Chapter 8: Demon Lord Awakening

────Ron’s Perspective

So if I want to move the Three Beast Musketeers, Crimsonia has to order them directly. Otherwise, those stubborn bastards won't budge an inch.

"Imora! What the hell is going on?! What happened to your plan to keep Crimsonia under your Charm?!"

"I am doing it!" Imora hissed, her face tight. "But her resistance is insane—sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't!"

"I don't want to hear your whining. When I tell you to do something, you do it to the end. Was your vow to avenge Azrael just empty words?"

"I'll do it! I'll do it! I will never forgive that man named Nord who murdered my father..."

Sh-sh-sha! A little provocation was all it took to fire her up. She really is incredibly simple.

"Ron-sama, the troops who barely managed to escape from the Succubus Territory have returned. What are your orders?"

"Tell them they'll be serving as meat shields on the front lines in the next battle."

I almost ordered those pathetic losers to be buried alive on the spot, but I supposed they could still serve as decent decoys.

"Ron-sama!"

"Huh?! What now?! You've been running in here with reports every five minutes. Gather a few reports before coming to me, you useless trash!"

"I am terribly sorry!"

"Are you? You don't sound sorry at all, you brainless idiot! If you want to apologize, rub your forehead against the floor!"

Crimsonia's subordinates are all utterly incompetent. Once I seize the Demon Lord's throne from her, keeping these fools alive won't be worth the effort.

Just as I was contemplating replacing the entire staff, a loud clanking sound echoed through the hall. When the metallic clatter finally stopped, the source of the noise spoke.

"I am Cotter, Commander of the Necro-Knight Order under Purple Soul Demon Lord Violetta-sama. Where is Crimsonia-sama?"

A creepy-looking Bone Knight was addressing me, but he didn't even bother to remove his helm or bow. Talk about an absolute lack of manners! What kind of discipline does that Demon Lord Violetta teach her underlings? Once I claim the throne, I'll make sure to put him in his place.

"Crimsonia is currently resting," I replied smoothly. "I'm acting as her deputy for the time being. Nice to meet you, Mr. Skeleton Knight."

"Address her with respect, you peasant! A third-rate creature like you has no right to omit Crimsonia-sama's honorific!"

This mere pile of bones actually dared to point his sword at me and bark orders!

"Don't mock me!" I hissed. "I was one of the Four Heavenly Kings under Blue Demon Lord Azrael!"

"We know. A disloyal coward who wanders around indulging in debauchery without even avenging his master."

"Tch... You'll pay for that! Once I settle this civil war and avenge Azrael, I'll tear you to pieces and feed you to the stray dogs!"

"Hahaha. The lizardmen certainly know how to crack a joke. Very well, I shall overlook your insolence for the sake of entertainment."

Tch! Talk about looking down on me! I'll chop up the idiot subordinate who summoned this guy and feed him to the fish later.

"If you fools are done laughing, get off your asses and prepare to slaughter those succubi already!"

Still, Crimsonia really is incredibly soft-hearted. Even though they aren't even her own children, the moment I took her subordinates' kids hostage, she became my obedient little puppet!

I can't stop laughing! I'm going to milk her for everything she's worth before tossing her aside.

────Crimsonia’s Perspective（Crimson Demon Palace Dungeon）

That ungrateful wretch, Ron! To completely forget the debt of mercy I showed him and betray me like this!

When he first arrived in my domain, he was clad in a tattered cloak, his body covered in wounds, with a succubus standing quietly by his side.

"Sis Crimsonia... your brother Ogus and I were best friends. Please... won't you hire me and this girl? We don't need any gold—as long as we have a place to sleep and some food, I'll work myself to the bone for you."

He cried and begged like a pathetic dog, only to pull a complete about-face and lock me up in my own dungeons. Normally, I would have simply given any stray demon some food and sent them on their way, but I had a soft spot for my beloved brother Ogas, and mentioning his name left me with no choice but to hire them.

It all started when Vermilia set out in my stead to subjugate the Elonians...

"Hey, Crimsonia! You recognize these brats, don't you?"

