Lust sat on the throne, looking down at the humans before her with a bored expression.
To Lust, life was nothing but a tedious affair devoid of surprises.
Her overwhelming mental interference ability was so powerful that even demons found it difficult to resist.
With just a single word, she could obtain anything she desired.
The other Seven Lords discreetly avoided private meetings with her.
Perhaps in a distant past, she might have enjoyed such a lifestyle.
But all that remained for her now was a profound, bitter ennui.
To escape it, Lust had tried many things.
It was only natural that her interest eventually turned toward the Middle World.
The Demon World was a stagnant realm.
To be precise, not only the Demon World, but countless other worlds that had been usurped were the same.
The simple logic of hunger demanding food, and death following if it was not satisfied.
The Middle World was a chaotic realm that broke free from this basic law.
Lust had long observed the Middle World and its humans, who lived by their own free wills without a unified order.
‘Breaking their free will… It will surely be ecstasy.’
She did not resist the instinctual urge that arose within her.
Over hundreds of years measured by Middle World time, she had intervened in its affairs, manipulating the course to suit her taste.
Sometimes she acted personally, sometimes through subordinates like Nadja.
Though she had twisted the continent’s history at her whim, Lust always adhered strictly to one ironclad rule: to always leave a ‘variable’ in every matter.
Among humans—far inferior to demons—there occasionally appeared individuals who resisted Lust’s mental domination like mutants.
Rather than eliminating these anomalies, Lust allowed them to exist as uncontrollable variables.
In a way, they were like pungent spices added to enhance the flavor.
Lust inflicted all sorts of trials on such individuals.
If they overcame every challenge, she would confront them herself.
Like the heroes and Demon Lords in ancient tales.
The difference lay in the ending.
Upon arriving after surviving every trial, the opponent would be mercilessly crushed by Lust’s overwhelming power.
The sight of beings with free will collapsing into despair under an irresistible force brought Lust unimaginable pleasure.
“You, you, you, and you—five remain. The rest, return.”
Lust licked her lips in excitement, cast a quick glance around, and arbitrarily chose five people.
Those not chosen sighed in despair, while the five selected rejoiced as if ascending to heaven.
“I’ll set the rules. You five fight until only two are left. No weapons allowed. No clothes either. Fight savagely like beasts until three die and two survive. I will watch over the surviving two specially. How’s that? Happy?”
The five burst into screams of indescribable joy, tears and snot streaming down their faces.
Soon, a bare-handed slaughter unfolded before Lust’s eyes.
Yet she barely glanced at the scene.
‘Will this hero be able to come this far? Uhu hu hu hu.’
Blushing like a young girl, Lust awaited the soon-to-come climax without the slightest doubt in her own victory.
***
One week.
Depending on one’s situation or perspective, a time that could feel either long or short.
If asked how the past week had been for Zion, he would surely answer like this.
“Really… really amazing!”
On a plateau near Jedo, with a panoramic view of the heart of the Empire, Zion exclaimed with unhidden affection welling up from deep within his chest.
“That’s right! Zion is the best!”
“Haha. Miss Yuria too. Didn’t I tell you? The wonderful one isn’t me. It’s this brilliantly shining world. Compared to it, I’m but a lamp flickering before the wind, a firefly before the sun.”
“No, you’re the best, Zion.”
“Fufut, sorry, Miss Yuria. Of course, I love you as much as the entire universe. That’s why I have the duty to speak and spread the truth. I hope you understand, Miss Yuria.”
The prince felt as if trapped in a horrible nightmare watching Zion—who seemed like a regressed child—and Yuria, who had the expression of a sage enlightened to the truth, spout nonsense.
The saddest fact was that this absurd scene had become familiar enough for the prince to watch it with relative composure.
After all, after a whole week of seeing this, one could hardly help but grow accustomed, even unwillingly.
“Damn it. What kind of lightning strike is this at the last minute? For now, retreat. We’ll think about invading Jedo after the two of you return to the Imperial Capital…”
“What are you saying, Klavis? We will invade Jedo right now.”
Zion sharply caught the secret words Soares whispered and immediately rebutted.
Normally, Zion pretended not to overhear such secretive conversations.
But not now.
Now he had the courage and conviction to speak the truth without hesitation.
[Because… pfft, that’s because I’m ‘Lord Zion’!]
With a grand declaration, Frey burst into uncontrollable laughter and collapsed onto the bed.
Arcs, sitting beside him, wore a somewhat sober expression.
