Estimated reading time: 66–84 minutes
Chapter 4
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Ira
Episode 1
There’s a saying that no one is more troublesome than an incompetent hard worker, but in my personal opinion, there’s no one more infuriating in this world than a competent lazy person.
And no one embodies those words more than the Demon Lord I’ve been dispatched to monitor – the King of Sloth, Lazy Slaughterdolls. One of him is more than enough.
Among the demons who have attained the rank of Demon Lord serving under the Great Demon Lord 「Kanon Iralord」, there are nineteen pillars in total, but only one has chosen the cardinal sin of Sloth.
Of course, demon skills are powerful, but Demon Lord class skills are especially formidable. While they differ by Skill Tree, they’re all useful. Therefore, annoyingly enough, Demon Lords who advance the Sloth class skills have a certain rarity value, which further reinforces his position as a kind of untouchable buffer zone that no one can interfere with.
It’s particularly vexing because even though he doesn’t follow orders, he still produces results. He doesn’t actively rebel, he just exists there, which makes him especially troublesome.
The current Great Demon Lord, Lord Kanon, is a Demon Lord who embodies Wrath. The Wrath attribute specializes in attack power, and its single-minded breakthrough power far surpasses that of Gluttony, which also boasts high attack power. However, Sloth, infuriatingly enough, is said to be the only branch in the demon’s Skill Lineage Tree that excels in pure durability. While all demon trees have defensive skills, Sloth’s far exceed common sense.
They have meaningless VIT (Vitality) that serves no apparent purpose, and as a result, an absurdly high HP (Hit Points) that’s almost embarrassing to call enormous. On top of that, they have resistance to all kinds of elemental attacks and status effects, and due to their high VIT, they hardly feel pain.
On the flip side, they apparently lack agility and attack power, but I suppose they don’t need such things.
After all, they just exist there meaninglessly, like a stone or a shell.
Why would anyone need to expend a great deal of their own power to exterminate such an inorganic-like existence? I guess that’s what the successive Great Demon Lords have thought.
If you ask me, that was the biggest mistake made by the very first Great Demon Lord who added the King of Sloth to their subordinates.
They are undoubtedly harmful. That’s why my stress continues to build up against that unbreakable lazy bum. An indescribable Wrath has been accumulating to the point that in my nearly thousand years of existence, I don’t think I’ve ever felt this angry about anything before.
When I meticulously compiled all of this into a regular report and submitted it to Lord Kanon, prepared to be killed, she burst out laughing. It was the first time I’d seen the Great Demon Lord who harbors Wrath laugh so hard.
It was so unexpected that it completely blew away my own Wrath.
The Black Disciples – the elite force that serves as the eyes and ears of the Great Demon Lord.
It’s an elite unit comprised of demons chosen through various criteria, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that they will lead the next generation of the Great Demon Lord’s army. They are the direct bodyguards of the Great Demon Lord.
In fact, about one-fifth of the current Demon Lords have experience in this unit, and considering that the current Great Demon Lord, Lord Kanon, also came from this unit, it’s clear how refined and historically significant this unit is.
The members of this unit are dispatched in groups of multiple individuals to each Demon Lord serving under the Great Demon Lord. Their purpose is to closely observe the actions of the Demon Lords – who, due to their inherent desires, do not easily submit to others – sometimes conveying orders from the Great Demon Lord, sometimes admonishing them, sometimes fighting alongside them, and sometimes detecting their rebellion in advance.
Although it’s in the form of a dispatch, it’s an extremely dangerous mission that requires serving other Demon Lords, and due to its nature, it’s also a crucial task that can never be taken lightly.
Despite this, and even though I, Liese Bloodcross, had top-class performance within the unit, it was completely incomprehensible that I was assigned to this task alone, when it should have been a team of at least three (a three-man cell). Moreover, it was even more baffling and intolerable that I, who harbors the same Wrath as Lord Kanon, was to serve a Demon Lord of Sloth, which is of opposite nature.
Normally, observers should be demons of the same nature, or at least those with similar natures. No matter how great the decision of the Great Demon Lord may be, I simply cannot understand her intentions at all. I can’t tolerate it. Therefore, I have no choice but to protest, even if it results in my death.
The Great Demon Lord, Kanon Iralord, sinking into her massive obsidian throne, laughs so hard she’s teary-eyed as she leans on her giant staff.
Lord Kanon is a female demon. With a tall stature close to that of a male demon, her crimson hair, embodying her Wrath, rages like the hellfire of infernal flames, its long tips draping over the armrests of the throne.
Despite being several meters away, the sense of exhilaration I feel demonstrates the unfathomable depth of the Great Demon Lord’s power.
However, such majesty was already ruined in various ways. And incidentally, the Great Demon Lord seems to be in an unusually good mood today.
She clears her throat and fixes her scorching gaze on me.
「So, Liese Bloodcross. What do you wish for then?」
「Yes! Lord Lazy should be swiftly executed, and his army and territory should be distributed to other loyal Demon Lords.」
I directly convey to the Great Demon Lord the thoughts I had been considering.
As if anticipating my opinion, the Great Demon Lord immediately throws a question at me.
My opinion should have gone against the Great Demon Lord’s will, and it wouldn’t have been strange if my head had flown off in an instant, but there isn’t a trace of Wrath in her eyes.
「I see… Then, who will kill him? How do you propose to kill that Demon Lord who presides over the sole dominion of Sloth and spends eternity in idleness?」
「That is…」
That was precisely the reason why I had been patiently serving for the past few months.
Even when faced with my attacks – possessing the power of a commander-class demon and wielding Wrath, the attribute most suited for offense – that Demon Lord had the audacity to… fall asleep.
As if to say my anger wasn’t even worth paying attention to.
Just remembering it makes my blood boil.
Hot blood circulates throughout my body, centering on my magic core, and although I try to calm my reddening vision with deep breaths, it has no effect at all.
「Kukukuku, from your reaction, it seems you’ve already tried…」
「…Yes, although I knew it was overstepping my authority, I simply couldn’t contain my Wrath…」
Lord Kanon receives those words with eyes full of delight.
「I’ll allow it. Kukukuku, Liese… you resemble… the old me.」
「!? I… I’m honored!」
What does she mean by that?
I can’t understand Lord Kanon’s thoughts. I don’t comprehend. She’s not angry either. My thoughts freeze for a moment, and I quickly kneel.
With an expression uncharacteristic of her title as Kanon the Ruinous, Lord Kanon murmurs softly.
「Anyway, Liese. We can’t kill him… Of course, you’re free to kill him if you can – Liese, I have expectations for you.」
「…Yes! I will do my utmost to meet your expectations, my Lord.」
Startled by those sudden words, I hurriedly straighten my posture and lower my face at this unexpected expectation.
Will I be able to live up to this opportunity?
The Demon Lord of Sloth possesses immensely powerful abilities that belie his attitude, and his behavior shows not a shred of loyalty to the Great Demon Lord, nor any fear towards me who was dispatched by her… In fact, he doesn’t even show a bit of interest.
What can I do against that demon who lives in a closed world?
Is there anything I can do at all? I’ve always carved my own path by my own will, but for this trial, I don’t have a shred of confidence.
The compatibility is… too poor.
「Very well… I understand your thoughts. However, there is a reason why I appointed you as Lazy’s observer. Figure it out.」
Those words meant that the Great Demon Lord had no intention of explaining further. I feel a weight on the back of my head. An invisible pressure, as if holding my head down, doesn’t allow me to raise my face.
Of course, I can’t commit the folly of responding with a question.
「Yes. I apologize for my rudeness. I, Liese Bloodcross, am at your complete disposal, Lord Kanon.」
「Good. Now go. You have the potential to be a tyrant. Learn, understand, the meaning of being a demon.」
「Yes… I will certainly do so.」
The Great Demon Lord’s words are not in jest.
Those direct words are being etched into my magic core moment by moment.
Words that I still can’t understand even a bit.
Learning from the Demon Lord of Sloth…?
What am I, with a completely opposite nature, supposed to learn from that Demon Lord – a Demon Lord who bears sins so great that his predecessor, also a demon of Sloth, gave up?
Perhaps when I understand that, it will mean I’ve met the Great Demon Lord’s expectations.
As I bow deeply and am about to exit through the door, Lord Kanon says one last thing.
In a tired voice unbecoming of a Demon Lord bearing the title of Ruinous.
「Liese, when you return to the Slumbering Shadow Palace, please tell my brother, Lazy, to show his face once in a while.」
「…Eh!? Brother?!」
That was a completely unintended response.
