Chapter 7: I Was Supposed to Have Defeated the Fake Demon King…

I was recalling an event from an eroge.

In Becoming a hero, after Kain received intel from Mao that the Demon King’s army was preparing to invade Ackersen, he took the initiative and marched to the Demon King’s stronghold in Toviton to defeat him.

But in truth, the Demon King had already begun advancing toward the Hero Academy. Kain ended up defeating a mere decoy of the Demon King, while Nord fell under the Demon King’s enchantment and turned into the final boss.

Caught off guard, Kain was harshly berated by the surviving citizens of the Ackersen Kingdom, his reputation plummeting drastically. Yet, for defeating Nord, he was eternally celebrated as the hero who vanquished the Demon King.

So, if I do the opposite of Becoming of hero and storm the Demon King’s castle myself…!

If I leave the Hero Academy without a word, branded a coward who fled while the Demon King attacked, and if everyone stamps me with the label of incompetence despite all my competent moves so far, even Elise might finally give up on me and switch to Kain’s side!

While grading assignments submitted by the Hero Academy students in the professor’s office, I was crafting the perfect plan for my downfall when Harry burst in.

“Nord-sensei! It’s an emergency! The Demon King has declared he’ll crush the Hero Academy and Kain, and he’s leading a massive army of monsters toward the capital!”

“Wake up every student in the Offensive Department! Have them ready in three minutes and assemble in the courtyard. I’ll head to discuss this with Lillian and the other professors.”

“Yes, sir!”

Now then… time to get moving.

After Harry left the room, I stepped out onto the balcony and activated 【Cage of Submission】. A wyvern covered in silver scales appeared, gripping the railing with its claws as it perched there.

Kyururururun♪

The wyvern, Kukuru, rubbed its snout against me affectionately. It was one of the monsters Mao had commanded, and after I saved it from near death, it grew ridiculously attached to me, so I decided to keep it.

“Kukuru! Take me near the Demon King’s castle!”

Kyururururu────────!

Showing me its winged back, it flapped its wings eagerly, so I leapt aboard.

To be blunt, this was nothing short of an escape for me.

If I rushed in, defeated the fake Demon King out of impatience, and returned smugly, I could already picture the disappointed looks everyone would give me. I’d hand the lascivious Saint Elise—who’d even started sneaking into my bed at night—back to Kain and live a quiet, leisurely slow life.

Humming cheerfully as I soared through the sky, I noticed the horizon ahead growing dark… no, wait!

The monsters were blotting out the sky.

It felt like there were easily 300,000 flying monsters alone. Maybe because I’d taunted them in Nord-speak, they’d mobilized a million total, including the ground forces.

“Nord-sama! Leave this to me!”

“Huh!?”

A familiar voice rang out from behind me…

“To those who defy the gods and commit evil, may the holy judgment of Eroris, Goddess of Love, be bestowed upon you!”

【Divine Punishment】

Turning around, I saw Elise standing on Kukuru’s back, raising a staff adorned with the radiant emblem of the Eron Church. She unleashed 【Divine Punishment】, an offensive holy magic that only a Saint-class figure should be able to wield.

Tamaya~! Kagiya~!

I nearly let out such irreverent words. As 【Divine Punishment】 closed in on the monsters, the beam of light dispersed before my eyes, enveloping them. With a shhh sound, steam rose, and the pitch-black sky regained its blue hue.

The rising steam reflected the light of 【Divine Punishment】, forming what looked like an angelic halo as the monsters seemed to ascend to the heavens…

“Why is Elise here!? I was planning to slip away unnoticed by anyone…”

“There’s no way I could believe Nord-sama would flee from such a paltry number of monsters. If anything, you’d gleefully charge in to meet the Demon King’s army head-on.”

“Uh, no, but that just now…”

“Yes! I trained so I could stay by Nord-sama’s side. Is this still not good enough?”

