Novel Paradoxical Library

Discussion in 'Community Fictions' started by Haxagen, Dec 5, 2017.

  1. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Hello, I'm writing a story called "Paradoxical Library".

    Synopsis: A library is a place to record down events. A place where past and future choices meet. It holds the memories from eons ago. However, this Library is very different---In order for it to return to its former glory, where it contains details of everything in creation, destruction is necessary---And that's the Librarian's job.

    Genre: Overpowered MC, Fantasy, Lazy Protagonist


    Author's Note: Whew, reading my old work from 5 years ago sure is embarrassing. If you're seeing this, this story won't be updated anymore. Considering the reason I started on this, it unexpectedly turned out decently.​
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2022
  2. craz

    craz Peach Manic

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    Sounds very interesting, will be watching the thread. However, where is chapter 1?

    Edit: I love lazy MC
     
  3. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    "I already told you as much. Not a chance."

    "Why?!"

    It was already late afternoon, and the black-haired girl wasn't amused in the slightest.

    But again, if anyone had to listen to someone else pleading for a few hours straight, they would definitely be irritated, too. Therefore, she figured that she'd better stop the other party from continuing to talk, before the urge to beat someone up overrode her reason.

    "Let's go through what you've been telling me for the past few hours. Sit down."

    "Y-Yes!"

    Seeing that the other party had settled down, the black-haired girl sighed.

    "Alright, so according to you......Actually, what did you tell me the past few hours, again?"

    There was a small lull.

    "......You forgot all of it?"

    The tables seemed to have been turned; now it was the blue-haired girl's turn to get angry.

    Her instincts were definitely telling her not to answer in the affirmative, but she didn't exactly have many other choices.

    "Well, yes...?"

    "......"

    Sensing that something was definitely wrong, she raised her guard.

    *BOOOOOM!*

    A blast of severe magnitude enveloped the black-haired girl, causing smoke to billow outwards in a miniature mushroom cloud.

    The surroundings were vaporized; only the far ends of the room escaped damage.

    This was no man-made explosive. No explosive would go off with that much force, nor would it be timed so perfectly. No, this was an action caused by something mysterious, something unscientific. Something that should not have existed.

    Magic. A force that couldn't be explained by science alone.

    When the dust cloud cleared up, there was a perfect hemisphere blasted into the floor. Exactly half of a sphere, without a clod of dirt less, or more.

    What was even more unbelievable was that, despite the blast that followed, and the fact that the ground had been utterly decimated causing partial collapse, the location where the black-haired girl had originally been standing was untouched, she herself completely unharmed.

    No, she didn't know any magic. Neither did she possess some kind of innate magic resistance. The fact that she emerged completely unscathed---

    "Tch, like I thought. The Library protects the Librarian."

    Despite not having become the Librarian yet, the Library had already recognised her as its new owner, it seemed. On its home grounds, no harm would come to befall the Librarian, especially not from its own defence system.

    "Well, there's that."

    The anger from earlier dissipated, like a mirage in the blazing desert. No, rather than just calming down, it would be more accurate to say that she had...given up? The blue-haired girl was projecting an aura of dejection.

    Well, she's one of those types, I guess. Jeez.

    That was the second time in the same day that she had come into contact with death, yet the black-haired girl remained calm. In fact, rather than thinking about nearly being killed, she seemed to be entirely indifferent to the notion of dying.

    "So, what will you do?"

    It was a laugh thoroughly saturated with self-derision.

    "You've refused to help. Currently, the Library is holding on due to your presence, but once the hour passes, should you refuse to become the Librarian, then all of these will fade entirely. We're clinging on to our last ropes here."

    The blue-haired girl glanced up, self-mockery in her iridescent yellow eyes. Those eyes, which had originally been glowing like a pair of stars, seemed to darken ever so slightly.

    "I've worked so hard to keep this place going, because I care about it. It's more than just a place I live in, or carry out my duties at; it's an irreplaceable part of me. I can't just let the culmination of 5 thousand years just fade away like that...but what choice do I have? There's no chance of finding another Librarian in a week, much less a willing one."

    Perhaps it was because of her denial, but the blue-haired girl was currently in an emotional mess. Due to that, her Living A.I. status, which gave her the ability to think and feel, was currently showing its potential, albeit in a very negative way.

    "You. You're the place's last hope, but even if I offer you riches, you won't agree to help. People like you never agree to conditions like these, as long as you don't feel like doing so. Not even power or honour will move you...And I can't even kill you, because the Library extends it's protection to dissipate any attempts on your life......Why did you have to be summoned?!"

    After the self-despise came the inevitable hatred. Humans did that, and Living A.I.s weren't exceptions either. The blue-haired girl was venting all of her own stress at the only other person present.

    "Why did you have to take the place of another Librarian who might have agreed?! Why do you have such a horrible personality?! Are you even human to begin with?! Also, if this place crumbles, your own life will be endangered as well! So---"

    I guess this is where I interrupt.

    "Does that matter?"

    "--Huh?"

    The black-haired girl leaned in, grabbing the other girl by her front lapels.

    "What I'm asking now, is whether that matters to me."

    By all rights, I should be dead, but I'm not, because I've been summoned, and all my wounds have been healed. Therefore, I should be grateful...I hate that kind of logic the most.

    The black-haired girl shook her head to clear those thoughts, failing to understand why others thought so differently compared to her.

    That's a line right from some fanciful story, isn't it? Complete rubbish made up by some upstart who thought they knew perfectly how reality works...true, it is fiction, but having the content of the story differ completely from reality makes it nothing more than pipe dreams. The best fictional stories are the ones that have portions of real life weaved into them.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. To the book-lover that she was, those books that were completely fantastical were, in her opinion, a testament to the irresponsibility of their writers.

    If one were to think about it, in most fictional stories, have the summoned heroes ever successfully returned to their own worlds? No. The stories I've read, pertaining to the reincarnation or another world genre...Most of them ended with a conclusion similar to [The Hero defeated the Demon King], or some kind of nonsense along those lines. There isn't anything on how they returned home, or if they even returned home in the first place.

    Without a clear conclusion, anything could have happened. They could have decided to settle down comfortably, or they decided to move out of the capital, or--in the worst case scenario--they were enslaved and forced to continue their gruelling jobs.

    And right now, that's exactly the kind of vibe I'm getting. [Only you can help us now]...was that how the line goes? Hmph.

    "To start with, I didn't ask to be summoned--Strike that, I didn't ask to be reborn, to begin with."

    The lazy feeling around her vanished, replaced by a bloodcurdling aura. If she behaved like a fluffy rabbit previously, then the girl standing in her place right now was, undeniably, a hunter with a loaded shotgun. It was enough to get the other party to take a subtle step backwards, except that her collar was still being pulled, restricting her movements.

    There was a universally accepted indicator of 'threat'.

    It was measured by how skilled the entity in question was, multiplied by how hostile they were to other sentient beings. After all, even a structure like a laser cannon was not a threat if it wasn't primed and aiming at someone.

    Therefore, because the black-haired girl slacked off on a regular basis, and didn't wish to harm anyone, her threat rating was almost zero. This applied even during the incident when she was stabbed, since she didn't have any intention to kill her attacker.

    However, the combination of disgust and anger that she was experiencing now, made it extremely hard to hide her killing intent. That, along with her prowess in martial arts, caused her threat rating to skyrocket drastically.

    "Reincarnating me suddenly, then trying to guilt trip me into helping you. I daresay, have you no concept of shame? I never asked to come here, and I never asked to be reborn. Yet you went on about how I was so selfish because I didn't want to help you. With that attitude, did you honestly think I would agree?"

    Her harsh scolding had already long since left the other party in tears.

    "I---"

    "Also, have you been spending the last ten years of your life locked up at home, or something? Humans aren't as kind as you seem to believe; even if another was summoned, he or she has a high chance of rejecting your plea. In that case, what's the use of blaming me for it?"

    "That---"

    "Lastly, don't ever try to get me to do something by threatening me. I don't react well to threats."

    As if to support her own words, the black-haired girl slammed her hand on the heavy wooden table, which promptly cracked.

    "Are. We. Clear?"

    Intimidated, the other girl could only nod--before she burst out in tears. The tear drops spilled out of her clear yellow eyes, sliding down her fair skin and dripping onto the floor, riddling the wooden floor with damp patches.

    Jeez. Now I feel slightly guilty.

    With all said and done, she did act for her own benefits at sake, but not solely so; after all, she wasn't a monster that didn't understand any feelings. In a way, the other girl's actions mirrored her own.

    What's the best thing to do in this situation...?

    If it was a regular meeting between two people who were both logical, the best way would be to talk things out in a calm and collected manner, and wait for the duo to eventually arrive at a suitable conclusion, one which was agreed on by both parties. Of course, they couldn't do that now, mainly due to two important factors.

    Both of us act based on logic, but we are still fundamentally different...To begin with, my method of thinking is rather different from a regular person's, which would make seeing eye-to-eye a really difficult problem. Also, we don't have the luxury of time here...

    Reluctant as she was, the black-haired girl decided to utilize one of the skills best suited for humans--improvisation.

    I guess I could think of a way to help...I mean, if it's as she says, I'll end up disappearing too, if this place fades. In that case, the first and foremost goal should be to prevent this place from disappearing.

    In order to formulate a plan, one must first learn the details and the problems, in order to think up countermeasures. For her, she didn't know the exact cause of the structure's gradual fading, and she didn't really understand all that stuff about Librarians and whatnot. Therefore...

    "Hey, you. The one with the blue hair. Name yourself."

    She did come through as extremely rude from that, but she scarcely cared. To her, being nice was equivalent to being naive; she wasn't going to be taken advantage of, if she could help it.

    "Huh...?"

    ......Not very bright, is she?

    "Your name. Surely you must have one?"

    As much of a loner as she was, the black-haired girl couldn't tolerate a case of not having a name. Names meant something significant to their owners, after all.

    "I was given the factory name of REFLA-001 by my creator. Will that---"

    "Denied."

    An instant rejection.

    "That sounds just about the most annoying name I've heard, and I've heard a fair share of horrible names in my time. I'm not going to start addressing you by code; Hell no."

    Which brought up a new problem: How should she address the other? It wasn't as if she could just call it "One" or "You" all day long--that would be no better than sticking with the series name.

    REFLA...Re...Ri...Ru? Ru...Rufi...Rufilia! That's it!

    ...Let it be known that the black-haired girl, being human, was also imperfect in her own ways. Coming up with names was one of the areas she didn't excel at. And so, after completely butchering the information given to her...

    "Your name will be Rufilia from now on. Rufi for short."

    In a tone that didn't allow for any disagreements or opposition, she managed to force the conclusion she wanted.

    "Ehhhhhh?!"

    Yep, talk about being unable to come up with an adequate reply. There were some things that would cause such reactions, no matter how good the recipient was at thinking on their feet.

    "Since you have no objections with your new name, start explaining. Tell me about Librarians, this place, yourself. Tell me everything."

    In particular, she was interested about the Librarian part. Especially with regards to whether she would be paid salaries, how much those were, whether her three meals would be covered, and what kind of living conditions she would get. It wasn't healthy to be doing jobs for the monetary pay-off, but she had to earn a living, somehow.

    The black-haired girl was actually quite reasonable, as long as one ignored the fact that she was totally unreasonable.

    "...Understood. This place is a location known as the Library. While it may appear conventional, this entire building exists in a dimension of its own, which also happens to be a hotspot that gates converge. As such, this world can access plenty of other worlds."

    That tripped one of her self-imposed warning flags immediately. Having picked up experience from mingling with the darker sides of life, the black-haired girl was already well-versed in picking out underlying messages. The other had been far too honest with her answer, an act which reminded her of businessmen and how they conducted themselves.

    And like any shrewd politician, she's definitely hiding something. Let's think about it...If this place can open up many gates to other worlds, then it would also mean that...

    "At the same time, this place is also vulnerable to a combined attack from different areas spontaneously, especially when more than one gate is opened simultaneously, am I right?"

    Having been seen through, Rufilia's face was flushed deep red.

    "...Tch, you're smarter than I thought you would be."

    There seemed to have been an insult tucked into that short sentence, but she chose to ignore it; that was also one of the reasons behind her usually good temper. The other was due to a sense of impending crisis that she felt, upon thinking more deeply on the other's words.

    "Moving on, you said that the Librarian has to be there to prevent the Library from disappearing. Why?"

    "That's easy to answer. It's due to what humans know as [The Law of Equivalent Exchange]. The stronger an item, the greater a flaw it possesses. In this case, the Library is extremely powerful, and therefore it is perpetually in a state of instability. The Librarian acts as an anchor that secures the Library to reality, preventing it from disappearing."

    ...So I'm just a glorified piece of rope?

    "And when you say that the Librarian has to be present, you meant..."

    "Yes."

    Oh, dammit.

    For anyone that was slow on the uptake, the Librarian had to 'be there', physically, to stabilize the Library, preventing the energy system from spiralling out of control. It wasn't as if she could never leave, but still, the Library would start experiencing the same old issues if she was gone for a significant length of time.

    It would basically be a fancier version of confinement. Ninety-nine out of a hundred people would have declined that responsibility.

    "Very well. I'll do it."

    However, she was definitely in that 1%. Once again, it wasn't for charity, or some similarly ridiculous notion, but rather because of her own nature--The girl was an avid reader. Liking books was simply an understatement--She respected books. To her, books carried the very souls of their writers; in every word, the feelings of the writer could be seen.

    Which was why she simply could not tolerate watching a library, an ancient one at that, become ruined. Not when she could do something about it. And since she was rather free at the moment...

    "Let's get to work."

    "Okay...Eh? You actually agreed?!"

    Rufilia was caught completely off guard by the unexpected boon she had been given. Before, she had resigned herself to a dead-end, having the last possible chance disappear away before her, but those words came out of nowhere. Words that rekindled hope.

    "Don't be so happy yet. I'm only helping to the point where I'm benefitting from it. Otherwise, you're on your own. Also, I'm counting on you to do the bulk of the work, since I just arrived."

    Despite those words, the black-haired girl was grinning mischievously, a spark of interest present in her eyes for the first time. It was obviously a sign of agreement, because if anyone were to have given the matter some deep thinking, they would have realised that the black-haired girl stood to gain almost nothing by doing so.

    40 Minutes Later

    "And that was the last one. Finished."

    The black-haired girl set down the feathery blue quill she had used to sign the document; a crumpled, musty rectangle of yellowish parchment, which was reminiscent of Egyptian papyrus.

    "Honestly, why was there the need to use this type of paper in particular? It was such a hassle to write on."

    "I apologise; the supplies of stationery were running out left and right, so we had to make do with the bits and pieces that we had on hand."

    While she was complaining on the outside, the girl smiled inwardly, pleased. Perhaps she was one of the few people who gained satisfaction from coming into contact with items that should have died out with ages that had passed long ago; in a way, she admired archaeologists and how they could devote their entire lives seeking the unknown.

    "It's alright. After all, part of the romance in signing such an important document should be from touching the paper itself. Conversely, if that had been presented to me in regular type-written paper, it would have more than killed off my interest."

    Papyrus was made out of plant fibres, and similarly, the paper she was given had a rough and uneven texture. For people who didn't know how to write with brushes, that piece of paper would have proved a real troublemaker, but she had handled enough brushes in her life to pick up basic calligraphy.

    "Still, where did this feather even come from? It feels quite cold to the touch, though not unpleasantly so. Plus, the feather size is too small to have come from something like a kingfisher."

    She looked up, just to see the A.I. gaping wordlessly at her. Not for the first time, too.

    "What is it? You're staring as if you've just seen a freak."

    "...Perhaps I have. How did you know this much?"

    "Well, I did say that I liked reading, yes? It would be a real shame if I failed to know this much, even after reading so many different texts."

    The black-haired girl looked up just in time to miss seeing Rufilia's brief smile. Additionally, she didn't pay much further attention to it, due to her own personality, which was unfortunately enough, since that had been the first pure, unforced smile that Rufilia had made.

    In those 500 years, lots of history had been created, but events like these had never happened; they were landmark moments in their own right. Therefore, it was a pity that both had missed out on it.

    "Of course it was too small. It's a feather from an adult kingfisher."

    That was another first. The aspect of the Library had developed a sense of humour by herself.

    "...I see. Was I supposed to have laughed there? In that case, haha."

    Unfortunately, that sense of humour could stand to use a lot more refining, before it could pass off as being adequate. Simply put, it was just bad.

    "Ahem...Jokes aside, that quill was made from the feather of an Icy Phoenix. One of the last ones I have in stock."

    "Why did you use it then? Save the one-use items for something that's more important than a contract."

    So she mumbled, but that was just a reflex built-in from her gaming experience. The habit of hoarding as much consumables as possible, without having to use any. In fact, she remembered once boasting about her mountain of unused consumables in a game she once played...That had became nothing more than a bitter memory for her.

    Which reminds me, that was around the time I started to isolate myself from the outside world...Ah, thinking about the younger days...The naiveté that I had back then. Now that I think about it, it was also around that time that I begun losing interest in things such as gaming, wasn't it?

    "And with this, the contract is complete. From now on, you have control over everything I have to offer, and this one pledges her utmost to assist you. In return, it is this one's fondest wish that you would guide the Library back to its golden age...Hm?"

    Ah!

    "I have heard your request, and I will do my best to see that they are fulfilled. Therefore, here's to a successful partnership."

    Having been lost in her wondering, the black-haired girl nearly missed the pass, which would have created the perfect awkward situation. Thankfully, there was a verbal cue from the Library, just in time.

    Barely two hours in, and I'm already slipping...Looks like my skills have gotten rusty. Maybe it's time to change the setting for a little bit.

    Therefore, the black-haired girl grinned, before she tossed out a single question. An extremely simple question, yet loaded with enough realism to make one vomit. Worse still, it was a perfectly innocent question.

    "Say, Rufilia. There's one thing you've not answered me yet. How much pay do I receive, in what kind of currency, and what kind of items do I spend them on?"

    The Treasury, 5 Minutes Later

    "This place is...woah."

    Even for a person of few words such as herself, the black-haired girl could not help but gasp in admiration, at the sight of overwhelming richness in this 'room' she was brought to. No, to begin with, the word 'room' was a severe misnomer for where she was currently at.

    Eight bejewelled pillars held up a ruby-encrusted sphere. In the centre, there was a gleaming black spire, studded with pearls the size of baby fists. The floor was made of a strange translucent material that sparkled with a brightness not inferior to that of diamond.

    In fact, the whole place could be seen as the epitome of wealth itself. Which, when compared to what she saw outside...

    "Say, Rufilia. What's with all this concentration of wealth here when the rooms you're using are all so shabby. Or are you the type that likes to hide their riches all in one place? That type of being never has a happy ending, you know."

    It similar to was one of those 'bedtime stories' she had seen when she was younger. The victim, who was secretly a miser, hoarded all of his material wealth and hid them into a hole in his walls, while maintaining a façade of being poor, leaving his own house in shambles. When the pile of treasures was eventually stolen, he had been devastated, but to her, that was one hell of a stupid decision.

    Just like how the protagonist of that story placed it: If you hide your wealth without ever planning to use it, then you might as well not have possessed it to begin with. At least you won't have to worry about it being stolen, in that case.

    "...The defences don't get powered by money."

    Oh. Now I see.

    She had to keep reminding herself that Rufilia was a Living A.I., not a human, which proved to be easy to lose track of, especially when the two of them interacted. Rufilia simply acted so...humanly...which made it difficult to see her as something that wasn't.

    But again, it would make sense in the end. Unlike humans, Rufilia either didn't have sense of aesthetics, or was too focused on prioritizing survival to care about visual appearances. She was utilitarian, through and through. Therefore, the value of all those wealth added together was worth absolutely nothing in her eyes, because they didn't hold any relevant purpose.

    "Then, why did you bring me here? If all of these were as useless as you said, then surely we wouldn't need to have come here?"

    Unfortunately for the black-haired girl, that statement would prove to be a pit she dug for herself. After all, Living A.I.s were capable of emulating emotions, even more so if they happened to have an example right before them. Rufilia slowly turned around to glance at her.

    "You see, a steel bar won't do you much good against something like a dragon."

    She fought to keep her expression neutral, even as the urge to grimace constantly nudged at her facial muscles. After all, having thought about it, it was really embarrassing to think that she had trusted a bar of steel to provide her with adequate protection.

    That snide remark was sufficient enough to send her logical self into disarray, even as her face remained passive, and she searched for a good rebuttal--which was sadly unavailable.

    "...So I take it that there's something that could slay dragons here?"

    For the second time since they met, Rufilia smiled, but this time, there was nothing remotely approaching kindness in it. It was the grin of a devil.

    "Well, it depends. How much confidence do you have in your luck?"

    Oh, dammit. I see where this is heading.

    She had forgotten that most stories that dealt with [Reincarnation] also dealt with [Cheat Skills]. Or more precisely, regarding the granting of overpowered skills to the person that was accidentally summoned to help.

    And most of those stories......I'm assuming that this isn't going to be the case where I get to pick my own cheat skill. In fact, with what Rufilia said, I'm more than convinced that this will be some kind of lottery-drawing system. And in regards to those things...

    If her status could be represented by letters, then the value for her [Luck] stat would undoubtedly be negative. In fact, she was one of those types that would probably get struck by lightning twice in the same thunderstorm. It was like winning the lottery, but in an extremely painful way.

    You know what? Forget it. I'll just treat it as another possible method of fighting. After all, even if I pull something like a cheat sword or a cheat ability, it's no use unless I'm physically strong enough. The foundation has to be stable if one wants to build a grand castle atop.

    "Alright, let's get this over with, then. I'm not expecting much, but what kind of contents are inside this...thing?"

    Having failed in her baiting, a trance of regret brushed past Rufilia's expression, before it was quickly replaced by her usual smile.

    "This spire is the vessel that contains all the treasures sealed inside it. You can essentially think of it as a gigantic grab-bag, since it can contain--well, essentially anything. For something physical like a weapon, to something non-material, like a concept. Since it's your first time picking out a treasure, I'll pay for the cost. Consider it a freebie."

    The black-haired girl briefly considered the ramifications of pulling out a concept, but quickly realised something else.

    The black spire wasn't exactly small. And if the pearls on it each represented a treasure...well...Saying that there was 'a lot' of choices wouldn't do it any justice. Trying to make a decision based on logic was impossible in this scenario.

    I guess I'll have to go with my instincts...Tch, it can't be helped.

    She held an inherent dislike for anything that couldn't be explained by logic. Fallacies and gut feelings applied exactly into that category. Not thinking, just feeling out the right way...Yeah, that made absolutely no sense.

    Therefore, the black-haired girl was currently staring at the numerous pearls, trying to see which would look like a reasonable pick.

    ...They all look the same.

    No matter how she gazed at them, the pearls looked completely the same. Regardless of size, shape, colour, opacity, they all resembled carbon copies of each other.

    "Don't rush; take your time."

    That remark might have been made out of good intentions, but due to the timing, it came off as incredibly sarcastic.

    At this rate, I'll have to go with a rando--Hmm?

    There was a light tug on her arm. It was so brief and light, that she wondered if she had imagined it.

    Was that a trick of my mind? It doesn't seem so...

    Even as she wondered if she had imagined the whole thing, the tug came again, this time with more force.

    Oh? What's going on? Is it guiding me?

    The invisible force seemed to be dragging her arm upwards--or it could just be her imagination at work. Her arm stopped at a point that was between roughly 6 pearls, without reacting any further.

    There's 6 choices here I can pick from...Yeah, right. Like I'll trust in the machinations of some unknown force. I'm not some puppet that can be manipulated as and when people feel like it. Therefore...

    Deliberately, she chose the pearl that was directly above the six others she was guided to.

    "I'll take this one."

    "Are you sure about that? You could always pick others, you know."

    "No, it's fine. I'll take this one."

    Rufilia shrugged. Have it your way, she seemed to be implying.

    "Well, I'll be unsealing this one, then. |Unseal, Zuraio Adamalitch|."

    The pearl shattered into powder, and at the same time, a strong wind formed, enveloping the area in a buffeting gale. The disintegrated pearl scattered in the wind, as a luminous green glow appeared where it used to be.

    "An item of the [Wind] element...No, from this degree of power, it's an item of the [Storm] element!"

    She had no idea what Rufilia was muttering about, nor why she was so excited. The only thing that filled her vision was the rapidly expanding luminous glow, which soon filled her vision completely, before abruptly fading out.

    It wasn't a weapon. At least, it wasn't anything physical. She didn't see anything new around her.

    "Um..."

    For some reason, Rufilia sounded as if she was extremely shocked. And the reason she was shocked was because of the black-haired girl.

    "What is it? Did I grow a tail or something?"

    Afterwards, she would make a note to keep her mouth shut in these kind of situations. Her ability to correctly predict these kind of unfortunate results was uncanny, to say the least.

    "...It's easier for you to see for yourself. Here."

    As Rufilia spoke, she pulled out a full-length mirror out of nowhere, and set it before the black-haired girl.

    "Thanks for the mirror--Ehh?!"

    In the reflective silvery metal surface of the glass, a familiar black-haired girl was staring back at her. Everything from her face, her clothing and her expression was completely similar to how she remembered it.

    Of course, the two lupine ears jutting out of her hairline, plus the fluffy tail that was shifting behind her, were things that she never remembered having. In other words...She glanced at her own shadow.

    Sure enough, the casted shadow wasn't that of an eighteen year old girl, but rather that of a wolf, standing on two limbs.

    "...Well, I guess this is..."

    There was a large table laden with all sorts of delicious food. Some of them looked so splendid, that they were practically glowing. Two people sat at the opposite ends, and neither of them touched so much as a single morsel of rice.

    "...If this keeps up, it'll end up being a repeat of lunch, you know..."

    "......"

    Several hours earlier, there had been the exact same scene occurring, where not a single mouthful of food had been consumed. That session had been concluded with the entire batch being tossed out.

    So much wastage. If that act had been witnessed by anyone else, the two would have been severely rebuked for wasting so much food, maybe even to the point of violence.

    It was during those times that the Library's privacy came in handy.

    "...Just eat something. The Library might defend you, but it can't do anything if you kill yourself, you know."

    "..."

    Nope, she wasn't depressed. After all, the process--whatever it was that happened--had been largely beneficial to her. Because of it, she had felt her own physical abilities improving further, to the point where she couldn't even call it a mere "gift". Back then, even though she was already very capable at close-quarters fighting, she still found it difficult to do things such as destroying metal objects with her bare fists alone.

    Now? She could easily crush items like metal plates without even thinking about it. When she had a brief spell of dizziness earlier, she had leaned against a marble wall, and the wall had been the one that had given way.

    Of course, there was no such thing as a free lunch. Having gained so much power demanded an equally large cost in return. And right now, that cost was wrecking her usual way of living.

    Firstly, the event that had caused her to become this way--the so called 'gift'--took place nearly a day prior. Because it was late by the time both of them managed to react in a manner that was somewhat adequate enough to deal with the situation, she had gone to sleep rather than solving the issue that was at hand.

    It was a horrible decision, of course. Rufilia had to interrupt at least 7 times over the course of one whole night, because she couldn't adapt to the sudden changes in her own body systems. After all, humans weren't nocturnal creatures, but wolves were. Because of that...

    "You sure didn't get enough sleep, did you."

    A pair of cloudy green eyes stared back at Rufilia.

    "...If there was an award for being obvious, I'm surprised you haven't won it by now."

    Day 2 of having the "bonus", and she already wanted to remove it. The thing was, it couldn't be removed. Whatever had given her those abilities seemed to have melded completely into her body, leaving behind a bunch of troublesome traits.

    As a melee fighter, she was the type that slept rather heavily, but at the same time, she could wake up instantly if need be. Sleepwalking wasn't a habit of hers.

    At least, it didn't use to be a habit until the previous night.

    Dammit. To wake up while wandering the hallways was already bad enough, but to have Rufilia wake me up while I was perched on all fours atop a balcony...Okay, bad memory, stop thinking about it.

    Essentially, her human self didn't get any sleep for the entirety of the night, and when dawn came, the wolf part of her demanded rest. As a result, the nature of the wolf, which was more active in the night, disrupted her sleep constantly. On the other hand, after dawn broke, it seemed that those effects had stopped, and she was able to nap briefly, missing out on breakfast.

    Then, at lunchtime...

    Seriously, that much of a power increase is a large problem in it's own right. I couldn't even hold the fork normally without snapping it in half, and as for the knife...I think it was supposed to cut apart meat, not metal...Also, what was with that insane craving for raw meat...

    Because of that, she had to go hungry, and as the day progressed on and transited into night, her control over her newfound powers slipped. She would experience a blackout, only to find something destroyed near her.

    "This is no joke, Rufi. If I carry on like that, it will only be a matter of time until I snap and go off on a mindless rampage. This power needs to be either removed and controlled; there's no other alternatives."

    Immortality and blinding rage. That was a mixture no one would ever want. The girl didn't relish dying a second time, that was for sure, but if living meant that she would lose control over her own actions--

    --Then I'll rather kill myself now while I still can.

    "Well, there is a way to control that power, you know. I mean, since you're a fighter, you should know."

    She blinked, taken aback momentarily, as she took time to process the information that was just given to her.

    "...I never expected you to give me that kind of suggestion, Rufi."

    Every hardened fighter would know what she was referring to. Learning to control new abilities via the trials of combat. And in order to control something inhuman, something so brutally bestial...

    This is essentially a suggestion for me to hunt other humans, isn't it? It's the fastest way to solve this problem, but at the same time...

    She was capable, that was true. She could kill without shedding tears or looking away, that was also true. But there was one more aspect to her personality. One that took priority over the other two. And that happened to be the fact that she didn't relish taking lives; she did value whatever was left of her own humanity.

    That 'bonus' took a huge chunk out of it, now that I think about it...Forget it. It's a necessary sacrifice. Therefore, I pray that you will not hold it against me.

    A self-gratified wish was all she could offer to the ones that were soon to be her victims.

    "Say, Rufi. Could you find people that have sinned heavily and yet roam unpunished? I will do it if I have to, but I'll rather not go after innocents."

    A murderer or a vigilante...I didn't think that I'll have to pick my poison so soon...

    The wait for a response felt as if it was an eternity; she, who had never been a religious person, begun praying, hoping that there wouldn't be an answer.

    Naturally, her prayers went unanswered.

    [Training Ground has been picked.]

    [Beginning Scenario.]


    The Twisted Dungeon, Lisandre, Entrance

    "Rufi, you really need to work on your accuracy. No matter how much physical strength I have, I can't fly yet."

    She did get teleported to the location she needed, except that she had appeared in mid-air--again--nearly a hundred metres up.

    Nothing like a hundred-metre freefall to wake people up in the morning...It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in it's own right. Mainly because most participants, willing or unwilling, usually wouldn't survive to experience a second one.

    Still, my leg strength is ridiculous...I had expected to break at least one of my limbs, or something. Not that I'm complaining, though. I mean, who wants to get injured if they could avoid it, right. Not including those with rather...unique...hobbies, of course, but in the first place, they shouldn't even have been counted in.

    "...The teleportation array glitched somewhat, so it put you there."

    Typical behaviour. Blaming the tools.

    "Fine, I'll let it go for now since we're on a tight schedule, but what's with the welcoming committee? Did you accidentally gather that bunch too?"

    Using her enhanced eyesight, she could see quite clearly, even in the mist and the snow. A few miles out, trudging across a large snow-covered plain, was an entire army on the march. A well-equipped, professional army...Not.

    "Are those...You know what? Nevermind."

    From the high ground she was atop, she could see discrepancies in the formation. While the vanguard consisted largely of knights in armour, the rear guard consisted of mostly figures in chains. Upon closer inspection, those figures all possessed various sorts of animal ears and tails, and they all looked equally miserable.

    So those are the fabled beastmen...How do I put this, somehow, I'm not really impressed, even though it's my first time seeing them...

    Another disadvantage of becoming partial wolf--it became a lot more difficult to surprise her. True, that trait also meant that catching her off guard in a fight was very unlikely, but at the same time, she didn't get to feel pleasant surprises, either.

    I hope I don't end up with this kind of reaction when I meet a dragon sometime down the line...

    At the same time, this situation led to a new problem arising; which group should she attack? She didn't have enough information to go off on.

    After all, the beastkin that had been shackled up could either be slaves, or bandits. The former would mean that she had to attack the humans, while the latter meant that she had to go after the beastkin. Without knowing fully about the situation, she might as well flip a coin and depend on luck.

    "Rufi...Is there any context to this place? Is this place merely a manifestation of a certain concept?"

    If the entirety of her surroundings--the land, the sky, the scenery--were all mere illusionary constructs based off somebody's imagination, then she had no qualms destroying it. After all, efficiency was a must, in order to facilitate slacking off.

    "If by that, you meant that this world once existed in someone's imagination, then yes. This world, it's inhabitants, it's laws...Someone once visualized all of that, thus resulting in it's creation."

    That posed an unexpected problem. Being new to magic and how they worked in tandem with her knowledge of science, she couldn't afford to do things with a 'wait-and-see' mentality. After all, if the world she was in was a product of someone else's imagination, then damaging it could cause some undesirable side effects.

    "Then, if I cause damage to it, will it have any lasting effects on it's creator?"

    There would always be times when she wouldn't have much of a choice, especially during the most dangerous of situations, where it was either her own life or an innocent's, but for now, as long as she had the choice, she wasn't going to harm an innocent person if she could.

    "It depends. Some worlds are connected to their creators deeply enough that any slight interference could damage both to a significant extent, while some are abandoned by their own creators. For the former, destroying the world could cripple the creator, but in the latter's case, even removing every last trace of the world wouldn't harm the creator by a single sliver. And in your case, the world I've sent you to...It's been abandoned since long ago. To the point that...well, just take a look behind you, and you'll understand."

    She tilted her head, ever so slightly, and it was only then that she realised the presence of a massive sinkhole on the crest of the mountain behind her. It extended deep into the ground, and the darkness within was unfathomable, even to her lupine eyes. Only a single wooden platform stood at the edges, hanging by a rope.

    As she approached it, the sense of unease grew. The darkness seemed to be pulling her in, beckoning her to approach and descend. With her newly enhanced sense of smell, she could identify a thick aura of purple fog around the mouth; the smell of strife and death. The wolf ears on her head pricked up, and she managed to detect faint echoes in the air--disembodied voices that went 'come down here'.

    If she wasn't a fighter, she would have left the place long since. If she hadn't been used to seeing violence, she would have already lost her sanity. Without her confidence in her own abilities, she would never have approached it to begin with. However, she had all three, and in surplus, at that.

    So whoever thought up this world--whoever brought it's concept into creation--abandoned it long ago, huh. What a pity. Without it's creator here to keep it in check, this pit, this sinkhole, started filling up with negative energy, and gradually became twisted to this extent, when it could have been a place filled with wonderful mysteries, akin to a certain rabbit hole...What a waste.

    Of course, even as she lamented the loss of a potentially great creation, she couldn't bring herself to hate whoever abandoned it, to begin with, for two reasons. Firstly, it wasn't her world, so it's connection to her wasn't that strong, and secondly, she understood perfectly. The reason why the world before her had been left to it's own.

    The landscape and the surroundings...They're so peaceful. Quiet, undisturbed, untouched...The way nature should have been. Even though it was winter, the harshness of the chilling wind was mellowed by the gentleness of the falling snowflakes. Rather than a place where humans found it difficult to survive, it resembled a winter wonderland. A perfectly preserved, natural winter landscape.

    As she observed, she recalled a specific report that she had glanced through in the past. A report that investigated the relationship between the nature of a writer, and the quality of their written work. Right now, the exact line of reasoning could be applied to the creator, and the created world.

    To have thought up such an ideal...Whoever imagined it must have been in their younger years, when their thinking was still on the more optimistic side. This world was meant to reflect an ideal reality, huh?

    She couldn't help but to shake her head in sorrow, having guessed at the truth.

    And as that person grew older, whoever it was, they saw the ugly face of reality, and thus lost their faith in what they had imagined to be the ideal...which resulted in this world being thrown away and left to it's own...Leading to this pit that has appeared right here. A gathering point for all of the negativity.

    The girl gave one final, regretful look at the pit, before shaking her head to clear off her thoughts, once again setting her sights on the group that was slowly approaching.

    Well, first things first. I'm here to achieve something, so the other things can wait until later. Meanwhile...

    She studied her palms, and then her forearms, scrutinizing her thin yet muscular limbs. Her tail swished back and forth, brushing aside the snow on the ground.

    "I wonder if I inherited a wolf's ability to stalk their targets?"

    20 Minutes Later

    "Hey, hurry up with the sacrifices! We're already behind schedule!"

    There had been a makeshift camp set up on the outer fringes of the pit. The interior of the camp was a flurry of motion; knights were hurrying about, carrying what seemed to be carts of food to and fro, piling them up near the hanging wooden platform.

    The one shouting the orders was a potbellied man that looked more like a pig than a human. He was just plainly grotesque, there was no other way to describe him. In fact, the only thing that separated him from the identity of a 'cannon fodder' was the cloak draped across his shoulders; something that only a high-ranking person would be able to wear.

    "What about the offerings, Commander?"

    "Just toss them in along with the sacrifices! We don't have the time to separate them out nicely! Or do you want to be the one standing here, organizing them into neat piles?"

    Under the glare of the pi--the Commander, the knight that actually went to ask a reasonable question withered, and shrunk back. Meanwhile, the other knights went to herd the group of chained beastmen, bringing them over by pushing them with the points of their spears, as the beastkin snarled and made attempts to lunge at them.

    "Doing this is just...Somehow, even though they are mere beasts, this feels undeniably cruel."

    One of the knights mumbled as he poked a beastman with his spear, causing his comrade to reach in, and give him a resounding smack on the helmet.

    "Stop thinking about it, and you'll be fine. Otherwise, this much will end up crushing you later. Just think of them as animals like the cows and chickens that we eat, understood?"

    With that, the knights successfully got the last of the beastmen onto the edge of the sinkhole, just before the suspended wooden platform. Upon another order from the Commander, they forced the beastmen to start boarding the wooden platform, which slowly begun sinking into the gloom.

    From a forested area nearby, a girl was watching all of those proceedings, bit by bit.

    "Huh, that's interesting. Sacrifices and offerings...So that's how they prevent the darkness from spilling out onto the surface, eh. Well, that's good to know."

    A hundred out of a hundred people would have fled upon seeing her expression.

    "...So they were like this even back then. How utterly disgusting. But again, I should have expected this sooner, shouldn't I. That some of us, no matter the time and age, will just end up becoming absolute pieces of trash. Utter wastes of space and oxygen. Honestly, they should just all go and die."

    In the shadows of the dense vegetation, the harshness of the winter wind only served to make the girl's expression even more menacing. The glint of her eyes, against the backdrop of the disappearing sun, dyed her face in rusty-red streaks.

    Just like splotches of blood, fading out with the light.

    "...Oops, can't have them running before I even make a move. In that case, to keep this place minor-friendly..."

    When she grinned, the exposed teeth were jagged, and wickedly sharp, nothing like the rectangular molars of human beings. As night time descended, her lupine half begun taking over, altering her appearance.

    "I should directly attack the camp...if I wanted to die early, that is. Let the death row prisoners have a few more hours to write their wills and say their prayers, eh?"

    All in all, the girl that was currently perched atop the branches of an evergreen resembled more of a demon than a human. In fact, it was a miracle that her eyes weren't glowing red, nor were there horns growing out of her temples.

    Still, the group before her had already, in her opinion, signed off their death warrants, including the commander. No, especially the commander. One would usually expect people with more authority to make better decisions, but honestly, the commander was the most incompetent in the whole of the bad lot.

    Seriously, how did someone that incompetent managed to become a Commander? A Knight-Commander, no less! Which idiot assigned him that position?

    Still, even idiots had their uses, in her book. Mainly because they tended to either be easily influenced and naïve, or they were foolishly determined to do the wrong thing. The commander that was in her field of vision fulfilled both.

    Let's see how much you'll be laughing after tonight.

    The Camp, Knight-Commander's Tent

    "Bwahahaha! Drink more! More!"

    "Cheers!"

    "To the Kingdom! Hahaha!"

    In contrast to the other tents outside, which were set up in a hurry, and resembled more of blankets tied to sticks, the tent in the centre was brightly coloured, and even had fortifications dug around it. Within the tent came boisterous merrymaking noises. If one were to peek inside, they would see nothing but a scene of feasting, people stuffing themselves with food.

    On the other hand, the knights that were standing outside, on guard for enemies...

    Wow, that must suck.

    A certain girl was leaning against the trunk of a sturdy tree, munching on an apple, as she observed the camp from nearly 500 metres away. Unlike the knights that were shivering in the harsh wind, she appeared to be completely unaffected by the biting frost.

    Well, after all the troubles that it's brought to me, if there weren't any benefits in exchange, I would have gone berserk. Having a wolf's adaptability towards harsh weather sure makes this a lot easier. As for those guys out there...well, too bad~

    It's true that she was sympathetic, since she knew the feeling of being frozen over very well, but in this case, she wasn't going to offer the slightest bit of assistance, mainly due to one fact.

    "Commander, all the sacrifices have been sent down into the pit! We've completed it on time!"

    Even as the last batch of beastmen were forced down the platform, being sent to their deaths, the knights did nothing except to cheer at completing their task. There wasn't the slightest bit of guilt over sending so many beings to their death, in fact, if there was any reaction, it was to throw a massive party in the commander's tent.

    After she had watched all of that from afar...It didn't matter to her that some of them were hesitant, and some felt guilty. To her, all of them had already fallen under the same category of 'trash'. Any traces of pity she might have felt at the ones unfortunate enough to be outside were merely traces; She wasn't going to make any exceptions.

    "Let's see...I doubt any of the people here have heard about 'Shock and Awe' tactics. I'll go with explosions normally, since it's a better scare tactic, but there isn't any gunpowder or sulphur here, so that plan is ruined."

    The alternative was fire, but firstly, it was winter, so the fire wouldn't really be that effective, and secondly, it just didn't have that 'shock' factor to it. Fire was scary, but not really a threat, even on a regular day.

    "...Something that can shock without giving away my own position...Tch, is there anything here that will suit that purpose? Anything at all?"

    She was still holding on to some of the supplies that she had initially been summoned with...And none of them were of any help. I mean, a pepper bottle could do lots of damage to people that haven't seen it before, but--

    "Wait, 'that' could work."

    --Sure enough, she came up with a great plan for distraction. With some twine, the magnet that she fortunately kept, and the pepper shaker...The resulting product ended up looking really weird. The pepper shaker was tied to the front of the magnet and held in place with twine.

    It would be really amazing if it worked; with an extremely large 'if'. At the same time, it would be utterly hilarious if it failed, because the chances of succeeding can't even be referred to as 'miniscule'. Also, it would be making history in it's own right.

    "I don't think anyone there has experienced breathing in a cloud of pepper powder, so this should be good; I apologise for what I'm about to do beforehand. Now...eat this!"

    Gripping the small bundle in her hand similar to how one would hold a baseball, she extended her arms backwards, and threw. The ensuring projectile flew swiftly in a straight line, veering slightly to the right--And struck a guard right in his face. Even worse, since he happened to be taking a breath of fresh air, his helmet visor was opened, and the contents of the broken shaker spilled right into his face. There was a brief lull as the pepper got to work, and then--

    "ACHOO!"

    The one-in-a-million odds paid off, as the affected guard let go of his spear for a few brief moments to rub his swollen eyes--and immediately doubled over, retching. A fist was lodged deeply into his stomach, and that fist was connected to a certain person. Someone who seemed to be exceptionally pleased.

    "Oh hey, this isn't so bad once you get used to it. In fact, this kind of reflexes would do wonders for close-quarters fighting. Although, the adaptation process sure took quite a long time, but hey, I got some unexpected rewards out of it, so it was quite worth the trade in the end."

    [Your control over your Lupine form has increased over 50%. From now on, you can toggle between human and wolf forms at will.]
    [You risked an important decision completely on chance, and succeeded. Gained title: Gambler. Effects: When leaving decisions up to fate, they become slightly more likely to succeed.]

    Being able to actually control her strength was a great thing, but the additional title came as a pleasant surprise; True, having more power makes it easier to do things, but no matter how much power one has, there's always a significant chance of failing. On the other hand, having that title meant that the odds of her succeeding would be increased. Most importantly, that title went along quite well with her nature.

    "You don't believe that there's any point to life, and therefore you do things out of interest rather than out of results. If you had to decide, you would rather leave it all up to happenstance, wouldn't you? That's a nihilist if I ever saw one."
    [Librarian has the qualities of a realist mixed with those of a pessimist. Gained title: Nihilist. Effects: Your lack of drive to do the things you aren't interested in renders you immune to crowd control magic and the like. Charm magic, mind-controlling magic all fail to affect you.]

    Both of them were the Library speaking, but the embodiment of the Library, Rufilia, was much blunter with her words than her system counterpart. As a result, she had gained a title that she didn't really want, but the effects were good enough that it made her reconsider.

    Although, when all of her passive effects and personal parameters were added together, it posed quite a bit of a problem. Mostly because her status looked something like this:

    Name: ???
    Race: Wolf Beastkin
    Class: ???

    STR: C
    AGI: B+
    DEF: C-
    VIT: D+
    INT: B

    She didn't have enough STR to focus fully on offensive, but her VIT was high enough to clear her from the category of a [Glass Cannon]. However, her DEF values didn't quite meet the requirements to become a [Bullet Sponge], but her overall parameters were specialized enough to avoid being labelled as a [Jack-Of-All-Trades]. Therefore, after taking her newfound passive abilities into consideration:

    My ability parameters are everywhere...This could end up really badly if I don't start taking steps to modify them immediately.

    Therefore, the moment she had been given the [Nihilist] title, she had already came up with a plan, with regards to how her combat style was going to be like.

    First came her background in martial arts. She wasn't going to give that up so easily.

    Second was her AGI values, the highest one among all of her parameters.

    Last was [Nihilist] which granted resistance to status and crowd control effects. By combining those three, she arrived at a conclusion:

    Hit and run tactics...Those aren't my forte, but I presume that I'll have to suck it up and roll with it this time. After all, it's not as if my forcefully changed race has any relation to--wait a minute, now that I'm able to think of it without panicking, wolves...what were their general characteristics again?

    Territorial animals that lived and hunted in a pack, but also had the skills required to survive alone, if it ever came to that. That was the information she had gained from an encyclopaedia from so long ago, and yet it unearthed itself from the veritable pile of facts in her head, and resurfaced at that very moment.

    More of an agile fighter than a brawler...check. Was equipped with skills to survive alone...check. Melee combatant...check.

    What the heck? Racial traits actually affected the way my parameters would develop?

    Even as she reeled from this revelation, she conveniently forgot that personality was very important for defining race. Before all that mess had happened, her living habits were already similar to that of a wolf. Solitary and utilitarian. Those subconscious habits had been the one that guided her back then, not the force of some unexplainable magic.

    By the time she had finished this inner monologue, the other guards had already been dispatched, knocked out and unmoving. She didn't kill anyone yet; mostly because she didn't have any ropes or something to muffle any dying screams. In fact, the fact that the brief melee at the entrance didn't attract any undue attention was already quite fortunate, even though she was more than prepared to fight the whole camp in one sitting.

    Her objective here was to get used to her newfound abilities. That had been achieved. Therefore, returning to the Library immediately would be the natural thing to do, except for a few events. Firstly, what would she do with the guards? Secondly, what about the beastmen that had been sent down into that fell pit? Both seemed like potential sources of profit, now that she thought about it. Plus, her schedule wasn't exactly brimming with things to do.

    "Ehhh, I guess I'll go down there and take a peek at what's below. These guys, in the meantime, can take a really good nap. After all, I'll just have to alleviate them of their duties. Not that much of a hassle to do."

    Grinning, she piled up all the fainted guards and left them on the floor, arranged in weird patterns. After that, she walked about the fringes of the camp quietly, stopping at each corner to do something.

    "Done. Although I don't think anyone here knows the meaning of S.O.S. by a long shot, at least this posture will help them sleep better."

    Having settled her matters on the surface, she headed for the wooden platform which had just risen back up the surface, and gently stepped onto it, descending into the darkness.

    As soon as she had left, the encampment collapsed, the tents sinking into the ground, as the earth swallowed the whole of the camp, burying the merrymaking people alive. Any traces of there having once been a camp were gone, including the guards that had been knocked out and left there. In a sense, being buried alive was a much more horrible fate than being killed directly.

