Chapter 9

“Disgusting.”

It’s been a while.

The feeling of finding humans repulsive.

It’s been over a hundred days since entering Tartarus. During that time, the only humans I’ve encountered are Saintess Maria, Kelt, and the Holy Emperor.

So, I had momentarily forgotten.

“How foul. Humans are just so perfect for this kind of thing.”

Humans… how terrifyingly hypocritical, disgustingly fake, and appallingly wicked they can be.

That’s why I like humans. Noble elves, arrogant dragons, greedy dwarves—all have their flaws and shortcomings, but none compare to humans.

“Keh…!”

Frey Dr. Siegfried, the Cowardly Hero.

Among all the heroes, she is the most ‘human.’

She fears those stronger than herself, envies and is jealous of more talented comrades, and feels a false sense of superiority over those less capable. Truly, she is ‘human.’

It’s different from the evil nature of demons who make wickedness a virtue because they don’t acknowledge their own wickedness.

“Hmm… It seems hard to make a decisive choice, huh?”

“Shit.”

“Kyaa, you’re not even pretending anymore with that shitty voice act? You don’t care if you’ve been found out or not?”

“Shut up. Even my patience has its limits.”

The hero lowered Excalibur and muttered in a low tone. The various negative emotions conveyed in that heartfelt voice weren’t impulsive—they were deep grudges accumulated over years.

“Hmph… Maria.”

“Yes, Hero-sama.”

“Do you know why you’re destined to be executed in the empire’s public square?”

“It’s because of my sins.”

“No, it’s because of me. I asked the Demon King for this favor.”

“Huh?”

“Today’s visit was also for that day.”

“Is that so.”

“I wanted to see your face when you realize that the closest friend you trusted—no, the one who even came to apologize—has betrayed you twice. Your expression filled with despair, hatred, humiliation, and disillusionment as your head is pointlessly cut off on the guillotine… I wanted to see that version of you, Maria.”

Whoa, man, this hero is crazier than I thought.

This continent’s doomed with hope like this. I’m genuinely curious about what’s going on inside the brain of the Sun God who appointed someone like her as the hero.

“Did I do something wrong to you during our journey, Hero-sama?”

“No, you were perfect. You were purer and shone brighter than anyone else.”

“But why do you harbor such deep hatred toward me?”

“Do you know, Maria?”

The golden eyes of the hero glistened sadly, brimming with sorrow. The gaze of the blonde girl rippled with many unresolved grievances.

“When light shines too brightly, the shadows around it become painfully obvious.”

“…”

“We met for the first time at Eden Academy. Despite coming from different countries, the Sun Saintess and the Sun Hero quickly became close friends.”

“That’s right.”

“In every subject we studied there… you never missed being number one. Every semester, every year, until graduation, you always ranked first. As if it were predetermined by the gods.”

“I merely gave my best effort.”

“Maria, do you understand the feelings of someone who can never surpass the top spot, no matter what they do?”

Somewhere along the line, I had completely faded away as the hero continued her conversation with the saintess. The sweet yet despicable inferiority complex and bitterness emanating from her were truly delicious, so I quietly listened.

“But do you know what’s even more absurd?”

“What is it?”

“Realizing that someone with such unbelievable talent works harder than anyone else.”

“…”

“When I stayed up studying until blood came from my eyes and still couldn’t overcome the insurmountable wall before me—the frustration of facing someone who could memorize anything after a single glance, whether math, literature, or alchemy. Do you understand that feeling?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Of course you wouldn’t. Maria was always number one.”

And now, the hero had completely excluded my existence and was talking only to the saintess. The sweet yet vile inferiority complex and bitterness seeping through her words were absolutely delectable, so I simply listened.

“Even worse, do you know what happens when you discover that someone with incomprehensible talent also puts in more effort than anyone else?”

“…”

“When I realized that an unattainable level of talent had built an impenetrable wall of effort that no one could climb over, I felt utterly baffled…”

The tone of the hero slightly intensified. The floodgates of emotion, which had been held back like a dam, began to rise like a tsunami, slowly approaching.

“It’s unfair… When a genius like you puts in an effort that no one else can even attempt… What are the rest of us supposed to do…?”

The flood arrived faster than expected. In an instant, without warning, with a loud crash—

“How am I supposed to catch up to you!! Exactly!!”

Once the levee broke, it could never be repaired. The unleashed torrent wouldn’t stop.

“I’ve tried cheating too!! I’ve cheated and bribed professors to get exam papers in advance!!”

I suddenly felt a strong sense of danger from the hero’s appearance. Though she wasn’t holding Excalibur or anything in her hands, a deeper madness and killing intent emerged with every word she spoke.

