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"...so, I want her to love me."

What?

Not this again― how is this always what they want from me. Every time- No, I'm exaggerating.

But half the time I get summoned, It's by some creep that can't get a no for an answer; and they really don't take it well when I explain to them that's not how it works. Usually it all ends the same way.

My way.

Hell, for a stunt like this go get yourself a succubus, not someone like me... Not that you could manage that, judging by the look of this place.

-It stinks of wine in here.

It's currently the middle of the night, the darkest hour right before the dawn. -Heh, typical. That's these type of people's favorite time to play with the occult. Windows of the room where the ritual took place were closed shut, but still one can tell with wooden shutters like those - should have at least covered them. Beyond the walls I can feel a lot of people asleep. A town?

This guy doesn't even have a basement for stuff like this. -You a playing with fire, pal.

A modest, mostly wooden place. It seems to be relatively well kept; if you ignore the corpse of a deer and the magic circle in the middle of the floor, drawn in blood and giving off eerie glow. The scent of freshly spilled blood and wine mix together making me grimace. -Oh, Some shelves by the wall even hold books, those aren't cheap in this world. Neat fireplace.

-No candles? Amateur.

Not much in terms of furniture and most of it was moved to the side, to make space for the summoning. I notice an old tattered book left open on a nearby table, a single iron frame with a light crystal fixed on is providing some dim light next to it. Mhmm...

This is not a wizard's tower, that's for sure.

The human responsible for the current situation is a bit nervous, but looks at me with expectation while trying to appear confident. Fool, and I pity him.

He looks like he had a bad day. Hair in disarray and didn't shave for a while, but his clothes are all well made. Nothing fancy, and just a single silver ring when it comes to jewellery.

Still, must be rather well off. Not a village idiot that learned about dark magic from a forest witch and making a mistake of his life.

Identify.

Oh, a level 4 merchant. So young and already an advanced class, and yet... What were you thinking? Summoning a demon in the middle of a town and not even asking to become rich, but... that's your wish? Love?

Where are all these people learning this shit from? It's not my first time getting summoned, far from it —and there are a lot of demons in hell. Is there some crazy cult out there going around teaching random people dark arts?

Except for that one mad alchemist that thought experimenting on me was a good idea, I seem to always end up with people like this.

Desperate fools trying to have a demon fix things for them. Again, that's not what hell is famous for; apparently some people didn't get the memo, but guess I can't really complain about it, can I?

The guy started to shift on his feet as he stands before me, some of the confidence leaving him. Brown eyes moving around the room, glancing to the book he left open.

Must be I've stayed silent for quite some time, lamenting my lot in life and just looking up at him. -I need to focus.

As an Imp the size of a child, barely reaching his waist even if I were to stand up from my sitting position, this grown man towers over me. Not very intimidating am I?. Yet him growing more nervous under my silent stare and refraining from shouting his demands at me, shows he must have at least some brain left under that dirty blond mop of his.

Sigh.

"Listen here, Demons don't deal with love." I explain with wide plastic smile. I'm fed up with requests like this and exasperated by this guys life choices, but it's still an opportunity - will take what I can. Have to make the most of it; even if there is a lot of summons happening lately I rarely end up with a proper deal. But I'm not optimistic about where this is going.

"I may look like this, but I'm no cupid." Flapping my tiny bat wings to underline my words and draw his attention away from the round crystal bottle I've been playing with on my lap - the stopper gets silently removed.

"Mind magic, can't make someone fall in love. The most you can do with it is put the thought in their head or fan the feelings that are already present." I lay it out to him as if he was the child-like character here. That's the truth, hell has rules when it comes to lies.

Even experts like the succubi can only play with simple Desires of mortals.

Lust and Greed are easiest to manipulate for them; basic and simple impulses, compared to something complex like love. That's why they look and dress for the job, to invoke these in their victims. If you are unfortunate enough to start lusting after one, you can be sure they will take advantage and turn it up to 11.

My summoner frowned, clearly surprised by the answer I gave them. Many thoughts running behind his eyes -and then visibly deflates, moving to sit on one of the stools with a groan. All wind left his sails... What?

