Chapter 12: Lilith

Six months had passed since the Demon King’s visit.

I had turned nineteen, but my daily life remained largely unchanged.

The only difference was that I had grown accustomed to the unpleasantness.

“Ugh… Nightmares again…”

“You’re awake?”

Perhaps familiarity breeds fondness, even in the Demon Realm?

Bathory, practically the only one I interacted with daily, had become less distant.

My mornings began with her greeting me in my room.

I would shower, fix my messy hair, change into my usual training clothes, and then join her for breakfast in the dining hall.

“Your growth rate is beyond imagination.”

“It’s thanks to you making me train every day!”

“Hahaha…”

We’d move to the training grounds, spending all but lunchtime training together, until evening arrived.

I’d wash off the grime, change into clothes she’d picked out, dine with her again, and finally, exhausted, collapse onto my bed, staring out the window until sleep claimed me.

This cycle continued day after day.

Like any other morning.

“Haaawm…”

“Sleep well?”

“Yeah…”

I briefly questioned if it could be called sleeping well.

But I simply answered as if nothing was amiss.

“Then I’ll go down first. Get ready quickly.”

Bathory rose from her seat.

She would be waiting for me in the dining hall, as always.

“Sigh… I should get ready too…”

With that thought, I dragged myself out of bed and towards the bathroom.

The Demon Realm’s moon was still a vibrant blue in the early morning.

For me, mornings were primarily dedicated to Bathory’s training regime.

Usually, it involved sparring and honing my abilities.

But sometimes…

“Die!”

A skilled-looking knight charged at me.

A human knight in the Demon Realm could only mean one thing.

“Live training” against prisoners of war.

“Haa…”

Slice

Thud

Or rather, training to become “accustomed to killing humans” would be a more accurate description.

As if putting those words into practice, the targets Bathory had me kill were varied.

Kill…

Slice

From an old knight who silently accepted his death…

May this child find salvation…

Slice

…to a young nun who pitied me and prayed for my salvation…

You will surely receive divine punishment…

Slice

…and even an ordinary soldier of the Holy Kingdom, attempting to curse me like the first paladin I killed.

I killed them all.

It wasn’t that difficult.

Since arriving in the Demon Realm and training with Bathory, I had grown stronger at an alarming rate.

Now, even high-ranking demons would have to risk their lives to kill me.

Well, I still can’t beat Bathory.

Had I become broken as I grew stronger?

The nausea and self-loathing that had once accompanied each kill began to fade.

After a few more weeks, all that remained was numbness, like a surface polished smooth after countless scrapes.

It would have been nice if I could choose between strength and emotions.

Unfortunately, I only had one option.

Splash

Warm water flowed, steam rising, relaxing my body.

As the water cascaded down, the dried blood that clung to me began to soften and wash away.

This was one of the reasons why training ended early on “special training” days.

Bathory had said she’d teach me how to cut without getting blood on myself, but…

I knew, deep down, that I was doing it on purpose.

The messy kills, the blood drenching my body… it was all my choice.

I didn’t know when it started, but the sight of the blood brought a strange sense of calm, blurring the lines between dreams and reality.

I’ve finally lost it…

The realization shattered my train of thought.

Finding peace while covered in human blood…

A thought I wouldn’t have entertained, let alone understood, just a few months ago.

I had already accepted that I would break, but occasional reminders like this brought a wave of exhaustion and an indescribable feeling.

I lost all desire to continue washing.

Stepping out of the bath, I dried my hair and headed to the dining hall where Bathory would be waiting.

After a short walk…

I arrived at the dining hall, sat across from Bathory, and watched as the food appeared.

Munch, munch

“Oh, by the way, Aria.”

“Hm?”

After a long silence, Bathory spoke, as if remembering something.

“The Seventh Legion Commander is coming to see you tomorrow.”

“…Really?”

Excluding the vacant Zeroth Legion, which I would supposedly lead in the future, there were eight Legion Commanders in the Demon King’s army.

I couldn’t understand why one of them, the Seventh Legion Commander, would want to meet me.

“You don’t seem surprised.”

“I’ve already met the Demon King, so it’s not that surprising.”

“Then you’ll understand quickly.”

Bathory explained, seemingly less excited than before.

Was it because I wasn’t surprised?

“Ever since the Demon King visited, you’ve been attracting a lot of attention from the other Legion Commanders.”

“Is that so?”

“They must have been curious about the human acknowledged by the Demon King… but given their positions, they couldn’t just move freely.”

They might have had their own reasons, or perhaps they were being cautious.

“So the most inconsiderate… no, the most irresponsible and free-spirited one is coming as a scout.”

She frowned, clearly displeased. Shaking her head briefly, she continued.

“Once she meets you, the other Legion Commanders will start making their moves… Sigh, how troublesome…”

“You brought this on yourself.”

“Oh my, how comforting.”

Well, Legion Commanders…

I’ve already met the Demon King. Surely, they can’t be worse than him?