“For someone rooted in offensive magic, I’d say it’s above average at best, but for a healer, it’s undeniably top-tier…”

To think she’d taken my words so seriously and devoted herself to training… Even my Nord-speak, always eager to one-up others, couldn’t help but praise her.

“But that’s beside the point! Get down now and return to the Hero Academy!”

“I still have plenty of energy left, so I was thinking of unleashing one more strike.”

What!?

No, no, if she doesn’t hold back a little, it won’t be me but Elise who ends up wiping out not just the Demon King’s army but the Demon King himself!

“Elise! We don’t have time to waste on small fry. Right now, a scheme to destroy Ackersen in a single blow is being hatched in the Demon King’s castle. I need to hurry and stop it. In other words, the Demon King’s personal march is just a diversionary lie.”

“As expected of Nord-sama! To foresee something no one in the Hero Academy—no, the entire Ackersen Kingdom—has noticed and take preemptive action! I’m falling for you even more!”

I’d thrown out a random lie because it seemed like she might say something like “I’ll take them all out myself.” There was no such scene in Becoming of hero.

Believing my lie, Elise pressed her body close to mine, but if the Hero Academy students—especially Kain—saw us flirting in midair like this, it’d be a disaster.

“Kukuru, crank your wing speed into the red zone!”

Kyururururu────────♪

“Red zone? Wing speed?”

“N-Nothing… just a slip of the tongue.”

Kukuru, tamed and attuned to my nuances, understood, but Elise tilted her head in confusion.

“You must be tired, right? Let me heal you.”

With me casting an acceleration boost buff and Elise applying healing magic to Kukuru, we flew nonstop and reached the Demon King’s castle in mere hours…

Excuse the intrusion!

Since leaving Elise behind might turn her into a berserk healer again, we infiltrated the Demon King’s castle together.

“~~~!? ───…”

The castle was an empty husk, its monsters fully mobilized for the kingdom’s invasion. Silencing and finishing off the few remaining orc guards, they collapsed like puppets with their strings cut.

As we ventured deeper into the dimly lit castle, we came across a clichéd large door adorned with skull decorations, slightly ajar with light spilling out.

Peering inside…

What the hell!? Why is Demon King Azrael in the palace!? Wasn’t he supposed to be leading the march himself…?

And that magic circle—it’s Barbalus!

If that activates, it’ll split the entire continent apart.

To stop the magic circle’s activation, I revealed myself before Azrael.

“For someone hailed as the Demon King, you’re just tinkering away at a magic circle? Pretty small-time. I bet the thing between your legs isn’t much to brag about either.”

“You act calm, but your foresight was lacking, Black Hero Nord. You seem to be hiding your strength, but underestimating this Azrael will cost you. A hero who hasn’t awakened his power is no match even for my decoy. You tried to outsmart me, but you fell right into my diversion.”

Hiding my true strength isn’t easy, huh. The Demon King reacted to my power, and now the route’s branched off…

“Sigh… I really wish it’d been the other way around.”

“Fuhahahaha! Lament your misfortune! Huh?”

No, that’s your fate…

To hurry back and clean up Kain’s mess from the shadows, I shifted into my full Dark Awakening, and Azrael visibly paled.

“Sorry, but to put it mildly, it seems I’ve grown strong enough to leave you far, far behind…”

“A mere human dares────!”

“Hey, lackey. No time to be shocked. Before you die, I’ve got a question. Why did you try to use Mao as a pawn?”

“Hahaha! I deigned to keep that lowly beast. She should be thanking me!”

“Did you just call Mao a beast?”

“Yes, I’ll say it as many times as you like! That thing’s a brute! A mere animal! A lowly creature that we demons must domesticate! But more importantly… did you just call me a lackey?”

“I did. So what? Sorry, was ‘lackey’ too generous? Is it wrong to call a lackey a lackey and speak the truth? Prove to me right here that you’re not a lackey. If you can’t, you’re officially a trash bug. Or would you prefer toilet worm?”