As I hurriedly turn back, Lord Kanon, seemingly realizing what she just said, clearly clicks her tongue and points her staff with a stern expression.
The sin of Wrath that reduces everything to ashes.
Those eyes, blazing like raging flames, don’t allow for any objection from me.
Before my spirit breaks under that pressure, I manage to utter one word.
「Lord Kanon, about what you just-」
「Go, Liese Bloodcross! Don’t make me… waste my time!」
「Y-Yes, my Lord!」
The door closes as if I’m being chased out.
The angry voice of the Great Demon Lord who presides over Wrath is by no means rare. The two guards protecting the Great Demon Lord’s chamber give me stern but sympathetic looks. I nod and continue walking.
I see… So this is the reason why Lord Kanon, who presides over Wrath, can’t act strongly against a single Demon Lord, even if he is a rare King of Corruption…
While Wrath is unrivaled in direct attacks, it’s weak against indirect approaches.
Feeling as though I’ve glimpsed an unexpected darkness within the Great Demon Lord’s army, I become slightly melancholic.
Episode 2
Today, as always, the Demon Lord I’m tasked with observing remains peaceful.
The sun has long since risen, but the bed is still bulging in a “Lazy” shape, motionless. It’s unclear if there’s even life in there anymore.
Ever since receiving words of encouragement from the Great Demon Lord, I’ve been paying close attention, but no matter how you look at it, this Demon Lord is excessively slothful.
As the demon of Wrath, I may not always be angry, but Lord Lazy is never not lazy.
Is that the difference between a Demon Lord and a mere demon? No, that can’t be right. According to the Black Disciples monitoring other Demon Lords, Demon Lords are just slightly extended versions of regular demons. Apparently, none of them have encountered someone who pursues their attribute as stoically as Lord Lazy does. I wish he would just die.
Irritated, I jot down notes in my homemade Demon Lord observation diary.
I suddenly find my eyes widening. It’s surprising. It’s a grave situation.
There is… absolutely nothing to report.
He doesn’t train his skills, doesn’t study, doesn’t engage in battles. He doesn’t communicate with his subjects, doesn’t even attend military meetings. Everything revolves around the Demon Lord without his knowledge, all handled by his subjects. I’m witnessing a kind of perfected form of monarchy. But he’s absolutely misinterpreting the meaning of “reigns but does not rule.”
Or maybe he’s just not thinking at all.
Do you even understand what your role is, Demon Loooord?
How on earth is this army functioning? No, really.
The sheer absurdity is making my stress levels skyrocket. And as that transforms into Wrath, I find myself constantly harboring anger with nowhere to direct it. As a result, my Wrath Skill Lineage Tree is rapidly developing talent. I’m not happy about it at all.
I sit in the chair I brought, glaring at the bed like it’s my mortal enemy, seething with irritation.
Despite the killing intent I’m radiating, he doesn’t get up even once… What’s the deal with that?!
And as I’m sitting there fuming, the grandfather clock chimes the hour, and the root of all evil arrives, pulling a cart.
Opening the door without a sound, she enters with graceful movements, and announces the time in a quiet voice.
She is probably the closest person to the Demon Lord in the Lazy Army. That is to say, she’s…
「…Lord Lazy, it’s time for your meal…」
The maid.
She’s a beautiful young demon girl in an antique maid uniform, with a demure air about her. I don’t know what she governs, but she doesn’t seem to engage in combat, so she probably doesn’t govern anything.
In the classification system created by humans, demons fall into the category of malevolent spiritual entities. Demons are born with an instinct to harm others, but rarely, there are demons who lack such a nature.
In such cases, the result is the paradoxical existence of a demon who doesn’t govern any original sin. This is especially common in child demons who aren’t yet mentally mature enough to harbor desires, but I know that it’s rare but possible for them to grow up that way.
If she harbored any original sin, there’s no way she could be this devoted to Lord Lazy. Because this Demon Lord is scum.
Her name is Lorna. Apparently, she doesn’t have a family name. She’s the girl I’ve interacted with the most since being dispatched to Lord Lazy’s side.
She’s a girl probably around my age or a bit younger, with large, beautiful azure eyes and golden hair cut evenly at her shoulders.
At the same time, she’s also the root cause. Because this girl pampers the Demon Lord in every way imaginable, Lord Lazy never gets around to working.
I’ve protested many times, but she shows no signs of stopping, insisting that this is her job. It’s the end of the world when a girl like this serves a demon who indulges in needless sloth. I probably wouldn’t be surprised if she turned out to be the mastermind behind everything in the end.
I wish she would just die. But she doesn’t. There’s no worry about her dying in battle either. After all, she never goes to the battlefield.
At Lorna’s whispered meal announcement, the Demon Lord’s head pops out from under the covers. His eyes are half-closed as he lies face down. This is the only moment each day when I can see the Demon Lord’s pathetic face. He’s defenseless, but even if I were to attack now, it wouldn’t do any damage to Lord Lazy. I know because I’ve already tried.
What exactly are the skills of Sloth?
Among the Skill Lineage Trees possessed by demon classes, the one whose full extent is least known is undoubtedly the Sloth Skill Tree.
Sloth demons don’t like using their skills. Because that’s the very essence of the sloth they govern. That’s why almost nothing is known about Sloth skills. And none of them possess the diligent nature to record their own skills. It’s no wonder they’re not well-known. This is ridiculous!
What on earth were they thinking when they decided to pursue sloth?
What do they intend to do by developing a Skill Tree they never use?
Every time I think about this, I feel like I’m observing some bizarre animal. And I feel my sanity slipping away. I wish they would just die.
The little information that is known is that the Sloth Skill Tree excels in endurance, has skills that slow down others’ movements, and includes doll creation skills, which is why Lord Lazy is called Slaughterdolls. That’s about it.
That’s all, but in a way, even that much information seems sufficient. After all, these guys never use their skills anyway.
Lord Lazy opens his mouth while keeping his eyes closed.
Lorna accepts this with a melting smile, scoops up some food with a spoon, and puts it into Lazy’s mouth. It’s like a mother bird feeding her chicks.
Surprisingly, this Demon Lord doesn’t even feed himself!
Enough already! How can such a Demon Lord exist?! Apologize to all the more diligent demons!
Apologize to all the demons who can’t become Demon Lords no matter how much they fulfill their desires!
I grit my teeth and scream only in my heart. My mental state is already precarious in many ways.
And Lorna, you need to stop too!
The more I learn about this level of decadence, the more my evaluation of Lord Lazy drops, along with my evaluation of other demons who haven’t yet become Demon Lords despite being capable of it. Including myself. That makes me even more furious.
As I reflexively stand up, Lorna turns her gaze towards me.
She sighs, carefully places the spoon on the plate, and puts her hands on her hips in exasperation.
「Every single day, what exactly are you dissatisfied with?」
At that gesture, I hear something snap somewhere in my head.
Lazy yawns.
「Huh? What am I dissatisfied with? Stop making a fool of me!!」
Just because you’re a Demon Lord, don’t look down on me…
My rationality shatters in an instant, and Wrath turns into flames, becoming blood that courses through my entire body.
How much I’ve been enduring day after day… If Lord Kanon won’t pass judgment, then I’ll settle this in her place…
Moreover, even at this stage… he’s not looking at me.
He’s just swaying his head with his eyes closed. I’m overcome with the urge to kick it like a soccer ball.
No good… I’ve already done that long ago. It didn’t leave a single scratch.
Then, if I want to harm him, there’s nothing but the skill of 「Wrath」 to do it.
I take a deep breath and gather the intense emotions racing through my brain.
It’s too slow to use on the battlefield, but I take my time to gather power.
Using Wrath as fuel to annihilate the enemy. That’s the basics of the 「Wrath」 skill.
「You’re underestimating me… I’ll kill you in Lord Kanon’s place…」
The most powerful flame skill among the 「Wrath」 skills.
Flames forged from the magic core, the heart of a demon, rise in a pillar from my feet to the sky.
An upper-tier attack skill classified as S-rank in the 「Wrath」 Skill Tree.
The most powerful skill I can use.
『Flames of Wrath』
Lorna flinches at the heat wave that occurs as a side effect.
The blast of wind sends the dishes flying, smashing them to pieces against the wall.