Hey, hey! Wait for the carrot! What are you giving up so easily for. You went so far and summoned me from hell, and that's the extent of your motivation? Are you for real?

As a merchant you should know this is the part where the negotiations start -and where most dark magic amateurs get angry. Don't you think this talk is over mister. I need more time.

Getting brought to the mortal realm is a rare opportunity for someone like me. And there are still deals to be made here.

With a snap of my claws I bring his attention back to the tiny, dangerous being currently contained behind a magic formation in his living room.

"Tell me more about the situation. I said that mind magic won't work, not that I can't assist you with... your problems." He looks back up at me, surprise on his face as if he's forgotten about me for a moment. This guy...

"I'm sure there's a lot that can be done." A way too wide grin on my face, as I roll the cork seal of the magic bottle in my palm. "Talk to me. About this Elen."

His gaze grew distant at the mention of the woman's name, and the very tired man sitting in a dark room starts talking.

And talking...

It's like a dam burst. He bares his heart to me, all those pent up feelings spill forth as the young merchant shares a story of his unrequited love.

Dude must have been under a lot of stress. I'm not your therapist damn you, and you started way too far back!

——

In a living room of a modest wooden house, located in a commercial district of a sleeping town; a man talks about his life to... A bald, red skinned child? With tiny horns growing from their forehead and little bat wings on the back. There's even a tail peeking from under the off-white cloth that covers its privates, tracing a boundary of a complex pattern drawn on the floor. The kid keeps his tail out of the man's sight as the young adult gets up to grab a bottle of red liquid from a cabinet and sits by the table. The child- No. The imp with big, pitch black eyes almost appears bored, and only listening only with one pointy ear while playing with a bottle. This bottle is round and almost the size of its head.

An alchemist might have been able to tell what this bottle is meant for; and an experienced mage could notice that some modifications were made to it.

But the man with the other - green tinted one and now half empty, doesn't seem to care about that at all. And keeps talking about how unfair this town's merchant guild's rules are, with the imp nodding from time to time —definitely bored.

Truly not something you see every day. And yes, it is day already.

——

I'm letting the guy's words flow in one ear and out the other, while feeling for the magic in the air. It's thin.

Long story short; a traveling merchant falls in love with a city girl, problems arise.

Our host has been traveling around these parts of the kingdom since he was 19. Peddling all sorts of wares between villages and setting up his stall at the markets; Trying to make it big on his own, due to some family drama I don't care for.

He had some success, but it's a mostly lonely lifestyle - always on the road. You meet a lot of people but can't really afford to get to know them better. Time is money.

The important part is he fell in love with a girl named Elen. She would often visit his cart when he was in town. They would chat, they would laugh. Then he has to leave for another place.

A beauty with a smile like spring and eyes like a summer sky, or something like that. What I want to know is what happened after he confessed his love to her. That's all.

He upped his game, took some risks, saved up a lot of money; sold his cart and managed to buy this house where they can live happily together. He will join the guild and open a proper shop after they get married. Sure...

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He did all that, and only then asked her. Didn't work.

The fool got rejected. Then got drunk.

...And also he can't join the guild as an outsider. You need to be born here or marry into a family with a proper status. According to him, the bastards at the guild don't like competition. Peddling license from the kingdom will not let him start a new business here. Of course one can always buy their way in, we are talking about merchants here - but he won't have anything left after that. Welcome to feudal society. Meh.

Anyway, something is missing here. He forgot to mention it in his opening monologue as well...

He is currently sitting hunched down by the table, face buried in his palms and there's now an open bottle to the side. Shesh, some demon cultist you are pal. Well most of my summoners weren't.

Sun's already up. Surprisingly this world only has one.

"What I still don't understand is, why?" I ask scratching at the floor near where the circle containing me was etched into the boards. Surprisingly well done magic formation. Hardly any leaks, I could almost believe he was a pro.

"Huh? The baron in charge of this town-"

"I don't care about the guild's policy," With an eye roll I ask the important question. "Why did she reject you?" Pointing at him my small claw pokes the barrier between us, tsk. Solid. "Surely there's a reason right, you said you've been pretty close. You have at least learned why, right? I need to know if I'm to help with this."

