"..."
Looking at the Sacrifice Ritual that had returned to deathly stillness, listening to the lingering echoes of the Lord of the Ice Hell's words that had yet to fade.
The entire secret chamber remained silent for a long while.
Only after quite some time had passed.
Did one of the Grand Arcanists slowly begin to speak:
"Let's change targets. I refuse to believe every Devil Master fears the Lord of the Blazing Hell..."
As he spoke.
Though there was a faint trace of worry in his expression.
His confidence was still fairly solid.
He did not dwell on it too much.
After all, one or two failures were hardly worth mentioning.
For people like them, who enjoyed conducting magical experiments, such things had long since become commonplace...
All new achievements.
To put it bluntly.
Were mostly piled up from failures.
So long as the result was good, that was enough...
As for why they hoped that another Devil Master would step in to stop Orsaga.
Rather than choosing a Demon Lord, a race far more opposed to devils.
There were certain considerations behind that as well.
For example: although Devil Lords were cunning and vicious by nature, owing to racial factors, their actions followed more consistent patterns, making them easier to deal with.
Unlike Demon Lords, most of whom were somewhat insane. A simple negotiation could turn into a massive problem, worsening matters and giving rise to even more issues...
Furthermore.
As fellow Devil Lords, those beings presumably knew Orsaga better.
If they truly came to blows.
They should have a better chance of success!
Several dozen minutes later.
Amid the thick stench of metal rust and sulfur within the secret chamber.
The Sacrifice Ritual.
Under the joint gaze of the Grand Arcanists.
Went out once again.
In