SIDE STORY
The Failure, Unsatisfied
For as long as he could remember, Lizer Bellphoenix felt like there was something missing from his heart.
It was always unsatisfied, lacking in something.
That was why his existence seemed gray.
All others thrived in their wonderful world, vibrant, and praising their lives. Meanwhile, he trudged forward, eyes downcast.
The elderly man found his existence frustrating. He was jealous of everyone else. And so he continued to search—to discover what he was missing.
He’d imagined he would be able to join in once he found it, to shake free from his boring life and loneliness, to live a full life. But…he didn’t know what he was supposed to find.
Which meant he was doomed to a life that left him feeling eternally unfulfilled—sheer agony. Those decades spent wandering were a personal hell.
At the end of the long road, Lizer Bellphoenix—seventy-six, past the prime of his life—had finally learned his heart’s desire. The indescribable could be described at last. It was the thing he had wanted for all those years…
It was love.
He’d arrived at this conclusion when he met the young orphan Maria.
Lizer had come to live a good life at the orphanage since the day she’d saved him as he lay dying on the street.
“Wow, look at all this food!”
“And the meat…!”
“And the veggies—so fresh!”
It was evening, and the dinner table at the orphanage had been set with a plentiful bounty. This was not a sight that you’d expect to see. The orphanage was in desperate financial straits, and the children were always starving. But now…they had Lizer, who spent his days earning money to buy food for Maria and the other children.
“You should have seen Lizer today! He took down a giant dragon with his bare hands!” Maria exclaimed, singing his praises as she relished the feast.
“Seriously?!”
“Doesn’t surprise me!”
“No hogging him, Maria! It’s not fair! We wanna go on a quest with Lizer, too!”
Maria had an affinity for magic, which was why she served as Lizer’s assistant, despite her age. He intended to introduce magic to the other children once they were old enough. If they became adventurers, they would never have to worry about money again.
“You’re such a blessing, Lizer.”
“How can we ever repay you…?”
“We really have nothing to offer…”
The orphanage caretakers expressed their gratitude.
Lizer shook his head. “No need. I’m the freeloader. If anything, I should be doing this to you for providing me with sanctuary.”
He genuinely believed that. Lizer wasn’t looking for compensation. All he wanted was to be at Maria’s side.
He lived to bring joy to her and her friends.
He required nothing other than their smiles.
After dinner and a bath, it was time for lights-out.
Before Lizer, the orphanage had no beds, let alone rooms for the children. But with his money, they had remodeled the building, providing them with their own rooms and expensive beds to guarantee a good night’s sleep.
Nighttime. Lizer’s nightly ritual was to read picture books out loud in Maria’s room. It was a great opportunity for her to improve her reading comprehension and for them to spend time together.
“And Kaiser the Champion bellowed, ‘I carry the people’s hope! They give me my strength!’” Lizer read with emotion.
He used to be terribly monotone, but he’d become a much better actor under Maria’s guidance. Now he recited these lines with the eloquence of a thespian.
“The monster howled—‘Aaaaaaaargh! No one told me you were so stroooong!’”
“Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Lizer, your face is too funny!”
Never in his life had he used his facial muscles before. Since meeting Maria, Lizer’s range of expression seemed to expand by the day.
Maria started to doze off. On any other day, they would have exchanged their good nights and called it an evening. On this day, however, Maria did something unexpected.
“…Hey, Lizer. Why can’t this world be like the ones in my picture books?”
He couldn’t tell if her narrowed eyes were from drowsiness…or sorrow.
She pressed on. “If I can be reborn, I’d want to be a Saint. Then I’d join the Champions and create a wonderful world for everyone.”
Her tiny voice broke Lizer’s heart. Why was she saying this now? He was certain that it had something to do with what had happened on their way home during their last quest. After collecting the reward and picking up some groceries, they had come across the corpse of a child on the side of the road.
“…I wonder if we’ll all end up like that, too.”
Maria appeared on the verge of tears. Lizer held her tightly.
He went nearly blind with rage toward the people who hurt her…or perhaps more accurately, with the state of the world they lived in.
“A wonderful world where everyone can smile and live in peace. If that’s your wish…”
I want to grant it, he thought to himself.
For a world that let her smile, one where she would never feel sadness.
