Episode 175
"Hmm..."
In the vision of Perloche, sitting on the ground and trembling, a Demon God emitting ominous black light comes into view.
"So, how do you feel?"
The Demon God, who was similarly glaring at Perloche, soon asks a question in a cold voice.
"Your thoughts on deceiving me... and coming this far?"
"W-who are you?"
"...Hah."
When Perloche feigned ignorance, the Demon God let out a hollow laugh.
"You can't hide in the unconscious forever..."
After that, the Demon God tried to approach Perloche slowly and start speaking, but.
"Ah, Mr. Frey."
".....!"
When Serena spoke while looking at the entrance with wide eyes, the Demon God trembled with a startled expression.
"...So the one called Demon God is a coward?"
Serena, who was glancing at her, sneered while covering her face with a fan.
"Waiting for Mr. Frey to leave before coming out, and now making such a frightened expression."
"......"
"Though I suppose, being a divine existence and getting beaten to death by a mortal... it must be shameful..."
"...Quiet."
At that, the Demon God, who had been flinching, declared in a frigid voice.
"".....!""
At the same time, the girls' mouths shut.
- Boom! Boom!
- Whoosh!
At the same time, Klana's solar rays and Irina's fire balls flew in, but.
"Stop."
The Demon God, who eliminated those attacks just by murmuring in a low voice.
- Zzzzt... Zzzzt...!
Floated a massive screen in the air and began to manipulate something complex.
"...So, why have you come here?"
After some time passed and the word-binding was somewhat released, Serena asked the Demon God once more.
"I used a trick to obtain the truth, so I came to exercise my rightful authority."
"...Rightful authority?"
"Well, actually, all the energy just happened to be gathered, so I came to do what must be done."
Answering her question with an irritated voice, the Demon God let out a small sigh and continued speaking.
"From now on, you cannot reveal the identity of the 'System Holder' to others."
When the girls frowned at those words, the Demon God smirked and continued.
"No, not just you, but everyone is the same. Those who have given a 'penalty' to a System Holder cannot tell the truth to those who haven't given a penalty."
Serena's lip corner rose ever so slightly at those words, but instantly returned to normal.
".....?"
The Demon God, who was watching her with suspicious eyes, soon smiled again and began to speak.
"Well, in a way, isn't this good for you too? Now there's no chance of accidentally revealing Frey's identity to others..."
"...Instead, the Demon King's identity also cannot be revealed to others, I presume."
Looking at Serena who spoke with a calm expression, the Demon God snickered and answered.
"Pfft... How is it? Fair, isn't it? It applies equally to both the Hero and the Demon King, right?"
"...What is the reason for personally appearing before us to tell us this?"
At that, the Demon God answered with a bright smile.
"I was hungry."
"...Excuse me?"
"I used too much divine power creating new rules... So, I came personally to consume the emotions you're emitting, the strong guilt you're feeling right now."
"......"
"Of course, the irritation you felt just now too."
After answering with a satisfied smile, the Demon God, who had been muttering to themselves while manipulating complex formulas for a while.
"Ah, by the way, did you know?"
Soon spoke with an eerie expression.
"Even if by some chance Frey wins... he has no hope."
The girls' expressions froze at those words.
"W-what do you mean...?"
Among the girls, Kania asked with a trembling voice.
"Kania, the only heterogeneous dark mage I cannot make my subordinate..."
The Demon God whispered with an alluring smile.
"Won't you become my ally? I'll give you power and authority greater than the Demon King."
"Shut up! Just explain what you meant earlier!"
But Kania raised her voice with burning eyes.
"Why doesn't temptation work on that child... She's definitely a dark mage with very low mental resilience..."
Looking at her with a regretful expression while smacking her lips, the Demon God soon raised the corner of their mouth slightly and answered.
"You all saw it too? The scene where Frey made a wish for 'annihilation.'"
Then, everyone including Kania froze.
"Frey has already made a wish to my foolish sister... So, if he perishes together with the Demon King in this round, that's the end."
""......!!!""
"Frey must have already known that fact well... But it seems he didn't tell you, did he?"
"T-that..."
"Well, if he were a goody-two-shoes, he would have fabricated evidence and made excuses. But he has no more chances. It's a matter determined by the world's laws."
Watching the pale expressions of the girls while speaking thus.
"Ah... I'm happy."
The Demon God began to make an ecstatic expression.
"Sister, what's so tasty about 'happiness' and 'love'? Those emotions are the best as energy sources."
True to those words, the Demon God was diligently sucking in the aura that had formed around the girls.
"Hmm, good. The settings are changed..."
The Demon God, who continued to absorb emotional energy, began to mutter while looking at the screen they were manipulating.
