CHAPTER 1
PHANTASMA
THE DEVIL APPEARS!
Four days passed after the final day of the coronation ceremony. The VIPs and special envoys from each nation were on their way home, and the cleanup had just finished.
Elkia Grand National Library—Jibril’s archives.
Sora and Shiro were now on the fourth of Izuna’s do-whatever-you-want-for-a-day tickets—sharing her thoroughly fluffed tail as a pillow while they read a book, thus in the midst of experiencing supreme bliss—when:
“…Sooo, uh…shouldn’t you be on your way back to Hardenfell?”
“…Why are…you…still here…?”
The siblings addressed a loud noise that came from the corner of the library. It was a person hammering away at something.
“Huh? What do you mean by ‘why’? My current home is with you, it is. No?”
Wait… I’m not misunderstanding something, am I? Are you two trying to abandon me?
Til stopped hammering and immediately began shivering like a young puppy. Her rusty-blue orichalcum eyes filled with tears.
“I guess it’s fine,” said Sora, “but if you’re gonna stick around, maybe we should figure out the whole older-sister bit—?”
True, Til was there due to a series of misunderstandings, but Sora and Shiro didn’t really have any reason to chase her out.
That said, Sora did take this opportunity to address Til’s three-month-long insistence that she was the older-sister type, though it fell flat because anything he said after I guess it’s fine was entirely lost on Til.
“But wow!! Can you believe these Flügel archives? It’s a veritable treasure chest filled with texts on magic theory, it is!! I’m making so much progress on my spirit arms here, I am!! And I also get to be with my two favorite people: That’s you, Sir and Ma’am! Not to mention, I can have materials brought here from Hardenfell—ah…it’s like a dream workshop here, it is!!”
This room has everything I want and everyone I want to be with in it… I’ve found my paradise, I have!
The gleam in Til’s eyes conveyed this sentiment, but she wasn’t finished:
“And my stupid uncle is already home, he is! He and the goons who made me the chieftain by proxy while he was away won’t impact my life any further, they won’t! I hated those asshats enough already, I did! I’m never gonna go back now that my uncle’s there! Thbbft!”
This place was Til’s own Shangri-la, and she made it clear that Veig’s absence was a big part of that. Sora watched her, and his “best bud,” wherever he may have been, surfaced in his mind…
…You’re gonna be okay, Veig—never give up.
Til is working on her spirit arms—she still wants to surpass you! That means you should still have a shot! Or…I think so, kinda sorta maybe…?
Anywho—better fireproof the library ASAP for when Til’s spirit arms inevitably explode.
He took out his smartphone and added emergency planning for such an event to his long list of tasks. Once finished, he found himself staring aimlessly at the screen, lost in deep thought, before eventually muttering to himself.
“…I think I see a way out of this, but…the Front has yet to make any real moves…”
Just as Sora had assured Til a few days earlier, he already had a few plans set in motion. All of these, however, required the enemy to make their move and show an opening before ideally kicking into gear.
On the other hand, if the Commonwealth continued to do nothing, it would slowly bleed supporters. It didn’t look like the ideal opportunity to attack was going to show itself anytime soon.
Sora was beginning to find the resolve to make that first move, even if it meant swallowing the risk involved, when…
“……Memory lapse: . Ah.”
“I—I am so very sorry, Master!! I-it appears that I have completely forgotten—”
For the past four days these two had kept themselves hidden.
Jibril and Emir-Eins were waiting for Sora to use their selfies—or perhaps more aptly, they were waiting to see whose selfies Sora would view first. But Sora had yet to view either—and the pair reappeared, each lowering their head in sorrow as they shared new information.
Information that broke both Sora’s and Shiro’s brains.
“The ex-head of the Devil’s Army, Schira Ha, has come to see you on behalf of Demonia…”
……
…………?
“ They’re here?! When, exactly, did they come?! There’s a representative from Demonia in Elkia?!” Sora hollered at the two, who lowered their heads even farther.
“…W-well, not quite… She is…”
“Disclosure: The representative arrived eighty-nine hours prior. Apology/Penitence: Her arrival was eliminated from this unit’s memory banks. I’m sorry.”
The pair were clearly sorry about this newly divulged information. Not only Sora and Shiro, but Til, and even Izuna, who’d been sleeping up until that point, all eyed Jibril and Emir-Eins questioningly…
“Mweh-heh-heh… I’ve been waiting to meet you for quite some time.”
Once they remembered their guest—Jibril and Emir-Eins brought everyone to where they were keeping Schira Ha. They were joined by Steph, who arrived in a panic.
“By Demonia’s greatest wisdom vested in me by the all-powerful Devil, I, Schira Ha the Wise—ex-head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the Devil’s Army—was able to foretell your…eventual…appearance before me… Mweh-heh-heh!”
Schira Ha was a captivatingly beautiful, though somewhat dim-witted-looking woman, who showed a wicked smile from behind the bars.
She looked at her seven visitors with rainbow-colored eyes that were split down the middle by long, thin pupils.
“I was beginning to think you may have forgotten about me, which made me feel so sad and lonely…but it seems my suspicions were unwarranted, O party of Heroes. I applaud you, for you have managed to effectively torture me without breaking the Covenants. Mweh-heh-heh-heh-heh…sniffle.”
Given her so-called wisdom, it should’ve been abundantly clear that they had indeed forgotten about her. Or maybe she didn’t want to accept the truth. Though Schira Ha seemed somewhat gaunt—she must’ve been in the jail for four days and four nights without food and water—her eyes still had a lively brightness to them, even if they were slowly tearing up.
“Okay, Jibril and Emir-Eins. Let’s start off with an explanation of…… Actually, scratch that. First—”
…Gurrrgllle…
From the belly of she who called herself Schira Ha the Wise came a loud rumbling.
“Let’s get this lady something to eat—er, you know what, Steph? Why don’t we take this to the banquet hall…”
“Y-yes… But of course… I’ll have some food prepared for her, on the double!”
Sora and Steph got to work making their poor—no, elegant—guest feel right at home.
“Right… So how ’bout we start with a review of Demonia?”
Sora sat down at the table in the banquet hall with the group and their almost forgotten guest. He put his elbow on the table and rested his cheek on his knuckles before turning to his friends with his question.
After a year in this world, a good portion of which Sora and Shiro had spent researching its races, they had significant information on the Demonia from both Elkia’s and Jibril’s archives. Nevertheless, Sora wanted to brush up on the topic, and it was Jibril who came forward with a bow.
“ Ixseed Rank Eleven, Demonia.”
The name “Demonia” encompassed all of the various subspecies that originated from their single territory: Garad Golm.
Emphasis on various—evidently, there were many types of Demonias who shared little to no qualities with one another. There were orcs, goblins, slimes, skeletons, chimeras, and so on and so forth. From an earthly perspective, they were what people would typically call monsters. The race even contained humanoids, like Schira Ha. She was considered a demon.
The explanation went on:
“Demonias range from beings barely capable of communication to highly intelligent. A truly diverse race—”
It wasn’t only their appearance, but their temperaments as well—even their intelligence varied greatly. Just as it said in Jibril’s archives, Demonia’s vast diversity made it almost difficult to consider them a single race.
“The race was originally created by a mutant Phantasma known as the Devil. This is thought to be the reason that, despite the diversity, all Demonias share the same greater goal, which is the world’s destruction.”
“Uh-huh…”
Sora nodded along, aware of everything Jibril had said so far.
