Ruling the World With My Rebellious Demon Girls

Chapter 1

Lucien Veyr had died more times than most men had fought battles.

He had been poisoned by his enemies, stabbed by his lovers, and once thrown from the highest tower of a royal castle. He had been burned alive and buried in places where even the strongest warriors feared to enter.

Yet none of those deaths had been enough to keep him buried.

Every time, Lucien returned in the same body, with the same soul, the same memories, and the same terrible personality. Over the years, people had stopped celebrating his death. There was no point. He always returned, usually after two weeks, ready to make life miserable for everyone who wished he had stayed dead.

But something went wrong with his latest resurrection.

Lucien's body came back to life as usual, but this time, his soul was gone. In its place was the soul of Marcus Hale, an ordinary man from Earth who knew nothing about Lucien's enemies, his crimes, or the world he had just entered.

And the first thing Marcus saw when he opened his eyes was a beautiful demon woman pressing a sword against his throat.

His head throbbed as though someone had smashed it against a wall. His chest burned, and every breath felt like something sharp was digging into his ribs.

What the fuck happened to me?

He tried to move.

"Don't." A woman's voice stopped him.

Marcus froze. Standing over him was the most terrifying woman he had ever seen.

She had long black hair, curved horns rising from her head, and a pair of blazing red eyes. Her beautiful face was twisted with anger, and the sword in her hand was already pressing hard enough against his neck to draw blood.

"Lucien Veyr!" Her voice shook with rage. "You fucking betrayed me!"

Lucien? Who the hell was Lucien?

"After everything I told you, you still dared to betray me?" she continued. "What did I tell you I would do if you ever broke our contract?"

Marcus opened his mouth. "Who are—" He stopped.

That wasn't his voice. His voice had always been a little rough, especially in the morning. But the voice that had just come out of his mouth was deep, smooth, and strangely calm.

He looked down. His fingers were longer, and there was a silver ring on his right hand. He was wearing strange black clothes soaked in blood.

His heart began pounding. This wasn't his body!

Marcus tried to remember what had happened. The last thing he remembered was sitting with his stupid friend, telling him that if things continued the way they were going, they would both die broke and single.

They had even laughed about it.

And now he was lying on a cold stone floor, with a sword against his throat and a beautiful lunatic threatening to kill him.

What kind of joke is this?

Suddenly, a pale blue screen appeared before his eyes.

[STATUS]

Name: Lucien Veyr

Level: 1

Class: None (Hollow)

STR: 8 | SPD: 9 | MIND: 14 | WILL: 12

A status screen? Like those games he used to play?

Before he could think further, another message appeared.

[WARNING: HOST BODY CRITICALLY INJURED]

"Are you even listening to me?!" The woman's furious voice dragged his attention away. She pressed the sword harder against his neck. "Answer me!"

Marcus swallowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The woman laughed bitterly. "You don't know? After selling me out to those bastards, you suddenly don't know anything?"

Selling her out?

"I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" she repeated.

The sword disappeared from his neck. For one wonderful second, Marcus thought she was going to listen.

Then she raised it. "I'm going to kill you again!"

Again?! Had she already killed this body's owner? Was that why he was here?

He didn't have time to think. The sword came down, and Marcus rolled to the side.

CLANG!

The blade struck the stone floor where his neck had been a second earlier.

"Are you crazy?!" Marcus shouted. The words came out in that same strange, commanding voice.

The woman's eyes burned brighter. "You dare raise your voice at me?"

Oh, for fuck's sake! He hadn't meant to sound arrogant. He was scared out of his mind!

"Listen, I—"

She swung again. Marcus threw himself backward, but the blade caught his shoulder.

"ARGHH!"

Pain exploded through his body. Blood sprayed across the floor, and he grabbed his shoulder as he stumbled away.

This woman was actually going to kill him! He had barely opened his eyes in this strange world, and someone was already trying to send him straight back to the grave.

"Please!" he shouted. "Just tell me what I did!"

"You're still pretending?"

Marcus barely saw her coming. One moment she was standing several steps away. The next, her boot slammed into his stomach.

He crashed against the stone wall. "UGH!" The air left his lungs, and he dropped to the floor, gasping.

The woman approached slowly, dragging her sword against the floor.

"You thought you could use me and throw me away? You thought I would let you sell me to House Vareth like some worthless animal?"

House Vareth?

Marcus had no idea what that meant. But one thing was becoming clear. Whoever Lucien Veyr was, he had seriously offended this woman, and Marcus was paying for it.

"I warned you what would happen if you breached our contract." She raised her sword again.

Marcus lifted his arm to protect his face, but before the blade could reach him, a sharp red light flashed.

The woman hissed in pain.

For the first time, Marcus noticed the thin black chain around her wrist. Strange red markings covered its surface, and one of its links was cracked.

As she tried to force the blade downward, the chain glowed brighter. Smoke rose from her skin, forcing her to step back.

What was that?

The woman clutched her wrist. "Even now\..." she muttered. "Even after everything you've done, this cursed thing still protects you."

Marcus's eyes widened. Every time she tried to strike a killing blow, the chain burned her. But it didn't stop her from hurting him.

And judging by the blood running down his arm, it wasn't doing a very good job of keeping him alive either.

Okay, Marcus. Think.

He had no weapon and couldn't run. Even if he tried, this woman was too fast. His only chance was that strange chain around her wrist.

"Before you kill me, answer one question."

The woman ignored him and raised her sword again.

"What happens to that chain if I die?"

Her hand stopped.

Marcus noticed it immediately. He had no idea how the chain worked, but he had seen what happened whenever she tried to kill him.

"Do you really want to find out?" he asked.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "What are you planning now?"

Nothing! I'm planning absolutely nothing!

But Marcus couldn't tell her that.

"You're the one holding the sword," he replied. "I'm just asking whether you've thought about what happens afterward."

For a moment, she said nothing. Then she pressed the tip of her sword against his injured shoulder.

Marcus clenched his teeth as fresh pain shot through him.

"Don't mistake my hesitation for mercy, Lucien," she whispered. "If you're trying to trick me again, I'll make you wish you were dead."

Marcus swallowed. At least she wasn't aiming for his neck anymore.

Before he could think of what to say next, the blue screen suddenly appeared again. This time, it was bloodred.

[CONTRACT RECORD RECOVERED]

[HIDDEN LIABILITY DETECTED]

Outstanding Debt: 3 Demon Lords

Debt Status: UNPAID

Current Debtor: Lucien Veyr

[CREDITOR IDENTITIES LOCKED UNTIL CONTRACT RECORDS ARE RECOVERED]

[WARNING: DEBTS TRANSFERRED TO NEW SOUL]

Marcus went cold.

Three Demon Lords? What the hell had this Lucien done to owe three Demon Lords?

He looked at the woman holding the sword against his shoulder. One demon was already more than he could handle, and now he had three more to worry about?

Another message appeared.

[FIRST CREDITOR HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF YOUR RETURN.]

Marcus gasped.

[DEBT COLLECTION HAS BEGUN.]