Ron had suddenly swaggered into the throne room with a smug grin. He was dragging several heavy chains, and bound to the ends of those chains were the adorable, trembling young children of my demon and beastmen subjects.

"Waaaah!"

"Daddy..."

"Mother...!"

They were all the children of the elite commanders serving under me. I had been far too careless... Thinking he would help teach those slave-driving Elonians a lesson, I had granted Ron authority on par with the Three Beast Musketeers. And this was the result...

"Crimsonia-oneesama, please be careful of Ron," Vermilia had warned me. "He is far too opportunistic. He will undoubtedly betray you one day."

"You worry too much, Vermilia. I consider both you and Roxelana to be my family. I will not let anything bad happen."

Argh! To think I had defended Ron with such absolute confidence! It is so incredibly embarrassing to look back on now! I really should have listened to Vermilia's warning. I have absolutely no face to show her!

Just as I was squirming in frustration within my cell...

"Crimsonia-sama, it has been a while."

"Ah, Riel! It has indeed been far too long."

"I would love to greet you properly, but we have no time. Mokoko is currently distracting Imora. We must escape while we have the chance!"

"I would love nothing more, but Ron has taken my commanders' children hostage. I cannot leave."

"No..."

"Do not fret. This lady has a plan! For now, could you break this magic-sealing shackle and replace it with a convincing replica?"

"Understood. Right away."

When Riel returned, she made me sit down like a little killer bear cub.

"Crimsonia-sama, please slip your hands and feet through the iron bars."

"Like this?"

As I extended them, she skillfully used a small saw to slice off the magic-sealing shackles.

"Apologies for the trouble. If my powers were fully restored, I could have simply chopped off my own hands and feet to escape..."

"Heavens, no! I could never dream of chopping off your wrists or ankles, Crimsonia-sama!"

Of course, in my prime, the parasitic organisms within me would have regenerated my limbs within minutes. But in this weakened state, it would take several days.

Once the fake magic-sealing shackles were in place, Riel whispered to me before parting.

"I see... So a human named Nord saved Vermilia and the succubi?"

"Yes! He is absolutely amazing, Crimsonia-sama!"

"This lady would certainly love to meet this Nord."

"I am sure you will. I know Nord-sama will come to save you from this predicament as well."

"Hahaha! Tell him that I am looking forward to it."

"I will!"

Riel departed with a bright smile. But even though I was immune to Imora's charm, I was still entirely at Ron's mercy as long as the hostages remained in his hands...

Several days passed, and it seemed Ron had gathered a ragtag mob of miscellaneous fodder to launch another assault on the succubi. The rusty hinges of my cell door groaned. Imora peered inside to usher me out.

"Time for work. Out you go."

"Are you really going to continue with this madness?" I sighed. "Do you not realize that you are simply being used by Ron?"

"Shut up!" she snapped. "I’m doing things my own way! You have no right to lecture me when you won't even lift a finger to help!"

"I suppose you are right..."

Stepping outside, the blinding sunlight nearly overwhelmed my senses after so long in the dark. As I squinted, Ron sauntered over, acting like he owned the place.

"My, aren't we being obedient today, Crimsonia-chan!"

He smirked, flicking my forehead with his finger to mock me. With that, my cumulative tally of reasons to obliterate Ron reached exactly five hundred and fifty-one.

"Don't say anything stupid in front of that skeleton," Ron hissed. "If you blow our cover, those hostages are going to get chopped up and fed to the beasts! Sh-sh-sha!"

"Say no more. I understand perfectly."

A platoon of knights clad in heavy armor knelt before me with a loud metallic clatter.

"Ah, Cotter. It has been far too long. Tell me, have you lost weight since we last met?"

"Heheh, Crimsonia-sama, you flatter me. I have looked exactly like this for the past two hundred years."

"Ahaha! Quite right, quite right."

"Still, I must admit I was shocked," Cotter mused. "To hear that Crimsonia-sama intends to subjugate her own sister was like a splash of cold water to the ears."

"Hahaha! But Cotter, you don't even have ears!"

"Ah, you've got me there, Crimsonia-sama!"

"Hahaha!"

As I warmed myself with this nostalgic reunion, an irritating voice barked from behind.

"Shut the hell up! Keep it down, both of you!"