A race created by the Devil…who wants to destroy the world…
It was a tale as old as time, and though it raised a glaring contradiction, the siblings kept this to themselves for now.
“So…what’s a Demonia doing here…?”
Sora motioned to the woman who was eating up Steph’s home-cooked meal, her first in four days. Schira Ha did make it a point to be mindful of her manners as she quietly continued to cut the food on her plate and eat it.
The group watched dubiously before one member turned to Sora and replied…
“Report: Spirit response sensed from the castle gates ninety hours ago.”
“Right…”
“When we confronted our visitor, she stated she wished to declare our destruction,” Jibril added. “Specifically, she challenged us both to a game which wagered ownership of the loser’s everything, including their life…”
“…Go on…?”
“Result: This unit selected speed chess. Victory was claimed within one hundred seventy-three point six seconds, gaining us ownership of this specimen and her rights.”
“…I-is that so…?”
Jibril and Emir-Eins finished their matter-of-fact relay of what happened, to which Sora responded somewhat confusedly. He then spoke for the room in addressing Schira Ha directly.
“So…you mean to tell me you challenged Jibril, a Flügel, and Emir-Eins, an Ex Machina, to a 2v1…? You gotta be pretty dumb to do that…”
As per the Ten Covenants, the challenger was always at an incredible disadvantage. On top of this, Schira Ha had challenged this world’s two most OP races at the same time…
…Huh? Am I misremembering it? I’m pretty sure this lady introduced herself as Demonia’s wisest earlier, didn’t she…?
If her self-introduction was indeed true, then it could mean something bad for Demonia…
“Affirmative: This unit produced the same conclusion. This unit also took the treatment of this specimen into consideration.”
Sora listened in utter shock as Emir-Eins made her agreement with his assessment clear and continued her report.
“Course of events: Irregular Number insisted ‘Just kill yourself. One more body count for me! ’ This unit denied suggestion. Specimen was detained pending Master’s directive—until the matter was temporarily lost from this unit’s memory banks. I’m sorry.”
…Uh…okay…
“I guess it was good that you stopped Jibril’s idea. GG. And you were right to wait for my decision.”
Sora commended Emir-Eins for avoiding a plan that would result in a dead body, but…
“…Isn’t it…weird that…Emir-Eins…forgot something…?”
While Emir-Eins was at times—well, most of the times—a bit fallible despite being an infallible machine, was it possible for a machine to accidentally forget something…?
Shiro had mumbled her suspicions out loud, but it was Jibril who answered:
“Well, you see…Demonia, as they stand now, are neither an enemy nor an ally of the Commonwealth—they are a completely meaningless race…”
“Conclusion: The Devil vanished four hundred and eight years ago. Demonia’s threat level without him determined to be minuscule. Schira Ha the Wise’s capture not deemed a priority significant enough to interrupt Master’s morning routine. Accrual of active tasks resulted in loss of data… I’m sorry. Now transferring this specimen’s rights to Master.”
The two were deeply apologetic about the mistake.
Ownership of Schira Ha was so unceremoniously passed to Sora and Shiro, who stood there confused.
Demonias are a completely meaningless race that can’t take sides?
Not only that, but the Devil has been absent for four hundred and eight years…?
Sora wanted to learn more about these two statements, but before he could ask…
“Mweh-heh-heh… My purpose in coming here is to correct those very misconceptions—”
Having finished her meal, Schira Ha politely wiped her mouth with a napkin and gave an evil, albeit airheaded, laugh.
She then stopped and let out a small “Oops” to herself before bowing her head to Steph.
“That was very delicious. I thank you for your kindness… Mweh-heh.”
“Oh? Um, yes… It was nothing, really…?”
Schira Ha then clasped her hands together. There was a refinement to her mannerisms, such as her speech and gestures. She finished showing her appreciation for Steph’s kindness with a forced, out-of-place evil cackle that had everyone confused.
As soon as Schira Ha lifted her head, she flashed an even wickeder grin and raised her right hand.
““ ?!””
Her gently clenched fist must have signaled something; Jibril, Emir-Eins, Izuna, and even Til—everyone who wasn’t an Immanity—instinctively struck a battle stance.
One of Schira Ha’s snake tails took out what looked like a cue card
“Um, let’s see… ‘Behold, mortals! Abandon all hope! The Devil cometh once again!’ cough!”
Schira Ha read the card in a loud voice, coughing as she opened her raised hand.
The sky was immediately engulfed in darkness. Thunder roared, and the wind began whirling heavily around the group.
“ ?!”
Sora was the only one to notice that Til had turned pale as she let out an audible gulp…
The world began melting around them.
They watched as everything swirled into a twisted mess centered around the open palm Schira Ha held high above her head.
Before they knew it, the group was no longer in the banquet hall but in an empty field… The sky was bloodred, and the thunder was even louder. It felt like the world could fall apart at any second. There were jet-black clouds swirling directly above them, from which black tendrils began oozing downward…
“ What the frick…?”
Sora managed to say something, although he very clearly sounded afraid.
But wait—this world was protected by the Ten Covenants: No harm could be done to anyone here. Whatever they were watching wasn’t reality. Sora knew it must’ve been an illusion. This knowledge, however, provided little comfort for the overwhelming anxiety and frustration welling up inside him and his companions.
Something’s coming… Something that none of us can control…
And sure enough, something did come. The threads of darkness that melted from the clouds fell into one spot, culminating in a cluster of inconceivable darkness.
The words spoken next sucked all hope from any life nearby.
“I am the Hope-Consuming Beast—”
It was the incarnation of fear and despair…
“I am the destroyer of all, an immortal illusion—”
An evil that consumed all life.
“Poor, hapless souls fated only to die, I beckon you! Have you mere mortals enjoyed your four centuries of fleeting tranquility?”
Upon hearing this new voice, their minds were blank, but they knew. The sheer impact of the spectacle made it very clear what was happening and who the owner of the voice was.
“Foolish mortals! It appears you’ve forgotten my name! Then I shall speak it—!”
As these words were heard, two black wings unfurled, causing the sky above to clear up. The swirling clouds of darkness above shattered into a million pieces, which fell to the open field under the bloodred sky that shone above. The broken pieces of darkness condensed into a single point, where he appeared, and exclaimed:
“‘I—am—the Devil…!!”
…………,
……………………,
Everyone stood there, staring in silence at what the darkness had become: the Devil himself. His body was covered in beastly hair, and he sprouted a pair of black wings. His golden eyes scowled at the group.
“…Ah. It appears my imposing figure has left you speechless… This is inevitable, I suppose, for not even the most valiant of heroes could gaze upon this visage of utter despair unperturbed. I shall grant you the time you need to find your courage once more, O heroes.”
The Devil flashed a delighted, wicked smile.
“ I see what’s happening. Your despair, your fear… They are but symbols of your reverence for me. Then it is with the utmost generosity that I shall forgive you weaklings for your insolent silence. Ha… Mwa-ha-ha… GAAAAAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAA!!”
The self-proclaimed Devil proceeded to laugh loudly for a good while.
But you see, his audience’s silence was…not quite out of reverence—
“…That’s…not actually him, is it—?”
Sora was the first to say something, but Schira Ha cut him off, speaking quickly while maintaining her usual politeness.
“Mweh-heh-heh… Ah, my deepest apologies, but I’m rather preoccupied with relishing in the Devil being in such high spirits for the first time in many moons. If you would please listen quietly, then.”
…Uh, sure…
Sora, dumbfounded by it all, zipped his trap. He looked away from Schira Ha and back at…him.