From that day forward, Lizer had a new goal in life, and then one day…he found a way to make Maria’s dream a reality.
In recent days, there had been rise in a certain movement challenging society…a rebel army led by Varvatos. Lizer instantly realized that would be the quickest path to his goal.
There was possibility in the strength possessed by Varvatos and his subordinates. For Maria’s ideal world to take form, they would need to drive out the demons and Outer Ones. Only when humanity was free of their clutches could a true utopia exist.
And so Lizer decided to join Varvatos’s army, rationalizing that borrowing their powers was the key to realizing Maria’s dreams.
He would strike when the iron was hot. Lizer wasted no time relaying his plan to everyone.
This was a period when the orphanage was stocked, and he’d finished teaching the children about magic. They didn’t need him anymore—they were self-sufficient, able to maintain their current lifestyle without him.
The caretakers regretted seeing him go, but they didn’t resist—not even with a single word. The children, on the other hand, were fiercely opposed. To them, he was a respected teacher and de facto grandfather.
But Lizer’s heart was set.
“…I know you’ll be like a Champion, Lizer. I’m rooting for you.”
Maria gently urged him onto his path. Lizer was sure that she was pleased—that her utopia would come to life. That Lizer would make it happen.
He told himself he’d do anything to answer those hopes.
—Then came the faithful day.
It was days before Lizer was scheduled to leave. He didn’t treat it any differently, accepting a quest, traveling into a dangerous area, and hunting down his prey—his daily routine.
Except Maria didn’t accompany him on this day. They were planning to throw him a big good-bye party, so she had stayed back at the orphanage with the other children to set up.
“…I’ve really changed. I never thought I’d be sad about saying good-bye to anyone.”
The faces of Maria and the other children—smiling—flashed through his mind. Just the thought of leaving them hurt his heart, even though he knew it would be for only a short while.
But this wasn’t good-bye forever. Once Lizer moved up the ranks, he’d eventually be granted his own land. Once that happened, he’d invite everyone to join him, and they could all live together again. The thought put a grin on his face.
This was Lizer’s first real dream in his life. Lizer believed that he would build a glorious future for all of them—
His hopes, however, were shattered into a million pieces.
Lizer spotted something as he was returning to the orphanage with his reward. An impossible reality before his eyes.
It was a corpse—a body lying along the road.
Lizer gazed upon the beaten and battered figure.
His body shook uncontrollably.
“Maria…!”
Yes. The cadaver tossed by the roadside was the corpse of the person dearest to Lizer.
His mind went blank. Even he couldn’t say how long he stood motionless.
Finally, Lizer retched. His stomach convulsed, his teeth rattled, his legs buckled under him.
Lizer collapsed to the ground. Crawling along the dirt, he approached Maria.
Once he confirmed her astral spirit was truly lost—he instinctively used magic to read the final memory stored in her body.
Shortly after Lizer had set out on his quest in the dangerous region, Maria had left the orphanage to visit an accessory shop. There, she purchased a pair of rings, one for Lizer, the other for her. It wasn’t just to express her gratitude… It would serve to remind the two that their hearts would always be one.
“I hope he’ll like it.”
Maria walked along the road, her heart singing with hope and beating from nerves.
…She’d let her guard down.
As the girl rounded a corner, she ran into someone. A demon. A high-ranking one who ran the town.
His ugly face was colored with hate…and his hand reached down toward Maria.
—It was the memory that followed that psychologically broke Lizer.
He found himself sobbing uncontrollably, howling, half mad with insurmountable grief.
Finally, he staggered back toward the orphanage. His mind couldn’t accept this as his reality. He told himself the corpse wasn’t Maria’s. As soon as he got back to the orphanage, she’d be there waiting for him with a smile.
Lizer imagined her face, trudging on to his destination—
But that was where he would confront something more disturbing.
The orphanage was burning.
His second home was red. A group was going wild in front of it.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Serves ’em right!”
“And that’s for living large!”
“The day of judgment has come! Burn, snobs!”
It was a group of humans. The bodies of the children were at their feet.
They were kicking the corpses and smiling.
—He didn’t remember what happened after that.
It was like crushing ants. No emotion behind it.
It didn’t even feel like he was taking lives.
Lizer realized he was in a sea of blood.