At Ron's bark, the eerie red glow within Cotter’s empty sockets flared, locking onto him. I quickly reached out to touch the knight's armor, transmitting my voice directly to him.

《Hold your hand. He has taken our subjects' children hostage. We must not touch him for now.》

《As you command, my liege.》

I was carried aloft in a palanquin, but I could hear whispers of discontent rippling through the goblins and kobolds marching below.

"That bastard Ron actually went and hired humans."

"Yeah, a bunch of mercenaries who’d do anything for gold."

"I heard one of those mercenaries looks exactly like a Hero."

Ron seemed to think that my leading the vanguard in person would boost morale, but a disorganized rabble remains a rabble no matter what. Still, in my current state, I had to play my part. Standing tall upon the palanquin, I addressed the assembled army.

"By order of the Crimson Demon Lord, Crimsonia! My sister, Vermilia, has abused her position as Deputy Demon Lord in a treasonous attempt to usurp my throne! This is an unforgivable act of betrayal!"

"YEAAAAHHH!!" the army roared in unison.

"We shall capture Vermilia and strip her of her title! Furthermore, the rebel instigator, Demon Marquis Roxelana, shall be marched straight to the gallows!"

"YEAAAAHHH!!"

I didn't want to say it! I hated every single word of it! Having lost both my father and mother, those two were the only family I had left in this entire world... Yet, in cruel irony, the morale of my soldiers soared to absolute heights. Tragically, it was only because of how deeply they loved and respected me...

Beside my palanquin, Imora kept a close watch as my assigned handler. While pretending to be under her control to suss out their true motives, I had realized that Ron was merely exploiting her desire for revenge to steal my throne. When he realized my resistance to her Charm was far stronger than anticipated, he had orchestrated a series of forced abductions among the local succubi, hoping to forcibly bolster her charm's potency. Roxelana had apparently sent several official protests, but Ron had intercepted and destroyed them before they could ever reach my desk.

He truly is an absolute fool. Does he honestly believe that wearing a crown grants you everything your heart desires?

Wait! Though the magic-sealing shackles had blocked all communication through my horns, I can hear it! Yes, Vermilia's voice is ringing out crystal clear!

────Ron's Perspective

Just a little longer.

My master plan was simple.

An army always takes breaks during a march. But when you have enough soldiers to carpet the entire plain, they can't all rest at the same time. The moment a wide enough gap opens between the vanguard and the rearguard, Crimsonia-sama will have her life snuffed out by the succubus ambushers I've got waiting in the wings. That's the play.

As for the Three Beast Warriors and that skeleton bastard who might actually pose a threat to the assassination, I shipped them off to the vanguard. Those idiots have nothing but "Long live Crimsonia-sama!" floating around in their pea-sized brains, so they were practically giggling with excitement at the thought of leading the charge right under her nose.

God, must be nice to be that simple-minded. Barely any worries at all! Shashasha!!

We finally reached Lauple, a relatively large town.

Crimsonia-sama stepped down from her palanquin.

"Hold your horses, boys," I muttered to my men. "Don't you dare make a move until I give the word."

Once she slips into the town's restroom, we'll skew her from all sides. The very second Crimsonia-sama draws her last breath, I'll rally the troops for a "revenge campaign." I'll be hailed as the glorious hero who avenged the Demon Lord. The throne of the Demon Lord will be mine for the taking! After all, Vermilia is the only one left with the blood of Demon Lord Redra running through her veins. As for Roxelana-sama and her daughter—the ones who had the nerve to snub me after I went out of my way to invite them, constantly running to tattle to Crimsonia-sama—I'm going to ravage them until I grow bored, and then I'll slaughter them.

Ah, god, I'm getting hard just thinking about it!

"Do it!!" I roared.

On my cue, the rogue demon mercenaries under my payroll lunged, thrusting their spears straight at Crimsonia-sama.

But in the blink of an eye, the roof and walls of the restroom structure blew apart in a violent shockwave. The spear tips didn't even graze her skin.

"Tch! Magic Barrier?!" I spat.

Wait, what the hell? How is she casting magic like it's nothing?! I saw those Magic-Sealing Shackles clamped around her wrists with my own two eyes!