"She-" He cuts of suddenly, thinking about the matter.

"Does she have someone already?" The fool looks back at me blinking owlishly at my musings. "That's something I can easily fix. Or is it her family not approving of a man out of town, poor peddler with no name? That would be more complicated." That stung him, judging by his expression souring. That, or the idea of having me deal with these 'problems'.

What do you think people summon demons for?

"Maybe she doesn't like men." I throw a curve ball at him with a giggle, and he stats pacing around the room.

My eyes narrow at him "You don't know do you?" Maybe he really is just a creep that just suddenly proposed to someone out of the blue? A delusional fool. Not a first I had to deal with.

He claimed they've been chatting a lot and gossiping at the market, but was it really so, and it's all in his head?

Eh, Enough already.

"Well, let's get back to our trade, shall we? You merchants like business. Why don't you have me go and take a look. I will follow her, learn what's her problem..." Then I will deal with Her problem, I can't help but smirk. "Or you can go and ask her!" I add with a laugh. "Forget the embarrassment! You love this girl right? Who knows maybe-"

He stopped in his track and turns around to face me. Unreadable expression on his face.

Then he brightens up just as suddenly and goes for the door, mumbling to himself.

And he's gone... Leaving a tiny demon blinking on the floor in his brand new house.

The fuck, dude?

——

It's been some time since the man has left and I wasn't idle.

Hate to admit it, but he did a pretty good job with this magic circle. That's not something a man with a second hand knowledge can create. He had clear instructions and followed them with surprising amount of care.

Must be the book as I suspected. Somehow this idiot got his hands on a genuine demonology manual. He skipped some stuff likely unable to prepare the more advanced parts, but the formation itself is solid. More than enough for an Imp like me, I can't extend any influence outside of the barrier. The guy must have some talent and a fair bit of magic, despite being a merchant. Although most people in this world have at least some mana; the talent and knowledge on how to make use of it is a different matter.

Since the circle isn't leaking magic and there are no weak spots I'm stuck inside. Sure I could just go back 'home', this basic formation won't stop me from doing that. But that would mean leaving empty handed, as I would have to forfeit the sacrifice unless the ritual's magic sends me away.

At the very least I want this deer; usually I end up only getting rabbits from these kind of fools, that's why I'm so small. What's with the wannabe cultists and rabbits? Don't want my ears getting any longer from absorbing their essence via the ritual.

And there's still the issue of collecting more mana. Since the guy left I could now properly focus on filling my bottle from the ambient magic of this world. It's rather thin around here, but thankfully the simple formation allows for it to seep inside my prison.

Mana is a scarce commodity in Hell. Getting summoned is basically the only way for the weak demons to get their fill.

Sitting in a lotus position - something I've learned from cultivators to be the best for meditation, my horns begin to focus on funneling the thin currents of mana into the modified alchemy flask. Creating this little trinket was a pain, but it sure was worth the trouble. It was originally meant to hold alchemical concoctions but now it became my most important belonging. It can hold much more power than my current body. At the same time I'm saturating my magic channels to fill up my own pool. That's not part of standard Imp repertoire and something I learned while experimenting during my imprisonment at the lab where I got the flask.

Eh, my current situation brings back bad memories.

Because of how little mana there is in hell, demons became masters of manipulating it. That's why they are so powerful. Can't generate and absorb much ourselves but we can use ambient mana to fuel our magic and use it with extreme efficiency. We can do more with one point of it then a human could with 10. And our internal mana is even more potent, but normally requires us to consume the essence of other beings to replenish.

All that is why even a small demon like me can't be underestimated, as that mad alchemist learned first hand.

Sure the stunt I've pulled back there was a risky one but, it worked out well. Would prefer to avoid interacting with the church in the future though, so we can only hope my summoner doesn't do anything stupid now where I can't see him.

Speaking of, where the hell it that guy? It's already getting late.

——

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. had a good time?" The fool smiled brightly at my greeting, despite the dark circles under his eyes. -You are starting to look the part. Although he did try to make himself a bit more presentable at some point during his absence.