“You! I’ll never let you leave alive, so prepare yourself!”

“Prepare? For you? Heh heh heh… You’re killing me. I’m dying of laughter. Impressive—you’ve got a debuff that can kill with laughter and erase bloodlust!”

“How far will you mock me!?”

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to mock you. I just wanted you to properly recognize what real strength is, Azrael-kun.”

I got heated by Azrael’s words. In Becoming of hero, he forcibly triggered Mao’s Ancestral Awakening, turning her into a white tiger beast. She unleashed all her power in a rampage and died in Kain’s arms… He never intended to treat Mao as a comrade—just a disposable pawn.

I activated 【Spatial Distortion】 and placed a hand on the Demon King’s shoulder from behind.

“A mere human dares mock a Demon King!?”

“Heh heh heh, the only thing I lick is a woman’s down-there. I wouldn’t touch your body even if I were dead.”

Blush♡

“Nord-samaaa… After you defeat the Demon King… will you pin me to the bed and lick my down-there…?”

“Elise, I told you to stay back because it’s dangerous!”

Her words are the real danger here.

While I was distracted by Elise, Azrael hit me with an EX debuff.

【Kneel Before the King Who Rules All Demons】

It slashed all my stats—attack power, magic power, healing power, mental resistance, instant-death evasion chance, everything.

“Fuhahahahahahaha! Human! Mock me and let your guard down, and you’ll eat a debuff! Right now, you’re less than a lowly trash bug! You can’t possibly beat me!”

Oh, really?

Azrael cackled triumphantly, but I could say the same about his own carelessness. I fired off a spell without chanting, landing a clean hit on him.

It seems he was so smug about the debuff’s effect that he wanted to tank the hit and pull an “It didn’t work” move.

“Gah!”

Azrael’s right shoulder was blasted clean off from the root.

“W-Why do you still have this much power!? Did you use some kind of artifact!? Answer me, human!”

“Heh heh heh… You’re noisy with your ‘human this, human that.’ I’ll tell you this, you who’s doomed to die for enslaving Tsen’s people. My name is Nord Villance. No matter how many times you reincarnate, I’ll carve into your soul that you can never beat me.”

As I slowly stepped toward Azrael, he backed away in fear.

“Oh, I forgot to answer your question. That was 【Eternal Dark Surge】. Don’t worry, your debuff worked just fine. But sadly, even with it, I’m still stronger.”

“N-No way… Impossible… For me, with dark resistance, to fall to the weakest magic… A mere human surpassing me…”

“I’m a genius. Plus, I dabbled just a tiny bit in what commoners call ‘effort.’ And look at that—even a Demon King like you starts to feel like a pathetic weakling.”

“Y-You bastard────!”

“Do you know how much Mao suffered?”

“G-GAAAHHHH!”

I used 【Eternal Dark Surge】 to slice off Azrael’s remaining limbs.

“Too weak. I expected more from someone calling themselves the Demon King, but this is honestly disappointing…”

Drawing Galianus like an iaijutsu strike, the chained blade extended with a jangle and cleaved the Demon King’s torso in two.

“Impossible!? Me, felled by a mere human…?”

As the Demon King faced his final moments, I muttered in my heart:

(Well, even if you’d attacked the Hero Academy, I doubt you’d have survived anyway.)

After slaying Azrael with Galianus and sheathing the blade, Elise stared at my crotch, wriggling her body seductively and fidgeting with her fingers in embarrassment.

“Um… Nord-sama, will your precious part down there… stretch out like that black, sturdy sword and pamper me inside…?”

Huh?

I’d even forgotten that I’d defeated the Demon King, standing there with my mouth agape.

Just how wild is this girl’s imagination when it comes to that stuff!?

Gurgle… gurgle…

“You called yourself Nord, huh! Remember this! Among the Demon Kings, I’m the weakest! The remaining six Demon Kings will avenge me…!”