    "Seriously, don't camp at weird areas that you have no control over. You never know what might happen there. Although, it's interesting how the immediate area's ground was sentient."
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2018
    ken1345, Kysil and Vanagandr like this.
  4. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Greetings. This one is the A.I. that takes care of the Paradox Library.

    This one was born 30,000 years ago, during the Library’s Golden Age. Over the last 300 centuries, this one had been seeking out a suitable candidate to be the Librarian.

    Despite the name making it sound like an easy job, being the Librarian is no simple task. It is literally being the Guardian of the Library’s treasures, forever.

    Admittedly, there was no other lifeforms here besides this one, so being the Librarian would also be quite a lonely job. This one had resigned herself to the notion that this one could not find a suitable person.

    Therefore, this one was surprised when the main transportation/summoning magic circle glowed, successfully bringing someone into the Library.

    Then—this one could not help shivering. The person who was summoned appeared average at a first glance, but closer analysis revealed her shoujo-esque looks and bearing.

    She had hair that appeared to be a common black, but upon closer scrutiny revealed itself as jet black. Almost like the midnight itself.

    Her emerald-green eyes, in particular, resembled those of a dead fish, and tucked within their folds was only one emotion – Indifference.

    Despite not being alive, every single one of this one’s instincts warned me – This person is dangerous. Possibly even more so than the entire Library’s arsenal. Although, why was she holing on to a bottle of sake in her right hand?

    This one wonders if it is not too late to expel her from this place? As this one pondered that, the girl burped, then spoke.

    “Interesting. This place *hic!* should keep me occupied for *hic!* a sufficient period of time.”

    Uh…Those words…completely ruined her image. The status known as being drunk is fearsome indeed; even the strongest people do unthinkable things under it’s influence.

    Okay, now that this one’s seen her hidden side, this one should probably show herself—no! That’s an act!

    How unpleasant. She behaves as if she was truly drunk, but no drunkard would have such clarity in their pupils. This one nearly fell for it, too.

    I’ve lived for 30,000 years and this one has seen a lot, but this one daresay that this girl might have more mature thinking processes compared even to me.

    Looks like the Library found itself a hidden gem this time. Then, as it’s A.I., this one shall do this one’s best to assist her in running the Library. After so long, this one can’t say this one dislikes the idea of companionship.



    Oh, no. The new Librarian…is a slacker. A massive slacker, at that.

    It’s just 50 trees…I even gave you a good axe…

    Since this was unprecedented, this one has something to admit. The tutorial quest is programmed in such a way that it can reveal the deeper side of a person. Judging by their actions, a suitable Ultimate Skill is awarded.

    After all, the Library’s chosen one can’t be left that weak. But still, with that being said…

    How am I supposed to give you a reward if you aren’t doing anything?! Wake up!

    The Library’s future…will there be one?
    Hello~ My name is Akane, but people here usually call me ‘The Little Red Riding Hood’. I’m 10 this year.

    Just a few days ago, my mummy celebrated my 10th birthday for me. Yay~ I love you, mummy~ After the party, she told me that she wanted me to deliver a basket of items to my grandmother who lived alone, on the other side of the forest.

    “You are 10 this year, mature enough to enter the Forest. Don’t worry, the monsters that usually roam the forest do not approach the main path. If you are ever in danger, just call for Mummy and I’ll be there for you, ok?”

    Un! I nod. Then, the following morning, I set out cheerfully, humming as I skipped along the path.

    Hm? The townspeople…why are they all averting their eyes? I wave to the bakery uncle, a friendly uncle who always had a warm piece of bread and a smile ready for me, but he greeted me with a weird smile, and a weird look in his eyes, as he handed me another piece of bread.

    “Be careful, it’s hot.” he cautioned, but the weirdness remained in his voice.

    Was it because I was one of the only children left in the town? Every year, a child would go missing in the forest, something which made the townspeople very worried. Sometimes, I really miss my friends Lily and Thomas.

    Ohhh~ Those are the white flowers mummy told me that grandmother loved! She told me to wear gloves before plucking those, so that I wouldn’t damage the flowers…what was their name again? Magnolias…Daisies? Ah, Hemlock!

    I dug up a fresh bunch, bundling them and wrapping them in white paper. Grandmother will be so pleased~

    So absorbed in my task I was, that I did not notice something creeping up on me until it was too late. Then something spilled on my shoulder.

    There was a monster towering over me from behind, it’s claws and fangs bared as it prepared itself to pounce. I could see it’s red eyes glowing.

    “Uwahhhhhh! Mummy, help me!”

    I panicked, retreating. There was so many ugly monsters around me, all of them had glowing red eyes, sharp fangs and claws. Mummy, where are you? Help me!

    “Go away! Monsters!”

    Why isn’t mummy here yet? She said she would be here if I called out for her! Am I going to get eaten up? I could not stop crying and shaking in fear as I tripped over a tree root, leaving me sitting on the ground, surrounded by monsters.

    Time seemed to have slowed down to a crawl, as I watched the nearest monster tense up for a spring, the sunlight glinting cruelly off the knife-like fangs.

    |Claw of Polaris|

    The chest of the monster before me exploded. E-e-eh?

    A wolf-eared lady wielding gauntlets landed before me, standing between me and all the monsters. I heard her mutter:” Tsk. This got really troublesome, huh?” before a chilling aura assaulted the surroundings.

    Instinctively, I called out:” Mummy.”

    Then I must have fainted, because darkness overtook my vision, and I remembered nothing more, besides the complex look on the lady’s face as she turned to look at me.
    [Haah~]

    "If you sigh too much, happiness will escape from you, you know?"

    [And which idiot do you suppose is the one making this one sigh again? Geez...This one never fails to be astonished by your whims and fancies. And what you suggested this time...]

    "Let's go out for a trip! It'll be the 3 of us only! Rufi, you know how to magic us all to Earth, right?"

    [This one wishes this one could just magic you to Earth and leave you stranded there, penniless and homeless. Preferably in a desert.]

    "Haha~ Rufi, your sense of humour got better, didn't it?"

    Argh. There's no talking to her---This one can feel this one's brain cells dying. If this goes on, rather than an Artificial Intelligence, this one will become an Artificial Unintelligence.

    "Silence means consent, so it's decided then. After tomorrow's assault on the Library, we are going out. 5.30pm sharp, dress casually."

    [...Way to force the conclusion you want...]

    Friday evening, shortly after the invasion ended

    "Yooooo~ Let's go, I want to eat some delicious food. Akane, I'll bring you to eat some good food, so look forward to it~"

    'Yay! I love you, Mika-nee-sama!'

    [There's no stopping you two...wait up. If Mika knows Space-Time Magic, shouldn't she be able to pull this off without having this one do it?]

    "Eheheh~ I was found out, huh?"

    [Not 'eheheh'! Besides, what are you planning to do with the issue of that girl?]

    "..."

    Wait a minute. That emotion that just flashed through Mika's eyes...that was indecision, wasn't it? Even if I'm not human, I'm pretty sure she's secretly worried about something.

    That massacre in the morning affected her a bit more than she initially expected...Tsk. Somehow, I'm feeling...guilt? for bringing up this topic.

    "...I'll worry about that later! I don't know about you, but I'm sure as heck starving! Let's go procure some food already!"

    ...This one gave up. |Warp|

    ...

    So, she picked out this place for the trip, eh? This one hates to admit it, but Mika really did her research beforehand, didn't she.

    Although, it was currently winter, and she was standing at the entrance of a huge night market , dressed in nothing besides a T-shirt and some jeans.

    I could feel my veins popping. This girl...she didn't even bring along a scarf when it was already winter?!

    'Achoo~!'

    I took out a spare coat from my bag, and handed it to Akane, who happily accepted it.

    "Say, Rufi. Why is it that Akane gets a coat and not me? Aren't you being a bit biased here?"

    [This one exercises this one's right to remain silent.]

    "Oh well, never mind. I don't really feel that cold, after all. This temperature is nothing to a Storm Fenrir, you know? Oh hey, deep fried ice cream cake! I'll buy some! Akane, do you want some too? It's really tasty!"

    This girl...she truly lives for the moment, doesn't she? She reminds me of someone else from 30,000 years ago, who had a personality like her...Haha, when was the last time I ever reminisced about something that happened so long ago in the past?

    Perhaps, in a way, this is what they call karma? To make up for my 30,000 years of solitude, I've been brought a companion, and a really interesting one at that.

    Hehe, I'm getting sentimental. Since when was the last time I believed in illogical things like karma?

    "Uh. Rufi? I...kind of forgot to bring my money along...Please?"

    ...You just had to ruin the atmosphere that was so good there, didn't you.

    [This one takes back this one's earlier words. Pay for yourself. This one refuses to help, even slightly.]

    "Uwah, c'mon, its just a few dollars...Surely, to you, even a few million dollars is nothing, right?"

    That much is true. I don't need to eat or sleep, so I don't actually need any manufactured products. All the Library Systems run on a pre-programmed system, too. In fact, I haven't actually been to the human realm for the recent millennia, to say nothing of buying any products made here. As such, I have no need for human currency.

    [That might be true, but its high time you started learning to be responsible. Therefore, if you want that, pay for it out of your own pocket.]

    "Come on, don't be so stingy~ No matter what, we did sleep together, so help me this time round, please...?"

    Baka! Don't say that aloud in public!

    ...

    It took quite a while to wipe that particular memory from everyone within a 10 kilometre radius. I even checked to see if any improper messages were sent.

    Call me paranoid, but I had no intention of letting this misunderstanding escalate. Because goodness knows what humans are capable of thinking of when hearing the phrase "sleep together".

    We were currently proceeding down the street, with a thin layer of magic surrounding us, to ensure that none of Mika's questionable talk was heard.

    I ended up paying for all the food, too. Mika won the argument by saying that it was 'necessary Library expenditure'. I couldn't formulate a valid argument against that.

    [Still, you bought way too much food!]

    "I'll finish them all between me and Akane, so it's fine."

    A bag of pan-fried pot stickers. Deep fried ice-cream cake. Grilled pork skewers. Pastries with brown sugar stuffing. A roasted leg from a Ancient Wyvern...wait, what? They sell that here?

    "Oh, this? I took it off a monster I slew earlier. It seemed quite tasty, so I gave it a good ol' roasting."

    ...I think the act of cradling my forehead with my hands is going to be very common for me in the future...

    There was tugging on this one's sleeves; Akane was holding out a bottle in her hands.

    'For you, Rufilia! Teehee~'

    See what this one meant now? Mika could really learn from Akane, even a little.

    'Don't worry, Rufilia~ The vendor said that drinking papaya milk regularly will make you *grow* up faster!'

    Mika choked immediately on the Wyvern Meat she was chewing.

    "Pfffft! Hahahahahahaha!"

    [Grrr....You two are both...wait...]

    Where did Akane learn that phrase from? Being only 10, she should have been too young to have heard her mother mention that...at most, she should be too young to understand what that implied...

    "You're too short, Rufilia-nee-sama. You need to grow taller."

    "Pfffffft...What, Rufi, you thought Akane was talking about 'that'? Jeez, you sure do have a dirty mind, don't you."

    ...I hate both of you.

    "Mika-nee-sama, what does 'that' mean?"

    "Uh...Akane, you'll understand once you get older, so forget it for now, okay?"

    On that particular subject, it seems that both myself and Mika have a common standpoint.

    Oh well, I guess trips like this won't be too bad to experience in future.
    Apparently, Mika-onee-sama was going to be exploring another dimension for the next few days.

    Could I go with her? When I asked that, she patted my head, and said: "Maybe when you are older."

    I have decided! Yosh, let's grow up as fast as possible!

    Mika-onee-sama also told me to take care of Jessica for the next few days, since she was still suffering from memory loss.

    Un! Let's do our best!

    2 hours after Mika left

    [Akane! Bring Jessica to the dining hall! It's about time for lunch!]

    "Okay! Jessica, let's go have some lunch and we'll continue playing chess later, alright?"

    "Mhm. Let's go to the dining hall then...What is that smell?"

    "Eh? Now that you mention it, something smells burnt"...I suddenly had a really bad premonition.

    No way. Rufilia should be able to do something like that, right? After all, Onee-sama had told me to depend entirely on her...

    Rufilia's POV

    Uh. This goes here, right? Mika said that this one had to control the flames properly and...uh, was this supposed to be added to that?

    Wait! Why is this bubbling? Is it about to explode? What is this one supposed to do here? Um...adding water should be fine...wait no that's oil! Ahhhh!

    Akane's POV

    My worst fears were confirmed.

    Rufilia doesn't know how to cook.

    First up, why does it resemble a battlefield instead of a kitchen in there? Why are you pouring oil on the flames?!

    *Boom!*

    I hurriedly pulled Jessica behind me as black shards flew out of the kitchen at high speeds. Some shards struck my robes and bounced off, while others buried themselves in the wall behind me. What the...

    Thank god for the Dusklight Robes. More importantly, Rufilia, how high did you turn up the temperature?! How did you manage to make the reinforced steel pot explode?!

    [Uh...This one might have casted...|Incineration| on the pot...heh heh.]

    ...I really don't feel like having lunch suddenly.

    "Agreed."

    [H-Hey! At least give it a taste!]

    Rufilia holds out a plate of......what might have been 'food' at some point, but now it was just a charred heap. It wasn't even solid anymore.

    I guess I'll try a spoon? It can't possibly taste that bad, right?

    ...

    ...

    ...

    It could taste that bad. No, it tasted worse than it looked. Every cell on my tongue was screaming for water after I had a tiny spoon of it. Rufilia, skipping the fact that you added way too much habanero peppers, why did you even pour soap inside...I could taste the detergent...

    At least I got the [Poison Resistance] Skill after that...Afterwards, Jessica decided to personally supervise the cooking process to ensure that actual food could be cooked. Even so, the kitchen would explode twice more over the next four meals...

    Mika-onee-sama, please hurry up and return...Rufilia is going to kill both of us at this rate...
    The following morning, Rufi handed everyone a curious white pebble. There was a glowing blue ◇ rune marked on it.

    [These are the telepathy stones this one has created. Keep them on you at all times---This will allow us to contact each other telepathically, so *ahem* what happened 2 days ago won't happen again.]

    "Yeah, none of us wants a repeat of what happened 2 days prior to my return. It's a miracle the Library didn't blow up during that."

    [This one isn't that bad of a cook, okay?!]

    "Why are you already getting defensive when none of us have actually mentioned your cooking? It feels like you have something to hide, at this rate, you know?"

    [...Moving on, we have to decide how we are each going to spend our time. No offense to the 2 young ones, but both of you are being quite the burdens at this rate.]

    Akane pouts.
    "Hey, Rufi, don't be too harsh on them. After all, the two of them are still children. Furthermore, neither of them have had much combat training, you know."


    [Mika is an even bigger burden sometimes...]

    "Oioi, thats rude."

    [Anyway, since there's already 5 of us, we need to decide on how each of us is going to help out during an invasion, since doing that will lighten the workload on everyone.]
    We do?


    "Hm. Well, my role is already quite clear. Close combat specialist, Storm Fenrir Mikaze reporting for duty."

    "Uh...I'm a cleric, so I guess I'm in the back line..."

    "I use a scythe, so...middle line, I guess?"

    Uh-huh. Quite a well balanced team we have going on, though, it's highly probable that I'll end up doing the bulk of the work...I stare at Rufilia.

    [What? This one is in charge of all the traps and defences, you know?]

    "Which also means, all you do is fiddle around with buttons during an invasion, right?"

    [Hey! Well...if you put it like that, it's true...]

    "Which then means, Rufi, you are the biggest burden among all of us."

    [Ehhhhhhhhh?! Wait, if it's like that, isn't Jessica doing absolutely nothing?]

    "Jessica is still a child you know? Furthermore, she is still suffering from memory loss. Tsk tsk."

    [No-no way...To think that this one has the least use here...*Sob*]

    Oh, I think I broke her. Oops.

    "Mika, I have a request."

    "Hm? Go on, tell me. As long as it isn't too ridiculous, I'll agree."

    "Then, can I take the role of a hunter?"

    A hunter..."Bowman or gunner?"

    "Gunner."

    Well. A mid-ranged class..."sure, why not?"

    I was expecting her to go for the mage, though...I guess another trip to the Fusion Room is in order.
    The trip took a dive before we even begun; the problems were the other girls. Now that I think about it, I'm also a problem in my own right.

    Because all 5 of us didn't look normal.

    Think of it. Both Akane and I have wolf ears. Rufi has blue hair and yellow eyes, Jessica has lilac skin and pointy ears, and Claire has red hair and black eyes.

    None of us look remotely normal. At least, it isn't something that can be casually passed off if we were visiting a hot spring, even if cosplaying is fairly popular nowadays.

    The only option was to wear black wigs and brown contacts, at least when we were in public areas. Magic was not to be casually used on Earth, given that Earthlings don't know how to use magic. (Author's Note: Lol, are you all aliens then?)

    And so, Rufi got us to Earth with her Space Magic without a fuss this time. According to her: [Since I already did it once, a few more times won't matter much.]

    Now, we were inside an onsen in Hokkaido. I was actually planning to visit Kanto, but Rufi messed up the landing coordinates. Oh well, thank god there are good onsens here too. Additionally, since it was already nearing evening, there wasn't anyone in the baths with us, so we could all remove our disguises.

    This is bliss...

    Claire's POV

    This place that's called an onsen was really good; it was as if the hot springs melted my troubles away.

    Apparently, this a part of 'Japanese culture', as Mika had told us. It felt heavenly to soak inside the hot springs, but at the same time it was rather embarrassing too, I mean, it was the first time I had worn practically nothing...

    Also, Rufilia, please don't stare at my assets so blatantly, okay?

    I got embarrassed and hid behind Mika, only to find her grinning at me, with a rather knowing expression. H-Hey! Don't hug me so suddenly! There are minors here!

    Jessica's POV

    Rufilia was jealous. I could tell that easily. Onee-sama seems to have caught on, too, given the smug grin on her face.

    I turn to see Akane approaching me, as she asked me about what I planned to eat for dinner.

    This feeling...it's almost like we were a family...I've decided; I was going to grow up faster, in order to contribute more to this peace.

    Although...I've been wondering, but who was that boy that has been peeking at us for a while now...?

    This could be trouble. I quickly made use of the telepathic connection, and warned Onee-sama. She grinned at me, before putting a finger to her lips. A gesture for me to stay quiet.

    Onee-sama, its fine if you want to gesture, but shouldn't you be using your own fingers to do that? Claire has gotten so red it looks as if she's about to explode soon...

    Morning after the Trip

    "Say, Rufi, you feeling alright?"

    [...]

    "Rufi?"

    [...Hmph!]

    She is still angry, eh?

    At this point, I should probably explain what happened. The problem is, I'm not sure either.

    Last night, before we had returned to the Library, I had ended up procuring some bottles of Otokoyama sake. Needless to say, I had started drinking within my room the moment we had gotten back, and naturally, I had gotten heavily drunk afterwards.

    I don't recall having fallen asleep, but I had woken up this morning, in Rufi's room, on Rufi's bed, with a similarly drunken Rufi in my embrace, not to mention a massive hangover.

    Naturally, Rufi had woken up shortly after I had the chance to respond, then she had screamed and promptly booted me out of the bed.

    Jessica had thought there was a banshee here, the way Rufi had screeched...

    And now I was sitting at the dining table with the others, both me and Rufi having complex looks on our faces. I mean, given this situation, what other kinds of expression can we make?

    Claire lightened the atmosphere by sliding a cup of fruit juice to me. Thank you, Claire.

    I reach out for my cup as Rufi did the same, causing both of us to pause awkwardly. Eventually, she sipped from her cup, failing to hide the reddish blush on her cheeks.

    [Don't get so drunk next time, okay?]

    Yeah, I got that. Also...sorry. Still, what had happened exactly?

    The Previous Night

    Being in the onsen helped to remove my fatigue, but now I was too hyped to sleep. I decided to go get a drink in the kitchen, so as to hopefully make me sleepy.

    Halfway there, I spotted Mika stumbling about with unsteady footsteps.

    I could see that her lupine ears, which she usually kept hidden, were standing up straight, and her tail was quivering erractically. Furthermore, her eyes were red, and obviously unfocused.

    Such a Mika scared me. While I stood still to not make any noise, I noticed that Mika had gradually reached Rufilia's room.

    What was she planning to do?

    Rufilia's Room

    I was reading a book when the door suddenly blew open; Mika was standing there wearing her pyjamas, her eyes crimson red.

    The second thing that I realised was the smell; Mika had a strong smell of sake wafting around her. Not good, she got drunk again!

    Remembering the last time she had gotten drunk, my vigilance was at maximum, as I chanted a spell for a Reinforced Mana Shield to cover me.

    Naturally, that didn't work. Mika vanished and---my shield broke apart from her right fist. The next thing I know, Mika had me pinned down on my bed while I struggled furiously.

    "Rufi...you look really tasty..."

    This girl! What was she saying?!

    "Let me have a bite...Just one bite..."

    No! Stay away!

    I struggled with all my might as I chanted a spell to boost my Atk power, but Mika's overwhelming stats prevented me from moving an inch.

    "Silence means consent...I'm gonna bite you now..."

    Your Race is a Storm Fenrir, not Vampire! As I tried desperately to talk my way out of that, Mika stuffed a bottle of sake into my mouth and forced me to drink it.

    "Well then, Itadakimasu~"

    He-Help me......
    [Alright, Mika, you need to start working on your close combat techniques.]

    If I didn't need to work on them, why would I even be standing here right now?

    "Rufi...Tell me, why did I agree to this again?"

    [That's because your physical strength is severely lacking. I mean, you realised it yourself after you got into a fight with Wrath, didn't you?]

    That's true. I only won out thanks to my domain.

    "And you have some sort of item to make me stronger?"

    [Not me. The Library.]

    Oh. The Library's Shop, huh.

    "Open, Shop."
    ...
    There's way too many pugilist fighting styles here...besides the martial arts that I recognise from my human life, there's even fighting styles for non-humans...And for the price...

    "Why does something like Karate cost almost 200 crystals?! I can just return to Earth and learn it from an instructor for much cheaper!"

    [Mika...Even if you hire a really good teacher, humans are still prone to errors. Also, they might be affected by several factors which would otherwise prevent them from teaching everything to you. The manuals here can be used in the form of trade too, if you wish for them, and once you purchase them, as long as you train according to these manuals, you'll be able to truly reach the level of a master.]

    "My wallet surely isn't going to feel good after this, though."

    [Well, it's either your life or your money.]

    Touché.

    "I want to keep both. I'm not buying any manuals."

    [I can't affect your thinking...it's your life. Still, if you remain like that, it's going to be really troublesome in future.]

    I didn't read all of those cultivation novels for nothing when I was still alive, you know. Most of them said something about injecting mana into your own fists...I've been practicing mana circulation for quite a while now, but the destructive force never seems to be enough.

    Closing my eyes, I recalled the act of Kanon swinging her blades. Her physical arm strength is even worse than mine, but she somehow managed to strike with more force...Combat-oriented aside, there has to be another explanation.

    [I'm tired of watching you fail, so here's a tip. Mana can be used for more purposes than just coating your fists, Mika.]


    Huh. More than just coating...
    ...
    It took me quite a while, but I finally discovered that mana could be shaped.

    I learnt to coat my arms with an invisible, flexible layer of mana, which allowed me to strike faster. All those biology lessons on how fishes have streamlined bodies that allow for faster movement sure came in handy.

    I mean, I actually prefer speed over strength. After all, it's more effective to land more consistent hits than to deal punishing blows. With enough speed, you can avoid hits while dishing out damage in return.

    Which reminds me, Belphegor's inheritance actually gave me a good way to increase my offensive powers; the longer I sleep, the higher my Atk grows. Sadly, I've not had too many chances to enjoy a proper nap nowadays.


    So between my somewhat minimal knowledge of martial arts, my wealth of experience watching anime and reading light novels, and my mana shaping, I managed to copy...I mean, 'reference' several martial arts to make a combat style that I felt most comfortable with.

    Although, honestly speaking, I pretty much left the entirety of that task to Rufilia. Gotta maximize usage of the resources I have on hand, after all. She didn't disappoint.

    [Close Combat Fighting Style: Claws of the Storm Wolf]


    Mhm! This fighting style suits me quite well actually! In fact, this might actually be a unique fighting style just for me!
    Up until I was 17, I never met my mother. I lived together with my father, who did his best to raise me up well, despite his leg injuries.

    He taught me how to be a responsible and morally upright person. He taught me to value kindness, humility, and other virtues.

    The night after he celebrated my 18th birthday, he disappeared, without a trace. It was almost as if he didn't exist to begin with.

    Anxious, I delved into the deep regions of the forest, and got attacked by wild bears. As I was about to be bitten, a scorching blaze burnt my surroundings to ash, and a woman appeared out of nowhere. She led a dazed me along into a crimson portal, and brought me to a strange place.

    When I finally regained control of my own emotions, she dropped a bombshell, telling me that I was to govern the entire place. I was shocked once again.

    ...

    The same lady, who had introduced herself as Amon, tried to teach me combat. It didn't go so well. According to her, I didn't have the talent or skill to fight skilfully.

    I knew better. Subconsciously, I was suppressing my combat ability, to avoid causing damage to my opponents. As a result, even with Astras, which was supposedly forged just for me, I was unable to win against a regular Greater Demon.

    Due to that, I was aware that the other demons looked down on me, for being so weak despite my role as Pride. Aside from Amon, who kept on teaching me combat, Envy, who encouraged me, and Astaroth, who started training me in Pride's administrative duties, practically everyone else shunned me.

    It was literally Hell.

    Still, I have no choice but to do as they said, because I'm afraid of what will happen if I refuse...

    ...

    Amon went off for a while today, and came back, looking exhausted but satisfied. Her expression was one I had rarely seen; the exhilaration from enjoying a hard fight. According to her: "I lost! But I'll win next time, haha!"

    If only I could be as carefree as her...Also, to win against her in an all out match...who was her opponent?

    ...

    Today, Amon came and pulled me along to the meeting hall. I wanted to refuse, since I did not have any good memories of that place, but she simply lifted me up and brought me along. Apparently, she wanted me to meet someone. Along the way, we met with Envy, who was also heading for the Hall.

    When Amon pointed out the person she wanted me to meet, I shrunk back immediately. I could tell that the girl she was pointing out was even more dangerous than her.

    Jet-black ponytail with markings of green. A pair of emerald eyes that appeared sleepy, but secretly observed her surroundings, and strategized. Lastly, a pair of wolf ears protruding from her hair.

    She wasn't human. A wolf beastkin, maybe? The girl made eye contact with me.

    I looked away immediately. For the split second that we held eye contact, I could feel a hidden killing intent, as if I was in the presence of an alpha predator.

    "And so, this is Belphegor, Ruler of Sloth. In term's of authority, she is second only to you."

    Please don't joke around. With her strength, she could snatch my position away without effort. Just as I pondered about whether I should give up my position to her of my own violation, Amon prodded me. She wanted me to start the meeting.

    Needless to say, I stuttered, and the silver haired girl standing beside Belphegor roared at me angrily. I could feel myself tearing up.

    "Amon...This IS Lucifer, right? Not just a random kid you picked off the streets?"

    The girl known as Belphegor finally spoke, in a tone that suggested disbelief. Upon Amon's confirmation, her eyes narrowed, and she seemed to be pondering about something.

    Was she about to overthrow me, I wonder...Rulers that get overthrown are all executed, right? I don't want to die yet...

    "Pride."

    "Y-Yes?"

    Was she about to challenge me?

    "From today on, I'll be joining in your training."

    Eh?
    ...

    Belphegor did as she said. She became my third teacher. And my training schedule was bumped up to 24 hours a day.

    I want to rest and eat too, you know...

    ...

    I was sitting down before Belphegor, panicking. After Amon and Astaroth trained me for 16 hours consecutively, I wasn't thinking clearly anymore.

    Apparently, Belphegor called herself 'Mika'. As for the other two, they were 'Zora' and 'Yura' respectively. The silver haired younger girl that came with her was called Kanon, I heard. Upon hearing that I had no name, Belphegor decided to make one for me, according to the naming trend.

    But why is my name Hotori...It doesn't fit the trend at all...

    "Oi, Hotori. Wake up."

    Crap. I fell asleep. At this point, I'll rather she started her lessons already. Even though I'm not sure what she will be teaching me about with regards to common sense.

    I mean, most of the common sense I know don't apply to her, see?

    ...

    Her first lesson was ridiculous. She made me eat lots of food. According to her, sating your hunger was common sense.

    I mean, that is true, but...you are cutting down on lesson time, you know?

    I could see it in her eyes. A knowing smile that didn't show on her face. She deliberately made me fill my appetite using those lame reasons. She is unexpectedly kinder than I thought. She even made me address her directly as Mika, too.

    Next thing I knew, I was stuck in her embrace, after being told to sleep. She had closed her eyes herself.

    Are we having a lesson here, or are we napping...Still, I couldn't pry her fingers apart, so I obediently went to nap too. The way she hugged me felt really nice. It was almost like my mother...the embrace suddenly got stronger, and Mika opened her eyes.

    "I daresay, you better not be thinking of me as your mother. I'm not old enough for that."

    Perceptive. I could feel cold sweat on my forehead, but soon after, I fell asleep.

    I was woken up by a feather tickling my sides, as Mika grinned.

    "Hahaha...That tickles!"

    ...

    Why is this happening?

    Mika had just handed me a knife and told me to stab a human before me. I couldn't do it.

    She took the knife out of my hands.

    And right before my horrified eyes, she tossed the knife away, and knifehanded the human in the chest.

    I could see the human's heart in her hand. She gripped tight, and destroyed it, splattering blood everywhere.

    Why?

    Even though you were so kind to me, why did you become so merciless suddenly?

    Was that kindness all an act?

    I found Astras on my hands suddenly. When I looked back up, Mika was still smiling. Except that smile was now a satirical one.

    "Who's gonna stop me? YOU?"

    Yes. I am going to stop you.

    I am going to kill you. I lifted Astras, and went for her.

    In response, Mika grinned, showing her sharp teeth, and two giant gauntlets appeared on her arms.

    ...

    I lost. Miserably. There was no chance to strike her at all. Even when I put my life on the line, the resulting blow was shrugged off by her with relative ease.

    Like a game of cat and mice...there was no hope for victory in the very beginning. Still, I lifted my arms against her...is she going to kill me?

    The inky darkness provided no answers as I sank into it's folds.
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2017
    Kysil and Vanagandr like this.
  5. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Arc 3---Invasions And Exploration
    A certain army on the march

    On a wide grassy plain, an army was marching. Towards two black spires that rose in the distance.

    These was the army from the Kingdom of Ferunia, consisted of professional knights, cavalry, and mercenaries. All of them were armed for war. And they were heading towards a certain ruin, only known to them as [The Forgotten Library].

    The head mage from the Kingdom had theorized that the ruins were about to open, thus resulting in this expedition. Every man in the army joined up, at the promises of fame, wealth, and glory.

    “I heard that apparently, most ruins hold priceless treasures from ages past.”

    ‘Yeah! Apparently, the people who first enter it are given the right to take whatever they want! It’s a good opportunity to earn wealth.’

    “Haha, no wonder so many people have signed up. Including that self-important Third Prince.”

    ‘He is probably aiming to earn glory from being the first ones to explore the dungeon…God knows that he doesn’t have enough achievements to compete with his elder brothers for the throne.’

    'Well, it seems that Knight-Commander Garok, whom he had been working with, died during the Labyrinth exploration 2 months ago."

    "That was a disaster, to be honest. One entire Knight Corp was wiped out. There wasn't enough soldiers to properly guard the capital in the first place, and now the manpower is spread even more thinly than before."

    “Agreed. Anyway, we are about to reach the ruins, so let us get ready. If any of us got injured exploring a ruin, the jokes will never end.”

    The army paused, and then shifted its formation. The knights took the spot at the back, awaiting the mercenaries to enter first.

    Even though entering late would result in a loss of relics being recovered, the knights knew that the ruins were most definitely not defenceless.

    Since someone was willing to lead the charge, might as well let him trigger all the traps, right? That was a common mentality found in grizzled veterans. In a world where magic exists and dragons rule the skies, either you had the skills to stay alive, the smarts to avoid danger, or you die.

    Inside the Library

    |They are preparing for the assault.|

    |Hm. Noted. They are entering from the Forgotten Sector, right? In that case…Rufi, you stay there and coordinate the defences. Akane, guard Rufilia.|

    |Okay! What about you, Mika-nee-sama?|

    |Well, since they are planning to plunder the relics in this Library illegally, this Librarian has to personally intervene.|

    It’s been too long (5 hours) since I last went wild, and I’m simply itching to do that again.

    |This one wishes you luck…Mika.|

    Oh, my. Raising this type of flag before a huge fight is really unlucky, you know?

    ???’s POV

    This is the Forgotten Library’s ruins? They certainly do look intimidating enough. There’s a high likelihood that the inside is heavily booby-trapped, too.

    The knights said they didn’t mind going in last. Hah. As if it wasn’t obvious enough that they wanted us to be their meat shields. Still, we were allowed to grab whatever loot we could carry, so this trade-off is worth it.

    "The door is slowly opening. Let’s go."



    This is bad. We underestimated the defences in these ruins. Poison fog traps, lava drop traps, mana cannons…whoever designed these ruins must have really despised invaders!

    The scariest problem here wasn’t the traps, nor was it the cannons.

    It was the Guardian that was chasing us.

    “Come out now, it’s useless to hide~”

    It had started off well enough. We managed to reach deep into the ruins without triggering any traps. That lasted until we turned a corner, and saw a lady with her back facing us.

    "Greetings, gentlemen. Nice weather we're having."


    With that one sentence, every trap in the vicinity activated immediately. Which led to the current situation.

    Still, no one was willing to stay behind and take their chances with opposing her.

    Four senior mercenaries, who had taken on countless quests together, tried to attack her simultaneously. We thought they had a fairly good chance until that lady had stopped a spear strike, and then parried off a sword strike with her index finger alone.

    Just one flash. The bodies of the people running behind me were split into 20 equal pieces. Oh, God, please deliver us from this evil, and grant me a safe passage home.

    The next turn brought me to a dead end. Damn, there’s nowhere left to run. All my friends are dead, and I’m stuck between a dead end and a terrifying monster. In that case, as the final survivor, I have to face her boldly, to ensure that no regrets are left behind. I heft my twin headed axe, and charged.

    “Ohhhhhh!!! Eat this!”

    The Guardian in front of me smiled, before lifting her left index finger, and she dispelled the force behind my strike completely.

    “It’s dangerous to swing that thing around, you know. I’ll be taking it.”

    Then, she reached out, and crumpled the stell axe as if it was made of paper. Following that, she completely vanished. Heh.

    There was a massive impact against the back of my head, and I heard my skull cracking…Sorry, my daughter…Looks like Papa won’t be able to attend your birthday party this year…

    Mika’s POV

    Well, the first wave has been completely wiped out.

    [Understood. How…do you feel right now?]

    I’m fine.

    [Well, if you say so…]

    Actually, I wasn’t fine. I was pissed off.

    Before I started the hunt, I had heard two of the mercenaries conversing, joking about how they were trading their lives away for first grab of the loot.

    Those words had pushed me over the edge, and I decapitated both of them immediately. Then, the cat and mouse game started, and ended with complete annihilation.

    I still don’t understand humans. If you know that you were being exploited by others, why would you willingly follow their orders? For money? Hah! You can’t eat money, and you can’t bring it with you when you die, so why are you so insistent on collecting large amounts of it?

    When there’s life, there’s hope. Dignity? Pride? Honour? Those things can be fed to the dogs.

    Still, for him to have been willing to face me in the end…hm, brave enough. Still, bravery alone is useless in the face of true might.

    Though, you had a daughter, huh…On the account of your determination, I’ll pay a visit to her afterwards, and see if she is doing well.

    Now, we wait. The next wave of idiots should be entering soon, and I haven’t vented enough of my frustration yet.
    Outside the Ruins, Third Prince’s POV

    Damn it! The mercenaries were all completely useless! At this rate, the throne is definitely going to end up in the hands of Elder or Second Brother!

    And Garok! That incompetent bastard! Dying in some measly labyrinth, could he have been any more idiotic than that?!

    “Third Prince, the mercenaries have not responded for some time. Perhaps this is a good time to retreat…?”

    "Silence! I call the shots here! Get your equipment ready, we are going to enter the ruins too! There’s no way I’m going to let this opportunity pass by!"

    Hidden in the darkness, Mika’s POV

    [Mika, the second wave is entering.]

    Copy that. Thank you, Rufi.

    [You are being very strange today. This is the first time you have thanked this one.]

    What? No way. Anyway, I’ll talk to you later. I’ve got some old acquaintances to kill. My dear departed Knight-Commander Garok Vortius, your idiotic Third Prince shall be joining you soon.

    Now…should I use them as target boards for my Storm magic, or as training dummies for my fist techniques?

    POV of an Unfortunate Knight

    This expedition was a mistake! There’s a monster in here with us!

    Not a single person saw her face, but every time a shadow passed us, an ally was sliced in half, decapitated, or had their brains blown out.

    Now, of the originally proud Knight troop of 200, there was only a handful of us left.

    “I’m the Third Prince! I can’t die in a place like this!”

    As he spoke, I felt a chill on my neck; I raised my spear behind me, defensively.

    Clang~

    I don’t…want to die…

    The last thing I saw was my own headless body, and the spear that had been sliced in half, quivering.

    Mika’s POV

    Hmph. Losing the will to fight after a mere hour…you don’t deserve to be called knights.

    That luxuriously dressed boy standing over there…I'm assuming he’s the Third Prince? Not even wearing armour to an unexplored ruin…Does his brain have defects or something? (Author’s Note: You aren’t exactly in a position to talk, Mika, wearing a T-shirt in open winter.)

    “T-T-This one is the Third Prince of the Ferunia Kingdom! Hurry up and bow before me, savage!”

    Ohohoho. Did he snap?

    “Impertinence! Not bowing when you see me, a Prince, that’s a crime punishable by death! Hurry up and surrender, then offer your services to me!”

    Yeah, he definitely broke. Sorry, but not interested.

    “H-How dare you defy me! Guards! Lock her in the dungeons!”

    Why don’t you take a good look around? All of your knights are dead, and this isn’t the capital.

    “W-what? No way…”

    Well, I’ll have you die here.

    “Wait! I’m the Third Prince! If you spare me, I’ll give you money, land and—”

    I was getting pretty tired of his rambling, so I tried to knock him out in the way they did it in movies---you know, by hitting the back of the neck. The result I got was a headless corpse spewing blood. Damn, too much strength.

    I don’t need money. As for your lands, I can easily snatch them myself, and prestige and the like is worthless to me. All I need, is this Library, and Rufi.

    Watching the headless corpse collapse to the ground, dyeing the floor red, I mused.

    "Go back to your mother’s womb, and try again, idiot."

    [Title《Rookie Guardian》obtained]

    ...


    Now that the invasion has been settled, time to go tie up some loose ends.

    I did promise to visit that mercenary's daughter, after all.

    Ferunia Kingdom, Capital City Bevaris, City Outskirts, ???'s POV

    It's getting late. Father isn't back yet. Even though he said he would be back before my birthday party...

    He is all I have left after my mother died...Please stay safe, Father...

    Mika's POV

    Rufi. Have you found her yet?

    [Please wait a bit more. Even with this one's Search magic, looking for a person in an unmapped region is difficult...]

    It's ok. I believe in you, Rufi.

    [Argh. As I thought, I can't. The spatial boundary between the two worlds is causing my magic to go haywire. I can't get any reliable information, beyond the fact that she's living somewhere in the capital.]

    Understood. Thank you, Rufi.

    [This is the second time you've thanked this one since an hour ago...and the 2nd time you actually thanked this one. Did you get infected by something?]

    Haha, no. Take good care of Akane, ok?

    [Mhm. Got it.]

    Well...I reached the capital. From the side of the mountain I was on, I could see a bustling city, built into another very steep mountain, nearly 5 kilometres away.

    The scale of the city...it's population must be exceptionally high, even according to modern day standards...How on earth am I going to find one person in the middle of all these?

    Why did I ever say that I'll visit the mercenary's daughter in the first place? Aren't my actions a classic example of digging a hole and then jumping into it?

    Screw it! I'll find a way into the city first.
    ...
    This city reminds me strongly of a city during the Medieval Era, back on Earth. By that, I mean a cliché fortress city comprised of walls, sentry towers, and the like. Naturally, the environment inside the walls were pretty similar, too.

    A caste system existed here. The top were the royalty, followed by the nobility, the knights, the peasants, and lastly, the slaves. Practically all of the slaves were non-human.

    Disgusting. I've never seen such an extreme display of prejudice. In the brief time I had spent walking around the city, I've witnessed not less than 6 demi-human slaves get beaten to death. Still, I didn't try to stop them, or anything like that. I simply shifted my gaze, and pressed on.

    Selfish? Cowardice? Pretty much. I value my life over others.


    Maybe I should begin asking around...But, judging from how that mercenary was so desperate to collect relics, I can only assume that he isn't that well off, in which case, his daughter is probably living in the poorer parts of the city...Jeez, why do I have to do all this work?

    That was as far as I could think before I heard a rumbling noise, and the building that was next to me suddenly blew up.
    What the hell just happened?

    There's no way a building would just suddenly blow up. Also, that loud noise attracted the guards, and I can hear them rushing here even now.

    Time to make a quick getaway. I've watched enough TV serials to know that anybody who just entered the city today would fall under the most suspicions. I hurried into a side alley, pulling my hood back up.

    *Swish* *Clang*

    "Woah!"

    A knife was just tossed directly at my face. It was entirely a coincidence that I managed to block in time. I know that people say scars are marks of honour, but I'll rather not have a third nostril.

    "Nice reflexes, nya."

    Again, what's with the cliché of all assassins being dressed in black? Wait...did she just say 'nya'? A cat?

    "Well, here I go, nya."

    The black-clothed woman disappeared.

    *Swish*


    This time, I failed to block it. The dagger missed my face by a few centimetres, cutting off my hood as well as a good portion of my hair.

    "You need to pay more attention to what you can't see, nya. Well, you'll die here, so that's largely educationa---nya?!"

    The assassin suddenly took a few steps back, and then prostrated on the floor.

    Again, what? The feeling of deja vu is very strong here. First Baphomet, and now you...I swear, this had better not be due to another cheat.

    The assassin pulled off her mask, revealing a girl with cat ears...She looks kind of familiar.

    "It is you, nya!"

    Hmm? Where have I seen her before? Cat ears...hmm...oh. She's that cat girl I had helped out in the Twisted Labyrinth. Great, now I'm freaking embarrassed.

    "We probably won't meet again, so that doesn't matter."


    Argh. I want to go back in time, and give my younger self a couple of slaps. Wait, Belphegor's inheritance has given me the proficiency in Space Magic, so...nah, let's not think about that.

    Still, we did meet again, so I naturally have a few questions of my own to ask.

    "I see you've gotten stronger, huh? What about the rest?"

    The cat girl looked around. "It's not safe to talk here, nya. Come with me, I'll bring you to one of our safe houses, nya."

    ...

    The cat girl brought me to the outskirts of the city, where she led me underground, into an extensive cave system. Judging from the rotting scaffolding and support beams, this place must have been a mine previously.

    Still, looking at the cracks on the walls...This place is neither 'safe', nor is it a 'house'...While I was uselessly thinking about that, the cat girl was knocking on one of the walls.

    "We're back, nya!"


    "You...why did you bring a human back with you, Celine?"

    Oh, so that was her name? I mentally filed that piece of information under "Unimportant".

    "Don't be so tense, Gerald! She's the one who saved me, after all, nya!"

    Despite using harsh words, the two of them are quite close, huh? The panther headed beastkin gave me a look, sighed, and then allowed me inside.


    We entered a room that was extremely spacious, and for once, the beams seemed solid enough to support it's weight. Equipment such as weapons and sets of armour were strewn about everywhere, as well as countless maps.

    "I'm back, Elder! I've brought a friend, nya!"

    A wizened old leopard beastkin looked over...ah, he was there too back then, wasn't he.

    "Celine, you shouldn't be bringing humans back to our secret base...wait, it's you?"

    If I'm to be perfectly honest, I wish I could just dig a hole and jump into it, right now. Acting all mysterious back then...what the heck was I doing?
    ...
    "Pardon the mess. We didn't exactly have enough time to clean this place up."

    The three of us were sitting around a table, having tea. Gerald had gone back to watch the entrance. Except me, though. I had a cup of liquor.

    I never understood why people liked drinking that bitter stuff.

    "Still, to think you were actually one of us, Miss Mika."

    By the way, I had converted into my Fenris Form. I didn't know about those two, but any beastkin I haven't met before would surely view humans with hostility. I didn't need any idiots trying to mess around with me.

    "Not exactly. I was formerly a human. The one you see before you now came from the bloodline of an ancient creature, and I can swap freely between these forms."

    It wasn't exactly wise to reveal the origins of my power, but I've interacted with these people before. It's not too much of a far fetch to say that I trust them far more than I trust humans.

    "I see. In that case, you must have seen how the conditions in the human capital is, right?"

    I could see the unbridled fury in his eyes.

    "Yep. It was disgusting."

    "In that case, may I be so bold to ask for your help, once again? We could use someone as strong as you are, especially now that we are planning a very crucial operation."

    "Hang on a second. I'm not all that strong. I can barely keep myself alive, as it is."

    "Please. We are planning to start a large-scale event very soon, and the more hands we have, the better. Celine is good at infiltration, but I'll feel much better if she had a partner to go along with her."

    Hmm. If it's just infiltration, then I won't really mind. I daresay that when I want to hide, not many can detect me. Still, I don't really want to do it for free...wait.

    "I'll do it, but I've got a request. I'm going to need help seeking out one particular human."

    Even if they are just a rebel organisation, their information network must be quite broad, too. It'll be much faster than searching on my own.

    "In that case, it should be fine. Our network of spies isn't any more inferior than the Kingdom's, after all. In fact, we could probably do it right now."

    We shook on it, and I could see the old leopard show a rare smile.

    "Celine will help you pick out some outfits suitable for infiltration. After all..."

    He ran his eyes over my current outfit, chuckling.

    "I really doubt that a librarian's garb is going to make the top 10 list of espionage gear."

    Well, I must have been drunk from that liquor. From stopping an invasion, to looking for a girl, to joining an rebellion...what the heck was I doing, honestly?


    ???'s POV

    The table was set with dishes I cooked by myself, and the cake I baked with Father's help...but Father isn't back yet.

    I have to wait until he comes back.

    *Knock-Knock-Knock*

    Father is back~!

    I throw open the door, then jumped with all my might...right into the arms of a stranger.

    Holding me in a hug was an unfamiliar lady, with a hood pulled over her head. Despite the surrounding darkness, I could make out a pair of emerald green irises.

    "Are you George's daughter?"

    She knew my father's true name. Which means, she is one of his old acquaintances? I invited her inside.

    "My name is Jessica! Pleased to meet you, Miss...uh..."

    "Mikaze. Call me Mika."

    "Then, Mika, Father will be back soon, so you can meet with him then."

    "Oh. A cake...is today your birthday?"

    Yep! After I said that, I saw Mika wince slightly. Did she injure herself on the way here?

    "No, I'm alright. Here, since it's your birthday, take this."

    Mika handed me a polished dagger, with a brightly decorated sheath and a well furbished grip.

    "In this world, danger exists everywhere. Use this for your self defence, especially when your father isn't around."

    "Thank you, Mika! I'll cherish it properly~"

    For some reason, Mika's eyes have traces of guilt inside them...Still, Father sure is late. At this rate, it will be midnight before he gets back here...


    "Jessica, from the way this is going...I don't think your father will return tonight, so you should get some sleep soon. Do you mind if I come back again, tomorrow?"

    "No problem! Take care on your way out, Miss Mika!"
    I live by a simple set of values. As long as someone doesn't get in my way, I'll leave them unharmed. If they do, I'll kill them. Any assistance received will be reciprocated in kind.

    Therefore, I didn't feel much guilt over killing the mercenary. This world follows the law of the jungle, after all; the weak are destroyed by the strong. If I didn't kill, I'll be killed one day.

    However, Jessica's issue was entirely different. Her only living relative was her father, whom I just killed, and she was too young to fend for herself.