"First, I should apply it to those who currently know Frey's identity..."
Glancing at the girls occasionally, the Demon God deliberately raised their muttering voice.
"Good. Kania. Irina. Klana. Application complete."
When the named girls flinched, the Demon God smacked their lips while absorbing energy once more.
"Yes, then... next is our cute Ruby..."
Like that, the Demon God, who was flipping through the screen with a more joyful smile than ever.
"..........Huh?"
Soon began to tilt their head.
"W-what is this?"
Before long, they began to mutter with a flustered expression.
"T-there's definitely one penalty... but why is there no object value?"
Like that, the Demon God, who was frowning and muttering after encountering an unexpected difficulty.
"Damn, why did they make created works with such complicated things... Then I can't apply the rule...? No, maybe it's a simple error..."
"...F-Frey!?"
When Serena suddenly made an expression of shock and looked behind her, she spoke while looking at her with a cold expression.
"You're quite the mischievous child. Don't think I'll always let you off."
"Ah..."
"The principle of how the moon emits light, a smart girl like you knows well, right? Do you think the night will always be safe?"
".......”
"Yes, that's right. I'll increase surveillance several times starting now, so struggle as much as you want in the fear of not knowing when you'll be caught. The more you do, the more I..."
When Serena's expression hardened at those words, the Demon God began to sneer with a satisfied expression, but.
"I..."
Soon stopped speaking and opened their eyes wide.
"Ah, ah?"
Because from behind her, the mana of a clear star was being felt.
"Frey... you really did come!"
At the same time, when Serena shouted with an overjoyed expression.
"Heh, hek..."
The Demon God, who kept flinching.
- Boom!
Instantly turned into black smoke and disappeared.
""...........""
And, a long silence began to flow in the room.
.
"...Hah."
Serena, who was looking at the black smoke left behind as the Demon God disappeared, instantly changed her expression and let out a sigh.
"If you have any shame, you won't appear again."
Soon, in her vision as she muttered thus, the bead made of star mana that Frey had given her as a gift on his birthday came into view.
"...Trying to absorb energy somewhere."
It was a moment when Serena's resourcefulness shone, as she rolled the bead toward the entrance while the Demon God was distracted by an unexpected event.
"Anyway, quite a profitable haul."
Serena, who carefully picked up the bead that was still spinning and treasured it in her bosom.
'First... I can avoid the penalty with the submission magic I placed before, so there's no hindrance to the plan...'
Soon began to think with a satisfied expression.
'Judging by the Demon God's reaction, perhaps the identity of "one coincidence" is also...'
"Young master... is destined to... die...?"
".....?"
Serena, who was doing so, tilts her head at Kania's voice, which sounded lost.
"Knowing there's a Sun God's wish ticket, I was relieved..."
"Ah, no. That can't be."
"Frey..."
Kania, Irina, and Klana were in despair after hearing the Demon God's words.
"Why are they acting like that...?"
Thanks to that, Serena, who was putting question marks in her head while guessing their abnormal behavior.
"Ah."
Soon frowned and.
'They believed the Demon God's words.'
She muttered inwardly.
'But the Demon God surprisingly doesn't know many things.'
Serena had already grasped the Demon God's weakness.
Since the brain battle with Ruby last time, Serena had been devising a certain plan using 'absolute submission magic' without even confirming Ruby's identity.
If the Demon God had known that fact, she would have considered it when creating the new rule just now, but she only placed restrictions on the penalty.
'Well, she wouldn't know about that in the first place since it happened at night...'
Also, the Demon God doesn't know about the DLC either.
She was genuinely flustered by the unexpected situation that is presumed to be 'one coincidence.'
And she doesn't know about the fact that a 'new wish ticket' was created due to the intervention of the previous hero Hanbyeol, which Serena knows well because she has read all the prophecy books.
"Everyone, there's something I need to say..."
Serena, who was thinking about those points, tried to reassure the girls with a smile, but.
"....."
Soon stopped speaking with a cold expression.
'If I explain everything now, there's a possibility the Demon God will notice.'
Just before, the Demon God had definitely said she would strengthen surveillance several times.
And, mentioning the moon that emits light by reflecting sunlight... perhaps she has obtained a means to monitor even at night.
So...
'For now, I'll have to postpone sharing information until I find a safe method.'
Thinking thus, Serena again wore a gentle smile and spoke to the girls who were focusing their gazes on her.
"There is definitely hope."
"...Yes?"
"So please don't worry too much."
When Serena finished speaking thus, a brief silence flowed among them.
"T-that's right... there is hope... it will be..."
"R-right. I'll do my best too..."
"I'll also exercise my authority as much as possible and find a way..."
