Chapter 24: One Chance

A girl left alone in the deepest part of the Demon King's Castle.

The girl desperately searched for the Demon God, but no answer came.

No matter how much she looked, her companion was nowhere to be found.

The girl wanted to give up everything and collapse in tears.

But she couldn't do that.

She had become the Demon King.

As the only hope of the Demon Race, if the Demon King did not fulfill her mission, everyone would only suffer.

The girl steeled her resolve and emerged from the Demon King's Castle.

She traveled across the Continent.

She gathered all her suffering kin from across the Continent.

One by one, more of her kind began following her.

Under the Demon King, all demons began uniting as one.

The humans could not stand to see a centralized demon nation being born again.

The Chancellor with the Mustache, head of state of the Republic which showed the most anti-demon behavior among human nations, kept sending armies to dismantle the demons, but the Demon King blocked all their attacks.

The King who protected us safely by blocking all the humans' attacks.

Gradually more demons flocked under the girl.

While saving more demons, the girl discovered another young girl who had lost her entire family to humans.

Her name was Havnis.

She was a child with intense hatred for humans.

"So your name is Havnis. I'm Reino. Call me Reino."

Seeing her younger self in the child, the girl took her on as a disciple.

Hoping that after she died as a Mass Murderer at the hands of the Allied Forces, Havnis would become a ruler who would lead the demons into an era of peace and harmony.

"Hic... hic..."

The Demon God witnessed all of this while trapped in another dimension.

Everything that had happened in her past life, in reality, was playing out exactly the same.

The girl took her on as a disciple and taught her.

"No, look. Focus here in your lower abdomen like this..."

She taught this world's version of herself just as she had taught the girl.

"That's right! That's how you use Demonic Energy!"

"It's... exactly the same..."

Everything was exactly as the Demon God remembered from her past life.

History flowed identically.

"Havnis."

"What is it, Reino."

"Hey now, how dare you call your heavenly master by name."

"...Tch."

"Hehe. I'm just kidding. Call me whatever you like."

"So what did you want to say?"

!

The Demon God remembered having this conversation with her master in her past life.

It was definitely something that happened, but.

A precious and important memory that had been hidden by the [Pride] that had consumed her.

"Later."

"Yeah?"

"If I disappear."

The Demon King seemed to be collecting her emotions as she paused.

"I mean, if later I disappear and only you remain. Then you'll have to lead the demons. Since you're the next generation Demon King after me."

"What are you suddenly talking about?"

"I'm just talking about what might happen."

Back then, she hadn't known.

She hadn't had even the slightest inkling.

What her master was thinking.

Ah! How foolish I was back then!

"You'll do well. You'll be able to lead everyone through the chaotic times and into an era of peace and harmony."

"...Reino, you're acting strange today. Did you eat something weird?"

"No, I just... got a bit sentimental I guess."

The Demon King lifted her head to look up at the star-filled sky.

"I wonder if she's watching over us too?"

I am watching...

I am watching, Master...!

The Demon God wanted to break through the invisible dimensional wall binding her and fly to the Demon King right then.

But doing that would shatter the dream power that made up this world, including her master.

The Demon God absolutely could not do that.

Because this dream had already become a world more important to her than reality.

Time flowed on and on.

"I am Perlereino, King of All Demons! From this day forth, I declare the founding of Perlereino, a land where demons can live independently!"

The girl who became Demon King united the demons and declared the Demon Kingdom.

It was a nation by demons, for the protection of demons.

Demons scattered across the Continent gathered under her.

Many nations that hated demons tried all sorts of schemes to bring down the Demon Kingdom, but the Demon King blocked them all.

But there were unavoidable casualties in the process of blocking them, and as more were sacrificed, revenge bred more revenge.

It could no longer be delayed.

"...I want to see that world. But it will be difficult."

The night before carrying out the plan.

The Demon King remained alone in her office, drinking strong alcohol.

"Reino, aren't you going to sleep?"

"Ah... I was just going to have a little drink before bed."

"...Really?"

The Demon King's disciple looked at her with pity.

"No one thinks you did anything wrong. The bad ones are those who cry for hatred and revenge. All the normal ones love you."

"Heh, thank you Havnis."

"So keep your chin up. Got it?"

The Demon King's disciple blurted out those final words and ran down to her bedroom, seemingly embarrassed.

"Thank you Havnis. ...Really. Sleep well."