    What would be the right thing to do in this sort of situation...Should I bring her to the Library as well? I mean, since I already have Akane under my care, one more isn't going to make it much more different. How am I going to convince her to move, that is where the problem lies...Should I just confess about killing her father?

    ...No. I'll tell her about her father's death, but I won't tell her that I was the one who killed him. The matter of the Library Invasion was only known by the people who embarked on the expedition, and every single one of them is dead. Jessica knows absolutely nothing about it, and I'll ask Rufi to keep it a secret from Akane as well.

    Sorry, Jessica. I hate lying, but I also want to give you a good life, so I'll keep this matter a secret as long as possible. Forgive me.

    "You look like you're really troubled, nya."

    Midnight was the best time for infiltration, so Celine and I were both crouched on a roof. Using the height, we could see for a fair distance.

    Of course, my Enhanced Senses cheat let me see far more than that, but that's an irrelevant detail.

    "I do?"

    "Of course, nya. Your eyebrows are scrunched together, and you have a grim look on your face, much like Gerald does whenever I bring back dead mice to the base, nya."

    Putting aside the fact that he'll obviously frown if you brought carcasses back into the base...It was that obvious, huh.

    "Forget it...I'm reaping what I sowed, anyway."


    "That's not good, nya. If you keep all of your issues to yourself, you'll explode one day, nya."

    Oh, jeez, to think that I'm at the point where I'm taking advice from a half-cat...

    "Forget it. That's the building we have to infiltrate, correct?"

    "That's right, nya. The owner of that building is a slave trader. Apparently, he's one of the biggest slave traders around here. If we can steal his trading records, we can find out where our brethren were sold to, nya."

    To have steel bars covering every window, as well as anti-magic wards being drawn up on the walls...you'll have to be blind to not know that this place is suspicious.

    "So, what's the plan?"


    "I've made contact with one of the beastkin slaves inside, nya. They'll be opening up an entrance for us, nya."

    "Let's go, then."

    Both of us entered Stealth, and silently sneaked towards that building.

    ...
    Like Celine said, there was indeed an open pathway.

    "Ho ho ho, I've been waiting all evening for your arrival, ladies."

    Like I suspected, it was indeed a trap.

    The beastkin slave that Celine had worked with was lying on the floor, dead.

    "Celine...did you, by any chance, ask him to open up a window just depending on himself?"

    Celine nods, her sobs muffled by her mask.

    Seriously...without any special tools to help him, it would be a miracle if this had succeeded, you know...

    "Now now, ladies, I have the two of you surrounded. If you don't wish to be harmed, I'll advise you to surrender and come with me peacefully. After all..."

    The slave trader ran his eyes over the two of us, lust evident in his expression, as he approached us.

    "It'll be quite a pity to let your beauties go to waste---URGH!"

    The slave trader was sprawled on the ground, both hands cupped over his 'important area'.


    I may be a novice when it comes to combat, but I still know quite a bit of tricks. For instance, where to hit men to cause the most suffering possible.

    "Ball-busting Kick. Never expected to use that here."

    One of the guards tried sounding a bell.

    If this alarm gets out, forget this shop; we might practically be fighting all of the Kingdom's Knights. How do I stop it...ah!

    |Inhale, Winds, and create an airless void! Vaccum!|


    Random middle-school science teacher whose name I've forgotten, thanks for teaching me that!

    "Celine! Eliminate all of them now!"
    ...
    Haah~ Haah~ That was tiring...

    We managed to get out all the slaves currently in the shop, as well as the records of trade. Some guards tried to raise the alarm, but I managed to time all those Vaccum Spells perfectly, allowing us to get through undetected.

    Before we left, Celine set fire to the shop.

    "This place will never deal in slaves again, nya."

    "Celine...how do we get back to the base with so many people?"

    "Not an issue, nya. Elder should have arranged for a team to come extract us soon, nya."

    "Celine! You're alright!"

    Ah, that'll be the extraction squad, I assume. Gerald's the one in charge, huh? Despite his usually harsh words, he does really care about Celine's safety, it seems.

    I don't understand. Is love really that wonderful?

    "Well, it looks like this is where we separate, Celine. It's been enjoyable working with you."

    I turned to leave.

    "Mika! I know you prefer to settle most things yourself, but if you are ever conflicted over making a decision, always feel free to come look for me, nya. You know where to find me, nya!"


    I see. So that's how it is, huh. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever look for her to speak about my own matters.

    Everyone has a burden to carry, and I'll carry mine by myself, without the help of others. That's my nature.


    Morning of the Second Day, Jessica's House

    "Jessica, did you have a good sleep last night?"

    "Yeah! When Father gets home today, I can't wait to give him the scarf I knitted."

    Mika was obviously hesitating.
    "...Say, Jessica?"


    "Hm? Mika, you have a really guilty look on your face."

    "Jessica...I...don't think your father is ever coming back."

    "Eh?"

    "I'm...sorry. I found out about his death yesterday."

    "Haha. Mika, you sure know how to joke around."

    ...

    ...

    ...

    "It's not true. Tell me it's not true. Tell me you are joking around."

    "..."

    "Tell me it's all a joke! Why are you looking away? Tell me that it's a lie!"

    "He died while exploring some ruins yesterday. The entire group that went with him was wiped out, or so I heard."

    "No way...Then, the reason you came here last night..."

    "Yes. I wanted to check on you, his only daughter, and ensure that you are safe. I'm sorry, I can't do anything else..."

    "Noooooo! FATHER!"

    Mika's POV

    I just fed an innocent girl a big pack of lies. It sucked.

    Now, that same girl was crying in my embrace. It made me feel guilty. Although, even if I had a second chance, it was highly likely that I would have still killed him.

    Violence is not my favourite way of settling issues, but at the same time, I treat my own life as topmost priority. So, even if time somehow turned back, the only outcome of people who have entered the ruins...is death.

    I kill when I wish, where I wish. My actions are up to my own will, never to be bound, hindered, or obstructed by any external factors. That's the way I do things.

    Time Magic...can't I do something with that?
    ...

    First things first, I have to get Jessica to the Library to live; no one is going to be happy if she starves here alone. I tap Jessica lightly on the shoulder.

    'Jessica...now that your father isn't here anymore...do you want to come with me? I live quite far away from this place, but I don't mind taking care of you...for as long as you wish.'

    "Ok...Give me a moment to pack..."

    Within Rufilia's room, Akane's POV

    Mika brought back a young girl that was around my age.

    "And so, this is Jessica! She will be living here from now on, so get along with her, ok?"

    Un! I nodded.

    "As for these two, the younger one is Akane, and the older and grouchier looking one is Rufilia."

    [Mika, this one needs to speak with you. Outside.]

    As both of them left, I could not help noticing that Rufi was frowning, and Mika was looking guilty.

    Outside Rufilia's Room

    [Mika, is she...?]

    "Yes..."

    [And you brought her here? Are you insane?]

    "I...couldn't help it. Her father was killed by me after all..."

    [Does she know?]

    "Hm? Not for now."

    [You...you want to lie to her?]

    "C'mon, Rufi. It isn't lying...it's just..."

    [Not telling her the truth. Fine, this one understands.]

    "Thanks. I feel much better now."

    [If you are feeling better, stop hugging this one. This one just ironed her clothes, and you are creasing it with all that squeezing.]

    "Then, Rufi. I'll leave that matter to you. Tell me if she gets worse. If I end up having to do 'that', I will do it without hesitation."

    [Mhm. Go get some rest, you look terrible.]

    "No way. I'm always super cute, you know?"

    [...Get out of here. Don't make me regret agreeing.]

    Inside Rufilia's Room, Akane's POV

    "Say...Akane?"

    "Un?"

    "Is Mika...your elder sister?"

    "Oh? No, not really."

    "Why do you address her as Onee-sama then?"

    "Uh...I guess it's because she feels like a caring elder sister? She's really good to me, too."

    "I see."

    She isn't that talkative, huh? I look up just to see Rufi stepping back into the room. Almost as if she owned it. Wait, technically, she owns the entire library, so that's true.

    "Where did onee-sama go to?"

    [Mika got tired, so she's going to take a nap. Jessica, if you need anything, just inform this one.]

    "Ok..."

    [Akane, bring her to one of the spare rooms in the western wing. Remember to watch out for the bookshelves.]

    "Un."

    [Well, it's getting late, so turn in early. This one shall be going to bed soon, as well.]

    Is Jessica going to be alright?
    Jessica's POV

    Mika asked if I wanted to go live with her. After a bit of a daze, I agreed.

    I don't remember much about the journey, but it seemed that Mika was living in a library.

    When we got there, she introduced me to the other 2 occupants of the library: Rufilia, who appeared to be younger than her by 2 years, and Akane, who looked to be around my age.

    They were both really kind, offering me food and drinks even though I had stayed silent. Akane, in particular, tried to keep a conversation going between us, even though I had ignored her.

    Afterwards, Rufilia assigned me a room to stay in, amd asked Akane to guide me there. For some reason, she told Akane to watch out for the "bookshelves". Was she worried about Akane bumping into bookshelves?

    As it turned out, the bookshelves moved. They floated around the hallways, sending books flying about, while occasionally pulling in books that were flying around in the air.

    We got to my room without any problems. Akane told me that she was right next door, so I could call for her if I needed anything.

    Akane's POV

    I was awoken by the sound of crying. It was coming from Jessica's room. She was crying out for her father, but something was wrong. She wasn't waking up even after I shook her vigorously, so I woke both Rufi and Mika.

    Rufi was staring at Mika without saying a word, while Mika was avoiding her gaze. What on earth happened between those two?

    [Mika...]

    "I know..."

    The vagueness was the scariest of all. I didn't dare ask what Mika meant when she 'knew'.

    Mika's POV

    Dammit. This happened in the end, huh?

    I had promised to use 'that' if the situation worsened beyond a certain point; we couldn't afford to have Jessica retain her sad memories.

    Naturally, 'that' involved using Time Magic to remove all of her sad memories. Unfortunately, the only way to prevent her acting up again in this case...would be to completely remove Jessica's memories of her father, or to replace him with someone else.

    This feels quite questionable morally, but...we don't have much of a choice. Jessica, I'm sorry things had to end up this way.

    |With my words as the key, change the past and erase the deeds. Memory Replacement.|

    Well, I guess the problem is now solved. Still...I gave the peacefully sleeping Jessica a complicated look.

    I'll make this up to you someday.
    ...
    Well. The issue regarding this invasion is fixed, so...time to explore another book! It's been ages since I picked up 'Little Red Riding Hood'. This time, let's go with something from another country's folklore.

    Let's see, which of these would be good...The Tortoise and Rabbit Race? Nah, too childish. The Dream of the Red Chamber? Nah, too difficult. Journey to the West...nope...Ghost blows out the Lights...nope...Snow White...passable, but still no. Isn't there a novel in this pile that has sufficient depth without being too dry...?

    [Why not try this one then?]

    Rufi was holding out a book.《Romance of the Three Kingdoms》.

    "Eh? Rufi, you like this kind of stuff? I thought you didn't have much interest beyond taking care of the Library's affairs."

    [T-That's not it! This one only happens to enjoy this because the Shu Strategist inside is a very admirable person!]

    "So, in other words, Rufi likes older men? Wow, I didn't know you were this bold, Rufi. I'm impressed."

    [This one told you, that's not it! Well, this one is not saying that this one minds, but this one doesn't mean that this one doesn't mind either...]

    I watch on, warmly, as Rufi continued digging her own pit deeper and deeper*.

    ...

    ...

    ...

    [Listen, whatever you just saw here didn't happen, okay? Don't go around mentioning it to Akane or Jessica, seriously.]

    "Hai, hai, whatever you say, tsundere."

    [...This one will buy you some snacks in return for your silence.]

    "Okay. Consider it done."

    Now, back to the original topic at hand...Romance of the Three Kingdoms? I could probably pull this off---just have to be aware of the different traditions back then...actually, wait a second.

    "This isn't going to be like last time, riiiight~?"

    [...]

    Yep, completely saw through her...Rufi is a bit transparent, isn't she? Guess I'll pick another book instead.

    Historical section...Light novels? Wait, you mean to say that besides historical stories, this Library also keeps stuff like manga around?

    [There's a veritable pile over there...Labelled under the "Modern Day Stories" section. Mika, this one didn't know you were the type to enjoy reading manga...]

    "Hm? Whatever gave you that impression about me? I always prefer a good book, a comfy seat, and a mug of hot cocoa during the harsh winters."

    [How many of these 'light novels' and 'manga' have you read up til now?]

    "Um...I lost count at about 2000?"

    [Whoa...does this mean you know about 2000 different types of magic?]

    "Rufi, that reference was so obvious it was lame. Also, the manga here aren't grimoires; you can't learn magic simply by finishing a book*.

    By the way, Rufi..."

    [Don't talk to this one in that tone; it makes this one feel like something bad for this one is going to happen.]

    "Oh, it's nothing much, just that you have to take care of Akane and Jessica while I'm gone, okay?"

    [You little---!]

    *The Chinese saying goes; You dug your own pit, now you lie in it.

    *+1point if you got the reference.
    In the end, I decided to settle for a modern day novel. One of the typical 'Hero-Summoning' genre with a cheat protagonist.

    It had been my favourite type of novels back hen I was still alive...Oops, back when I was still living my first life. This time, however, I wasn't going to be the main character, nor a side character. I'm going in as myself, without any differences.

    [Nightmare Mode "The Maou and the Yuusha"(Author's Note: Doesn't exist, I made it up) has been selected. Role: Mika. Now teleporting...]

    I was sent to the top of a mountain, standing atop a ridge that overlooked the entire mountain. Below me, the capital city was ablaze.

    Please, I know this is Nightmare Difficulty, but you sure picked a great timing to sent me in. I recognised this place, of course. It was in the middle of the event "Capital City Assault" where the Demon General trashed the city with his underlings. During this event, the Hero and his party, which were caught up in the assault, suffered a loss in the form of one of their members---The Cleric.

    If I remembered correctly, this novel was written by a fledging writer, so the characters inside weren't excessively overpowered. Therefore, sending me here gives me lots of options to choose from: I can directly intervene to save the Cleric, indirectly intervene to help the Cleric, join the Hero Party after ensuing the Cleric dies, or join the Demon Army. After all, I can toggle between my human and Fenris forms, so it's no issue for either side.

    And my aim? To kill the Maou---and the Yuusha.

    So, to anyone who is feeling shocked, I already told you, didn't I? Every action of mine is done on a whim, such as saving Akane and Jessica, and therefore my choices reflect that strongly.

    A bit of a technical lesson here, but everyone is typically divided into 9 alignments, which affects their personality. Mine happens to be [Chaotic Neutral]. An additional bit of information here, Rufi is of the [True Neutral] alignment, which is why both of us share certain similarities.

    Like the name suggests, [Chaotic Neutral] characters stay neutral entirely on their own free will, and is capable of changing any time to another alignment. However, we also strive to keep things fair, which is why I will kill both the Maou and the Yuusha, to keep the power balance equal.

    Nobody said the Librarian had to be a saint or anything, so I guess I'll directly intervene to save the Cleric, then join up with the Hero Party. In this way, I can learn more about communicating with humans...

    ...And also, I can learn more about betrayals and backstabbing, in particular, with regards to how to lie smoothly and make use of other people.

    In my old world, I've seen many cases of people manipulating others just by making use of emotions, or other factors, to gain sympathy. Much as I hate to say it, in the current human world, the ability to lie and backstab with a straight face is one of the factors for achieving success.

    Since I'm going to need it someday, might as well start from here.


    The Capital City, The Cleric's POV

    "Stein! Watch your back!"

    "Got it! |Taunting Roar!|"

    "|Incinerate!|"

    "Claire! Behind you!"

    Eh?! When did he get behind me?

    'Die, foolish weakling. |Demonic Fang|'

    The General swung his scimitar. Stein was rushing, but he won't make it in time...I am going to die...Sorry, everyone...

    "Heh. A mere dog barking away in front of me...|Claw of Antares|."

    I opened my eyes, which had been shut out of fear, to watch as the head of the Demon General tumbled to the floor before me.

    "It seems that I made it in time. Thank goodness. Are you all right?"

    A girl that looked no older than 18 stood before me, having just kept her weapons. Against the backdrop of the rising full moon, she resembled a goddess of war.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Hero Party

    • Stein (Swordsman): Aged 17
    • Abel (Archer): Aged 16
    • Ceria (Mage): Aged 18
    • Claire (Cleric): Aged 16
    ...

    Made it in time. The demons were a lot weaker than I had thought.

    Now that I rescued the Cleric, who seems to be named Claire, the Hero Party have become less vigilant of me.

    No matter the era, first impressions matter, huh? It's a point worth taking into consideration when I do this kind of thing in future.

    Now we were sitting around a campfire, undergoing a round of self-introductions...which I already know, since I've read the novel already.

    And since I already know them, having to experience a round of self-introductions is killing me from boredom. If I gave my two cents about the Hero Party, it will be something like:




      • Stein, Swordsman, Incorporates fire element into his attacks. Correspondingly, he is a hot-headed idiot.



      • Abel, Archer, Incorporates wind element into his attacks. Not hot headed, but nothing goes on between his ears.



      • Ceria, Mage, Incorporates water element in her attacks. Specializes in Frost and Ice Magic. Correspondingly taciturn, but also quite caring.



      • Claire, Cleric, Incorporates light element in her attacks. Strong healer and supporter, but lacks defense. Warm and caring, quite smart, but has no combat experience.
    Basically, a party with generally high-skilled newbs with absolutely no clue how to fight. When I asked Stein about how the party formation goes, he replied:"Huh? Formations? Are those edible?"

    ...Forget it, I guess I'll teach them something during the short time that we spend together. After all, if everything goes on like normal, I don't want to think about how many close shaves this party experienced.

    I looked at my right hand, upon which rested a ring that Rufi had given me.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Ring of Constraint (Rare Ring)



      • Allows the user to change how much of their stats they want to restrain.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Because my stats were too insane, and my control over my power was horrible, I had to depend on this ring to suppress my power to 10%. Otherwise, the situation I was in right now would be akin to asking a baby to drive a Ferrari. In that way, the ring helped, since sealing the majority of my power gave me better control over my body, allowing me to execute more complicated melee attacks.

    Still, the issues of seals have always been an interesting one for me. I mean, if anyone's watched those types of supernatural anime before, there's always bound to be a few lines that deals with seals. If someone is lucky enough to break my ring in the middle of a fight, I'll probably say something along the lines of: "This ring, used to seal in my immeasurable, irresistible power...has been broken."

    Just kidding. I'm not that immature.

    Even so, in my sealed state, I could overpower both Stein and Abel on a two-on-one fight, and I could fight the entire party to a draw.

    That was how much combat experience played a difference, compared to swinging a sword around with brute force.

    Well, let us all enjoy this peaceful journey while it lasts...after all, if memory holds true, the fires of the last war will be rekindled very soon.

    Mhm, the orc meat tastes just like regular pork. I love eating pork cutlet.

    Claire's POV

    The girl that rescued me called herself Mika. She was 18, older than me by 2 years. She had some strange habits, but she was also rather open and honest. She was really fond of eating orc meat, too.

    Her combat skills were insane, honestly. She could beat up both Stein and Abel at the same time, even when they fought her together. Despite that, she wasn't prideful---she even taught both of them some tips to improve, such as stances, positioning, and stuff like that.

    Her past, while she had kept it a secret, certainly hinted at her having a rough life previously. When we did self introductions, she refused to emphasize on her birth country when the topic was brought up. Stein, being an idiot, didn't realise her reluctance and kept bringing up the same issue, so Ceria silently stepped on his foot to shut him up. When he apologised, she said that "It's fine", but I could tell that it was a forced smile.

    I wonder what had happened to make her smile like that---she seemed downright lonely, as if she never had companions before. Still, she saved my life, so I won't pry into her personal matters.

    Tomorrow, we would reach the Fortress City, frontline of the war, to reinforce the human forces. Apparently, casualties are very high over there, especially with the demons attacking day and nigh. I hope Mika doesn't come to harm.
    We're almost there. The area where the novel's ending is set into sequence, Fortress City Olzer.

    The event that triggered this was pretty simple, [Assassination of the Princess]. During the visit to Olzer, the Hero Party failed to stop an assassination attempt on the Princess, caused by a human traitor, which resulted in Stein losing himself in righteous rage, and the subsequent storming of the Maou Castle.

    I mean, when your childhood friend and childhood sweetheart gets killed off one by one, it will be a miracle not to rage. Which is stupid---anger clouds your judgement.

    Still, since I saved Claire, theres a high probability that the Princess won't die this time, from her healing magic. Which means, Stein won't charge the Maou Castle, and the ending sequence won't activate.

    There is another way, though. Previously, the Princess was stabbed with a poisoned dagger, which caused her to die slowly from the poison effects.

    Poison doesn't work on me, due to my Race and my Hp value, and even in the worst case scenario, I have the Skill (Tenacious) ...Understand what I mean?

    From the interactions we've had the past few days, the Hero Party treats me as a part of the team already.

    When a team member expires right before you, and you are unable to do anything...I wonder how much despair and hatred it'll create?

    Time to put up a convincing act. It feels cruel to be playing around with emotions, but for the sake of my own future, pardon me.

    Claire's POV

    Mika reacted with curiosity when Olzer was in view of us...I wonder, did she never see a castle before?

    Still, I felt slightly uneasy, almost as if I was about to lose someone important to me. Because of that, I kept my guard up, but nothing happened when we reached Olzer.

    I was a fool to have let down my guard. When we reached Olzer Castle, I was surprised to see the Princess; it seemed that she was here to rally and bolster the troop morale.

    Because of the heavy security in the area, I made the mistake of relaxing. All of us were relaxed except for Mika, who was on alert.

    "It's ok, Mika. There aren't any enemies around here."

    "I know...but I have an unsettling feeling..."

    You too? I was about to confide with Mika regarding my own unease, when a shrill scream interrupted our conversation.

    "Uwahhhhhhhhhh!"

    "Princess?!"

    When we spun around to look at the Princess, who had been walking behind us with her attendants, what greeted us was a gory sight.

    The two knights that had served as her escort were both lying in a pool of blood, and her attendant William had seized her, with a knife in his hand stabbing towards her.

    None of us were able to react on time, watching the knife arc towards the Princess in slow motion...then someone dashed out from beside me.

    *Cha-* (Author's Note: If you know what the sound effect of a knife stabbing into flesh is, do tell me.)

    Mika had thrown herself between the knife and the Princess, and the knife stabbed her right in the heart.
    ...
    We were idiots. None of us deserve to be called "Heroes".

    From the beginning to the end, none of us realised that something was off, and we all stood there dumbly as Mika protected the Princess and got stabbed.

    Finally, Stein unfroze.

    "Mikaaaa!"

    Abel got William right between the ears with 3 arrows as Stein chopped off William's left arm, which he held the dagger with. Ceria froze his other arm with ice magic, while I ran to Mika.

    Our teamwork was flawless. Not that it mattered. Try as I might, I could tell it was hopeless---the dagger had gone too far in, and---I gasped---purple liquid had began flowing out from the wound.

    "Poison" rasped William. "Poison, taken from the claws of a Death Adder. It's already in her heart, too late to save her now, hahaha!"

    "Why? Why would you try to stab your own Princess?!"

    Stein was speaking in a voice I never heard before, his face pitch black...He's furious!

    "Kekekeke! Why...the demons are obviously going to win this war, so why stay on the losing side? Argh, if not for that brat, I would have succeeded! Still, I took one of you down with me! Hahahaha!"

    I quickly checked on Mika. Her eyes were wide open, and she was smiling. If not for the horrific stab wound on her chest, I would have simply believed that she was unharmed.

    The gradual slowing down of her breathing told me that she wasn't going to last much longer.

    "Say...the Princess...is safe, right?"

    "Idiot! Now isn't the time to worry about others! We need to get you some help, immediately!"

    "Haah...it's too late...for me...I can feel the poison...affecting my heart..."

    Mika lifted her right hand with effort, and I grabbed it with my own trembling hands. Her eyes were slowly closing.

    "Don't go to sleep! Stay awake, you hear me?! We are going to make sure you get better!"

    "Sleep? Haha...no way...I'm wide awake...you know?......For dinner...later, I...want to...eat orc..."

    Mika! Stay with us! If you want orc meat, there's plenty of it! Don't leave!

    I could see her struggling to keep her eyes open.

    "Hehe. It...was a good run...I'm...really happy that...I...got to...meet you...guys...But, I feel...really...sleepy...sorry..."

    Stein and Abel were both looking away, not daring to meet her gaze. Ceria was silently tearing up, and I could feel tears begining to flow down my cheeks as well.

    "It...was...really fun...I enjoyed...myself...very much...Goodbye...my friends..."

    I felt her right hand go limp, and her eyes closed completely. She was gone.

    Mikaaaaaa!

    Mika's Thoughts

    Success. Now we wait for them to bury me, and the ending will be set in sequence. I can't wait.

    No matter how I look at it, that was an award winning Oscar-worthy performance, heh heh. I really am all kinds of messed up, aren't I.

    Oh, by the way, the combined strength of the dagger strike and the poison...dealt no damage at all. It was all I could do to make sure that it actually stabbed me. Still, I suppose it made sense. The ring only sealed off my attacking power, but my defensive power, while not being the highest in the Legendary Realm, is certainly not low enough for any base dagger wielder to bypass.
    Claire's POV

    None of us remembered clearly what happened the next few hours.

    William had died from Abel's arrows, and the Princess had been traumatized, and subsequently fainted. Ceria had also fainted soon after, and both of them were taken to the infirmary.

    Technically, being a healer, my healing magic was needed, but every Knight I met had shrunk away. Apparently I had a really sorrowful look on my face.

    We didn't have anything to do, so Stein and Abel carried Mika to the room which was assigned to the girls, and set her on the bed.

    We tried our best not to notice the knife wound that was on her chest, or the pool of blood that had collected around her. Even so, she was smiling so happily that it hurt.

    Why? Why did the rest of us take so long to react? Why was my magic so weak? Why did we do absolutely nothing as she died?!

    It was too late to regret it. The only consolation I had was that, before she died, the solitary look that was in her eyes had disappeared.

    Except...I won't ever get to see her clear, emerald-coloured irises blink again, nor would I ever get to hear her gentle laughter again...I spent the rest of the day in the room, weeping.

    That evening, we held her funeral. As her coffin was lowered into the ground, Stein showed up, carrying a plate of orc meat, and gently set it before her grave.

    Mika had used to joke around that Stein's roasted orc was so good, she would even rise from the dead to eat it.

    After a while of waiting, the last hope that was in our hearts---holding on to Mika's joke---finally went out along with the setting sun, and we went back to our rooms.

    The room that I, Ceria and Mika shared, now seemed so empty since she was no longer here. Ceria was still in the infirmary. That night, I huddled under the covers of the king-sized bed alone, and cried myself to sleep.

    Mika's Grave

    I clawed open the coffin lid, and dug myself out of the ground.

    Ok. Whoever smeared embalming liquid on my face better not let me catch him. It stank in there.

    Also, who forcefully stuffed me inside that small coffin? It was too tiny, especially the chest region.

    I'm blessed with a good sized pair, so which genius decided to give me a coffin that was meant for a flat one? Huh?

    Thank god the people in this era don't have the habit of removing the organs, or changing the clothes of the dead.

    Because if somebody had tried to undress me, I would have killed him with wind blades and suffocation.

    Then I caught sight of a plate of roasted orc meat placed before my grave. Nice.

    Stein must have made it. I didn't expect him to be so thoughtful...Hmm, makes me feel like sparing them.

    The original plan has changed. I'll kill the Maou, then reveal the truth. If they resist, I'll kill them. Mhm, that's fair. If this took place in a novel, I'll be really hated by all the readers, now that I think about it.

    Actually, you know what? It's probably false. There's no way that someone is looking at my behaviour from the other side of a screen. Nah, definitely not.

    Well, time to clean up this place, then I'll go find a place to sleep...wait. Since they should all be asleep now, maybe I should go to my room?
    ...
    Since I already followed the Hero Party to Olzer, why not sleep in the rooms they assigned us? It's pretty comfortable, too.

    Although, there's only Claire sleeping in the bed. Where was Ceria?

    Whatever, I'm too tired to care. I made my way over to the bed, and gently snuggled up next to Claire. Ah, she woke up.

    "Ehh? Mika?"

    Goddammit. I have to shut her up and erase her memory before she exposes the fact that I'm still alive---why was she hugging me?

    "Hehe, so it's a dream, huh? It feels good to see you again, Mika~"

    Eh. This is confusing, but whatever. If she thinks that this is a dream, it could be quite convenient for me to mess around.

    I grinned at her. "You look terrible, honestly."

    "That's your fault! You died all of a sudden! I was so sad, you know!"

    "Yeah, I'm sorry and all that." Still....hehe. I returned her hug, locking us both in a tight embrace.

    "Now that I finally get to see you again, you are not allowed to leave so easily, okay! We are going to spend the night talking!"

    "Hm. Whatever you say, Hime-dono."

    "Now you are just poking fun at me! You are a horrible person---stop, it tickles~!"

    I was literally poking her. Since I was naturally curious about her size.

    Hmm...Not bad. Bigger than a certain Library's.

    Rufilia's Room

    [Achoo!...Did this one catch a cold?]

    Mika's current sleeping quarters

    "Uwah! Don't poke my assets!"

    No way, they feel really good, you know? Feels just like marshmallows.

    "Then, I'm poking yours in return!"

    That was pretty much what the two of us did for the next hour, giggling and rolling around on the bed.

    "Still, this is just a dream, huh...in the end, you will be gone tomorrow..."

    Claire really is missing me, huh? Somehow, killing her would be a waste...At this age, she could take care of Akane and Jessica too, which would help me slack off even further...hmm...

    "Say, Claire, do you want to go with me?"

    "Eh? To where?"

    "Where I live, of course. There's more than enough space for you to come live with me."

    "I really want to!...But, I have to do my job as the Cleric..."

    "So, if that issue was solved, you will come with me, then?"

    "Yeah! I'll follow you anywhere, even to the ends of the world!"

    That's good...wait a second. That doesn't really sound like a mere agreement...It sounded more like a confession of love...Please, no. I don't mind, but at your age it's downright illegal...not that I care about that.

    "H-Hey! That tickles! Stop it! Hahaha!"

    "Oh, my. Look at the time, I have to go soon. And you need to get some sleep or you won't be getting up in the morning."

    "Unnnn...you definitely have to come see me in my dreams tomorrow, Mika!"

    "Got it." Well, |Gentle wind, blow and bring forth the songs of slumber. Lullaby| Goodnight, Claire.

    Alright, the plan has changed even further. Let's go visit the Maou.
    That wasn't easy. It was just plain bad.

    I took off the Ring of Constraint, and ended up slaughtering right into the Maou's Castle. Small fries? Gone. Demon Generals? Vaporized. Evil dragons? Rekt.

    The Maou? Uh, yeah, that's him over there, lying in about 50 or so pieces. Let's just say that I went over-'bored' with my storm magic.

    I claim legitimate self-defense.

    This was the Maou's army...right? I didn't attack a collection of drunkards, did I?
    Whatever. The problem has been solved, so the Hero Party should be able to disband now.


    Let's go back and cuddle Claire some more. This took a lot less time than I expected, and I'm still sleepy.

    Naturally, due to the effects of |Lullaby|, Claire didn't wake up when I snuggled next to her again.

    Next Morning, Claire's POV

    I woke up feeling a lot better. Somehow, that dream I had about Mika made me feel a lot happier.

    I could have sworn that whatever happened in the dream occurred in real life too...after all, I could make out a unique scent that I was sure had not been present when I fell asleep---the smell of a gentle breeze blowing past a grassland; Mika's smell.

    Though, it was rather embarrassing to recall the events in the dream...just thinking about it made me blush. Jeez, I didn't expect Mika to be that bold.

    Still, if it was possible, I would like to see her again tonight.

    Afterwards, Stein gathered all of us in the Hero Party, and declared that he was going to storm the Maou Castle. Abel agreed without further arguments, while Ceria agreed after some deliberation. Naturally, I agreed too, and we set off for the Maou's Castle shortly afterwards.

    ...

    ...

    ...

    "Stein, are you sure this is the correct direction? We haven't seen a demon, living or otherwise, and it's been almost 6 hours of walking."

    "Yeah, it is the correct path. Look! It's that tree over there! We are heading in the correct direction after all. Still, the lack of demons do unsettle me..."

    "Waiting tactics? Until we're tired. Then ambush."

    Yeah, what Ceria said makes sense. Let's take a break for now, since it will be dangerous if we get attacked while being completely exhausted.

    "Look, smoke!"

    I glanced towards where he was pointing, and sure enough, a thick grey cloud was covering the skyline beyond the tree.

    "Smoke equals fire. And fire equals people. Let's go and say hi."

    "Finally! We found some demons!"

    We did find demons. Except none of them were alive.

    "What in the---?"

    Before our eyes was doubtlessly the scene of a massacre; demonic beings had been dismembered and chopped up into numerous pieces, and the stench of blood was enough to make one throw up. The ground was literally coated with demon blood.

    "Who---or what---did this?"

    I hesitantly approach a demonic corpse, whose skull had been cracked wide open, for a closer look. The way he died seemed rather familiar to me.

    Not only was it's skull shattered, the neck was hanging at an awkward angle, making it obvious that it was snapped off. For someone to shatter the skull and snap the neck of a demon at the same time, the control over the force used in the strike must be very good. A pugilist?

    As to who did it...I scanned the entire area. Most demons here were chopped into pieces by wind magic, and some were crushed. And the only one I know who utilizes both wind magic and fists...was a certain girl who had saved me.

    Mika's POV


    Looks like Claire is beginning to have her suspicions; which makes tonight the most important night for me.

    I have to find out whether she likes me enough to betray the Hero's Party, and if not, then I can only kill all of them. After all, I did massacre a large portion of the demon army, so the human side also needs nerfing, no?

    To be honest, I wasn't planning to kill that many demons initially. I just planned to kill the Maou, and nobody else. But then, halfway after I had removed the ring, the desire to slaughter had taken over, and I had started a massacre.


    Let's see how this ends up.

    Night time, Claire's POV

    I wasn't able to sleep.

    What we discovered in the afternoon had affected me significantly---Mika might be still alive.

    But then, why would she be here if she was alive? Was she running recon? Or...was she working for the demons?

    I refused to think about the second possibility; there was no way she would work with demons. Looks like I can only ask her when she shows up again.

    Sure enough, a shadow walked into my tent after some time, and quietly laid down beside me.

    "Mika...?"

    "Mhm? What is it?"

    "You are...alive, right?"

    "I reckon I am."

    "But the poison dagger stabbed right into your heart...How are you alive? Don't tell me, necromancy?"

    If it was necromancy, then the Mika behind me was probably under someone else's control. In that case, I can only struggle for my life if her aim was to kill me...Thinking thus, I realized that Mika's face was suddenly right before me.

    "Silly girl...do resurrected corpses talk?"

    So she was still fully herself...thank goodness...but I still have some suspicions to confirm.

    "Hey, Mika? Were you the one that killed the demons on the way to the Castle?"

    She stuck out her tongue. "Bleh, looks like I got found out; how did you know?"

    "The demons that were killed by a blunt force to the head also had their necks snapped---that meant that the killer had very good control over their own power. That is impossible for people utilizing blunt weapons, so fist fighters were the only possibility remaining. Also, in the entire Kingdom, the only one who has the ability to one-hit a demon with fists alone is probably you."

    "Mhm. Very astute."

    Mika's smile had changed. From gentleness and a hint of mischief into something darker---a satirical smile. Bloodlust filled her eyes, and I was shocked to see her emerald irises turning crimson.

    This was her true face...everything before was just an act. However, revealing that act to me...was she planning to silence me?

    "That depends on what your decision is, Claire. The offer I previously made still stands, you know?"

    "I would be lying if I said I wasn't tempted, but...I have my job as the Cleric, so I can't. Sorry."

    Contrary to my expectations, Mika didn't kill me. Rather, she grinned, her smile back to being good-natured, and she gave me a hug, before turning to leave.

    "Be careful in the Castle tomorrow, Claire. Lots of traps lying around."

    Eh?

    (Author's Note: Now that I think about it, Claire is messed up in her own way, too.)
    (Author's Note: So, this situation has two outcomes---one good, and one bad. This chapter is about the bad outcome.)
    Claire kept my secret properly? Great. Looks like she does have intentions of coming with me, after all.


    Well, after they discovered that the Maou is dead, I guess I'll show up to ask for her decision? This way, I can gain a new friend, and I don't have to kill off the Party.

    Hm? I just referred to her as friend, didn't I...This is why I said that interacting with humans messes up my thinking.

    I don't entirely mind it, though. Well, they are entering the Castle, so I guess I should prepare to follow them.

    |Spring breeze, blow a gust that hides my footsteps. Silence|

    I could pull it off without magic, but I hate suppressing my footsteps intentionally. However, hunting and sneak attacks are my specialty, so I have more than enough skill to keep my presence hidden.

    Hoh, they got past the traps at the Main Hall Entrance...it's about time to make my move.

    Claire's POV

    I was extremely distracted the following morning.

    What did Mika mean when she told us to be careful of traps? The most dangerous things in the Maou Castle are it's inhabitants, you know?

    That misunderstanding cleared itself up when we entered the Maou Castle.

    First floor. There was practically no spot that wasn't covered in blood.

    Second floor. The remains of Demon Generals were all found here. None of them were alive, and most were vertically bisected, leaving the guts and intestines spilling out. Ugh.

    Third floor. The infamous Evil dragons that the Maou kept, each strong enough to level an army...were all neatly arranged in a big, grotesque heap of corpses.

    Throne Room. We couldn't find anyone, until Stein tripped on a hand. Then we found the Maou's butchered corpse, split into tiny pieces.

    Mika was too brutal. Does this mean that if I reject her, this would happen too?

    "Yo~!"

    It came from behind me. The voice I dreaded. Mika was standing behind us.

    "Mika! You're alive! That's......"

    The only difference? Mika's eyes were dyed red like the time I saw her previously, and this time she wasn't unarmed. On her arms were two gauntlets that were bigger than my face, and they glowed red and blue. Wolf ears had appeared on her fringe, and a wolf tail had grown behind her. Her entire body surged with electricity.

    She gave an elegant bow."Pleased to meet you, my name is Mikaze, Storm Fenrir."

    Was this what despair looked like? The once friendly and clear eyes were now murky red, revealling the utter lack of mercy within them, while also plainly advertising her intention to slaughter.

    It felt like we were standing in the presence of an alpha predator.

    Excerpt taken from Rufilia's Encyclopedia

    A Storm Fenrir, a Legendary-ranked Mythical Beast. Even within the category of Legendary Races, it ranked the top in terms of power and speed.

    The proper term to refer to it would be a "Fragile Speedster", dealing out high amounts of damage with overwhelming speed, but are unable to take much damage in return.

    For a Storm Fenrir, however, the weakness in Hp was only relative to it's high Atk and Spd stats; it was nigh impossible to kill, even with repeated rounds of Grandmaster Ranked Magic.

    Their irises are coloured according to the element they have the highest affinity with; for most Storm Fenrirs, that would be lightning blue, however, they turn red when the Fenrir is emitting bloodlust.

    Due to their Legendary Status, they do not feel such a keen desire to rampage compared to their lesser kin, but they do not mind slaughter when they are provoked, or moody.

    The easiest way to fight a Storm Fenrir is: Just don't. Retreat as fast as possible, and hope that it doesn't take an interest in you. If its characteristic red eyes show...get as far away from it as possible.

    Claire's POV

    At that time, I had no way of knowing about Storm Fenrirs, but my instincts were screaming at me to run. The hostility was so obvious that even Stein recognised it.

    Mika was grinning sardonically as she met my gaze. I could feel her asking the same question as she did the previous night.

    "Do you want to come with me?"

    My brain and my instincts were screaming at me to reply in the affirmative. And I told her, in the presence of the entire Party, "No."

    Mika's expression froze for a brief second.

    Mika's POV

    No?

    She didn't?

    Impossible. The Maou is dead, the Party could disband right now, so why no?

    "I'm sorry, Mika. I just...can't."

    I could hear the apology in her voice. It irked me even further. So, you aren't keeping your promises any longer, huh?

    Very well then. Since you broke your promises, I'm breaking mine.

    I couldn't think straight at that moment.

    Humans. Fickle and untrustworthy. Turning on their own promises at their own fancy. Burning the bridge after they cross it. I hate people like that. They deserve to be killed---no. They deserve to be driven mad, tortured, and then dismembered in the most horrific manner possible.

    At the sight of Claire avoiding my gaze, the last vestiges of reason within me snapped.

    Kill. Murder. Slaughter. Massacre them all.

    I slipped off the Ring of Constraint.

    Claire's POV

    I was running for my life, scrambling down the hallways of the Maou's Castle. What was chasing me wasn't the Maou, but an insane Mika.

    Mika scared me more than the Maou did. Even demons didn't behave as...demonically compared to Mika.

    After I rejected her, her sardonic smile had disappeared for a moment. She had stared at me in shock.

    The next second, her stiff expression was replaced with a malevolent and deranged grin, all of her canines showing. I could see the reason, the sanity in her eyes disappearing.

    "Heh heh heh."

    Run. We have to get away from here. Just as I was about to turn and warn my friends, Mika disappeared.

    *Swish*

    Behind me, Stein had his head punched off.

    *Swish*

    Abel had his heart torn out of his ribcage.

    *Swish*

    Ceria had a gauntlet sticking out of the front of her chest. Mika had impaled her from behind with a knife hand.

    At that point, fear overcome me, and I fled, not daring to look behind. I was afraid of what I would see behind me...that I would glimpse a savage beast leering at me.

    "You can run, but you can't hide, Claire~"

    I really regretted turning down her offer. I had promised her that I would go with her, but I broke my promise in the end.

    "My, my, feeling regret? Heh heh heh. Sorry, but it's too late for that, darling~"

    I ran directly into Mika, who had suddenly appeared before me. She then wrapped her arms around me firmly...was she giving me a hug?

    *Creak*

    My chest suddenly started being compressed by a horrific strength. She...Mika was planning to crush me to death!

    Ugh, I can't breathe! I tried struggling, but to no avail. Mika's grasp was like iron.

    "It hurts, doesn't it? Let me tell you this; a broken promise hurts even more than this."

    *Snap*

    2 of my ribs shattered; I coughed out blood directly onto Mika's face, but her expression remained the same. Rather, her grip strengthened further.

    *Snap*

    My other ribs cracked. In the midst of my pain, I made eye contact with Mika.

    There was utterly no trace of emotion within her eyes. It was like staring at a smiling doll.

    *Crack*

    My spine broke. I coughed up blood, a sizeable amount of it, which slowly dripped down Mika's front.

    My vision was blurry, and I could tell that my own end was drawing near. Mika still had the exact same expression that she wore previously---A look of indifference. Still, as my vision darkened, I could see a single tear trailing down her left cheek, mingling with my blood. Then---Mika let go of me completely.

    I crashed against the harsh and cold stone floor, twitching. What breaths I could muster was becoming laboured, and painful.

    Sorry, Mika...I shouldn't have hurt your feelings...

    My last vision was Mika standing over me, a gigantic red fist heading directly for my head. There was the sound of bones cracking, and then I saw nothing more.

    Fortress City Olzer, Months later

    The war drew to a close. The demons retreated, and the human side claimed victory.

    However, the Hero Party that had set out to kill the Maou never returned. The retreat of the demons suggested that the Maou was dead, but no one was brave enough to venture into the demons' castle, where the Maou had resided previously before the war ended.

    That was because scouts had disappeared around the forest that surrounded the Maou Castle, and their bloodstained remains would be washed up near Olzer by the river.

    All of the journals kept by the scouts were shredded and torn, and had dried blood stuck onto them, hinting at their owners' similarly grisly fate.

    However, what all the reports had in common would be the first few pages of writing:

    [There was a girl living alone in the forests, near the abandoned castle. She had unusual black hair which hid her eyes, yet she was very friendly. She appeared to not have much interaction with the outside world, judging from how she questioned me about 'the sharp stick on my back' (the shortsword). When I asked her where she lived, she gestured at the Castle, before inviting me inside to rest.]

    On the same night, each month, from the ruins of the Maou Castle, there would be the howls of a wolf, accompanied by fierce winds and thunder.
    Mika was staring directly at me, the unasked question floating in between us.

    I tried to get my thoughts in order.

    Since the Maou is dead, the Party can be disbanded, and we can go on our separate ways. That means I have no problems accepting Mika's proposal.

    However, I had realised it the previous night. Mika was two-faced. Her care for me was genuine, at least, but since she's showing open hostility here, that also means we aren't at the point of being "best friends".

    Which means, she has no qualms killing all of us. And there's the fact that she was holding back during our spars, which means she was a lot stronger than we thought. If we fought her here, she would hang us all out to dry.

    ...I don't have much of a choice, do I? If I said no here, we are all going to be killed. In that case,

    "I'll agree, so please let the others off."

    "Claire, that choice of words makes me sound as if I am a villain, you know?"

    Haah...Goodness me. At least your sense of humour hasn't changed much...

    "Eh? Didn't Mika die? How is she here?"

    Stein...Read the mood...

    Mika, why are you looking at me like you want me to explain? Even now I don't understand your motives, so how am I supposed to explain?

    "Ehhh? Claire, you don't understand me either?"

    Of course noooot!

    "Um...Well...Simply put, it was just a prank, so don't worry."

    *Don* Everyone collapsed.

    That was way too much of a carefree answer, Mika...

    *Sou-*

    Mika abruptly dodged the arrow that was fired at her. Wait, Abel, what are you doing?

    "Necromancy! Everyone, get back. Mika is probably under the control of black magic!"

    Wait! Abel! Use your brains a little! Since when are the undead able to talk? You too, Stein! Why are you nodding to his statement? Even Ceria is...wait...I feel really light-headed...

    Someone cast sleep magic on me?

    This isn't good...Mika, run...

    Mika's POV

    Heh. Looks like they revealed their true colours at last.

    The world of the novel that I was currently in; it had a unique ending. On the surface, the humans appeared to have won the war, but the truth was that both Stein and Abel had been corrupted by arch demons before they stormed the Maou Castle.

    Demonic Possession works slightly differently here. In this case, whatever negative emotion you feel strongly for would attract demons of that emotion.

    For example, Stein had originally been filled with anger at the Princess's death in the original novel, which resulted in him being possessed by a Wrath Demon. On the other hand, Abel had a not-so-healthy crush on Ceria since the beginning, so he was possessed by a Lust Demon.

    And now the two of them had shown their true colours, having knocked out both Claire and Ceria.

    "S-s-sorry about this-s-s Mika, but you are going to have to die here."

    "Enough talk. What's the use of chatting to a mere human?"

    "Oh? Mere human?"

    "Yes-s-s. The two of us-s-s are archdemons-s-s you know? You s-s-stand no chances-s-s agains-s-st us-s-s."

    How many times have I heard this kind of talk again? Guess the weakest dog does bark the loudest, huh.

    "Arrogant human! Die!"

    That's quite enough of this farce.

    "!!!"

    I revealed the tiniest bit of my aura, just to let them understand my other identity. I mean, if I'm going to use my identity as a Ruler of Hell, might as well use it to it's maximum potential, right?

    To be honest, it's more of a failsafe. I stand no chances against two Arch Demons directly, so the only way to win was to borrow the power of an Arch Devil. Cheating? I prefer to call it strategy.


    "A S-s-sloth Archdemon? No wonder."

    "I have quite a busy schedule to keep to, so I would appreciate it if you two could get lost right now."

    "Hah! Did you think you could beat the two of us now that we are both in our Archdemon forms? We will tear you apart!"

    At that, Stein charged me with his sword, which was clad in roaring flames, while Abel fired wind-charged arrows continuously.

    I really don't understand their arrogance. Since when was it set in stone that having an advantage in numbers will guarantee victory? Won't humans always win then, going by that logic?

    Whatever. |Domain of Nihility|

    "A domain?! Wait...you...you..."

    "Shut up." I gave Abel a right straight with Tsukuyomi, and his head exploded like a rotten pumpkin.

    Stein backed up, realising that he wasn't my match.

    "I'm sorry! Lady Belphegor! Please spare this one's life!"

    "Mhm."

    "I swear, I'll risk my life to fulfil your demands!"

    "Mhm."

    "Please! I'm willing to give you everything that I have!"

    "Mhm. Not a bad resolve, but...No."