After finishing my meal, I fell asleep as usual, completely forgetting…

“Kyaaaaa!”

“Ugh…”

“Haa…”

…that the word “irresponsible” used to describe the Seventh Legion Commander was a massive understatement.

The next morning.

I woke up with a throbbing headache from my usual nightmares, unaware of something on top of me.

Did I sleep wrong… My body feels heavy…

Without thinking, I tried to sit up.

“Bathory’s here—?”

My face buried itself into something soft.

Squish

After about three seconds, I realized what “something” was.

It was a sensation I had become quite familiar with since becoming a woman.

The problem was…

W-Wait, what?! Is that Bathory?

No, Bathory wouldn’t do this! Then who is on top of me?! And so soft… That’s not the point!

This sensation… it shouldn’t be what I think it is.

As my thoughts overloaded, a voice echoed against my face.

“Oh my, aren’t you a bit aggressive this morning, even for someone who likes this big sister?”

“Aria… I tried to stop her…”

The voice from above finally broke through my mental overload, and I instinctively swung my fist with all my might.

Wham

“Kyaaaaa!”

“Ugh…”

“Haa…”

My scream, followed by someone’s scream, and then Bathory’s sigh.

Thus, my first meeting with the Seventh Legion Commander…

“This is… a reward…”

“Die!!!”

“W-Wait, Aria! Calm down!”

…began with a punch to the gut.

After the morning commotion subsided, I sat beside Bathory, facing the woman across from us.

I hadn’t been this emotionally shaken in the past six months, which speaks volumes about how shocking the experience was.

“Hee hee~”

Bathory and I glared at her with disdain.

She had the kind of beauty and pink hair that would make any man turn his head. A body any woman would envy. 

But her clothes screamed “succubus,” complete with demonic wings and a tail.

This strange, seemingly deranged demon’s name was Lilith.

Surprisingly, she was the Seventh Legion Commander and, as expected, the Succubus Queen.

“What was that about this morning… Sigh…”

I should have known when I heard she was the Seventh Legion Commander.

Why did I dislike her so much?

It wasn’t just the morning incident.

In the game…

Kyaa! So cute! Come into my arms!

…she would rush towards the Saint, Lucia, whom we were supposed to fight.

I refuse! Be purified quietly!

Kyaaaaa!

She was the boss who started the fight at half health after being hit with an ultimate skill right off the bat.

She had a ridiculous story, making me facepalm and think, This… is a Legion Commander?

She was a lesbian obsessed with beautiful women, or more accurately, the heroines.

And she was even more obsessed with the Saint… And my sister and I are twins…

What kind of ordeal did the original Aria go through?

I shuddered as her gaze, predatory as a hunter’s, briefly locked onto me.

She was the Succubus Queen, so it was only natural, right? True, but the problem lay elsewhere.

If I become a Legion Commander in the future, I’ll have to see her face whether I like it or not…

Sigh…

“So, why were you doing that this morning? I was so startled when I woke up that I punched you without thinking.”

“Because you were cute and I wanted to hug you! And don’t worry about the punch! It felt good!”

“I’m the one who’s not okay! Me!”

“That’s mean… we just met.”

“Coming from the person who was on top of me when I woke up?”

“Tee hee?”

“I told you I tried to stop her, Aria…”

After a few more minutes, a proper conversation finally began.

Honestly, I wanted to have a “physical” conversation, but I was afraid she’d enjoy it as a reward, so I held back.

“So you wanted to meet me?”

“Well, I was curious. The other Legion Commanders pushed me to come first. They said it would hurt their pride to go themselves.”

“…And your assessment?”

“A cute girl I absolutely have to have? A smile with a promising futu—Ouch!”

A chilling killing intent emanated from somewhere.

I followed its source to find Bathory staring at Lilith with an emotionless smile.

“…You climbed on top of someone first thing in the morning, and that’s all you have to say?”

“Yep! I’m not a combat type related to your field. I just came for the formality.”

“So, are you interested in transferring to our Seventh Legion? I’ll take good care of y—Okay! I’m kidding, so stop glaring at me!”

I was momentarily taken aback by Lilith’s sudden recruitment attempt.

But Bathory’s reaction was faster, emitting an even stronger killing intent.

Lilith’s apologies and vows finally appeased her chilling smile.

“Well, I’m satisfied, so I’ll be going. The other Legion Commanders will probably start visiting soon.”

Lilith said her goodbyes.

“Of course, I’ll come visit again.”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t. But if you do that again, I might swing my sword next time.”

“Sorry…”

We saw Lilith off as she returned to her legion.

Bathory and I then had lunch before our afternoon training.

“So, what are your thoughts on meeting another Legion Commander?”

“She said she wasn’t a combat type, but… she seemed incredibly strong. Her magic power was immense…”

Even during our conversation, the pressure and magic power emanating from her made my body tense.

This is… a reward…

Hee hee~

Of course, her subsequent antics dispelled the tension.

I realized I had been unable to read the emotions in Bathory’s eyes for some time now.