Anything to Survive in Hell: From Weakling to Tyrant-Chapter 8 My Smart Sister.

I showered Karla with endless thanks, pouring on extreme praise. In my heart I wished I could switch professions to become a Demon Bard just so I could compose songs that would spread news of Karla’s good heart across the entire Belial territory.

No lie—if I hadn’t been forced into this Demon King mess, I would have become a bard.

This fate of mine is too cursed!

Oh, dream of a bard!

"Karla knows so much. There probably isn’t a demon in the whole palace smarter than Karla, is there? Other demons aren’t that interested in books anyway."

Karla looked proud of that fact. As she spoke with such pure joy, even my battered heart felt a little healed.

How long had it been since I met someone this kind?

Back in the southern fortress, when I lived like a complete idiot, there was no one I could even talk to like this.

"Hehehe, indeed. Books are interesting to read. But Karla. Seeing that there are really no demons in the library, it seems everyone is definitely not very interested in books."

"But?"

"Is there such a big library?"

"Ah, yes. That is."

Karla’s explanation came smoothly.

"All the books in the library were personally collected by Mother. She apparently loved reading. Since she collected them over a long period, it’s natural that the library became so large. It has nothing to do with other not reading books."

Karla added, sounding a little sad.

"...Though it seems she doesn’t come to the library anymore."

She must be thirsty for Mother’s love.

For a moment, that thought crossed my mind. Instinct. Mother was beautiful enough to be called the Goddess of Darkness. Her figure was so breathtaking it could steal anyone’s mind, and her scent could shake one’s heart... She was such a being, and we were all born from her eggs. Naturally, we had to possess some kind of instinct.

...

Recalling things about Mother made my mind feel like it would fly away somewhere.

I focused on Karla again.

"Well, still, it’s not bad for Karla to monopolize it alone."

"Yes! That’s right! The library is Karla’s! You see those familiars over there?"

"Those things?"

Slick!..

An amorphous, slime-like black familiar crawled up the bookshelf like a slug.

Padak-padak.

A flapping ball of fur extended something like tentacles and organized the bookshelf... Honestly, it was disgusting and scary.

How did she control all those things?

"Karla made all those familiars too."

"No way! Really?!"

She was that capable?!

"Yes! Because all that knowledge is contained in books. Ah. But Older Brother said he likes books too, didn’t he? Have you read any books? Huh? Karla wants to talk about books with Older Brother."

Talk about books.

What I was immediately curious about were things about the Descent Ritual or demons, and how to cultivate power, etc., but there was still some time left until the Descent Ritual anyway. It wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either.

There should be a little more time to talk with Karla. Karla was unilaterally accommodating me in the first place. I should talk about what I wanted to.

"Books... In the southern fortress, there wasn’t such a big library, so I couldn’t read much. I mainly read books used for education."

While studying letters, I saw a lot.

I had to learn the Hell language, which I’d never heard of from a completely different dimension, so there were a fucking lot of difficulties.

Every single word, every phrase, every meaning—I had to interpret and memorize all of it myself, and as you know, demons aren’t very kind. There was no one who would care for me.

What care could I expect when even the maids ignored me? Even if I got stuck, there was nowhere specific to ask, and even if I had questions, no one would clearly teach me. I had to do everything myself, through sheer grit and determination.

"Hmm... then you’ve only seen ’books as a means of acquiring knowledge,’ haven’t you?"

"Uh, that’s right. Why? Are there other books?"

"Of course there are. For example, fairy tale books, or novels. Stories that aren’t knowledge."

I knew that, of course.

"The foundation of books is knowledge, but yes. I like those too. Ah! Then since you haven’t read them before, you can read them starting now! Karla will recommend ’A List of Novels You Must Read Before You Die, Selected by Karla!’"

Before I die, what?

Snaap.

As Karla snapped her fingers, the flying balls of fur that had been flapping their membrane wings over there approached the bookshelf, extended their characteristic tentacles, and began pulling out books.

Soon they all brought them over, and Karla, using telekinesis or something, organized the books while floating them in the air and handed them to me. It was truly mind-blowingly amazing. Even though I’m a demon, ether is still fucking amazing.

"Here! Read them all and leave your impressions for Karla! Karla thinks she’ll be even happier if you write a book report!"

Impressions...?

"Older Brother Knull won’t be able to come back, so it’s a must before the Descent Ritual! You absolutely have to see them before you die!"

"No! I plan to come back! I’m not dying!"

Our Karla, with her cute face, was already assuming I would die!

"Come back? Older Brother, are you going to become a Demon King? It’ll be difficult. Especially in the Mortal Realm."