    "Ehh?!"

    "You shouldn't have tried to touch what was mine. The penalty for doing that...is death."

    "Wait! If you kill me, my master will not let you off easily."

    "..."

    "My master is the Almighty Ruler of Rage, Satan! You better let me go, or---"

    "Shut the hell up. A mere Arch demon with the likes of you dare to threaten me, a Ruler of Hell?"

    "Uh..." (Author's note: He realised he f**ked up epicly)

    "You wanted to fight, didn't you? Very well. I'll show you what real magic looks like."

    If I had previously accepted the bloodline of a Fenrir, now, I had accepted the demonic inheritance that I had been forcibly given. Some unknown external force seemed to accede to my demands, guiding me on the incantation of a spell.


    |And the Lord has decreed, for he who does not work, does not eat. And from henceforth on, any action you take will be burdened by the sins you have committed, and any judgement you make will be plagued by indecision. You will feel like dying every minute of your worthless life, but you will not be able to get the death you seek. Origin Curse: Acedia.|

    A really vicious curse, even if I say so myself. But that's to be expected. Belphegor is the Sin of Sloth. It might not like to exert any effort in a fight, but if it really comes to that point, Belphegor's strategy is to ensure that the opponent never gets back up.

    "Now, get lost, and bring this message to your Master."


    |Satan. Ruler of Wrath. I care not for how you'll choose to act, upon seeing this waste of a demon before you. However, if you ever make a move against my kin, you can have my word that I will personally rip you to shreds, regardless of what it takes. This I swear, on the shores of the Cocytus.|

    With that, I sent the wrath demon scrambling. Trying to scare me with the name of a Fellow Ruler of Hell? I hate anyone who tries to do that. Cowards that only dare to borrow the authority of others should all perish in the flames of hell...through, can demons die from hellfire?

    Never mind, I'll set this issue aside temporarily. Now, I guess I'll heal both Ceria and Claire, then kidnap...I mean, bring Claire over to the Library. But, first things first, I have to get all the important stuff done...

    Time to take a nap!
    I hate dealing with the aftermath of situations like this. Especially demonic possession, since it by itself is an iffy preposition, and I don't want to expose the fact that I'm a partial demon either.

    Hmm...this is a tad cruel, but |Time, bend yourself to fulfil my whims. Alternate Reality|.

    I cast the spell on Ceria. Perfect. Now, when she wakes up, what she remembers will be:

    1. After we reached the Maou Castle, we fought all the way into the Throne Room.
    2. During the fight with the Maou, Claire was vaporized by the Maou's magic, and I was knocked unconscious by a falling rock.
    3. When I woke up, everyone else, including the Maou, was dead.
    I even modified the crime scene...I mean, shifted the corpses of Stein and Abel to make it look as if they had died after killing the Maou. I also had to erase all traces of Claire's presence to ensure that the faked memory was believable. Then I hid Claire in a room upstairs, and gently woke Ceria.

    I wiped her memories of me being alive, so there's no worries there, either. Sure enough, Ceria took in the scene of devastation, 'remembered' what happened, and started tearing up.

    I'm sorry you have to carry all the burdens by yourself, Ceria. For Claire's sake, please hang in there. I also took the liberty to boost your mana pool as a form of compensation.

    Soon enough, Ceria got up, and started heading towards Olzer. Since the demons on the way have all been slaughtered, she should reach Olzer safely.

    Now...my role in this story is over. Let's go back!

    [Nightmare Mode 'The Maou and the Yuusha' has been completed. You have received: Elite Pugilist (Class), 500 Mana Crystals, 2 Skill Points, The Saint's Devotion (Legendary), Deviant (Title), Walking Disaster (Title), Ruler of Patience, Azrael (EX Skill). Due to completion of Nightmare Mode, an extra 500 Mana Crystals and 2 Skill Points are awarded.]

    Uh...Rufi is really going to cry when she learns about this, isn't she.

    1 EX Skill, 2 Titles, and 1 Legendary Equip. She'll sulk for a week.

    Still...

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Saint's Devotion (Legendary Staff)

    • Blessing of the Saint (Passive): Healing and Support Magic effects are tripled.
    • The Exalted One (Passive): Boosts user's Mp and Int values by a ridiculous amount.
    • Pride of the Empire (Passive): Summons the spirits of past Paladins to defend you. No upper limit.
    • Faith (Passive): As long as you believe, it shall happen.
    • Guardian's Belief (Active): Once a day, you can use any Grandmaster Magic once. Stacks up to 5.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Let's get this straight. Of the 5 of us, only Claire is a magic user. The rest of us can use magic too, but we are mostly melee-oriented. This Staff is perfect for her. Way too perfect.

    If she uses this staff, I can already foresee her becoming a walking hospital...one that can summon a Legion of Paladins.

    Next up...

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    《Deviant》(Hidden Title)
    • Abnormal thinking processes: Your resistance to status effects increase.
    《Walking Disaster》(Hidden Title)
    • You have a penchant for causing trouble. Atk increases proportionally with level.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Rude. I'm not that bad, okay?

    Rather, since when was I a deviant? How come I didn't know anything about it?

    Haah~ Last of all is...

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Ruler of Patience, Azrael (EX Skill)

    • Passive (Passive): Less likely to be provoked or taunted.
    • Wisdom of the Ages (Passive): Grants the ability to access 2 other branches of magic, at the Master Level.
    • Peerless Mage (Passive): Grants Chantless Ability---can cast magic without chanting. Massively boosts Int.
    • Forced Rest (Active): Forces target to take a short nap. Target cannot resist it's effects. One use per day.
    • Grants the title《The Patient One》(Hidden): Projects a holy aura around you, identifies you as "Azrael"
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    My status is slowly growing more and more ridiculous...
    ...
    Alas, I got even busier after I returned to the Library.

    Apparently, both Jessica and Akane missed me, and Rufi was reaching the end of her rope. After all, I had been gone for 2 whole days, according to the Library time.

    Even worse, Rufi apparently fell sick after I returned, so I had to deal with:


    • Rufi's flu and undone paperwork.
    • Akane's tears
    • Jessica's memory gaps
    • Claire who was still unconscious
    Forgive me, I'll be sure to be less pre-occupied in future...Now I felt highly appreciative of how Rufi had managed to hold on for 2 whole days.

    Frankly, it wasn't as difficult as I expected. The only things that had killed me was the cooking and the paperwork; according to Jessica, Rufi couldn't cook an edible dish to save her life.

    I guess Libraries have it tough too, huh...

    The scariest thing was the paperwork; since Rufi had her hands full with the kids for the entire time, her paperwork stacked up to ridiculous amounts. Between filling in all the documents, taking care of Jessica and preparing the meals, I nearly went insane; even my high Def wasn't able to stop my Hp values from emptying out. I mean, after my first life, I really didn't want to see paperwork ever again.

    Thank god Claire woke up the second morning and took care of preparing meals. I truly felt that her presence was a blessing. On the 5th morning, Wednesday, Rufi finally recovered, and I settled Jessica's issues.

    According to Rufi: [The pause feature exists for a reason!]

    I'm sorry, I'll never do this again; gomen, gomen.

    Still, Claire was surprisingly good with kids despite being only 16, huh? She played with Akane when I was buried under documents, thus giving me some breathing room. The only drawback was that Akane had begun following Claire everywhere instead.

    My position as honorary Onee-san was in danger...

    ...

    ...

    ...

    On Wednesday night, we had a giant feast.

    Just kidding, we didn't actually.

    Still, I managed to get Claire settled in, and she was officially accepted as a resident here, so there was now 5 of us.

    Just enough to form a party of our own. In preparation for the next invasion, we made a detailed plan to deal with the intruders.

    "For this week's invasion, Operation Tabletop, our tactic will be: Leaving everything to Rufi. Meeting adjourned!"

    "Yay!"

    "Yay!"

    "Y-Yay..."

    [What'd you mean by leaving everything to this one?! It's your job to clean up invaders!]

    "Aw, come on now. I just finished taking care of that mess, you know? Give me a break."

    [Who's fault was it that the mess was created in the first place?! And the invasion is Friday, not tomorrow! There's enough time for a break!]

    "Rufi, where I'm from, there's a saying: "Clean up your own messes." Sometimes, you just have to take one for the team, you know?"

    [This one marvels at how shameless you can get, telling this one to clean up your mess...]

    "Teehee~ You found out, huh?"
    Before that, there was a really pressing issue.

    The others don't have any other spare Races, and therefore they don't have enough strength. I looked at Rufi expectantly.

    [Uh....]

    *Jiiii~*

    [Fine...This one will make scenario and story dungeons available to them, too, okay?]

    "Thanks, Rufi! That's a great help! So, everyone, go ahead and complete the Tutorial quest, okay? They give you some really good stuff!"

    There was a time when I thought that.

    ...

    ...

    ...

    How did this end up happening?

    I took a glance around me, at the other 3 who have returned from the tutorial quest.

    Akane: Harbinger of Gluttony, Beelzebub

    Jessica: Herald of Chastity, Uriel

    Claire: Herald of Kindness, Ramiel

    All 3 of them got an EX Skill each...and all of them are equally overpowered...Even though Heralds and Harbingers are one grade below a true Ruler of Sin or Virtue, they still get to draw upon the power belonging to them.

    I forgot to mention this previously, but Rufi had a Unique Skill, too. Her's was [Judge of Candor, Camael] derived from [Ruler of Temperance, Camael]. Additionally, in order not to be outdone, I levelled up my [Ruler of Patience, Azrael] to [Smiling Guillotine, Azrael].

    Forget upgrading or Race fusion...I think everyone here can stop an invasion solo. No, seriously, how did the 5 of us end up with 2 of the deadly sins and 4 of the heavenly virtues among us?

    "Well, let's not derail from the topic any further...did any of you get an extra Race?"

    "I got the Elf Race."

    "I didn't get anything."

    "I got the Fox Race..."

    "Cheer up, Akane. You already belong to the Werewolf Race, and that is a powerful Race, you know?"

    [Says the Storm Fenrir...]

    "Ahem...anyways, Claire and Jessica, the two of you are both of the Human Race, correct? You should merge the Race you just got with your own---it grows stronger."

    "Um...ok...I'll go first then."

    Claire entered the Fusion Chamber as a Human, and came out as a Fox-Demihuman (Uncommon). Naturally, upon discovering that it could also be imbued with an element, she gave it her Light Element Magic, and her Race evolved into Kitsune (Rare).

    Next was Jessica. She entered as a Human and exited as a Elf (Uncommon). Similarly, she imbued it with her innate Darkness Element and evolved it into a Drow (Rare).

    3 Rare Races, 1 Legendary, and 1 unclear. This team is looking good...for now. As long as we are still in the Realm of Mortals, any of us are nigh invincible.

    Still...Claire and Jessica, both of you are going to need combat gear. Jessica needs a weapon, too.

    "Oh? Don't worry, I got a pair of pistols of Epic rank from the scenario dungeon I did just now."

    *Sound of glass shattering*

    Yeah...let's just...ignore Rufi over there. She looks like she'll bite anyone that tries to talk to her now.

    Well, I'll just go pick up another set of Magic Leather Armour from the shop later for Jessica...Actually, no, I'll bring her along.

    But still, our getup is quite powerful. No doubt this team will grow powerful enough to slay dragons with a finger in the future. Although, all this work makes me really tired.

    Yosh~! Let's visit a hot spring!

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Ruler of Gluttony, Beelzebub (EX Skill)

    • Devouring (Passive): What you eat is directly converted into health, or mana.
    • Bottomless Pit (Passive): User can directly eat food without having to open her mouth. Living beings can be consumed too.
    • The Cry of the Hungry (Passive): When hungry, stats are all boosted by an insane amount. Every time user is completely full, a +1000 bonus will be granted to all stats.
    • Double Walker (Active): Summons an exact copy of yourself with the same skills. No summon limit.
    • Grants the Title《The Hungry One》(Hidden): Projects a demonic aura, and identifies user as 'Beelzebub'
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Ruler of Chastity, Uriel (EX Skill)

    • Oathkeeper (Passive): For every oath you keep, your stats grow by a massive amount.
    • The Guardian (Passive): You can call upon any and all shields that have existed since time immemorial, including Legendary-ranked shields, to guard yourself and others.
    • Defender of Purity (Passive): Absolute immunity against unclean species, including the dead, the undead, and black mages.
    • Innocence (Active): Purges Corruption from a person, returning them to their proper mental state. No usage limit, but effectiveness depends on user's own strength.
    • Grants the Title《The Solemn One》(Hidden): Projects a holy aura, and identifies user as 'Uriel'
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Ruler of Kindness, Ramiel (EX Skill)

    • The One Who Cares (Passive): As long as someone is in need of aid and healing, your stats will steadily grow. No upper limit.
    • Blessing of the Light (Passive): Grants Max Mastery in Holy Magic, cuts the chant time for healing spells into half.
    • She who brings Warmth (Passive): Your presence alone drives away negative effects, and spread hope to people around.
    • Motherly Miracle (Active): Cures a disease, status effect, or magic effect, no matter how severe or powerful the source was from. One use per day.
    • Grants the Title《The Kind One》(Hidden): Projects a holy aura, and identifies user as 'Ramiel'
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Judge of Candor, Camael (Unique Skill)

    • Eye of the Judge (Passive): No crime is hidden from your sights, and no criminal remains feeling guiltless before you.
    • The Judge's Law (Passive): As long as it has to do with the law, your words are equivalent to a law itself.
    • Fairness and Equality (Passive): Lies are exposed before you, and any decision you make is completely fair and just.
    • Relentless Seeker (Passive): With every crime that you punish, you stats grow slightly. No upper limit.
    • The Judge's Domain (Passive): No place is hidden from the law. You can see, in a radius around you, any crime that is occurring, and take care of it without directly intervening.
    • Tarot Sign: The Tower (Active): At your command, any evildoers are immediately brought to an inescapable prison in another dimension. 1 use per day.
    • Grants the Title《The Fair One》(Hidden): Projects a holy aura, and identifies user as 'Samael'
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Smiling Guillotine, Azrael (Unique Skill)

    • Worldly Traveller (Passive): Immunity to crowd control or taunt effects.
    • Creator of the Ages (Passive): Grants the ability to access 4 other branches of magic, at the Grandmaster Level.
    • Peerless Origin Mage (Passive): Grants Chantless Ability: Can cast magic without chanting, and Double Chanting: Can cast two types of magic at once. Massively boosts Int.
    • The Jury's Domain (Passive): Within an area around you, conflict is curbed completely, and any whom are deemed criminal are unable to move. Certain targets can be excluded from it's effects.
    • Absolute Peace (Active): By your command, any target is forcefully calmed down, and put into a state of sleep. 3 uses per day.
    • Grants the title《The Patient One》(Hidden): Projects a holy aura around you, identifies you as "Azrael"
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Combination Effect: The Judge, Jury, and Executioner

    • When Azrael and Camael are together, all decisions made with regards to the law cannot be overturned, and are executed immediately and permanently.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    Uwah, this is troublesome.

    [The next invasion shall arrive in 1 hour. Total number: 75,000 troops]

    This differed from the first invasion by a lot, honestly. Even if the invaders are equally trashy as last time, letting this drag on would be a real pain to deal with afterwards.

    Rufi, since they can get in via the portal, it means we can get out from the same portal, right?

    [Yes.]

    Hm. I made eye contact with Rufilia. You thinking what I'm thinking?

    [Good luck, then. This one will be awaiting your return.]

    Mhm. See you in a bit, Rufi. Having an open field to fight the enemy would also allow me to use the AOE skills I didn't dare to use in the Library before. In a way, this invasion is a good time to test out my skills. Claire seemed to want to take a look too, so we left Akane and Jessica under Rufi's care, and headed out.

    I wonder, how long will it take?

    ...

    ...

    ...

    Note to self: Next time, don't fire an anti-army spell at an army. The result is obvious.

    We polished off the invasion with 1 spell, and 1 hour.

    Grandmaster Tier Paradox Magic, Rank 1, Inversion. It's effect was: Reversing the alignment of the targets affected.

    In this case, the originally orderly and cooperative army lost its formation, and broke out in chaos. After all, the army was counted as one entity, of a Lawful Good Alignment. Because of Inversion, the alignment was changed to Chaotic Evil, which resulted in the ongoing melee.

    Claire and I stood in the distance, watching close friends and allies turn on each other in a massive free-for-all.

    "Ugh..."

    The former human cleric, Claire, vomited at the bloodbath caused by a single spell, so I decided to change the topic slightly.

    "Say, Claire? Are you enjoying yourself in the Library so far?"

    "Yeah! It's really fun there, especially with the kids and Rufilia...and then there's you, Mika."

    "Goodness gracious, Claire, you are only 16 this year, so you are pretty much still an older kid, you know?"

    "Hehe...I think that's why Akane calls me her Onee-sama? That girl...she gives off similar vibes to myself in the past..."

    Okay, that is interesting. Since I've witnessed Akane's circumstances personally, I can safely say that I'm the only living person, with the exception of Akane herself, that understands Akane's past. Therefore, for Claire to say that she's quite similar to Akane...this is a topic that needs closer inspection another time.

    I mean, if this was a novel, whatever Claire said would be a gigantic flag that would become really troublesome in future. Therefore, it's important to find out about it as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I tried to make the conversation more light-hearted.

    "Akane does? Maybe it's because both of you are now beings that transcend human understanding? I mean, she's a Werewolf, and you are a Kitsune. Both of you can kill off an army by yourselves, you know?"

    Judging from Claire's expression, I succeeded.

    "Hahaha...Mika, I am still a cleric after all, so I highly doubt I'll be able to do that. And besides, having a Legendary Storm Fenrir tell me that isn't very convincing, you know? Still, I don't ever regret following you here. Especially since this place has given me so much great memories..."

    That was a really big death flag. Jeez.

    I considered Jessica, Akane, and Claire as my 'belongings'. Therefore, it's natural for me to want to protect my belongings, since I am a rather possessive person, if I am to be perfectly honest with myself.

    There's only one reason that stops me from doing so. The possibility of betrayal.

    Akane probably wouldn't betray me, given that I've helped her a lot, and haven't done anything bad to her, either. The issue is with the other two.

    I killed Jessica's father, and tinkered her memories to make her forget him. Even if I did that purely out of good intentions, it's still the lowliest, most disgusting thing to do, especially for a young girl who's lost her only relative. If she ever finds out about this someday, I highly doubt she'll remain on good terms with me.

    The same goes for Claire. I pretty much tricked her into believing that I was dead, then threatened her to come along with me. It'll be a miracle if the two of us can maintain a friendly relationship like back when we were adventuring together.

    Now that I've had the time to think about it, I've done plenty of things that might become an obstacle in future. Especially the case with Rufi; she can easily reveal what I did to Jessica.

    ...You know what? Screw it. I dislike having to entertain the notion of betrayal, but neither do I regret ever having made the choices I made. It's my personal belief, and damn the consequences of that belief.

    If the worst comes to worst...my stats far outstrip that of the others, and I've also picked up Necromancy during the time I was in Akane's home world, so...there shouldn't be too much of an issue. For now, though...

    "There will be a lot more fun opportunities in future, so do your best, or you'll be left behind, okay?"

    That was all I could say to Claire. The cheerful cleric who knows that I've killed two of her former friends. The cleric which I had lied to, and toyed around with.

    Dammit...I knew nothing good would come out of associating with humans.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2017
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  6. Trent

    Trent ☕ Ursine Tea Zealot ☕

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    Feelings as of the first arc:

    It's a fantastic beginning, diving right into the fun and not letting readers get bored. You won't lose your audience before it can develop.

    I like how the protagonist's sex is unimportant. You could go even further and remove any mention of it. It'd be interesting to read a story where gender doesn't matter at all.

    The POV changes are clunky. You shouldn’t delineate them.

    Why the Japanese terms? You're writing in English, not translating a foreign manga or novel. Kick those out~

    [Blessing of the Lazy], I suppose, was The Sleepy One (Passive), before you changed the name and features of one of them.

    That the MC can’t die in the tales leaves no tension whatsoever. This keeps the tales from being interesting, instead turning them into vehicles to show the MC's gains. I suppose that's why you zoomed through the first tale, instead of letting us appreciate it. The setting was rife with potential; I expected to explore the setting and characters, but nope. Well, maybe you're getting to that in a later part.

    The story's biggest issue is that it's too fast-paced and the MC's too OP. The tags are correct, but I'm concerned whether they'll be enough to maintain readers' interest. Prove my concern unfounded?
     
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  7. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Thanks for the feedback! Will be sure to make some modifications. I think I'll make some changes to the rule about story worlds. For the Japanese terms...hmm...I'll try to modify them, although I had been thinking of making the MC's origins influenced by Japan.
    As for the later part, hm...I have a surprise prepared once the 4th arc begins.
    Though, I'm sure I'll be making some corrections to the previous arcs first.
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2017
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  8. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Sorry, but just to check, uh...did you mean the tale about The Little Red Riding Hood, or the tale about the scenario dungeon?
     
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  9. Trent

    Trent ☕ Ursine Tea Zealot ☕

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    The scenario dungeon, with its resentful slaves who seem to know more than the knights do and appear to be planning something, and the hints of the kingdom's administration. Haven't started the second yet.
     
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  10. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Ah! I see! I'll make some modifications to that then, though, you are right when you said that I'll be making links to it in the future :D
     
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  11. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Arc 4---The Underworld

    After the awkward breakfast ended, I had gone for a walk at the Grand Canyon. I simply needed fresh air, in order to clear the lingering hangover that was still affecting me. For some reason, even with my status, I was still not immune to the effects of being drunk.


    The wind here is really good~ Phew, nothing better than starting the day with a clear breeze.

    I should probably get back to the Library soon, seeing that we need to discuss---oh?

    Calling up a defensive spell, I shifted away from the area.


    And the next thing that happened was that the glass skywalk shattered, revealing the nearly 2 thousand metres depth of the canyon.

    Woah, that was close. And the culprit...there.

    "Found you, Belphegor!"

    Oh? Revealing my demon name right off the bat...I assume that you are a demon too?

    "Indeed! I am the almighty Ruler of Wrath, Satan! And I'm here today to challenge you to wa---to a fight!"

    "You just bit your tongue there, didn't you?"

    "Shut up! I would never make such a base mistake like that!"

    "Well, if you say so..."

    Jokes aside, this little lady does look rather capable, especially the dual swords strapped to her back...I can sense some really strong elemental energy from them.


    Still, she doesn't look too old...at most 10, I would say. The same age as Akane and Jessica. Her silvery twin tails do suit her very well, although...why are there bunny ears sticking out of her hair? Cosplay?

    "That's not it! Those are mwy---my real ears! I'm of the Wererabbit Race!"

    "You bit your tongue again? What a cute child."

    "Stop calling me a child! Also, I'm not cute!"

    That's what she said...

    "Okay, listen up! I'm already 10 this year, so don't look down on my age! Alwso---also, my name is Kanon, Ruler of Wrath! Remember this name as the one who will send you to hell! Now, let's fight!"

    "Don't wanna. Too troublesome."

    Only idiots would happily agree to having a fight moments after the first meeting. After all, she obviously came here to meet me, which means that she's probably quite confident of winning in a clash...I have to be cautious here.

    "Stop being a coward and fight me already!"

    "Nope. Also, if I could be provoked into a fight just like that, I really won't deserve my title as 'Sloth'......She isn't listening."

    Kanon had drawn her blades, whipping them around as if they were merely chopsticks; the swords left arcs of purple and green flames tracing through the sky.

    "If you aren't going, then I am! |Domain of Rage!|"

    I frowned. A domain that provides the rage energy required for Wrath to grow stronger...And on top of it, the domain provokes enemies into mindlessly attacking. Jeez, that's a troublesome skill.

    Her domain expanded rapidly, covering me in an instant.

    Huh? Nothing's happening?

    "Tsk...To think that you have Azrael's [Patience] as well! No matter, I'll still win!"


    Kanon had flown directly towards me, her two blades each moving independently in an attempt to cut off my path of retreat.

    *Swish Swish*

    I avoided the two blades by a narrow margin; the purple fire that was surrounding the left blade nicked my elbow. It wasn't a serious cut, but I could feel my mental state, my psyche, being damaged directly.

    "My blades don't just deal physical damage, haha! This purple blade, Rasa, harms the soul itself, while my other blade, Ori, strikes at the bones themselves!"

    "...Did you just reveal the inner workings behind your weapons just like that?" Kanon, having noticed her mistake, flushed red. Still, my left elbow was throbbing with exhaustion, and I could barely lift it. It'll be really risky if I allowed her to get another strike with either blade. After all, even if I knew the principle behind her weapons, they're just as deadly if they hit me directly.

    "I-Ignore what I just said! Take this! |Purgatory Blade Shadow!|"

    A 37-hit combo with her dual blades...dammit! I crossed both of my gauntlets, hoping to withstand it.

    "Ugh."


    Not good. Even if my gauntlets don't lose out in terms of equipment quality, I lose out in terms of physical strength. No matter how good my armour is, they can't nullify the damage completely.

    I could see Kanon preparing for another attack, swinging her swords around in a wide arc.


    "Take this! Meteoric Blade!"

    As a wise human once said, don't fight brawn with brawn. Wrath, being a combat-oriented Ruler, obviously would have higher attack power than I do. The only areas I can hope to depends on would be my speed...and my own domain. I've never tried it before, wary of hurting someone innocent, but that can all go to hell now. If I don't do it, I'll end up dying here.

    *Swish*


    "N-No effect?! Fine then! |Serve as my fuel, endless rage! Walpurgis Night!|"

    Kanon's entire body was covered by a reddish aura, and the presence of slaughter in the surroundings were growing stronger.

    "With this, my power is tripled! Well, after it's effects end, my power is halved from the original, but...Why am I telling you this?!"

    Don't ask me. Also, tripling your power for a limited time, before having them fall drastically, did you think that this is an anime? Are you a mobile suit called Exia?

    "Hmph! As long as I'm angry, I'll never run out of energy! Wait, forget what I just said, too!"

    This girl...she really is simple-minded, huh...A skilled combatant, but idiotic.And that unpredictability that derives from an absolute disregard for tactics is the most threatening type of fighter someone can ever meet. There's no holding back now, then. I'll have to bet everything on my domain, or I'll end up dying here, most likely.

    I concentrated my vision on Kanon, trying to hold a steady line of eye contact with her. Thanks to that, I could see her crossing her blades, ready to make a move.

    There was no visible change in her reaction.

    Kanon charged, pulling her blades up in a figure of a cross. Dammit, is this thing even working?

    Her blades were approaching. Less than 5 feet away now. There was still no change in her expression.

    3 feet. Her blades remained speeding, aiming to slice me into pieces.

    1 feet. I tensed up, crossing my gauntlets in another cross shape.

    ...Nothing's happening?

    I took a look behind me to see that Kanon had sped past me, her eyes having turned glassy as she slowly decelerated.

    Haah...it actually worked...That was too close for comfort.

    Now, what remains is the punishment for trying to harm me. I may not have many strong offensive spells, but the ropes I create aren't going to break that easily, even if it's a Ruler of Hell.

    |Tempest Lash.|

    Kanon woke up from her stupor, struggling to break free of the bindings. Ugh. So my domain, even if I manage to activate it's effects, only lets me get in one hit at most, huh? This would put me at a severe disadvantage against beings with high hit points, especially when I take my own attacks into consideration.


    "Let goooo of meeeeee!"

    This is going to be a long day, isn't it? First, I'll have to go back and make this kid spill the beans about what she's doing here, then I have to have breakfast.
    "Stop treating me like a baby! Put me down!"

    Kanon had been forcefully stuffed into a baby chair. And the culprit was Jessica.

    "Here, say ahhh..."

    "Ahhh...Wait, why the hell did I say that---Mmpf!"

    Jessica had shoved a spoonful of porridge into Kanon's mouth. Say, Jessica, the porridge is still hot, you know?

    "Uwah! Hot!"

    Kanon spat out the contents in her mouth.

    "How dare you treat me this way! I am Kanon, the Ruler of---Mmpf!"

    Ouch. That looks painful. Jessica, at this rate you might end up killing the poor girl, you know?

    Ah. Claire took over, so it should be fine now.

    ...

    ...

    ...

    To sum things up, I had brought (kidnapped) an (un)willing Kanon to the Library. For some reason, Jessica had taken her from me, stuck her in a toddler's seat, and started to feed her. And as you can probably tell, the feeding didn't go so well.

    Akane had given Kanon a trauma during the first ten seconds they met each other, by attempting to nibble on her rabbit ears. For some reason, Rufi glared at me when she saw that. I'm innocent, you know...

    After that, Claire took over and finally managed to feed the entire bowl of porridge to Kanon, after a whole lot of coaxing and persuading.

    "So, as you guys can probably tell, this child is Kanon, and she is apparently the Ruler of Rage, Satan."

    "Not 'apparently'! I'm the real thing!"

    That's not very convincing, especially when you are hiding from Akane by standing behind me, you know...

    "S-Shut up! I'm not hiding!"

    Oh, really? I lifted Kanon by her nape, and tossed her to Akane. She's all yours, Akane. Have fun.

    "Noooo! Release me!"

    By the way, despite Kanon's stats being higher than Akane's, she couldn't escape Akane's grasp.

    It was a science thing.

    Naturally, wolves overpower rabbits, and by that same logic, werewolves are stronger than wererabbits. Also, Akane had higher arm strength, as she fought with a scythe, compared to Kanon who used twin blades, even if Kanon's Atk was nearly 10 times Akane's Atk.

    Which meant that Kanon would only struggle helplessly while Akane cuddled her like a stuffed toy...

    ...

    ...

    ...

    "Akane, it's about time you let Kanon down. Also, stop drooling. She isn't food."

    Rufi glared at me even more viciously when I said that. Why?

    [Shameless Fenrir...]

    Hey, that's rude.

    [Anyway, why did you bring her here, Mika?]

    "Well, she demanded to duel me for no good reason, so I brought her back here...is what I'll like to say, but I got bored I guess."

    [You brought back a complete stranger because you were bored...This one gives up.]

    Hey, it seems that Rufi got used to my behaviour! Hurrah!

    [That isn't something to be happy over...Still, what are you planning to do with this child?]

    "Well...I have absolutely no idea."

    *Don* Rufi fell over.

    "Then, can Kanon-chan stay with us? We have plenty of space here after all."

    Kanon...chan? Jessica, what?

    "I don't know either...but she feels like my little sister."

    Uh, I'm pretty sure that's impossible. A drow can't have a wererabbit for a sister. Or a half-sister, for that matter.

    "No, I meant...it's somewhat like our relationship, Onee-sama."

    Oh. Then it can't be helped. Kanon, you will be staying with us from now on.

    "Don't just casually decide that without asking for my opinion!!!"

    Jessica made a really mournful face.

    "*Sob* Kanon-chan hates me after all..."

    Oh dear lord, I can tell that this is going to be extremely troublesome. Rufi! This is your Library, so I'm leaving this to you! Bye!

    [Mika?! You-Get back here, you slacker! Mikaaaaa! Come back here!]
    ...
    So I went out for a while to escape responsibility, and when I got back, Rufi was looking lifeless.

    [Mika...This one feels exhausted, so this one will go take a short nap.]

    Thanks for taking one for me, Rufi. Go get some sleep; it must have been tiring.

    Well, the children are all settled, so I have some free time I guess...I really don't feel like reading a book yet.

    Let's do 'that', then.

    ...

    *Pew pew pew*

    "Mika...what are you doing?"

    Video gaming, of course. *Pew pew*

    "Video...gaming? Is that a type of food?"

    "Everything is a type of food to you, Akane. Haaah~ Still, that black lump of plastic you are holding in your hands is making me curious, Onee-sama."

    "Hmph! What's so interesting about that black object anyway? It's not even a weapon!"

    This? Oh, its a wireless gaming controller. You use it play video games. Wanna give it a try?

    "Mhm."

    "Yes!"

    "I don't mind."

    "F-Fine! But only for a while, okay!"

    Okay then. I took out 4 more gaming controllers, and handed them out to the others. They sat down on the couch, making it a rather tight fit.

    Press that button there, and then push the buttons that have those small symbols on them when those symbols show up on the screen...actually, wait a minute.

    These girls are seeing a video game for the first time, aren't they? I have no clue whether they will get influenced by unhealthy emotions.

    "What kind of stupidity is this?! It's no fun at all!" *Crash*

    Oh, dear me. I had thought Kanon's patience won't have lasted for long, and I was right...Still, these gaming controllers...are way too fragile. Any one of us can break them simply by pressing a button with too much force.

    *Crack*

    See what I mean? They break so easily.

    "Onee-sama, mine broke."

    Don't stare at me with tears in your eyes, Jessica! I'll fix this!

    |Everlasting Ice, create an unbreakable shield! Wintery Citadel!|

    To think that I would be casting Grandmaster Magic on a video game controller to prevent us from breaking it...Rufi would be mad.

    ...

    ...

    ...

    Rufi got mad indeed. And it wasn't because of the magic.

    It was now 12:00. Midnight. We had been going on since breakfast ended.

    "What the...Akane, you cheated! Another round!"

    "Hehe! It's not that I cheated; you just sucked too much at this game, Kanon!"

    "What did you just say?! You wanna go?!"

    "The two of you, calm down..."

    Claire tried to mediate between Akane and Kanon, who were both excited in different manners.

    "No! I'm not sleeping until I win at least 1 round!"

    "Good! Let's play this until tomorrow morning then!"

    [Mika...What have you done here? I leave to take a short nap and this happens? Are you kidding me?]

    Oh-oh. Rufi doesn't look too happy. I better try to calm her down.

    "Good grief, two hot-headed idiots...Still, count me in too. Onee-sama, you play too."

    Jessica, I really want to, but I have the feeling that sitting down and grabbing a controller will drastically shorten my lifespan...Can't you see the veins popping on Rufi's forehead? She's furious!

    [Mikaaaaaaaa...We need to have a talk. Right nooooow.]

    Oh dear lord. Help.
    The next morning, I dragged out a half-asleep Kanon to the Grand Canyon where we previously had our fight.

    "Ahhhh...What are we doing here today?"

    "Fixing the damage we did to the environment caused by you yesterday. After all, this place is still a beautiful and natural location, so it would be a pity for you to wreck it like that."

    "T-That isn't all my fault, you know?! The fault is also with you for dodging all my attacks!"

    Kanon had unsheathed her blades and held them in what I assumed was an intimidating pose, while puffing her cheeks in dissatisfaction. The only thing I could see, however, was a child throwing a tantrum.

    "Pffft! Hahahaha!"

    "Stop laughing at me, ywou---you lazy bastard!"

    Kanon, it really doesn't help your stern image when you bite your tongue trying to give a serious speech, you know?

    I spent the next 5 hours laughing my heart out.

    ...

    ...

    ...

    Just kidding. It was actually just 5 minutes, but I felt like pranking the people reading this.

    "Still, why have you brought me here, Belphegor?"

    Ah, she's finally addressing me by my real name now...Looks like I'll also have to answer seriously.

    "It's so we can have a heart-to-heart talk, Satan."

    "And...? What do you want to talk about?"

    Kanon already had her swords shifted into a defensive position, and her silvery hair was starting to be streaked by red. Well, considering our last fight, I'm not surprised actually. This child has a good sense of intuition despite being simple.

    "First up...You are a pure-blooded Ruler of Hell, right? The wererabbit form is just an identity you adopted when you chose to appear on earth, and you aren't just 10."

    Kanon sighed, and the air around her changed. The childlike feeling was replaced with something more ancient and terrifying. Something like me.

    "Yeah, that is right."

    She sounded much older now. More importantly, she sounded less impulsive, and the look in her eyes told me that she is an expert on combat tactics now, compared to before.

    "Haah~ Staying in that form is really tiring, but I try to decrease direct inference if possible."

    "Hm? Isn't it your own body? Why the usage of 'interference' if it's your own body that you are controlling?"

    "Um...How do I explain this...Ah. The Kanon that was before you a minute ago is a body created and occupied with a copy of my personality when I was 10 years old, while the original me was carrying out other duties, such as judging the dead of the underworld...Which reminds me, Belphegor, get down here quickly and help us out; the paperwork is killing us, and Asmodeus has fallen sick already. Also, Astaroth misses you quite a lot, you know?"

    "Wow. For the Ruler of Lust to fall sick due to paperwork...I can't imagine it, honestly. Is this why the lust demons are running around and screwing things over as they wish? And Astaroth...Ruler of Melancholy, correct? I've not met that child before, so why does she miss me?"

    "For that, I have no idea...Still, going back to the original topic, I only intervene in this body when there is a serious issue happening, which is when the idiotic 10 year old personality gets into trouble from running her mouth off. As soon as you told Kanon that you wanted a talk, I was alerted and decided to come here specially. However, since I have determined that you are not a threat, I'm not worried about leaving Kanon here."

    Okay, she just said something that I couldn't possibly have just shrugged off as a casual sentence, or a joke.


    "Oh wow. Not a threat? Confident, aren't we. Shall we test out that theory, right now?"

    Satan grinned.

    "Bring it on. Whoever loses has to buy the winner a bag of chips, okay?"

    "Of course. Still...why a bag of chips?"

    "Uh...That is actually because Lucifer's been wanting to eat some human food for decades. We don't usually have a direct access to human snacks, you know? Since the 4 of us that are left in Hell are working desperately to keep control over all 9 floors, so nobody actually has had time to visit the human world for a long time."

    "4 of you? There should be Wrath, Pride, Envy, Gluttony and Greed, so why only 4?"

    "That's because Greed---that baka---has gone missing. None of us can find him."

    Oho? Sounds like a problem a certain someone can fix. Let's finish up this fight quickly, and get back to the Library.

    "Alright. Ready when you are."

    Using the rising sun as a signal, both of us charged at each other.
    Satan made the first move, swinging her blades in a cross motion, and fired a aura cross at me.

    "Hmph!"

    I braced my gauntlets before me, and managed to stop the aura blades. It didn't damage me, but succeeded in pushing me back a few metres. Not bad. She is stronger now that her main consciousness is in this fight, eh?

    As expected of Satan. Her pure strength tops mine. However...I've not spent the past few days slacking off, you know? The fruits of my training have finally revealed themselves.

    |Meteoric Storm Fist|

    Taking advantage of Satan's lack of defence after she had swung both her swords wide, I landed a strike of my own, for the first time. All that practice paid off.

    She spat out a mouthful of blood, planting her feet firmly into the ground to cancel out the momentum from my fist.

    I was expecting that strike to shatter a rib, at least, But there's a Ruler of Hell for you. "That under-armour is also doing it's job, huh?"

    "Haha...You could tell?"

    Of course. No decent melee combatant would fail to keep a few trump cards hidden in case a problem arises...still, we won't get anywhere at this rate. I unequipped the Ring of Constraint, and taunted Satan.

    "Stop holding back. Let's get serious."

    Satan showed a shocked expression briefly, before breaking out into laughter.

    "Hahaha! This is a good day indeed! To think that I would be alive to hear Belphegor telling me to get serious! It's history in it's own right, you know?"

    "Well, I don't care for that, so...let's go."

    The two of us once again clashed, sending sparks flying.

    ...

    Both of us had sustained severe wounds. However, they were regenerating at a visible rate. My Unique Skill, [Belphegor] had bumped up my Hp Regen, while Satan's [Walpurgis Night] was keeping her in the fight. Still, neither of us were in shape for another extended bout.

    "Hah...Hah...The next one decides the match."

    "Huuuu...Indeed."

    Both of us took out our trump cards at the same time.

    "[Domain of Nihility]"

    "[Domain of Catastrophe]"

    I had turned off [Azrael]'s effects, by the way. Call it my pride or something, but I wanted to beat Satan on a fair fight. Which meant that her domain was affecting me.

    What happens when two opposing domains clash? The stronger one devours the weaker one, of course. And how strong a domain is? That is determined by mana.

    Which is Satan's flaw. She is built to be a pure melee combatant, and her Race, the Wererabbits, also place great emphasis on physical offensive abilities. That means, in exchange for the highest attacking power, she has the smallest mana pool of all 7 Ruler of Sins. By her expression, she realises it too. That in a match of domains, she can't win.

    As I expected, Satan immediately dashed forward, closing the gap between us. She wanted to force me into a physical clash.

    I don't think so. This is my home ground. You may top me in Attack power, but I beat you in Speed.

    |Boost me to faster speeds, roaring winds! Aeroblast!|

    Time seemed to slow down as I broke past certain speed boundaries. I could see Satan's left arm being brought down slowly, her sword Rasa tracing a downward arc. Towards me.

    |Air Cushion!|

    With the help of an air pocket, I sidestepped Satan's diagonal cleave, and punched her in the gut, sending her flying.

    ...

    Both of us were currently allowing our injuries to heal up. I took out two clean towels from my inventory, and passed one to Satan.

    "Hah~ Hah~ You are a lot stronger than I expected, Belphegor. In fact, you could top Lucifer in a fight, you know?"

    Satan wiped away the blood around her mouth, a knowing smile on her face as she told me so.

    "Nah. That would be too troublesome. If I beat Lucifer, I'll have to take his place as Ruler of Hell...Just thinking about the amount of paperwork I have to fill makes me tired. Still, if Lucifer decides to mess around with my things, he's gonna have to answer to me."

    "Wow, it's rare to see Belphegor being determined. Still...Lucifer is a 'she', not a 'he', you know?"

    "What the hell? Lucifer is a girl?"

    "Yep. Of the 7 sins and 7 virtues, most of us are all girls, you know? Michael is a guy, and so is Gabriel, while Beelzebub and Mammon are guys too."

    "What...the...heck? Was God drunk when he picked his chief advisors or something? What's with the uneven gender distribution?"

    "For that, I have no idea either, Belphegor."

    Good grief. Still...

    "Stop calling me Belphegor. I might be the one that rules Sloth, but I'm currently living my life happily as a Storm Fenrir, so call me Mika instead."

    "Sounds good, Mika. Well then, I've long since exceeded my time spent here, so I have to rush back to Hell. Don't forget to come down here and visit us sometimes...And when you do, please bring along some snacks. I'll be leaving my younger self in your hands, okay?"

    "Yep. Consider it done."

    Satan must have went back to Hell, because Kanon's eyes suddenly rolled back, and she collapsed. I immediately caught her, but since my footing was also unstable, we ended up laying on the rough stone surface, with Kanon dozing off on top of me.

    Goodness gracious. Well, I'm tired after that bout, so I guess this is a good place to take a nap as any, eh?
    We got back in time for lunch. And I realised I had nearly made a disastrous decision.

    If Claire wasn't around to cook lunch, I don't want to know or taste what Rufi cooks. According to Jessica, Rufi can create Beyond-Legendary ranked chemical weapons to masquerade as food.

    The last time she asked me to try her "crab cake", my hit points emptied out from a single bite.

    Rufilia, even if Cancer is the constellation for a crab, I shouldn't be getting cancer from eating that, you know.

    We finished lunch without any unfortunate incidents.

    ...

    [Alright, today is Monday, and there are still 3 whole days before the next invasion arrives, so we need to decide on what we will each be doing.]

    "About that, I have asked Jessica and Akane to visit a story dungeon together, so...apparently we can stay for up to 6 days inside the story world?"

    [That is correct, but still, do come back from time to time...I'm rather lonely...]

    Rufi muttered the last few words, but I heard it clearly. Aw.

    "In that case, Claire, why don't you and the other 2 come back to the Library every night? You can just pause the time flow every evening in the story world...you can, right?"

    I glared at Rufilia, who avoided my gaze.

    "Alright then, I'll keep that in mind, Mika."

    "Onee-sama, where will you be going?"

    "Ah. I have to take a journey down to a certain place with Kanon here, and we are most likely going to be gone for the whole three days, so don't worry."

    "Alright then, Mika-onee-sama! Bring back some tasty food, okay?"

    Did we raise a little glutton accidentally? Still, she is Beelzebub's Herald, so the food from Hell should be able to fit her palate, right?

    ...

    ...

    ...

    "Kanon-chan, tell your main personality that we shall be arriving in Hell shortly."

    "Don't order me around! Also, don't casually call me Kanon-chan! We aren't that close, and I'm not a kid!...Still, thank you."

    I have no idea if she is angry or embarrassed, since her cheeks become dyed crimson red in both cases.

    "And why are you thanking me for?"

    "Because...when I lost strength and fell down after our second fight, you caught me, ended up falling too, and even took the brunt of the fall."

    "That isn't much to be thankful of; a simple fall wouldn't hurt either of us, and I only did what I felt like doing."

    "But that's exactly it..." Kanon was muttering in a near inaudible voice.

    "Because something like a fall doesn't hurt a Ruler of Hell, in most cases, we would have simply allowed ourselves to take a fall. Even when I collapsed from tiredness before, people around me didn't bother trying to prevent it, because they knew I would be unhurt. However, despite knowing that, you still chose to try and support me, even when you were rather unsteady yourself...that's the first time someone has shown care for me..."

    I couldn't help patting her on the head.

    "Well, don't get used to it."

    "We had such a good mood going on and you ruined it!...Where are we going, exactly? I know you explained that we could use the books here to send us to other worlds, but how does that help us now?"

    "Patience, my child. Be patient and observe. Know thyself, and know thy enemy; of a hundred battles, a hundred victories."

    "That does sound fine and all, but how does it have an relation to what we are doing now?"

    "Just a bit more, Kanon. Don't disturb me now...I know it's on this section somewhere...G...H...I...Aha!"

    I pulled out a book with a satisfied smile on my face. Since we are going to Hell, it's more convenient to have 6 days instead of 3 in case of unexpected circumstances, right?

    "What book is that?"

    "My dear Kanon, this is one of the most famous books that deals with Hell in an extensive manner. It's title...Inferno."

    Let's go visit Dante, shall we?
    The book spat us out near a massive gate wrought out of bones and black iron. There was a crumbling stone tablet mounted at the top, inscripted with Latin words. I could guess what they said, despite never ever having learnt Latin.

    [Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.]

    Which meant that the gate before us led to the underworld.

    "Say, Kanon...I haven't exactly thought about this, but does this phrase apply to us, too?"

    "It doesn't, Mika. Especially not for you."

    That's nice to know.

    "Seeing how you are hopeless even before we entered..."

    "Ok, that was being really rude."

    Kanon gave me a friendly punch.

    "Which reminds me, Mika, since this is your first time going to Hell...As a Prince of Hell, your powers are greatly amplified by the Underworld. If you were unpredictable before, you're dangerously unpredictable now, so don't accidentally demolish anything."

    "Do I look like a walking disaster to you...Still, this gate hasn't been opened recently, so the dynamic duo hasn't arrived yet, huh?"


    "Dynamic duo...there's something off about your choice of word usage..."

    "Hey, the two of us are a duo, too! We can be known as the demonic duo."

    "No."

    "Or the diabolical duo?"

    "Denied."

    Fine. I was just cracking a joke to pass the time, you know. In fact, I think I see the two of them in the distance. Dante, and Virgil.

    "Waitwaitwaitwaitwait. We are in trouble!"

    "What's the issue, Kanon? Forgot something?"

    "We can't just approach them like this! Forget angels, even humans can tell that both of us are demons!"

    Oh. Yeah. I totally forgot that.

    ...

    "Hello there."

    We didn't disguise ourselves, by the way. I mean, both of us tucked in our ears and tails, but we deliberately kept our respective Unique Skills active, for ease of identification. Sure enough, Virgil got alert immediately.

    "Oh? It's a pair of children. You two shouldn't be here, this place is---"

    "Those two are demons, Dante! This gate is practically a symbol of their home!"

    "That is very rude, calling a lady out on a first meeting. At this rate, you won't ever get a girlfriend, you know? Oh wait, you died already, so I guess you won't be getting any girlfriends regardless. Still...the two of us aren't here to harm you; in fact, we hope we can travel together with you."

    "And you expect us to agree? Travelling down to hell with two demons? Ha! If you weren't known for trickery and lies, I would have laughed."

    "Well...what if we were to swear? On the shores of the Styx River?"

    "You wouldn't---"

    "I hereby swear, upon my name, that so long as I share this journey with the two of you, I will not harm either of you, on the shores of the Styx."

    Kanon did the same, albeit with dissatisfaction.

    "Very well. Since the two of you have sworn, I shall swear by the River Styx to allow your companionship for now. My name is Virgil, former Roman poet. Still, don't even think about making any devious plots."

    "Whatever. I'll introduce us. This little lady here is Kanon, or as she is better known, Satan, Ruler of Wrath."