This makes no goddamn sense!!

As I frantically looked around, wondering if some rat had double-crossed me and broken her out, a man clad in black materialized out of thin air and drew his blade.

"Well, well. Look at the lizard, playing such pathetic little games behind our backs," the man said, a cold smirk playing on his lips.

"Don't you dare call me a lizard! I'll tear you apart, you small-time trash!" I snarled back.

Wait... could this bastard be... the Black Hero?! And right beside him stood Vermilia.

"Give it up, Ron!" Vermilia declared, her voice cold and unyielding. "You're finished."

Oh, she thought she had me. But I still had my trump card.

"Crimsonia-sama! Tell these fools what happens to the hostages if they lay a single finger on me!"

"Go right ahead! Wipe Ron and his worthless goons off the face of the earth!" Crimsonia-sama shouted back cheerfully.

"What?!" I gasped. "Do you not care about the hostages—wait, what?!"

The bratty hostages were already huddled safely behind Vermilia's back.

"Vermilia is my proud little sister, you see!" Crimsonia-sama boasted, puffing out her chest. "She is far smarter and cuter than me! Well? Jealous, aren't you? But there is no way we would ever give her to trash like you! Blah!" She stuck her tongue out, blowing a wet raspberry.

"Goddammit!!" I shrieked. "Imora! Where the hell is Imora?! Pour every drop of your mana into casting Charm on this little brat!"

"That one went off to pick flowers and has not returned yet," Crimsonia-sama replied dryly.

"Are you kidding me?!" I screamed, clutching my head. "My perfect, meticulous plan... ruined! I am the man destined to be the Demon Lord! I'm nothing like those common, low-tier demon trash! I have the makings of the Head of the Demon Lords!"

"A piece of garbage who isn't even a Demon Lord yet talking about being the Head of the Demon Lords? Kuku... Hahaha!" The Black Hero chuckled darkly before bursting into outright laughter.

"What's so damn funny?!" I roared.

"I find it hilarious that someone so staggeringly delusional could actually exist. It's almost pitiful," he mocked, holding his sides.

Shut your damn mouth! If anything, this was perfect. Everyone I wanted to slaughter was gathered in one convenient place. If push came to shove, I'd just use the Defiled Saintess to blow this entire town off the map. Besides, I held the legendary treasures accumulated by generations of Crimson Demon Lords. There was absolutely no way I could lose!

────Nord's Perspective

Thanks to the charmed demons sent by the succubi, I finally understood why Crimsonia-sama's condition had taken such a sudden turn for the worse. Now that the mystery was solved, there was no longer any need for me to hold back.

Right before my eyes stood Ron, armed to the teeth with legendary treasures.

"Oh? Decked yourself out in legendary gear to compensate for your own pathetic weakness, I see," I goaded.

"Don't you go calling me cheap!" Ron snarled, charging forward. "You're the one carrying around a sword that looks like it cost a fortune! Take this!"

He lunged at me with his Serpent PIKE, its wavy blade slicing through the air. If I recalled correctly, the Serpent Pike was imbued with a neurotoxin that paralyzed anyone who took even a scratch from it. On top of that, he had boosted his base stats using the Archangel Seraphic Shoes and Giant's Gauntlets.

"Well, you're definitely not Demon Lord material, but you might make a decent slave for one!" I remarked.

"Shut up! Keep mocking me, and I'll turn you into minced meat!"

The wind whipped past my cheek. The blade missed me by a mere two centimeters. I was content to simply dodge his frantic thrusts, but my restraint only served to feed his inflated ego.

"Hah! You talk so big, yet you can't even touch me!" Ron cheered. "I knew it! I'm a powerhouse even without these cheat items! Shashasha!!"

"Well, of course you think that," I sighed. "After all, I haven't even lifted a single finger yet."

"What?!" Ron gasped.

He finally realized what was happening. I hadn't taken a single step. I was dodging his entire flurry of thrusts purely by swaying my upper body.

"Let me teach you something. Delusional fools like you are a dime a dozen. Right now, those treasures are wasted on you. You aren't wielding them—they are wielding you."