Since Mother said she would secretly get me out, let’s not say anything.

"Even if I’m not a Demon King... I will definitely survive. And if I’m alive, I might be able to come back someday, right? So, Karla. Help me. I want to survive."

"I will help you. Because I promised to in the first place. Anyway, you have to read all the books, okay? It’s a must before you die."

"Alright. I’ll read all of these. Definitely before I die."

Perhaps because they were specially chosen, there weren’t many volumes. Looking at them, they were novels, fairy tales, things like that. I’m not sure what demons’ sense of fairy tales is like, but there’d be no harm in reading them. I’ll definitely read them before I die.

"Good! Then ask Karla everything you’re curious about!"

"Um, I generally know about the Descent Ritual, right? Is there any meaning to doing this?"

"I think there is meaning."

"What meaning?"

"First of all. We can confirm that the dimensional portal connecting to the Mortal Realm is working without problems. Because it’s easier to manage an open one than to restore a broken one."

No, that’s the reason?

Then I’m more than just a sacrifice; I’m a bullet fired just to test if it works well, aren’t I? These demon bastards!

"The Hell has almost become unable to interfere with the Mortal Realm, but if we completely let go, it will eventually be completely severed. That’s why they periodically hold the Descent Ritual."

It wasn’t just a dusty old ritual after all.

"But you said no one takes it seriously."

"Well, that’s true. Karla doesn’t take it very seriously either. In Karla’s opinion, the Descent Ritual is nothing more or less than dimensional portal maintenance."

Oh.

"Actually, a big reason why people can’t come back is that. Going is still possible, but coming back is even more difficult than going."

"Difficult?! Then I can’t come back?!"

Did Mother lie to me?!

"Normally, not being able to come back is the norm, Older Brother Knull. Yes. It’s difficult. It’s possible, but there wouldn’t be any demons who would bother to use ether for such a difficult task."

At least it’s possible!

Honestly, I can’t trust Mother’s promise. I’m just clinging to it because there’s nothing else... This is truly fucking hopeless. If it were completely impossible, that would be one thing, but since it’s said to be possible, it’s a small relief. No. It’s probably just a glimmer of hope rather than relief. What can I do, cornered as I am? I have to steel myself like this.

"Then, the Demon King? On the surface, it’s a ritual to wish for the demon who descends to the Mortal Realm to become a Demon King, right? What is a Demon King, and what do I have to do to become one?"

"That’s a very broad question, but..."

Karla placed her hand on her breast.

"Smart Karla will tell you everything! I think Demon King is just a title. A title given to a strong demon with a large force."

Title. Force.

"And what a demon participating in the Descent Ritual has to do, yes. It’s that. Fully utilizing their abilities as a demon, they must build up their forces and establish a base for an eventual invasion of the Mortal Realm."

In other words, establishing an advance base? And they have to establish such a base in a world where only hostile races exist. Definitely. If that’s possible, then they could be called Demon King-level. If someone can create a significant base in a barren land without support, then whatever they are, they are indeed a Demon King.

"A base, huh... How do I do that?"

"You have to manage that with your abilities somehow. Hmm, but there are monsters in the Mortal Realm, right? If you’re a demon chosen for the Descent Ritual, you should be able to dominate and command the monsters in the Mortal Realm. So using them would be a good idea. Or undead..."

"What, what?!"

"Huh?"

"Dominate monsters?!"

"Ah. Older Brother Knull, you don’t even know that. Well, you did say you knew nothing. You’re still incredibly weak. You’re at the level of a slave. It’s natural you wouldn’t know. Slaves have no battle knowledge."

No, why say something so scary?!

"If you’re of our bloodline, and your background is good enough to be chosen for the Descent Ritual... then naturally, that much would be possible. Of course, I don’t know if commanding a few monsters in the Mortal Realm will be meaningful."

"Karla! Tell me! How can I dominate monsters?"

This must be very important knowledge!

The Mortal Realm is a land full of hostile races! I can’t expect any supplies or anything from Hell! In such a situation, if I can dominate monsters, I should be able to build a small force! I can start from there!

"Hmm... it goes without saying, but to exert such abilities as a demon, you need ether."

"Karla! I have almost no ether!"

"Then that’s a problem."

"Please! Isn’t there anything?! Ah! That’s right! Yes! Please tell me how to increase ether!"

As I pleaded, Karla sighed!

Ether is important!

"This is a real problem... There’s no way it’ll work starting now."

"Please! Anything is fine! Karla! This is your Older Brother’s request! Please tell me how to increase ether!"

"Of course, Karla is smart, so she’ll tell you everything!"