    "What the---!"

    "And I am Mika, better known as Belphegor, Ruler of Sloth. Pleased to make your brief acquaintance."

    "Is it too late to take back my words, I wonder..."

    "It's fine, Virgil! They did swear on the River Styx, after all!"

    Dante is a lot more carefree than history makes him out to be. Virgil is smarter, but not by too much of a margin.

    I mean, we swore not to hurt them, but neither of us mentioned that we were going to help them, either. Also, it's fine as long as we aren't the ones directly doing the hurting. Oh my, were the ancient people always this trusting?

    "Well, we have wasted enough time here, so let's be on our way. And---"

    Dante pushes open the gate with a smile, and gestured for both of us to enter first.

    "Ladies first!"
    ...
    I've been wondering; how bad can a place get for it to be called Hell? I found out soon afterwards.

    The stench of misery was practically visible in this place.

    Let's go through the order of this dreary place again.

    • 1st Layer: For Atheists
    • 2nd Layer: Asmodeus's Domain
    • 3rd Layer: Beelzebub's Domain
    • 4th Layer: Mammon's Domain
    • 5th Layer: Satan's Domain
    • 6th Layer: Leviathan's Domain
    • 7th Layer: Belphegor's Domain
    • 8th Layer: Lucifer's Domain
    • 9th Layer: Meeting Hall
    Why do we need an entire Layer for a meeting hall?

    Still, we got past the first layer pretty easily. The scenery there could still be counted within acceptable living parameters.

    After we descended into the second layer, chaos began. Since Asmodeus was unwell, his domain reflected that. The bodies of sinners were being blown about by violent storms, almost as if they were scraps of paper floating in the wind.

    Dante didn't look so well. I think the tragic fates of the sinners here were really painful for him, since he is of the empathic sort.

    Meanwhile, Kanon was also frowning as she made her way forward. Being in her 10 year old form, she is also more empathic than expected, eh?

    I could feel my lips curving upwards to form a smile.

    "Asmodeus's Domain has the least severe punishments, seeing as Lust is often a result of two people rather than self-fulfilment. Therefore, swallow your pity and move on. If this little bit of suffering unsettles you, I'll advice you to stop your journey here. Hell is not for the weak of heart, mortals."

    Kanon managed to get her expression under control, and she started ignoring the screams of the sinners as they floated in the wind. As for Dante, however...

    "He fainted. Seriously?"

    Virgil got exasperated, too. Apparently, this wasn't the first time Dante fainted on the journey.

    ...

    ...

    ...

    "Oh hey, somebody's awake. Have a good nap?"

    "Uh...where are we?"

    "We've reached the 3rd Layer. Welcome to Beelzebub's Domain; speaking of which, that gatekeeper should be around here..."

    "ARWOOOOO!"

    "It's here. I have some mud to fill it's mouths so we can pass safely---"

    "Nah, there's no need for that. I'll handle this."

    A large shadow came bounding out of the darkness, landing square before us. A huge 3-headed black hound. Cerberus.

    |Bottomless Void, condense into the object that I desire. Creation.|

    2 seconds before Cerberus started howling again, my created objects were already in his mouths. 3 extra large bones.

    Cerberus settled down and started to chew on the bones. He no longer snarled, since I had deliberately unveiled a good portion of my aura. I took the chance to pat his head. Un, it feels good.

    *Pat* *pat* *pat*

    At some point, Kanon had joined in, while Dante and Virgil were staring at us, speechless.

    Dante, I can tell that you want to pat Cerberus too, you know? You have a really envious look on your face...a dog person, unexpectedly. I thought he would favour cats more.

    I gave Cerberus a good scratch under the chins, and his three heads all growled in satisfaction.

    "They treating you alright down here, big boy? Get plenty of snacks?"

    "Arwooo..."

    Oh dear. It seems that since Beelzebub disappeared a few decades ago, Cerberus hasn't been properly fed. No wonder he is grumpy. Take care of Hell properly, Lucifer.

    "Still, Beelzebub's Herald is back, so there isn't a need to worry, okay? I'll bring her to see you the next time I visit."

    "Arwoooooo!"
    I discovered that my resistance against water element attacks did not apply to saliva, because I was drenched by Cerberus' slobber after he happily licked me. Ugh.

    I spent the remainder of the 3rd Layer trip wiping my hair dry and changing into a cleaner outfit, which I had taken out of my Spatial Inventory. The endless icy rains that were washing upon the sinners in this layer served as a pretty good alternative to a cold shower.

    "Mika, you know, changing before two guys is rather...shameless."

    "It's fine, Kanon. I am a demon after all, so it shouldn't be too surprising, right? Also, if you want to blame someone, go blame Cerberus. Stupid dog."

    "I would, but I really don't have the heart to blame him after you sent him flying right into the ceiling...Is he even still alive at this point?"

    "Well, if the 3rd Layer's gatekeeper died so easily, it would be really embarrassing, right?"

    "Not 'so easily'! Your sense of 'easy' is warped! Down here, your physical offensive strength ranks second, only after me! Only a fellow Ruler or Prince of Hell can enduwe one of your strikes, you know?! Also, if you had actually killed him, how are you going to explain it to Beelzebub?!"

    "He didn't die, so it's fine. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, after all."

    "Stop acting so flippant already, you---you sloth!"

    "Uh...we are about to descend into the 4th Layer, so if you two could stop arguing..."

    "SHUT UP!"

    "Don't poke your nose where it doesn't concern you, mortal."

    Dante withered. Beside him, Virgil sighed.

    "Could the both of you act befitting of your titles as Rulers of Hell? Whatever terrifying images they have are being ruined by you two, you know?"

    Powerful killing intent fills the air.

    "Hmph! If I didn't swear on the Styx not to harm you two while we are journeying together, both of you would be dead by now!"

    This is a really interesting journey, isn't it?

    ...

    We entered the 4th Layer without any problems, because an angry Kanon blasted away the gatekeeper without saying a word. Ouch.

    The entire landscape was filled with people brawling, using heavy weights tied to themselves. With Mammon's absence, this place has grown more chaotic over time. In fact, I'm worried if the two humans behind us can pass through safely.

    A particularly fat guy lunged at a tall guy with his weight held like a hammer. There was the sound of falling, then the sound of snapping. I winced. This is the main problem with the 4th Layer, the sinners here have long since lost their personality and have become mindless. As a result, they attack strangers unhesitatingly, without retreating. Kanon and I can more than handle this lot, and Virgil is a shade, so he should be fine, but Dante is 100% human.

    "It can't be helped. |Keeper of the Void, erase our presence. Blackout.|"

    With this, our presence is gone, so we should be able to pass easily, so let's get out of here. I hate this place.

    ...

    5th Layer. Satan's Domain.

    "Kanon, ever heard of 'Spring Cleaning'?"

    "Shut up! I don't have the time to properly clean this place up!"

    Kanon's area of rule, the 5th Layer. The Styx River ran through this landscape, and fires burned everywhere. The sky was dyed a crimson red, and the smell of blood dominated the air. Warriors from countless eras fought on the banks and within the Styx River, hacking and butchering each other endlessly. The whole scene was practically the embodiment of the word "bloodbath" since warriors were slipping on the thick red liquid.

    As expected of Wrath Demons, they do absolutely nothing but fight the whole day long, making their brains shrink over time. I was going to suggest stopping over at Kanon's house for a rest, but it looks like even Kanon herself doesn't relish that prospect.

    "Argh..."

    Dante has been looking queasy every since we entered; he finally threw up, huh? To have lasted this long...not bad. He's more courageous than I gave him credit for.

    Still, being in this domain isn't good for humans, so let's hurry and get to the 6th layer.

    An old friend seems to be waiting for us.
    ...
    Just a heads up, the Nine Princes of Hell = The Seven Sins + Belial (Vanity) and Astaroth (Melancholy)

    Awaiting us at the entrance to the 6th Layer was a girl with a build similar to mine. In fact, her appearance was similar to mine in human form, as well. She had ash grey hair, and a pair of sleepy jade green eyes.

    The aura around her matched mine to a certain extent as well, and the strength of her aura told me that she was one of the higher ranking demons in Hell. As for her identity, I'm guessing...

    "Hello...My name is Astaroth. Pleased to see you again, Belphegor..."

    Sin of Melancholia, Astaroth, Prince of Hell.

    Also, she is apparently a good friend of mine, but I have zero recollection regarding that whatsoever. Maybe that was with the previous Belphegor?

    "I see that the angry one is also here, huh? Geez, how troublesome...having to take care of her when she is in a more idiotic mode..."

    Kanon blew her fuse immediately.

    "Why you-!"

    "Am I wrong?"

    "Mouuuu~"

    Wow, sharp tongued, isn't she. Still, we should get going before trouble starts-

    "Hold it right there! You humansss are not allowed to passs!"

    Yeah, I was expecting that. This is where the gatekeepers stop Dante at the entrance, right?

    Sure enough, a trio of old ladies with bat wings swooped down from the gloomy skies, flaming whips in their hands. The Erinyes. And the one who spoke had the lower half of a snake, with a snake hairdo. Obviously, she was Medusa.

    "Let us pass! We are here to undertake an important journey!"

    "You may passs, shade, but the human staysss. The living are not allowed into thisss place. The one who passed down thisss law isss the Great Lucifer, so there isss no changing it unlesss you can get one of the Princesss of Hell, or their angelic equivalentsss, to vouch for you and let you passs."

    Virgil glanced at Kanon, then me. He knew that we were both Princes of Hell.

    Kanon simply ignored him, while I grinned back at him, then made a gesture of victory with my left hand. Hehehe.

    Virgil's face started cramping. Don't be too worried, though. If my memories are right, someone else will clear the way for Dante. Therefore, it's high time that we split up, so why not do it here?

    "Say, Virgil? We've reached Dis, so it's about time that Kanon and I went on our way. It was fun travelling with you guys, so please treasure this memory, okay? After all, as you have rightfully pointed out, it isn't everyday that you get to travel with a Prince of Hell and come out unscathed~ Bye!"

    "Wait! At least help Dante enter the city too!"

    "Eh...It's troublesome and boring if we did it like that, so I don't wanna. Fret not, though; someone should be on their way here to ensure that Dante passes through safely, so just sit tight and hang on to your pyjamas, okay? Cya~"

    The three of us---Astaroth, Kanon, and me---turned around, ignoring the shade that had turned into a statue, and made our way into Dis.

    Hm? If I remembered correctly, the original journey to the 6th Layer took about 2 days, but we only used 1 day this time due to my magic...Don't tell me, that angel is only going to show up tomorrow? Are they going to have to wait outside Dis until tomorrow?

    ...Nevermind! They can just treat it as endurance training! Dante needs to work on his stamina anyway, so this is a perfect opportunity! Yep! I did that completely intentionally!

    Hahaha...everything is going to turn out fine, right?

    One Day Later, Outside Dis

    "Human, you have actually waited out here for an entire day?"

    "Let me give you some advisss, human. It'sss better if you go back and get an angel to come here ssso you can passs. Waiting here isss pointlesss."

    "Should we let him into the city after all? He looks kind of pitiful just sitting outside the walls with his shade companion. Still, rules are rules."
    Astaroth brought us both to the 9th Layer, where the meeting hall was located.

    Upon entering, I couldn't help myself from gasping at the splendour in the hall. In fact, it would be more accurate to describe it as an amphitheatre.

    The entire hall was shaped like a U, with rows upon rows of seats carved from marble and inlaid with dark iron serving as the audience's seats, while balconies of finely cut quartz jutted out from the sides. There was 9 balconies in total, 4 on the left and 4 on the right, with 1 in the centre. And on each balcony rested a throne, each carved from a different material and inlaid with a different gem.

    9 balconies, 9 thrones, for the 9 Princes of Hell. The central one belongs to Pride, and the left and right balconies closest to the centre belong to me and Envy respectively. Followed by that would be Wrath, Gluttony, and Melancholy on the left; Greed, Lust, and Vanity on the right. In the order of authority, which places me at the second position.

    Now for the thrones. Pride's throne was uncut black obsidian, mine was carved out of raw polished emerald. Envy's throne was shaped from clear diamonds, and Wrath had an unpolished ruby throne. Greed's throne was chiselled topaz, Gluttony's throne was fine cut sapphire, and Lust's throne comprised of rubellite completely. Melancholy' throne was made of finely cut jade, and Vanity's throne was a block of Onyx. Every throne was inlaid with adamantine features and carvings.

    And most importantly, I could tell that each throne, with the exception of Pride's, was designed to slowly suck out mana at an unnoticeable rate, while Pride's throne was designed to give the mana drained from the other 8 to the person who sat on it.

    So this is how Pride becomes the greatest of the 9 Princes? Psh, boring. Also, just how much was spent to build this throne room, exactly?

    This meeting should be quite entertaining.

    ...

    Pride...Doesn't act as befitting of her title, seriously.

    Firstly, only 5 of the Princes of Hell were here. Besides our trio, only Lucifer and Leviathan showed up. The grown-up Satan had also showed up, formally introducing herself as Amon. (Basically, Kanon is Satan, Ruler of Wrath, but her older self is Amon, Ruler of Rage.)

    This whole Satan thing is confusing me, so i shall not think about it for now. I made eye contact with the girl who introduced herself as Envy.

    "Pleased to meet you, Sloth."

    This girl is dangerous.

    Emvy...she doesn't just get envious of others, but she also makes others envious of her. Her appearance itself proves that. Flowing light purple hair, along with a pair of bewitching purple eyes, and a pair of jet black devil wings...a succubus. And a Greater one, at that.

    Still, succubi fight with mainly magic and status effects, and I have Nullity against those. In a one-on-one, I can win easily.

    Now for Pride. Hmph. Weakling.

    She had avoided my gaze the moment we made eye contact, and she was fidgeting restlessly. Her body language was greatly showing her reluctance to be here at all.

    In actual combat, this girl is useless. She doesn't even have the ability to perceive hostility. Even Kanon could beat her within 3 strikes; still, she does seem like she has just recently taken the post of Pride.

    And Amon is painfully aware of this fact, given that she has been living here for so long. No wonder the paperwork started getting tedious; I mean, having a newbie take over a professional's job, what did you expect?

    "H-Hello...The reason I called all of you here today is..."

    "Get to the point already, Pride! We don't have all day!"

    "W-Waaaaaaah~"

    She started crying?! After Kanon got angry once?

    "Amon...Just checking, this child IS Lucifer, not some random kid, right?"

    "It is as you see, Belphegor. This child is Lucifer, the Morning Star, Angel of the Rebellion. The Ruler of Hell."

    ...I'm speechless...

    Okay, for the next 5 days, Operation: Pride Training shall commence. If not, I'm going to have to frequently come here and do the paperwork, and once that starts, it's never going to end.
    ...
    For the sake of Hell, I have decided to train Pride to be better at her job. Now, a very nervous Pride was standing before me and Amon.

    Still, this is pretty confusing. Satan is Amon's 10 year old personality, but if I call Kanon, both of them responds...uh...

    "Amon, do you have an alias I can call you by?"

    "Um...how about...Zora? Will that work?"

    "Yeah, it works much better now. So, Zora, for the next 5 days we shall be training Pride here...which reminds me, what is your name, Pride?"

    "U-Um...I don't have a name..."

    "You DON'T HAVE a name?!"

    What to do...Let's see. My name is Mika, Amon's is Zora. By the way, Astaroth's name is Yura. "Going by this trend, how about...Hotori?"

    "How the heck is THAT according to the trend?! Also, you just took the Japanese translation for 'Pride' and slapped it on her name, didn't you?!"

    "What did you expect? I'm Sloth, am I not? It doesn't matter how much work I put into it; as long as it works, it's fine! So, your name from now on shall be Hotori!"

    "Y-Yes..."

    "So, Hotori, from today on, we shall begin your Ruler of Hell training. Zora will take care of combat training, Yura shall take care of admin training, and I shall teach you common sense."

    "Mika, I highly doubt that you of all people should be teaching others about common sense."

    "It's fine. I might not look it, but I used to hold a teaching job back then. Plus, Hotori would make quite a good student."

    "Worried."

    ...

    In the end, I managed to convince both of them, using the reason that "If I don't teach her common sense, I'll have to teach her something else." And they acceded really quickly.

    Hotori's timetable was decided as



      • 8 hours of combat training.



      • 8 hours of administrative training.



      • 8 hours of common sense training.
    Sleep? Eating? Yeah, Rulers of Hell can do without those. Also, it wouldn't be called 'Spartan Training' without that.

    "Hotori...whatever Mika teaches you...double check it with us later, okay?"

    Oiiii, that is rude.

    ...

    Hotori was currently sitting in front of me, just having finished 16 consecutive hours of training. She looked completely lifeless; her vibrant golden hair was now dull, and she didn't respond even when I waved my hands before her eyes.

    There's no reaction. It's just a corpse.

    "Hotori, wake up."

    "...! I'm sorry for falling asleep!"

    Oh, dear.

    "You haven't had any food yet, have you?"

    "I-I'm not hungr---*Growl*---!!!"

    I think you are plenty hungry enough.

    "Well, I'm about to eat, so join me. There's more than enough food, and I can always conjure up more if we run out."

    "But...aren't you supposed to teach me...common sense?"

    I grasped Hotori's cheeks with both my hands, and made eye contact with her. I could feel her fear through her eyes.

    "Listen up, Hotori."

    "Y-Yes!"

    "First lesson: If you are hungry, then eat."

    I could feel Hotori's face cramping.
    Hotori didn't need much more persuading. She devoured every single dish I had laid out before her, not even leaving a single scrap.

    She must have been really hungry...I'm spoiling her a bit, aren't I?

    Well, never mind. A growing child needs more food to be healthy. I'll let her eat as much as she wants; after all, there's no use learning on an empty stomach.

    Looking at Hotori, who was lying down of the grass with a contented expression, I could not help but to reach out to her.

    *Poke*

    Oh, my. Is that a satisfied little tummy I feel? Hotori had gone rather red.

    "B-Belphegor-sama!"

    "There's no need to affix -sama to my name, since we are around the same age. Also, Belphegor isn't my real name, so call me Mika. I mean, I already started calling you Hotori."

    "B-But...to call a teacher by their name directly..."

    Oh, my.

    "There's no issue, Hotori. In fact, you called both Zora and Yura as 'Amon' and 'Astaroth' directly, right? No wonder Yura came complaining to me earlier. Just go ahead and address us by our real names casually, okay? I mean, That's part of the common sense you need to learn."

    "Okay! Then...what are we doing next?"

    I beckoned to a confused Hotori. Come here.

    "Go over there? Okay---Eeeeek! Mika, what are you doing?!"

    I had caught Hotori in a hug, locking my arms so she couldn't escape my grasp.

    "Here's lesson two, Hotori. When you get tired, just sleep."

    "But Mika, when will you actually teach me something?"

    "I am teaching you something right now. Plus, there's no real point if you start dozing off in the middle of class and miss everything I said, anyway."

    ...

    I let Hotori nap for 4 hours, which puts me with 3 more hours remaining with her.

    *Snore*

    "Hey, Hotori. Wake up."

    *Poke*

    "Just...5 more minutes..."

    Oh, my. I pulled out a feather.

    "Eeeek! That tickles!"

    ...

    "Say, Hotori, you weren't born a pure-blooded Pride Demon, rather, your father was mortal, am I right?"

    She nods.

    "Thought so. That's why your pride isn't as big as the other Pride Demons, huh? In a way, that is a good thing, since excessive pride can be fatal, but at the same time, not having enough pride makes you insecure. That's why you are hopeless in combat. I believe Amon has told you that."

    Hotori nods, as she tilts her head down, not meeting my eyes. I grasped her cheeks again, and made her face me.

    "Look at me, Hotori. You are a Pride Demon. More than that, you are a Prince of Hell, the greatest among the Seven Sins. That is a lot of power. And with power comes responsibility. You are in charge of everything that goes on in Hell."

    Hotori was trembling as she continued to look at me.

    "The gatekeepers at Dis said that you passed a law forbidding humans to enter the city. On the surface, it seems as if you are driving away human visitors, but the truth is that you don't want humans to witness what goes on in the inner depths of Dis, do you? Your half-human nature has made you this way, hasn't it?"

    Hotori did not dare to move in the slightest bit.

    "That way of thinking has to change, Hotori. You aren't a human anymore. You have to start thinking, acting, and making decisions like a demon, not influenced by human emotions. Whatever attachment you have to the human world, throw it away now. Otherwise, if I have to, I will eradicate every single human that ever existed."

    She was already starting to tear up.

    "It's about time to face reality, Hotori. You aren't some puny half-human, but Lucifer, Ruler of Pride. It's high time that you started acting befitting of that position."

    Hotori was crying loudly, her tears running doen her face like two little streams. But I didn't care.

    "And that's what I'm here for. You asked me what I'll be teaching you. Well, this is what I'll be teaching you; how to act like a proper ruler, as well as how you should carry yourself in daily life. That's the common sense I'm going to teach you, and that's the common sense you will learn, even if I have to break you to do that. Are we clear?"

    Still, I can't just tell her that if she doesn't solve this mess, I won't be able to slack off, huh?
    This entire scene was giving me a serious case of deja vu. Another girl crying in my presence, mainly caused by or due to me. I should really make an attempt to prevent this from happening again.


    However. I need to fix Pride, or this problem will persist. Because of that, I have to employ some rather heavy handed methods which I'm not exactly proud of.

    "Hotori. Stop crying."

    I couldn't afford to go soft here.

    "Mika...the items you wanted..."

    I had messaged Yura earlier, and asked her to bring some things to me.

    "Thank you, Yura. By the way, I'm sorry to trouble you again, but can you get me 'that'?"

    "Okay..."

    I looked at the items Yura had brought over. One dagger, and one live human.

    "Come here, Hotori."

    I hid the knife so she didn't see it, and brought her to where the human was lying down.

    "T-This is...!"

    "A human, Hotori. A mortal."

    "And why did you bring him here? Why would you---!"

    I had placed the knife in her hand.

    "Now, Hotori, I want you to stab that human. One strike. To the heart."

    I waited. For her reaction.

    "I-I can't..."

    "And why not? He is just a human. Just a small, insignificant mortal. It's just like killing an ant; there's absolutely nothing to hesitate about."

    "B-B-But..."

    "But what? He's the same race you once were? Your father told you not to harm others? Is that why?"

    "Y-Yes..."

    Haaah. I took the knife out of Hotori's hands. Before she had the time to sigh in relief, I tossed the blade away and knife handed the human right in the chest.
    From my hand that had pierced the back, a human heart could be seen, still pumping. I exerted a little more force, and it exploded, sending blood scattering everywhere.

    Most of it landed on me, who was at Ground Zero, but some also landed on Hotori, who had stiffened.

    "No..."

    Aha, I got the reaction I was looking for.

    "Why...He was innocent!"

    "Innocent! Hah! That man that had been before you was no other than Jack the Ripper, a serial killer that had prowled Victorian London during the night. Tell me, does he not deserve death?"

    "He...He...even if he was guilty, you shouldn't be taking a life so easily like that!"

    Oh dear. I was hoping not to use this method.

    "And? Even if I wanted to take a life, who is going to stop me? You? Don't make me laugh. The world follows the law of the jungle. If you aren't strong enough, you will get killed by a stronger opponent. And for me...I'm just exercising my right to kill as a top predator."

    "Still...!"

    "Remember this clearly, Hotori. Lesson three: in this world, there is no such thing as staying friendly forever. In order to survive, people will do anything ranging from backstabbing, lying, plotting, framing and other dirty methods to give themselves an edge. There's is no such thing as helping others out of pure kindness any longer. Because, in this world, it's kill, or be killed."

    "..."

    Ah, I finally achieved the desired effect. The cowardice in her eyes are gone, replaced by rage. A very good expression.

    "Mika...I've brought 'that'."

    Yura tossed me a bundle wrapped in cloth. I removed the cloth, and tossed the thing to Hotori. She grabbed it.

    Hotori's weapon. The Titan-Crusher Hammer, Astras. A legendary class weapon.

    "I'm going to kill you!"

    Very good. I wanted Hotori to make that expression. Still, now I have to fight her, eh. How troublesome. Nevermind, I'll just inform Zora about it later.

    "Equip. Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi."

    I held my arms out in a defensive posture, and Hotori lunged at me, swinging her hammer.
    ...
    There are 3 types of people in the world. One that retaliates immediately when treated unjustly, one that takes it into their stride and ignores it, and one that bears a grudge while acting like they are perfectly fine. The third one is the scariest.

    Similarly, an enraged fighter is troublesome to deal with, a calm fighter is also troublesome to deal with, but an enraged fighter that has retained calmness is the most troublesome to deal with of all 3.

    And right now, Hotori fits perfectly in the 3rd category. Her anger has overrode her reason, but she still makes informed decisions about fighting, as can be seen from the way she swung her hammer around, not leaving any open gaps in her defence. A good combination of attack and defence.

    It's a pity that my fighting style opposes hers directly. Of all fighting styles, there are 2 broad categories: strength, speed, and 2 further sub-categories: direct and counter. Like the names suggest, strength focuses on devastating power, speed focuses on landing multiple hits, direct means you go on the attack immediately without fearing retaliation, and counter focuses on dodging the enemy's attack before returning with a strike of your own.

    My combat style is a Speed-Counter type. I'm fast enough to land several hits, but I also wait to grasp opportunities between the opponent's strikes. This opposes Hotori's Strength-Direct combat style, when she destroys everything in her path with brute force.

    A vertical hammer slam. Dodged.

    A horizontal hammer swing. Avoided.

    A diagonal hammer strike. Parried.

    I tapped Hotori a few times while doing so. It basically implied: I would have hit you this many times already.

    "Astras, Grand Cyclone!"

    An 18-hit hammer combo imbued with the wind element. Hmph. I cancelled out the wind element, and cast a boosting spell on myself.

    "Missed me."

    "Meteor Star Crusher!"

    A single hit attack that dealt 2000% damage---as long as it landed on target.

    "Time for me to get serious, I guess. |Meteoric Storm Fist.|"

    No damage at all. Even though Hotori has better equipment than I do, her lack of combat experience makes fighting a really problematic issue for her. Taking advantage of the flaws in her footwork, I managed to dissipate all the excessive force behind that hammer strike.

    The science of levers and fulcrums are overpowered when applied to fighting. Thank god I never took art classes back then.

    "Hah~ hah~ Impossible...Take this!"

    The hammer was swung again, but this time at higher speeds and from different trajectories.

    Not good. I know this move. Pride's ability [Sacrificial Strike]: consumes life force in exchange for overwhelming power.

    If this goes on, her lifeforce will be drained dry. I have to get her to stop somehow.

    *Clang*

    I deliberately relaxed my guard, and allowed myself to be blown away. Still, my first time getting thrown across the yard didn't feel too good. I crashed against the outer wall, and it crumbled.

    "Haaah~ Did I get her?"

    Good. She turned that ability off. Now I make my move.

    |True Invisibility| |Perception Blocking| |Teleport!|

    I snuck up behind Hotori, who was peering into the dust cloud, trying to see if I was collapsed under the rubble. Before I did it, I couldn't resist speaking into her ear.

    "You're gonna have to try a little bit harder than that, darling." (Author: Lol)

    Then I knocked her unconscious, and caught her in a princess carry. Problem solved.

    Still...this courtyard is completely ruined...jeez. If Zora freaks out about it later on, I'm sorry. I have no money to pay for rebuilding, though.

    [Title《Walking Disaster》has been evolved into《Harbringer of Catastrophe》]

    Oi! That's incredibly rude!
    Heads up, I'm still editing the first 3 arcs, but I've decided to post arc 4 also.
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2017
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  12. Up-chan

    Up-chan ★Anti-Bullying Brigade★

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    Hmm... intriguing start... I'll keep on reading...
     
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  13. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Arc 5---Problems Appear
    Zora wasn't really surprised when I informed her of the destroyed yard. She told me that she quite expected it to happen.

    "I mean, with a title like Harbinger of Catastrophe, that was rather mild."

    Sadly, I couldn't argue much, since I was the one who caused it.

    [Testing, testing...Mika, you there?]

    (This is...Rufi? What's up?)

    [Hurry and get back here immediately! Claire's group just got back and the three of them are severely wounded! Grab Kanon and come to the Library immediately!]

    (......)

    "Say, Mika, you alright there? I can feel killing intent leaking from you...Almost like you are about to start torturing somebody. Your facial expression...honestly, it's very creepy."

    Oh, really?

    "Zora, some...unpleasant matters have popped up, so I have to leave to take care of them. Tell Kanon to meet me at the meeting hall. Immediately."

    "Wait, Mika-"

    Zora's POV

    What was that?

    Mika suddenly stopped in the middle of the conversation, remained quiet for a substantial period of time, and her expression contorted in a split second.

    The expression on her features wasn't anger. It wasn't rage, wrath, fury or ire, either. No, those descriptors would be way too gentle compared to the emotion that was plainly there on her face.

    What her expression was right now was pure animosity. She looked soulless.

    Oh my god. When did her eyeballs become inky black? Why are her irises blood red?

    And her voice...you know the sound of knives scraping across iron? That wasn't it. Her voice sounded distorted and---wrong----somehow. Like a horrid medley of many voices.

    I could have sworn I heard the voice of a child mixed inside. It managed to unsettle me very deeply.

    At this point on, despite being an archdevil, I could only pray.

    Whatever caused her to react like that better hope they die quickly.

    Mika's POV

    "Rufi...who did this?"

    [I'm not sure either. Most I got from Jessica was that it was of a demonic alignment. It didn't stop after it recognised that Akane was a partial demon, too.]

    The three of them were lying on the infirmary beds. Every one of them had sustained some horrible wounds. According to Rufi, quite a few were life threatening.

    Still, to overpower a party like Claire's...a demon of the Arch Rank?

    Wait a minute, these wounds...

    Akane had wounds caused by holy magic on her.

    Jessica was savagely mauled and lacerated.

    Claire had holes peppered on her upper body. Holes that resembled...gunshots.

    [They looked almost like they attacked each other.]


    Envy demon. A demon that creates jealousness and desire for other people's belongings. Otherwise, there's no way the three of them would have attacked each other with the intent to kill.

    So whoever did this made them fight against each other, huh? Not confronting them head on but having the ability to affect them with it's magic...an envy demon of a Greater rank. Not high enough to reach Arch rank, but still decent enough for most demons.

    To me, that is trash.

    My recent trip to Hell wasn't all fun and games, you know. I learned quite a bit, including the ranking order of the denizens of Hell.

    It works like this (highest authority to lowest)

    • The 9 Princes of Hell
    • Archdevils
    • Greater Devils
    • Devils
    • Archdemons
    • Greater Demons
    • Demons
    • Imps
    Naturally, you already know how the 9 Princes rank in terms of authority, so there's not much problems there. Remember Baphomet? He was a Greater Devil. High enough to be idolized, but still not that strong. I reckon he would be barely good enough to take on an offspring of Tiamat, the Coloured Dragon Queen.

    An envy demon of the Greater class...even Baphomet could beat that with his pinkie.

    Still, there's a very big problem. putting aside the fact that I don't know who the culprit is, I'm not too sure if I can bring them to justice, either. Don't get me wrong. I want revenge, but if my life is endangered in the process, then I'll need to think twice.

    If this was in the 9 Hells, I could find out the culprit easily and subdue them, but now that I've left, I can't. As a Ruler of Hell, the 9 Hells grants me a very substantial bonus to my power when I'm there, especially the 7th Layer, where my home base is.

    "Which reminds me...Rufi, why don't I get a power bonus when I stay in the Library? Didn't you say before that the Library is also a formidable existence?"

    [Mika...The Library has only just regained operation status. It'll take a while before it can regain it's old strength.]

    Oh. Can't be helped then.

    [If you can find any ancient relics, you can bring them to me. I'll be able to speed up the Library's restoration using those.]

    "Alright, I got it...Rufi, hold the fort down for a bit more. I'm going to go find out the identity of this attacker."

    ...
    I was standing in the throne hall of the 6th Layer, Envy's Domain.

    "Mhm, okay. I'll tell you who the culprit was, but in return, you have to promise me to kill the culprit, okay?"

    Leviathan had agreed to do me a favour in return for one of her own. We both agreed, swearing upon the Cocytus.

    "Here you go." Leviathan casted a few spells, and then projected it onto a large screen, gesturing at me to look at it.


    Oh, my. I wasn't expecting to see her.

    Heh heh heh. One of my favourite villains back when I was alive...It's gonna be so fulfilling when I kill you.

    Maybe I could rescue Snow White while I'm at that.
    [Nightmare Mode 'Snow White' has been selected. Role: Mika]

    One of my favourite childhood stories. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

    It never failed to amuse me from the sheer stupidity of the characters. Like, when a strange old woman gives you an apple, you bite it without any suspicions? Seriously? Also, since when did kisses become effective in curing poison?

    Let me see. I don't want the Magic Mirror to detect me and crow to the Queen about me, since I am quite beautiful after all.

    Ahem. |Perception Blocking|

    Good. Now only people whom I want to see me will see me. Speaking of which, where the hell am I? I'm pretty sure Snow White never took place around a lava field.

    "Mikaaaa~"

    What. The. Heck. Is. That.

    "Come to meeee..."

    No. Stay away; you look disgusting.

    "Come here, Mika...My child."

    ...! What did you just call me?

    The indistinct shadow turned around, and faded into the background, leaving no trace that it had ever existed. What the hell was that about?

    ...I definitely don't recall my parents looking like that. Also, last I checked, both of them are long dead. I was adopted when I was still a baby, so I have no idea who my real parents were.

    Not that I cared, anyway. Back to where we left off, I need to get out of here.

    |Meteoric Storm Fist|

    The wall that was punched cracked. Slightly.

    Imposible. That blow would have decked an Archdevil. The Underworld boosted it's power by a few magnitudes, but that's still not a casual blow that any old wall could have resisted.

    |Meteoric Earth Fist|

    The crack didn't budge, even when I landed another strike with the same force.

    Could it be that this wall is of a certain element, and I have to break it with a similar element? Thunder element worked slightly, but earth element didn't. Which means...

    |Meteoric Hydro Fist|

    Like I expected, the wall shattered. Water beats fire, after all.

    ...

    That was close---Nearly died.

    After I happily jumped out of the room, I found myself free-falling.

    Dammit. I don't have wings.

    Naturally, I had aimed towards the ground surface in order to prepare for landing, and threw a move I ripped off somebody else.

    |Meteor Star Crusher|

    You can probably guess what my velocity × my strength × 2000% did to the ground. Let's just say...there used to be a mountain range here.

    Now? There was a smoking crater spanning 10 kilometres wide.

    Oops? Ehehe~

    ...

    Hm? Somebody's in the vicinity, and they were far enough to avoid being harmed. They sure got a huge shock, though.

    [Patron of Wolves] is really convenient.

    The location...the other side of the crater? Jeez.

    Well, why not? I've been wanting to do this long ago.

    |Fenrir Form|

    Woah. My eye level got higher, and my senses extended even further. Hm. I have silver gray fur with golden markings, eh? Nice. Now, let's go.

    |Arwoooo!|

    The Hunt has begun! Let's go, my minions!
    ...
    The crisp night air brushed past me as I ran through the forest. It felt really good. Almost better than air-conditioning.

    Nothing beats an ice cream pie, though. With a generous serving of custard as well as fruit slices on top, and---oh no, I'm drooling.

    While I busied myself cleaning off the drool on my chin, I noticed something.

    The presence was close by. I was in a clearing. And a really short guy was hunkered down on the floor, shivering while looking at me.

    Oh, my.

    "Don't eat me! I'm not delicious, I promise!"

    Oh. I think that the sight of a 4 by 6 metre wolf drooling must have scared him slightly. My bad, teehee.

    "Well. I can agree to not eat you, but you have to do something for me in return."

    "What do you want me to do? I'll do it as long as I have the ability to do so."

    Alright, promise made.

    "I want you to bring me to your house, Doc."

    "What the---how did you know my name? Also, what are you planning by going to my house? We---"

    He shut up. Noticed, didn't we?

    "I'll be honest. Is Snow White living in your house?"

    "...She isn't! I'm not bringing you there, so dream on!"

    That's the same as admitting that she is...

    Doc had pulled the pickaxe out from his backpack and was wielding it with both hands, a look of grim determination in his eyes. A pacifist he might be, but those arms, built up from many years of mining, aren't for show. He might be on par with a regular demon in terms of strength.

    For me, that's the strength of an ant. Sorry.

    "I don't have any bad intentions...And if I did, you won't be able to stop me anyways. Get on. I'll be depending on you for the directions."

    I opened my mouth and grabbed him by the back of his shirt. The toughened leather caught in my teeth.

    "I hate heights! Put me down!"

    I opened my mouth, released him from nearly 4 metres above the ground, and caught him again seconds before impact.

    "Still want to go down?

    "...No."

    "Very well. Lead the way, Macduff."

    ...

    So yeah. Cue the screaming dwarf, the unplanned hike through the forest, the 200 metre tall jump off a cliff, 6 more screaming dwarves, and here we are. A 3-storey log house in the middle of a nice little clearing.

    I hate this place utterly. Not because ot's ugly, you see. In fact, it's the opposite. This place is too beautiful.

    And my Race is clashing with my Identity. The Storm Fenrir really wants to tear this place down and destroy everything with a nice thunderbolt, but Belphegor really wants to take a nice nap.

    Confused? Pretty much.

    Belphegor won out, and I went to look for a nice spot to curl up in, and fell asleep.

    ...

    Waking up tied up like a harvest day package was not on my to-do list.

    Anyway, there was the 7 dwarves surrounding me, various sharp implements in their hands. And then there was Snow White, peeking out from behind Doc.

    Please.

    If your name is going to be Snow 'White', why do you have black hair? It makes absolutely no sense!

    Also, that appearance. Ugh, grotesque. Even Kanon looked better after she woke up with bed hair a few days ago.

    By the way, if you wanna ask what Kanon with bed hair looks like, forget it. She was already pissed off enough the last time I left a photo of her napping on the Outernet a few days ago.

    Won't want any random people starting Judgement Day any time soon. If anyone is going to start it, I should be the one who begins Ragnarok.

    Still, it is inconvenient to talk with a wad of cotton stuffed into my mouth. Excuse me for this heavy-handed method, but...

    *Snap* *Snap*

    "Whew, I sure had a great nap. Thanks for tying me up. Now then, shall we talk, Snow White?"
    It didn't take long before Snow White started crying. Oops. Do I really look that scary?

    "You do, actually. She freaks out easily."

    Mind reading?

    "No. She reacted the same way when we found her, so I could predict that you were about to ask that question. Grumpy scared the hell outta her the first time, with his fierce expression, until she ended up crying."

    "Shut up, Happy! Stop laughing at my misfortune, and stop bringing that up in front of other guys!"

    Perhaps it was because I didn't eat them earlier, but the dwarves have more or less got used to my presence. Snow White was still really freaked out by my presence, though.

    "Hahaha...Still, when a giant wolf speaks to you in human language, fear is quite the normal reaction, no?"

    That was common sense, but...I never thought common sense existed inside children stories. Especially Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. I mean, this story would be among one of the most logic-defying stories that I have ever read in my life.

    In worlds that have a fantasy setting like this one, I would have expected logic and reason to be on the bottom in terms of importance.

    "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah~"

    She is STILL crying...If I don't change my appearance, we won't be talking until tomorrow comes around. Sigh.

    |Fenris Form|

    And with that, my time as a giant wolf has ended. Boo-hoo. I wanted to spend more time as a full wolf, too.

    "Can we please have a talk now? I won't eat you...But if you waste my time any more, I just might."

    *Crying*

    Oh, my. Timid as a rabbit, isn't she?

    "Wait! You're a girl?!"

    Mhm. For some reason, most of the dwarves had a dumbfounded look on their faces.

    "I thought you were a guy! With that unladyli---Gufu!"

    The wall might have one more dwarf-shaped hole, but nevermind that.

    "No...presence...?"

    Ah, Sleepy. Sharp senses you got there.

    "Sleepy's always like that. He's cleverest of all of us, but he doesn't like showin' it. Says he dun want no attention, or somethin' like dat."

    Being clever doesn't help you notice perception blocking, you know...

    "Isn't that right, Sloth Demon?"

    His startled expression told me I was right.

    "How did you...?"

    "Ah, my apologies for not introducing myself properly. Allow me to try again."

    I lifted my skirt in a mock curtesy, and unveiled my aura slightly.

    "Storm Fenrir Mika, also known as Belphegor, Prince of Hell, Ruler of Sloth, Angel of the Dusk. I can grant you any one wish...as long as you have something to pay me with in return. With that being said, would any of you like to make a deal with me?"

    Snow White, who finally stopped crying, raised her hand, and made a request of me.

    "I-I would! Please help me to get my evil stepmother off my trail! I just want a happy life."

    Hearing what she said, the other dwarves hurried to stop her.

    "Wait! There isn't a need to make a deal for that! The 7 of us will all protect you! Sleepy is apparently a Sloth Demon, so we can easily keep you safe!"

    Wow, how nice of them. The relationship between these dwarves and Snow White are as good as the original story made them out to be, huh. Let's hope this doesn't end in tragedy, then.

    I mean, I don't really get moved by people putting their lives or the line for each other, but....since this story has tided me through much of my childhood, allow me to have my selfishness and try to keep these peaceful matters as they are. Which means, I should tell them some stuff.

    "Usually, I'll agree with that. But in this case, the 7 of you aren't strong enough. Not even close enough to fight a Greater Envy Demon on equal grounds."

    "Greater...Greater Envy Demon?"

    Sleepy knew what it meant. His expression was pale.

    "What's wrong, Sleepy?"

    "Yeah, what's wrong? Since you are a Sloth Demon, you should be about to do things that some of us here can't, right?"

    "That's not it. Indeed, I can do some superhuman stuff...but I don't have enough strength to take on an Envy Demon, and especially not a Greater one at that. I could do it if she was a new Envy demon..."

    I casually dropped a hint.

    "Sorry, she isn't. She's older than all of you combined."

    Sleepy started to look frustrated.

    "Then, since you are my progenitor, can't you help us defeat her?"

    "Sorry, bud. Even if I'm a Ruler myself, there are rules I still have to follow. I can't interfere in fights between demons, even if you happen to be one of mine. No, if I did that, I would tick off Leviathan epicly."

    Sleepy seemed to realise something, as he turned to the other 6 dwarves, then looked back at me.

    "What if I pay you...?"

    "That could work, but...I am a Prince of Hell, after all. My price isn't going to be cheap, you know? Even if the 7 of you all gave me your souls, it won't be enough."

    "Then, what do you want?!"

    Golly, I love it when someone reaches the end of their fuse. Maybe just a little more?

    "Hmm...I wonder?"

    "You! You despicable, lazy, unladylike, calculating, untrustworthy...demon!"

    Ahhh, he snapped.

    "The correct term is Prince of Hell, but I thank you for the compliment."

    "That wasn't a compliment!"

    Well. I'd love to continue going, but we will run out of time if this keeps up. So, time to pitch my offer. I turned to look at Snow White, who was watching the proceedings with a puzzled look on her face.

    "You happen to have something I want, child. Something that only you have. Give it to me, and I'll help you with a single favour. Deal?"
    Demons like souls.

    Devils love them even more.

    Princes of Hell? We don't need them in the slightest. Except for being a catalyst to cast spells, souls don't usually excite beings of my calibre that much.

    Personally, my strength wasn't very high, which made me tempted to go down the path of soul taking. After all, with each successful soul-taking, I would gain a bonus to all of my stats, and it wasn't something to sneeze at. When added together, the bonus could become a significant amount.

    With high rewards, also came high risks. Souls that weren't your own wouldn't want to be under somebody else's control. They want to be free. It's like trying to hold back a spear using a shield.

    While the shield can be made better, larger, more durable...The spear can also be sharpened, toughened, and upgraded with higher piercing power. Imagine constantly trying to hold back the spear with a shield, knowing that a single misstep can harm or even get you killed. Now imagine doing that same process for a long time. 10 years, 20 years, eternity. And on top of that, imagine trying to hold off 50, 100, 200 spears with a single shield. It's impossible. Eventually, you'll slip up, mess up, lose concentration and fail, and the results will be disastrous.

    Which is why I didn't ask for souls, and demanded something else. Something that only Snow White was able to do.

    ...

    "What are you doing to me..."

    "Don't worry; just one more tug here, and---"

    "Ouch!"

    "---Done. You look lovely."

    "I feel like my lifespan is decreasing by the minute..."

    ...

    It's rare that I ever get chances to do this, so of course I'll take absolute care of it. While thinking like that, I ended up adding more and more details, until finally, Snow White resembled something like a hedgehog. Not a trace of her skin or hair could be seen.

    As to what I was doing? Well, for the first time in history, I wanted to make Snow White resemble her namesake. Snow White. Therefore, I covered her up in snow, and ensured that none of her black hair could be seen.

    If one were to, say ignore the terrific sneezing and trembling, as well as the fact that there was a girl underneath all of that snow, it would have appeared to be a very nicely sculpted ice statue of a little girl.

    Although, since my art talents are less than ideal, if I was to be perfectly honest, what came out was something that differed from what I imagined by quite a large margin. It was hard to tell if the sculpture resembled a girl, or a boy.

    In fact, it's hard to even guess that something like that is human...

    ...

    In the end, I had my fun, and accepted Snow White's request to ensure that her stepmother doesn't bother her anymore.

    What a kind child. The other party is out for her life and she doesn't want to kill them, just ensure that they won't disturb her anymore. Such kindness...

    Such naivety. Kindness isn't going to get you anywhere in life. Rather, it's going to get you killed off earlier.

    That was one of the first lessons I learnt back during my time as a human. Like it or not, when one steps into a workplace, it's a competition to get promoted. Everyone has the same goals, and only a few of them will get to achieve those goals. Kindness may have been a quality that is extremely desirable, but when only a few people actually exercise that kindness and try to help others, they usually end up the ones being taken advantage of.

    But it's fine. Note the contract details: Ensure that she isn't disturbed anymore. There was nothing about how I was to handle the process.

    And when solving issues like this, the quickest---and easiest way is to kill the target. After all, a corpse can't harass a person.

    Necromancy? Heh. Paradox Magic works wonders against this type of magic, especially since I've been training it and finally brought it to Rank 5. Halfway to the Max level, but it's already overpowered enough.

    [Levelling Paradox Magic to Rank 5 granted you the title《She Who Keeps the Records》]

    What records? The Akashic Records, of course. I can edit and modify anything to suit my needs.

    I had done a trial run by going back a slight bit in time, after the dinosaurs had first appeared. Using the Akashic Records, I modified the future so that dinosaurs would not go extinct.

    Of course, returning to the present and seeing dinosaur-human hybrids gave me quite a shock, so I removed my meddling.

    Anyways...It's time to pay that Queen a visit. I hope she's experienced enough joy in her life, because she isn't going to be alive to experience emotions again after I'm done with her.

    Let's play around with the Records for a bit, and give her some type of warning. After all, I can't have people say that I didn't give her every chance, can I? The Librarian, as much as I hate to say it, needs to ensure that she exercises fairness and equity in her actions.

    In The Castle

    The Queen got off the throne she had been reclining on, and strode over to a wall-mounted mirror with elegant steps.

    "Mirror, mirror, on the Wall. Who is the fairest of them all?"

    Now that Snow White was probably dead, she was undoubtedly the most beautiful.

    "My Queen, the fairest of them all---"

    The Mirror paused suddenly; the Queen does not remember ever having experienced such an occurrence for all her years of owning the Magic Mirror, and she was inevitably startled.

    "Is not you."

    A malevolent voice. A voice of fury, mixed with traces of twisted happiness, and hints of madness.

    The startled Queen raised an arm, and a streak of purple shot at the Mirror. Before it could make contact, however, the purple arrow shattered.

    "Running away during a first meeting, dear? How incredibly rude."

    A gauntleted arm shot out of the Mirror's surface, and pulled the screaming Queen into the depths of the Mirror.
    Mika: What happens when you make a wolf angry?

    Rufilia: Uh...it bites?

    Mika: You'll be in for a howl lotta trouble!

    Rufilia: ...

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Now, we were in a typical cliche setting. A kidnapper and a kidnappee. Except that the one getting kidnapped was the bad guy this time round.

    The Queen was struggling in her ropes, trying to break free. I could see her mana signature light up as she tried to use her magic.

    Sorry. These ropes aren't your average everyday ropes. These are my hurricane ropes---thin strings created by compressing and weaving together raging storms. Once I bind something with them, they don't come off until I want them to.

