Chapter 21
On a plain slightly removed from the village
A small water orb, just large enough to fit one person, floated into the air.
Splash!
"Achoo!"
As the water orb burst, the girl who had been curled up inside fell and landed hard on her bottom.
"Owww..."
The girl frowned in pain as she rubbed her behind.
"Are you really making such a fuss over something so minor?"
The girl looked up at the Demon God floating beside her.
Her majestic aura was enhanced by the ornate decorations adorning her entire body.
One look was enough to tell that she was no ordinary being.
Just as she said, by manipulating Demonic Energy, wasn't I able to use invisibility magic and water magic?
I never imagined it would be possible to use such magic in a place devoid of water, filled instead with flames.
"Who... are you?"
"..."
The Demon God fell into thought as she gazed down at her past mentor looking up at her with an innocent face.
To think she would see such a young version of her mentor, who had always seemed composed and flawless.
How cute.
...No, what am I thinking right now!
Shudder- Shudder-
The Demon God shook her head to clear away the stray thoughts.
"I am Hav... no..."
I can't give my true name.
The Demon God thought of an appropriate alias.
"I am Demon God Rulkallos."
"..."
"..."
Silence cut between the two.
"Are you really the Demon God? The divine protector of our Demon Race?"
"That's right."
"The Demon God who rules over all demons and controls Demonic Energy?"
"That's right."
"Then... why didn't you save us?"
"..."
"If you had saved us... if you had! My mother would have...!"
The girl suddenly burst out with emotion.
"If the Demon God had gotten rid of those evil humans, my mother wouldn't have died! Why didn't you help us?! Why did you just watch?!"
Waaaaaah!
The Demon God silently watched as the girl wailed.
The Demon God looked down at her palm as she opened and closed her hand.
Then she clenched her fist.
She had never felt such intense powerlessness before.
After her mentor's death, she had ascended to become the Demon King, achieved integration between demons and other races, and risen to the position of Demon God.
As one of the Five Great Rulers, she was the ultimate demon that none dared treat carelessly.
After reaching that supreme position, there was nothing she wanted to do that she couldn't accomplish.
But... in this world, she couldn't.
She couldn't even protect her mentor's mother.
She could only watch as her mentor experienced the same tragedy as her younger self.
Even though it was just an act to resurrect her, it still felt awful.
"...I'm sorry."
The Demon God raised her hand and stroked the girl's back.
Being in soul form, she couldn't actually touch the girl's back.
Because I am not omnipotent.
"I... was inadequate... and couldn't save them."
The Demon God, who was the embodiment of pride that never acknowledged her own flaws.
She recognized and admitted her own inadequacy.
Transcending pride.
*
The sun had set before they knew it.
Growl.
The girl clutched her stomach at the sound of hunger coming from within.
"I'm hungry..."
Having done nothing but cry all day, it was natural to be hungry.
The Demon God wanted to create food and shelter for her.
If this were the Divine Realm, she could have prepared all of that with just a flick of her finger, but this was a fantasy world within a game created by Dream Power.
Even though she was a mighty Demon God, there was nothing she could do.
Ding!
[Possession Unlocked]
-You can temporarily possess characters appearing in the story. However, you must obtain their consent.
Just then, a notification came through the game system.
Poss...ession?
Come to think of it, wasn't the goal of this game for me to help my mentor achieve history exactly as it happened?
It would be difficult to guide my mentor with just a few pieces of advice from the side.
So this kind of system exists, does it?
The Demon God flew in front of the girl.
"Would you lend me your body for a moment?"
"To you... Lady Demon God?"
"At this rate, you'll soon lose consciousness and collapse. But this place is not kind to a demon child left alone. It's very dangerous. I'll take responsibility and move you to a safe place."
"...Alright. Do as you wish."
The girl gave permission and immediately fainted, collapsing.
The Demon God was absorbed into the girl's body as if embracing her.
The Demon God examined the girl's body that she had entered.
"...To think she endured until her body reached this state."
A body condition where it was nearly miraculous that she had maintained consciousness until now.
Even as a young girl, my mentor is still my mentor, I suppose.
[Come to me]
The Demon God gathered the surrounding Demonic Energy.
Even though she was just a soul, her status as Demon God engraved within her subjugated the Demonic Energy.
"It's a bit lacking, but this should do."
The Demon God began moving the Demonic Energy swirling around her.
"Mmm... mama..."
The girl who had been sleep-talking in the comfortable bed opened her eyes.
"...Huh?"
Reality entered her consciousness as she opened her eyes.
The unwanted reality that her mother no longer existed in this world.
"...Where is this?"
But even the surroundings didn't seem real to the girl.
She was pretty sure she had collapsed in the middle of the plains at the last moment...?
Oh, oh maybe it was all just a dream!?
"You're awake."
When she turned her head toward the voice, Demon God Havnis was floating with her arms crossed.
"Lady Demon God..."
Apparently it wasn't a dream after all.
"Did you bring me here, Lady Demon God?"