“………”
He was dripping with it. It streamed down his body. Lizer was drenched in blood like a wet rat, not even smelling the metallic stench of it hanging in the air. He continued to stare at the burning orphanage.
He was thinking about the part of his heart that had been missing—the blank space that had been filled with the love of Maria and the orphanage. Now, it was darkening with new emotions.
Disgust. Hatred for this world. Contempt toward the people who had massacred his dear ones. From that moment on, Lizer Bellphoenix strayed from the path of humanity.
“All your regret, all your fear and resentment. I will avenge you.”
He set out, crimson footprints following him across the town.
His first order of business was the demon who had murdered Maria. He tore him limb from limb. After that, he put out the fire at the orphanage and killed anyone connected to the perpetrators.
The bitterness in Lizer’s heart remained.
I detest it. I detest it. I detest this world and the evil that overruns it. I detest it all.
And so he set out on a journey—one of carnage. Everywhere he went, Lizer spilled blood. Demon or human, it didn’t matter. He killed without hesitation anyone he deemed repulsive. This became his raison d’être, his reason for being.
A dark fire slowly burned away his soul. He relished this feeling. Bodies piled up around Lizer. He thought it was the only proper offering that he could give to the orphanage’s children; to Maria. Only the death throes of vermin would suffice.
Days, months, and years passed before Lizer came upon a certain being.
Mephisto Yuu Phegor.
He was one of the Outer Ones, known as the incarnation of pure evil. Even Lizer was aware of his power.
Lizer had no chance of victory. If he challenged an Outer One, he would die. And so he decided to make Mephisto his final target.
Lizer journeyed for several more years, his heart growing weary. In the end, grief had painted his heart black. Everything would end here. He didn’t care what happened next. Ready to face death, Lizer headed for his final target.
It was the dead of night when Lizer snuck into the courtyard of Mephisto’s palace.
He was there waiting for him. Eyes twinkled in the darkness. Mephisto Yuu Phegor welcomed Lizer.
“Hey there, Lizer. It’s about time you got here.”
This worried Lizer. It was like Mephisto had a read on his plans… In fact, Mephisto was speaking as if this was what he’d anticipated from the very beginning.
There’s no way.
“…Were you watching my travels?”
Mephisto. The monster. The devil.
He confirmed Lizer’s question with a dashing smile. “I know when, where, and how all my toys will be born. So yes, I was watching you, Lizer. I’ve been watching since you were a baby.”
If what he said was true, then…
“This was your doing. You caused this evil.”
Sure enough, Mephisto didn’t deny this, either.
“That’s right. I wanted to rattle your empty heart, so I destroyed your village. You didn’t even bat an eye—and that’s when you became special to me. You sparked my curiosity and made me wonder whether I could break a lifeless doll. I owe you one, Lizer.” His smile grew brighter.
On the other hand…a particular darkness spread across Lizer Bellphoenix’s old face, something darker than the abyss.
“…Were you the one who killed Maria—and burned everyone at the orphanage?”
“Well, yeah. Technically, all I did was nudge the people toward the path of darkness. I didn’t do anything directly—”
Lizer’s exhausted heart, crushed by sorrow…
…flooded with black tar—detestation.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!”
It was him. It was him.
It was him.
It was he who caused the heartache. He who burned down my loved ones I’d found at long last. He who took away my peace.
It was him. It was this man.
Lizer Bellphoenix recognized that Mephisto Yuu Phegor was the most evil man in the world. Mephisto was no longer an organic life-form. He was evil personified.
And so—if no one else, Lizer knew he had to destroy this creature, and this creature alone.
It would be to clear his hatred. To avenge Maria and the others, free them of regret.
—However…
“That’s it, Lizer. I wanted to see you make that face. Well, shall we head to the climax?”
He never stood a chance of winning. Lizer’s inner world might change, but this fact would remain constant.
In a mere instant, he was hovering on the verge of death.
“Well, Lizer, relay my regards to Maria on the other side… Oh, wait. I guess that’s not possible. I mean, her astral spirit was destroyed, after all, which means you’ll never meet again. Heartbreaking! But…that’s what makes things interesting.”
Grief spread in Lizer’s chest. He wept bitter tears.
His accursed enemy would live on and continue to do evil with a smile. The thought tore apart his soul.
