DC:The dark merchant

Chapter 6: The Demon's Extraction

The room was silent.

The only sound was the faint, rhythmic breathing of Joseph Langford as he lay unconscious on his bed, oblivious to the dark parasite feeding on his very essence.

I stepped forward, my boots barely making a sound against the polished wooden floor. My gaze swept over the room, analyzing its structure, ensuring there were no openings or weaknesses.

This was not an ordinary exorcism.

This was soul extraction.

A demon had latched onto Joseph's very being, embedding itself into his life force. If I wasn't careful, if even a fraction of its essence escaped, it could possess another host. Worse yet, it could manifest into something more… corporeal.

I reached into my coat pocket, pulling out a stack of yellowed parchment—handcrafted talismans, each inscribed with ancient glyphs drawn in my own blood.

With practiced ease, I moved around the bed, placing them in a precise pattern—forming a containment grid that would prevent the demon's escape.

Janet watched me carefully, her eyes flicking between my hands and the strange papers I was setting down.

"…What are those?" she finally asked.

I didn't pause my work. "Talismans."

She frowned. "They look like pieces of paper."

I exhaled, giving her a brief glance before continuing. "Then tell me, Lady Janet… would a piece of paper be able to hold back a demon?"

She hesitated.

"…No," she admitted.

"Then perhaps," I mused, placing the final talisman, "you should reconsider that assumption."

Janet pursed her lips but said nothing more.

The old butler, who had remained silent all this time, watched the proceedings carefully, his sharp eyes betraying years of experience.

I turned my attention back to the ground, retrieving a piece of black chalk from my inner pocket. It was no ordinary chalk—it was made from crushed obsidian, phoenix ash, and the crystallized remains of a fallen star.

I crouched down and began to draw.

Intricate seals took shape beneath my fingers, forming concentric circles of layered runes, each pulsating with an otherworldly glow. The moment the final line was completed, the entire formation hummed with latent energy.

"…Did you know you and your father are Homo Magi?" I asked casually, breaking the silence.

Janet blinked. "I don't know what that means."

I smirked, continuing my work. "Homo Magi—also called Homo Magus—are a sub-race of humans naturally attuned to magic. Unlike normal humans, whose connection to the arcane is weak at best, the Homo Magi evolved alongside Homo Sapiens but on a separate path. They are born with magic coursing through their veins, capable of wielding power without the need for rituals or incantations."

Janet frowned. "So… you're saying I'm a descendant of some kind of magical race?"

"Precisely," I confirmed, finishing the last of the seals. "And so is your father."

She processed my words, her expression shifting. "Then… why didn't he tell me?"

Silence.

She turned to the butler.

"You," she said, voice steady but firm. "Did you know?"

The old man's lips pressed into a thin line.

"…Yes, my lady," he admitted after a pause. "I knew."

Janet's breath hitched. "Then why didn't you tell me?"

The butler lowered his gaze. "Because your father ordered me not to."

Janet stiffened.

"It was not his intention to deceive you," the butler continued. "He merely… wished to protect you from this world."

For a long moment, Janet said nothing.

She merely looked at him, expression unreadable.

I gave them no further attention.

With the ritual circle complete, I straightened, dusting off my gloves. Then, with a slow exhale, I slipped off my coat and tossed it aside.

The room tensed.

I rolled up my sleeves, revealing black gloves adorned with glowing purple seals—the activation sigils for the barrier.

I raised a single finger—

—and snapped.

A barrier erupted around the bed, its surface shimmering like translucent crystal. Faint inscriptions flickered across its surface, pulsing in synchrony with the runes on the floor.

Janet inhaled sharply.

The butler stiffened.

I took a slow step forward, placing both hands firmly on Joseph's chest.

My aura surged.

Closing my eyes, I channeled my power, allowing the knowledge of Silas's past life to surface. The ritual was complex, delicate, yet brutal. Any mistake, any moment of hesitation, and the consequences would be catastrophic.

I inhaled.

Then—

—I pulled.

Immediately, a violent force resisted.

A massive burst of dark, chaotic energy erupted from Joseph's body, its malevolence tangible. The very air seemed to distort, vibrating with an unholy resonance.

It tried to escape—tried to seep out into the room.

But the barrier held.

It screamed in frustration, writhing and lashing out in an attempt to attack me.

Foolish.

I unleashed my own aura.

A crushing, dominant force flooded the room, snuffing out the dark energy's resistance in an instant. The demon had no choice but to yield.

I clenched my fist.

A tortured scream tore through the room.

A soul began to emerge from Joseph's chest, half-tainted with dark energy—his very essence corrupted by the demon's parasitic hold.

Joseph convulsed, his body spasming as the extraction neared its climax.

Janet gasped.

The butler flinched.

But I did not falter.

My right hand ignited—a crimson glow enveloping my palm.

With one final pull, I tore the demon free.

A howl of agony filled the chamber as a writhing black spear of condensed demonic energy coiled in my grasp, its form seething with pure hatred.

Joseph's body collapsed back onto the bed—his face no longer pale and strained, but healthy, vibrant. His breathing steadied. His mana… stabilized.

The man was healed.

The demon, however…

The dark spear twitched.

It moved, as if trying to escape.

I sighed.

"…How pathetic."

I clenched my fist.

The demon disintegrated—its existence erased in an instant.

I lowered my hand.

The room fell silent.

The barrier flickered—then vanished.

With a casual motion, I retrieved my coat, slipping it back on. My gloves returned to my pocket. I adjusted my collar, smoothing out the fabric before turning toward the door.

I stopped just at the threshold, glancing back over my shoulder.

"…The job is done." My voice was smooth, composed. "He will wake soon. His body needs time to replenish its mana."

Janet still seemed too stunned to speak.

I smirked faintly.

"Also—" I continued, "—I expect payment. Since you are my first customer… I will be generous."

My eyes gleamed.

"Eight million."

Janet's mouth dropped.

"I will be downstairs," I added nonchalantly, "should you require anything else."

And with that—

—I walked away.

To be continued...