Even though it’s just a side effect, it’s not a heat level that ordinary demons can withstand. Lorna’s arms and skin are instantly scorched by the heat, and the unpleasant smell of burning flesh fills the air. Lorna grimaces and reflexively steps back to protect her skin, but it’s not a level of heat that can be defended against so easily.
「…Lorna, get out of the way. I won’t be responsible if you get caught up in this.」
「…It’s useless. That level of ‘Wrath’… can’t break Lord Lazy’s ‘Sloth’.」
…You’re underestimating me.
Pushed by emotions that make the flames boil, the temperature rises to an unprecedented level. The barrier protecting the ceiling breaks from the heat, and the rocks that composed it melt into liquid, scorching the floor.
Words fuel the flames, dyeing my head even redder, and the flames enveloping my arms change to a red mixed with black.
The hem of Lorna’s dress catches fire and starts to spread.
Without trying to extinguish it, Lorna strokes Lazy’s head, which still has his eyes closed, and brings her mouth close to his ear.
And then she utters unbelievable words.
「Lord Lazy… I have a younger sister. If I’m gone, she’s arranged to take care of you in my place.」
「I see.」
Lorna, who doesn’t seem to care about her own life at all.
And the King of Sloth, who shows no interest in this fact. Lazy doesn’t even open his eyes – he doesn’t even look at Lorna’s face.
「Are you… insane? Do you intend to die?」
「Ugh… I don’t have the power to prevent Liese’s… In the end, I’ll die, that’s all there is to it.」
Those words, uttered in a calm tone while enduring the pain, pour more oil on the flames of Wrath.
The flames spread to the fabric, engulfing the king-size bed. Lorna doesn’t move at all, watching Lazy who keeps his eyes closed even as her body burns.
The flames are my anger itself. Their quality is not that of mere physical flames. They are the flames of hell, worthy of the name, reducing everything to ashes, bringing the most potent destruction in this terrifyingly vast Demon World. They even surpass the magical flames wielded by spirit-kind.
Information about the objects being burned enters my mind.
Lorna’s body, composed of a demonic soul, possessing only the slight fire resistance ability found in the basic demon Skill Tree, is easily consumed by the flames, becoming further fuel for the inferno.
The only reason Lorna is still alive is simply because this is merely a side effect that doesn’t even amount to a fragment of the skill.
If my skill were to activate, it would easily – more easily than burning paper – reduce that soul to ashes, even without aiming.
「Beg Lazy for help.」
「You’re… misunderstanding… Liese Bloodcross.」
The head of Lorna, slowly being burned all over and wrapped in charcoal, turns towards me. The charred eye sockets of Lorna, who is miraculously still alive despite being consumed by flames, look at me.
What I see there is emptiness. Not uttering a single scream of pain as her entire body burns, simply waiting stoically for the death to come – it’s more grotesque than anything I’ve ever seen.
That Lorna definitely smiles for a moment.
「…Sloth… is to think nothing… do nothing… not move your emotions… just to be there as you are…」
「?!」
The crucial Lazy, despite being engulfed in flames that consume everything, doesn’t move an inch.
Not a single hair burned, not a single burn on his skin. Without showing any sign of using skills!
Even though right before his eyes – the loyal demon who has been taking care of him all this time is about to be burned to ashes!
Even though everything in his world is being burned to ashes!
At this fact, my brain reaches its limit.
A Wrath that feels like it’s splitting my head, not satisfied even with burning everything in this world, breaks through my brain, and the temperature of the flames rises even higher.
At that moment, Lazy opens his eyes for the first time and mutters.
His gaze turns towards me for the first time. With an annoyed expression.
「…It’s hot.」
What is he saying… this guy…
I can feel my face contorting. Words I can’t understand. A way of being I can’t comprehend.
Without the slightest hesitation, I activate my skill.
「…Perish! Lazy!」
「…I see.」
Lazy sighs with an unpleasant expression.
And then, looking at the palm of my hand – the black flames – he says just one word.
「Yoha.」
In that instant, I realize for the first time that the Demon Lord has activated a skill. Without even saying the skill name.
With a speed faster than my skill that was about to strike.
I instinctively recognize that my mental resilience skill, which protects the soul, has been breached in an instant, without allowing even the slightest resistance.
It’s a shock that shakes my magic core. My vision blurs, my thoughts invert.
The heat in my head is completely drained.
As if those emotions were a lie, the hole pierced in my heart instantly creates an abyss in my mental world, and the skill, having lost its driving force of anger, bursts and disappears just before activation. The flames that were burning everything around, the flames that burned Lorna to ashes, everything vanishes as if it were a dream.
「What… did you…」
I look at my palm, where the black flames have completely disappeared.
I… should have been angry. Surely, I should have harbored enough Wrath and hatred to burn everything to ashes and reduce the world to cinders.
The memory remains. Just a few seconds ago, I was certainly furious, but now – nothing matters.
The discrepancy between memory and emotion fills the void in my mind that should have contained something, like an eerie cold wind.
My knees give way, and I kneel on the floor that has rapidly solidified after losing its heat.
I don’t understand. I don’t understand anything. I don’t understand the feeling of anger. Why, how, was I angry? How was I angry? My memory doesn’t answer these questions.
Ignoring my confusion, Lord Lazy reluctantly turns over on the carbonized bed, on the bedding that has almost turned to ash.
There’s only one explanation that makes sense for this abnormal situation.
This… is the Sloth skill.
Lord Lazy’s gaze, now lying on his back, looks this way.
「…………」
However, Lord Lazy closes his eyes without saying anything.
At this brazen attitude that goes beyond the pale, a new spark ignites within me.
Say something…
Episode 3
「Aren’t you going to kill me for rebelling?」
「…If you want to die, go ahead and die on your own. Tell them to send the Sloth one next.」
Sigh
Lord Lazy sighs heavily.
With those words, I’m certain that my actions have had no impact on this Demon Lord whatsoever.
He truly is a hopeless Demon Lord. I recall Lord Kanon’s words, tinged with exhaustion.
A skill that overwrites desire with sloth.
I speculate that this is the effect of the nameless power Lord Lazy used just once.
At that moment, the abyss that opened in my heart was undoubtedly what my desire had been filling until then.
And if that’s true, then it’s the ultimate skill against demons. After all, a demon’s combat ability is proportional to their desire. Just as my 「Flames of Wrath」 dramatically increased in power in proportion to my anger.
This is true not only for Wrath, but for other types as well. Without material desire, one can’t use Greed skills, and without hunger, Gluttony skills can’t display their full power.
It’s an absurd skill. Normally, this kind of skill could be blocked by the mental resilience skill in a demon’s basic Skill Lineage Tree, but this Demon Lord broke through and applied the skill in an instant. This indicates that the skill is likely an advanced type that can’t be resisted by ordinary mental resilience.
It’s questionable whether it would work on a Demon Lord, but if it does, even a Demon Lord would be like a baby before the King of Sloth. And, though I hate to think about it, that probably applies to Lord Kanon in her position as Great Demon Lord as well.
No, more than that, most Wrath skills increase in power in proportion to anger, so this skill would likely have an even greater effect on other Demon Lords.
Considering the smoldering Wrath within me now, it probably doesn’t last permanently, but if it were to occur even for a moment during battle, I can’t help but feel terror.
Effect? Range? Area? Conditions?
It’s far too dangerous to challenge this Demon Lord without knowing anything… Moreover, he only showed one power. Considering that I have more than ten Wrath skills at my disposal, although there may be differences in the Skill Lineage Tree, it’s inconceivable that this Demon Lord would have fewer skills at his command.
Lord Lazy is… dangerous. Not in the sense that he irritates me and weakens my mind, but his power itself is dangerous.
Lord Kanon probably knows this well. That’s why she dispatched me. Although it’s unlikely that this Demon Lord would cause trouble like a rebellion, just in case.
If I can’t defeat him with Wrath skills—then skills from other lineages with inferior pure attack power certainly won’t be able to break through this durability.
He said it was hot. That means, at that moment, my blade certainly had an effect on this Demon Lord. Even if it’s impossible for me now, eventually, when I grow stronger, I’ll be able to gain the power to damage this Demon Lord.
Sharpening my blade.
Seeing this man with such powerful abilities and sharpening my own blade. That is probably Lord Kanon’s… intention.
And at the same time, skillfully manipulating this man’s resources to make him useful to the Great Demon Lord’s army. He would be terrifying as an enemy, but his Sloth skill would be reassuring as an ally.
This is both a mission to simultaneously solve these two difficult problems and a trial for me.
There’s no doubt that when I overcome this, I will have power incomparable to what I have now.