The Devil wasn’t wrong: Everyone was indeed speechless at his form…or maybe his “character design” would be a more fitting description.
All that darkness had condensed in one spot to form: a puny, black furball…
With soft-looking paws and fluffy-looking fur, he was a cute little…something.
His wings were actually big, long ears that…well, did seem to flap to keep him aloft.
To put it frankly, he was small and round…like a cute Pok*mon…
The terror everyone felt during the buildup to his appearance—that was real. The voice gave it away pretty early, though… The over-the-top lines and loud laughter were…well, here’s an example: It was like listening to a voice actress famous for loli-girls branching out to shota characters… He had a cutesy, high-pitched voice that was easy on the ears—and super adorable.
The Devil’s attempts to be imposing only enhanced how cute he sounded.
“Fear me! Hail me! Weep before me!! The time has cometh for the Devil’s Army to conquer this divided world!!”
Yeah…anything he said just sounded cute.
The Furball King was using his aggressively cutesy voice to declare something.
“And to the fools who will fight until the very end: You, O Heroes—you have my pity! How you persevere despite your inescapable terror! How you so courageously fight the despair by clinging to whatever little hope remains! That foolhardiness is precisely what makes you worthy of my favor!! Ha-ha-ha… MWAAA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!”
With that, the Furball King cackled adorably, spread his wings—or, uh, ears?—and…
…once more, the surrounding space warped. The open field under the bloodred sky turned into a massive forest. They could see the creepily dark silhouette of a tall tower appear within the depths of the forest.
…It was difficult to tell whether the Devil was controlling their vision or if he was manipulating the world itself. What they saw, however, was a cinematic aerial shot of the ground moving underneath them.
As the tower approached, the group soon realized that what they’d initially thought was a forest was actually a great army that covered the entirety of the land they stood on. It was composed of goblins and orcs and many other monsters with names none of them knew. Upon closer inspection, there were even what looked to be Elves and Dragonias in the mix.
It was a sight to behold. The army really did look capable of destroying the world. There was even ominous background music playing. But in one corner of the shot were the following words written in Immanity:
THE DEVIL’S ARMY (VISUAL RENDERING)
The group remained speechless. The Furball King continued to flap about, cackling, while the scene moved away from the tip of the tower, until their vision went dark. The first thing that came into view was a new set of Immanity words, which the Devil read aloud with his cute voice…
COMING SOON: THE END OF THE WORLD
,
In the next few moments, the group found themselves back in Elkia Royal Castle’s banquet hall. They were no longer in an open field, or gazing down at an ominous tower. Whatever movie they’d just watched had come to an end; it was indeed an illusion.
Which left them with the reality
“Mwa-ha-ha!! What do you think, Schira Ha?! How was I?! Charismatic, yes?!”
“Indeed, you were, Your Evilness!! You were so, so cute—I mean awe- and fear-inspiring! I was moved to tears by the show!! Mweh-heh…”
“Gahhh-ha-ha!! Then see to it that the Film Division is rewarded heavily for their fine work!!”
“Ah, you must forgive me, Your Evilness! For your Schira Ha is currently a prisoner—”
“Mm?! Ah, yes! Yes, of course. Then it will be from my own personal allowance that I shall bestow upon thee a snack!!”
“Oh! Your Evilness! Your kindness moves me so. I think I may just cry!”
With the illusion now over, all that remained were the tiny, black furball—the Devil—and Schira Ha, who tearfully praised his every word.
Sora, who had cringed through the entire show and was still cringing, eventually broke the ice.
“Um… So, uh, did you want us to call you Schira Ha…?”
“ Pardon? Ah…yes. You heroes have captured me, so you are free to call me whatever you please… Uh, mweh-heh-heh…”
“Okay… Also, you don’t gotta force yourself to laugh at the end of every sentence.”
It’s pretty obvious that laugh’s out of character for you anyway…
Schira Ha responded by lowering her head with an ever-so-elegant smile.
“Mweh-heh… I appreciate your offer, but it is my duty as head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to use this laugh… I may have relinquished my position, but it seems fitting to still use it.”
So the laugh is a part of the job…
The elegant Schira Ha continued to use her evil laugh, which only added to the raging storm of questions in Sora’s mind. He was trying to figure out where he should start, when…
“…Argh…I’m…I’m sorry, please… I can’t take this shit anymore, please!!”
“Ack! H-hey, Schira Ha! What is this blasted puppy?!”
Ever since the Devil appeared, Izuna had been on all fours, ready to pounce. She’d been wagging her tail relentlessly but must’ve run out of patience because she leaped right at him.
“Have you lost your mind, foul cur?! A hero you may be, but does your pluck know no bounds?!! Do you not realize that this is THE DEVIL you are attacking?!”
The furball gave a cute little shriek, but that didn’t stop the young Werebeast from latching onto him. Evidently…something about his form excited Izuna’s inner beast.
She then proceeded to bat him around like a cat toy.
“……Okay, let’s start with a few questions. First—”
Having taken some time to figure everything out, Sora began by asking what he’d initially tried to ask earlier.
Namely:
“It’s just…uh, you’re basically a walking, talking stuffed animal… So you’re really the actual, genuine Devil, in the flesh…?”
“Unhand meee! I told you I would go easy on you weaklings, but I have my limits, too, don’cha know?!”
The furball, eyes tearing up as he spoke, could not escape Izuna’s clutches.
Surely, he was the Devil’s familiar…or something… Or perhaps his form had been manipulated.
In any case, Sora wondered if he was actually the true-blue Devil.
“Mweh-heh-heh… Verily, we are in the magnificent presence of the Devil!”
Schira Ha lowered her head with respect for her furball ruler, who was squirming to escape, before adding:
“More specifically, the Tower and the Domain located in our nation are the Devil’s body. The form you see before you is but a small fragment of His Evilness’s core. While this may be only the smallest glimpse of his great power, you are indeed feasting your eyes on the Devil himself. Mweh-heh…”
“……Okey-dokey…”
“…The Devil…is fluffy…”
“Listen, pooch! I am the DEVIL!! This is BLASPHEMY!! You dare GNAW upon the DEVIL’S hide?!”
For whatever reason, Izuna started nipping the furball—which evidently was the Devil, even if it wasn’t his entire body.
Which meant that the words they heard spoken during the video before had been his own.
“Mweh-heh… Incidentally, we do make to-scale stuffed animals of the Devil in this form, and they sell like hotcakes. Demonia’s finest artisans place great emphasis on the texture of His Evilness’s fur and fluffiness. Would you like one? Mweh-heh-heh…”
Schira Ha produced said stuffed animal as she spoke.
I kinda do…
Izuna was already using the actual Devil as a toy, but Shiro, Steph, and even Sora found themselves vaguely wanting a plushie of their own.
“Uh…let’s save that for later,” said Sora. “Mind if I ask my next question…?”
“…Mweh-heh… How unfortunate… Just look how absolutely cute—I mean terrifying he is…”
Schira Ha, with her wicked smile, quickly put the stuffed animal away, looking somewhat upset as she did.
Having confirmed the premise of the current circumstances, Sora moved on to a series of bigger questions, which he barked out in order, one after another.
Those being
“Why’re you gonna destroy the world now of all times?! Can’t it wait?! Could’ja read the frickin’ room?!”
The Elkia Commonwealth and the Anti-Elkia Commonwealth War Front…
The world was split into two factions that were deadlocked in a war of attrition!! It didn’t get much more finicky than this, and now a third party was getting involved?!