“Curse you—and any path you take…!”
It infuriated Lizer that he could do nothing except spew curses.
—Then it was his final moment.
Mephisto prepared to release a dark orb from his palm…
“I’ll take custody of that man’s life.”
Thunder clapped. A gust of wind blasted in front of him. Lizer’s vision went black.
Then he was standing somewhere else entirely, a refined and furnished room. In the center…was a man in an opulent chair, wineglass in one hand and staring at him.
“That was a close one.”
“…And you are?”
“Alvarto Egzex. We’ve never met, but you know my name, I presume?”
Lizer did recall that name. He’d heard Alvarto was a commendable man who had joined Varvatos’s army despite being a demon. It was Alvarto who had apparently saved him. His ulterior motives were a mystery…but Lizer saw this as an opportunity.
“You said you’ll take custody of my life?”
“Yes. Your existence is now in my hands.”
“In that case…use it as you see fit.”
“Oh? Are you saying you wish to become my subordinate and do my bidding?”
Lizer nodded. Of course, this wasn’t the entire story. It was all to get revenge against Mephisto.
He wouldn’t be able to lay a scratch on the Evil God by himself, but if he joined forces with this man, played his cards right, and commanded Varvatos’s army, his odds would no longer be zero.
And he would do anything if it meant sending Mephisto Yuu Phegor to hell.
He hid his true motives from this man. “I can be useful to you. It’s not ego speaking but indisputable truth. Therefore—”
“No,” Alvarto replied flatly, taking a sip from his glass.
Lizer glared as the man smirked at him. He had a question of his own. “Why not?”
“Your heart is painfully boring,” Alvarto answered with careful deliberation as he swirled his wine. “Like a certain someone, I’ve been watching you, although I was unaware of your existence until recently. You’re a villain who goes around killing indiscriminately—humans and demons. I wanted to see how you operated.”
Crossing his legs and resting his chin on his hands, Alvarto looked directly at Lizer. “Your deeds were brilliantly executed with wild yet flawless precision, and you didn’t show a hint of hesitation. And most importantly…I could feel your resentment. Watching you got me all worked up—but it still wasn’t enough. Why is that, do you think?”
The answer had to be related to his previous statement that Lizer’s heart was boring. But why? He had no clue.
Alvarto must have read the old man’s mind; he took another sip of wine and elaborated.
“Your heart holds only hatred. There’s no room for anything except evil. That just won’t do. Any power born from that can only produce a dull blade of violence. It’ll never reach that monster…and above all, it won’t turn me on.” Alvarto finished off his wine, rose from his chair, and pointed at Lizer’s chest. “Gain some conviction, Lizer Bellphoenix. Let your own beliefs shine brighter than all else. That will complete your character and convince me you’re a worthy subordinate.”
“Conviction…?”
“Indeed. You have the ingredients needed to give it form. Think of all the loved ones you’ve lost. Remember the halcyon days. That’s where your goals and beliefs are hidden. You can remain here as my guest until you find them.”
A paternal smile broke out on Alvarto’s face.
Days, months, and years passed by. After a long bout of meditation, soul-searching, and ridding himself of hatred…Lizer Bellphoenix found his beliefs at last.
“I will build a paradise on earth. A world where no child will ever feel sadness. I will accomplish this by my own hand.”
For ages, he’d thought about unfulfilled wishes. The children’s. The caretakers’. Maria’s. All these thoughts were constantly running through his mind.
In the end, he discovered it boiled down to a utopia for children. Revenge wouldn’t make Maria or the other children happy. But if he created a world where no one met the same fates they did, wouldn’t everyone at last be free of their agony? Couldn’t they finally let go of their regret?
Lizer Bellphoenix would live to protect and nurture children and their future.
Justice would conquer evil.
Now he wasn’t an angry man. With a new goal, the imperfect man walked down the road ahead.
—And he never noticed the devil grinning behind him.
“…That dream again?”
Sunlight filtered through the curtains. Birds twittered. It was still early. Lizer sat up in bed and let out a tiny sigh.
“Anxiety, fear, and irritation… They certainly have a mind of their own.”
If he’d possessed nothing but conviction, if he was willpower personified, then maybe he wouldn’t be so afraid of greeting the present and facing tomorrow.