Lord Lazy turns over on a similar bed in the new bedroom he’s been moved to.
As I watch him, there’s no longer any trace of contempt in my eyes.
The bedroom that was burned to ashes by the aftereffects of my power is now being rebuilt. None of the demons in the Lazy Army said anything. Say something, damn it.
At that moment, the door opens with a sound, and a demon enters.
It’s a girl in a maid uniform. She has an atmosphere slightly similar to Lorna’s, but she’s a demon slightly younger than Lorna.
She glances briefly at Lord Lazy, who doesn’t even show his face from under the blanket, then looks at me for a moment before approaching Lord Lazy and smiling with a face identical to Lorna’s.
「Lord Lazy! It’s time to wake up!」
And then, of all things, she starts violently shaking the blanket that the Demon Lord is hiding under.
While her smile and atmosphere are certainly similar, Lorna’s sister, who she had talked about, was completely different in behavior from the atmosphere. It’s fraud.
This is no way to treat a lord.
I can’t help but try to stop her, given her excessively rough treatment, even though I was on the other side of this situation before.
What is this?
「W-wait… Be quieter!」
「Oh! You must be Liese, the one my sister was talking about! I’m Hiro! I’m the younger sister of Lorna, who used to take care of Lord Lazy!」
「Uh, ah, yes.」
Hiro only turns her face towards me, without stopping her arms at all.
There’s absolutely no negative emotion towards the person who burned her sister to death. On the contrary, her smile is as radiant as a blooming flower.
Even for a demon, there’s usually some affection for family. Like how I swear loyalty to the Great Demon Lord.
And then, of all things, she says in an innocent voice:
「Thank you! For killing my sister! Thanks to you, it’s finally my turn! My sister never gave up her role no matter how long it took, so I’ve been frustrated for so long!」
Those emotions were far too distorted. It’s even worse that there’s no visible malice.
I’ve never seen such emotions, neither when I was working directly under the Great Demon Lord, nor since I was assigned to this army.
「Hey… Don’t you have anything to say to the person who killed your sister?!」
「Huh? Hmm…」
Hiro stops her hands and puts her index finger on her chin, thinking.
Then she immediately gives an answer. An answer I never expected.
「Liese, you’re not thorough enough. If you’re going to kill, you need to do it properly…」
「Huh…?」
Hiro sits on the edge of the bed, her skirt fluttering. Her healthily tanned skin is visible from her hem, which is much shorter than Lorna’s.
She laughs in a voice befitting her age.
How did such a sister come from that chaste older sister?
「Hehehe, she was still alive… Geez, my sister is so stubborn… You’re lucky. Even though it wasn’t a direct hit, it’s amazing she didn’t die instantly from the power of a commander-class demon’s ‘Wrath’. I thought it was finally my turn, but I almost had to be patient again!」
Shocking content. She was still alive even though she was charred black!?
No, that’s not it. That’s not the point. What did this demon just say?
「…Had to be patient again? You mean you were going to—Lorna—」
「No, no, no, don’t misunderstand! My sister is alive, you know? Charred black, but still. I mean, killing my own sister… If I did that, hehehe, I’d lean towards ‘Envy’, wouldn’t I? It’s too much trouble to harbor two desires.」
A cheerful voice that gives me the creeps.
This one is… different. She doesn’t have the tenderness of Lorna. Even if her face is similar, her form is similar, even if she’s still young, this child is undoubtedly an orthodox, pure demon who spreads malice just by existing. The nature that most easily pursues desire. A 「Pure Demon」.
Hiro lies on her back on top of Lord Lazy, who is nominally her lord, looking up at the canopy and continues.
「My sister was beautiful, wasn’t she? Even though she should have the same nature of ‘magic core’ as me, she was tall and slender, with big, clear eyes, white skin without a single scar despite doing housework, shiny hair without any damage, a voice that was neither too high nor too low but pleasantly entered the ear, breasts two sizes bigger than mine… She was a beauty that no male demon would leave alone, yet she was lustful but never let anyone touch her body, always serving Lord Lazy faithfully… She was strong-willed too, not backing down even against ‘Wrath’… Hehehe, she was truly the ideal woman.」
「Lust…ful?」
「Huh? You didn’t know? My sister was a demon who presided over ‘Lust’, you know. Moreover, she had refined her desire to the point where she could use A-class equivalent skills. In terms of demon rank, she was probably… just one step below commander, about Knight class, I guess.」
Those were unbelievable words.
「Lust」
Known as one of the seven types possessed by demons, with skills not suited for direct combat.
And probably the class with the least resistance to weak attacks among all desires.
They are weak. Just utterly fragile. Especially against demons with mental resilience, most of their power doesn’t work.
But if that’s the case, then why—
「Why…」
「Whether my sister told you or not, our family line… has been serving the King of Sloth, Lord Lazy Slaughterdolls, for generations. Probably for dozens of generations. There’s a rule that the strongest demon in the family serves. And for this generation, that was… my sister Lorna. Until ‘yesterday’.」
Yesterday, I burned Lorna to ashes with the Flames of Wrath. If Hiro’s words are correct, even if she’s alive, she’s lost her power to that extent.
With that, the generation changed. Probably to this arrogant and insolent younger sister.
「I’ve always had a complex about my sister. Especially about her appearance. Because my sister had the ideal form and shape that I wanted… That’s why I was always weaker than my sister.」
「Huh? Appear…ance?」
「The power of ‘Lust’ isn’t… very strong, even if a demon’s rank increases to the point where they can use A-class skills. I’m much stronger. But still, I couldn’t win. I’m grateful to you, Liese. I’m thankful that you burned my sister’s beauty out of spite.」
Hiro’s voice tone drops for a moment.
Then the demon says:
「Thanks to that, I was able to… ‘surpass’ my sister…」
All the puzzle pieces fit together.
Hiro forcibly opens the blanket and clings fearlessly to the arm of Lord Lazy, who is curled up like a bagworm moth, with lifeless eyes.
「Lord Lazy, nice to meet you. As you’ve probably heard, from today I’ll be taking care of you in place of my sister. My name is Hiro! I’ll serve you with all my heart, so please take care of me!」
「…I see.」
「The Original Sin I bear is… ‘Pride’. I’m Hiro of ‘Pride’! Please remember that!」
So… it’s a demon of Pride after all!
「Pride」
A demon that presides over superiority and arrogance.
In this army, it’s also the Original Sin presided over by Hard Lauder, the supreme commander.
This type… has a very tricky Skill Lineage Tree. It’s especially incompatible with Wrath or Gluttony, which deal direct damage.
Hiro addresses the Demon Lord with sparkling eyes in their first conversation.
But at the same time, I intuitively realize at that moment that this girl is in no way capable of dealing with Lord Lazy.
The Demon Lord responds with just one word, his eyes showing no particular thought or emotion.
「…Yoha.」
「Huh? What does ‘yoha’ mean?」
At those words, Lord Lazy makes a terribly displeased expression.
His expression says that it’s too troublesome to explain. He turns his gaze towards me, but I decide to ignore it.
At first, I also wondered what it meant. I asked, 「What does that mean?」 But Lord Lazy didn’t tell me. In the end, I had to ask other demons later to find out. It was a very trivial matter.
Lord Lazy lets out a big sigh. As if saying it’s our fault.
And at that sigh, Hiro’s expression clouds over.
Lord Lazy speaks in a heavy voice. To me, it sounds the same as always, but for Hiro, who is conversing with Lord Lazy for the first time, it must sound different. His voice always sounds as if he’s disappointed.
「…What happened to the previous one?」
「…Huh? My… sister?」
「…Yeah.」
He probably doesn’t understand at all.
Lord Lazy isn’t interested in the names or backgrounds of maids. He’s probably just answering carelessly because it’s troublesome.
Hiro, with her pride stimulated, answers in a trembling voice.
「My sister is… charred black after being burned by Liese over there. So I—」
You were there, weren’t you?! I mean, it’s your fault, isn’t it?!
Despite completely ignoring it, his memory can’t even recall what happened just yesterday.
Is there something wrong with his brain?
「I see… Bring her here.」
「…Huh? Lord Lazy, w-what did you just…」
Lord Lazy frowns.
He’s probably thinking it’s troublesome, but to someone who doesn’t know him, it would look like he’s in a bad mood.
By the way, if Lord Kanon made such an expression, it would be a sign that everything in the surrounding area was about to turn to charcoal. You’d absolutely have to run away.