“You’re making me laugh. Claiming to be a demon yet relying on some buddy-buddy revenge game…”

As I returned Demon King Azrael’s corpse to the darkness, Elise rushed over to me—and then!?

She stole my lips in a surprise attack. For a Saint, what a passionate kiss…

Mmm…

Even when I tried to pull away, she held my head and back, refusing to let go. Her ample chest pressed against me, her heartbeat and warmth seeping into me.

“Pwah… I’m so glad you’re safe, Nord-sama. If anything had happened to you, I was ready to follow you to the grave…”

“Me, die? Don’t waste your time worrying about that. More importantly, are you unharmed?”

“For Nord-sama to worry about me…”

“I was only concerned about whether you could become a proper Saint. Losing you would be a huge blow to Ackersen, after all.”

“Even so, I’m happy!”

Elise directed a sun-bright smile at me, so dazzling I had to look away…

“You saved us!”

“Could it be you defeated Azrael!?”

With me having slain the Demon King, it seemed the seal on the underground dungeon had broken, and beastmen began pouring into what I’d arbitrarily dubbed the “Skull Chamber.”

Among them was a beastman with white fur and a striped tail.

【Dragon-Slaying Magic Grenade】

Shhh♪

After Elise tended to the captured beastmen, I obliterated the Demon King’s castle so thoroughly that not even Azrael’s soul would remain.

—[Kain’s Perspective]

I gazed out the classroom window. Ahh, my beloved Ellie-tan…

I was searching for her figure in the Healing Department building when I felt down about her absence. Then came the call to assemble in the courtyard.

“Hey, Kain! Kain! No time to space out! Look!”

My classmate Harry called out to me, pointing at the sky. Shifting my gaze from the sky to him, I saw him leap out the window, already chanting magic. Trained harshly by Nord, we stayed calm and began preparations without panicking, but students from other classrooms who’d gone outside first were trembling with pale faces.

And they call themselves nobles!? Always acting superior to commoners! I’ll protect this academy myself!

Speaking of pathetic, there’s Nord.

“Nord’s always spouting big talk, but when it matters, he’s nowhere to be found—what a total scumbag!”

As I fumed over Nord’s apparent desertion, a maddening voice mocked me.

“Heh heh heh… Kain, you think I fled from the enemy?”

Before I knew it, a command platform had been set up, and Nord stood there, his cloak billowing.

“Nord!?”

““Nord-sensei!””

“That’s why you’re hopeless.”

“Shut up! I just haven’t gotten serious yet. More importantly, Nord! You were cowering from that massive monster horde, weren’t you!?”

“Me, cowering and hiding? Heh heh heh, hahaha, AHAHAHA! You say the funniest things. I was watching to see if you lot could fight without me. But you’re useless. Everyone’s moving on their own with zero coordination. Do it like I taught you!”

The scattered Hero Academy students rallied at Nord’s command, forming an impressive formation—frustratingly perfect.

“Kain, stop slacking and fire off 【Fireball】! Don’t tell me your birdbrain forgot it.”

“Tch! 【Fireball】”

As much as it pissed me off, Nord’s leadership was spot-on. Under his direction, the monster assault was crushed, their attacks growing sporadic…

“Haa, haa, is that all of them? The Demon King’s army isn’t such a big deal…”

The chaotic monster horde was roasted to a crisp by close-range magic. Taking a breather from exhaustion, I noticed a massive monster looming over us. How did something that huge sneak up so quietly?

It was twice my height, with red skin that looked like it was ablaze, a muscular frame, and a sharp horn jutting from its forehead. Clearly an ogre-type, it bellowed in broken speech.

“Where’s the hero!? I’m Demon King… Azrael! Strong ones, step forward! Try to beat me!”

This Azrael didn’t quite match the rumors, but if he says he’s the Demon King, then he must be, right!? If I defeat him, my reputation will soar… Ellie-tan will leave Nord and come back to me for sure!