“Stop trying to make things more complicated! Wouldn’t you guys be on the Front’s side anyway?!”
The stress of it all made Sora claw at his head, but…
“…Mweh-heh-heh? I’m not quite sure how to respond to the question.”
Schira Ha merely offered her trademark evil laugh along with some confusion of her own.
“With half the world’s population marching under Demonia’s flag, the Devil has risen again. Is this not a better time than ever to destroy the world? Mweh-heh-heh.”
Schira Ha sincerely tried to answer his question—I may require more time to come up with a proper answer—when Sora realized:
She has a point…
He nodded firmly, recognizing his mistake, but then discovered he was overlooking one teeny-tiny detail…
“Could you not destroy the world ever?! And you keep calling the Devil’s Army half the world—are you including the Front in your little head count?!”
Sora also had thought this during the video earlier. The Devil referred to himself as if he was the Front.
Did the Devil—and all Demonia, for that matter—fancy themselves as spearheading the Front’s offensive?!
Is the entire race, including its creator, a bunch of idiots?!
Sora was beginning to get an actual headache as he ran through all this when:
“Mweh-heh… My deepest apologies, but I’m not quite sure what you mean by that question,” Schira Ha replied as she politely cocked her head to one side. “The Front’s victory means destruction, and beyond their initial victory awaits further war. That certainly would not be a prosperous future for the world. Perhaps it is the wisdom vested in me that makes it clear that their true and final desire is for the world’s destruction. Mweh-heh-heh…”
Any sentient being should understand this much.
Schira Ha had shown that she truly was puzzled by Sora’s premise, in a way that was almost arrogant. Sora, Shiro, and Steph fell silent, which Schira Ha must’ve taken as them agreeing with her, because she continued…
“As such, it is our best interpretation that the Front has succumbed to the Devil and his army’s ultimate objective of global annihilation and joined his forces. This ambitious objective, which would have been impossible to accomplish alone, has now become feasible with the assistance of half the world. Truly remarkable, isn’t it? Mweh-heh!”
Schira Ha the Wise was trembling with excitement. Her haphazard use of her evil laugh actually felt wicked this time.
This lady might legit be as wise as she says. Or at least…wiser than anyone in the Front…
Sora set aside these new doubts—ones he wished he could object to—and moved on:
“Fine—one more thing. I want you to answer this question you keep dancing around…”
Sora took a deep breath to ask his final question: the one on everyone’s mind, the premise to everything…
“Why do you wanna destroy the friggin’ world in the first place?!”
This was Disboard—a fantasy world.
Sora had heard about the Devil before, and the idea of the Devil wanting to destroy, or maybe take over, the world was a tale as old as time itself, so he’d never given it a second thought. But now that the threat was staring him in the face, it seemed absurd. He needed an answer to this basic question, one that was only occasionally asked in the fantasy works of his own world.
And that was:
“Won’t you guys die if you destroy the world?! Why, tho?! What’s the friggin’ point?!”
If you wanna commit suicide, go ahead, but keep the rest of the world out of it!!
There were a lot of stories in Sora’s mind as he asked this honest question. However—
“Mweh-heh… The reason for that is…………… Hmm…? What was it again?”
,
“I suppose when push comes to shove, it is purely because the Devil desires it… It is a bit strange, though, upon further reflection. Pardon me, Your Evilness, but have you ever considered why you wish to destroy the world? Mweh-heh…”
Schira Ha tossed the question to the Devil, as if the thought had never crossed her mind.
“Oh?! Why, you ask? That’s because I am the DEVIL!!”
“Of course! Oh, Your Evilness, I beg your forgiveness for asking such a glaringly obvious question.”
“You are forgiven! Now, do something about this pooch!”
She seemed satisfied enough with the Devil’s answer even as Izuna kicked him around like a ball. Sora, on the other hand…
“Jiiibriiiill! These idiots haven’t fleshed out their backstory! The hell is this world’s ‘Devil’ anyway?!”
…wanted a proper explanation for the insanity.
The group relocated once more, this time to the throne room. But a change of scenery didn’t bring an end to the adorable cries for help…
“Somebody, release me from this canine’s clutches this instant, or face my wrath! I am THE DEVIL, don’t you know?!”
“Nuh-uh…please. This shit’s mine now. I’m not coughing it up to anyone, please.”
It seemed Izuna had taken a strong liking to her new Devil plaything. With cute, bleary eyes, she pleaded with Sora not to give up her new favorite toy.
He nodded with a gentle smile, then turned to the Devil and said:
“No… You’re not the Devil.”
“What say you?! I am the Devil! Gaze upon me!!”
“The more I look at you, the more I know that’s a lie, but anyway: The fact of the matter is, you’re not the Devil,” Sora insisted.
Izuna was infringing on the Devil’s will by using him as a toy; the fact that she could make the Devil a toy was all the evidence Sora needed:
“You’re a piece of the Devil—a piece that Schira Ha possessed when she came here—not the actual thing. In other words, you’re Schira Ha’s possession. And we own Schira Ha’s everything, and ipso facto, her possessions.”
“ ”
Therefore, this fuzzy little Devil was not protected by the Ten Covenants.
“Which means, there’s nothing you or anyone can do to stop Izuna from using you as a toy… Sorry, but you’re NGMI.”
“But there is! If Schira Ha owns this piece of me, then either you or she can make this pooch stop!!”
“That’s where you’re wrong, though.”
“…’Cause…we don’t, feel like…stopping her…”
“I am so deeply sorry, Your Evilness! Now that I’ve fallen into the clutches of the heroes, there is little I can do… Ah, the way this young girl is treating you is so adora—I mean terrible!”
“Schira Ha!! I can see that you, too, have no desire to help— Hey—stop spinning me around!!”
With it established that no one present had any second thoughts about the Devil becoming a toy, Izuna started playing with the ball of fur much more vigorously. As Schira Ha enjoyed the show, the group reconvened:
“Explanation: Specimen known as the Devil is a mutant Phantasma, Ixseed Rank Two.”
“To put it simply, Phantasmas are defined as living phenomena.”
Emir-Eins and Jibril obeyed their master’s orders for information about the Devil by starting with an explanation of Phantasma.
“Phantasmas are based on phenomena that happened in the past or historic realities still unfolding now. The mass awe and fear derived from these phenomena manifest in a physical form and take on an existence of their own.”
Yeah, that makes no sense…
Sora and Shiro rolled their eyes. Phantasma were second only to literal gods… Their existence didn’t have to make sense.
“Some examples include: a floating landmass, a fog that causes everything it touches to decay, and a continent-sized storm—all of which are based on past calamities that gained sentience resulting in Phantasmal forms.”
“Logical: No new Phantasma specimens observed following establishment of the One True God. Phantasma is a race of individual specimens that survived the Great War.”
“…Oooh…”
“…Riiight. I get it…?”
The siblings seemed to at least get the gist of things.
There were earthquakes and tidal waves in their own world, and stories of mythical monsters that resembled these calamities throughout its history.
Bahamut and earthquakes, Typhon and typhoons, Vritra and droughts, Orochi and floods—in any culture, there were natural calamities personified as monsters.
…Honestly, it was impressive that Immanity had managed to survive the Great War at all…
“That being said, the mutant known as the Devil is quite unique in many ways.”
Jibril and Emir-Eins continued their explanations now that Sora and Shiro had grasped the concept of a Phantasma.
