting demon was quite pleased with your attitude.
"Oh... 3v~ They're just some no-brainers. They were just lucky to ride the wave of the times. But you have to understand, even in the whole world, nothing can be glorious forever."
With a melodious and rhythmic voice, Alastor raised his head and said in an extremely regretful tone.
you:"……"
You know the radio demon wasn't entirely wrong; he knew he was on the verge of decline. Unlike the native inhabitants of hell and the sinful overlords who went to hell prematurely, you are a human soul of the new era; deeply aware of the current state of society, you only feel that perhaps one day an AI demon will emerge from hell and dominate all industries…
But when Alastor, a former top-tier villainous lord, uttered these words, it gave you a sense of the desolation of a hero in his twilight years.
“I know, but at least for now, the ranking of sinner lords cannot be determined in the future. And as you said, even Vox can now surpass you, so what makes you think you can remain unscathed once someone appears who can suppress Vox?”
You crossed your arms and looked slightly serious, not getting angry at Alastor for his witty remark that changed the subject.
"They say even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, but that horse you look down on is also keeping up with the times, eating grass and drinking water. How can you guarantee it won't turn into a pack of wolves? Or that it already is?"
"It's no exaggeration to say that you, as a camel, haven't had a drop of water right now. Even if you survive to the future, how can you guarantee that you won't be devoured? Besides, there are three wolves charging at you side by side."
Having already laid out the stakes and the outcome Alastor least wanted to hear, you deftly circled Alastor twice, who was still standing in place.
The broadcasting demon understood why you were saying those things, but he stood still.
In any gamble with unclear objectives, whoever loses their composure first will be utterly defeated.
Alastor's shadow was like a loyal hunting dog, baring its teeth and watching you warily as you approached from behind.
The Eastern Sinner cast a fleeting glance at the Sinner Lord's inseparable companion, then brushed the vicious shadow's chin with the tip of its nimble tail.
■■■ Her soft tail hairs often carried a damp scent, as if she had just emerged from the ocean.
The ambiguity emanating from the always expressionless female demon vanished in an instant.
When you stood still in front of him again, Alastor tilted his head and asked in a flippant voice:
"Oh, hahaha... Honey, you're so funny, but more than all this clichés, I'd like to know if our conversation has any real substance?"
He squinted, staring straight at you with his grayish-blue face bearing a huge smile.
The male demon, clearly disliking the current topic, slightly opened and closed the ear-like part on the top of his head, making him look just like a red wild deer trying to better catch what you were about to say.