"Now will you maybe explain to me what is our current situation. I have to admit you-"

A small self depreciating but merry laugh from the man cut me off mid sentence. And then the comes the surprise "You have my thanks demon." He looks me in the eyes "It was all a stupid misunderstanding..."

And for the second time today I get to listen to the now much happier man, talk about his beloved woman.

...

It seems he really just went to ask, found her, and the girl took pity on him. It also appears that this usually silent guy becomes very talkative when sleep deprived and under the influence of a few cups of whatever was in the bottle.

They talked things out and even went to dinner.

Elen is the 2nd daughter of a relatively wealthy family, as such she had to deal with many suitors aiming to marry her for benefits. People that don't care about her, but only about her good looks and rich parents. She thought the man in front of me to be the same in the end.

After all she thought he didn't even know all that much about her, a customer that would occasionally chat with him at the market.

This fail of a demon summoner isn't some delusional creep marrying for money though. He is just bad with people, and a bit of an introvert that likes books. He also sells them at his stall. That's what Elen was visiting him for, what they mostly talked about. She really likes to read and this guy's selection was very much to her taste.

This guy has a bad habit of perusing his own merchandise when it comes to books, he knows and shares her preferences as he read all those books she bought from him. So he felt much closer to her.

She also had no idea he moved in to town and bought a house. This guy...

Never mind all that. In the end she decided to give the man a chance, so they can get to know each other more.

"...She also likes my beard. I always shaved clean before but I now consider changing things up a little." He finished the story about his date, running a hand through it.

Well, look a this. Can't say I expected this from someone who would resort to summoning a demon to have his way. "I'm happy for you. You might still get the girl. That leaves only one tiny issue."

"What is it?" He looks at me, head tilted to the side, smile fading a bit.

"What about the poor little me? You've kept me here, trapped with your ritual for the whole day while enjoying your life."

With a more serious face he assures, "Of course I will send you back right away." and moves to the table where his grimoire still lays open with a smile back on his lips.

I stare with big eyes narrowed, face not amused; making him loose some of his mirth after seeing an unhappy demon sitting in his living room.

Oh, did your head clear up a bit, now that your future looks bright again?

Paw on my foot taping the floor boards I try to think of how to squeeze some benefit out of this situation. Not much comes to mind... We made no deals and he has the right to just send me back to hell, I can't stop him as I am. At least I've gathered a lot of mana when he was gone. Overall not bad summoning for me.

"Do you like books?"

"Huh?" I look back at his question.

The man is thinking with a hand to his chin and moved to one of the shelves.

"I'm not an expert but doesn't hell get boring from time to time?" He grabs a leather bound tome and turns while holding it towards me.

"Well I used to enjoy reading, yes. Not much in the form of entertainment in hell I'm afraid." Books huh? I wouldn't call hell boring but I could use me a good book. But what-

He comes closer "Here I want you to take it, as thanks for your help."

I didn't do much. Just lend an ear to him, as he was rambling about his problems while sleep deprived and slightly drunk. Oh well.

After a nod I catch the book he threw my way. It passed through the barrier without issues as it's just a mundane object. It is a well crafted and only slightly used book.

"I guess this is a farewell demon." My summoner moves back to the table to finish the ritual and send me away. "I'm sure it was a long day for both of us."

In the end it could have went worse.

Sigh.

"Wait." He looks up from the book at my call.

"If you ever feel like doing something as stupid as to summon a demon again, call me. The grimoire you have there should teach you how." I close my eyes and put the seal back on the magic bottle, now considerably more full after a day in the mortal realm. "Name's Meow"

The guy looks confused " Nya, huh?" But there is a shadow of a smirk on his face..

"My name in Meow" I repeat annoyed with an eye twitching. "You can use that to summon me. Don't spread that around, such knowledge- demonic names are a serious matter."

Stupid hell rules, that's what I got for developing strange quirks; that could have ended much, much worse though.

The fool smiles at me, "Jarred."

And then Jarred starts the magic of the ritual that will send me home.

Waiting for it to take effect -I can't wait to finally be free of him. With a quick glance, I check the book he gave me. According to the description from the Identify skill, it's a story about a man who after some struggle was able to find love with the help of a summoned demon... Pfft, what nonsense.

And the world again fades to black.

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