“Should we be scared?” Ghilanna asked Svinjko in a whisper as the devil started laughing maniacally with blood spilling from her mouth, “Is she going to turn on us?”

“I … I honestly have no idea …”

“Yes! This is it!” The devil yelled so loud, her voice echoed all over the room, “This is what it’s all about!”

“So, was I right?” Eric asked.

The devil grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close and kissing him passionately with her bloody lips.

“You magnificent … looser!” The devil said with a wide smile on her face, “You are so stupid about so many things, yet so knowledgeable about the most outlandish stuff! Snail blood … what sane person would ever bother remembering something so stupid and pointless?”

“So, are we good to go? Will this blood be good?” He asked.

“Yes, we’re good to go. Although, it will take a few more steps than necessary. That fucker wanted to make me suffer to the very end, so it will take some time to refine the blood, but now …” she looked him in the eyes, smiling widely while caressing his face with affection, “Thanks to you, now I know what I need to do with the blood.”

“So, you won’t yell anymore?” He gave her a playful smile.

She let out a short laugh, “Was that what you were worried about? Me being mad?”

“You are quite unpredictable when angry, and I don’t want you to do something you will regret.”

The devil looked at the cauldron in front of them, “Yes … I almost did something very stupid. My temper almost got the better of me.”

Then she looked him back in the eyes, “But you were there … to ease my temper. I guess that … you being so pathetic has some very neat … side effects. I would’ve killed anyone else had they tried to interfere with me like that, but since I can’t see you as a threat … I guess it’s much easier for you to reach me when I lose my mind.”

“Well, that’s good to hear,” his smile grew wider, “You really grew as a person.”

She frowned deeply, but the smile on her face made it obvious she held no malice, “Are you trying to insult me?”

“I’m trying to praise you. It’s good to see you overcoming your rage.”

“Hmm … I guess I would think the same in your shoes. Ok, I will let that slight on my perfection slide.”

“But first,” Eric pointed at the bleeding snail, “maybe we should do something about this before the snail loses all of its blood.”

The devil’s eyes went as wide as they could, “Oh, fuck! I completely forgot!”

She turned to face the adventurers with urgency all over her face, “Come on! Quickly! We must put it back on the cauldron before it bleeds out!”

-----

The adventurers helped the devil get the snail back on the cauldron, and the whole thing got filled quite quickly.

“So, is that it for you?” Ghilanna asked the devil.

“Yes, that’s pretty much it,” the devil responded.

“Does that mean we are parting our ways now?” Ghilanna asked.

“What? You want to see me go so quickly?”

“I don’t see why you’d stick around until Rutmuik is done. He won’t finish his job anytime soon. You’ve fulfilled your end of the bargain and got what you wanted. However, you can also take some riches from the treasury if you want. There’s too much of it, and we can’t take all of it with us, so you’re more than welcome to take your rightful share.”

“Thanks, but I don’t need it,” the devil said, “I have plenty of riches back home.”

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“Then …” Ghilanna paused as she considered her next words.

“The devil came here for fun, Ghilanna,” Svinjko said, “She didn’t come here for riches. She came here to have some fun killing adventurers.”

“That’s pretty much it,” the devil admitted, “But it was nowhere near as fun as I thought it would be, so I’ll be leaving now.”

“Really? Does that mean you devils don’t enjoy killing that much?” Ghilanna asked.

“Killing people yourself is nowhere near as fun as getting the idiots to kill each other. Besides, there are things far more interesting than killing. I had no idea how much I needed them until I came here.”

“Oh? And what is that?” Ghilanna asked.

“As if I would tell you that,” the devil said with a wide grin on her face, “What do you think, that we’re friends or something? Or did you become a theologian all of a sudden?”

“I’m just being curious. You don’t have to share it if you don’t want to.”

“You guys know nothing if you think devils are all about killing. Your gods have killed so many people that we have no chance of ever catching up to them. Ask the piggy here.”

“We should let the devil be on her way, Ghilanna,” Svinjko said.

“I meant nothing bad by it, and I don’t want to argue,” Ghilanna said, “If you don’t want to share it, fine, I’m not going to press you about it. Besides, now that you’ve fulfilled your end of the bargain you don’t owe us anything.”