Azrael wielded a spiked mace bigger than his body. The tank students raised their shields, but with a roar—“UOOOOOOOOO────!”—he swung it, sending them flying like pebbles.

“No one told me the Demon King was a power type!”

“What’s wrong, Kain? Are you shaking? Didn’t you get stronger under that master Graham? To falter before a mere lackey like that… aiming to be a hero is ten thousand years too early for you.”

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! I slapped my trembling legs. I can’t lose to him! I’m not the old me anymore!

“Demon King! I’m the hero!! Excalibur Implosion!”

Channeling all my frustration, regret, and jealousy into Excalibur, I slashed at Azrael’s arm.

“To call yourself a hero with that level…”

I managed to deflect the mace’s trajectory, but instead of severing his arm, its tough hide only let me leave a deep gash…

“Nord! What are you doing!? Blast Azrael with a massive spell, me included!”

“Heh heh heh… Kain, as you wish, I’ll blow you away with him. Fire! 【Roar of Gathered Sandstorm】”

At Nord’s order, the Offensive Department students raised hands, swords, and staves, unleashing magic.

Converging sand grains shot forth, grinding away at Azrael’s body.

“With this level, with this level…”

Seeing Azrael’s mace erode and vanish in the sandstorm, I seized the chance…

“Finish him! HAAA────!”

My swung Excalibur caught Azrael’s neck.

Unlike the arm slash, this time I felt resistance.

Turning back, I saw everyone holding their breath.

The Demon King’s head rolled across the ground.

At the same time, the ominous aura Azrael exuded vanished.

“You bragged my Excalibur wouldn’t work, but it did! How’s that, Demon King!? Before you die, remember this—I’m Hero Kain, you idiot!”

I went to kick Azrael’s head like a ball, but my foot swung through empty air.

“Hero! You’re coming with me! 【Ram Charge】”

Azrael’s head snapped its eyes open, its horn glowing red and extending. It stretched to rapier length and flew at me.

I barely avoided a fatal hit, but the horn pierced my left shoulder.

“Kain! 【Crimson Explosive Blaze】”

Glen fired a massive fire spell at Azrael’s head.

“UWAAAAA!”

I was swallowed by the blast along with Azrael…

“Cough… cough…”

“Kain took down the Demon King…”

“But in this case, since Nord-sensei was leading…”

“Beating a weakling like that has no value. I’ll let whoever wants it have the credit.”

“Congrats, Kain. Nord-sensei handed you the glory.”

That idiot Nord! He might think he’s being cool, but I’m not giving it back even if he asks later. Besides, Nord just commanded—I actually killed the Demon King.

“Did everyone see? I beat the Demon King. Pretty awesome, right? Super awesome! I deserve the hero title now, don’t I? I’ll go talk to the dean!”

Huh? Where’d that jerk Nord go!?

As I raised my victory cry and glanced at the command platform, Nord, who’d been barking orders so smugly, was already gone…

“Kain, since when did you get a tattoo?”

Feeling a heat, I took off my jacket, and Harry asked about my shoulder. For some reason, an ogre-face-like emblem had appeared there—kinda badass!

“Y-Yeah, that’s right. Pretty cool, huh?”

“Hmm, it’s kinda like a thug…”

“You don’t get it, Harry. Girls love bad boys, bad boys!”

I explained it as a tattoo to Harry, but it was really the scar from Azrael’s horn transforming.

If I surprise Elise with this emblem when we share a bed, she’ll fall for me all over again. I’ll keep it a secret till then!

—[Nord’s Perspective]

Above the Hero Academy.

“Elise, listen well. I’ll likely be judged as a grave sinner who kidnapped you and fled the enemy. They’ll probably strip me of all titles and send me to the frontier as a commoner.”

“Why must Nord-sama, who defeated the Demon King, face judgment!? I’ll share the blame with you!”

“You couldn’t handle that life. I’ll set you down from Kukuru—claim I’m the villain. That way, House Magdalia can fully recover.”