“The Devil was born from a phenomenon that has yet to happen: the world’s destruction. Therefore, its form is not a set re-creation of a specific calamity but more fluid in nature in order to bring about said destruction—or so it is thought.”
“Specification: The Devil is an indiscriminate attack to end all life. Methods: Creation of Demonia and expansion of the Devil’s domain.”
“The Devil is also a Phantasma shrouded in mystery, particularly in his behavior patterns—he calls those who seek to destroy him ‘heroes’ and invites them to his core: the Tower.”
“Supplement: So long as a Phantasma’s core remains intact, it will revive with time. Paradox: Destruction of Phantasma core results in Phantasma host’s destruction… The Devil’s core is located in the Tower. Objective behind inviting enemies inside remains unclear.”
Right…
Sora and Shiro were at a loss with this information.
So the Devil was the potential for the world’s destruction, which was why he sought to destroy the world without having any real reason to do so?
But at the same time, he invited what he called “heroes” to try and stop him…
Mulling over what he learned from Jibril’s and Emir-Eins’s explanations, Sora looked to the ball of fur Izuna was batting around.
I see. That explains why he calls us “heroes.” In which case…
“Well, since we have the head honcho here, let’s see what he has to say… Hey, Furball: Why’re you contradicting yourself?”
The Devil welcomed those who sought to destroy him.
Sora didn’t expect to get a real answer out of him, and he was right:
“Mwa-ha-ha-ha, AHHH-HA-HA!! Foolish hero!! I do so because I—AM THE DEVIL!!”
“Yeah, this is getting us nowhere. Izuna, be a little rougher with him for me, will ya?”
“Whoa?! Wait—why?! Was that not the perfect answer, Schira Ha?!”
“Indeed, Your Evilness. You answered perfectly and with unrivaled cuteness. Mweh-heh…”
Sora left the Devil and his yes-woman, who only gave nonanswers, for Izuna to deal with.
Considering the inanity of this evil furball, there was a new question on his mind…
“…With this li’l nugget calling the shots, I’m surprised Demonia survived the Great War in the first place…”
Flügel, Ex Machina, and Old Deus had spent the war massacring each other indiscriminately…
With the world having come to the brink of complete destruction, this little guy must’ve been all over the place challenging everyone.
Not only that, but he most likely rolled out the red carpet to his Tower—and core—each time…
Forget about the world… Maybe he’s on a mission to speed-run his own self-destruction? Sora wondered dubiously, but he didn’t need to wait long to receive an answer.
“Indeed. Regretfully, it was physically impossible to defeat the Devil.”
“Record: During the Great War, Ex Machina invaded the Devil’s Tower sixteen times. All dispatched units were lost in each attempt.”
Spelled out in plain terms by Emir-Eins: Not even the god-slaying cyborg race could defeat the Devil.
She and Jibril continued calmly explaining things while the others listened in shock.
“The Phantasma known as the Devil is called by many a name due to his peculiar nature.”
“Examples: The Phantom of Destruction. The Black Nightmare. The Hope-Consuming Beast. The Apparatus of Ruin, and…”
The Domain of Despair…
“As his name suggests—the Devil harbors within him a domain that consumes all hope.”
“ ”
“Explanation: Upon infiltrating the Domain of Despair, living beings—organic, inorganic, tangible, intangible—lose any and all hope, which is then unconditionally consumed by the Devil. Observed results include suicide or cessation of essential functions. No known methods to bypass this effect exist.”
“Those who challenge the Devil lose their will not only to fight, but to live, resulting in their death.”
Everyone listening was at a loss for words, but the two weren’t finished yet.
“Furthermore, no one has ever returned from entering the Devil’s Tower.”
“Inevitability: All available information is based on what occurs outside the Tower. Data unconfirmed.”
This meant:
“The Devil is the area he controls, centered around the giant Tower. The world inside his Tower grows as time passes, until it spills over and encroaches into the real world.”
“ ”
“With this being the case, there were many who tried to defeat the Devil during the Great War.”
“Established: Recorded attempts by Ex Machina, Flügel, Dwarf, Elf, and two weaker Old Dei. Report: Zero records of success.”
Not even a god could overcome the despair.
It spread across the land, leaving all those it consumed void of hope.
So what would become of the world if this domain ever fully engulfed it?
“Disclosure: Largest expansion of the Demon Lord’s territory on Ex Machina record is of the entire continent of Galarm. This included up to forty-seven percent of the two neighboring continents as well. All signs of life in the encroached areas were confirmed to cease.”
After Jibril and Emir-Eins finished…
“ ………”
…Sora, Shiro, and Steph were speechless. All of this was outrageous beyond comprehension. They now understood why the phenomenon was referred to as despair.
What’s more:
“Hold up—this goddamn F*rby is responsible for these horrors?! You’re breaking my brain right now!!”
“Gahhhh-ha-ha!! You fools! Do you now understand the DEVIL’S WRATH?!”
The Devil—a furball capable of unimaginable destruction—laughed maniacally, only to…
“Now that you understand, how about you GET THIS POOCH OFF ME?! I’m getting drenched in drool over here!!”
…continue pleading for help to make Izuna release him. Apparently, the little Werebeast had been too focused on using the Devil as her personal plaything to pay attention to his explanation.
But Sora and the others were in no place to pay him any mind, either. They left him to Izuna while they groaned among themselves.
“So if the Devil expands the territory he controls—this Domain of Despair—to the entire world, then it’ll actually cease to exist?”
This was a force of nature that not even a god could defeat, one that would end all life on Disboard on a whim.
To think that very force of nature was a cute stuffed animal with the voice of a toddler …
Sora, Shiro, and Steph were amending their initial impression of the little guy as a threat—a change that took considerable effort—when…
“Negative: Ah, Master. You needn’t worry about that.”
“Indeed. For while the Devil may be undefeatable, incapacitating him was very simple. ”
…Jibril and Emir-Eins made it clear that there was no need for such measures.
Despite all the talk of despair, they were pretty relaxed about the entire thing.
“Explanation: By attacking the entire area that contains the Tower housing the Devil’s core, his territory could be literally vaporized. This created a minimum of eight years until his next revival.”
“His core remained unscathed, so he will always revive, of course, but burning the Tower to the ground was as easy as one, two, three. ”
As the two discussed the methodology of dealing with the Devil during the Great War, a certain someone interjected:
“That!! I’ve been meaning to ask about that!! Have you no honor?! The hero is supposed to challenge me to heroic combat, not blow up my Tower out of nowhere!! Though, hmmm, I guess since I, the Devil, always return, your lashing out was never more than a meaningless struggle!!”
Sora and Shiro were left dumbfounded by the little furball’s impassioned accusation for the eternity’s worth of pain he’d been put through…
…So lemme get this straight: This plushie-ass Devil comes back to life like “Mwa-ha-ha… Gahhh-ha-ha-ha! The world is mine to destroy, mortals! Come, O Heroes! See if you can stop me wait, what?” and then gets carpet-bombed into silence every few years.
Hmmm… He’s the Phantom of Destruction, the Hope-Consuming Beast…and he controls this Domain of Despair… The Devil is undoubtedly a monster and an avatar of ruin… But y’know…I can’t help feeling sorry for the poor little guy.
The Devil had brought the world to the very brink of destruction, only to experience even greater despair at the hands of those more OP than he was.
So, relatively speaking, he wasn’t much of a threat. And to further add to his sob story:
“Oh, Master—I should mention that with the dawn of the Ten Covenants, we can no longer destroy his territory as we used to. Furthermore, the Domain of Despair has lost its life-ending effect.”