On the day he joined the Demon Lord’s army as Alvarto’s subordinate, Lizer was reborn as a living doll whose sole purpose was to follow his own moral code and create his utopia. He was confident he would live and die by this. However…
“The Strange Cube… An omnipotent tool of wish fulfillment… Who could ever resist its temptation…?”
In the beginning, Lizer was satisfied with creating his utopia.
But when he laid eyes on the Strange Cube, Maria’s face had flashed in his mind. Although he told himself such ridiculousness served no purpose…Lizer revived Maria. It might be more accurate to say he reconstructed her, however.
He knew it was all meaningless, but he wanted to see the girl once more. Upon bringing her back, Lizer’s days were filled with heartache.
“I must protect…this utopia…and Maria…and her happiness…”
This was why he had forced the devil to do his bidding. He had managed to have him under control.
His plan was proceeding as intended. There were no issues to speak of.
“…Brooding over details will do me no good.”
Lizer knew he desperately needed optimism right now. He just needed to believe everything was going his way. He would protect Maria’s paradise, bring her happiness, eliminate any threats to her dream—and keep that monster dancing in the palm of his hand.
And hadn’t he been successful until now?
Lizer sighed and brushed away the pessimism lurking within his heart.
“I can’t allow myself to be trapped by details. This is an auspicious day. I must celebrate properly.”
Lizer could see Maria’s future—blindingly bright—just up ahead. The people would revere her with smiles on their faces.
Today called for a fortuitous celebration.
—Today, Maria would become a Saint.
After activating the Strange Cube, the world had basically become a parallel universe.
In fact, it had split into two. Half of it was a human utopia with Lizer as its leader. The other half was a monster paradise controlled by Alvarto.
To explain how everything came to pass, Lizer had woven together a fake story that was strikingly similar to the one in the picture book he used to read to Maria. This was no coincidence, of course. Lizer was trying to make fiction real—as a part of his desire to make the resurrected Maria the star of his narrative.
In this transformed world, Lizer was a king who only acted as a supporting character. His real role…was to stay in the background and act as the foil for the Champion and Saint.
But that suited Lizer just fine.
On this day, he would play his part and fulfill his dearest wish. From a high platform overlooking the central plaza of Megatholium that was now the holy capital of his human utopia, Lizer surveyed the crowd.
“As you may all know, we are at a disadvantage in our battle against the Demon Lord Alvarto! But there is no need to despair! God has cast blessings upon us!”
Lizer’s words stirred the very peculiar crowd—a group of all children.
There was no one beyond a certain age to be found. Everyone besides Lizer was exceedingly young. And he served as their king.
“Our salvation was predicted in the Holy Book! It speaks of a Champion and a Saint who appear when the threat of the Demon Lord looms over us! The Champion has yet to arrive… However…! I have found our Saint at last!”
Lizer stoked their excitement with his expressive gestures. Then he invited her to join him.
“Allow me to introduce our savior! The Holy Saint!”
His arms spread wide, Lizer beckoned the young girl behind him to come forward.
It was Maria. Her simple features were caked with makeup, her clothes as sublime as one might expect of a holy figure. Standing at center stage must have made Maria nervous. Her face was tight, her steps sluggish. She stood in front as instructed and revealed herself to the crowd.
There was an explosion of cheers.
“Holy Saiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiint!”
“Please save usssssss!”
Maria’s expression grew even stiffer, seemingly overwhelmed by their fervor.
…Her reaction stung Lizer’s heart. He’d hoped this would bring her joy, but it was clearly backfiring. Maria wasn’t even attempting to smile, breaking into a sweat and waving at the crowd.
…He had originally planned for her to make a speech here, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen.
“The Champion must be arriving soon! When the time comes, we will finally witness true harmony and enjoy eternal peace and prosperity!”
Lizer ended his usual conference with the citizens of his utopia. Afterward, the pair returned to the palace.
A short while later, Lizer headed for Maria’s room. He knocked on the door and entered after she bid him entry. She had wiped off her makeup and changed into a plain linen outfit. As Maria sat on the bed and stared at him, her expression grew somehow rigid.
Lizer frowned. “Have I offended you in some way?”
“…No, not at all. You’ve brought my dreams to life, Lizer. I’m grateful. I mean it.”
And yet, Maria didn’t look pleased in the slightest.
