Under the light of the finely crafted chandelier, Crystella sits on her bed.

The time is already evening.
Today"s task have ended, and in order to have the s.p.a.ce to hear about the details, I called Aroma to my room.

She was unable to do most of her work today so tomorrow"s load must"ve increased, but she is capable.
It should be fine.

The thing on my mind right now is my childhood friend that always has a smile on, is now looking down with a haggard expression that she has never shown before.

「I heard a scream. Eru-chan"s」

Aroma starts with that.

「I, I thought that human, just like all the other ones would immediately be ripped apart and it would end with that. And yet, about 5 minutes pa.s.s since he entered, and I heard Eru-chan"s scream, then」

The clear headed her is speaking in a poor and broken way, I continue to listen without reprimanding her.
I believe she will be able to collect herself while talking.

「I entered the room. And, that human was standing right in the center of the room. Eru-chan was, crouched down while holding her head as if it hurt. I, I didn"t understand what was happening at all」
「…….And then?」
「The little sister was shaking her head while crying, Selfi who heard the scream after me entered the room and I instructed her to carry Eru-sama to her bedroom. I saw the handcuffs removed from that human. I thought that human might"ve harmed her in some way, so I immediately」
「Was she in a state of being attacked by magic」

The play room was completely scorched, including the smell of the burning pieces of meat inside, it became a cruel scene.

「That is, the little sister was」

Having regained her calm, her way of calling her by her childhood nickname changed back to 『Little Sister』.

「The little sister protected that human with a barrier, don"t kill that human she said, only, get him away from her」

「So, you returned him to the dungeon, and」
「Yes, I secured shackles on his hands and feet, and on the off chance he learned some magic, it is simple but I put a seal on the prison so that he can"t chant」
「Fumu…… I"ll confirm it but, has she already calmed down?」
「Yes. I brought her to the therapist, but there were no external wounds and no abnormality. However, the cause of her confusion is unknown」

I"ve already received a report that Eru was safe. I did the minimum work needed and it wasn"t until now that I could hear from Aroma who was at the scene herself.

Nevertheless, it was not something anyone could predict.

While not to my level, no one including me would think that a human would be able to injure Elektra who holds physical strength greater than vampires and beast people.

No, to the people of this world to fight with my little sister holds the same meaning as death, to even imagine her to be in danger, it is completely unexpected.

That"s right, an unexpected event occurred.
However, it was a result that exceeded expectations.

「……Well, as long as Eru is safe then it"s fine. You"ve made no mistake」
「But, even then I will not be satisfied. To put the little sister in a crisis, such a thing cannot be undone…….」
「Calm yourself. In that case, I will hand down the perfect punishment」
「………? Anything you say」

「That man, he will be employed by this Diablo. I entrust his education to you」

「Y……yes? Ee? Are you serious?」
「Did you not hear it from him? I have no plan to go back on my word」

A bewildered Aroma exits my room.

While watching the door close, an imprudent smile spills out.
I am certainly worried about Eru but even then.

Posun, a sound rings out as I fall onto the bed.
The custom made springs gently receive my body.

……… The lone survivor of Nile Village.
I remember it, I remember it very well.

Yes, I told a lie.
I know that human, I remember him.
As if I could forget.
I, cannot forget.

The me that I am right now, it"d be fitting to say that man is the greatest cause for it, and right now, he is in my hands.

And, he is alive.
He returned alive from Eru"s place of amus.e.m.e.nt, that prison of death.

In that case, there is something different about him compared to other humans.
I don"t know what it is, but surely, he holds the thing that I don"t know about myself.

In that case.

In that case, he will surely.

If I can tame that man, trample that man, steal away that man"s dignity.

To point it towards me, the most precious being in this world, if I can make that human who said I have no pride or self-confidence to grovel, then I should surely be able to regain my original self.

「Fuun. For now, I should go and visit Eru」

While at it, if I can hear about what he did to Eru then it"d be killing two birds with one stone.

Crystella smiled.

The world"s strongest, most foolish woman, I will not doubt that I was selected by fate to be the strongest being.