    "Unhand me this instant! Do you know the severity of tying me up and kidnapping me? I am the Queen here! Release me and I might not kill you!"

    Tsk, tsk, tsk. Why do people always say something along those lines when they are about to die? If I can bring you to this place so easily, did you really think I would set you free this instant?

    By the way, I hid my aura to fit that of a regular human. I was curious to see how she would try to act. Sure enough...

    *Crackle*

    The ropes begun expanding as I willed them to do so, accomodating her monstrous and larger form.

    "Kekekeke...It's not bad for you to be able to catch me off guard and tie me up. However...I'm not just a puny human, mortal. I am Al'Sharzd, an envy demon descending directly from Leviathan herself. And one day, the throne of Envy shall be mine. Seeing your exceptional talent, I shall make you my slave. Now, unchain me---Gah!"

    So that's the sound people make when they get hit in the windpipe? Never knew that before.

    Still, this Envy demon is rather ambitious, isn't she? If she didn't say so, I would have thought that she was a Pride Demon.

    "So you're immune to mind control? It matters not. I will break free from these silly strings and tear you to shreds mysel---Guh!"

    Oops, that was her throat I just restricted. My bad. Still, the ropes didn't slacken. Rather, they constricted ever further.

    "Gah! S...So you were sent by that foolish girl to kill me? In that case, let me offer you some treasures in return for my freedo---Ugh!"

    I was standing right behind her before she could finish her sentence. Brushing aside a few strands of her hair to reveal her fair left ear, I gently whispered to her. In a very soothing voice, which doubtlessly sounded like the rasping of a devil in her ears.

    "Wrong answer, sweetie. I'm not here to kill you because Snow White wanted me to. In fact, she only wanted me to ensure that you won't interfere with her again, without harming you. What a gentle and sweet child, don't you think?"

    Then I bit down, hard, and ripped.

    Her left ear was torn right off her face.

    "Arghhhh---mfffff!"

    Sorry, screaming is prohibited in tonight's show. Now, let curtains rise, for the first time, shall we?

    "And over here we have various different assistants, each trained to carry out a specific job flawlessly~ Let us have a look!"

    As if that was the cue, the area to the left of us was illuminated, revealing...A torture rack.

    "My! What do we have here? Pliers, scissors, nails, screws, pins, needles...There you are! My first assistant!"

    I picked up a device that resembled metal rings nailed together. A device used specifically to break fingers.

    I waved the tool before the demon's eyes, watching its eyes contract in anxiety.

    "Now, now, don't worry. My Healing Magic is quite good, so you don't have to worry about any injuries~"

    ...

    I used the first tool for a total of 247 times. By the 150th time, the demon had no energy left to scream anymore.

    I reckon it's about time for another shot of Healing Magic, isn't it?

    ...

    The iron maiden. A spiked iron tomb, essentially. I locked the demon inside, and begun crushing the iron maiden, compressing it further. By the way, the demon's mouth had been stuffed with cotton, then taped with duct. I didn't like screamers.

    Another shot of Healing Magic...now, let's move on to the Bronze Bull!

    ...

    *Snap*

    Hey! I didn't know spines could make this kind of sound! Let's continue!

    ...

    Mhm. That was a good job even if I say so myself. There's red everywhere! How nice!

    I looked at the demon, who was barely moving anymore. It's vocal cords had been crushed long since, so all it could do was to make gasping sounds.

    Now, let's reveal the truth, shall we? I feel kinda like a certain detective with a bowler cap and a tobacco pipe.

    "And so, my dear Al'Sharzd, do you know why I am doing this? Hmm?"

    "Human...my progenitor will never let you off..."

    "Oh, my. Somebody's relying on her connections to scare me, huh? I don't dislike that, but..."

    Leaning in closer.

    "You have to be clear on who exactly you pissed off, you know? Leviathan is hardly going to get into a scrap with me just for you, you know?"

    For the first time, I let my aura flow, unhindered and unrestrained. It was like erasing a dam in a split second, allowing the water to rush in rapidly.

    "Still, I kind of feel sorry for Leviathan, so maybe I should grab this opportunity to know her better. Perhaps I should go and visit her this weekend with cake?"

    The demon was trembling uncontrollably from my unrestrained aura. It could tell.

    "A Prince of Hell...No way..."

    "Yes way. Touché. Now, since you have so blatantly laid a hand on my belongings...what do you think the punishment should be, dear?"

    "That...That wasn't..."

    That wasn't the punishment? Of course it wasn't! I was just bored, after all, ehehe.

    "Please...spare my life..."

    Gutless weakling. Very well, I won't kill you.

    |Akashic Records. Modify. Change class [Demon] to [Doll].|

    "Ah...Ahhhhhh!"

    Done. I spared your life, so have fun spending it as an inanimate doll. Maybe I should give this to Jessica as a get well soon gift?

    Which reminds me, I hope Leviathan likes cookies.
    Mika: What do you call a situation where you are stuck in a room with an evil wolf?

    Rufilia: Oh, no. I don't want to hear this.

    Mika: A dire situation!

    Rufilia: ...

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    I returned just in time to fend off another invasion. The invaders these time were a bunch of monkeys.

    And I meant that literally. A rag tag bunch of monkeys in misfitted armour and rusted weapons...it's better to think of them as a motley group rather than invaders. It's an insult to invaders, you know? I mean, if not for the fact that the other 3 were injured and Rufilia had to take care of all of them, this wave of invaders wouldn't have gotten past the first pillar, not to mention the first area.

    The trio also seemed to have gotten better, but Rufi kept them all in bed, not allowing them to do any strenous activities. Good job, Rufi.

    [Did you settle it, Mika?]

    "Yeah. I got rid of the problem. Here's a souvenir I bought for you, by the way."

    [Thank you very much, Mika. This one did not expect to have been given a souvenir---uwa!]

    Oops. Plan succeeded. Nice.

    [This one should have known that it wasn't going to be anything good...Mikaaaaaaa...]

    As they say, the wise one knows when to retreat, so goodbye!

    [You aren't leaving that easily! Icelight!]

    Thank god the Library is a self-repairing structure. I don't even want to think about repair costs if it wasn't.

    Rufilia's magic grazed me, and I was mildly shocked to realise that it actually felt cold.

    Granted, it wasn't at the point of 'freezing your limbs off', but a mere chill. Still, for me to have felt that chill despite my racial resistance to Frost...How powerful was the original spell?

    [Gather in a catastrophic cluster, purgatory flames! Asteroid Impact!]

    Woah! Don't cast Grandmaster Offence magic so easily! That spell ignores Def, you know?!

    |Teleport!|

    ...

    [Evolution Requirements have been met. Host has successfully withstood more than 50 rounds of Grandmaster Ranked Magic with nothing but their own body. Race《Storm Fenrir》(Legendary) has grown into 《Lunar Fenrir》(Mythic). You have unlocked the achievement "Beyond Legendary". As a reward for ascending past Legendary for the first time, Cake x1 has been received.]

    Woah. I just got ridiculously stronger. The Lunar Fenrir...Besides the Traits of the Storm Fenrir, I also gain a power multiplier according to the time of the night it is.

    Vampires are a lot stronger at night, but in the daytime their powers are cut by half. Mine is different. I still retain 100% strength in the day, but I start gaining a power multiplier as evening drags on to midnight, upon which I deal 6 times the damage as compared to daytime.

    This status of mine is starting to become really long and wordy...Still, that evolution requirement was ridiculous, too.

    To begin with, I was not informed on what condition it took in order for me to evolve, so I actually had no idea what to do in order to improve myself. Secondly, the 50 rounds of Grandmaster Magic is insane. One round would have already killed most creatures that rank below Epic. In fact, if not for the fact that I had my cheat skills and cheat equipment, I would have similarly perished after around 20 rounds of Grandmaster Ranked Magic.

    I've been taking things too easy. With the Library's help, I've managed to grow stronger really quickly, and with the invasions, I've learnt to harness my skills properly. Learnt to fight in actual combat situations, learnt to kill in cold blood, and learnt to survive even in the toughest situations. Suffice to say, Rufilia has really helped me out a lot.

    Still, that's not enough. Just take a look at the Nine Princes of Hell. I rank second of all 9, but just look at Hotori. The number 1 in Hell isn't strong enough. In a one-on-one, I can hold my ground, but I'll lose against a combined assault. Therefore, I have to get stronger, as fast as possible.

    Anyway, where did I teleport to, exactly?

    "Mika-onee-sama...What are you doing?"

    Wait a minute. This isn't happening. I know I'm probably a protagonist, but I can do fine without the 'Lucky Lewd' Trait of most protagonists, you know?

    Let's slowly turn around...

    ...

    I got chewed out by the two children after I barged in randomly while they were changing. Apparently, my rushed Teleport had brought me there.

    The two of them were almost in perfect health already, given that both of them were melee professions. Having high Hp is almost a necessary for frontliners, you know?

    Well, in my case, my Hp is marginal compared to my Atk and Spd. I know some people might be thinking: Hey, your Hp is almost triple your Atk and Spd! How can that be marginal?

    But that's not how it works. The unit of measurement for Hp and Atk work differently. 1 unit of Hp means one hitpoint, but 1 unit of Atk equals 10 hitpoints worth of damage. So, without my Def, I can only take 50k worth of damage.

    Which reminds me...now that I've evolved, what's my main passive? Did it change?

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Herald of the Night (Passive): Allows creation of Star Fenrirs to fight alongside user. Each Star Fenrir has 1/3 of the user's stats. Upper limit: determined by mana pool. Summon time is 30 minutes. Additionally, since they are comprised of spiritual essenses, having a group of Star Fenrirs still count as solo combat.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Woah...A group of wolves together counting as a single entity...that is overpowered as hell. With my mana pool, I should be able to create at least 6 for now. It's a pity they disappear after half an hour, though...

    [Answering user: By injecting a set amount of mana, the summon can be extended into a permanent one.]

    ...We shall put this issue aside, for now. I do not wish to delve deeper into this issue, because I am kind of scared about what I might end up doing.

    "Hmm...Let's have some cake~ I wonder what it tastes like?"
    The cake was a lie. Boo.

    After I did not have cake, I decided to go look for Rufi. I had some questions of my own to ask. Such as what exactly was the purpose of the Library.

    ...

    [This one has been expecting you to ask me this question one day, Mika. This one knew it was only a matter of time before you did so.]

    Rufi and I sat in the parlour, settled comfortably on cushioned chairs, before a blazing fireplace. Tea had been prepared and laid on the table, but neither of us were touching it.

    [As for the reason...where should this one start? This one already told you that this one had been created 30,000 years ago. This one's main purpose was to keep the Library orderly, and to assist the Librarian.]

    "And what made me legible for the role of the Librarian? Before all these happened, I was just an average individual without any special talent or resolve. You could have picked from nearly 8 billion people. So, why me?"

    [The Librarian isn't as simple a role as you think, Mika. I believe you already realised that your responsibilities extend past merely keeping order in this place. And you're right. This Library...it is the holder of the Akashic Records. And you are the one responsible for maintaining them.]

    "Then, the reason behind those invasions..."

    [You guessed correctly. The invaders arrived here on purpose, because they know instinctively that this place holds great power. However, most of them assume that a powerful relic or artifact sleeps here. In fact, the Akashic Records are way more valuable than them. As for the Librarian's true role, it would be to keep those records relevant and updated. Thus, you are able to explore the countless other worlds available out there via the books that are available in this Library.]

    "And when I finish the records for every book? What happens then?"

    [Honestly...finishing the records for every book is impossible. Literally. Even with the decelerated passing of time, a single book would take a few days to be completed, at least. And given that new worlds are constantly being opened nowadays, this task becomes endless...And technically, you do not have a lifespan either, now that you are the Librarian...so that would be your task for eternity.]

    "Then...how many Librarians have been here for the past 30,000 years? What happened to them?"

    [The answer to that...is 0. There has not been a Librarian since 30 millennia ago. You are the first.]

    "What the---You weren't able to find a single suitable candidate before me?"

    [Regretfully, no. There hasn't been anyone that was acknowledged by this Library before. In the millennia it has existed, you are the first to be acknowledged by the Library to be a caretaker worthy of it. This one assumes that it was mainly because of your unique outlook on life. And because of that...there aren't any previous records about what would happen if you were to, just saying, finish the task, or give up halfway...Sorry.]

    "I see. In that case, I have a question. For the worlds I have visited up to now, I might not have exactly done the right or positive things a hundred percent of the time. Does this mean that I unwittingly messed up my job?"

    [That is not an issue. Your role here is to keep the Records, not to play the role of a saint or a demon. For the worlds you visit, no one will question you no matter whether you decide to improve or destroy those worlds. Everything is up to your own fancies, and you are free to interfere as much as possible. This is probably why the Library recognized you as it's caretaker, since you are the closest person it could find belonging to the completely Chaotic Neutral Alignment. Therefore, you should feel free to make your own decisions.]

    That's good. I was worried that my whimsical decisions had made my job more difficult there for a second.

    [With that being said...Mika. This one has some advice of her own. Regarding those three...it might not be wise to grow overly attached to them. In fact, that holds true for mortals and most races in general, since they have a limited lifespan. Getting overly fond of them will make the inevitable separation more heart-breaking, even if it's with long lived races like elves or dragons. Therefore...don't grow too close to them, okay?]

    It happened as I feared, huh. A problem that plagues most immortals. The fear of being alone. Rufi has a point. Those 3 may have evolved into higher ranking races, but they are still bound by a mortal lifespan. Which means that, as long as it may take, the time for saying goodbye will be here someday.

    There is one way to solve that problem. The Library has a few Immortal Potions that makes the user immortal. That'll easily solve the problem of their lifespan...but I'm not about to use that method.

    Why? Think about it. I have no familial or kin relationship with the three of them. Akane only came here because she treated me like a parent, while Jessica and Claire's relationships were built on lies and trickery. That isn't gonna hold. So if one day the truth is revealed and the three of them turn on me...Well...3 mortals will be easier to handle than 3 immortals, right?

    No, wait. Akane's part wolf, and I'm the ancestor of wolves, so I guess we do share some kind of connection? And then, kitsunes are vulpine, which means they share similar ancestors to the lupine...

    I give up. Any more pondering about this issue is just going to hurt my brain. We'll leave this topic on hold for another century. As for those three...I'll observe them and treat them like pets, for now. Whether that evaluation changes in the future is entirely up to their own actions.

    Don't blame me for this, you three. If we are destined to wave farewell to one another someday, I'll rather not pile up too many sentimental memories.

    Heh. And they say hypocrites don't shed real tears.
    I stood before a pair of massive marble doors. The entrance to the Librarian's Alcove---or rather, my office, as it were. I remembered Rufilia's words.

    [Those doors automatically open upon contact with their rightful owner. As long as you touch them, they will open.]

    *Rumble*

    The massive doors slid open noisily, revealing an expanse that was closer to an auditorium rather than a room.

    It was even bigger than the Meeting Hall of the 9 Hell Princes.

    And at the far end of the room, which was covered with inky darkness, stood a small birch table, illuminated by a single light.

    This is my office? Are you kidding me? This space could fit 8 football stadiums and still have space! What did you expect me to do with this space, Rufi? Start a farm?!

    Sigh.

    I'm going to need more furniture to spruce this place up. As it looks right now, this place looks bleak amd completely unwelcoming. Even the homeless wouldn't live here.

    Now that I think about it, office = place that people work at. My work is to keep the Akashic Records updated, so the usual thing I do would be to read books and enter the world of those stories...Why would I need such a big work space, then?

    As I was musing, a panel materiallized, and hovered before me.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Librarian's Workplace

    Owner: Mika

    Total area: 4500000 square feet (0% used)

    Theme: Medieval

    Walls: Polished cobblestone

    Floor: Stone Brick

    Total furniture: Small table x1

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Change of plans. I'm living here from now on. This place looks horribly under-decorated. More importantly, how do I add more floors and walls by myself...

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Edit room layout? [Y/N]

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Heck. Is this room sentinent? Another A.I.?

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Answering owner's query, I am a regular room A.I. programmed to oversee this room. I am a program that was put together by Lady Rufilia. If you require any assistance with the layout of this area, feel free to just give me a command.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Why does this completely fail to surprise me...? Very well. Now...I'm going to need your name so that I can address you properly.

    I betcha that it doesn't have a name.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Responding to owner, I do not have a name. For owner's convienence, please feel free to call me anything you like.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Called it. So, a name, eh? The A.I. refers to itself as 'I' so pet names are out of the question. It's a human thing.

    I mean, no one would want to say something along the lines of 'Fido, go bring me my papers' or 'Fido, shut down access to the room and quarantine it' to an A.I.

    Now, the voice is feminine, so a girl's name would work better. A girl......a 'she'......Ashe! That's it.

    Whoever that just snickered upon reading that, come out. I promise not to rearrange your innards. Don't you dare accuse me of being horrible at naming. At least I put in more effort than sticking with alphabets and digit codes, unlike a certain slime.

    Granted, he had to come up with a few hundred thousand names, so let's cut him some slack.

    "Alright, Ashe, I want you to split this room into 5 equal floors. Leave the central part empty, similar to a grand hall, and add marble pillars for support. For the walls...change that to polished black steel with quartz blocks. As for the flooring...pick something that isn't too warm or too cold to step on.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Understood. Now changing the layout. Please stay clear of the areas marked out in blue.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Hm. While Ashe goes ahead and does that, I need to get some furniture to liven this place up. What would be a good source of ventilation, I wonder...air conditioning or natural wind? Or maybe I should get one of those huge ceiling fans? But can a ceiling fan on the 5th floor provide sufficient breeze for people on the 1st floor?

    Whatever; let's go visit some furniture shops first. Maybe I should go to a certain famous Swedish retail outlet?

    Let's grab some assistants to give me some pointers. I am going to live here from now on after all, so it won't be good to leave this place looking sloppy...Wait just a damn moment.

    I have to clean this entire room by myself, don't I?

    Gah! I hate cleaning most of all! Especially since the room is so big!

    4500000 square feet...Just cleaning the surface manually will kill me...

    Cleaning Magic? Not even my mana reserves will be enough!

    "Dammit! After I go back to Earth this weekend, I'm going to go buy one of those automated cleaners, and then use magic to create a few million more copies!.....Wait, that's not going to work either!"

    The almighty Storm Fenrir, Sin of Sloth, Virtue of Patience, Angel of the Dusk, Angel of the Law, Keeper of the Akashic Records...I don't have enough mana or money to do that!

    I crumpled to my knees. To think that I would be impeded by money in the end...

    |Rufi! There's an emergency!|

    Sure enough, Rufilia responded immediately. Perhaps she was influenced by the urgency in my tone.

    |What is it, Mika?|

    |I need money.|

    Dead silence. Somehow, I got the feeling that on the other side of this telepathic conversation, Rufilia was either trying not to cup her head in her hands, trying not to punch the wall, or a combination of both.

    |Did you message me just to say that?|

    |Yep.|

    |*Bam!*|

    Yeah, for some reason, from Rufilia's side of the telepathic conversation, I could hear something being smashed to pieces...It sounded really expensive, too...

    Never mind! That was definitely not because of me, I swear!

    |Is there anything else...? Mikaaaa?|

    |Nope!|

    A wise man once said, out of the 36 tactics, the most efficient tactic is to run! Time to avoid this topic by convincing Rufilia!

    |Rufi! You said once that the Library is under my care, right?|

    |What does that have to do with---|

    |You see, as the Librarian, in order for me to perform at the best of my ability, I have to keep my working environment clean! Therefore, please give me some funds to buy some automatic cleaners! They are 100% necessary Library expenditure!|

    |...I give up...You thick-skinned Fenrir...|

    Success, yatta!
     
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2017
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  14. Red_

    Red_ ◆The Lazy One◆

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    You evil thing °∆°
    You ain't gonna let me study because of this.
     
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  15. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Arc 6: Large Scale Intervention
    Uh...where on Earth am I, now?

    I'm pretty sure I had 'classmate' in mind when I activated teleporting. So...what the heck am i doing in this alleyway?

    There's 5 presences up ahead...and then there's the smell of blood. Wow. It's barely past dusk and people are already doing this kind of stuff? I'm speechless.


    Oh well, time to generate some good karma and intervene, I guess.

    ...

    The weird guy I just revealed myself to was gaping at me, mouth wide open.

    It's rude to stare, you know. Although, he does look kind of familiar, like I've seen him before...forget it. I've got more pressing matters to attend to.

    "Wait a minute...it is you!"

    The weird guy just said something weird. Hm. Are the words weird because he is weird, or is he weird because his words are weird? Anyway, what was he going on about?

    "What are you blabbering about?"

    An awkward pause.

    "Wait...you don't remember me anymore?"

    "Uh...No. The only weirdos I know live together with me."

    I shook my head in denial.

    The weird guy looked crestfallen. He bent his head down, muttering something.

    I froze.

    He had muttered my name. The name that the former human me used to go by. Which means...a former human acquaintance? Then...that would leave the possibility of him being a classmate?

    Hmmm...oh, he was that one weird guy who was always stalking me. Ugh. Gross.

    I might be the protagonist, but I don't need this kind of complicated love life, okay, Author?

    I pulled out a coin from my back pocket. A coin I had created myself. A coin with one side bearing my own insignia, a wolf with two crossed swords. The other side was marked with a pair of demonic horns.

    The Neutral-Evil Coin of Fate. As it's name suggests, the heads mean a neutral decision, and tails means an evil decision. What about the good decisions, you ask?

    ...Just shut it and roll with it. I don't need a coin to tell me when to do good things.

    *Flick*

    The coin spun, revolving through the air...and stood perfectly on the palm of my hand. It didn't fall to either face.

    It wants me to do both? What a troublesome coin. A Neutral Evil decision is even more difficult that a Chaotic Evil one, you know?

    "I swear, Mr Novel Writer, if you push me any further than you already have..."

    The coin abruptly fell and landed on tails. Alright! Looks like my decision shall be an evil one! Thanks for the assist, Author!

    Now...what kind of mischief shall I stir up? Since I've made up my mind to do it wholeheartedly, might as well blow up a few places while I'm at it, right? Therefore...

    "I'm buying furniture. You, come along."

    I dragged the confused guy along and invoked Teleportation.

    ...

    "Achoo!"

    Well, that was to be expected. In the middle of a snowstorm wearing T-shirts and khaki shorts? It'll be a mystery if he didn't sneeze.

    "Achoo!"

    Still, getting sick at 10 degrees celsius...how weak. Humans sure have poor performance effeciency, don't they. They fall sick if they aren't fed enough or rested enough, and are prone to performance threatening injuries...jeez. I'm glad I don't keep humans as pets.

    "Achoo!"

    This is getting annoying, seriously.

    "Achoo!"

    For goodness sake...Time Stop.

    Now we take this bundle of misfortune and get out of here, fast. I'm not in the mood to listen to more sneezing.

    ...

    Okay, we're here. One of the biggest furniture stores in the whole world. A certain Swedish brand.

    Hey. Stop blanking out.

    *Prod*

    No good. His circuitry has stopped responding. There only one way to deal with that.

    *Crack*

    "OW!"

    "Glad to see that you're responding. Now, I need you to help me pick out furniture pìeces, uh......what did you say your name was, again?"

    Pause.

    "Oh, he broke again. Jeez."

    |Say, Rufi, did you send that over?|

    There was a delay in response. Was it some unexplainable phenomenon between worlds that caused telepathy to be delayed?

    |...Yes, I did...|

    Wow. Somebody doesn't sound too perked up.

    |Did you pull another all-nighter again? You shouldn't, you know. All-nighters are really bad for your health.|

    I wonder why I'm doing this, actually. I'm pretty sure I had better things to do than tease Rufilia about our previous telepathic conversation.

    |By the way, Mika. Regarding your trip to Earth.|

    She has a task for me by the looks of it. Otherwise, she won't be talking in this tone.

    |Yes?|

    |I need you to visit one of the libraries there...and bring back a certain something.|

    Oh? She's actually sounding guilty...what's going on, I wonder?

    |Which library? There's thousands of them here. Also, you'll have to be more specific about what I'm looking for. I may be all-powerful and stuff, but you can hardly expect me to comb through every single library on Earth looking for something which may or may not even be corporeal to begin with.|

    Putting that fact aside, I still have to do my own job first. I didn't randomly come back here for a reason, you know. In order to slack off, I need to purchase enough cleaning equipment to cover the entire expanse of the office, and then enchant them all with auto-cleaning magic.

    The path may be long and hard, but the reward is worth it! For the sake of slacking off and lazing about, I must get this done no matter the cost! No one shall stop me!

    |Ehm...I'll send the coordinates to you. What you're looking for...it's a tome. An ancient leather-bound tome with gold markings and black runes drawn on it.|

    Ancient tome...in a library...gold markings and black runes...

    Why do I feel like this is some kind of treasure hunt?

    Forget it. If my life experience has taught me anything, it's that this book, which is important enough for Rufi to be worried over, will definitely become some kind of flag. If I leave this issue as it is, problems will definitely occur. When that happens, my peaceful life will be disrupted.

    That cannot happen. I must go find this book immediately...

    ...After I go buy my things, of course.
    Well, as I expected, that was indeed a flag. One hell of a gigantic flag, at that.

    Something bad had happened.


    When I went back to the Library, having purchased the essentials for my office, which cost up to a few hundred million...ahem. Those were completely necessary for me to work properly, okay. I had been thinking that I'll take a visit to Arabian Nights, when the Little Red Riding Hood storybook suddenly started glowing crimson red.

    That hue meant an invasion. Someone---or something unwelcome was inside that world.

    Jeez. Troublemakers come in all shapes and sizes, huh. Better go check it out. I don't want this flag getting any bigger than it already has.

    Akane's former village

    "I have it. Now, onto the next one! Bwahahaha! No one shall stop me!"

    ......

    This place got destroyed again. And I'm pretty sure it isn't any of us who did this.

    Then, who else could have entered this world? I have the only way of entry, which is the book...Oh.

    I forgot one very important thing. Rufi told me to look for an ancient tome, didn't she? I couldn't find it. And there's also the fact that more than one copy of this type of storybook could exist...I'm an idiot.

    I have to get back to the Library and seek out Rufi, but first...

    Activate. |Patron of the Wolves|.

    A grey shape came lumbering out of the foliage. It looked pretty old, but it's movements hinted at a glorious past self.

    Well, not that I care anyway. Nobles, peasants...they all look the same when they die, after all. Who cares what one did when they were alive?

    《Greetings, Lady》

    The gift of tongues. I can understand most languages, not to mention wolves, whom I'm the progenitor of.

    Still, technically, this wolf is older than I am, so it's kind of weird hearing it address me as Lady. It's the same feeling on would get if a grandpa called them 'Lord' nowadays. Actually, since this world is set in the pre-medieval times, does this mean that this kind of thing is common and I'm the odd one out? Argh, how frustrating. I'll set this thought aside for the future.

    Huh? I've already set aside way too many thoughts for the future? I can't do that anymore?

    What rubbish. I'm not some random character created by some fledging novel writer. I make my own decisions. If I'm setting this topic aside for the future, then I'm doing exactly as I said. Don't try to influence my decisions. Anyway, getting back to where we were before I got so rudely interrupted...

    "Mhm. What happened here, old soldier?"

    《This old one is not sure either. None of the scouts were able to get too close without dying》

    He sounds pleased. The old soldier title made him quite happy, huh? On this aspect, wolves resemble retired human veterans.

    "So the ones who died should have seen exactly what happened?"

    《Yes, but how would Lady get them to tell you of what they saw? The dead cannot talk.》

    He's right. The dead cannot talk, unless they were forced to with fell magic such as necromancy. I disdain such magic; they are unnatural, and they are cruel, bounding the souls of the dead to servitude and not allowing them rest. Which is why I'll use this.

    |Resurrection. Come back to life, my kin.|

    Actually, the topic of Resurrection is also an iffy one. For some religions, they view this as blasphemy against their god. For example, some believe that the dead should stay dead. Me? Screw that. I'm an atheist, and plan on happily staying that way.

    An originally dead wolf was revived. It plodded over, shock apparent in it's grey eyes.

    《I-I'm alive? But how?》

    Oh, he has trauma. Post Resurrection Trauma, to be precise. And since that's a big mouthful, I'm calling it PRSD.

    "Try to calm down. Or I'll have to kill you again, then take the memories directly from your head."

    《!!!》

    Good, he calmed down. I'm really efficient with my words, aren't I.

    "Now, tell me what exactly happened."

    The wolf prowled back and forth, obviously restless.

    《It was an unknown figure who did that. He had a book of some kind, and when he wrote in that book, the whole village caught on fire.》

    When he wrote in it, the village caught on fire...Why does this sound disturbingly familiar? Rufilia has a tome that, when written in, creates a certain phenomenon...these two had better not be related. I must return, and dig the answers out of her.

    ...

    [That's not good. Whoever that person was, he holds one of the Archives. He can change story worlds at will too.]

    "And why exactly does he have this archive? I thought you said that no one has successfully invaded the Library ever since you were born, Rufi?"

    [Umm...to tell the truth, a couple of centuries ago I might have...accidentally tossed one out into a human world.]

    Oh, dammit.

    "And why exactly did you toss it?

    [I...got bored of staying in the library and watching humans live out their monotonous lives every day, so I decided to...spice things up for a bit.]

    *Whack*

    [Owww! What was that for?]

    "First up, Rufi, you aren't supposed to be bored since you aren't alive to begin with. And secondly, you certainly aren't a Death God, even if you happen to like apples. What, do you want to create a Kira of your own?"

    [What does that even mean?!]

    "I'm not telling ya. Go find it out for yourself, ya lazy person."

    [The only lazy person here is you...still, how are we going to find this person?]

    "We? Since when did I ever agree on 'we' finding this person?"

    [You don't mean---]

    "Good luck with the search, Rufi. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a movie to catch. Teleport."

    *Boom*
    The results got here pretty quickly.

    I mean, Rufi has technically been the previous caretaker of this Library for far longer than me, so if she can locate me past my innate spell defenses, she shouldn't have much trouble locating some upstart with a lesser Archive.

    [The culprit behind all of these events...without a doubt, he's the one who found the Archives that I tossed out so long ago. Somehow, he managed to prolong his lifespan beyond natural means...Even the Archives have their limits in granting long life, so the only reason he has survived up to now must be because of...some unsavoury methods better left unsaid.]

    True. It won't do to scare the others. After all, the other 3 are barely teenagers.

    I'm thinking more and more like a parent nowadays...Sigh. I've gotten softer.

    "Is he dangerous then, Rufilia?"

    [No, not particularly, Claire. As long as the three of you stay here, he is of no threat at all. As for Mika...she can crush him with her little pinky, so this one presumes that it's only going to be a matter of time before she catches him. So in conclusion, he's not worth bothering about.]

    "Great! Let's go have lunch then!"

    Leave it to Akane to change the topic to food...Ugh. I'm suddenly glad that I don't have to pay for the food costs in the Library, but at the same time, I'm unsure if Rufilia's savings can handle the drain caused by Akane's Devouring. She can literally eat up to thousands of portions of food each meal and still complain of hunger barely one hour later.

    Before the trio left, I noticed Jessica and Claire both sending me worried glances.

    Hmm. I don't like this one bit.

    They are concerned about me, and yet I treat them as belongings. It makes me feel slightly guilty. Just a little bit.

    Sometimes, it's the little things in life that really annoy you. Because having nothing and having a big issue is essentially similar.

    Think of it as a shoe. If there was no stone in your shoe, nothing happens, obviously. If there's a big stone, you take off your shoe and toss it out.

    What about a much smaller stone? One that is small enough for you to ignore it's existence, yet is constantly there, creating a barely noticeable yet annoying discomfort? You'll be pondering if you want to spare the energy to empty out your shoe.

    Annoying feeling, it truly is.

    Well, as usual, how I deal with most annoying things are to reserve them for later thought. I dislike having to think spontaneously when suddenly given an irritating situation to deal with.

    Guess it's about time I started earning my paycheck. This matter isn't going to resolve itself, even though I wish it could. Maybe I should go down the path of the traditional RPG Dungeon Boss, and send out minions to complete my tasks for me?

    That decision was shot down immediately. Just imagining countless minions of various races running down the corridors of the Library, creating a terrific din, is enough to dissuade me from this plan.

    Big as the Library may be, I'll rather have a small group of people I'm comfortable with than masses of strangers living together with me.

    But before that, let me go check the Armoury. Apparently my main weapon (and pretty much my only weapon) can be upgraded.

    ...

    Mhm! Not bad!

    The upgraded gauntlets sure do pack a punch. In fact, the power output might have tripled, judging from what I can feel? The training dummy broke in 2 hits rather than 6, as it usually did.

    Amaterasu gained the ability of [Origin Flame] and Tsukuyomi got [Mana Drain].

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Origin Flame

    • Cannot be put out via conventional means.
    • Applies True Burning to the target, dealing 4% fire damage (of target's total hp) per tick.
    Mana Drain

    • Each hit landed drains (1/2/4/8/16)% of the opponent's mana. Successive hits drain even more.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Handy upgrades, especially seeing my upcoming job. Mana is the life blood of a mage, you know. Without enough of it, you are better off picking up a stick and hoping that it belongs to a certain hero.

    Although, that upgrade was really costly....1000 crystals....Without the Nightmare Mode Scenario and Story Dungeons I underwent, I wouldn't have had enough to upgrade these.

    Rufilia told me that I didn't get any discounts despite being the Librarian. Tsk. Stingy.

    Now, I don't really feel like moving from this place, what if he comes here to mess around while I'm outside? (Author's note: C'mon now, is that really for strategic purposes, or just because you are lazy?)

    ......Dammit. Stupid Author.

    Fine! I'll actually do some work...but I won't be personally doing work. Time to put my massive Mp pool to good use.

    |Permanent Summon, 6 Star Fenrirs|

    6 shadows begun growing out of my own shadow. Each took on a distinct form before soldifying and revealing their true selves.

    They look exactly like me, with the exception of clothing and the colour scheme.

    6 half-wolves with golden hair and eyes. The colour of the stars in the night sky.

    ...Then, how does my black hair and green eyes allude to the moon in any way? Won't I have evolved into a Nature Fenrir instead of a Lunar Fenrir?

    Forget it. Time to use these 6 and form my own spy network. After all, the Star Fenrirs all have an impressive array of skills. Skills that suited espionage and assassination disturbingly well.

    "All of you are able to visit other worlds too, correct?"

    6 simultaneous nods.

    "Very well. I shall give you names then. From left to right, Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier, Fünf, Sechs. Go now, and bring me reports if you find that idiot."

    I didn't need to specify. Star Fenrirs had access to the memories that I, the Lunar Fenrir, allowed them to see. The 6 Star Fenrirs bowed once, and then all disappeared from plain sight.

    And yes, I was lazy enough to name them using German language from 1 to 6. It fits the fighting atmosphere anyway. Got a problem with that?
    While the Star Fenrirs were hunting down the random idiot with the Archive...

    [The Pet System is now ready. Please follow this one.]

    Rufi dragged me and Claire out of the room with her.

    "What about the others?"

    [Those two...they are already there. After I told them about owning a pet, both of them were so excited they could barely sleep. Combine that with the ruckus the two of you were making last night, and it was impossible to sleep.]

    Hm.

    "Wait, you heard us?"

    [Duh! The entire Library is linked to me, you know? I can hear, see, and sense anything that goes on within its walls, even if magic to prevent surveillance was used. Still, Claire, I'll say that it's too soon to talk about that topic, especially taking your age into consideration.]

    "Uwah..."

    Already blushing? Wow, pure.

    "Rufi, you're just jealous that you won't have a boyfriend of your own, you know. Stop teasing the poor girl."

    [Wha---Shut up! I have no interest in guys!]

    "Hmmm...so you have an interest in girls, then, I didn't know you swung that way."

    That was a solid strike, even if I say so myself.

    [Mika, you...]

    "Still, I don't think anyone would want to date a girl who resembles a loli but is actually an ancient fossil. Like, there's no chances of that happening."

    Critical hit.

    [Grrr...]

    "I mean, there are perverts who like little girls, and then there are perverts who like old hags, but a mix of the two? Nah. It's the same way with traps, they really don't fit in. Therefore, you should just give up early, Rufi."

    There goes the finisher.

    [You little...]

    Oh, on second thoughts, maybe I shouldn't have pissed her off while we were still in the lift...?

    [Apocalypse Auro---Mmpf!]

    That was close. So covering the caster's mouth forcefully could interrupt the magic casting, too.

    "Uh, Mika, her face is turning blue. Maybe you should release her?"

    "It's fine. Living A.I.s like Rufi aren't alive to begin with, therefore, they wouldn't die from something like getting choked or getting suffocated."

    Wait. If she can't die from normal means, doesn't that mean she'll be the most suitable for stuff like BDS---No, that line of thought is too dangerous to be continued further, even for me.

    Let's just forget everything that ever happened here. Look! It's the floor we wanted, so let's go.

    [Mmmmmpf!]

    ...

    [*Gasp* Mika, I *Wheeze* seriously hate you. *Cough*]

    I did go slightly overboard there, to be honest.

    [If that's your definition of 'slightly overboard', I definitely won't be around to watch you go 'extremely overboard'.]

    Ouch.

    "Oooh! Eggs!"

    Are those the pet eggs?

    "Uwah! They look really delicious if fried!"

    [Can you stop thinking about cooking and eating everything that can remotely be associated with a food ingredient...]

    "Haha, I don't see the harm, Rufi. Akane might grow up to be a food critic one day."

    "No I won't, Mika-onee-san. Rufi's cooking is so bad that it makes everything else taste heavenly in comparison. Because of that, I can't judge properly."

    Ooooooooh, burn!

    [My cooking isn't that bad!]

    "Still, we should stop squabbling. Otherwise, Oneesama and Rufilia will spend the best of the next 2 hours debating furiously. Just like last time."

    That was a horrifying memory even by my standards. I'm really not keen to experience that again.

    [Fine! Anyways...as you can see here, there are two eggs. One for Mika, and one for Claire.]

    "What about the two of us?"

    [Sorry, age limit. Children below 15 can't have a pet of their own. It'll be a waste of an egg.]

    "Meanie...Oneesama."

    Oh, there goes Jessica's puppy eye tactic again.

    "Rufi, just give both of them an egg each. We have spares, don't we?"

    [That's not how pets work, Mika. Putting aside the fact that they are too young to keep pets, the two of them simply do not have enough mana to hatch a pet egg. It's impossible.]

    "Then, if Oneesama transfers her mana to us..."

    [Nope. If she did so, the hatchling will recognise her as it's owner instead. It's either all or nothing, so please work hard to raise your stats if you want a pet.]

    "Boo. Meanie Rufi."

    Rufi got dealt 999 emotional damage.

    [I can't help it...the concept of pets have existed for longer than I have. It's not possible for me to change it.]

    Hm? Why was Rufi staring at me when she said that...ah. the Akashic Records. I can modify concepts.

    |No can do. I'm lazy|

    I telepathically communicated with Rufi.

    |...Thought so|

    She sounded resigned, even with telepathy.

    And so, both myself and Claire were handed an egg each.

    ...

    [Okay, so the two of you, please start injecting your mana into the eggs. Slowly, bit by bit.]

    Hmmm. So...like this?

    *Crack*

    [Not that fast! You'll fry the egg at that rate!]

    Jeez. Troublesome. This egg's contents better be worth all this concentration.

    *Crack*

    [Okay...maintain that rate. Don't go any faster.]

    Why is hatching the goddamn egg more difficult than conducting a heart surgery with a plastic ruler?

    "Ugh...it's difficult!"

    Claire is having problems with controlling the flow of her mana, isn't she. She's already sweating buckets despite the air-conditioning here.

    *Crack*

    "Awww! How cute!"

    What leapt out from Claire's pet egg was...a cat?

    "Um...What is that?"

    [Oh, that's a Rare-ranked pet. A Luck Cat. On a combat level, it isn't that strong, but it excels in support. When taking into account your role, Claire, this Luck Cat suits you very well.]

    So the pet might be one that is extremely good for your fighting style, or it might be one that is extremely bad. Luck plays a really big role here, eh.

    [Mika! Don't let your concentration wander!]

    You know what? Screw it. I never relied on luck since I was born, and I don't plan to now, either.

    I begun removing the inhibitors I placed on myself, and allowed the egg to be exposed to the full brunt of my mana flow. If it turns out misshapen, I'll just reverse time on it, so there isn't much to fear.

    *Crack* *Crack*

    More. I'm not about to slow down just because it looks as if it's about to collapse.

    *Crack* *Crack* *Crack*

    [Mika! The egg is going to be destroyed if you continue at this rate!]

    Hmph. If it's going to be destroyed by something like that, then I might as well destroy it myself.

    |Origin Lightning!|

    A clear thunderbolt streaked down from the sky and blasted the egg. Smoke billowed everywhere.

    [Cough...Mika! What were you doing?! I told you not to add so much mana to the egg at once! Now look---]

    *Chirp*

    Hm?

    *Chirp Chirp*

    A single blue-feathered bird flew out of the smoke, and landed on my shoulder, nuzzling it's head against mine.

    Everything went dead silent.

    |Mistress! There's a problem!|

    Eins suddenly messaged me telepathically. For a Star Fenrir to say that...this is going to get annoying, isn't it.
    All of us gathered around the large conference table in my office.

    "So, what exactly happened?"

    The Star Fenrir whom was named One stepped forward, and knelt.

    "Reporting to Mistress, it is highly likely that the Archives have landed in the hands of another person. There was strong miasma blocking the way, so we were unable to reach deeper in. My apologies."

    "It's fine." I shrugged.

    It wasn't fine. Rufi had done a locating spell once again, but she was unable to detect any living presences near the Archive, wherever it was.

    Back then, even if it was in the hands of a necromancer, he was still alive, per se, so he could be detected.

    But now? Rufi could only tell that the Archives was moving. Whoever had it wasn't alive.

    "Perhaps one of the undead creations took it and ran?"

    "Sechs, undead creations are tied to their creator. They can't disobey orders and they 'die' once their creator perishes. Mistress gave us that knowledge! What did you use your brains for?"

    The one whose name meant Four sneered at the one named Six.

    "You two, don't squabble in front of the Mistress."

    "We-We're sorry!"

    "It's fine."

    A small argument never upset me. Right now, the priority was in finding the new owner.

    "Eins, you were closest to the miasma. Were there any noticable differences to the miasma than normal?"

    "Replying to the Mistres---"

    "You can quit that troublesome form of address. Just skip the formalities directly and call me Mika; formalities bore me. It's an order."

    "Understood, Lady Mika."

    Sigh. Looks like this will take some time for them to stop with that formal method of addressing..

    "As I have said, Lady Mika, there were no noticeable differences to the miasma barrier. I did notice, however, that all the corpses were left...unmarked. Almost as if they were killed by natural means rather than physical means. There were no visible traces of wounds."

    Oh, dammit. I had feared that this was going to happen.

    "Did the corpses...look as if they were forcibly ripped apart from the inside.?"

    "I believe so, Lady Mika."

    Dammit. Not alive, fights with non-physical means, attacks cause the victim to be torn apart from the inside. There's only one creature that fits the bill, and I dislike it very much so.

    A banshee. A spirit that kills with its wailing.

    "The six of you, return to the ethereal plane for now."

    "Understood, Lady."

    ...

    There was only myself and Rufi here. I had sent off Claire to take care of the 2 kids.

    "Tsk. This small matter has blown up to annoying proportions. Why on earth did you think it was a good idea to drop that book in the beginning?"

    [I'm sorry.]

    "Haaaah~ It's fine. Right now, what I need is for you to tell me one thing. What exactly did you drop?"

    [It was an archive that was formed from my Unique Skill. The Archive of the Judge.]

    "What does it do exactly?"

    [Well...the user gains the ability to kill any foe he or she deems guilty. It's like my own unique skill, only less powerful.]

    Oh, no. I can tell where this is going. Rufilia is fine, of course, but if that book landed in the hands of a human...

    "And in the mortal world, that power over life and death may as well grant someone the title of a God."

    [Precisely.]

    "Haaah. Does the Archives have any side effects?"

    [Nothing for immortals, but...for mortals, the power of judgement can warp their sense of right and wrong beyond natural extents. It is very easy to lose the righteousness that they might have set out with.]

    I could not help sighing.

    "Yep, that's precisely why power should not be handed over to just any person. You never know how exactly it ends up being used for."

    [Stop having those philosophical thoughts, Mika. You yourself are a prime example of power gone wrong.]

    "Oioi, I prefer the term 'free-spirited'."

    [Hmph. Still, what do you plan to do, now that the Archives have switched ownership?]

    "I'll observe for now. It might be troublesome, but I could rely on Grandmaster Magic to solve this problem. After all, this banshee might be suitable to carry it."

    [I think you are just being lazy...]

    "That itself is also part of the reason. After all, I don't really want to track down a banshee while I could be relaxing. It's particularly troublesome to track down spiritual lifeforms, you know."

    [Then, how exactly are you going to keep an eye on the banshee? The Star Fenrirs can't pass miasma, as both of us know very well.]

    "Ehh, I have my own magic. Its activation sequence is particularly troublesome, but it beats going after the banshee myself."

    |Howl, winds that originate from the World's Apex. Sound the horns of hunting. Wrought onto the mortal world the whisperings of the divine. Tear the land asunder and split the skies, and let all animals serve as my eyes. May there be no secrets be hidden from my sight, and let there be none that escapes my presence. Breath of the Wild.|

    With that, it should be done. The banshee won't know, but I can now see through her eyes, and let me see what she sees. With that, I can pretty much just teleport over to her whenever the need arises, so I have the luxury of watching her to see if she is worthy of holding on the that Archive...for now.

    ...

    A shadow walked out of a village.

    No, the word 'floated' would be more applicable. A familiar archive was tucked under her arms, and she was muttering.

    "This tome, whatever it is...it's amazing. This will help me fulfil my vengeance a lot faster."

    *Wince*

    "The night sure is cold...It almost felt as if something brushed past me for a second there."

    The shadow held out a list, with numerous names written on it. More than half had been crossed out.

    "With this tome...I can finally avenge my family."
    Mhm. This feels kind of wrong, but I don't have any better alternatives.

    Right now, I was using my magic to look through the eyes of the banshee. Whatever she saw, I saw. It feels like looking through a clear layer of water; there's a filmy feeling on my face, but not unpleasantly so.

    Now, let's see what our little spirit is up to...oh. A graveyard.

    ...

    It's been a long time since I came back here. The resting place of my family members.

    "Father...Mother...I have returned."

    I placed a sack down before their graves.

    "I have hunted down the people who have caused us to suffer. Hopefully, with this, the two of you can rest in peace..."

    *Giggle*

    "Hahaha...who am I kidding. Even if I got my revenge, I can't bring my parents back."

    *Snicker*

    "Honestly, this is pathetic. Even with this power, I can't bring back what I've lost."

    *Laughter*

    "If that's the case...I shall make effective use of this book. I'll pass judgement on all the evil people."

    ...

    Tsk. It doesn't look too good. At this rate, 'that' has a high chance of happening.

    The Archives are all powerful in their own right, but they each have a fatal weakness of their own, too.

    The "Judgement" Archive, for instant. Let's go over it's effects again.

    'Pass judgement on all evil beings. User will never lose when fighting with evil.'

    Sounds dandy and well, doesn't it? Wrong.

    The effects of the Archive only trigger when fighting beings of the 'Evil' Alignment. Against beings of other alignments, it is worthless. Therefore, the people that are of the largest threat to her are ones of the Chaotic Good or Chaotic Neutral Alignment.

    Granted, beings of the Chaotic Neutral Alignment are rare, but beings of the Chaotic Good Alignment are frighteningly common. If she blindly centres her fighting style around the Archive, the only thing awaiting her is a bad end. Still, she doesn't seem to be that kind of idiot, so that shouldn't be an issue...hmm.

    |Rufi? I need you to close off the Library entrance for a couple of weeks. Something tells me that this little banshee might be able to put up quite the show.|

    |So you knew about it already, huh...|

    |It was quite obvious. When I first entered the Library, it was dusty everywhere, you know? It was apparent that no one had set foot in the place for a few decades or so. Having the entrances open just as I arrive...Did you actually think I was going to believe that?|

    |Jeez. You're much smarter than I had initially expected you to be.|

    |Haha, praise me more~|

    |Still, even the strongest of beings have their weaknesses, Mika. As for your weakness...hmm, I don't need to mention it out loud, do I?|

    |Well, if you don't want me to bring up 'that' issue, then you should keep 'this' issue a secret.|

    |Fine. I expect you to solve this issue, though.|

    |No problem.|

    Mhm. That front has been taken care of, so without any further ado, let us resume stalking...I mean, observing our target! Ahem!

