episode_0096

In the end, I gave up.

Expecting anything from others.

Believing that even this damned race had something positive in it.

Hoping that even my wretched life held a shred of light.

How foolish. I had already learned once that the world was filled with ugliness.

I should have died back then. In this filthy world, the only salvation was death.

I knew that, yet I couldn’t let go of my lingering attachments—and now, I’ve ended up like this.

The last time I cried after growing stronger was six years ago.

On the day I lost the people closest to me, holed up in a house in the woods, realizing I was truly alone—I wept pitifully, unlike myself.

Like a child robbed of sweets unbecoming of a great hero, like a girl experiencing heartbreak for the first time, I sobbed my heart out.

And now—

“Snff… Ugh… Nhh…”

I was crying again.

The situation was even worse than back then.

Unlike before, when I at least still had my freedom, now I was reduced to bearing the child of those I despised.

So, in the end, I abandoned hope. I stopped believing. I stopped expecting anything.

That’s why, when the devil extended his hand, I found no reason to refuse his sweet whisper.

“Help me… Please… save me.”

“—Demon King.”

I surrendered to evil.

I knelt before him and begged for his aid.

[A wise choice.]

Though his form remained unseen, I could feel him smiling.

And then—

===

The Emperor blinked, asking again.

“What did you just say? The Demon King?”

The Pope doubted his own ears.

“Miss Riel. Did you conspire with the Demon King?”

The King, certain he was right, grinned triumphantly and shouted.

“You’ve finally shown your true colors. What did I tell you? That if we left Riel Frost unchecked, we’d all be in danger? Sadly, Riel Frost, there’s no salvation for you now. You’re destined to bear the heirs of the three nations. Praying to the Demon King won’t save you—far too late for that.”

“Those words are mistaken. I am already here.”

A voice so beautiful it made even weeping sound lovely. The tone was the same, but the shifted cadence grated on the ears.

“Riel Frost…?”

Arianne, who had been bowing her head in tears, looked up.

Her striking violet eyes, still wet with tears, shimmered ominously.

“Everyone, be careful! Get out now!”

A knight guarding the hall’s entrance drew her sword, sensing the danger. As she activated a magic tool to signal for reinforcements, armed knights flooded in.

“What is happening? It’s like she’s become a different person—”

“I don’t know, but something is wrong! Evacuate immediately!”

“But didn’t we seal her magic with a slave crest? How could she—”

“This scribble?”

Naiad, possessing Arianne’s body, brushed her fingers over the slave crest etched into her collarbone.

Under her pale, slender touch, the mark vanished without a trace.

“Impossible! How—?”

“A mere slave crest cannot restrain a king.”

The Emperor, calmly analyzing the situation, narrowed his eyes.

“Are you implying you are the Demon King now?”

“Indeed. The sole being qualified to rule this world—that is who I am.”

“You dare declare yourself the world’s master within my kingdom?”

The King’s voice trembled with fury. The knights tensed, expecting an imminent order to attack.

Everyone except the King, who had lost his reason in the chaos, sensed it—

Everything was going horribly, horribly wrong.

“Pray, do not compare me to false kings like yourselves. Slaves to power. What remains of you when stripped of your titles? Your greed far outweighs your competence. In the end, you ensured this woman fell into my hands.”

“Subdue him! Summon Dennis—the one with slave permissions!”

At the King’s command, a knight rushed out while the rest drew their weapons.

Flash!

A golden light flooded the chamber. The Pope, realizing battle was unavoidable, cast the strongest buff he could upon the knights.

“Go! Strike down this lord of evil!”

Empowered beyond their usual strength, the knights surrounded Naiad and charged.

“‘Lord of evil’? Again, you’re mistaken, human king.”

“Though now confined to the title of Demon King—”

“I am—”

“The King of All Things.”

—

[Record of the 674th Day Since Defeat in the Human-Demon War]

Humanity has met its true end.

All sighed in despair at the news of the Sword Saint’s defeat—their last hope.

The fiends seem to have discovered our location.

This will be my final record.

If, by some miracle, humanity ever reclaims hope, let this serve as a last testament.