“Exactly!”

“Just don’t interfere with us reaching the surface.”

“I couldn’t care less about what happens to you guys. Not now that I got the blood. I have much more important things to do than stomp some ants.”

“Then don’t let us stand in your way,” Svinjko responded.

“I know you’ve already said it, but I just want to be absolutely sure. Are you sure you don’t want any riches for yourself?” Ghilanna asked again.

“Thanks, but no. This baby right here is worth more than all those treasures you’re counting right now,” the devil said while affectionately patting the side of the cauldron.

“Well, to each their own … I guess,” Ghilanna agreed.

“I’m surprised you aren’t dismantling the corpse though,” the devil said, “There are some very valuable ingredients inside.”

“True,” Ghilanna nodded, “But the one who was supposed to be dismantling it is now dead.”

“Ah … ok, I get it.”

“It happens,” Ghilanna shrugged the unpleasant feeling off, “Dungeons are unpredictable and unforgiving.”

“It’s a waste though,” the devil said, “But at least the blood will serve its purpose.”

Ghilanna let out a long sigh, “So … is this it then?”

“Yes,” the devil responded, “This is where we part our ways.”

“I can’t say it was a pleasure, but it was a very enlightening experience,” Ghilanna said.

“I bet it was. Few people have the privilege of ever talking with a devil.”

“It will certainly make for an interesting story to tell while getting drunk.”

“And what about you piggy?” The devil gave Svinjko a cocky smirk, “Do you have anything to say? Any regrets?”

Svinjko looked her in the eye for a moment before answering, “Not really. You proved yourself useful. No, it wasn’t you, actually. Your companion proved useful.”

“Oh, he certainly did,” she leaned in towards Svinjko, putting her hand next to her lips so Eric couldn’t read them.

“But don’t tell him that,” she whispered.

“He doesn’t understand our language anyway,” Svinjko responded in an annoyed voice.

“Oh, I’m just making a silly joke,” the devil elbowed him playfully, but much harder than she should, “You holy people are way too stuck up to understand humor. But I must say, I feel bitter for not managing to take your porky head. I bet it would taste delicious in a stew.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

“That one was a little bit … over the line,” Ghilanna said, “Even for a joke.”

“Oh, make no mistake miss, that was not a joke,” the devil responded, “But don’t worry, I have a contract to maintain. True devils stick to their word. Still, I’m surprised you didn’t try to do something stupid, porky. I was sure you’d try to get your friends to attack me, even with the contract. I was sure you had some vendetta against me after I’d decimated your original party.”

“If they’d attack you, then the contract would be void,” Svinjko responded, “What’s the point of making a contract just to break it?”

“I thought you were ready for it. You inquisitors can be quite … unscrupulous in your pursuits. Did you finally grow up and learn how to accept defeat?”

“I realized that saving lives is more important than taking them, but I don’t expect a devil to understand that.”

“Ouch!” The devil flinched dramatically, “Such edge! I better get going before I get cut!”

Ghilanna stepped up, extending her hand for a handshake, “We don’t see eye to eye, but I recognize we couldn’t have done this without you and your companion. I have my reasons for hating you, but you have my gratitude for helping us take the guardian down.”

A surprised look formed on the devil’s face briefly before she shook the hand, “That is something I can respect. I also recognize I couldn’t have pulled this off without your mage. Do you now see that making a deal with the devil doesn’t always lead to one’s demise?”

“I will reserve my judgment until we’re out of the dungeon. I’d be lying if I said that my opinion of devils has improved, but at least now I understand that some devils can be reasoned with … as long as their interests are satisfied.”

“You may consider our behavior to be evil, but devils are nothing but reasonable.”

“And I’d also like to thank your companion. May I?”

“Sure. Although, he won’t understand a word you’re saying. Piggy is the only one he can understand from your group.”

“I will improvise then.”

Ghilanna walked up to Eric, stepping right in front of him. He gave her a confused look before looking at the devil for some kind of explanation.

The devil just grinned in response without saying anything.

But she instantly lost her grin when Ghilanna wrapped her arms around Eric’s neck and kissed him hungrily.