Because Frey laughed like a madman every time Zion spoke, Arcs was able to maintain her composure by contrast.
[Frey, you really have a nasty personality.]
[What? Why? That’s just a natural phenomenon… natural… hahahaha!]
Arcs shook her head in disbelief as Frey broke into laughter again at some new thought.
[But Zion holds out for a surprisingly long time. Yuria’s first time with overload is understandable, though.]
[That’s because that guy has been forcibly suppressing it whenever overload was about to hit. The backlash is big because he held it in so long.]
[Eek…? People really hold it in that long?]
[You just didn’t see the first time he went into overload. If it were me, I’d have bitten my tongue and died once.]
On Earth, it was an unspoken rule to provide a separate place for an Awakened suffering MP Overload to be alone.
By isolating them, the backlash after their black history moments is minimized.
If Zion knew, he’d be mad for not being informed earlier.
But honestly, even Frey had no confidence to persuade the man who had become ‘Lord Zion’ by words alone.
If they were to drag him by force, Zion had to be summoned first—and summoning was Zion’s prerogative.
[And, funny as it sounds, Zion’s mental state right now looks almost ideal to me. As Yuria said before, Zion’s self-deprecation runs so deep it’s a major weakness. In a way, ‘Lord Zion’ is that invincible state where this sole weakness disappears.]
[I think he just swapped one big weakness for another.]
[Hahaha! Well, whether that’s a weakness or a strength, we’ll soon find out.]
Seeing Nadja’s fierce battle looming and Zion in such a state was, to Frey, an exquisitely timed blessing from the gods.
In fact, on Earth, it was taboo for an Awakened in MP Overload to go to the battlefield.
But strangely, Frey didn’t worry much.
Watching Zion’s journey so far, he had come to trust him.
[Ugh, I can’t help but worry. I’ll go to the Lab for a bit. I’ll secure a special budget and grab tons of materials. So we can make whatever we need anytime and send it over.]
[Don’t be so overprotective.]
[I don’t want to hear that from you!] Arcs spread her wings and hurriedly left, leaving Frey alone in the room.
Enjoying the momentary silence, Frey smiled faintly and began to focus on Zion’s actions.
“Prince Klavis, I didn’t expect you to say such things. Delaying will only increase casualties. Even right now, Nadja could be setting traps in Jedo. Acting swiftly is the only thing that matters. Surely you remember what you said, Prince Klavis?”
“Acting swiftly is important, of course. But what if we rush in without a plan and fail? Do you think Nadja will pity us and give us a second chance?”
“You don’t need to worry about that. I will take down Nadja.”
“You’ve never even seen Nadja. What makes you so confident?”
“There is no reason. I don’t need one. The only truth that matters is that Nadja will fall to me.”
The prince covered his forehead with one hand.
He simply couldn’t logically persuade Zion’s current state.
“Prince Klavis, I think you’re mistaken. I’m not trying to persuade you.”
“…What?”
“Whatever your opinion, I will go to Jedo. If you oppose until the end, I’ll go alone.”
“I’m going too! Zion, don’t leave me behind, okay?”
“If Miss Yuria wants, of course, that’s how it will be.”
Zion stroked the whining Yuria’s head with a maturity that sent chills down the spine.
The prince felt like he was watching a badly written play unfold right before his eyes.
“I’m not trying to persuade you, but to offer you an opportunity.”
“…What nonsense is this?”
“When I take down Nadja and the Empire returns to normal, there will be a chance for you to be there. A chance to proudly declare that you yourself restored the Empire.”
The prince fell silent, quickly assessing the situation instead.
His judgment was swift.
‘Make loud boasts but get easily crushed. I’ll chase them to the ends of hell and torment them forever.’
“If you’re anxious, Prince Klavis, please help us. I saw you plan operations well before.”
“Well, that… damn it! How can there be a plan when they’re recklessly charging in like this?!”
“Hahaha. Isn’t it the mark of a brilliant general to devise the optimal strategy and lead troops to victory even in such situations? I believe Prince Klavis will do well.”
“This is maddening. At least if you didn’t say anything, you wouldn’t be so annoying.”
Gritting his teeth, swallowing a surge of curses, the prince carried Zion on his back.
Soares quietly sighed, watching their banter.
“The moon will soon be hidden behind the clouds. Let’s depart in sync with that.”
“That sounds good. A hero moving under cover of night feels like a righteous thief—it’s exciting.”
Soon, as Soares said, the moon slipped behind the clouds, and darkness fell rapidly.
The group began moving simultaneously as if on cue.
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