Imperial Year 417, October 3rd—

The day all calamities began.

To this day, no one knows what truly transpired when the leaders of the three nations vanished and the royal capital fell.

The only evidence left in the ruins was the absence of survivors.

And chronologically—

This aligns with either the birth or appearance of the Demon Queen, who shattered the balance of the warfront—

—

===

“Disappointing, Riel Frost.”

A deep voice resonated from within jet-black armor.

“I thought you a warrior of pride. And yet, you chose to grovel at the enemy’s feet for your own survival.”

“Shut up. Durahan, what do you even know?”

Before me stood Durahan—an adversary I had never settled scores with back in my hero party days—leaning against a wall.

To me, he was just a pest who refused to die. But judging by the discontent in his tone, he clearly thought something different of me.

Whatever had happened—my memories were hazy—but after accepting the Demon King’s offer and blacking out, I awoke the next moment in his castle.

The instant I opened my eyes and locked gazes with the Demon King’s generals, I flinched—but they made no move to attack.

Then, I understood.

This wasn’t a dream.

I had chosen to become the Demon King’s bride—and now, I was here.

“Now, now, scram, Durahan. Even if you’re undead, His Majesty won’t be pleased if another man gets a glimpse of his woman’s body before he does.”

“I have no interest in such things.”

Durahan, voice edged with anger, left—but not before turning back once to glare at me before disappearing.

What he felt about me, what he expected—I vaguely grasped it, but it meant nothing now.

In the end, this was all I amounted to.

Too afraid of suffering, too broken to cling to pride—I became someone who could cast it all away.

“Hey, quit wallowing and take a look at these. You can pick whichever one you like.”

“Even if you say that… none of these are normal clothes.”

The succubus had snapped her fingers to grab my attention, then presented outfits that were anything but decent.

Sheer fabrics that left nothing to the imagination? Check. Lingerie masquerading as clothing? Check. Alternately, garments that exposed breasts and crotch while only covering thighs and arms? Also check.

There was even a set with bunny ears.

“How am I supposed to wear this? Only a prostitute would—”

No.

Actually, what difference was there between me and one right now?

I offered my body in exchange for rescue—just replace “money” with “his child,” and it was the same. Maybe even worse.

“…But I’m supposed to be his queen now. Does the Demon King actually want his wife dressed like this?”

“You really don’t get it, huh? In demon society, this is considered downright modest.”

The law of the jungle ruled demonkind. In a world where the strong took everything, women had no place.

Demon women were either forcibly wedded by powerful men or, worse, impregnated and abandoned.

Rarely, a strong female might dominate men instead—but that was an exception.

Most sought out a protective husband before they could be violated.

“So in demon marriage, males hold absolute power. Females must thoroughly demonstrate submission to their husbands. The wedding exists to publicly cement their dynamic.”

Respecting one’s wife was a personal choice—but the ceremony had to showcase the male’s dominance.

Fail to do so, and you’d be seen as too weak to control your own woman—an open target.

“So to prevent others from underestimating him, I have to show complete obedience.”

There was no refusing this.

“…I’ll take this one.”

Riel Frost—the man I once was—now stared back at me from the mirror, barely recognizable beneath the exaggerated curves of my chest and hips.

Looking back, I couldn’t deny it anymore—I’d once held deeply patriarchal beliefs.

A wife should devote herself unconditionally to her husband. Even now, I didn’t disagree—but knowing I would fill that role left me tense.

The dress I’d chosen was a perverse wedding gown—a micro-skirt with translucent fabric and deep cleavage.

Maybe I’d picked it because, exposed either way, I might as well cling to some semblance of a bride’s dignity—or maybe not.

I couldn’t even understand myself anymore.

“Ungh… Uuu…”

The reflection fidgeted, tugging desperately at the skirt’s hem.

Even then, the curve of my rear peeked out. As for my chest—

I gave up.

No amount of adjusting could conceal the sheer size, leaving my nipples half-exposed.

“What are you doing? Hurry up.”

“O-Okay…”

One hand clamped over my chest, the other dragging down the skirt, I shuffled after the succubus.