“No way! My brother will manage the house somehow. I’ll never leave Nord-sama’s side, even if it kills me!”

“You’re so stubborn…”

As I struggled with the obstinate Elise, voices reached us from below.

“Onii-samaaaa!”

“Nord-samaaaa!”

Mari, Glen, and the Hero Academy students were waving at me.

That’s strange…

There’s no way I, who supposedly fled the enemy, should be warmly welcomed.

To find out why, I had Kukuru land.

“Nord! Where’d you go!?”

“I abandoned you all and fled like a coward.”

“Huh? You were just here—what are you babbling about? We won thanks to your leadership, didn’t we?”

“My leadership?”

“Yeah.”

“As expected of Onii-sama! With splendid command, you supported that pathetic hero… and even went to hunt down stragglers. It’s beyond respect—I feel reverence!”

Marie spun around, raising a staff with a heart design, and for a moment, I saw my own figure.

No way—did Marie disguise herself as me?

“Marie, were you my decoy?”

“Yup! Marie turned into Onii-sama and fought. Everyone was struggling, but when I stepped in as you, they rallied!”

Whispering to her privately, she answered with a carefree smile, leaving me speechless before my adorable sister.

As everyone praised me,

“Nord didn’t do anything impressive, yet he’s getting lauded by his noble cronies—what a cushy life! But I beat the Demon King────────────────────!”

Kain proudly held up the horn of Ogus, one of Azrael’s Four Heavenly Kings, an oni ogre. I recognized it instantly, but Kain seemed oblivious.

If I pointed it out, it’d reveal I defeated the real Demon King.

“You’ve finally reached a level where you can lick my boots… I just handed you the credit. Go ahead and revel in ‘defeating the Demon King.’”

“Big talk! But with me beating the Demon King, a promotion’s guaranteed. I’ll call her Elise now. Marry me, Elise!”

Mistaking himself for the Demon King’s slayer, Kain shot me a smug look before kneeling before Elise beside me, proposing in his blood-stained state.

Dude, read the room!

That’s when it happened.

“No chance. Liar, womanizer, coward, incompetent, show-off, penniless, bathes once a week, smelly feet, reeks of virginity, terrible wordplay that’s just cringe… There’s no way I could marry you!”

Elise’s barrage of insults stabbed into Kain, and I almost wanted to offer condolences to his hollowed-out soul.

Then came the finishing blow.

Mao appeared before us and started spilling secrets.

“That’s a fake! Nord beat the real Demon King!!”

“What!?”

GYAAAAA────! Why’d you spill the truth!?

As I screamed internally like Munch’s painting, Lillian, who’d come to assess the academy’s damage, grabbed Mao’s shoulders and interrogated her.

“Wait a sec, is that true?”

“Actually… I couldn’t tell anyone, but I was one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings… So I can tell real from fake just by looking…”

Revealing her identity at the Hero Academy, which trains those to oppose the Demon King? She must have a death wish.

“Mao!”

“Father! Mother!”

I’d brought them along since we rescued the captive beastmen, and they turned out to be Mao’s family.

“Dean-sama, Mao only helped the Demon King because they held our family hostage.”

“AAAAAAA──────!?”

What the hell? Lillian let out a bizarre shriek…

Seeing the captive beastmen, Lillian gasped like a woman in ecstasy, but calming herself, she took Mao and her parents to the dean’s office and vanished.

Probably planning to hush up Mao’s collaboration with the Demon King in exchange for a donation to the academy from Tsen’s emperor, given Mao and her parents’ attendant roles.

Several Days Later

I’d been invited to a grand palace reminiscent of an ancient imperial court.

“Nord-sama, it’s customary for guests to wear this robe.”

“Is that so? Fine, I’ll wear it.”

“Thank you.”

A bunny-eared maid dressed me in a yellow robe, and the official who brought it knelt, bowing deeply. Not just him—surrounding military and civil officials did the same, oddly deferential.