This Demon Lord is a slacker, so he would absolutely never do such a thing. I’d bet my life on it.
Ah, geez. It’s irritating.
Lord Lazy says it again.
「…Bring her here.」
「Ugh… Y-yes… Haha, but she’s just charcoal, you know? …Y-yes, I understand. I’ll ‘bring’ my sister.」
Hiro’s face looks like she’s about to cry for a moment, but she quickly leaves the room with loud footsteps.
As if to say, I’m in a bad mood!
But Lord Lazy probably hasn’t noticed that.
I ask the Demon Lord, who is unusually taking many actions, rolling around in the blanket without moving.
「What are you planning to do?」
「…She’s no good.」
「…You mean Hiro?」
「Yeah…」
He just says one word, looking terribly bothered, without giving any specific reason.
…It seems that Lorna’s actions of thoroughly spoiling him until now have had some effect. As expected of Lust, unparalleled in the art of seducing people.
She was providing all conceivable services after all… That’s also why I snapped.
Hiro opens the door loudly with flashy footsteps.
She roughly throws something onto Lord Lazy’s bed.
「…It’s my sister.」
What Hiro brought was a 「magic core」 about a few centimeters square that fits in the palm of her hand.
Even that core is half-burned and half-destroyed. I wouldn’t say this core is alive. There’s no material to judge by.
As long as a demon’s magic core is intact, they can self-regenerate over a long period of time. But with this much damage, self-destruction would probably be faster than regeneration.
Rather, it’s impressive that Hiro found this in that charcoal. Perhaps she did have some sisterly feelings after all?
Even Lord Lazy frowns at this unrecognizable object and picks up the core.
He sighs as if giving up and looks at Hiro, saying just one word… once again, just one word:
「…Yoha.」
「…Huh? Um… I’m sorry. I’m… I’m still inexperienced, but I’ll do my best. …Could you please tell me what ‘yoha’ means?」
Hiro, faced with an impossible task, sheds tears, her smile from earlier a complete lie.
To make Pride call itself inexperienced, he’s a terrifying man. He’s probably not thinking anything at all. But for those who preside over Pride, it’s equivalent to a humiliation that could make them die of shame.
They are bundles of pride, and because they place themselves at the center of the world, they are extremely weak to acts that hurt their pride or compare them to others.
「…Hah…」
「Ugh?! L-Lord Lazy…」
Who does he think he is?
Lord Lazy closes his eyes with a sigh.
I mean, whether it means 「Do as you see fit」 or 「I am satisfied」, he’s not giving any specific instructions either way.
The Demon Lord doesn’t want anything in particular right now. He should just explain it to her.
Hiro looks around flustered. Our eyes meet, but I ignore her because I dislike Pride demons.
She’s trying to regain some evaluation, talking with forced cheerfulness. Probably her evaluation hasn’t gone up or down. Generally, getting any evaluation from Lord Lazy is meaningless anyway.
I’m thinking, aren’t Pride and Sloth the worst possible combination?
Pride, which believes in superiority over others, and Sloth, to whom everything is equally unimportant. The King of Sloth can’t satisfy Pride’s sense of superiority.
Even though there’s a rule, I think Lorna completely misjudged in choosing her successor. Is this some kind of harassment?
「Um… I’m good at housework! Cooking, laundry, cleaning… I’m confident in all of it. If you want… I could even… provide sexual services…」
「I see.」
Lord Lazy gives his usual answer to Hiro, who is clearly forcing herself with a bright red face.
He’s not being curt, this is just how he always is!
But Hiro doesn’t know that. You shouldn’t try to communicate with the Demon Lord.
You have to think of him as a clam or something… That’s why I’m struggling too.
Then, Hiro, pushed into a corner, desperately says those words:
「Um… Please order me to do anything you want.」
Hearing that, Lord Lazy says something meaningful of his own will for the first time.
「…Tch, what a pain.」
「…Huh?!」
Who does this guy think he is?
Lord Lazy lets out the deepest sigh yet.
Hiro looks at the Demon Lord with a dumbfounded expression. She hasn’t said anything wrong. She hasn’t spoken rudely or made selfish demands.
If a hundred people saw this scene, all hundred would side with Hiro. Even I would take her side.
Don’t expect a maid who just started today to understand everything.
Then, the Demon Lord holds up the nearly broken magic core to the light with a casual motion.
What is he thinking?
And then that moment came.
At the sudden occurrence of a presence, my breath catches for a moment.
Hiro distorts her well-formed face in fear at the sudden presence, convulsing greatly and taking a step back.
Pride forgets Pride, and Wrath forgets Wrath. It’s a magical power so strong that it makes my 「Flames of Wrath」 look like child’s play, enough to repaint the world.
It was undoubtedly the densest wave of power I had seen so far.
The power of Sloth that makes you feel like nothing matters and all strength leaves your body.
The Demon Lord chants with a face that looks like he’s about to die. It was clearly a spell incantation.
「『E-e-ru Acedia. Degrade and corrupt all. Hah… Golden reason, black foundation weaving all things, in my name alone, accomplish separation. 『Collapsing Precise Gold Moon (Sloth Minus Growth)』』 Ah, I mispronounced the spell…」
「Wait…」
The overflowing magical power creates a phenomenon according to the Demon Lord’s chant.
Basically, skill activation becomes more difficult and less powerful in the order of: with chanting, skill name only, and without chanting.
The Demon Lord, who until now had never even said a skill name, let alone chanted, had to chant for this skill. The long chant undoubtedly indicates… the highest-ranked skill I’ve seen since being assigned here.
I have no idea what’s going to happen, but my whole body is signaling a sense of wrongness. Sounding an alarm.
The usually barely noticeable signs of a skill activating are clearly felt.
Hiro screams at the sign of the world’s principles being twisted.
And he even said he mispronounced it… That sigh definitely slipped in between, didn’t it?!
Can’t he even properly chant a skill?! This Demon Lord!
The thoughts racing through my mind are just an escape from reality.
Even if the skill chant failed, the skill is definitely activating.
Crumbling. The sensation of something breaking even though nothing should have changed.
The magic core that the Demon Lord held up, the color and shape of the half-burned crystal, change.
A black, mist-like substance appears from nowhere, gathering around the crystal and forming a shape. Its color changes.
Hiro mutters in astonishment.
「Bi… big sis…ter?」
「…Hah.」
Despite the weary sigh, as if rewinding a video, the charcoal regains its color, and the completely carbonized face turns white and regains its luster. Large pupils are generated in the empty eye sockets.
In just a few seconds, a completely uninjured 「Lorna」 has been generated there. Not just her body, but even the clothes she was wearing are without a single scratch.
Faced with a situation far beyond expectations, Hiro screams, her eyes darting back and forth. She backs away, bumping her back against the table, her legs giving out, but she retreats even further.
And then, Lorna slowly opens her eyes.
…She’s alive.
Impossible… What kind of skill is this?
Regeneration? No way… Regeneration wouldn’t bring back clothes too. Besides, Lorna should have been completely annihilated. Even if you regenerate a half-destroyed magic core, it shouldn’t return to this completely original state!
「Big… sister?」
「Hi…ro?」
Hiro staggers towards Lorna as if she’s seeing a ghost.
Lorna blinks at her sister, as if she doesn’t understand what’s happening.
Of course she doesn’t. Even I, who saw the whole thing, have no idea what’s going on.
At that moment, Hiro’s expression changes. From pale to perplexed.
Then she tilts her head and scrutinizes Lorna’s entire body.
I notice it too. The body’s regeneration is… not finished. No, the wounds are perfectly healed, but it’s still 「returning」.
The skill isn’t over yet!
The sensation of something breaking doesn’t stop even after Lorna’s appearance has returned to normal.
Lorna’s height shrinks slightly, but definitely. Her chest similarly shrinks a bit, and her facial features become slightly more childish.
Her clothing changes from a pure white maid uniform to a slightly smaller, predominantly black one. The long skirt changes to a shorter one, though still longer than Hiro’s.
Don’t tell me he messed up…
While I watch nervously, her tall stature continues to shrink. The height difference with Hiro, which was about 15 centimeters, becomes 10 centimeters, then 5. In comparison, her chest barely changes, but her facial features clearly change from mature beauty to a more youthful appearance.
Hiro blinks for a different reason now and looks at Lord Lazy.
「Lord Lazy, is this…」
「…Went too far back.」
Lord Lazy presses his head into the pillow with a face that shows no remorse at all. Even at a time like this, the Demon Lord lacks motivation, despite his own mistake.
