Chapter 8 : The Hero vs The Demon Monarch

Demon Realm. Demon Monarch’s Castle.

Demon Monarch’s Office.

[“Since it’s a song with religious content, my friends listening in the Demon Realm might find it uncomfortable, but please bear with me.”]

“Playing the Church’s hymns for me… what an audacious and absurd fellow.”

The woman known as the Master of All Demons, the Demon Monarch, was displeased.

After all, the Church and demons were sworn enemies.

“What is this ‘purifying evil and upholding justice’? If justice can only be upheld by killing all demons, then it’s better to just die.”

Just as ‘Demonic Energy,’ the source of a demon’s life force, acted as poison to humans, the Church’s holy power was also poison to demons.

No matter how much humans prayed for demons with good intentions…

The human god answered their prayers with a blade pointed at demons.

Therefore, humans and demons could not coexist. Because each other’s goodwill and kindness became wounds to the other.

“No matter how lofty his ideals, is this mage ultimately just a ‘human’?”

The Demon Monarch leaned back against her throne with a displeased expression. There was a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

And then…

The music started.

[~♪]

“…Hmm? This isn’t a hymn.”

It was a piercing scream.

A desperate, rough scream like the last breath of someone abandoned by God. It was too… noisy to be called a hymn.

Music devoid of solemnity. The lyrics were indeed a prayer of the Church, and she could feel sincere faith in the voice, but the prayer, sounding like a scream, felt like someone forsaken by God begging for salvation.

“Hmm… not bad.”

The Demon Monarch rather liked this music.

It seemed to portray the desperation of humans, begging for salvation from their god.

[“It’s a prayer about hope like this. It isn’t so bad for demons to listen to either, right?”]

“I hate to admit it, but… you’re right. Rude mage.”

The Demon Monarch leaned back on her throne, closed her eyes, and listened to the broadcast.

And whenever something piqued her interest, she used the Megaphone.

[“The sender of this message is in the Great Labyrinth. An adventurer, perhaps? ‘Greetings, Mage-nim. I discovered a new monster while exploring the Great Labyrinth, but it seems dangerous to engage without any information, so I’m sending a message to see if I can get some help. It’s a monster that looks like a centipede with twenty legs, its body is divided into eight segments, and it has two black horns on its head that point downwards like fangs. It’s about 24 feet long.’ … That’s what they sent. 24 feet is about 7-8 meters according to the Magic Standard, right? I don’t know why the Empire uses such a strange unit system.”]

[‘IamtheDemonMonarch’ used a Megaphone!]
[From that description, it’s a Black-Horned Demon Centipede. There are poison glands hidden under the horns, but since its body is long, it takes time to change direction completely, so aiming for the middle segments is the key to defeating it.]

[‘AloneisSad’ used a Megaphone!]
[It’s a Black-Horned Demon Centipede! 24 feet means it’s still a juvenile! If you ‘stupidly’ cut it into pieces, the adult centipedes will be attracted by the pheromones, so it’s better to face it from the front! A juvenile’s poison isn’t that strong!]

“Ah, indeed, it would be difficult for a human adventurer to face a group of adults.”

Such a fragile race.

The Demon Monarch nodded in understanding, but felt a strange discomfort.

‘But they didn’t call me stupid, did they?’

They must have meant that it was ‘stupid’ to attract a group of adults.

Having reached that conclusion, the Demon Monarch continued to use the Megaphone.

[‘IamtheDemonMonarch’ used a Megaphone!]
[You must instill fear in your subordinates. Trust is easily broken in the face of profit, but those ruled by fear are hesitant to betray out of fear of retaliation. Occasionally providing feasts or rewards for achievements is even more effective. The carrot and the stick, as they say.]

[‘AloneisSad’ used a Megaphone!]
[Of course, you have to show a vision for a better future! No matter how much you train people with carrots and sticks, you can’t achieve proactive results! That’s a ‘short-sighted’ approach that only focuses on visible outcomes. It’s important to share what you’re aiming for and instill a sense of responsibility for their roles.]

[In uncertain situations, a cautious approach is necessary…]
[There’s no need to be such a ‘coward’!]

[I recommend…]
[That’s so ‘old-fashioned’!]

“This insolent…!”

After several similar exchanges, the Demon Monarch was convinced that this ‘AloneisSad’ human was using the Megaphone with clear malice towards her.

It was even more infuriating that they pretended to give ‘proper advice’ while subtly provoking her.