Sure, I saved Mao’s parents, but they must be key figures in Tsen’s foundation.

Seated in an ornate chair, Mao’s father declared before a crowd of courtiers:

“The forty-fifth Beast Emperor Bao Gan Tsen hereby abdicates, ceding the throne to Nord Villance-sama. Henceforth, the nation’s name changes from Tsen to Villance. Now, let us begin the wedding ceremony with my daughter Mao.”

Huh?

I could only gape—what was this guy saying? The info overload nearly sent me into a panic.

Then came more chaos.

Mao appeared in a white veil and a sheer wedding cheongsam from shoulders to chest, exuding the aura of a refined princess, not the androgynous figure from before.

“Why’re you dressed like a princess!? You’re just an attendant officer, Mao!”

Yeah, in Becoming of hero, Mao exits as a tragic heroine—nothing about what comes after!

“Oh, that? I kept it from everyone, but I’m Tsen’s princess. Well, now I’m Nord’s empress, though! ♡”

“Hey, hey, hey! For real? You were just using me, weren’t you? You didn’t actually care about me—just a give-and-take deal, right?”

“At first, yeah. But you believed in me and saved my beloved parents—gratitude… no, what girl wouldn’t fall for you? Now I get why Elise is so drawn to you.”

“…”

Please, stop with this nightmare-level joke…

“Wait a damn minute─────────────────!”

As Mao sat beside me, the heavy doors of the Beast Holy Palace swung open, a loud voice echoing amid Bao’s favored vassals.

“Elise!?”

Officers lunged to restrain her, but wielding a mace inherited from Lotus, she deftly repelled their onslaught.

“Elise, don’t worry. Tsen—no, Villance—allows polygamy.”

“Please don’t decide things without consulting me.”

“Got it. From now on, we’ll decide as a happy couple! ♡”

“I’m breaking off the engagement.”

“Please break off the engagement!”

---

Wald’s Room

For now, I’d returned the imperial title to Mao’s father, gift-wrapped with a note that I’d utterly destroy Tsen if they dared crown me emperor.

“Nord, Marianne! Having such exceptional children fills me with pride. I’m truly sorry for treating you so poorly until now. But from here on, let’s live happily as a family of three.”

Wald bowed deeply, offering a handshake. Seated side-by-side on the sofa, Marie and I were unusually praised by him. Exchanging glances, we eyed Wald’s sudden shift warily, but when he asked about defeating Azrael and I told him, he was unbelievably delighted.

That Wald, who’d despised us so much, now praised us was baffling. As we left his room, I’d slipped 【Magic Eye】 in to monitor him.

After Marie and I departed, Wald silently stared at a portrait of his wife—our mother—Daria. Her features were strikingly like an adult Marie’s disguise.

I thought it might just be my paranoia, but then…

“You all, step out for a bit.”

“As you wish.”

Dismissing the butler and maids, Wald began acting suspiciously. He stood, pushing a bookshelf packed with tomes.

Terererere-teren♪

The puzzle-solving jingle from a national action-fantasy about an elf boy echoed in my mind.

Behind the shifted bookshelf, a hidden door appeared in the wall.

I’d never noticed this in Becoming of hero.

Wald pulled a keyholder from his chest pocket, unlocking multiple layers of locks one by one.

“Daria, wait for me. I’m coming now.”

What!?

The door opened, revealing a dark entrance with stairs likely leading underground. Snapping his fingers, Wald conjured a fireball to light the steps and beyond.

Magic Eye, follow Wald!

Buffing it with 【Presence Concealment (Enhanced)】 was the right call.

Magic Eye became my vision, trailing Wald deep down the stairs. After about a hundred steps, another door appeared.

Opening a heavy, fireproof-safe-like door, a faint voice echoed from the depths.

…do… do…

That voice… the one I heard when Marie went flower-picking…

Sensitivity up! Enhancing Magic Eye’s audio and visual range, I was speechless.