"What did you say?!"

I casually sidestepped a thrust aimed squarely at my stomach and clamped my hand onto the shaft. Twisting my wrist, I changed the angle of the Serpent Pike, lifting Ron entirely off the ground along with it.

"Whoa?! Wh-What the hell are you doing?!" he shrieked.

I had to admire his grit; even while dangling in midair, he refused to let go of the pike.

"I commend your sheer greed. Allow me to give you a little present."

I slammed him into the dirt with everything I had.

"Well, the shaft didn't snap, but you barely put a dent in the ground. Two out of ten. Now, let's see how the Barbarian Helm holds up."

"Hie?!" Ron squeaked.

Using him like a wooden mallet pounding mochi, I drove Ron headfirst into the earth. His upper half was buried perfectly in the dirt. The sheer, pathetic sight of his lower legs sticking straight up in the air was reminiscent of the infamous upside-down leg pose from The Inugami Clan. His feet twitched in tiny, pathetic spasms.

"Excavation rating: six out of ten. Defense rating: three. Not bad," I muttered.

I couldn't tell if successive generations of the Crimson Demon Lord had abysmal gacha luck, or if Ron's appraisal skill was just utterly worthless, but I had yet to see a single SSR-tier treasure. Not that there was an actual gacha system in this world, of course!

"Hey, it's still broad daylight. No time for a nap. Aren't you supposed to be helping me level up my appraisal skill?"

When I pulled his legs to haul him out, the Barbarian Helm split cleanly down the middle.

"Ah, a major safety hazard. Zero points. Next, let's test the durability of the Dragon Scale Mail."

"St-Stop... I get it, you're strong..." Ron wheezed, his voice trembling with terror. "I was wrong... Please, just spare me!"

"Hmm? Well, if you're truly sorry, you should start by returning the Crimson Demon Lord's treasures."

"Like hell! They're mine now! I'm never giving them back!"

"I admire your stubbornness. Allow me to reward you accordingly."

I grabbed his ankles and slammed him repeatedly into the ground like a baker kneading udon dough.

"Guegh!" Ron gasped, sounding exactly like a squashed frog.

The rivets holding the scales together flew off in every direction. The final defense rating: a solid two.

"So even the highly anticipated Dragon Scale Mail only yields this much? Looks like this appraisal run ended with zero SSR pulls. How disappointing."

"—Lord Ron has been defeated!"

"—H-He's a monster!"

"—He's going to slaughter us all!"

Oops, did I do something wrong again?

Not just Ron's personal goons, but the charmed demons and the faction that mistakenly believed they were acting on Crimsonia-sama's orders—all three demon forces were completely dumbfounded. Given the sheer numbers surrounding us, I had assumed they would charge me all at once. While I could easily overpower them if I didn't care about casualties, doing so would place an immense burden on the Crimson Demon Lord's territory. I believed that maintaining the delicate power balance with the Elon Theocracy was key to fostering a favorable relationship.

Just as I was about to hand the unconscious, white-eyed Ron over to Crimsonia-sama, a familiar blade flashed past my eyes. Then, two horns. In the blink of an eye, the clash occurred so rapidly I couldn't even tell who had lunged first.

"I will end you if it is the last thing I do!" Crimsonia-sama roared.

"Demon Lord Crimsonia! Sorry, but your life ends here!" Kain Sope yelled.

In the very next second, Kain thrust his replica Holy Sword straight through Crimsonia-sama's heart. Crimsonia-sama clamped her hands onto the replica blade, pinning it in place so he couldn't pull it out.

"I have finally found you..." she gasped, blood spilling from her lips. "The murderer of my... my beloved little brother! Even if I draw my last breath, I will drag you to hell with me!"

Kain smirked, sensing his victory, but Crimsonia-sama slumped her head forward as her horns suddenly surged with growth—

"Uguuuh?!" Kain shrieked.

The sheer speed of the tragedy unfolded before me, leaving my mind struggling to keep up.

"What the hell are you doing?! Both of you, stop!!" I screamed.

Tossing Ron aside like a ragdoll, I dashed toward them in a panic.