"That's right. If you had collapsed in such a place, you would have become food for beasts or monsters."
"Thank... you."
The girl who had been looking around asked.
"Where... is this?"
"A forest nearby. I found the closest empty house and modified it with Demonic Energy."
You can transform an empty house this cleanly with Demonic Energy?
Is this the power of a Demon God after all?
But if you could control my body to do this kind of thing... couldn't you have saved my mother too?
"..."
The Demon God seemed to know what her young mentor was thinking.
If the episode's starting point had been just a little earlier, could I have saved her too?
...Should I quit the game now and order the Dream Apostle to change the game's content?
No.
What am I thinking?
This isn't the real mentor.
This is just performing a ritual with a fake mentor to resurrect the real one.
The Demon God began to feel confused.
"What should I do now?"
"What do you... mean?"
"Everyone in the village is dead. All my friends were killed. My mother, my only family, is no longer in this world. I don't have a single person to rely on. So how should I live?"
"..."
The Demon God saw her past self overlapping with the despairing girl.
She too had lost all her precious ones, including family, to other races.
Her mentor was no different.
What did my mentor say to me back then?
I think she said something that made me seem like some great being.
"...You are special."
"What?"
"In this world, you are the only one who can see me. Only you are capable of accepting my power."
"..."
"Before long, you will stand tall above the demons and lead them. As a king who will save your persecuted and suffering kin."
The Demon God recalled her mentor's brilliant form as she united the demons as Demon King.
"Only you can save the Demon Race."
"Is that... true?"
The girl fell into thought for a moment.
Then she shook her head.
"I'm just a stupid girl who can't do anything alone. Someone like me can save the Demon Race?"
"That's right."
"I can't believe it."
I guess there's no choice.
I'll have to enter her body and show her a vision of herself as the Demon King that I witnessed.
It seemed like the only way to motivate her after she had completely lost her drive.
"In that case..."
Just as the Demon God was about to enter the girl's body
"Hey, is there a demon around here somewhere?"
"No, I'm telling you it's certain! I can smell demons."
Unfamiliar voices were heard from outside.
Tremble- Tremble- Tremble- Tremble-
The tone and atmosphere reeking of Demon Hunters.
The girl began trembling and fell into a panic state the moment she heard their voices.
The Demon God peered outside through the window.
Two male mercenaries.
They were moving while carrying three demons in a large cage. Two adult demons and one child.
They seemed to be the type who enjoyed enslaving demons or turning them into soap rather than killing them.
'...Hmm? But those demons...'
As the Demon God examined the demons captured by the Demon Hunters, she could tell that one of the children was a demon child captured from the nearby village.
"That child. Is it perhaps your friend?"
"...?"
The trembling girl raised her head at the Demon God's question.
Following the Demon God's pointing finger, she discovered the demon child being dragged away by the humans.
"Me-Merrli!"
The girl jumped to her feet.
"La-Lady Demon God! Merrli is my close friend! Can't you save her?"
The Demon God looked at the girl then briefly closed and opened her eyes.
"I can save her."
"La-Lady Demon God!"
The girl's expression brightened.
"However, I cannot exert power on the ground."
"...What?"
"It's only possible through your body. So you must do it."
The current girl could easily handle these two hunters.
Thanks to the Demon God entering her and moving the Demonic Energy, all her channels were opened and she had gained a Mana Affinity rivaling a great mage from being saturated with Demonic Energy.
"Wh-What do you mean..."
"Don't worry. I am with you. As long as I am with you, there will only be victory."
The Demon God brought her lips to the girl's ear.
"Do not be afraid."
Bang!
The cottage door suddenly burst open.
"Wh-What!"
The two hunters approaching the cottage were startled.
...
But no matter how long they waited, no one came out.
"Hey! Come out! If you opened the door you must be in there!"
Are they mocking us right now?
Just as one hunter approached the door, angry that he had been startled.
"Kuh! Gaargh..."
A choking sound came from his companion behind him.
"...Huh?"
When the startled hunter turned around, there was a black dagger piercing his companion's neck.
The sound had been his companion's death rattle from having his throat stabbed.
"Fe-Fello!"
The hunter immediately drew his sword.
His companion was taken down in the blink of an eye.
This is no ordinary opponent.
Who could it be!
Just as the hunter began summoning magical power
Crack!
"Guh!"
A pitch-black sword burst through his chest from behind.
"H-How..."
At the same time, the girl who had been invisible appeared.
"Huff... huff..."
The Demon God spoke to the girl who was still breathing heavily from the combat excitement.
"How was it? Wasn't it possible?"
The Demon God pointed at the three demons in the cage who were staring at the girl in shock.
"You saved them. You saved those who had only a dark future awaiting them."
The girl looked at her friend with a flushed expression.
"Now do you understand? You are destined to be the savior of the demons."
"...Really?"
The girl looked down at her two hands.
Salvation.
What she had needed most.
What she had failed to receive because it came too late.
"I guess I'll give it a try."
But with this power, it was also something she could give to others.
Perhaps my mission.
And my destiny.