…do… k-kill… do…

Daria—or what seemed to be her—her torso severed, spine exposed, upper body preserved in a cylindrical glass tank filled with green liquid, like a preservation fluid.

Despite her state, she seemed alive, reaching out from the tank as if pleading. Wald pressed his hand against the glass in response.

This isn’t what we were told!

Marie and I had heard from Wald that Daria was recuperating in a frontier sanatorium.

“Daria… listen. Nord finally enrolled in the Hero Academy and is now called a hero by everyone. Even Marianne’s following his example and working hard. What filial children we have.”

So he wasn’t just a toxic parent—he genuinely rejoiced in our growth.

I was shocked by Daria’s pitiful state, but just as I started to warm to Wald—whom I’d pegged as a typical villainous lord—being more human than I thought…

Ugh!?

“It’s almost time. Marianne’s grown into a body that can accept you. I’ll definitely revive you. Once Nord wipes out the demons and reclaims the holy land Acroeros, using his vast magic as a catalyst in a ritual there, your soul will surely settle into Marianne as its vessel.”

“…do… kill…”

“Don’t worry. Those kids will be thrilled to show their filial piety.”

Wald pressed his forehead to the tank, gazing at Daria lovingly with a gentle smile, but she trembled, begging for death.

“As long as I have you, I don’t need status or wealth. With House Magdalia fallen, Ackersen Kingdom is in my grasp. I’ll sacrifice everything in this nation to bring you back, so please wait.”

“P…lea…se… k-kill…”

Declaring his devotion, Wald clenched his fist, showing unwavering resolve.

That bastard Wald… he’s this insane!?

Sacrificing his two kids and the kingdom’s people to revive one wife… I recalled Magic Eye from the basement before he noticed.

Honestly, I wanted to bury Wald and Daria down there together.

Phew…

As Magic Eye returned to my hand, I sighed. Seems like even after beating the Demon King, death flags follow me thanks to some correction force.

Wald’s basically a yandere duke straight out of a sekai-kei story.

Sure, he’s nuts, but…

Speaking of death flags, there’s the demon factor too.

In Becoming of hero, Nord fought Ogus, humiliated him, and got implanted with the demon factor. It doesn’t activate immediately, but it gradually transforms the body into a demon…

Looks like Kain fought and beat Ogus, but timid as he is, he probably didn’t pull a prideful stunt like Becoming of hero’s Nord, earning a high-ranking demon’s grudge.

Really drives home that the tongue’s the root of calamity…

As I pondered my next moves to survive,

“It’s pure love, right!?”

“Gah!?”

Elise popped out from under my desk with a grin, emerging between my legs.

“How’d you know what I was thinking!?”

The footage from Magic Eye feeds directly into my brain—there’s no way Elise should know…

“That’s because I’ve adored Nord-sama for so long, I can tell right away!”

The fact that Elise had full access to my spying on Wald via security cam was no laughing matter.

“Nord-sama, you must be so stressed. Let me relieve you with some service!”

Once clumsy at undressing as a noble lady, she now deftly unbuttoned her maid blouse, removed her bra, and flaunted her scandalous, bountiful chest at me.

What!?

Not stopping there, she moved to “heal” me at blinding speed.

Looking up at me, her erotic cuteness sapped my will to resist, while my “little soldier” stood far too proudly.

This is like some steamy office romance—if it’s all exposed, it’s not just a leak, it’s a full-on draining!

As I mentally quipped at Elise, Mao emerged from under the bed.

Wait, she was hiding in that tiny space!?

“Hold up! You’re tired of Elise’s same-old tricks, right? I’ll do it with my tail! ♡”

Using her tail? That’s next-level!

Instead of making a ring with her fingers, Mao formed one with her tail, licking her lips lewdly.

What kind of play is she planning!?

““We’ll serve you! ♡♡♡””

“Ah, ahh, AAAAAAAA────!”