Soon the girls wore calm expressions, but began to mutter with trembling voices.
'...How should I explain this?'
Thanks to that, Serena, who was clutching her throbbing head, began to make plans for the future, but.
"...T-then I'll go first."
Suddenly Irina, with dazed eyes, headed for the exit, and instinctively sensing danger, she snapped to attention.
"Irina, where are you in reality?"
When Serena asked.
"...Frey's dorm."
Irina answered with a calm expression.
"So, when you wake up... what are you going to do?"
When Serena asked Irina again.
"I'll ask Frey a question... and if that's true..."
Irina, who was speaking with a pale expression.
"...before it's too late, I'll offer myself to him."
As soon as she finished speaking, she rushed into the exit before anyone could stop her.
"W-wait...!"
"Wait!!"
Then, similarly, Kania and Klana, who also had dazed eyes, simultaneously rushed to the exit and were bounced back.
"...Tsk."
Serena, who was watching that scene while grinding her teeth.
"...Yawn."
Began to blankly stare at Perloche, who was rubbing her eyes and getting up from her seat.
"Hmm! As expected, that was a dream!"
"When you were watching the video with Mr. Frey earlier, you were urgently shouting something..."
Soon, Serena, who was cautiously asking her.
"Huh? Ugh? A scary ghost appeared and I kept my eyes closed until it disappeared, but I guess I'm still in a dream! The ghost disappeared but the place is still..."
".......Hah."
When Perloche started rambling, Serena let out a sigh.
"...I can't be fooled, Ms. Perloche."
She whispered in Perloche's ear in a low voice, then began to head toward the exit.
"What do you mean by fooling? Ms. Serena... Ack! Don't leave me behind!"
When Serena urgently disappeared through the exit, Perloche, who was making a dumbfounded expression and tilting her head, also headed to the exit.
- Zzzzt...
At that moment, the judgment room was enveloped in light.
And finally, the third trial came to a complete end.
.
"Mmm..."
I quietly open my eyes.
Just in case, nothing else is starting, right? I'll decline any more trials, traps, or new variables.
I'm completely exhausted from experiencing an unprecedentedly long third trial on the day I finished the third main quest. Now I want to rest and focus on preparing for the second year.
"...Oh."
Thinking such thoughts and slowly opening my eyes, fortunately, my dorm room comes into view. Seeing the moon and stars outside the window, it seems to be night right now.
"Huu..."
That means the major events of the long, long second semester have finally ended. Thanks to that, it seems I'll have some time to catch my breath for a while.
".....?"
Thinking such thoughts and looking to the side, Irina and Kania are lying face down with their heads bowed on my bed.
And the magic formulas and scrolls densely packed around them.
These seem to be the fruits of their efforts to intervene in my trial.
"...Hah."
How could I resent those girls who worked so hard? No matter how I think about it, 'judgment' was too easy...
"F-Frey!"
"Eek, you surprised me."
While I was thinking such thoughts, suddenly Irina raises her head and screams while looking at me as if seeing a ghost.
What is it? Is there some problem?
"S-so... you, in the end, perish together with the Demon King, right?"
"Huh? O-oh..."
I, who was bewildered while thinking such thoughts, inadvertently nodded at Irina's question.
"A-and after that... what happens...?"
When Irina asked again, I answered while scratching my head.
"Didn't Kania tell you? She would have known everything, right?"
"T-then it's really true... you die as is?"
".....?"
But something is strange. What is Irina saying right now?
"N...o? I don't die?"
"....."
Since it was such a strange thing to say, I answered while frowning heavily, and Irina's expression is unusual.
"Uh... well, I don't die. You saw it too, right? Me making a wish to the Sun God in the trial."
"Fre...y..."
When I spoke to her with a serious expression, Irina suddenly starts to tear up.
"I-if you saw that, you'd know well, right? That I have one wish ticket from the Sun God. So when everything ends, I can just ask to be resurrected. No problem..."
Not knowing what's going on but thinking I should continue the story, at that moment.
"I love... you..."
"...Ugh."
Suddenly Irina climbed on top of me.
"I said I love you... you idiot."
"I-Irina?"
"...Sorry, I'm being unreasonable."
She, who was like that.
"B-but... before..."
Tried to say something while burying herself in my embrace, but.
"Meow!!"
"Ah, ouch...!"
Soon, she was bitten on the ankle by a cat that came running urgently from somewhere.
"Grrrr!!"
"Coo coo!!"
"...Chirp."
Thanks to that, she, who was startled and got up from her seat, was instantly.
"W-wait...!"
Dragged away by an owl, a pigeon, and a canary that flew in from outside the window.
".............?"
I don't know what all this is about.
I just want to rest peacefully during this break.