Went too… far back?
Lorna’s changes stop.
By now, the difference with Hiro has almost disappeared. Perhaps due to personality differences, Lorna’s face still looks slightly more mature, but the clear difference that existed, the difference in growth, has vanished. Aside from Lorna still being slightly taller and having a considerably larger chest, they look almost like twins. The only difference is perhaps in what they preside over – Lust and Pride.
Lorna looks at her shortened hands and feet with confused eyes.
Hiro, not knowing how to react, looks around helplessly. I want to ask someone for help.
Only Lord Lazy, without confusion and without malice, turns his gaze to the much more compact Lorna.
「Do you… have your memories? What’s today’s date?」
At Lord Lazy’s question, Lorna puts aside her confusion and straightens her posture. She seems bothered by her now shorter skirt, but she fidgets while clearly answering.
「Huh? Oh… Yes. Today is November 11th of the year 271C8A in the Divine Calendar, year 310 in the Kanon Era, Lord Lazy.」
Hearing that answer given with a full smile, Lord Lazy looks at me.
Don’t tell me he asked without remembering the correct date for today?
Hiro, having recovered, answers instead.
「Big sister, today is November 12th.」
「Huh? No, today is the 11th… Wait, Hiro, did you get taller?」
You’re the one who shrunk!
Lord Lazy says to Lorna, who is still tilting her head and unable to grasp the situation, as if it doesn’t matter at all:
「I see. I understand. Yoha.」
「??? Y-yes! I understand!」
Still tilting her head but answering, Lorna habitually looks at her wristwatch, then checks the clock hanging on the wall, and hurriedly bows deeply to Lord Lazy.
「Lord Lazy, I deeply apologize. It seems the meal time will be delayed by about… an hour.」
「Yoha.」
「Thank you very much. I’m grateful for your kindness.」
Lorna, who has instantly returned to her daily cycle, leaves the room making quiet pattering sounds, pulling her sister’s hand who still hasn’t grasped the situation.
Watching this scene, I was too dumbfounded to say anything.
What’s with that unnecessary loyalty? She’s more worried about the meal of a Demon Lord who could survive for years without eating or drinking than the fact that her own body has shrunk?
I look at Lord Lazy, but the perpetrator shows no sign of feeling any satisfaction, sense of achievement, or guilt, and just closes his eyes. He seems to have fallen asleep in just a few seconds.
This Demon Lord really never wavers…
Faced with such refreshing consistency, I was losing confidence in my own 「Wrath」 that I preside over.
Episode 4
I really wish he would just give it a rest.
Every time he show off his Sloth skills, my stress levels go through the roof.
The only thing I’ve figured out is that this Demon Lord has advanced his class to a level befitting the third rank.
And that fact, which should normally be cause for celebration for me, just makes me lose confidence as a demon every time I learn about it.
I have no idea how much desire I’d need to fulfill to gain an absurd skill like 「turning back time.」 Apparently it’s a skill that accurately erases accumulated experience, but who cares about the details.
Compared to Wrath’s many directly offensive skills, Sloth’s skills are far too versatile, with effects that are utterly incomprehensible and just… really unsettling.
Since they’re rarely used, the damage when they are used is insane. Lord Lazy is definitely trying to make me die of anger. In cahoots with everyone else.
This workplace is crazy. …My stomach hurts already.
I now totally understand why the previous Sloth demon threw in the towel. If even a fellow Sloth demon gave up, there’s no way I, a Wrath demon, can endure this.
No matter how much anger I throw at him, he remains unfazed, so my stress doesn’t dissipate at all.
I’m completely caught between Lord Kanon’s expectations and the conditions on the ground.
But if I could just leave things be, there wouldn’t be an easier assignment than this.
After all, I don’t even need to monitor them since these guys will definitely never revolt, and even if I don’t lend a hand, things will work out somehow in the end.
Or so I thought, but look at this situation!
While clutching my stomach that’s twisting in pain, I ask Lord Lazy again as he sits deeply in his chair.
「Huh? What did you just say?」
「…Nothing.」
He turns his face away with an obvious expression that says it’s too much trouble to speak. It’s probably a kind of growth that I’ve come to understand the expressions of the nearly expressionless Demon Lord. I don’t need this kind of growth…
It’s no use… there’s no dealing with this guy.
I take a deep breath to suppress my anger. My patience must have grown considerably compared to before I came here.
Control your anger… yelling is a waste at this point.
「…Do you remember the contents of the imperial command?」
「…」
Please… please don’t close your eyes. I’m begging you, listen…
It’s okay, it’s okay… calm down… getting angry means losing…
I take a deep breath and ask in a lowered voice to make it easier for Lord Lazy to hear.
「You said it, right? This time’s orders are… that the opponent is a Demon Lord.」
「…Huh?」
Ugh… this guy…
I clench my palms tightly. I grip so hard that my nails break the skin, causing a hot pain in my palms.
Is he mocking me? No. He’s not just playing dumb, he genuinely has no memory of it.
I… said it! I definitely said it! I’m the one who received orders from Lord Kanon, I’m the one who struggled to convey that to Lord Lazy, and I’m the one who specifically warned that since the opponent this time is a powerful Demon Lord, we’d end up wasting commander-level demons if we don’t sortie directly!
I warned him because I knew he definitely wouldn’t go out on his own!
I calm the Wrath that’s about to break through my skull and rampage around that area by repeating abdominal breathing many times.
「Big sis, listen listen. Liese has become quite docile lately, hasn’t she?」
「Less talking, hold the edge properly!」
Aaaaaargh!
The sisters who irritate me second only to Lord Lazy spoke as if they were commenting from the sidelines.
Apparently having heard about Hiro’s pathetic behavior towards her lord afterwards, Lorna and HIro started coming together recently under the pretext of maid training.
My stress has nearly doubled due to the malicious younger sister who deliberately speaks loud enough for me to hear, and the slightly airheaded older sister who shows absolutely no interest in me despite having been unilaterally killed once. It’s truly the worst.
The essence of Pride’s skill lineage tree is an absolute correction towards those they feel 「superior」 to.
Simply put, they have a characteristic… a skill that makes them absolutely strong against those they consider weaker than themselves, and absolutely weak against those they consider even slightly superior to themselves.
Therefore, now that Lorna has been revived, it seems Hiro has had to resign herself to second place again. Normally, once you’ve “surpassed” someone according to Pride’s nature, it shouldn’t be overturned so easily, but it seems the clear difference in appearance (mainly chest size) that’s obvious even after being restored to about the same age has beaten Hiro down again, and for now, while she seems to be slightly afraid of Lord Lazy, she’s obediently listening to her sister.
Well, that doesn’t really matter right now anyway.
The problem lies with Hiro, who keeps glancing this way while mischievously making the bed.
She says with a nasty grin on her face:
「Liese doesn’t get angry at all anymore… I wonder if she’s given up after seeing Lord Lazy’s power?」
「Of course. No matter how you look at it, raising a hand against the Demon Lord was abnormal in the first place!」
Aaaaaaaargh!
More fuel is added to the Wrath that’s about to explode in my brain.
Blood spurts from my palm, dripping onto the floor.
I accidentally put too much strength into it, cracking the floor.
I fight against my own emotions with all my mental strength.
Calm down… calm down, Liese Bloodcross.
This is just child’s play after all…
Compared to this man who doesn’t move a single finger despite being a king—
Smile. Put on a smile.
「L-Lord Lazy? Y-You said it, right? That the opponent is… the Demon Lord of Gluttony?」
「…Who’s that?」
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Someone please do something about this man!
There’s no way a demon under Lord Kanon wouldn’t know the name of Zebul Gracos, the Glutton.
But this Demon Lord probably really doesn’t know. Stupid dumbfuuuuuuck!
That’s why I explained. I explained because I thought he didn’t know! I definitely explained!
Aaaaaaah, please help me Lord Kanon!
I try to forget my anger by banging my head against the bedpost repeatedly, while Lorna watches me with eyes as if looking at something creepy.
It’s your lord’s fault!
「…The f-fifth-ranked Demon Lord of Gluttony. She devoured the 15th and 16th ranked Demon Lords in just 3 days. She’s a… vicious… Demon Lord.」
「…Is that impressive?」
「Ugh… I-It’s incredibly impressive! Listen, okay? Being fifth-ranked means she’s the fifth strongest among the Demon Lords under Lord Kanon’s command!」
「…Is she stronger than you?」
No way!