What’s wrong? Why isn’t she smiling?
Lizer couldn’t comprehend what was happening, and he returned to his office unsatisfied. This uncertainty wasn’t conducive to dealing in government affairs. Maria filled his thoughts, and he was incapable of doing anything more than sigh and wallow in his misery.
“Has Maria grown tired of me…?” he muttered before quickly rejecting the notion.
Impossible! She loved him, and he loved her. These feelings were forever. To doubt them was rude. Lizer shook his head to quell these emotions when—
“It’s the same old problem. You haven’t gotten anything back,” called out a voice.
A voice melodic and soothing…and that housed an uncomfortable static, which was utterly contradictory to the other adjectives. Rage and worry collided in his mind.
Lizer glanced up from the bundle of documents on his desk.
The devil stood before him. The smile on Mephisto Yuu Phegor’s face as he stared at Lizer was radiant, sickeningly so.
“…I thought I ordered you to finish off my enemies. Are you done?”
Ignoring him, Mephisto continued. “You’ve realized it, too, haven’t you? That girl is just a fake.”
That struck Lizer where it hurt most, gouging a hole in his heart.
“She died that day—astral spirit and all. You’ll never resurrect her, even if you try. You get it, don’t you? She’ll never be the same.”
“………”
“She might share the same memories, the same heart, the same form as the person who loved you, but she’ll always be an imitation—and nothing more. A fancy copy that depends on your recollections. She’ll never be the real Maria.”
“………”
“That’s why it doesn’t surprise me that there are a few inconsistencies. After all, she’s not the real thing.”
“………”
“Hey, Lizer. Do you get what I’m trying to say here?”
“………”
“Hee-hee. The silent treatment, huh? Well then, I’m just going to keep at it. If you think the Strange Cube—a piece of junk—will return everything you lost, you’re sorely mistaken. It’s all a lie. An illusion. A mirage. A fabrication. Flimsier than papier-mâché. Meaningless idiocy.”
“………”
“The truth hurts, huh? Doesn’t it feel like your heart will break? Of course it does. After all, she’s not reacting in a way that you expected. You’re nervous, aren’t you? Feeling a little scared? Everything you feared turned out to be true, after all.”
“………Shut up.”
“You might not want to accept it, Lizer, but that’s reality. You’ve just been running away, showing the world your vulnerabilities. That isn’t the girl you loved. She’s a look-alike. That’s why things aren’t lining up and never will.”
“………I said shut up.”
“No, I won’t. I’m coming up on the best part… Hey, Lizer—so wise and so foolish. You understand it now, don’t you? You’ll never get back what you lost. Little Maria is gone. She’s nowhere to be found in this world. This girl with you is a fake. A sham. That’s why she’ll never love—”
“Shut up!!”
Before Mephisto could pierce through his psyche…Lizer held his left palm in front of the Evil God—
“Aaargh…?!”
Black chains suddenly formed around Mephisto’s petite body, coiling around him and constricting tight.
“A-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!”
Mephisto did a somersault, collapsed to the floor, and flopped around in agony like a fish.
“P-p-p…p-please forgive me… Please, I beg of… Agh!”
He could only beg for forgiveness as his body convulsed in pain.
Lizer looked down upon his pathetic form. “Have you forgotten? I have the power here and always will. Your life is in my hands. I’ll engrave that into your body and soul.”
The torment intensified. This was the power of the Strange Cube.
Lizer had done more than release Mephisto using the Strange Cube. The old man now controlled the demon’s fate, forcing him to obey like a pawn.
Even an Evil God was powerless against the wish device.
“G-gah! Agh-gh-gh-gh! I-it hurts; it hurts… It-hurts-it-hurts-it-hurts-it-huuuuuuuuurts!”
It was hard to believe this was the monster who had brought suffering upon all of creation.
Lizer saw that his pawn was still firmly under control and let out a sigh of relief. He gave an order to the demon rolling across the ground.
“Hurry up and kill the Demon Lord and his followers. Stay out of my sight until you have their heads, or I’ll make you regret ever coming to this world. Forever.”