    ...

    "What the heck! How did the bunch of you lose to such a puny kid? What am I paying you bastards for if I have to do everything by myself?"

    The monocle-wearing man bellowed at the collection of hoodlums before him.

    "But...she came out of nowhere! Our weapons weren't even effective against her, no matter how much we struck!"

    "Fool! When has anyone ever been capable of being completely unhurt by weapons? Are you trying to say that she's some kind of spirit?"

    "Correct."

    "What the---! Where did you come from? How did you get in here?! What happened to the guards I posted?!"

    "Hmph. I see no reason to reveal my secrets to an evildoer...especially one that is soon going to be dead."

    "AHHHH! H-HELP ME!"

    "Die. Just like the trash you are, and return to the ground which you belong. At least, by becoming fertilizer, you'll be of some use to the earth as nourishment."

    ...

    My, my, my. Somebody sure is brimming with righteousness and justice, isn't she.

    But that much effort will be ultimately worthless. Just relying on herself alone, that is going to fail in the end. Even if she successful hunts down many criminals, there will still be more of them appearing to take their place.

    The notion of crime itself is like one big, ugly, messed-up phoenix. Even if it is kindled and set alight, the phoenix will always rise from it's ashes. That's what crime is like. It's a concept that has existed ever since the dawn of time, where immortals fought over control of the worlds. A single justice-seeking vigilante won't be able to solve this issue.

    I mean, Rufi had 30,000 years to spare, and she's the undying incarnation of Samael, Angel of Judgement. If even she was unable to root out crime and evil, it's hardly realistic to expect a lesser being with an inferior Archive to be able to do so, correct? Granted, Rufi's personality results in her only intervening when she feels an absolute need to...bleh.

    And than brings up the second problem. Suffice to say, crime is...needed. If crime was to be eradicated, what would professions such as heroes or vigilantes do for a living? A pearl only shines its brightest against the backdrop of the darkest night.

    Still, that's where I get my entertainment from. Idealistic people who are out to change the world...some of them do, but many of them fail, and are crushed by their failure. Either way, regardless of the outcome, the process itself is a highly amusing one for me.

    After all, even if I'm stronger by most by a huge margin, there are still things that I do not prefer doing, such as large scale interference with the natural flow of time. Things such as that, I only do so when my interests are at threat. Then, there are things that even I cannot do, such as re-writing concepts entirely. I'm merely here to keep guard of this place, after all.

    If there's one thing my Space-Time Inheritance from the previous Belphegor has told me, it's that even immortals, with no fixed lifespans, fade away someday, when they are truly forgotten and unconcerned with the worlds. To avoid that, I better find some stable source of entertainment...and fast.

    Well, little banshee, you have caught my interest. For the sake of your ideals and my leisure, please do your best, okay? Actually...I should give her a slight push, shouldn't I?

    Great idea. Why didn't I think of it before? Rufi did say that I was free to screw around when not guarding this place...and with the entrance down, no one else can access this place.

    Mhm! Taking a few weeks off to visit the mortal realm should be fun, too!
    Before I started on the 'learning' journey, I went over somewhere for a visit.

    "Mika! It's been a while! Did you settle the issue last time?"

    "Of course I did, Zora. Which reminds me, how's Hotori doing?"

    I could see her eyebrows twitching.

    "I hate to say this, but...Belphegor, that girl's hopeless. She's been in a trance ever since you beat her up that time."

    Tch. Guess she didn't earn the seat of Lucifer for nothing, then. A loss like that would be quite shocking, if I think of it.

    "Hm. Mika, you've gotta stronger again, haven't you?"

    "Yep."

    Zora's arms were trembling, ever so slightly. Beads of pespiration were dripping down her forehead.

    "Zora? Hello? Earth to Zora?"

    "We have to have a rematch one of these days! That strength you're projecting...it makes me want to have an all out brawl with you!"

    Oh. I had forgotten. Kanon inherited her battle-maniac personality from Zora.

    *Wallop*

    "OW! What was that for?"

    "Don't corrupt lolitas with weird afflictions! That's against the natural flow of this world!"

    "What does that even mean?!"

    What gibberish am I sprouting? Since when have I ever said something like "lolitas" before? What the hell? Did I just get a stroke or something?

    "Ignore that...ahem. Anyways, would it be alright if I bring Hotori out for a bit?"

    "Well, it's technically not a problem, but...Hotori's only redeeming feature is her ability to do administrative work..."

    Oh.

    "That's not an issue. I have 6 subordinates who are also quite capable of administrative work. I'll lend them to you while the two of us are out."

    "Oh, really now. That would be quite the huge help then, Mika."

    ...

    *Knock* *Knock*

    There was no response.

    "We're coming in, Hotori!"

    The door swung open noisily. Heavens, when was the last time someone went around oiling the hinges?

    And...sprawled on the bed was the current problem. Hotori. Judging from those bags under her eyes...damn, someone needs to chill.

    "I thought sleeping was my second lesson for you, Hotori. It's been merely a few days, and you already forgot that?"

    A pair of unfocused eyes met mine.

    "Belphegor?"

    "The one and only. Get up, we're going out."

    "E-Ehhh?! Wh-What the?! Uwah! Let go of me!"

    "See you in a bit, Zora."

    "Mhm."

    "Are you even listening to me?!"

    I dragged a reluctant Hotori out of the room.

    ...

    "So, what exactly do you want from me, Belphegor?"

    Oho. Addressing me like that directly...I see our relationship has gone back to that of strangers, huh. It's somewhat disappointing, given the effort I had put in to build up a relation with her.

    "Hmm. It's quite sad, actually."

    Hotori's unfocused gaze sharpened upon hearing that.

    "What'd you mean by that?"

    My, my. She's gotten a lot more bolder than before. Good. I guess that lesson on reality paid off after all.

    "Well, I was actually planning to teach you some really good stuff, but it looks like you don't have the need for them, seeing how you have reverted to addressing me like a stranger."

    I grinned, watching indecision play out across Hotori's face. Clenched fists told me pretty much what she was feeling.

    "What kind of lessons...Mika?"

    She's gotten smarter, too. Able to put up with a little bit of disadvantage for potential rewards.

    "You've probably not heard of this before, but I call it a 'learning journey'. One where people go on a self-directed trip in order to discover more of their true potential and the like."

    "And that is relevant to me because...?"

    "Well, I'm bringing you along, so that should be plenty relevant to you, no?"

    "Again, I never agreed to it, so why are you acting like this matter is settled already...Also, does someone like you actually need to go on a learning journey?"

    "C'mon! It'll be fun and stuff."

    "I don't actually have a choice in this, do I..."

    "Nope!"

    "Haaaaah~"

    ...

    "So, where are we going?"

    "Hmm. There's somebody I want you to see. Recall."

    The spell deposited us at the entrance of my office.

    "Whoa! What is this place?"

    "Mhm. This is where I live most of the time when I'm not in the 9 Hells. Welcome to my crib. Pardon the mess."

    Silence. I look over to Hotori who had a dazed expression.

    "Make yourself at home...Or so I would have liked to say, but there's only one couch. Sorry."

    "Uh, no, it's fine...What did you want to show me?"

    I settled down next to Hotori. There was practically no space on the couch for two of us.

    There's no way I'll be bothered to drag over another chair from another room just for this. Therefore...

    "Ehhhh?!"

    "Sorry, there's not enough space, so we're gonna have to do this."

    "I could sit on the floor...?"

    "Absolutely not. You're sitting right here."

    "Mouuuu..."

    "Let's start. Watch this carefully. Trace."

    ...

    "So, Hotori, the last time we...talked, you were determined to protect the innocent, weren't you?"

    "Uh-huh."

    "If that's the case, you can't do it alone. That lady whom I had just shown you would make a good ally."

    Hotori started tearing up.

    "To think you'll do so much for the sake of my---"

    "Hold it right there. I'm not doing this for nothing."

    That emotional expression on her face faltered.

    "W-What do you want in exchange, then?"

    "Hm. Nothing for now. I'm more worried about how you can actually win over that lady to your side."

    "Huh? But we share the same opinions, don't we? Why would we not get along?"

    "Hotori, sometimes, even when your opinions match, you might not necessarily get along with the other. Also, that girl seeks to rid her world of evil. Do I have to remind you of your identity?"

    Lucifer. Sin of Pride, Angel that led the Rebellion. From the name alone, it's one of the greatest evils in the world.

    "And not only that, your aura will betray your identity immediately. For the Angel of Rebellion to show up personally...what do you think she'll do?"

    The originally happy atmosphere died immediately.

    "Why did you show me this then?"

    A really sullen Hotori is quite cute, actually.

    "Well, it is true that a picture's worth a thousand words. Rather than making baseless speculation here, why not meet her directly?"

    "But...she's in another world...how do we---"

    Very good. She realised it.

    "You can cross worlds?!"

    "Well, why not? The Nine Hells exist in more than one world, after all. Actually, you didn't think we are still in your world, did you?"

    "Ehhhhhhhh?! Seriously?!"

    I've actually been dying to say these words since a very long time ago.

    "Welcome to my world. A world of blades."

    I know there aren't blades here, but just roll with it.

    "Ahem. Anyways, let's go visit the person in question, shall we? It'll be entirely up to you to convince her to ally with you, but at least you'll have the chance to do so."
    "Hotori, no matter what happens next, don't release my shoulder. If you do, you might end up stuck in a rock."

    I had sketched out a magic circle made of chalk, on the Office floor.

    Why not Spatial Teleportation, you ask? Ask Rufilia that. Oh wait, she's busy sitting in seiza, so she can't answer you.

    [I'm sorry...*Sniffles*]

    When a certain somebody went to deactivate the Library's entry points, she also accidentally cut off a certain part of the magic flowing throughout the Library. Now, minus the fact that the lights are all gone and I don't have my magic at my disposal, I also couldn't leap through world boundaries.

    Argh, my mana pool is still too small. Usually, the fact that I'm a Lunar Fenrir allows me to access the mana present in the atmosphere, which provides a stable source of mana for spellcasting, but the Library plays by different rules. Once the mana is cut off, I'll have to depend on my own limited reserves to cast magic.

    Without Belphegor's inherited Space-Time Magic Mastery, I would have failed to even use Teleport. The mana drain on these is ridiculous.

    Well, the Blessing of Yggdrasil replenishes mana at a much faster rate than usual, so I'm allowed more uses of these high end spells compared to my fellows at Mythical Rank.

    Rufilia had told me that apparently those old geezers at Ethereal Rank don't even have a physical body unless they create one for themselves...Talk about being overpowered. Tch.

    "What's the evolution requirement for the Lunar Fenrir, anyway?"

    [Responding to Librarian, seeing the evolution requirements will cost 200 mana crystals.]

    What. So stingy. Even if I had that much, I'm not giving you that.

    "Oi, Rufi...Do something about this. To begin with, if I was in charge of everything in the Library, why do I have to pay for anything here? It makes no sense."

    Out of the great kindness of my heart, I pulled Rufi out of her seiza position.

    [That's not how it works, Mika. I would give you all of them for free, but...firstly, the Library's treasures were mostly sealed up long ago, to prevent theft...to undo those seals, especially the ones on the rarer items, I would need mana crystals...Which is also why the currency was in mana crystals. If I had accepted that lump of mana crystal you had created by yourself back then, that seal system would have gone out of order...]

    Tch. That was some convenient plot armour.

    "Rufi. I knew I already called you out for this, but...with the Akashic Records in my keeping and the Treasures safely sealed, and you telling me that the Library's mana crystals are a rare currency in most worlds...There was no reason for invasions at all. I already got used to killing, after all."

    [Then, do I cancel the weekly Invasions?]

    Good question. Hmm.

    Those weekly Invasions are troublesome, but it's the only way for me to get a steady flow of experience points with minimum risk of dying. The Library is my home ground, after all.

    Also, the other 3 need more combat practice, and if I cancel out the Invasions, I'll lose contact with other worlds...I still have the story worlds, but there's still a tangible difference between real and fabricated worlds.

    Also, there's still one world I need to check out. Ferunia...Is Celine still doing well? The rebel cause...what happened in the span of the last few weeks, I wonder?

    [Mika? Library to Mika!]

    Hmm? What the...what was I thinking of again? Did I actually just care about other people besides myself for a second there?

    Tch. I've gotten way too soft. Worrying about others when my own safety isn't 100% guaranteed either.

    "Let the Invasions continue for now, Rufi. They need some practice, anyway."

    "Umm...Mika..."

    Oh. I forgot all about Hotori.

    "Wait a moment, okay? The portal will be up and we can leave immediately, since there's no pressing issue---"

    *Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!*

    I really have to stop sending up flags everywhere. What now?

    *Boom!*

    The outer parts of the Library? Why are the mana cannons firing?

    Rufilia immediately disappeared. She must been accessing the mainframe to identify the issue.

    |Rufi. What's the situation?|

    I could hear furious tapping on the other side of the conversation.

    |Hallway 87, no intruders. Room 462, nothing. Main Hall, untouched. Sector 23...oh.|

    Silence. Rufilia had gone uncharacteristically quiet.

    |What's wrong? Did something happen at Sector 23?|

    Not knowing the situation and being kept in the dark is a truly exasperating feeling.

    |It's better if you get up here immediately, Mika. We've got an intruder.|

    One intruder? And the traps haven't gotten them yet?

    |Give me a moment, I'll be at the Surveillance Room immediately...Dammit.|

    I can't use Space Magic with the mana system being cut off.

    |Rufi. I can't get up there. Just tell me who the intruder is.|

    |Okay, I'll send you a live feed using the Office's A.I....I think you'll recognise this one.|

    Hmm. I turned back to Hotori.

    "There's a problem, but don't worry. We'll set out the moment this issue is fixed. Meanwhile, we should keep watch on where the little banshee is."

    |Trace|

    The conjured screen showed a scene of the banshee screaming at something, which promptly broke...hmm? That background seems familiar somehow.

    |Mika, I'm sending the feed to you now.|

    Another screen appeared beside the first, showing the scene of traps breaking as someone...screamed at them.

    Wait a minute. I rubbed my eyes, and took a closer look at both screens.

    "Say, Hotori, my eyesight must be getting worse. Come take a look at these two screens."

    A puzzled Hotori walked over, and peeked at both screens.

    "These two screens are showing the same person...why?"

    Hah...Now I get why the flags I raised were unresponsive for so long. They all came true at once. The very banshee I was keeping an eye on was now getting past the defences of the Library. Jeez. This is going to be very awkward.

    "Hotori."

    "Hm?"

    "Change of plans. We don't need to go to another world to visit her..."

    I paused.

    "Because she's already here, and she's making her way into this place as we speak. Let's go meet your new friend."
    In the haste to run away, I picked a random portal and pulled Hotori through it.

    *Bam!*

    We ended up on a grassland, with me landing on Hotori.

    "Ouch...Heavy..."

    Oi. My weight is in the acceptable range. Acceptable, you hear me?

    "Mika...I can't move..."

    This posture feels quite comfortable, actually.

    "Hey! Mika, don't fall asleep! Get off me!"

    Bah, stingy. I rolled off with great reluctance.

    Having been liberated of me, Hotori got up and dusted her clothes off, staring at me warily as she did so.

    "What happened just now? Why did you suddenly drag me away from the banshee and into this portal?"

    "I thought you knew? Oh wait, that was a telepathic conversation so you didn't hear a word of what we were talking about. Oops."

    For some reason, I could hear a vein popping.

    "Don't 'Oops' me! You were the one who pulled me here to make an ally! Why did you pull me away before I could even introduce myself?"

    "Well, that's because the banshee needed some time to think alone, so I had to bring you out of the area in order to...okay, making up stuff and trying to make them reasonable is more difficult than I thought. Therefore...teehee?"

    *Bam!*

    Ow...That was her Titan Crusher Hammer, wasn't it?

    "What kind of answer was that?! Also, where are we?"

    "Ouch...Let's see. This grassland...Oh."

    There's the markings of a large massacre having once occurred here. The ground is still slightly red, and I can still faintly smell the blood.

    Tch. Such a waste of lives. Would have been better if the experience points for the kills went to me back then.

    Yes, this place was where I once decimated the army of Ferunia Kingdom, during the Second Invasion of the Library. The place where Paradox Magic first showed it's fearsome self.

    *Crunch*

    I see the skeletons of the dead knights are still here, huh? Wonder if there are any valuables worth looting here?

    "Hotori."

    The other girl---no, the other Prince of Hell was currently hiding behind me, quivering.

    "Huh?"

    "Go look through the dead bodies. There might be items of value. Especially in places of massacre and death such as this, I've been told that they are the most optimal places to pick up treasures that are attuned to the darker aspects of magic."

    Battlefields are the best place to collect Necromancy relics. Even if I don't use them, I can give them to Rufilia to be harvested for pure mana and used to upgrade the Library.

    "But...isn't that an act of disrespect to the dead?"

    She's still innocent, huh.

    "Hotori. This army was originally heading to attack my base. Therefore, all I did was retaliate. You can't say I behaved unreasonably, can you?"

    "Well, that's true, but..."

    "Here's the fifth lesson, Hotori. There are plenty of morally grey zones that exist out there. This is only one of numerous other cases. Just remember, when it's in the middle of a battle, the enemy isn't going to care if you are good or evil. As long as someone declares themselves as an enemy, it means that you should expect them to kill you. When that happens, the foremost and most important thing to do is to defend yourself, and if possible, fight back. If not, run. There's no shame in throwing your dignity to survive and take revenge another day."

    Sometimes, I wonder why I'm patient enough to deal with this girl. It's not as if I'm obliged to teach her anything, so why am I giving her such a serious education?

    I mean, she's less close to me as compared to the other 3. And we've tried to kill each other before. And here I am, giving her advice in order for her to survive properly out there.

    "I understand, but...I can't do this."

    Expected it. I'm not too disappointed, but...when will she finally accept it? The fact that she's the greatest of the Seven Sins?

    "Then stay here, Hotori. Wait for me while I go look through these things. If you're feeling queasy, don't look."

    Again with the concern. This is starting to be really annoying. Tch.

    ...

    Not a bad haul. I have some items of Rare quality, and even a few of Epic Quality.

    Hotori was still looking unwell, but at least she didn't faint this time. Improvement.

    "Mika...can we go now?"

    Yep. Let's get going.

    "Wha---!"

    "Close your mouth or you'll bite your tongue."

    The scenery passed by really quickly...wait, I'm running at half-speed, so of course.

    Where am I going? Good question. You didn't think I'll forget the rebel beastkin, did you? Since I was brought to Ferunia for the third time, I might as well check up on the rebels. I wonder how Celine is doing?

    ......Tch!

    "Hotori, hang on. This ride is going to get rough."

    "Wha---Mmmmmmphf!"

    |Streamline.|

    I guess this is more of a self-invented skill than magic, but it works. All those science lessons I've taken have not been in vain.

    When something runs at high speeds, the wind pushes it back, in a process called air resistance and whatnot...right? Anyway, by wrapping winds around me in the shape of a triangular structure, I can bypass most of that resistance to run faster...About 60% increase in running speed?

    Couple that with my naturally high speed, and a distance of a few mere kilometres becomes practically negligible.

    The only side effect is...well...one can probably guess it.

    ...

    *Bleugh*

    Hotori was throwing up the contents of her stomach at the side of the road.

    "Mika...you...Blargh..."

    I gave her a few pats on the back, just to ensure that she got rid of it all.

    "Don't run like that ever again! Especially when you're carrying or pulling me along! I can't handle such high speeds!"

    As I was saying, high speed traveling makes people nauseous. I'm still fine, but apparently most people can't handle the speed. Tsk.

    "Say, Hotori..."

    "What?"

    Putting aside the issue of the running, there's a more serious problem occurring.

    "The capital city...I don't think they celebrate National Bonfire Day."

    It was still quite far away, but the glow of the firelight against the backdrop of the setting sun was obvious even to an idiot. The Capital city of Ferunia Kingdom was burning.

    "Well, looks like something to pass the time with."
    There's only one thing to do when a capital city is burning.

    "It's time to loot the palace and take all the valuables!"

    *Bonk!*

    "That's what you were planning to do?!"

    My face seems to be coming into contact with the ground frequently these days.

    "Relax and lighten up, Hotori. That was a joke."

    "Your jokes could convince a peacemaker to kill himself..."

    Hm? I feel like my ears failed me there for a second. Anyway, how do I get to the rebel hideout again?

    "Say, Hotori...do you know if there are any tunnels nearby?"

    "This is my first time being in this world! What makes you think that I would know the lay of the land?!"

    Tch. No help there either. I could rely on my memory, but it's a very unpredictable thing.

    "This is going to be really annoying to do...but I have no better alternatives...|Tracing Breeze|."

    It works like a bat's echo location, except with gusts of wind rather than sound waves. The area of effect can be extended, at the cost of more mana.

    The worst part is that the mana drain scales increasingly with every 1 metre more of effect...at some point, the mana drain is so ridiculous that I won't even be able to maintain the spell any more. Therefore, I'm hoping that I can find the hideout before my mana runs dry.

    2 kilometres of radius. Nothing.

    4 kilometres. I can't detect any tunnels.

    7 kilometres. There's a few, but none of them are deep enough.

    10 kilometres. I still can't find an---Tch!

    Hotori caught me before I collapsed.

    "Mika?"

    Tch. Can't afford to take naps here. Stand up properly, dammit.

    [Achieved the title 'Strong-Willed'. Mana exhaustion becomes less severe.]

    Pffft. Strong-willed. I got it as a result of not falling to mana exhaustion, didn't I? For the unlock requirement to be to drain all of my mana, whoever made this system must have had a few screws loose, right?

    And for me to have unlocked so many titles...that makes me a pervert, doesn't it? Dammit.

    "Haaah...To think it was so hard to find a tunnel..."

    "There's a tunnel nearby."

    Huh?

    "What'd you mean? You found a tunnel?"

    "I have Mana Detection. More importantly, Mika, the tunnel entrance seems to be closed."

    Closed...That was why my Wind Magic didn't work...I'm an idiot...

    "Haah...Hotori, hide your aura. We're going to visit a few of my old friends."

    I forced myself to stand, and begun staggering towards the general direction of the tunnel Hotori sensed.

    "What does hiding my aura mean? How do I do it?"

    ......No way.

    When I turned around for a closer look, Hotori had tilted her head, and appeared as if she was completely clueless. If this had been a manga, she would have had a giant question mark floating above her head...What am I thinking right now?

    "You...you don't know what hiding your aura means?"

    An inaudible shake of the head.

    "Have you never heard of it or done it before in your whole life?"

    Another nod.

    "Then, all this time, whenever you visited Earth, you didn't hide your aura..."

    Yet another shake of the head.

    "I really don't like where this is going, but tell me. When did you visit Earth in the last few centuries?"

    Hotori tilted her head.

    "I think the last time I visited Earth was...in the 1900s? Sometime in Mid April? The locals said that it was called...California?"

    The Fire of San Francisco, 1906...

    "Before that, it was in the middle 1800s, also in Mid April, except that the location was called Pennsylvania, I think."

    The Great Fire of Pittsburgh, 1845...

    If she goes around like this, isn't it basically setting up a flag asking for something to happen? Tch, I've got no time to worry about that! If her presence does set off another fire, I'll just wrap myself in a wind shroud!

    I took a small step forward...and tripped.

    Tch. My pitiful reserves of mana are affecting my movement, huh. Depending on the ring is a good method, but it'll be at least an hour before I can move, and judging from the small fact that there's a citywide fire going on, one hour of inactivity would probably be an extremely unwise decision.

    C'mon, all those times I've spent on reading novels couldn't have been just a waste, right. If I recall properly, there was a rather well accepted theory about Hp and Mp. Something about the psyche and the anima?

    The mana pool and the psyche directly influence each other, so exhausting all of one's mana would cause real life exhaustion...was that how it went?

    In other words...Hmph!

    [You have learnt the skill |Mana Recharge|. You are now able to replenish your mana completely once per day.]

    I slowly got back up, feeling the exhaustion that had gripped me fade away.

    "Hotori. Close your mouth. Tightly."

    Hotori understood what I meant a moment after I said it.

    "Wait, I'm not---"

    A moment too late.

    "Put me dooooooown! I said I hate speeeeeeeeeeed!"

    Sorry, I have my priorities...Is what I'll like to have said, but that was just being purely sadistic, wasn't it. I should go check on my mental state someday.

    *Boom*

    Yeah, I was in a hurry, so I ran at the same speed as before, using Streamline. It took me only a while to reach the place Hotori specified.

    *Bam Bam Bam*

    I knocked on the entrance a couple of times. There was no response. In that case.

    "If anyone is inside, move away from the door! I'm coming in! |Meteoric Storm Fist!|"

    The entrance crumbled, allowing wind to flow into the tunnel. As the air outside rushed into the tunnels, the air inside were displaced outside, and I nearly hurled.

    The smell of blood. The stench of death. Something miserable had occurred inside this place.

    I rushed inside, leaving Hotori outside to stand guard. Inside the tunnels...oh, dear lord...

    The dead bodies of beastkin were scattered everywhere. Judging from the wounds, all of them had went down fighting.

    Descending into the deeper levels of the mine, I reached the secret entrance, and knocked hard on the false wall.

    Still no response. The surroundings never felt more lonelier.

    "Creak~*

    Oh, no...

    Evidence of a last stand was very apparent here. The panther beastkin I had seen that other day was lying on the ground, dead. The elderly leopard beastkin was dead from a sword through the chest, having gripped a dagger right before his demise.

    Where's Celine?

    It was then that I realised one essential fact, and then put two and two together. The capital was ablaze, and all the female beastkin were missing.

    I've had enough of this nonsense. If they wish for it so much, Ferunia will fall today, and I'll personally wipe it off the world map.
    The capital city was blazing, and people were running everywhere. Screams filled the air.

    Whoever started the fire did a very good job. Going by this world's technology level and the ability level of the average Ferunia soldier, it will be very difficult for the fire to be put out any time soon.

    What's more, using the church roof as a vantage point, and my enhanced vision to back it up, I can roughly trace where the fire started. Lo and behold, the starting point was the castle which I can only assume to be the royal family's residence.

    Why is it that whenever something big happens, it always starts from the royal family or somewhere related to them? Isn't the flag of royalty being waved a little too high at this rate?

    Still, judging by the fire, I can only assume that someone deliberately set it in order to serve as some type of distraction...again, why is it that the majority of smoke-screen and distraction ploys involve fire in one way or another? Won't something like, say...poison, do better?

    "Hotori."

    "Hmm?"

    As much as I hate to admit it, I needed her help.

    "Mana Detection can pick out certain people from a crowd, right?"

    "Yes, but using Mana Detection requires the caster to know the target's mana signature in order to do so. The mana signature is unique for every person; it acts as an indicator of sorts for the proficiency one has in casting spells. When someone casts a spell or uses magic, their proficiency with the associated elements will react to the spell, thus determining it's strength."

    So it's like an ID or sorts? No wonder Rufilia was able to identify my forged mana crystals back when she first explained the Library's currency system.

    "So if I wanted you to find a person, you'll have to have access to their mana signature...I guess I can't ask for your help , then."

    Hearing my words, for the first time, Hotori looked extremely proud.

    "Mika. I don't just have Mana Detection. Mine is far superior."

    ...Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like smacking that smug expression right off her face?

    "I have an EX Skill called Pride's Reach. With this skill, as long as I come into contact with anything belonging to the target, I can tell where they are! Useful, isn't it?"

    "......"

    I silently gave her a chop to the head, without restraining my strength.

    "Ouch! Why did you do that for?"

    For an EX Skill, that effect sounds pathetically underpowered. Coming into contact with something belonging to the target...Did you think that I have a habit of carrying other people's things around with me at all times? Also, what determines if an item 'belongs' to someone? If I used a piece of paper to dry my face after washing, does that piece of paper become mine?

    Forget what I said earlier. This skill sucks more than the modern fingerprinting identification method on Earth. It might be magic, but why expand that much mana when you can save it by using a method that is only a slight bit slower?

    Sadly, beggars can't be choosers. I've no idea how to do fingerprinting, and I don't have anything that Celine gave me...wait.

    The elder leopard beastkin said this before. That a librarian outfit wasn't suitable for an assassination mission. And he asked Celine to get me a change of clothes. Whose clothes were those?

    |Open, unfathomable void. Spatial Storage.|

    Thank god I had shoved this outfit into my Storage and never bothered to move in ever since. This can therefore go to show that laziness is essential for daily life.

    Ahem. Anyways...

    "Hotori. Try using your skill on these."

    If it doesn't work, we'll be back to square zero. Because right now, I haven't had the foggiest idea regarding what the heck exactly happened here. Use the Akashic Records, you say? I left that back in the Library, so no dice there either. The only solution now is to leave is up to luck...heh.

    The only good outcome of waiting is learning one thing. People always say that time seems to tick slowly when an important decision is about to be made. Now, I can safely say that that is a whole bunch of lies. While waiting for Hotori to finish using her skill, time neither slowed down nor sped up. The screams of the injured below continued at the same speed.

    "There's a weak signal from this. I can detection the owner somewhere in this city, but I'm unsure of her identity."

    That's good enough. At least we have a clue to work with.

    "Hotori, hold on."

    "Umu..."

    In the chaos, one or two more shadows won't matter. The fastest way through the city would naturally be along the roofs. Hotori looks resigned for some reason, but I've no time to worry about that.

    *Hup-hup-hup-hup*

    We're here. Where Hotori felt the owner of those assassin clothes belonged to.

    It's a discarded building for storing building materials, half collapsed...Oh, the irony.

    I can sense someone else's presence. Another person is in here besides our duo.

    "Hotori. Take out your hammer."

    The other party is probably too weak to put up a fight, but better safe than getting stabbed. Ambush is also a viable conclusion, after all.

    Tsukuyomi gleamed cruelly in the darkness of the destroyed building.

    "Mika, whoever it is, he or she is right behind this pile of bricks."

    Having a living radar with me at all times is really useful. I turned the corner, ready for a fight.

    That was when the smell first hit.

    A beastkin with one of her legs missing. Lacerations on her arms and back. The front of her body was riddled with stab wounds. Her left arm was singed. To make it worse, she was still breathing.

    Cat ears stuck out of her hairline.

    For the first time in almost 2 decades, I felt like cursing.

    "Celine. It was you after all."

    The cat beastkin, Celine---or rather, what was left of her, struggled to raise her head, staring at me.

    "...Mika?...Thank goodness, you're still alive."

    "Tch. Did you actually think I would die that easily? I'll outlive you by more than a few millennia, you know."

    I'm quasi-immortal, but still, living forever sounds boring.

    "Heh...You're one of the few hundred beastkin that are still alive...I'm glad."

    I gave her a light slap to the face.

    "Oi, no dozing off now. What happened?"

    "We got ambushed...The information was a bait to lure us out...They never actually planned to let us run..."

    "And you set the fire? For the others to get away?"

    A slight nod, followed by coughing. Blood. Celine's eyes met mine, and she smiled slightly.

    "...Tch. I understand."

    "Mika? What are you---"

    "Hotori. Stay out of this."

    Celine was beyond saving. Both of us knew that. What she wanted, in the brief moment we made eye contact, was salvation.

    She wanted me to end it for her swiftly. A single strike to grant her mercy.

    "Farewell, Celine. I'll always remember you."

    And so, I did. I swung Tsukuyomi.
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2018
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  16. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Side Stories Part 2
    On the outskirts of a ruined city, 6 shadows were having a meeting.

    "He should be in the city somewhere. Split up and search for him; he can't have gone far."


    "Split up? That sounds like a bad idea. What if he has an ambush prepared?"

    "Heh. Don't be such a coward, Vier. With Mistress' power, do you really think he'll be an opponent for any of us?"

    The biggest one of them smacked another on the head, similar to how an older sibling would discipline a younger one.

    "Enough, Sechs. Caution is never a bad thing. Still, Vier, Sechs has a point. The target this time is far too weak to fight any of us; additionally, have you forgotten the Mistress' words?"

    "If you mess up, I'll assist."

    There was a brief moment of dry laughter between the six.

    "That was actually quite a good imitation of the Mistress, Drei. You need to mimic her signature chuckle too, though."

    "Haha, give it up, Fünf. Did you really think an ice block like Drei would chuckle? I'll be honestly frightened."

    *Crack*

    A wall nearby collapsed, a palm print visible on some of the falling bricks.

    "Zwei..."

    "Sigh. Break it up, both of you; it's time we split up. Keep in telepathic contact if things go south."

    "Understood."

    The 6 shadows shimmered, then vanished into different directions, as if they were never there to begin with.

    ...

    Not a sign of a living being here...what happened to this place?

    Glancing through Mistress' memories, I roughly understood the reason. Someone cast black magic here. The stench of death and the unnatural was present deep within the air.

    Still...as a Star Fenrir, I was among the top races in terms of combat, yet I was in awe and fear of my Mistress, the Lunar Fenrir.

    In technically terms, a Star Fenrir has 1/3 of the power of a Lunar Fenrir, so the 6 of us should technically be twice as strong as our mistress.

    It doesn't work that way in reality, though. Even if there was 12 of us, we might not necessarily be able to win against her in a head-on clash.

    Besides, Mistress treats us very well. Despite being a Mythical creature, she doesn't really show off or put on airs. In fact, she doesn't really seem to have changed from the time when she was still a Storm Fenrir. Perhaps that's the reason why?

    For some reasons though, I am unable to access her memories of when she was still a human...Does this mean that she would rather not talk about her time as a human? Further investigation might be needed, so as to ensure that we do not unwittingly offend her.

    Still, the Mistress is one of the kinder beings I've seen...Although, that might be prejudiced due to the fact that I've not met any other beings around her level. She also gave me a name first, too. According to lupine custom, it means that she wants me to be the leader of the six of us.

    To prove myself worthy of this honor, I shall get this task done, even if it means my life.

    ...

    Something is off.

    I can detect a whole group of 'somethings' stumbling about. However, there are no signs of life in the vicinity.

    It is true that Star Fenrirs don't give off any life presence, being made of energy, but that doesn't account for the sizeable group of 'somethings' that are moving around.

    Also, there's a thick black...fog? that blankets this area. It reeks of corruption and fell magic. The work of the unholy, no doubt.

    Being of Neutral Alignment, we don't get along too well with beings from both the Good and Evil Alignments. It's not like we fight to the death as soon as we meet or something, but it's better to minimize contact with them.

    There's a barrier too, created to prevent inrusion. I can undo it, but it will take a lot of time. There might be a gatekeeper, too.

    My sisters...stay safe and keep watch over the area.

    ...

    I broke the barrier. It was capable of self growth, so I didn't have time to call the other 5, but there was no gatekeeper that showed up.

    Overconfidence? That was what I thought so, until I found brutalized remains strewn on the ground. Combat had occurred here.

    Among the shredded corpses lay amalgamations created from human organs. A dog with a human head sewn onto it. A row of human feet sewn together to a single horse corpse. An organism that seemed to be created by fusing several human limbs together.

    Disgusting. And what spilled from these corpses weren't blood. It was black and viscious, like oil.

    Well, at least I know it's necromancy magic now. Still, to have been able to kill all of these...monstrosities...what manner of being invaded this place before me?

    A creator would never kill the creations used for his own defense. And there's also the fact that no one would put weaklings in charge of their own defense system. In that case, it means that someone---possibly with strength rivalling a Star Fenrir---forced their way in.

    This place has become dangerous to stay in, and the miasma only thickens further in. I cannot move effectively in that environment, so we should retreat and notify the Mistress for now.

    "Everyone, the circumstances have changed. It's time we returned and reported our findings."

    ...

    Within a ruined laboratory, a hooded shadow rose, unsteadily, from the corpse that she had been sitting on. An ancient tome, fashioned from sheepskin, was clutched in her hands.

    "Finally...I've killed him, and avenged you guys."

    If one were to observe closely, the shadow was floating, her pale white feet hovering above the floor.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Author's Note: Each Star Fenrir has 1/3 the power of a Lunar Fenrir, so they have 1/3 of Mika's stats each. But they do not have Mika's skills, such as her《Belphegor》or《Azrael》, and therefore are weaker.

    Star Fenrirs, being made of pure energy, do not fear physical attacks, but miasma (corrupted/demonic energy) prevents them from passing.
    [...]

    "Um..."

    [...Haaah...]

    "I-I'm sorry!"

    [It's fine. It's not your fault, anyway. Damnable Mika, running away just like that...not that I didn't expect it, but still...]

    Somehow, even though I wasn't built to 'feel' or 'have emotions', Mika's actions have constantly managed to make me feel discomfort. I think they called it...exasperation?

    [Forget it. You're here to return that tome, right?]

    "Yes..."

    Typical of Mika, dumping everything she finds remotely distasteful with me, and then going on a trip to some other world. Still, she did say something about seeking justice...for now, this girl has caught my attention.

    [Come with me. We need to have a talk.]

    I dragged the girl down the hallway, heading for one of the spare guest rooms...Wait...ugh, Mika's bad habits are starting to rub off me. Before she came here, I would have waited for the guest to nod in the affirmative, at least, but now...

    There's a sense of defeat...Why?

    ......

    [I understand. The previous owner of this tome was a necromancer, and he wiped out your village during an experiment, and took you back to test out his magic on, so you waited, broke out, and killed him. That's why you're part banshee, right?]

    The girl nodded.

    "At first, I didn't understand why it happened to me, and so I cursed my miserable life, being unable to physically exist in the world...but then, I realised that this was also, in a way, a blessing. Being unable to be touched by regular people helped me to enforce justice."

    I see. So that's why Mika left it to me. The Judge of Candor, huh? It's been a long time since I last took on that mantle, but I suppose now is a good time as any.

    [Very well. I will teach you. 10 lessons, and no more. What you are able to glean from these lessons shall be what you leave with. Take it as a finder's reward for bringing back the Tome of the Judge.]

    You know, if this was the old days, I would have merely offered thanks to whoever found it, but Mika managed to persuade me---successfully---about the notion of giving rewards to those who have done me a good turn.

    I wonder how long it was since my beliefs underwent such a significant change? The set of values I have now seem to have deviated slightly from the ones I was originally created with, but it isn't that unpleasant of a feeling. Rather, it's like...what do they call it again? A breath of the spring?

    "Then, I'll be under your care! Please take care of me in this brief acquaintance!"

    ...Be as that may, I still need to have a talk with Mika when she returns. Especially now, or I can only foresee similar instances occurring with much more frequency in the near future. The Librarian may control the Library, but it's my job to ensure that she doesn't go out of hand while she does so.

    Maybe it's high time to update the defences...I forgot to take into account defensive measures against astral-type entities such as Spirits and the like, so if she wasn't here in peace, we could have been in trouble...

    ...Nah, who am I kidding. I doubt anyone can get past Mika. Lunar Fenrir or not, there's an air of efficiency around her. She just seems like the type of person that can be counted on to get things done...wait, since when did I start thinking about stuff like that?

    [Well, for now, stay here. I'll be back in a while.]

    I headed out, walking in the direction of the Atrium. The Tome of the Judge was tucked under my arm.

    ......

    Done. The Tome of the Judge is back to it's original place. I returned to the banshee, who was pacing about in the room, looking extremely restless. She was so preoccupied, she didn't even notice me entering the room.

    [Does something happen to be wrong, perchance?]

    "Eeek! No, uh...Um..."

    She looks really embarrassed. I didn't know banshees could turn red, too.

    [What is it? Is there something bothering you?]

    I waited, patiently.

    "Well...you see..."

    There's a lot of hesitating for some reason...Wait. Sometime last week, Mika was always going on about how, when students first meet their teacher, they fret about whether or not they are worthy of their teacher's teachings, and therefore end up hesitating...Is that it?

    For the first time in 30,000 years, I felt a strange sense of responsibility. One that is derived from a student-teacher bond. It compelled me to share with her my experiences, the truths that I had understood after so long...

    Fear not! Even if you are uncertain, I'll impart my valuable knowledge to you! This one has never been more motivated in her entire life!

    "...I'm kind of hungry now..."

    [......]

    Okay, I get it. I understand completely. I'm just a 30,000 year old loli who will never achieve anything significant in life. No worries, I understand, It's not like I'm sad or anything.

    ...Go burn in hell, Mika! Explode into bits and pieces! Then dissipate into ashes and dust, and get blown away and scattered in the wind! Why do you get all the attention and respect?! It's not fair!

    Just you wait and see! I'll teach this banshee so well, she'll be begging me to extend her lessons! Then, I'll walk up to you with a triumphant expression, and brag all about how successful of a teacher I was! Just you watch!

    "Um...Teacher, you have a really creepy expression on your face."

    Oh, dammit! I got carried away!

    [Uh...Don't mind that. You said you were hungry, yes? I'll cook you something. Come with me, we'll begin the lessons after lunch.]

    "O-Okay..."

    ......

    [Say, you okay there?]

    "Yeah...just...it'll take a while..."

    I cooked lunch, she ate it, and now we were having a bathroom conversation. I wonder why.

    My cooking isn't that bad, right? It's not the reason why a banshee, a spirit that isn't supposed to have bodily functions, is using the toilet right now, right?

    ...Looks like I'm going to have to find another treasure to give Mika, in exchange for her giving me cooking lessons...What is with this sense of defeat...?
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2018
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  17. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Arc 7: The Darkness Within
    This would be a good place to raise a question: Why do rebellions happen?

    If one were to read fiction, they would notice that rebellions are usually set to occur when there is the presence of a tyrant on the throne, or as part of a movement to improve the condition of the country. Or, in the case of a certain Death God, the desire to change and mould the future of the world.

    If one were to look back at the history of the Earth, they would find that it fits with the fantasy setting in most storybooks. And for every significant rebellion or uprising, there would be a central, most important figure. The person who led France against the English, Joan of Arc. The gladiator that led slaves against the Roman Empire, Spartacus. And the reasons that they took up arms were similar; to change the way things were.

    Granted, Joan of Arc burned at the stake under accusations for being a witch, and Spartacus died in battle in the end, but it doesn't change the fact that they tried.

    In the case of this kingdom, I'm guessing that it's both. To escape the oppression of the humans that they are forced to serve, and (perhaps) to create a kingdom of their own. And like so many rebellions, this one failed.

    Celine said that there was only a few hundred beastkin left in this kingdom...Tch.

    You know, with all of those things going on, it's pretty hard to stay Neutral. If I had to pick a side, judging from the actions of both parties, I would side with the beastkin. However, I have to do my job. Rufilia said that I was free to interfere and mess around with other worlds as much as I wished, but I'll rather not. Too much interference can never end well...

    ...But again, as a Neutral role, I have an obligation to ensure that the conflict between parties are kept as fair as possible. If a few hundred beastkin slaves don't stand a chance against an entire human kingdom, then all I have to do is to make the odds even.

    Twisting words happen to be one of my favourite pastimes. A hundred beastkin slaves against a hundred human soldiers ought to be equal, no? In that case, I have no need for the other humans.

    "Hotori. I'm going to massacre all of these humans. Are you going to stop me again?"

    "You know I can't stop you if that's what you want...But I dislike the idea of killing."

    "In that case, you better give up your thoughts about justice. If you can't bear to kill slavers, liars and tricksters, then you shouldn't even try going after murderers, serial killers, and other high-end criminals. I can already foresee that it's going to end badly."

    "But you don't know if there are any good humans here..."

    Her belief is weakening. A few more pushes.

    "Hotori. Here's the sixth lesson: It's better to wrongly kill thousands, than let a single criminal get away. You saw that Celine lost one of her legs, right? The injury was too smooth to be from natural causes."

    Hotori turned a faint green upon grasping the hidden meaning.

    "Torture? But..."

    Almost there.

    "Who's to say that the civilians are innocent? Most of the time, the common people follow the example of the nobles, and the nobles strive to behave like royalty. With such heavy demi-human persecution, did you actually think that there were any innocent people here? Innocence has died out in this Kingdom long ago."

    "No way..."

    Just one more strike.

    "Seventh Lesson: If you want to dish out justice to those who so richly deserve it, being merciless is a must. A soft-hearted Judge may be popular with the public, but only a level-headed Judge can truly get justice served against criminals that so richly deserve it. Learning to be merciless is only the first step to pursuing justice."

    "...I see."

    Success.

    |You have earned the title《Master Puppeteer》. Your words have a lot more weight to listeners.|

    Well, I suppose that's how it appears to be to other people. Haaah. Why do I always get the negative sounding titles? Harbinger of Destruction...And now Master Puppeteer. I'm not that manipulative...Right?

    "I see...I won't stop you, then. I want to kill those criminals myself."

    I might have overdid it a bit, but the result came out favourably.

    "Then, Hotori, I'll leave this gate to you. Don't let any of them get past."

    At the same time, I contacted my Star Fenrirs.

    |Eins. Drei. Vier. Sechs. I need the four of you to do something for me.|

    There was a chorus of |Yes, Lady Mika!| Ugh. I do really need to sit down one day and get them to stop addressing me in such a fashion. It makes my skin crawl.

    |You can see where I am, yes? I want three of you to guard the other 3 gates. Don't let any humans get past you. Each of you, pick out, say, 50 humans at random and capture them. Kill all the rest. Eins, I want you to observe Hotori stealthily. If she lets any humans get past her, murder them without letting her find out. That's all.|

    I shut off the telepathy before another round of 'Yes, Lady Mika' could begin. Now, while those 5 ensure that the humans don't escape, I need to get the other group back here.

    I daresay they haven't gotten very far. The fire hasn't been burning for more than half an hour, so if they started escaping, they couldn't have gotten too far in a mere 30 minutes. After all, if they were slaves, they could hardly have been well-fed enough to run.

    Since Hotori and I didn't see any beastkin on the way, I can only assume that those few hundred beastkin escaped from one of the other gates. This is also why I only summoned 4 Star Fenrirs for guarding the gates.

    |Zwei. Funf. See the gate I'm currently at? Choose one gate each, other from the one I'm currently at. I want you to proceed from the gates you have chosen, and start tracking down a group of beastkin.|

    |Understood, Lady Mika.|

    Sensing the two of them go off in different directions, I took the remaining gate.

    "Well. I wonder which of us three will find them first?"
    So, we somehow got to this point.

    "Murderer! You killed so many of us!"

    "Your kind massacred us first! Blame it on your King!"

    "Shut up, filthy beastkin! Things like you only deserve to serve us for your whole life!"

    ...How did this happen again? I'm getting a massive headache just thinking about it...

    Basically, the fire wasn't put out. Instead, it spread, thanks to the raging winds...which might have been my fault...Ahem! Anyway, thanks to that, humans begun making a run for it, seeking to escape the capital city...right into the maw of Hotori and my Star Fenrirs.

    All that blood and scattered body parts at the 4 gates would have scared off a war god. Meanwhile, Zwei and Funf managed to catch up to the beastkin. They had split into two groups, and went off into two different directions.

    I'm definitely not feeling useless. No, not at all.

    And after the two Star Fenrirs caught up, they brought all of the beastkin back to the destroyed capital. The current population in the city was 150 beastkin, 200 humans, 6 Star Fenrirs and 2 Princes of Hell.

    There's something off about this picture somewhere, but I can't seem to put my finger on it...There's that, and there's also the fact that the moment the two groups, the beastkin and the humans came into eye contact with each other, they begun brawling. Thank god I reacted in time to put up a wind barrier.

    No weapons, no fighting, so they resort to verbal fights? How...disturbing.

    Which reminds me, I prepared this spell, but didn't get to use it against that banshee earlier. Now would be a good chance as any to try it out.

    |Vacate this area, whispering winds. Silence.|

    Both groups shut up immediately. Or rather, no sounds could be heard coming out of their mouth. But of course. Without wind and air, there is the creation of a vacuum, which prevents sound travelling through it. Like this, no one would be able to speak.

    The sound of silence is the best music, after all.

    "Finally, I get a chance to speak."

    Several hundred pairs of anxious eyes swivel onto me.

    "Now, as I was saying before I got so rudely interrupted, my plans for you are to fight to the death in small groups. 3 beastman against 4 humans. Seeing how the beastkin are injured and the humans are not so well trained, I guess the odds are fairly even...Huh?"

    None of them were making a sound even though they were moving around. What's the problem?