Don’t compare a commander-level to a Demon Lord-level!
I answer with tears of blood in my heart. Damn, why do I have to go through this?
「W-Well… yes, she is…」
「…I see.」
He replies with a completely uninterested expression. I finally snap.
If you’re not interested, don’t ask in the first place!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
「Wow, that’s amazing… Liese. To stay quiet even after being told all that…」
「Of course. In the first place, Liese’s way of talking to Lord Lazy up until now was the strange part.」
I’ve already killed you thousands, tens of thousands of times in my mind!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. This is bad… I could die.
Tears come to my eyes from the sheer Wrath. Why do I have to…
「Ugh… Th-that’s why, Lord Lazy, if you don’t go, it’ll be bad! At worst, we’ll be annihilated!」
Generally speaking, it’s common sense in demon-versus-demon battles for Demon Lords to face off against each other.
Moreover, this time we knew in advance that Zebul herself was leading the enemy forces.
Any normal Demon Lord would know this without being told. But I said it because I thought Lord Lazy definitely wouldn’t know!
Give me back my efforts!
After listening to my long explanation, Lord Lazy yawns and says with sleepy eyes:
「…Yoha.」
「If the army bestowed by the Great Demon Lord is annihilated, you’ll definitely be punished! Do you understand that?!」
Given how he looks, Lord Kanon might forgive him even if other Demon Lords wouldn’t, but of course I don’t say that.
If I did, he definitely wouldn’t come out.
Why do I, who was just sent here for surveillance, have to think this much when the person himself isn’t thinking at all?!
「…」
Move, damn it!
I pull on Lord Lazy’s arm as he silently closes his eyes.
It was a few hours ago when I heard from Lorna that Deji and Medea had sortied, and I questioned Lord Lazy.
If we don’t hurry, they’ll be annihilated. No, it wouldn’t be strange if they’ve already been annihilated.
I mean, he should at least say something! Like asking me to sortie with him!
Just as I was about to give up on Lord Lazy, who showed no signs of moving, a savior came from an unexpected place.
Hiro pulls on Lord Lazy with eyes full of interest.
「Lord Lazy, I want to see it too! You fighting!」
Well, that’s not really the point, but…
Hiro is even less restrained towards the Demon Lord than I am. She climbs onto his lap and shakes his shoulders vigorously.
Alarmed by her sister’s sudden outburst, Lorna hurriedly tries to catch Hiro. But unfortunately, having had her years of experience erased and her strength and abilities reduced, Lorna can’t completely separate Hiro.
「Hey, stop that! How dare you be so rude to Lord Lazy—」
「Huh? But sis, don’t you want to see Lord Lazy fighting sometimes too?」
「Eh, well—」
Lorna hesitates for a moment at her sister’s frank question.
Apparently even Lorna, who serves a Demon Lord who does nothing, has such feelings. That’s a bit relieving.
Perhaps noticing the change in his loyal maid whom he had revived by turning back time, Lord Lazy opens his eyes and says just one word.
Really just one word. The name he seems to have finally remembered recently.
「Lorna.」
「Hiro, come on! Lord Lazy is tired. We shouldn’t trouble him and should just do what we need to do!」
In an instant, Lorna reverses her opinion without hesitation. She firmly grasps Hiro’s body with both arms and pulls her away from Lord Lazy.
While dragging the struggling Hiro, she bows deeply to Lord Lazy with an ecstatic smile.
Lord Lazy closes his eyes again without showing any interest in that smile.
Hiro resists in Lorna’s arms and shouts.
「B-But sis! Every night, you mastur—」
…Huh?
The moment she heard that, Lorna clapped an iron claw over Hiro’s face with a speed unbecoming of Lust, probably enhanced by some skill.
She looks down at Hiro expressionlessly. Her eyes aren’t smiling. That’s the expression of someone considering how to cook a fish on a cutting board.
Here was a sleeping lion awakened, showing what happens when you anger someone usually of a gentle disposition.
「Hiro… if you say any more, hehe… I might awaken to Wrath…」
「Eep!? Y-Yes!」
There was a sister genuinely intending to kill her younger sibling.
Realizing she had stepped on the lion’s tail, Hiro nods vigorously with a pale face.
Lorna glances at her lord with a bright red face, but Lord Lazy is already in a sleeping position and couldn’t possibly have heard. Even if he had heard, he probably wouldn’t care anyway.
But… I see, so that’s it… Lust. The lustful big sister… No wonder Hiro would say such a thing.
Seeing Lord Lazy’s state, Lorna breathes a sigh of relief.
I laugh from the bottom of my heart for the first time in a while.
…But it’s not just Lord Lazy here, is it?
I tap Lorna’s shoulder lightly.
Lorna turns around, sees my smile, and realizes something, turning pale.
In Lorna’s hands, Hiro has fainted and is foaming at the mouth.
「L-Liese?」
I completely ignore Lorna’s pleading gaze and say in a casual tone as if making small talk:
「I see… I never would have guessed that you, with such a serious face, would do such things… Is this what it means to be Lust?」
「W-Wait!」
「I was surprised to hear you were in charge of Lust, but to think that you would actually use your lord every night to—」
「Wait, wait, wait, wait!」
Lorna grabs my collar and draws close with an expression I’ve never seen before.
I feel my heart flutter a little seeing her perfect beauty up close, despite being the same gender.
Hehehe, Lust… Lust… eh?
I avert my gaze from the teary-eyed Lorna.
What should I do, this is so much fun.
「Even for a Lust demon, isn’t this too depraved? To think that someone who looks so stoic would advance Luxuria’s class in such a direction… No wonder your sister calls you a slut. And every day at that… You might be able to become the Demon Lord of Lust soon, you know?」
「Wait, it’s not like that! Liese! It’s not like that! This is just Hiro’s misunderstanding—」
She shakes my shoulders violently.
What persuasive power do those words have when said with teary eyes and a face flushed bright red?
In the first place, whether it’s true or false doesn’t matter to me at all.
「I mean, instead of doing such roundabout things, why don’t you just tell Lord Lazy directly like Hiro did? Tell him you’d be happy to offer sexual services or whatever he orders. Hehehe, even Lord Lazy would probably be surprised to learn that Lorna, who always takes care of his meals and cleaning, was thinking such things inside.」
「…!!!」
Lorna lets out a voiceless scream, and I deliver the final blow.
No mercy. I touch Lorna’s apple-red cheeks with my palm.
「Oh, if it’s hard for you to say, should I tell him for you? As an apology for killing you the other time. Hehe, Lord Lazy is a lucky Demon Lord. Not only to be so desired by a Lust demon but also to be offered her ‘first time’.」
「Eep… ugh… it’s not… that’s not—I…」
Lorna sits down, stumbling over her words.
By the way, Lord Lazy hasn’t moved an inch despite all the commotion.
I pat the shoulder of Lorna, who’s making a face like it’s the end of the world. At this rate, she might really awaken to Wrath.
「Hey, Lorna. Shall we make a deal?」
「A… deal…?」
I tell Lorna, who’s looking up at me with eyes like an abandoned puppy.
I have things I need to do, and Lorna has things she needs to do, and to accomplish them, we can help each other. Hehehe, isn’t this what mutual aid is all about?
「Yes… Lorna. I… want to see Lord Lazy ‘fighting’. If I were to witness the moment Lord Lazy defeats Zebul, I think I’d completely forget about what I heard here.」
「Ugh… you devil.」
Look who’s talking.
The sight of Lorna still hesitating even when given hope at the last moment. This is truly a mirror of loyalty. Even though she’s a slutty girl who masturbates to her lord every night.
「Oh, if you prefer, I could record his fighting on a projection crystal? Hehehe, wouldn’t that make for good masturbation material?」
「I-I get it! I get it! J-Just stop!」
Lorna raises the white flag.
Winning really does feel good. Even though I didn’t use Wrath, it’s been a while since I felt this refreshed.
The remaining problem is whether Lorna can persuade Lord Lazy or not…
Maybe that’s the biggest problem?
Lorna hesitantly tugs at the hem of Lord Lazy’s clothes as he sleeps peacefully.
「Lord Lazy…」
「…………」
Perhaps because he’s used to her announcing meal times, Lord Lazy surprisingly opens his eyes after just one call.
Lorna begins negotiating with a still bright red face.
「I have a presumptuous request, if I may…」
「No.」
…He’s merciless even to a maid.