"Heh... haha..." Kain sneered, trying to establish dominance over me even as he coughed up a thick spray of blood. "See? I'm better than you... I've slain a second Demon Lord... This is what a real Hero looks like. Unlike a fake like you... ghack!!"

His face was pale, and dark shadows clung beneath his hollow eyes. Crimsonia-sama's horn had pierced straight through his heart and lungs. No matter how much Graham had trained him to boost his durability, there was no way Kain could survive wounds this severe.

What a massive miscalculation! In the original game, these two were destined to share a deep, unbreakable bond. To think they would end up slaughtering each other instead!

This is totally messed up!!

Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal!

I poured every single drop of my magical reserves into spamming the recovery spell. My holy magic was far from sufficient to fully restore them, but if I could just prolong their lives for even a moment—

But even if I prolonged their lives, what then?

The image of Dalia's life support machine flashed in my mind, but there was absolutely no way Kain's failing body would survive the journey back to the Elon Theocracy where the machine was kept.

If Kain died, the game of Rising Hero would reach a sudden Bad End.

But if Crimsonia-sama died, the world's corrective force would compel Vermilia to drive me to suicide.

Damn it! Nobody ever warned me I'd be caught in a goddamn literal trolley problem!

"Crimsonia-oneesama!" Vermilia wailed.

"Hahaha..." Crimsonia-sama chuckled weakly, her voice trembling. "I must look pathetic... but at long last, I have avenged Orgas. That foolish boy... even when I tried to stop him, he insisted on leaving to train under Azrael. What an unfilial brother... He had such a terrifying face, yet he was an odd child who loved birds and flowers. You remember, don't you, Vermilia? How he used to weave clover crowns for us..."

"Yes... I remember," Vermilia sobbed, clutching her sister's hand to her chest. "So please, don't speak anymore... You'll only worsen your wounds..."

"It is fine. I am happy simply to draw my last breath in your arms. If I have but one regret... it is that I failed to heed your warning... Forgive your foolish sister..."

"Don't say that! Please, just don't worry about it anymore!"

Roxelana rushed to Vermilia's side, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder and urging her to stay calm.

"Vermilia! Pull yourself together!" Roxelana-sama urged. "Crimsonia-sama's wounds should be healing through her parasitic insects... Wait, that's impossible! Why isn't the wound closing?!"

"That boy..." Crimsonia-sama wheezed. "No matter how many parasitic insects I sent to infest him, he refused to fall... Because of him, almost all of my insects are dead, haha..."

Wait. What did Crimsonia just say? She sent parasitic insects into him? I glanced at Kain's shoulder and noticed a peculiar, tattoo-like mark etched onto his skin. There was a similar mark on his chest...

It was an incredibly dangerous gamble, but doing this might actually prevent the collapse of the world rather than endlessly spamming futile Heal spells.

"Roxelana-sama! As a Witch Nurse, you can perform it, right?!"

"Nord-sama?!" Roxelana-sama gasped. "Y-Yes... but that would mean Vermilia losing her connection with Crimsonia-sama..."

"We have to transplant the Ogre heart to Crimsonia-sama. That's the only way she survives!"

I had analyzed the reason Kain survived in Vermilia's route. My theory was that Vermilia possessed a heart of succubus origin and a magic core of ogre origin. In the CG depicting Kain's survival, Vermilia was shown lying on an operating table while Roxelana-sama stood beside her dressed in a Witch Nurse uniform. A transplant of either the heart or the magic core. It was the only logical explanation. When I posed the vague question to Roxelana-sama, her response practically confirmed my suspicions. My guess was spot on.

We immediately carried Crimsonia-sama and Kain into the Teman Palace.

"Hang in there, you piece of trash Hero!"

I gathered every ounce of Dark Recovery Doping energy I could muster into both hands and slammed it straight into Kain's chest. His body jolted violently, jumping off the table like a patient receiving a shock from a defibrillator. My plan was to use Dark Recovery to forcibly activate the parasitic insects inside him, prompting them to repair his mortal wounds and bring him back from the brink of death.

Yet, no matter how many times I tried, he didn't wake up.

"Damn it!!" I cursed.

