Transmigrate to another world

So I tell Ruby all about the soulscape and my battle with Drog, and about Mericel's soul being there with me. Ruby laughs as I tell her about my battle, but her laughter disappears when I tell her how Mericel died.

Ruby says "That's how the king was able to summon all the heroes ahead of time! She must be from a very old and powerful lineage."

"We didn't get to talk much beyond that, so I'm going to have Drog teach me how to soulscape. Then I can talk to her again and get some information about her father and this world."

Ruby says "That sounds like a good idea.

So I work on my armor while Drog explains to me step by step how to make a soulscape. It's complicated the way he does it, but I'm pretty sure I can make it easier through meditation. So, once he finishes explaining, I put aside my leather work and go into meditation to give it a try.

I construct in my mind the image of a forest meadow through which a stream runs and then concentrate my will on making it a reality. I pay attention to details, such as the leaves on the trees, the grass and its smell. Then I feel a click and I am standing in the meadow.

⟨⟨-DING-⟩⟩.

- Congratulations, you have acquired the Soulscape mental ability!

√ Soulscape

- Level: 1

- Wisdom +5

- You can create a basic soulscape.

As I look around, I realize that I'm missing a few things, like sunlight, weather, and sounds. So I fill in what I'm missing to make it as real as possible. I create a mirror to check my reflection, I'm as I should be, although the demonic eye is pretty creepy.

Now I understand what was bothering Ruby so much, so I imagine an eye patch to cover it up. I notice I have Blitz on my back as usual, what I didn't expect is to see the puppy Drog sitting next to me.

"What are you doing here?"

Drog says "I had no choice, where the sword goes I go."

"Oh, that makes sense. So why are you still a puppy?".

Drog growls and says "Soul damage is permanent, I can't get back what I lost. I have to rank up again to get back to where I was."

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"What rank do you have now, and how do demons rank up?".

Drog says "I'm back to rank zero thanks to you!"

"Hey, you started that fight. Don't blame me for winning. Now answer the question."

Drog says "Demons rank up by upgrading their cores, the easiest way is to defeat other demons and eat their cores."

"Well, demons seem pretty rare, what's the hard way?".

Drog says "Spending demonic power and working on the core slowly."

"Oh, basically what I was doing before with mana. Speaking of mana, when you were trapped in the ice how did you use mana against the spell?"

Drog says "Mana? I wasn't, demons can't use mana. I used my demonic power to try to break the spell."

"So when I was breaking the spell I was absorbing your demonic power?"

Drog says "Yes, maybe that's why you survived by absorbing my core. You were already tainted by my power."

"Ugh. I forbid you to say that to Ruby! I don't need another lecture."

Drog says "Yes, master."

I imagine a bunch of rabbits running around and as I expected Drog runs off chasing after them. I look around again and imagine a couple of nice chairs and a table by the creek. I walk over, sit down and imagine Mericel.

"Mericel?"

She appears when I call out to her, but she's at the other end of the meadow. She looks the same as last time, but she seems a little worried.

"What's the matter with you, why are you so far away?"

Mericel says "You're a demon now. I don't want to be eaten."

"I'm not going to eat you! I'm still me."

Mericel sighs and starts walking towards me, and then I notice Drog charging at her. As he lunges, I imagine an invisible wall protecting Mericel.

⟨⟨-DING-⟩⟩⟩

- Congratulations!!! The Mental Defense skill has been raised to level 2.

√ Mental Defense

√ Level: 2

- Wisdom +6

- You can protect your mind a bit.

I let out a laugh as Drog hits the invisible wall and crashes into it like a cartoon character before falling to the ground. Mericel jumps up and looks very unhappy.

"Drog, I forbid you to attack Mericel."

Drog bows his head and says "Yes, master".

Mericel says "I told you, you can't trust demons!".

"I don't trust him, I trust the contract. If he disobeys me he will die permanently".

Mericel comes over and sits down across from me. She takes her time to look around and seems a bit reassured by the beautiful scenery.

Mericel says "You made this soulscape?"

"Yes, I had Drog show me how."

Mericel says "It's pretty nice, I'm guessing you're not a real demon."

"I'm not sure what I am, other than I'm still myself."

Mericel says "As long as you stick to that you'll be fine. Now do you have questions for me?"

"Yes, many. First, how do you spend your time here?".

Mericel says "I'm not sure. My lessons on soulscapes were pretty brief."

"Drog!"

Drog looks up from eating the rabbit he caught "What?"

"How does the time pass while we're here?"

Drog says "Every hour is about a minute of real time."

"Okay, good. Then we have plenty of time."

I imagine a tea set and a couple of plates of snacks on the table. I pour two cups of tea and offer one to Mericel. Then I sit down with my tea and ask her my first real question.

"How come you have been with me since I was summoned?".

Mericel says "When I realized what my father had done and that he was about to die I made a stupid decision. I was filled with rage and offered my soul to the Goddess of the Underworld Krenocia."

"I seem to remember hearing something like that before I was summoned."

Mericel says "Yes, the goddess accepted my offering and so you were summoned. You were not part of the original summoning, that is where my father was wrong. The spell only summoned forty-nine heroes, but Krenocia summoned you in answer to my prayer."

"So, I'm not a hero?"

Mericel says "No, Krenocia has no power over heroes, you are different."

"Then what am I?"

Mericel says "Well, have you noticed the other heroes? They were all summoned as is, that is, alive. Krenocia is the goddess of the dead, so she had to use a dead soul."

"So that's why I'm no longer human?"

Mericel says, "Yes. The goddess couldn't summon your body, so she created one for you."

"So that's why I'm a beastman then?"

Mericel says "Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

Mericel says "Well, you look like a beastman, but you're actually a humanoid mana beast."

"Mana beast? So that's why I became a demonic beast instead of a regular demon?"

Mericel says "Probably. It was probably the most powerful body Krenocia had access to. By putting your dead human soul in it she kept her end of the bargain."

"What's the deal you sold your soul for?"

Mericel says "I wanted revenge, so you were created as the instrument of that revenge. If you succeed, I will serve Krenocia willingly, and if you die, I will die with you. Until either happens my soul is bound to yours."