She eyed my state, lost in thought for a moment—then suddenly clapped.

“Oh, right!”

“What now?!”

Everything she did now put me on edge. Perhaps it was her succubus instincts, but everything about me had been carefully tailored to provoke male desire.

She reached between my cleavage, fastened something—then pulled out a collar with a chain.

“Wear this.”

Of course, I smacked her hand away.

“Wh-Why the hell would I wear this?! I’m not some criminal—”

“You don’t have a choice. This is His Majesty’s direct order. The rest is up to you, but you will crawl in on all fours with this on.”

“Another show of dominance?”

“Obviously?”

…No way out.

Refusing now would spell disaster.

This much was clear—I stood no chance against him alone. Resistance was pointless.

For now, I had no choice but to play my role.

He promised freedom once I bore his child.

“You’re more compliant than expected.”

Ignoring her jab, I clenched my teeth as she fastened the collar and yanked the chain—forcing me forward.

Humiliation burned, but I swallowed it and followed.

“Ahh~ If only you weren’t His Majesty’s, I’d have ‘trained’ you and run off. My life would’ve been made! What a shame~”

At last, we arrived.

The moment the succubus opened the banquet hall doors, every gaze locked onto me.

The Demon King’s generals—once my enemies, once terrified of me—now struggled to stifle laughter at the sight of me crawling.

Grind.

Biting my lip bloody barely dulled the unbearable shame.

When I froze, the succubus yanked the chain hard.

“Eek!”

“Hey, don’t stop.”

Her words drove the reality home. Even a lowly succubus feared me no longer.

And all of this—was my own choice.

Before the Demon King’s throne, she set the chain’s handle down and bowed.

“Your Majesty, I’ve brought the female as commanded.”

“Well done.”

“Even though only generals were invited… Might I observe the ceremony? I’d love to witness Riel Frost’s wedding~”

“Do as you wish.”

“Yay~!”

She skipped off to the guest seats.

Then—the Demon King’s voice boomed.

“Raise your head.”

I obeyed.

Lifting my gaze, golden hair and crimson eyes greeted me—his form now that of a breathtakingly handsome man.

“…You look quite different from last time.”

“My form is fluid. I took this shape thinking it might suit your tastes. Does it displease you?”

Indeed, I’d never seen anyone so beautiful in all my travels—but that didn’t mean I liked him.

Even if I surrendered to Naiad, just because he was handsome didn’t erase the fact I’d spent years trying to kill him.

“Hmm. So appearances weren’t the issue. No matter. In the end, you’re mine now.”

Tilting my chin up, he stroked my cheek teasingly.

Whether his affection was genuine or not, his delight was undeniable.

Behind his smile, conquest glittered in his eyes.

“Then let us begin. Speak, Riel—no, my Arianne.”

This was the end.

Swearing fealty to the Demon King—I would become his queen.

Offering my body, bearing his child—truly becoming a woman.

This wasn’t like being violated by scrap monsters.

I chose this.

Chose to spread my legs for him.

And with that choice—I sensed, instinctively, that the last remnants of Riel Frost within me would vanish.

Words caught in my throat.

Fists clenched, I forced out something else entirely.

“You—you swore to keep your promise… Right? If I bear the next Demon King… you’ll let me take my revenge—”

“Of course. And once you embrace me, you’ll grow strong enough to no longer need my aid.”

My nails dug crescents into my palms.

No turning back now.

I had lost everything. Forsaken everything.

Only vengeance remained.

And for that—

With fingers clenched white, I spoke.

“Th-Then… fine…”

“‘Fine’? Don’t think you can half-ass this. A wedding is sacred. This is the last time I overlook that insolent tone. Do not forget—I am being lenient.”

“Ugh…”

His oppressive aura crushed me. Nothing of the hero, Riel Frost, remained.

After a hesitant pause, I picked up the chain’s handle from the floor—and resigned myself.

Kneeling before the Demon King, I offered the handle with both hands.

“I-I will… become your wife… Please… take me as… your queen…”

Naiad wordlessly accepted it.

Taking that as permission, I clung to him—meeting his gaze before leaning in.

And then—

Timidly, our lips met.