“For the first time, I got a perfect score… For a brief moment, I managed to surpass Maria and took first place. But then Maria found a flaw that even the professor didn’t know about…? In the end, the answer sheet I got from that damn professor turned out to be wrong! And once again, you ended up in first place!!”

“…”

“Maria, Maria, Maria! What exactly do you expect from me!! How am I supposed to surpass you!! Even when we formed a party to defeat the Demon King’s Army! You played the part of being pure and good all by yourself! When the Kingdom’s Tank Corps was isolated within the Demon King’s Army and everyone agreed they should be abandoned! You couldn’t let go, even though everyone opposed it!!”

“The world taught me that there’s no such thing as inevitable sacrifice.”

“There is! Everyone lives like that! You abandon what needs to be abandoned! You save what needs to be saved! All previous Hero parties did the same! But… do you know what’s truly heartbreaking…?”

“What is it?”

“To see you march alone into the Demon King’s Army and establish an incredible legend of greatness, commanding the Kingdom’s Tank Corps to rescue them…! If you succeed like that, what does that make me? I made a rational decision, yet everyone calls me trash and points fingers at me, saying I’m worthless!!”

I’ve heard this story before.

Hero Frey is said to be the weakest among all the Heroes, and Saintess Maria is considered the strongest among all the Saintesses.

A life of frustration for the Hero who should rightfully be number one but is blocked by the genius Saintess.

The Hero endured this for years.

“…Honestly, I’m really happy right now.”

“Are you happy?”

“Yeah, because you failed for the first time. Defeated by the Demon King’s Army and destined to face the guillotine. Even though I know the continent will soon fall into dark despair, I can’t help but feel incredibly glad that you’ve finally failed. I know I shouldn’t feel this way as a Hero, but so what? I discarded the title of Hero long ago.”

Though adorned with the grand name of the “Hero of the Sun,” the Hero’s heart had already rotted away.

What’s even more tragic is that the Saintess was always by her side.

Blindingly bright, the Saintess inadvertently exposed every sin around her. Unless you’re someone like me who embraces evil, those around the Saintess inevitably come to confront their inner selves.

They become acutely aware of their own ugliness, something they might have ignored while surrounded by ordinary people. Living alongside the pure white goodness of the Saintess would have driven home the reality of their own ugliness.

This leads to a dark abyss of self-loathing. Alongside this, the cold stares and cruel evaluations from others who constantly compare themselves to the Saintess are unavoidable.

Thus, the Hero fell into corruption.

“…Isn’t this wonderful?”

“Master of Demons?”

“Joker?”

“Ahh, no. Continue your conversation. Just some muttering to myself.”

Unintentionally, my inner thoughts slipped out of my mouth. Fortunately, neither of them paid much attention to me.

The Hero was too busy confiding her troubles and feelings to the Saintess.

To cause others to fall into corruption by acting virtuously—what an ingenious concept.

If I ever get another life, I might try using it. Of course, it’s probably just a futile fantasy, but even imagining it is quite enjoyable.

Wouldn’t it be far more interesting than the clichéd and outdated methods like demonic temptations or dragging people into pits of corruption?

Watching someone confront their ugly selves, wallow in self-loathing, eventually accept their corruption, and transcend self-hatred to ally with evil—it’s far more entertaining.

“Ah, I can’t take it anymore. Just being in the same space as you makes it hard for me to breathe.”

“Hero-sama.”

“Shut up. No matter how much you rest or separate, your… your clear voice sounds like the wailing of demons to my ears.”

“…”

“Maria will never understand me, but that’s what you are. A presence that turns the ordinary into grotesque ugliness. I wish you’d disappear from the world forever.”

“You’re in anguish.”

“Fucking hell, I’ve reached the point where I hate the Sun God. Why did He create Maria, the Saintess, during my time as the Hero? If it weren’t for you, I would have fought the Demon King to the bitter end and died gloriously.”

Ah, that comment doesn’t sit well with me.

If you’re going to fully embrace evil, you should commit to it wholeheartedly. Why are you still clinging to righteousness?

“Hero? Blaming the Saintess is fine, but don’t use it as self-justification?”

Thus, I interjected. The Hero was unlikely to calm down again anytime soon.

“What do you mean by that, Joker?”

The Hero responded irritably. To her, I smirked cunningly.

“Your pain of being overshadowed by the top? That’s kinda my specialty?”

“Hmph, are you planning to ramble whatever comes to mind before your impending death?”

“Not at all, it’s the truth. You and I are similar. The only difference is that you have the Saintess and I have the Demon King.”

“What…?”

The Hero’s demeanor changed instantly upon hearing my words. She remembered who I was based on what I said.