“O-o-okay! I—I understand! Please, no mo… Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
There was still some uncertainty that weighed heavy on Lizer’s heart as he watched Mephisto writhe in pain, but he remained optimistic and told himself this discomfort would eventually disappear. After all, he could make the most deplorable monster in the world do his bidding. Nothing was beyond reach. Once those who stood in his way were eliminated, he’d only have to press forward and fulfill his dream. There was no question that his path would be flooded with light.
Lizer was convinced of this as he listened to the devil scream.
“Something’s off. I don’t feel right,” Maria mumbled to herself in the spacious room given to her. She lay on the fluffy bed with a sad expression.
“What’s wrong with me…?”
She didn’t have a grip on herself. There was nothing restricting about her current way of life. She had everything at her fingertips. She could have anything she asked. This room was proof of that.
A bed fit for royalty. Huggable plush toys. And—the doll friend that Lizer had given her.
It jumped up from the floor and landed on the bed.
“Hey there, Maria. What’s wrong? You look down. You’re sad, huh? Huh?” Its tone was calm and soothing. The doll was as sweet as an angel. She wore a pure-white dress. A pair of wings, one white and one black, fluttered behind her. Maria called the doll “Mary” and treated her like a real little sister.
“It’s nothing. Sorry for worrying you.”
“Not at all. So why are you so glum? Go on, you can tell me.”
“Hmmmm… I don’t really know why, either.”
She was in a utopia, but it didn’t make her happy for whatever reason. A strange sensation washed over any joy she might feel. As Maria told this to Mary, the doll crossed her arms and nodded.
“Maybe you feel bad that you’re better off than your friends? Is that it?”
“…Hmm. I don’t think so. After all, everyone except me is thrilled.”
The world was kind to her—and all the orphans. Each was given a palatial home in the castle town and was waited upon by a team of servants. They lived in luxury, and everyone always smiled as they relished their newfound fortune. This should have brought Maria joy. However…
“Why can’t I smile? Everyone is happy and having so much fun…and Lizer is here with me, too. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
“That Lizer. Oh, Lizer. How sad he looks. How sad.”
Maria bit her lip as Mary spoke. She recalled the ceremony several hours earlier. Lizer was so heartbroken. The despair had been plain in his eyes.
“I’m sure he felt that way because I didn’t smile. I upset Lizer because I couldn’t show him that I was happy…”
She really did plan on smiling. It was a joyous occasion, so it was only natural. She became a Saint like she’d always dreamed, so why wouldn’t she break into a grin?
…But despite this train of thought, Maria had failed to understand Lizer’s intentions and had hurt his feelings. She berated herself for this…but at the same time, she could only fixate on the puzzling sensation inside her chest.
“Something is off. I can feel it. I just don’t know what it is… I can’t even begin to guess.”
Maria had no way of explaining the weird feeling inside her.
“I want to smile with everyone. If I’m the only one who’s unhappy…”
Tears began to pool in her eyes. Just as the discomfort was about to send her into a crying fit—
“It’s okay. Don’t worry. I’ll tell you. Mary will tell you everything you want to know, Maria.”
“…Huh?”
The doll Mary puffed out her chest as she spoke.
“R-really? You can do that?”
“Yup. Uh-huh. I sure can. I’ll tell you. I will. I’ll tell you everything. All of it, every last detail, the whoooooole story,” the doll said with a sweet smile.
What was going on? Mary’s face was so charming, and yet…Maria felt it was uncanny.
“But hey. Listen up. There’s only so much you’ll want to know.”
She was probably making a mistake, but there was no going back now. The doll wouldn’t let her.
“There are some things you’re better off not knowing. Did you know that? But—”
“Even if I changed my mind now, you wouldn’t stop, would you?”
Maria was trapped—trapped from the very beginning. Since the moment she was revived and reunited with Lizer and everyone from the orphanage. She’d been captive the whole time.
The devil staring at Maria as he hung upside down from the ceiling had her in his clutches.
“Wh-who are you?”
“Keh-keh-keh-keh.”
The doll laughed. The devil laughed.
“Hi there. I’m your friend, Mephisto!”
“Hi there. I’m your friend, Mary!”
The devil’s voice came out of the doll’s mouth—
The doll’s voice came out of the devil’s mouth—
And then they both drew closer to Maria.
“N-no…! Stop…! Stay back…! No…! No—!”
“Keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh. Keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
Peals of laughter drowned out the young girl’s scream.
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