,
“…Well, yeah… That’s, what…I figured…”
“I mean, ending all life is kinda…”
“It goes against everything the Covenants stand for…”
In other words, the Devil was never a threat during the Great War, with how easy it was to wipe out him and his forces, and even now, he was basically powerless. Sora, Shiro, and Steph stared blankly.
In other words:
“The Devil’s Domain of Despair is confined to his Tower, which would require mutual agreement to enter as a game.”
“Incidentally: The Devil cannot move his Tower or his territory. Conclusion: This furball cannot do anything.”
The Devil went from “cute furball” to “terrifying furball” to “poor little furball”…
The trio’s evaluation of him went up and down like a roller coaster. Just when they were beginning to pity the Devil…
“Right… So now that we’ve established that he is indeed the furball he presents himself as—”
“ No! I am the DEVIL!!”
“Yeah, sure. Anyway, you guys said something interesting: You insinuated that Demonia was worthless without the Devil.”
A furball though he may have been, nothing changed the fact that he’d risen once more, which begged the question for Sora: Where did Demonia stand now?
“Yes. Now that the Devil has returned, my evaluation of Demonia is due for a slight adjustment.”
“Affirmative/Reevaluation: Demonia’s worth has changed from Worthless to Effectively Worthless. Updating data.”
The race’s collective worth went from zero to basically zero, and the logic behind this was:
“There are two reasons for this: First, Demonia is fundamentally both weak and stupid.”
“ ”
Jibril smiled as she held up the first of two fingers. She’d stated all this as if it was an obvious fact.
“Details: Extreme variance among individual specimens’ intelligence and capabilities. However, the maximum of either value is very low. No threat posed in any games. Irregular Number’s assessment is highly accurate. Demonia is weak and stupid.”
Emir-Eins added her ruthless input, which forced Sora to retort with a bit of a wince, “Uh, b-but wait… Schira Ha introduced herself as the Wise earlier, right…?”
Surely her moniker is some kinda title for, like, SS-rare characters…y’know…? She even said she was the wisest of them all…
A befuddled Sora pondered this as he waited for an answer.
“During the Great War, whenever the Devil revived, he created particularly powerful groups of minions to be his elite guards: the Eight Eradicators, the Seven Slayers, the Four Guardians, et cetera…”
Jibril explained more of this world’s history, which never disappointed in how clichéd it sounded.
“But every time he did, we Flügel more than anyone else enjoyed hunting these powerful minions as if it were a little game. Weak as they may have been, there was nevertheless a rarity to be enjoyed in beheading the occasional strongest of the weak and stupid. ”
“…………”
Flügel gruesomeness never disappointed, either. Jibril kept smiling as she continued her explanation.
“Schira Ha the Wise is among the first rare Demonias created over forty thousand years ago, and the only survivor of her brethren, the Nine Nightmares. It is true that she was the sole Demonia elusive enough to escape us Flügel.”
Schira Ha was grinning placidly the entire time.
“So…she’s gotta be pretty strong, right…?” Sora asked.
Eluding the Flügel for over forty thousand years must’ve required unimaginable power.
Sora and Shiro could tell why Jibril wanted to kill her so much after they caught her, but:
“Negative: This specimen has no combat capabilities. Intelligence is below average. However, during the twelve times Ex Machina firebombed the Devil’s territory—this specimen retreated from the battlefield before the hostilities began. This specimen went AWOL.”
“In other words, the only wisdom she has is the wisdom to abandon her king before utter annihilation. ”
Schira Ha didn’t have any real power or wisdom, other than to run away and hide.
Jibril and Emir-Eins made this known to all present, and one individual was caught completely off guard:
“…Wait. I was wondering why she always survived… Did you really leave me behind, Schira Ha?!”
The shock in the furball’s tone was as palpable as the tears welling up in his eyes.
However:
“Your wish is my command, Your Evilness! Your orders were for me to use the wisdom bestowed upon me. Mweh-heh…”
While it wasn’t entirely clear what “wish” she was responding to, Schira Ha quickly turned to Jibril and Emir-Eins and launched into a wicked speech…
“Mweh-heh-heh… It is as you say. I, Schira Ha the Wise, am the weakest of the Nine Nightmares— Nay! I can say with confidence that I am the weakest of all the Devil’s elite guards!!”
She spoke as if this was a point of great pride—but she wasn’t finished!
“The great wisdom vested in me by His Evilness made it very clear that if I ever attempted to place myself between him and the relentless volley of explosives deployed by Flügel and Ex Machina hands, I would have offered less protection than a single sheet of paper!!”
She exclaimed, “However!!” and her wicked grin grew even more twisted.
“The Devil—as cute as a button though he may be—is immortal! His Evilness would survive any onslaught and rise again—whereas I, Schira Ha the Wise, would perish. And should that ever happen, upon whose shoulders would the duty of leading Demonia, supporting them, and laying the groundwork for world destruction during the Devil’s slumber fall, if not on his wisest servant’s?!”
She continued with her voice on high!
“Mweh-heh-heh… It was none other than the omnipotent Devil himself who bestowed me with this knowledge—”
Thus!
“In the name of His Evilness! For the future of his people! And above all, for the world’s annihilation—I must use the wisdom gifted to me to survive!! It should be plain as day that the all-knowing, all-powerful Devil used his cunning foresight to concoct this masterstroke of genius is it not, Your Evilness?!”
,
…After a very pregnant pause:
“…Ah… Y-yes… Gah-ha-ha!! You’ve done well to interpret my edict, Schira Ha! Your title befits you!”
“But of course, Your Evilness! It was a simple task, thanks entirely to the knowledge you’ve bestowed upon me!!”
Tears streamed down the furball’s fuzzy cheeks as he nodded to his servant, who got on one knee and bowed her head in blind faith to him.
“…I believe the interactions between Demonia’s most intelligent servant and her creator speak for the race itself. ”
Just as a fictional character cannot be smarter than its author: If the creator is an idiot, then so, too, is their creation.
Jibril smiled as she belittled the intelligence of the Demonia race. However…
I dunno about this…
Sora had a hard time taking this claim at face value, but he kept that to himself and squinted while he asked his next question.
“’Kay… Let’s say you’re right. It doesn’t quite make their race worthless, though, yeah?”
Even if Jibril and Emir-Eins’s evaluation was 100 percent accurate, and Demonia really was a race of bumbling idiots, then Demonia could easily be taken advantage of—and perhaps even become a priority for the Commonwealth.
Jibril bowed politely before replying, “Yes, this was but the first reason why Demonia should not be considered a threat. Now, the second, more significant reason—”
Namely: why Demonia could be neither friend nor foe.
“—is that Demonia’s Race Piece is always in the Devil’s possession.”
Jibril held up a second finger as she said this.
………
…………
“ As such, whether the Devil has returned or not is irrelevant; Demonia is harmless and powerless.”
“Supplement: Thus, worthless. Recommendation: Ignore. Leave them be. Forget about them.”
Emir-Eins agreed with Jibril’s summation.
“…………”
Sora remained silent, lost in deep thought as he processed this information.
Okay, I get it. If what these two are saying is true, then Demonia and the Devil are harmless, but they’re also undefeatable…
Maybe Emir-Eins was right, and they should just ignore them, leave them be, forget about them…
But I’m not in any place to do that now, am I…?