Well, I guess that’s to be expected. This is the man who, despite having the skill to resurrect, didn’t use it until dealing with Hiro became too troublesome. There’s no way he’d change his response for someone like Lorna.
But Lorna seems more accustomed to Lord Lazy’s responses than I am, as she doesn’t seem bothered by his words at all.
「Would you please… defeat the opposing Demon Lord Zebul together with Liese?」
「…Why?」
Why?
Why, he asks? Because it’s an order from the Great Demon Lord!
Lorna stops me as I try to approach.
She then asks with a gentle gaze:
「Lord Lazy, is there anything you’d like to eat tonight?」
「…Curry rice.」
「Then, let’s have curry rice tonight. I’ll put my heart into making it, Lord Lazy. Perhaps some exercise would be good for you?」
「…Unnecessary.」
「Lord Lazy, how about dessert?」
「…Apple pie.」
What is he, a child?
「Then, I’ll bake an apple pie too. Lord Lazy, it will take some time. How about some exercise?」
「I hate it.」
「How about fighting?」
「I’m a pacifist.」
What the hell is a pacifist Demon Lord?
「That’s wonderful, Lord Lazy.」
「I especially hate it if the opponent is strong. It’s troublesome.」
「…Compared to you, Lord Lazy, their power is insignificant.」
No, no, that’s not true at all.
The opponent is fifth-ranked, you know? Compared to that, Lord Lazy has only recently become third-ranked.
While he’s certainly higher-ranked than Zebul, it’s hard to say if he can win so easily. There are also compatibility issues, and I hardly know any of Sloth’s skills.
Lord Lazy looks at Lorna’s eyes with a bothered expression.
「…I see. Lorna… do you want me to fight that badly?」
「…Yes.」
「For whose sake?」
「…For my sake. I’ll… watch it later. Liese will… record it for me.」
「Pfft…!」
I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
Lorna is glaring at me with a face as red as a boiled octopus. Her gaze is saying that’s not what she means, but to me, it can only be interpreted that way.
I got it, I got it. I’ll record it for you! Use it as masturbation material as much as you like.
「…I see…」
「…I’m terribly sorry.」
「…Hah…」
「…I’m terribly sorry.」
「…My stomach kind of hurts…」
The Demon Lord states this with an expression that doesn’t look pained at all.
That’s the extent of it! That’s how much you don’t want to fight, Lazy Slaughterdolls!
If you’re going to fake illness, at least make a pained face!
「…I’m truly sorry, Lord Lazy.」
In response, Lorna bows deeply with a truly apologetic expression.
Lord Lazy doesn’t seem to care about that at all, as he just turns away and curls up.
This is definitely impossible…
「…Well then, Liese. Lord Lazy has given his consent.」
「…Huh!? Seriously!?」
This is enough? This is okay?
Is it really okay? No matter how you look at it, he seems to be refusing, doesn’t he?
The Demon Lord is curling up on the chair. It was the right decision to question him during bed-making time. If it had been bedtime, he would definitely be hiding under the covers.
Lorna says something even more unbelievable.
「…Liese, take Lord Lazy with you. You should be able to do at least that much, even if you can’t do anything else, right?」
…Very rude to say I can’t do anything, considering how much I’ve been struggling…
But that’s still fine. That’s still okay. The problem is… take him with me?
「…You mean, carry him on my back?」
「…You’re to make the Demon Lord move. That much is obvious.」
What’s obvious about that… Move, damn it!
In the first place, the Slumbering Shadow Palace is at the center of the vast land given to Lord Lazy. We roughly know where we’ll engage the enemy, but to carry him all the way there…?
I don’t want to think about it. I mean, even if I have enough strength, is it okay for the Demon Lord’s pride to be carried by a woman shorter than himself?
…It’s probably fine.
The Wrath that was about to well up from frustration is consumed. I don’t know why I have to go that far, but whatever. It’s fine at this point.
That’s right, have a broad mind— In the first place, it’s not a distance you can walk. Well, it’s not impossible to walk, but it would take too long, so most movement in the Demon World is done by flying dragon.
So this time too, I’ll only be carrying him until we reach the flying dragon station.
「…Alright… I’ll carry him…」
「That’s good enough. Now, Lord Lazy… I’m sorry, but—」
「Actually, I’ll die if I leave the bed for more than an hour.」
The Demon Lord, who says such a stubborn thing at this point, has no dignity left.
I mean, don’t lie so blatantly! There’s no way such a Demon Lord exists!
Besides, even using a flying dragon, it takes more than an hour just one way.
「…Even using a flying dragon, it takes more than an hour one way…」
「What? More than an hour…? Are you trying to kill me?!」
That was the most spirited voice I’ve heard since coming here.
You hate it that much… this man.
My stomach twists with pain.
「Don’t be ridiculous! At the very most, fighting is… still okay. I’ll just use skills casually. But if you want me to fight, bring that whatever Demon Lord of the enemy here to this room!」
「Th-That’s impossible! Come on, let’s go!」
I pull hard on the arm of the Demon Lord who’s throwing a tantrum.
「…No way! I absolutely refuse to work!」
「Come on, don’t be stubborn! This is an order from the Great Demon Lord!」
「Damn it, why do I have to go through this… That’s it, I quit being a Demon Lord!」
This guy… he’s serious. He hates moving that much.
Besides, you’re not even working that much, are you!
And even at this point, this Demon Lord shows absolutely no interest in the opponent.
「…Come on, don’t say such silly things! You can sleep until we get there!」
This man is the only one who has made me, the Wrath, compromise this much.
「…Can I sleep during the battle too?」
Is this Demon Lord out of his mind?
I mean, you’ll die! You’ll definitely die! The opponent isn’t commander-level, she’s a fellow Demon Lord!
Do you understand that, you idiot!
「…It’s no use. Tell Kanon that she should fight instead.」
He declared with unnecessarily confident eyes. This guy has no fear even towards the Great Demon Lord.
If anyone from the Great Demon Lord’s side saw this, he might be executed for lese-majesty.
「I can’t say such a thing! Besides, it doesn’t have to be a flying dragon, you know? That’s just the fastest method. You can use whatever you like, warping or teleportation or anything! You’re definitely going to fight! That’s your responsibility!」
「…Hah…」
Lord Lazy sighs.
What a useless guy.
I mean, having this conversation is troublesome.
…is what his eyes are saying.
Just as I was about to retort further, a floating sensation like being thrown into the air suddenly assaulted my whole body.
My field of vision switches in an instant.
「Huh…?」
Lord Lazy, who was thrown into the air, rolled on the ground without even trying to break his fall or making a sound.
I hurriedly straighten my suddenly floating body and land.
A pitch-black wasteland without a single obstacle stretches to the horizon. A bright blue moon casts light on the desolate land without a single tree.
「Huh? W-Wait… what… eh?」
Am I seeing an illusion?
We were in the castle just a moment ago, so why are we in a place like this…
Compared to me in the depths of confusion, the Demon Lord who was suddenly thrown to the ground shows no signs of panic at all.
The jet-black soil that looks like darkness itself made solid is characteristic of the underworld, a sign that it’s filled with the magic of death.
「…Zone… further… ahead…」
「Huh? W-Wait…」
An ominous voice is heard.
My field of vision switches again.
From a plain of nothingness to a plain swirling with the smell of blood, flesh, and flames.
Lord Lazy rolls ungracefully.
In that instant, my instincts perceive it.
A presence different from Lord Lazy’s — but equally massive. I mean, the target was right in front of us.
A small shadow wearing a jet-black cloak that doesn’t let even light escape, like a hole in space.
A small face with green hair looks at us with a puzzled expression. If anything, my confusion is probably stronger.
Zebul Gracos
The King of Gluttony. Her appearance matches what I heard from the Demon Lord.
Ridiculous… am I dreaming?!
Ignoring me in the depths of confusion, Lord Lazy unsteadily gets up.
He walks towards Zebul with uncertain steps like a newborn fawn, then collapses on his back and sighs.
He mouths complaints without making a sound.
「…Wait… impossible… No good, this guy’s strong… don’t wanna… didn’t hear about this.」
My head is instantly filled with retorts.
Wait, aren’t you the one doing this?!
Sure, I said to use warping or teleportation or whatever, but still!
Is this also a Sloth skill? Well, it’s certainly a perfect skill for Sloth!
And you’re giving up way too fast!
Lord Lazy glances at Zebul and slowly shakes his head.
My stomach makes an unpleasant twisting pain. It might have a hole in it.
In any case, don’t mess with me!