Joker, the second-in-command of the Demon King’s Army. In other words, someone who has been overshadowed by the Demon King, the supreme ruler, throughout their entire life.

“Earlier, you questioned the Saintess about how to deal with a genius who also works hard?”

“That’s right.”

“Do you know what it feels like to encounter a genius who doesn’t even bother to work hard?”

“…”

From birth, he was so overwhelmingly powerful that putting in effort seemed like a luxury. The world designated him as the originator of evil and called him the Demon King.

“Heh, but there’s a fundamental difference between you and me.”

“What is it?”

“You envied the Saintess, while I revered the Demon King.”

“Keh…! Th-that…!”

“Do you know why? Why some people genuinely rejoice when their comrade becomes stronger, while others feel jealousy and inferiority?”

Even in the darkness, his radiant golden eyes trembled like waves. Despite his brilliant exterior, they revealed an inner corruption.

“It’s because your very essence is ugly.”

“W-what?”

“When your comrade succeeds, you should naturally celebrate. It’s common sense, even to someone like me, a demon. Apparently, our esteemed Hero possesses a more corrupt essence than even someone like me?”

“M-mu-what…!”

“If you were truly a real Hero, you would have resisted the Demon King till the end, regardless of how well the Saintess performed.

Isn’t that what a Hero is? Or has the meaning of the word ‘Hero’ changed without my knowledge?

Someone who never compromises and guards absolute justice—that’s what a Hero is, isn’t it?”

“…”

All the words I’m throwing at the Hero are mere sophistry.

Fundamentally, the Demon King was merely a means to me.

A tool to bring chaos into the world. Therefore, the Demon King’s strength was nothing but a great advantage for me.

However, for the Hero, the Saintess was a rival. When a rival surpasses you overwhelmingly, how can anyone avoid envy? Unless you’re someone like Saintess Maria…

This simple fact is easy to find flaws in, but unfortunately, our dear Hero doesn’t have the leisure to notice it.

How can someone who just confessed their self-loathing have any mental strength left?

I merely suppressed their defense mechanism of trying to divert their eyes from their self-loathing. Fully allowing them to fall into corruption.

Now, it’s up to the Hero. Whether they drown in the swamp of self-loathing or continue living with pathetic excuses.

“Stop it, Joker-sama.”

“Heh.”

“Hero-sama, don’t dwell on what this person says. Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is the future.”

“Oh, Saintess. Why are you doing this? I’m perfectly delivering a satisfying revenge for you through words.”

“I forgive Hero-sama. So, please humbly accept past faults and move forward towards the light. That is true repentance and punishment.”

“Or, you could repent and reform as the Saintess suggests. Though it’s the type I dislike the most.”

“…I’ll leave. Maria, die well.”

With that, the Hero turned away weakly. Her silhouette seemed somewhat relieved as it dimmed in the distinct darkness.

“Hero-sama.”

The Saintess gently called out, stopping the Hero.

“Why.”

The Hero briefly replied without turning around, as if unwilling to exchange another word.

“People make mistakes. Just don’t forget that.”

“…”

With these final words from the Saintess, the Hero trudged away and exited Tartarus, with Excalibur now silent at her waist.

The creaking sound of the iron door marked the Hero’s departure.

Gazing silently at the Hero’s fading figure, I casually proposed to the Saintess.

“Hey, Saintess. Want to make a bet?”

“A bet?”

“Yeah, whether that pathetic Hero chooses evil or good. Let’s make a little wager.”

“…I trust Hero-sama.”

“Heh.”

I chuckled with a vile laugh. Hearing it, the Saintess approached and spoke sternly.

“What exactly were you thinking earlier when you interfered?”

“Hmm? What are you talking about?”

“You don’t think I knew you were acting, do you?”

“Eh? You knew all along? Then, could it be that you were also wearing a mask, Saintess?”

“…Had it just been me, I might have reminded Hero-sama of her mistake, but since you were there, it could have been dangerous.”

“Haha! So you knew everything! I had no idea!”

“Ah… You lack awareness far too much.”

Ah, perhaps the ‘strange emotion’ the Saintess was hiding was this.

It wasn’t resentment over the Hero’s betrayal. She had chosen to ignore the truth to protect me.

Well, that’s all in the past now.

“Still…”

The Saintess slightly bowed her head and moved her lips. With her usual gentle smile, she appeared as if she had never been angry.

“Your courage to step forward was truly impressive.”

“Hmph.”

What’s this? My lips are twitching slightly despite receiving no extraordinary praise.

“To think I’d receive compliments from the Saintess herself.”

Anyway, the Saintess can’t see my face, so I’ll smile freely whenever I’m not hugging her.

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