Defeating Demonia was essential to the Commonwealth’s overarching goal as well as to dealing with the Front.
Not only that, but Sora’s mind was still plagued by the initial reason for Schira Ha’s visit. He was mulling over this when:
“…I, uh…don’t think that’s such a good idea, I don’t…”
Til had been there the entire time, listening quietly until she muttered these words. As a Dwarf, she knew something no one else did, and that triggered her sense of impending danger.
Sora looked up at her slowly.
“Mweh-heh-heh… Yes. I, Schira Ha, would likewise advise against such measures…”
Something about the elegant way she talked sparked fear in him.
“That is precisely why I, Schira Ha, stand here before you… Mweh-heh-heh…?”
Despite having so foolishly challenged Jibril and Emir-Eins to a game only to invariably lose, and even though she was in Sora and Shiro’s possession—her gaze and voice were dripping with confidence.
There was a wicked intelligence in her eyes, not unlike that of a snake staring down its prey.
“You heroes have no choice in this.”
Schira Ha said this with a hungry, serpentine grin, sending chills down everyone’s spines……
Meanwhile, on the continent of Valar in the Republic of Elkia—what used to be Tírnóg—the fledgling nation’s impromptu capital was bustling with people working busily under the moonlight. And there was no end in sight of new refugees flooding the capital, which was still dealing with the chaos of establishing itself as a new nation.
At the very center of the capital was a white building made of chalk stone—the republic’s government office. There sat the parliament president—a young raven-haired girl dressed in all black: Chlammy Zell.
She grabbed a single sheet of paper from the top of a large stack on her desk and scowled at it beneath the lamplight.
“I wanna hurl…”
These words were something of a mantra for her at that point as she angrily began putting pen to paper.
Oh look, another form from people expressing their desire to leave the Commonwealth to join the Front… What a load of crap. This is all I’ve been getting the past few months. It’s always the same blah, blah, blah. Let me guess, another excuse as to why they’re gonna betray their country and people, and what they have to offer us—
…This was her job.
From a conservationist standpoint, siding with the Front was the obvious thing to do, and the very point of the establishment of the republic: a risk-hedge apparatus. At the same time, choosing to do so also meant the end of the Commonwealth, as well as its domination and possible demise.
In other words, these people were a bunch of traitorous bastards who didn’t mind sacrificing their own people, and also a bunch of lousy hypocrites needed to justify their own acts of betrayal.
Of course. That is the rational option. I know it must be difficult for you.
It was the same thing every time, and every time, she said it with a smile while doing her best to fulfill their interest.
From the political and business officials back in Elven Gard to those they colluded with, as well as the republic forces, it was never-ending pandering to those above and below her, and from all sides.
If I ever get used to this nauseating work…it’ll be the end of me…
I’m sure there’s only one reason that I’ve managed to keep my sanity despite this mind-numbing work, and that’s…
“Chlaaammyyy, don’t you think it’s about time for bed? ”
With a smile bright enough to light up the dim office, an Elf with pale-gold hair and four diamonds for pupils—Chlammy’s best friend, Fiel Nirvalen, was there for her.
“Yeah… Thanks, Fi. I’ll head to bed once I’m done with this.”
The cup of tea Fi made for me will get me through this last batch.
Chlammy took a deep breath. She didn’t need Fi to tell her to go to bed; she wanted to be done with this work as much as Fi wanted her to be.
What started as a mountain eventually dwindled down to its last paper, and Chlammy let out a big sigh of relief as she finished filling it out, only for…
“Good work. But there’s one more I’d like you to take a look at…”
The sorrow in Fiel’s voice was evident as she came forward with another sheet of paper.
Chlammy took it from her with a puzzled look and began reading through it.
“…The Devil’s revival has been confirmed, and is to be closely monitored by our allies…? What’s this supposed to mean?”
Chlammy raised her brow as she read the directive. It came straight from the council of elders back in Elven Gard.
Demonia was never a threat in the first place.
As far as Chlammy knew, the higher-ups saw potential use in them for their sheer numbers—as throwaways for the Front. Besides, the newly revived Devil’s powers were inhibited by the Ten Covenants anyway. It was strange to receive orders about his revival, as there was nothing they could really do other than ignore it entirely…
Chlammy was visibly puzzled. Fiel spoke up while holding her pointer finger to her cheek:
“According to undisclosed information from central intelligence…”
They began a telepathic conversation that was masked through multifold magic. The sudden feeling of words pouring directly into Chlammy’s mind foreshadowed the gravity of the information to come. She didn’t have time to be surprised by the voice that rang out in her mind, as what she was about to hear was far more shocking:
“…The Devil’s Domain of Despair is still in effect.”
,
,
“That’s…impossible…”
The Domain of Despair—an illusionary field that caused all life within it to lose the hope and desire to live. It just wasn’t possible for something as monstrous as that to function under the Ten Covenants.
Chlammy was sure of this, but Fiel shook her head.
“I shall explain the premise for you…”
Fiel implied that this may not have been the case. She began leisurely…
“You understand that the Demonia agent plenipotentiary is the Devil, yes?”
“Of course. I’m pretty sure you explained that to me before.”
During the Great War, the Devil was in a never-ending loop of revival and immediate destruction at the hands of Flügel and Ex Machina.
The war came to an end while he was still in his dormant phase.
This meant that the Devil was not present for the establishment of the Ten Covenants.
However, Demonia, which remained loyal to him even in his slumber, offered their Race Piece to him.
The result:
“Demonia’s agent plenipotentiary has been, for all intents and purposes, absent. Well…until now, I guess.”
“That’s riiight. You’re so smart, Chlammyyy! ”
Fiel patted her on the head for her gold-star answer, but Chlammy brushed it away while she sorted out the facts she knew.
The Devil was a Phantasma, so as long as his core remained intact, he would come back to life over and over again. He still existed during the downtime until his next revival.
Therefore, Demonia’s submission of their Race Piece to the Devil was valid even during his dormancy, creating an environment where the Race Piece could not be stolen, while also removing the presence of anyone capable of making agent-plenipotentiary-level decisions.
This was why Demonia was, for the longest time, viewed as worthless. Or so Chlammy thought, but Fiel was about to tell her something new.
“The Devil’s first post-Great War revival was confirmed four hundred and fifteen years ago.”
Why hadn’t the Devil risen during the five thousand years before then?
But conversely, why did he revive after those five thousand years? This remained a mystery.
“Just like he did during the Great War, the Devil challenged heroes from around the globe to defeat him. He essentially challenged the entire world to a game.”
…Oh?
“What was the game, and what did he wager?”
Never mind the Great War; the world now operated under the Ten Covenants.
Chlammy wanted to know what the rules for the engagement were, as well as the reward, which Fiel told her with a nod.
“As we understand it: The challengers were allowed to form a seven-member party of heroes to enter the Domain of Despair and climb the Devil’s Tower. With hope as their sole weapon, they needed to make it to the top floor of the Tower and defeat the Devil himself, winning everything he owned. If their hope was consumed on the way, they would lose.”
……Oh-ho…? thought Clammy before asking:
“And I’m guessing everyone dumb enough to try it ended up getting their butts kicked, right?”
“That’s riiight. Many races attempted the climb, but all of them ended the same way.”
After all, winning against the long-absent Devil earned the victor everything he owned, including Demonia’s Race Piece. The Devil would become the victor’s possession, along with Demonia, who pledged absolute loyalty to their creator. It was only natural for the entire world to try and claim this for their own before someone else did.