    "Psst, Mika. Are you planning to kill them all by suffocation?"

    Suffocati---Oh, dammit! I forgot! There's no oxygen in a vacuum, either!

    I hurriedly removed the Silence spell. Tsk, I keep forgetting that normal people need air to breathe. How annoyingly fragile.

    "Like I was saying before I accidentally suffocated the bunch of you, you guys have to fight to the death."

    "What?"

    "Tch! Did you actually think you call the shots here, stupid beast---Guh!"

    Well, the number of alive humans just dropped by one.

    On the other hand, the number of people complaining decreased instantly. Everyone stared at the recently-murdered human, who was split in half starting from the stomach. The bloodied organs that had fallen out of the corpse serve as a pretty good deterrent, as long as one isn't too picky about their image.

    Eins kept the blade she had drawn, having given it a good swing to get the blood off.

    "Watch your mouths, puny mortals. No mouthing off before the Lady."

    Dear me. My terror rating suddenly skyrocketed with that event, didn't it? If that's the case, I guess I should act like some kind of Final Boss in order to preserve the mood, right?

    "Excuse me, your Ladyship..."

    Ugh. That method of address makes me want to cringe in a corner.

    "...can you kindly set us free? We'll be eternally grateful to you if you did."

    Playing the sympathy card? Not going to work.

    I inspected the speaker. A female beastkin with two tusks sprouting out of her mouth...an elephant.

    "I could, you know. After all, it's not like I hold a grudge against you guys or anything. Letting you guys live is of no consequence to me."

    "Then..."

    "But I'm not so kind-hearted as to simply let you guys go just like that. I'm bored. And if you want me to release the bunch of you, I have a condition. Entertain me."

    [Librarian has obtained the title《Tyrant Ruler》Your aura of dominance strengthens.]

    At some point, I've already started ignoring what this system tells me. It's not like it's good news, anyway. Master Puppeteer, and now Tyrant Ruler...what kind of villain does this system take me for?

    "Entertain you, your Ladyship? Then we could show you some of the beastkin's secret abilities---"

    "Ah, you've misunderstood me. Firstly, don't call me 'your Ladyship'. Mika will do fine. Secondly, by entertainment..."

    I cast my eyes over the humans. Most of the ones I came into eye contact with looked away immediately. Tch, nothing but cowards in this bunch.

    "...I meant a fight. A battle to the death. That's how I get entertained."

    I could see most of them fidgeting restlessly.

    "You mean..."

    "Yes. The two of you groups will fight to the death. Whoever wins can leave in peace. I'll even fully heal up all the survivors before you go."

    See? I'm practically an angel. Those titles are so inaccurate.

    "...Understood, your Lady---Mika."

    The elephant beastkin bowed, and headed back to her group, whispering with them. I could actually hear every single word of it, but I chose to ignore the less-than-savoury words she was describing me with.

    Eins, who was by my side however, looked as if she was about to demolish a nearby wall.

    "Grrr...How dare they not understand the great mercy that Lady is giving them...I should go and butcher all of th---"

    "Eins. Think nothing about it."

    I'll rather swallow an insult and hit back even harder later, than to behave rashly and get my behaviour taken advantage of.

    "But Lady, the things they are saying about you..."

    She faltered.

    "Does it matter? Tell me, Eins..."

    I glanced at both groups.

    "Does the ramblings of a soon-to-be corpse upset you?"

    As if to answer my question, thunder crackled in the clear sky, and it begun drizzling, diluting the pools of blood on the floor.

    "Look. The rain tries in vain to waste away the blood. It may succeed in removing every trace of blood on the ground, but this does not change the fact that blood was once spilt here. Just like how the beastkin and humans will never completely be at peace because of the past."

    Satisfied, I took out a cup of cocoa from my Spatial Storage.

    "That fact is the determining point. It makes this entire show a spectacular one."
    Getting the stage set and the participants ready took quite a while. Because of hard headed idiots, we ended up taking quite a while longer. Thank god Drei learnt quickly and liberated three humans...of their heads. There was no more commotion after than.

    The current situation was...well, complicated. The whole area had been modified to look like an arena. And I didn't give any orders to remodel the place, that I was sure of. My 6 Star Fenrirs simply utilized their magic, and built a perfect copy of the Roman Coliseum, down to the last brick.

    The question here is, why on Ferunia would they do something like that?

    Eins was smiling, a proud expression on her face.

    "Lady Mika, we looked through your memories and saw this thing, so we decided to build it for you! Did we do a good job?"

    ...The urge to flip a table is strong in me right now.

    "You did amazing. I'm proud."

    That deadpan tone scared even myself a bit, if I'm to be completely honest.

    "Thank you, Lady Mika! We'll work even harder from now on!"

    Does this girl not understand what sarcasm is?

    Speaking of which, how did she even know about the Roman Coliseum? The last time I had interacted with that was back in school, studying history, so my memories should have been shielded from them...wait.

    Rufilia! Dammit!

    Nearly two weeks prior

    We were in the Library's Historical section, having ended up here because Jessica wanted to learn about Earth history.

    [Why are you humouring her request again?]

    "Well...I have spare time, and I'm bored myself. Maybe it's a good way to find out if I have a talent for teaching."

    [Don't drag this one along if that's the case!]

    "You're just insurance. If I mess up, it's on you to step in."

    [Oi! If you're using me, at least make it sound more important! Why am I just mere insurance?!]

    "Yeah, yeah..."

    [Grrrr...]

    Unexpectedly, I came across this book. About the old Roman Empire.

    "Rufi. When did you collect these books?"

    The content inside is textbook-level, to say the least.

    [These books aren't collected. They are made out of mana.]

    Huh?

    [They compile records by themselves and also maintain themselves so they don't become like those rusty old tomes. A personal invention of mine! See? Isn't it amazing?]

    ......

    Ugh. What's done is done, I suppose. Now is the time for relaxation and leisure. I snapped my fingers.

    Nothing happened.

    "Eins, tell the others to get ready."

    "Understood, Lady Mika."

    Now, I wonder what kind of entertainment this arena will bring me? I suppose I'll make a brief speech for the old times' sake.

    "When in Rome, do what the Romans do. Now, it's time to watch these people fight to the death in a gory and bloody gladiator deathmatch!"

    That was a horrible speech, but whatever. I grabbed a cookie.

    The first match is starting soon, anyway. I wonder which of the two species are more desperate for survival?

    ......

    The first match, one on one. A tiger beastkin against a human female. The tiger beastkin dismantled the human, literally. Tore her up into 5 pieces.

    Even injured, the beastkin have higher physical prowess, eh. Had that been a human soldier, the result might have still turned out in a similar fashion.

    As I thought, group death matches might be more fair for the humans...At least they'll have a numerical advantage.

    "Drei. Bring the next groups in."

    "Understood, Mika."

    ......

    The numerical advantage was of no help either. The beastkin cooperated with each other and got out heavily wounded, but alive. The humans fell out with each other, started infighting, and were massacred.

    This is boring...if we continue like this, I can already foresee how the matches are going to end...There's no entertainment value at all.

    "Okay, stop right there."

    I halted the next match before they could start killing each other. With a leapt, I landed in the arena grounds.

    "I'm bored of watching you guys fight. So here's a new deal. You guys have 10 minutes to arm yourselves. After that, I'll give you guys 30 minutes to try and defeat me. Wound me in the slightest, and I'll let all of you go. The healing offer still stands too."

    [Librarian has been awarded the title《Pervert》. You are now more shameless when making offers that would usually be too embarrassing to be even mentioned.]

    ...Where did that come from? This stupid system must be bugged.

    "But should you fail to wound me after 30 minutes, I will kill all of you. Therefore, I suggest that all of you that remains try to make an alliance, and strike me down. Otherwise, what's waiting for you can only be death."

    [Librarian's《Merciless》title and 《Pervert》title has been combined to create the title 《Diabolical》Go out and feel free to do anything you wish, for nothing shall hinder your journey to seek enlightenment.]

    Who was the idiot that first created this stupid system?

    Back at the Library, a certain person sneezed.

    Tch. I can't change it, so no use complaining.

    "Stop staring at me. Your time is ticking. There's 9 minutes left, starting now."

    I was actually wondering if the system would give me a title like《Sadistic》or something. Apparently not, huh.

    I watched the flurry of activity as both groups rushed back into their preparation areas, grabbing all the equipment they could find, and bellowing for their brethren to arm themselves. Dust clouds flew everywhere.

    It's a bit too disorderly...but at the same time, it's fun. They actually think they have a chance, how cute.

    Somebody once said that it's not individual power that matter, but rather, the power of teamwork that is the most important. They say that when people work together, the amount of work gets split up, thus alleviating the burden on each member, which helps improve the overall performance.

    Heh!

    In that case, allow me to personally test it out and see. Whether cooperation can beat overwhelming power. I have spotted a few individuals earlier that could fulfil this criteria, so I guess I'll wait and see.
    Hmmm. This is exactly the type of fight I want. A no-holds barred match without fearing the consequences.

    I'm unexpectedly enjoying this much more than I thought I would. I guess it has been a long time since I last moved about and got to try out my combat skills?

    "Hmph!"

    *Swish*

    "Missed me~"

    *Swish*

    "Nope."

    *Swish*

    "So close, but nope~"

    So, in order to give them more of a fighting chance, I even promised not to retaliate during those 30 minutes. Unlike how I initially thought, the humans and beastkin have actually managed to put aside their hatred to fight against me...

    "Oi! Don't get in my way, animal!"

    "You shove out of my spot, two-legged ape!"

    ...Or not. More like a united front, I guess you could call this a...well...temporary ceasefire? A promise not to kill each other for now?

    "Hey, stop quarrelling. We have plenty of time to duke it out among ourselves after we survive."

    If you survive, that is. It's also a rather big if, technically speaking.

    Sometimes, I wonder why I do what I do. For the Invasions, I wiped out all of the attackers mercilessly because my livelihood was at risk. Not because it was my job as the Librarian, you see. That job means less than nothing to me.

    On this trip, I gained quite a bit of items that could make me stronger, and managed to get on better terms with Hotori. Celine died, but somehow, I don't really feel much about it. Other than a weird emptiness, there was no anger, grief, or the like. I mean, even now, I'm preparing to slaughter her kin, see?

    And where was Hotori, you ask? She used up too much of her power because of a mixture of combat inexperience and the emotional instability that comes with murdering people, which resulted in her losing consciousness. I had one of my Star Fenrirs carry her to a proper resting place and keep an eye on her. Otherwise, she would have stopped me long ago. I mean, I convinced her to kill the humans, but if she were to know that I wasn't planning on sparing the beastkin either, she would have came back to stop me for sure.

    "Those with the shields, go in front! Those with staffs, take the back line!"

    The elephant-beastkin from earlier was barking out orders, even to the human soldiers as well. Under her orders, the two groups belong to different species cooperated as one, forming ranks that would have been on par with any kingdom's army.

    The physically stronger beastkin stand at the front as melee fighters, while the magically oriented humans stand behind as mages...A good combination. It's worthy of being a textbook example in any strategy game.

    It's a good formation for fighting most bosses. However, that won't work on me for 3 main reasons. Number 1, that formation works effectively only when the Boss is melee-oriented. Number 2, that formation works on the assumption that the Boss is big and slow. I'm human-sized, and my dexterity is one of the few things I take pride in. Number 3, that formation only works when there is no infighting.

    I'll remember these people as a group that 'tried', but nothing more.

    ...

    Sure enough, most of them were exhausted by the end of 25 minutes. There were only 2 left standing, one beastkin and one human.

    The elephant-beastkin from earlier was there. The human was a boy around the age of...13? 15? Both of them were leaning on their weapons for support.

    Meanwhile, I was unscathed. Untouched, to be exact. I didn't even defend a single time; all I did was dodge.

    "Too slow...were you guys trying to swat flies or something?"

    I didn't even want to be cruel. But they were actually too slow.

    "Haah...haah...You are indeed a monster..."

    I'm not 30 feet tall. How rude. There's a variable difference between a monster (bakemono) and a monster (kajiu). Do I look like some type of black-scaled lizard that spews lightning?

    "Well, you two are the last ones standing between salvation and annihilation. Do your best. In fact, I'll even toss you a freebie. I won't dodge."

    To go so far for an entertaining fight...Looks like my mind is slightly off after all.

    "Don't look down on us! I'll show you!"

    The human boy lifted his sword with effort, and charged.

    It was very slow. I could have killed him in over 20 ways while he was charging, but I humoured him. I wanted to see how far he could go.

    "Eat this!"

    A straight downward slash. I lifted my left arm.

    *Clang*

    A successful parry. Was that all? I'm disappointed.

    "There's your chance!"

    I see. That was what he was planning. With my other arm, I reached out behind me, and grabbed the hilt of a sword.

    "Sorry, tag-assaults are so cliché that it's hard for me to not defend against them."

    "What---!"

    The elephant-beastkin was struggling to move the blade, which I had caught in a vice grip.

    "Sorry. That was a good attempt, but with such a predictable method of attack, you'll never get past my defence."

    I swung the blade around, sending the elephant-beastkin crashing into the human. The results proved that a human boy couldn't stop the inertia of an elephant.

    "That last attack was carried out quite well. If it wasn't me, your attack would have probably landed."

    I had given myself quite a few handicaps, just to get an authentic battle experience.

    "Still, it's been 30 minutes, and I'm unscratched. You two probably know what this means."

    Both of them paled.

    "I'm going to wipe out all of you. It isn't anything personal, I assure you. Just finding some ways to entertain myself, that's all."

    Reality is cruel, isn't it? The weak become pawns for the strong to amuse themselves with. Which is why I'm going to become as strong as possible. I dislike screwing around with others excessively, but I hate the idea of being toyed with even more.

    Still, there's a reason why I'm dragging this out. A very specific reason. I wanted an all-out fight with one of my fellow Princes of Hell. As for which one it is, you can probably guess.

    |Lady Mika, she's on her way.|

    Good. The timing fits. I walked over to the human boy.

    ...

    "Say, Hotori, what kind of boys do you like?"

    "Hah?! What k-kind of boys I l-like..."

    "It's time to start thinking about that, you know. We are Princes of Hell, but there's no rules saying that dating was off-limits to us."

    "Um...I guess someone with orange hair and a lot of bravery, then?"

    "Why orange hair specifically?"

    "It reminds me of a fire. Warm and bright, and passionate."

    "I see."

    ...

    Well, if it isn't a nice coincidence. The human boy before me has hair that's a rather fancy shade of orange. His bravery isn't lacking, either.

    "Well, I'll be using you, then. Don't hold a grudge against me for this."

    "Wha---"

    Hm. It's rare that a human head would fit nicely into the palm of my hand.

    There was someone's presence appearing behind me. I turned my head, lazily, greeting her.

    "Hey, Hotori. Nice to see you could join us."
    Talk about deja vu. The first time I and Hotori really fought was after I disposed of a human.

    Right now, I was staring at her with a human struggling to free himself from my grasp.

    "Hey, good that you could join us, Hotori."

    She wordlessly took in the destruction, the scattered weapons, broken limbs, and flowing blood.

    "...Did you do this?"

    "Who else could have done it? There's only one logical answer, isn't there?"

    A brief period of silence.

    "...Why?"

    Denial, I see.

    "Hotori, Hotori, Hotori. I'm disappointed. I thought you already knew perfectly well what kind of person I was?"

    That's how I am. That's how I was, and that's how I'll always be. She should have realised it the first time.

    "But...you..."

    "Yes?"

    Just to be even more sarcastic, I tilted my head to the right.

    "If you're going to commit such an atrocious act, why bother to pretend to be kind anyway?!"

    Hmm...Directly asking? I'll humour her, I guess. She did help me out in the past, after all.

    Plus, what's the harm in listening to someone's last words?

    "I see my lessons were wasted on you, Hotori. I thought I taught you to differentiate between your allies and your enemies properly. You should have started to treat me like an enemy the minute we brawled in the courtyard back then."

    Hotori paled, all traces of colour leaving her face. Her arms hung listlessly at her sides.

    "Then, all along, beginning from taking me out of Hell, meeting the banshee, then dragging me here..."

    I shrugged.

    "That wasn't planned, at first. I was, at the beginning, honestly trying to get you an ally. The trip to Ferunia was entirely accidental, but I got bored during it all. Also, as you can tell, there was the entire mess regarding the rebellion."

    "I get that you are punishing the humans for the atrocities they committed, but why the beastkin too? No one sane would make them suffer more than they already have!"

    I waited patiently, for her to react to her own words.

    "Wait...you're..."

    Finally. It's been taking forever for her to arrive at that conclusion.

    "Here's the eighth and last lesson, Hotori. When beings are given too much power, it's on them if they want to use those for good, or evil. And as you can tell from the records of the souls that entered Hell, not many of those ever achieve happy endings, be they saints or devils in their short mortal lives. Not many can maintain neutrality like I do. And in order to obtain power to maintain that strict neutrality, people like me often have to give up something in exchange. For me, sanity is a tiny price in exchange for this."

    Hotori was unconsciously backing up.

    "But...you did all of these...how is that maintaining neutrality?"

    "That's a good question, and I shall strive to give you a satisfactory answer. You see, as I have told you earlier, nothing is truly good, and no one is truly faultless. Everyone, at one point or another, has sinned, be it knowingly or unknowingly. Humans, Demi-humans, the Heteromorphic Races, Celestials, Gods, none of them are truly 'good'. In fact, even the concept of 'Good' itself is largely up for debate. Do you understand it?"

    I made sure Hotori was maintaining eye contact with me.

    "What is 'Good' and 'Evil' is decided by majority vote. If most people don't like it, no matter how righteous it is, it will be viewed as 'Evil'. You should know this yourself...am I correct, Miss Anduria Cragor?"

    She visibly stiffened, thus proving my theory correct.

    "...How did you find out?"

    "Indeed, how did I find out? Let me tell you a story. In the summer of the year 265, a girl wandered out into the forests at night, unchaperoned and alone, seeking to pick a type of flower that only grew at night, all for a boy she had a crush on?"

    "Stop..."

    "And in the process, she met a foraging wolf, which then proceeded to attack her...She managed to get away, but was forced to climb up a tree, helplessly watching as the wolf prowled below, not willing to give up on a potentially delicious prey."

    "Don't go on anymore!"

    You know, I was always curious about one thing. Regarding Hotori's reaction when she first met me. Because when we had our first encounter with each other in the Meeting Hall, she had flinched the moment she had seen me. More importantly, she had slightly flinched the minute she had caught sight of my bestial ears.

    Back then, I had brushed it off as merely fear towards strangers, but now that I think about it, the Sin of Wrath, Kanon, also had a pair of bestial ears, and it was also her first time meeting Hotori, back then. She didn't react in such a manner.

    Once you get her drunk, Zora's mouth is pretty loose. Especially since she was the one who sent the wolf in the first place.

    "Failing to return, her father personally went out in search of her, only to run into an ambush of several packs of ferocious and famished wolves..."

    "STOP!"

    I wonder why I'm getting so much satisfaction from saying this.

    "...And so, her father was torn apart, limb by limb, and his screams of death reached the poor, trembling girl, who had no choice but to stay, out of danger, on the tree branches, while the wolf below paced, back and forth, waiting for the inevitable cracking of the branches..."

    "ENOUGH!"

    The edge of a cliff is always fun to hang around, as long as one had a backup rope, adequate supplies, and mountaineering skills.

    "Until a certain lady showed up, chased the wolf away, and brought her through a portal to the Nine Hells...I wonder, who could this girl I'm talking about be?"

    "......I'LL KILL YOU!"

    Astras showed itself, but rather than gilded pure gold, the hammer itself had undergone a drastic change. The edges were twisted and sharpened, while the originally dazzling gold had turned into black steel. It was just about as different from the original in a way that a devil is different from a saint.

    "Well, this was slightly out of my expectations, but better sooner than later!"

    I mean, it was only a matter of time, so why not, right?
    Since long ago, I've been thinking: If Hotori doesn't want the role of Pride, it's unfair to expect her to keep carrying on her duties as Pride...even if she did practically nothing while she was acting as the Ruler of Pride.

    I mean, I'm no saint, but I'm not a devil, either. Everyone should be entitled to having a choice...is what I'll like to say, but that right to choose is rather non-existent these days.

    In that case, being the kind person I am, it's naturally my obligation to ensure that she doesn't have to put up with the role she hates any longer. In other words, we need a new Ruler of Pride. And for a new one to take the stage, the old one has to finish her last act.

    For better or worse, we have gotten past being basic acquaintances, so I suppose I'll throw in a freebie.

    ...So I say, but before we get to opening the prize, we have to defeat the Guardian. Can't leave a furious Hotori out of the equation now, can I?

    "Whoa!"

    Astras nearly gave me a free face-planting service. With all those extremely sharp implements, I'll like to avoid that, if possible. Especially since I don't exactly have a surplus of brain cells to spare.

    That aside, Chantless sure is annoying. I'll actually have to observe her movements to anticipate her next attack...And, as usual, Sacrificial Strike is tossed into the mix...Because why not make this a time-attack event, right? Are you kidding me? Either she strikes me down or she runs out of lifespan...I hate rigged games!

    This isn't some epic red versus blue battle, even if my colour scheme is green. It's time for some split-second manoeuvring.

    "Hey, Hotori! I heard you like wolves!"

    That was the cheapest taunt I could come up with, in fact, it might have been one of the lamest taunts ever. I never said I was academically talented. And sure enough...she reacted?

    "She took the bait? Wow. I guess cheap tricks do have their uses sometimes..."

    The good news is that I caught her attention. The bad news? She doesn't seem to be too keen on slowing down, never mind talking this out peacefully. I reckon that I'll end up with a hammer to the face rather than a chance to settle this quickly, if I stopped.

    "That aside...If she continues rampaging, it could be a problem. I didn't kill any of the humans or beastkin yet, but at this rate, in her frenzy, she might slay them herself. If that occurs, my efforts on holding back would be wasted."

    These bones could use a stretching, and my combat abilities could use a revision. The only issue here is...

    "...Maa, I hate actually putting in effort..."

    Hotori's physique isn't the problem. Her hammer Astras, on the other hand, definitely is. That's a Legendary Weapon, no matter how you mock it's appearance. Getting hit by that thing would be no joke.

    "Hmph...|Spring Breeze|."

    Hotori stuck a random spot with all her might, and then paused, confused, before lunging at another spot, stopping once again with a puzzled look on her face. It's working, then. Spring Breeze's effect: The wind creates afterimages of the caster, which can be highly effective as decoys. Due to my infrequent usage, these images can't move, but they are detailed enough to buy me time while I strategize.

    What, you thought I was going in just like that? No way. Even a mouse bites back when it's cornered, never mind a Prince of Hell. I don't want any nasty surpri---!!!

    *CLANG!*

    "Ugh?!"

    My second time crashing into a wall didn't feel any better than the first. Thank god for my gauntlets.

    *Crack*

    When I looked down again, Amaterasu had a tiny crack running along it's surface.

    Unbreakable? Yeah, right! What kind of unbreakable object cracks?

    [Answering host, your current gauntlets are replicas of the original ones. They are well made, but not as durable. The Unbreakable status only applies when used to defend against weapons of lower rank.]

    ...You only told me such an important piece of information at this crucial point in time? Not knowing that could have ended up getting me killed, especially since I'm only a Quasi-Immortal right now. Weapons of the Legendary Rank and above can still deliver serious wounds if I don't pay attention. Stupid System.

    If I keep staying on the defending end, my gauntlets will break sooner or later. It's better to go on the offensive and---!

    "Woah!"

    For the first time, I learnt that the shockwave from a hammer strike could cut, too. There was something warm dripping down my right cheek, and I could see a bundle of black hair fall to the floor.

    It's on, then. No tricks, no feints. Just a head-on clash.

    *Boom!*

    "Oops, missed me."

    Dodging counts as head-on clashing in my book, just so you know. I'm not about to hope that my remaining gauntlet could parry off a hammer that size. Also, I'm a firm believer in the ancient adage that one cannot kill what they cannot hit.

    "Haah...haah..."

    Hotori's just about to reach the end of her rope, huh? There's almost no trace of redness in that pale face of hers. Meanwhile, Astras still glows with an ominous crimson light.

    The hammer's the problem. I'll have to take it out in one strike. And judging by that posture, Hotori knows what I'm up to.

    "Well, here I go, Hotori. Try not to die."

    If approaching without getting wounded is impossible, then I'll just have to tank a single hit. That's all it takes.

    You know, I've always been thinking about why the Library is given the affix of 'Paradoxical'. It just didn't make sense, somehow. I mean, let's go through the meaning of a 'paradox' given in a dictionary.

    'A seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or true.' That's what it means. How does this explanation apply to a Library?

    Well, I had an inkling last night, and it certainly won't hurt to try it here. After all, if this theory proves a bust, I can simply dodge.

    "For the seller said, his spear was the sharpest, and no shield could withstand it; his shield was the strongest, and no spear could pierce it. And so, one of the many listeners tossed him a question: If one were to use his spear to strike his shield, which would be the first to give way? The seller was rendered mute."

    |Cover me in a defensive shroud, mythical shield. Baralis.|
    I have to say, that experience was the closest I've come to death for a long time. In fact, I'm positive that we brushed shoulders.

    "That was too close for comfort...remind me not to resort to these kind of methods in the future."

    My left gauntlet was shattered, and my right gauntlet wasn't faring any better. It's so battered, I doubt it's lifespan will be too long either. Seems like I'm going to need some new weapons after this.

    Before that, however...

    "I reckon you've calmed down enough, right, Hotori?"

    "...Your sense of humour is twisted like usual, Mika..."

    Touché. I mean, without a heart, I doubt anybody could remain rampaging. They did say that when people are on the verge of death, they become a lot calmer, after all.

    "Tsk...you sure did give me a lot of needless trouble. Did you have really have to use Sacrificial Strike on that last hit?"

    It already healed, but I still remember trading one of my legs for a chance to breach her defence. And that paid off.

    "...What now? Are you going to take my soul?"

    "Nah. I won't do something so troublesome. Something along those lines, but not exactly."

    I walked over, settling down at where she had fallen. And gazed upon her wounds.

    You know, it's funny sometimes. One moment, you're fighting someone, and the next, both of you are within earshot, observing each other. And one of us is dying.

    "Hotori. You aren't cut out to be the Sin of Pride. You are too soft."

    She smiled, bitterly.

    "It's too late to tell me that. I've already lost my family. I can't go back to my previous life anymore."

    She shut her eyes tightly, tears flowing freely down her face.

    And in response, I gave her a flick on her forehead.

    "Ouch! What was that for?"

    "Tch. Who said you couldn't go back? Silly girl."

    Her eyes, which had been tightly shut, opened, looking at me in bewilderment. It seems like what I said hadn't registered yet.

    "Huh?"

    Yeah, definitely not registered yet. Brain freeze at it's finest.

    "I said, did you actually think you couldn't go back? Who do you think I am?"

    No kidding, I have Time Magic and Space Magic. Azrael's Origin Magic gave me access to Mana Well as 'well', hehe. I've been charging up the well regularly in my free time, expanding my reserves on a regular basis (which was quite often, due to the Embrace of Yggdrasil). As a result, the mana stored inside the Well has reached ridiculous proportions.

    It's reached a point where I can fire off Rank 10 Grandmaster-ranked Magic recklessly.

    "Well, if nothing else, you gave me a good reason to pester Rufilia for a better pair of armaments, so I'm rather thankful. Therefore, I'll even give you a freebie."

    I stared at the lump I was holding in my right palm.

    [Pride's Heart]

    It's not really that different from an average human heart, minus the fact that it was about 2 times bigger, blue, and pulsing with a dense purple aura...Okay, it's quite different from a human heart, actually. Because she was born with this, Hotori was destined to become Pride. It's a an undeniable fact...

    ...For humans, that is. For a fellow Prince of Hell, changing this equation is very simple. I could do it with my eyes closed.

    "Hotori. I'm going to give you a freebie after I send you back to your old life. What kind of powers do you want?"

    "Huh?"

    Oi, work already, brain. I don't have time to spare.

    "I said, what bonus do you want after you return to your own world? Hurry up, I don't have all day. And neither do you."

    No response.

    "Ugh, I give up. I'll leave that bonus to fate, then. Now, I'm going to make you a new body."

    ...

    I said that nonchalantly and all, but how am I supposed to do that? There's a reason why my artistic talent is practically zero. Forget sculpting, I can't even draw a straight line without using a ruler.

    "Grrr..."

    By the way, since Hotori intervened, I left the survivors alive. The 6 Star Fenrirs were taking care of them.

    *Crunch*

    "OUUUUUCH!"

    There goes a bone...How much pressure did Zwei exert on that...? Let's just...pray for their safety, okay? I have my own issues here.

    "Uhm...I think the eyes look like this? The mouth looks like this?"

    Like how a certain Greek god created the first woman, I was working on a block of clay. It wasn't going very well.

    "How the hell am I supposed to sculpt out the exact details?! What kind of monstrous training regiment did those carvers back in the old days undergo?!"

    As I used, and still do believe, when the going gets tough, it's fine to cheat. Magic exists for a reason, and I can use it for a reason. Therefore, cheating is okay. It's completely alright. No problem at all.

    ...Yeah, right. Using magic to sculpt is even more difficult than manually sculpting. Forget looking like a girl, this statue has ceased to look human entirely.

    Forget it, I'm utilizing one of my cheat magic, or this might take weeks.

    |Unseal, Gate of Creation. Bind, Fourth Key. Open up, Forge of Imagination.|

    Max Mastery Space Magic, Dimension Creation. By consuming copious amounts of Mana, one could change the structure of the surroundings entirely. After getting used to it, it was even possible to change the laws of physics in the created dimension.

    As to how it works? Uh...you know what? Just think of it as some kind of ReOOity MOOble, and you'll get the idea. I'm not so patient enough to explain all of that!

    "Create."

    With this magic, creating detailed items are but a drop of the hat. The only downside is the costly mana consumption. Without the Mana Well, I can only sustain it for a maximum of five minutes. Enough to end a fight, though.

    "Hmm, this should do it."

    Before me lay an almost-exact copy of Hotori, made of clay. Great work for using cheat magic, I suppose. Tch. I took out another thing I had kept in my Inventory.

    [Hotori's Consciousness]

    "Well, that's about everything I need. It's time to send her off, then."

    |Time Reversal|

    |Grace of the Wild|

    |Divine Shield|

    |Scripture: Star Hammer|

    |Merge|

    A combination of spells. Ironically, because of Amaterasu's destruction, I learnt Spell Combination myself. Therefore, twisted as it may be, this fight was rewarding for me, too.

    Just for caution, I gave Hotori a shielding spell, followed by a storage space for her Astras. Since her new form isn't as strong as her current one, I downgraded the hammer's power, sealing it.

    "We probably won't see each other again, so this is the final farewell. Enjoy your old life. Live it out like how it should have been. Don't let yourself be restricted by supposed 'destiny'."

    Oh well, she can't hear me, anyway. I'm sending her back to that fateful night with her memories intact, so what she does next is entirely up to her. I cannot intervene any further.

    "Farewell, Ruler of Pride. I never hated you."
    Thanks to that fight, my urge to kill had been sated. Now, there was a new issue: What to do with the survivors. Currently, there were about 100 beastkin survivors and 100 humans remaining. A very nice number.

    "Now, what to do with you guys?"

    I've already gotten more than a satisfactory share of entertainment, so what happens to them is none of my concern, actually. Still, the two groups look like they would start brawling the minute I leave them to their own devices.

    Let's see what both leaders have to say.

    "So, assuming I let you go now, do you guys have a specific destination in mind?"

    If they don't, then I'll just have my experience bar rise a bit more. If they do, I'll set them free. It benefits me either way, so why not?

    The two stared at each other, back at me, then maintained eye contact for a while. Before long, however, they seemed to have reached a shared conclusion.

    "We will stay in the city."

    "We'll go seek out another country and take refuge there."

    Pfffft. Hilarious.

    "You're going to stay in this ruined city? Never mind the ongoing fires; I can put them out if you wish, but how are you going to repair it in time to create a functional shelter? Winter is coming, you know? And as for you guys..."

    I sized up the humans, all of whom looked like they never so much trekked a mile out into the wilderness before.

    "Seeking out another country to take you in? Right as autumn is ending and winter is rolling in? Do you want to freeze to death in the middle of the journey or something? And also, what makes you think they'll accept you, assuming that you survive the journey there?"

    Optimism was never my strong suit. It's better to account for everything that could probably go wrong, and prepare countermeasures ahead of time. As a certain pilot once said; What can go wrong, will go wrong.

    "Plus, you might be fine, but take a look at the people behind you. Do you honestly think they can hike through miles of forest?"

    Ferunia's capital might be bustling, but I had my Star Fenrirs check out the frontier cities back then. Most of the villages around weren't nearly as prosperous. The only reason the kingdom wasn't yet invaded was due to it's favourable location, nested up in the mountains, which made defending extremely easy.

    Therefore, if a group of homebodies whom have never stepped out of the city once in their lives were to, let's say, undergo a journey through miles of unforgiving mountainous lands, marching right in open winter, without any supplies to boot...

    It's pretty much guaranteed to become a disaster, no?

    "If that's your plan, you better come up with another one. Otherwise, I'll rather not waste experience points."

    If they end up dying in the wild, I won't get any experience, so if they don't have any better plans, I'll have to...make the most of my resources.

    After all, 100 humans and 0 humans barely differ by much.

    "Then...if we stay in the city..."

    "I don't mind, but do you really think that would be a good idea? The beastkin aren't too keen on that idea, you know? Or do you want a massive team deathmatch the minute I leave?"

    If I just shook my hands of all responsibility and disappeared right now, the beastkin would more than likely tear the humans to shreds. That would be both pointless, and stupid. For Hotori's sake, I suppose I'll try a little harder.

    ...Tch! I knew it was a bad idea to get too attached. Now I'm actually worried about something, dammit. So much for slacking off.

    "Right now, cooperation is impossible. Especially since some of the humans here seemed to have actively taken part in beastkin discrimination, although, I think they were taken care of in the earlier fights. Therefore, there's no way the two groups should be left together. The question now is, where will you go? Staying or leaving...both choices lead to death."

    Go on, ask me for a favour. You know asking me for help is the best way.

    Sure enough, the elephant beastkin knelt in front of me, and prostrated, her forehead hitting the cobbled floor with a loud *thunk*.

    "Esteemed Lady, please aid us! We will be eternally grateful to you if you are willing to lend us your help!"

    And there it is. Right out of the horse's mouth, or the elephant's in this case.

    "Very well. I'll bring your kind along with me. I needed some living beings, anyway."

    Now now, I'm not planning to experiment on them or anything. I just needed something to fill up my Office. Ashe should have gotten the room modified according to my requests by now.

    "Wait! What about us?"

    I looked back to the human who had just spoken.

    "What about you guys? Are you seriously asking me that question right now?"

    |Aura of Tyranny: Activated|

    Since 《Tyrant Ruler》 gave me this skill, might as well use it. It doesn't cost mana, anyways. Not sure what it does, though. I mean, it sounds like some kind of AOE deterrence effect, but the exact effects elude me.

    *Plonk* *Plonk* *Plonk*

    "Huh?"

    Everyone around me had all suddenly knelt down. The heck?

    "Say, what are you all doing? Did all of your legs decide to take naps simultaneously?"

    This seems to be a skill that forces people with weak mental defences to bow to the user...Alright, let's turn this skill off. The current situation is most certainly it's fault, and I don't want to have a conversation with half of the other participants face-first in the dirt. |Aura of Tyranny: Deactivated|

    "Listen up. The only reason you guys are still alive is because I have an obligation to fulfil. Also, since I'm taking the beastkin with me, you guys have the whole city to yourselves. Don't press for a mile after gaining a foot; otherwise...I'll treat you the same way as I treat ingrates, understand?"

    "Y-Yes!"

    Hmph. My role in this is over, so it's time for me to make a return. I happened to have gained some new...uh...followers, I guess? In either case, the Library is going to be a lot more bustling now.

    "You, elephant beastkin, get your group and follow me. I'll bring you to where I live. And hurry up, because I have no desire to stay any further here."

    [Congratulations. You have now been entrusted with the lives of a group of beastkin. You have earned the title <Fledging Administrator>: You are now able to view the favourability rating of your subjects and the level of trust they have with you. Current bond: Ruler-Servant; Level of Trust: 0]

    At least we didn't start off from the negative values...that's always good. And this new title deserves some closer analysis, so I'll dump it on Rufilia when I get back later. Mission Accomplished!
    "Like I thought, there's nothing better than home."

    If food is an important second, then a home is undoubtedly the first. Having a place to call your own, a sanctuary and a refuge, somewhere you can feel truly at ease, a place you can fall back to and defend during tough times...such a wonderful thing ought to be available for everyone.

    What? There's a lot of space in the Library to house homeless people?

    I think I'll pass on that notion. I'm aware that I said that everyone should be given a home, but if it's alright, I'll rather not invite lots of random strangers into the Library. What about the beastkin, you say?

    That's a different matter entirely. This whole 《Administrator》 business has caught my interest, you know? Speaking of home, uh...

    "Say, Rufi, you have a really severe case of eye bags. Are you alright?"

    [You still have the cheek to say that? Damnable Lunar Fenrir...]

    She seemed irritated, a pile of books scattered about the room, as the novel she was currently reading was tossed aside, adding to the veritable pile. I wonder why? Also, where was the visitor?

    "Say, where's the banshee?"

    A pair of glowing yellow eyes glared right at me.

    [Outside.]

    Wow, that was curt. Someone is definitely not in a speaking mood.

    "The other three? Outside as well?"

    [...Get out. I don't want to talk to you.]

    "I see how it is."

    ......

    Well, so much for that attempt. I guess I'll just go talk to Ashe directly. She should have already set up the basic structure in the way I wanted it, right?

    "Hey, you guys..."

    They haven't stopped shivering ever since we stepped into the portal. Last I checked, it was summer on Ferunia's side, and it's not that cold either, on this side. Maybe it was some kind of different world restrictions of some sort, like me and the Nine Hells? I'll have to remember to push this to R---I mean, investigate this later.

    "I thought beastkin were supposed to be more resistant to heat and cold. What's with all this shivering?"

    (You're the only one that can behave so freely here because it's your house...)

    "Pardon? What was that?"

    "Nothing, Lady."

    The elephant beastkin smacked the head of the tiger behind her. Hmmm, mysterious.

    "Oh well, it's not that cold in here. Follow me, I have already set aside a place for you all to live."

    A pity that my hair wasn't long enough for me to flick it, in the way those actors do in the movies. Maybe I should try growing out a braid? But again, if I grew it too long, it would become a tactical disadvantage in battle. I don't want any Tom, Dick and Harry being able to grab and pull on it.

    In those zombie apocalyptic movies, long hair is a disaster. One could get their hair grabbed by a zombie and then dragged to a horrible death. Zombies shouldn't exist here, but still, long hair is more of a curse rather than a blessing.

    (Thank goodness she's a scatterbrain...phew.)

    ......

    *Rumble*

    "Oh, yeah, that reminded me of something. I was supposed to oil the hinges, but all those matters with the banshee made me forget. Whoops."

    Never mind! I can always do it next time. Assuming there is a "next time".

    "Hey Ashe? You there?"

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Welcome back, Lady Mika. What do you require of this one?

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    I'm beginning to get the vibes of another Rufilia, especially back when we first met, during which she insisted on addressing herself as 'this one'. Anarchic speech hurts my brain, so if possible, I want people to use those terms as rarely as possible.

    "Ashe. Did you section out the floors the way I asked you to?"

    Considering the fact that I'm the Librarian, I'm guessing that most people expect me to be speaking in a more authoritative tone, using words like "order" or "command". After all, that's how a ruler or king would speak to his subjects in the olden days.

    I couldn't care lesser about the olden days. As long as it doesn't come back to life and try to kill me, then I'll be perfectly fine with not knowing a single bit of history.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    It has been completed, Lady. If you have any dissatisfactions, feel free to notify this one.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call efficiency. Getting almost 50000 square metres of space perfectly sectioned out and then modified to render it capable of sustaining life, and what's more, done so within 30 minutes.

    As if that wasn't fast enough, Ashe also tinkered with the climate so that this 50000 square metres of land would experience a constant seasonal cycle each year. I didn't get the specifics, but just hearing it makes me tired.

    If we think about it this way, since Rufilia was able to create this level of A.I., that means her own skills are far superior...heh heh. Like this, I won't feel guilty about pushing all the work to her now.

    "Not bad, Ashe. Just to clarify, though, but where will they find food supplies?"

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Lady Mika, the Library has a Mana Convertor. As long as you inject mana into it, it's possible to create anything, even weather phenomenon.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    I see...Like hell. What if the mana here runs out? It's going to be disastrous if the mana consumption occurs at a rate faster than the mana regeneration; I've never seen mana shortages before, but I'll rather not have it happen.

    This probably won't end up like some fantasy-setting novel where the shortage of mana causes the world to implode, but on the off-chance that it will, then I better think up some responsive measures.

    I should still have enough snacks to make Rufilia happy again...After this, I need to go restock on sweets, especially dragon beard candy.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Lady Mika, the machine has been optimized. Also, since the mana in the Library is quite dense, one cup's worth of air here can generate about a week's worth of supplies for all of the beastkin you brought back.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    I swear, Ashe knows how to read minds. Just like Rufilia. Do I have to call her Rufilia Jr from now on...? Also, the mana density...Does this have any relations to how I feel more energized while I'm in the Library? I should ask the other three when they get back from their latest trip.

    "By the way, elephant beastkin."

    The beastkin I specified halted, turning around to face me. Her face was rather pale.

    "Is there any problem, Lady?"

    Dear me, white elephants are but a myth. Don't make it real, please.

    "From now on, call me Mika. I hate being called Lady; makes me sound old."

    She visibly relaxed.

    "Understood, Mika. Then, if that's all---"

    "Also, just so you know, wolves have good hearing, especially Fenrirs, and my brain is perfectly fine."

    I winked at the newly created elephant statue, and left the Office.
    We gathered around the dining table. Me, Rufilia, Claire, and the elephant beastkin. The Dark Elf-Werewolf duo were napping, tired out from their journey.

    Which reminds me, I never got to know the elephant's name, and neither do I care. I'll just call her Villager A.

    "So, your group has settled in properly, yes?"

    "U-U-Um...Y-Yes..."

    We can't talk like this. I gave the left wall a disapproving shake of my head.

    "Understood, Mistress. We'll excuse ourselves immediately."

    Immediately, 6 shadows materialized, and retreated from the room. Besides that, more than 50 different elemental spears, which were hovering in mid-air, vanished. 8 living armours bowed, and went back to their empty pedestals.

    *Sigh*

    "Eins, stay. I need to talk to you too."

    So, what's with the current situation, I wonder? For my own guards to see the need to set up ambush positions and automatic defences...Am I made of glass, or something? Eins is way too paranoid for her own good.

    My tired brain remembered this conversation while I was heading to my own room, ready to slack off at maximum efficiency. Halfway there, I had ran into Eins and Drei together.

    ......

    "Lady Mika, the item you requested for is here."

    "I see. In that case, please get Sechs to deliver it to my office. Remember to tell her to bring a map along."

    Without a pre-prepared map, the chances of getting lost in the Labyrinth known as My Office are extremely high. I still remember how Drei had complained to me that, while I was in Ferunia, Funf had gotten lost in the countless corridors, and she had to personally go fetch her.

    "Understood, Lady."

    "Which reminds me, Lady Mika, your gauntlets..."

    "Yeah, they broke while I was fighting. Time for me to get new ones, anyway, so no loss. It's not like I especially favoured that pair or anything."

    "I understand. Leave it to us."

    What exactly did you understand...? Oi, don't leave---Never mind.

    ......

    And so, that happened. I should have talked and straightened out her misunderstanding back then...Haah. The urge to slack off got the best of me.

    True, my gauntlets make up an important part of my combat arsenal, but it doesn't mean that I'll end up incapable of combat without them. After all, they are gauntlets, not drugs.

    Like the banshee's ability to utilize the Archive of the Judge previously, the same goes for me. Getting used to and mastering one type of combat is very good, but if you meet someone who has prepared countermeasures against every single one of you abilities, it's going to be disaster. One must always have a backup plan, or several.

    That aside...

    "You. Tell me. Are the beastkin capable of agriculture?"

    Mana efficient or not, the Mana Convertor cannot be relied on completely. If there was ever a case where the Library ran out of mana, even 200% efficiency is useless. One might be able to generate electricity from a lemon, but no one can produce something out of nothing.

    Rather than having them suffer a slow death from starvation, I'll rather do them all a mercy, right now. My "Kin-Slayer" Title could use an upgrade, too.

    "We can grow rudimentary crops, but much of our food source comes from hunting."

    I see. It makes sense. Can't expect tigers and other carnivores to eat vegetables all day, after all. More importantly, she's giving me that fearful look, almost as if I could massacre all of them if I wanted to...how rude. Although, that much is true.

    "I see. In that case, you're free to go. Claire will show you the way back."

    ......

    "So that's the problem. Rufi, I'm counting on you."

    [I'll clobber you and make you count stars! This is your work, not mine! Who asked you to break your gauntlets?]

    "And who was the one, who handed those gauntlets to me in the first place? I nearly died because it was an imitation of the original. What kind of warped creator did you have, telling me such an important piece of information right after my left gauntlet broke? Hmm?"

    [That's...uh...ugh.]

    Success.

    "Therefore, I'm counting on you to find me a suitable replacement. Better yet, get me the original gauntlets. If the replicas were already so powerful, I'm rather interested in the power of the original ones."

    No, really. I wasn't that much of an avid gamer back then, but who could say no to powerful equipment? The replicas that I had been originally given were powerful, and easy to handle, sure, but I could feel something from it. A slight sense of pride had been emitting from those gauntlets of mine.

    Not the kind of arrogance that many strong people have. It was the kind of satisfaction that an artisan would have, after creating an equipment of flawless quality. Call it a crafter's pride, if you will.

    For copies to have exuded that aura, a pride that was from being a mere copies of the original...it means that the original must have been much, much more powerful. And I'm curious to find out just exactly how unfairly overpowered it is.

    [Well, there's a problem.]

    Apparently there is no free lunch after all. Damn it.

    [I do have the originals with me, but they are also damaged.]

    "...Why am I not surprised? Seeing that you were the one taking care of it for the past few millennia."

    [Hey! It's not my fault they broke, okay?]

    She sounds really guilty...hmm...

    "Sure, sure, I believe you and all that."

    [You don't sound convinced at all!]

    "That was but a mere figment of your imagination, my dear Rufi. People believe what they want to believe. Therefore, I choose to believe that it was partially your fault that the original ones broke."

    [Grrrrr...]

    Time to stop teasing her, I guess. Even though it is fun, I still do need a weapon.

    "How about you show it to me? The original gauntlets. I'm rather interested in them, even if they are really broken."

    Struggles, indecision, hesitation...seeing a Living A.I. display those emotions feels weird, somehow. It's oddly interesting, watching human emotions being displayed on something non-human. The creator, whoever he was, must have spent much of his time creating Rufilia.

    And for that, I am thankful. I can't let her know this, but having her around makes it a lot easier for me to get my things done. I can rely on her to account for my imperfections. After all, it's in our nature to make mistakes.

    [Fine. I'll show it to you. Both the gauntlets, and the true Inner Sanctum of the Library. Follow me.]

    Very well. It's nearly time for the plot to shift forward, anyway. This Inner Sanctum better contain more than just a pedestal and a book, given all the importance Rufilia has attached to it.

    [Hang on tight.]

    The floor suddenly opened beneath our feet, and both of us fell into the darkness.
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2018
    Kysil and Vanagandr like this.
  18. LysUltima

    LysUltima Riichi! Tsumo! Toitoi! Suuankou!?

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    Thoughts as of the first 2 chapters:
    • the italics pisses me off
    • 1 + 1 certainly does not equal 10
    Well, as they say in Japan, kono saki dou naru no ka, tanoshimi desu.
    I'm looking forward to what will happen after~
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2018
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  19. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Whoops! Edited that, small mistake, teehee~
     
  20. LysUltima

    LysUltima Riichi! Tsumo! Toitoi! Suuankou!?

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    Thoughts after the next 2 chapters:
    • some minor grammatical errors
    • the way the MC gets the first Legendary item feels too rushed, perhaps make it so that the MC gets 100 boxes with a 70% common chance, but he pulls all commons until the last two?
     
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