[‘AloneisSad’ used a Megaphone!]
[The Demon Monarch living in the Demon Realm is a monster with jagged teeth and bulging muscles!]

[“Thank you, AloneisSad-nim, for using the Megaphone. Really? That sounds terrifying. I’ve never seen the Demon Monarch myself, so I’m curious.”]

“Graaagh—!”

Finally, the enraged Demon Monarch went on a rampage, smashing up her office.

A demon, who had entered the office with documents, was startled by the rampaging Demon Monarch and fled.

“How dare you mock me?!”

[‘IamtheDemonMonarch’ used a Megaphone.]
[I’ll kill you! I’ll kill that ‘AloneisSad’ bastard!]

[“Ah, ‘IamtheDemonMonarch’-nim, threatening or intimidating other users with the Megaphone is prohibited. You’re muted from chat and Megaphone for a week.”]

[‘AloneisSad’ used a Megaphone.]
[Pfft.]

And so…

The Demon Monarch was utterly defeated in the keyboard battle with the hero.

Magic Kingdom. Academy.

“S-Saint-nim! W-Would you like to join us for tea?! We have some excellent tea…”
“I don’t drink beverages with stimulating effects. I’m sorry.”

“Ah! I-I apologize!”

A day had passed since the Saint transferred to the academy, but the academy was still buzzing with interest in her.

She was chosen by ‘God’ himself.

And her appearance was even more beautiful than most noble ladies, so it was natural that she monopolized the students’ attention.

“She doesn’t feel as holy as I expected.”
“Isn’t it vulgar for a Saint to wear such revealing clothes?”

“That’s just the standard uniform…”
“Oh.”

Of course, some were jealous of the Saint, but they couldn’t express their jealousy openly.

It was partly because of who she was, and partly because the recent mention of the academy by the ‘unknown Archmage’ had drawn the attention of many nobles.

If they tried to ostracize her, they would only lose face.

“I’m just a student at the academy, so please treat me as you would anyone else.”
“T-Then, should we? Or, should we not?”

Thanks to this, the Saint was able to adapt quickly to the academy, showered with goodwill.

While interacting with the academy students with a gentle smile, the Saint noticed a student lying face down on their desk and tilted her head.

“But that person lying down over there… are they not feeling well? I don’t think they were here yesterday…”
“Huh? Who— Ah, them. Weren’t they here yesterday? They’re probably not sick. They always sleep like that.”

“Is that so…?”

Somehow, she couldn’t shake the image from her mind. If they were sick, she wanted to help.

The Saint carefully channeled her holy power and sent it towards the student lying down.

And…

The moment her holy power touched the student…

“…Huh?”

The holy power was suddenly repelled and returned to the Saint.

A phenomenon she had never experienced before.

While the Saint was bewildered, the student woke up, yawning languidly.

“Yawn… What’s going on…? Huh, holy power?”

The student, blinking sleepily, looked around…

And then, noticing the Saint, nodded.

“Ah, you’re the transfer student. I’m just sleepy, so you don’t have to pray for me.”

The student then lay down again and went back to sleep.

The Saint…

Stared blankly at the student for a long time.

‘That voice…’

The voice of the student sleeping face down on the desk…

• “Ah, there you are.”

…Was exactly the same as the voice of the mage who saved her from the demon.

The biggest weakness of the Model Garden skill, which allowed me to run simulations in my mindscape, was that I became somewhat vulnerable while using it.

That’s why I usually kept Detection magic activated at all times…

‘I guess it didn’t react to the holy power because I set it to only react to danger.’

I was a little startled when a foreign substance suddenly invaded my mindscape.

I changed the settings of Detection magic so that it would automatically activate even for positive effects like holy power and continued designing my magic.

‘Ah, the holy power messed up the design a bit.’

I had acquired a good storage device, but there was still a long way to go before completing the ‘internet’.

In the current network state, all I could do was send voice signals and text through communication magic. Even that was only functioning through me as a medium.

“First… I need to focus on utilizing the demon’s abilities to the fullest.”

I had to hunt demons, buy elf slaves, and improve the network magic.

Thinking about all the things I had to do made me feel a little overwhelmed.

“So, Sylvie, you go to the s*ave market and buy any elf slaves you find and bring them to the mansion. I’ve connected a warp portal to the commercial district, so use magic to travel. Got it?”
“…Understood.”

“I’ll give you as much money as you need, so let me know if you need more.”
“Yes. …If that is what Master desires.”