And just thinking about it made Chlammy sick.
Nevertheless, the fact that Demonia’s Race Piece remained in the Devil’s possession pointed to one natural conclusion:
Whoever had challenged him was defeated, and there was not a single survivor.
If the heroes entered the Tower based on mutual agreement, it made sense that the Domain of Despair would retain its notorious effect.
It was the same Domain of Despair that kept Flügel, Ex Machina, and Old Deus from defeating the Devil during the Great War.
Even if it were a game, it should’ve been clear that entering the Devil’s Tower could’ve only spelled utter defeat—
“Once it was clear that the game was unwinnable, the world collectively stopped its attempts at climbing the Tower—that is, except for the moles.”
“The Dwarves?”
“Yes. The moles over in Hardenfell were the only ones to keep trying. And they did for seven years, over one hundred times.”
Why, though…? Why would someone try winning an unbeatable game more than one hundred times—?
Fiel affirmed Chlammy’s confusion with a nod before continuing by showing her two images that appeared in her mind.
“First, here is the population change of Hardenfell in Dagahn between four hundred and fifteen years ago and four hundred and eight years ago.”
The population of over five hundred thousand began a sudden and rapid decline exactly four hundred and nine years ago.
The image showed that it fell all the way to zero within the span of a year.
“And this is the Domain of Despair’s spread during the Great War, placed over a world map from four hundred and seven years ago…”
The second image was of a large circle spreading from Garad Golm before consuming all of Hardenfell and Dagahn.
The data suggested an answer to the initial question: Why had the Dwarves challenged the Devil over one hundred times?
Because they had to…
And if that was the case, then the Domain of Despair still maintained its devastating effects even under the Ten Covenants.
The loss of hope in five hundred thousand individuals four hundred and nine years ago was clear evidence of this.
“No—that can’t be! The Ten Covenants are absolute!!”
Chlammy shook her head. She wasn’t so willing to take the information at face value.
The One True God had laid down the laws of nature, laws that not even fellow gods could break!!
“Yes, this is only a possibility. Something Elf intelligence is still unsure of.”
While Fiel agreed with Chlammy’s assertion, she continued:
“Nevertheless, the top believes there is a high chance this possibility is a real threat…”
The Ten Covenants canceled out any intent to cause harm to others, but…what if there was no intent?
Or what if the damage caused by the Domain of Despair was an indirect result?
Chlammy knew she couldn’t write off the possibilities, so…
“Fine! Let’s forget everything about how the world works and pretend they might be right.”
Then!! Chlammy was shouting inside her mind.
“If the Devil’s Domain of Despair engulfs the entire world, we’re all good as dead!! And they want us to monitor the situation?! What the hell are those geezers thinking?!”
If this really was true, then it superseded the Front and the Commonwealth’s conflict.
It called for the world to join forces to figure out the problem, Chlammy thought.
With wide, alert eyes, she groaned on the inside, but…
“If the Devil’s Domain of Despair does spread, it will only affect the Commonwealth’s territories for the time being… It plays into the Front’s favor—”
“Who gives a shit about that?! Those idiots!!”
Chlammy couldn’t hold it in any longer. She ended up shouting out her reaction to Fiel’s response.
Leaving it be would result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Ixseeds, and this played into their favor? Whose favor?!
It played into no one’s favor: There was zero proof they could stop the spread of the domain, which meant leaving it to grow could spell not only the Commonwealth’s or Elven Gard’s own destruction, but the end of the entire world?!
They’re so stupid!! Just how rotten to the core are these people?!
“I know, Chlammy… I know…!!”
“ Ngh!”
Fiel gently grasped Chlammy’s trembling hands, which allowed Chlammy to feel that her friend, too, was shaking with rage. She gasped.
Oh… There’s no way Fi thinks this is okay, too… But there’s nothing we can do to go against the top’s will… Fi could’ve kept this information to herself, if she’d wanted to. That way, I would’ve remained oblivious to it… But she didn’t. She shared it with me.
“I’m sorry…Fi… I didn’t mean to yell…”
“It’s fiiine. I know you’re tired.”
Fiel trusted Chlammy. They were equals, they were partners, and they were in this together.
Chlammy was beginning to calm down as she felt her friend’s hand gently caressing her, when a thought crossed her mind that was connected by telepathy.
“…Do you think they can win…?”
Sora and the Commonwealth had Hardenfell on their side, so they must have had further intel on the situation.
And if they did, they would never allow anyone to fall victim to the despair. Chlammy knew that, at the very least, they wouldn’t give up.
Sora was going to accept the Devil’s challenge—she knew it. But…
“…No one has ever defeated the Devil…not during or after the Great War…,” Fiel said once more.
Chlammy tried to calm herself.
She then shared the next question that popped up in her mind:
“…But the Devil only just revived… Doesn’t that mean he was defeated four hundred and eight years ago?”
Seeing as the Devil was in a dormant state for four hundred and eight years, didn’t that mean that someone—probably the Dwarves—defeated him once?
Chlammy posed this to Fiel, who cocked her head to the side in slight confusion.
“That’s what I thought, too, buuut…it doesn’t explain why Demonia still exists.”
Oh, this is true…
It was just as Chlammy had imagined before:
“Had the moles won, they would have either erased the Devil from existence or made him their puppet. At the very least, Demonia’s Race Piece would have been in Dwarf’s possession this entire time.”
But this wasn’t the case.
Which meant that the Dwarves had somehow forced the Devil back into a dormant state, perhaps maybe by a tie… Regardless, it didn’t change the fact that victory was still unachievable.
“But they’ll try. And when they do, they’ll try for a perfect victory.”
Chlammy was sure of this, and Fiel agreed wholeheartedly.
So what did it mean to challenge the Devil?
First, there would be a party of up to seven heroes.
Sora and Shiro are a given…
Chlammy and Fiel together imagined who would fill the remaining five spots.
“They won’t go in without Jibril and Emir-Eins for their firepower, intellect, and analytical skiiills.”
“…And with the experience on the Dwarves’ side, they’ll most definitely bring either Veig or Til. Perhaps even both?”
“The rule about hope being their sole weapon is a bit strange. That could mean they may not be able to use magic. In which case, they will need a Werebeast—Izuna Hatsuse, I assume. Which would make seven.”
This was more than likely the optimal party Sora and Shiro would go with. But if any of these individuals had their hope consumed and lost their life during the game, it would amount to the Commonwealth of Elkia losing one of its core members, and almost definitely lead to its collapse.
Yeah…I know.
We’re the Front…and they’re the Commonwealth…our enemies.
Chlammy understood that it wasn’t her place to worry about the group, but…
“You needn’t fret over it, Chlammyyy. Sora and his friends will pull through. ”
“…? That’s odd of you, Fi, to trust Sora’s group…”
Even if Fiel merely said that to cheer up Chlammy, who was visibly concerned, it was still so unlike her that Chlammy couldn’t help but be surprised.
“Trust them? Heh-heh. Surely you must be joking, yeees?”
Fiel flashed a very telling grin as she continued.
“They’re the ones who got us in this mess in the first place. They sent us here with the impossible task of destroying Elven Gard from the inside without even giving us a saaay in the matter. ”
……Yeah, I guess that’s true, huh? Chlammy gave a strained smile.
Well, hopefully they figure something out.
Chlammy sent off her words of encouragement to the faraway Kingdom of Elkia as something of an afterthought before leaving with Fiel for their bedroom, to get a well-deserved good night’s sleep.
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