Left alone, the Demon King took another drink.

"Lady Demon God, it's finally the final stage. The reason you saved me. The reason I became Demon King."

From fleeing human mercenaries as a child to inheriting the position of Demon King.

The countless memories she shared with the Demon God flashed through her mind.

"It's time to break the Chain of Hatred."

The Demon King's eyes grew moist.

"I won't be forgiven, will I? So many people will die. From the radical demons who say all humans must be exterminated to the humans who try to erase demons."

The great sin that would be committed when morning came.

Its weight pressed heavily on both the Demon King's shoulders.

Not only the wicked and those consumed by revenge, but many innocents would lose their lives too.

No matter how much it was for peace, mass murder could never be justified.

"But... I have to break the Chain of Hatred. So...!"

Tears had welled up in the Demon King's eyes without her noticing.

"Lady Demon God! Can't you take this cup from me! I-I don't know if I can handle this...!"

Stop!

Don't do it!

There's no need for this!

Why are you trying to shoulder all this burden!

The Demon God screamed at the top of her lungs.

But not even a speck of sound reached the Demon King.

"...I want to see it too. The era when all hatred is gone. I want to go there too. To the era when peace and harmony are achieved."

The Demon King's emotions welled up.

"Why can't I go to that era! Why do I...!"

I'll show you.

I'll show you what kind of world you created.

So please!

Soon the Demon King calmed herself and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"But I have a mission, so. That must be why I was born into this world."

The Demon King's hands were trembling violently.

"If... if Lady Demon God were here, I could decide right away. It's hard doing this alone. ...But you're watching, aren't you Lady Demon God?"

Ding-

[Final Choice]

-The story's protagonist is struggling to make a choice due to erosion. Go help them choose.

Crash-

Along with the game system's notification, the dimensional barrier binding the Demon God shattered.

"Reino!"

The Demon God flew toward the Demon King.

"...Lady Demon God?"

Hearing her voice, the Demon King looked up with wide eyes.

"Lady Demon God!"

Just as the Demon God was about to reach the Demon King

"What do you think you're doing?"

A black-haired boy appeared between them.

"I emphasized that the story must not be corrupted. Have you already forgotten?"

It was the Supervisor of the [Archive].

*

I appeared before the Demon God in the Supervisor's body and blocked her path.

If the Demon God were to unleash her full power and rampage until the dream power split apart, I wouldn't be safe either, but she won't do that.

Then she cannot defeat me.

As long as the dream power remains intact, I am omnipotent in this world.

Now is the time for the test.

Originally I planned to trap the Demon God in this dream world and never let her out again.

I couldn't let loose such a monster who cornered our Investors like that, and if she found out I had deceived her, it would be more than I could handle.

But watching the Demon God's story made me change my mind a bit.

Perhaps I could give her one chance.

If she could just shed that Pride consuming her... then perhaps it would be alright to let her go.

"Havnis. Do you intend to ruin the story?"

The Demon God glared at me.

"Indeed. This one does not like this story. This one will rewrite it all anew."

"We are the Supervisor of the [Archive]. Changing the original story is not permitted."

"[Archive] or whatever! This one doesn't care about or have any interest in such worthless things! This one will save her master! This one will save her Reino!"

"Is that so?"

Snap-

I snapped my fingers.

Woong-

An invisible force bound the Demon God.

"Kuk! Th-This is!"

This world is one I created.

I could create even the highest laws that not even gods could escape.

Bound by my power, all of the Demon God's strength was sealed.

"Damn it! Release these cursed chains at once!"

"...Havnis, what is that girl to you?"

Reading her thoughts flowing into me, she had changed considerably from before entering this world.

If she abandons her Pride.

If she can acknowledge her own inadequacies and shake off her arrogance and contempt.

I believe there is hope for her.

Hope that she can break free from being that insufferable Demon God.

Then perhaps it would be alright to back up this world and give it to her.

The Demon God was lost in thought.

Her thoughts seemed to be flowing in a promising direction.

"That girl is... this one's..."

Just as the Demon God was about to speak.

[Found you.]

Crack-

"Kuhk!"

A black hand pierced through my chest.

What is this.

This wasn't in my scenario.

A black figure had pierced me with its hand from behind.

[The interferer who's been removing our seeds.]

A face so black that eyes, nose and mouth could not be distinguished.

That face's mouth opened unnaturally wide.