He was always causing trouble, always acting like an absolute creep, and possessed the resilience of a cockroach. For him to die on me now of all times... this makes no goddamn sense!!

"Nord-sama!"

"Nord!"

"What the hell are you three doing here?!" I snapped.

Elise and Nirvana, dressed in succubus outfits, walked into the operating room. Alongside them was Mao, who seemed to have been influenced by them, wearing an incredibly erotic cheongsam with high side-slits held together by thin strings.

"Kain..." they murmured in unison.

Elise and Nirvana clasped their hands in prayer according to the rites of the Elon Religion, mourning his passing. Meanwhile, Mao slapped a Taoist-style talisman onto Kain's forehead.

The moment the three of them stepped into the room, it felt as though Kain's lower half—despite his lack of consciousness—delivered a faint, twitching response. Trusting my instincts, I decided to deliver one final jolt of Dark Recovery.

"You girls, get away from Kain," I commanded.

"I'm not even close to him," Elise replied defensively.

"Yeah, I'd prefer to stay at least ten paces away," Nirvana agreed.

"Besides, the talisman I just put on him is for purification," Mao added.

Even as a game protagonist, the guy got zero respect...

"Kain!" I barked, shaking him. "Everyone's come to see you! Stop sleeping and wake up, you creepy Hero!"

With a loud thump, Kain's body spasmed. For a second, I thought he remained motionless, but then—

Kain's eyelids fluttered open. His sclera had turned pitch black, and his pupils glowed with a terrifying golden light.

"Are you the one who woke me up?" Kain asked, his voice echoing with an eerie resonance.

"Yeah. I had my reasons," I replied flatly.

"To force such a monstrous body upon me... I will ensure you are repaid in full! Prepare yourself, Nord!"

There had been no other way. It was either this, or the total collapse of the world... or perhaps the world being destroyed by Kain in his new form as the Demon Lord.

Kain spread a pair of pitch-black, crow-like wings. With a powerful flap, the operating tables, medical equipment, and bottles in the room came hurtling toward me. I felt a sharp sting on my cheek. Wiping it with my finger, I found fresh blood. A stray shard from a shattered bottle must have nicked me.

"I will never forgive you!" he roared, glaring at me with raw hatred. "You, who stripped away everything precious to me!"

Leaving me with his usual cliché parting grudge, Kain flew out through the window frame, which had been blasted clean open. The trolley problem forced upon me had been far too heavy to bear...

"So I am the Hero, and you are the Demon Lord..." I muttered.

The roles had been completely reversed from the original game. Yet, even after Kain flew away, neither I nor the world around me showed any signs of fading into transparency.

"Nord-sama!!" Riel cried out as she rushed in, stopping dead in her tracks. "What on earth happened here...? No, now is not the time. Crimsonia-sama and Vermilia-sama have regained consciousness!"

"I see. I'll be right there."

Riel had come to fetch me, but she stood speechless as she took in the absolute ruins of the operating room.

Following Riel to the adjacent treatment room, I found Roxelana-sama, still wearing a medical mask, resting in a chair. A glance at Vermilia and Crimsonia-sama lying on the operating tables confirmed that their complexions and blood flow were perfectly healthy—proof that the transplant had been a resounding success.

"So this is the power of the rare job, Witch Nurse..." I murmured.

"Yes," Roxelana-sama replied softly. "I have never felt proud of my profession than I do today. After all, I managed to save both of my daughters."

As she tried to stand, her legs wobbled. I quickly reached out to support her weight, helping her make her way over to her daughters. Roxelana-sama opened her arms wide and pulled them both into a tight embrace, her tears splashing in heavy drops onto the examination tables.

"R-Roxelana-samaaaa..." Riel wailed, bursting into a flood of emotional tears. She tried to dab at Roxelana-sama's eyes with a handkerchief, but Roxelana-sama gently told her to wipe her own running nose first.

"Mother...?" Vermilia murmured, blinking open her eyes.

"Wh-What?!" Crimsonia-sama gasped, sitting up. "I am alive?! Roxelana, did you bring me back from the brink...? Ah, and Vermilia is here as well, I see."

At Crimsonia-sama's words, Vermilia and Roxelana-sama gave a quiet, emotional nod.