If I can make him who has been able to survive among the many humans unable to run from their deaths, then it will be at that time that I will take over the whole world and become the supreme ruler. She was confident of that.

And so, that snake that she has let into her pocket, feeds on that self-conceit.

And that snake"s name, Nine.

「Three meals a day with naps included. This is a good place Willson」

I mutter to the skull inside the prison.

Because my hands and feet have shackles I can only rustle around like a caterpillar, there is nothing I can do but make these types of excuses.

「Still, Aromsan is surprisingly violent. As expected, the scariest ones to anger are those types. Although I don"t know how to treat women」

In comparison to Gallon-san who kicked me into the prison, after putting on the shackles, Aromsan dragged me all the way here by my feet and threw me in.
Not a single word was able to affect her, however, she glanced at me with eyes filled with killing intent.

「Well then, what has become of Eru-sama. It helped that the young lady was easy to understand」

In reality there was nothing to it once seen.
It was just a lonely, crying child.

Without knowing love, just an infant with too much power acting violently.

Just loving that her (…), that in itself is as simple as taking candy from a baby.

What a cute person.

「Naa, Willson. Sorry for throwing you yesterday?……. By the way, what type of life did you have, what misfortune did you get dragged into, for your life to end in this dark place」

「………」

Of course, a corpse can"t talk.

However, as a result of two people loving each other, a life is born.

Surely, he too must"ve had a blessed birth.

And as a result of having those blessings trampled on, your life ended here.

I peek inside Wilson"s empty eye sockets and see an earthworm squirming inside.

……Height is unknown.
Because there is a gap in his teeth, he might have had lower back pains.
He should"ve had a square jaw.
His age is…… it might be from 35 to 40.

I"ve seen the bones of many people.
I"ve come in contact with the deaths of many people.

Because of that, I can learn the s.e.x and age to some extent by seeing the bones.
But, how he lived, how loved he was when brought up, how much despair he experienced in death, a corpse cannot talk.

However, for him who died in this place, even I still have some feelings of grief for him, thus, this meaningless conversation continues.
Although half of my intention was to kill time.

「By the way Willson. It seems that there are a lot of beautiful women among the demons, I want to get closer to them, but unfortunately I"m a virgin. For my experience filled predecessor, do you have any advice in order to get along with them」

「………」

「 Compared to your age you are unexpectedly innocent. Is there something like, hmm, a signature phrase? Something that if woman heard they"d easily fall for!」

What, if you push them down then everything goes well?
……Tisama. I didn"t ask you.
I know that you"re frivolous…ah, here, don"t lose your nerve.

It"s a joke, just a joke.

With things like that, my second night in the demon territory pa.s.ses.

……..ke..up.

…ry…wa…..p

I hear a some kind of voice calling me from the distance.
And a floral scent gently reaches my nose.

I suddenly remembered the past, every morning Mother would wake me up with a violent shake since I was weak to mornings.

A nostalgic memory.

The warm blanket, and the soft futon.
It had the smell of the sun thanks to Mother airing it.

A kind feeling that I"ve never felt again since Nile Village was destroyed.

What should I"ve done in order to not lose that feeling.
Just what, whose fault is it, that I lost that warmth.

Who to resent was already decided.
Yet, it is something that cannot be taken back.

That"s why I decided, I will love many things in their place.
Because I wish for everything to be left behind in my memories of 10 years ago.

However, there is something you can obtain with love, that"s what Tisama taught me.

That"s why I……

「Hurry and wake up. Human」

Patsun, a sharp sound pa.s.ses through the room.

The sharp sensation of the whip forcefully wakes me up.
Something hit my thighs, but because the sound was late I was unable to guard myself, so I took on an extrlarge feeling of pain.

「……tsuuu……! What a severe alarm clock. Can it be that it"s a demon thing」
「It"s for slaves. Fitting for you」

Aromsan, who when I first met had a gentle att.i.tude everywhere she went, said such things.

「Even now I"m busy. It would help if you didn"t take up too much of my time」
「I am very sorry, although I"d be grateful for another 5 minutes」
「Hee. To say such things in these circ.u.mstances. You must have quite the reason」
「A religious reason. It is obligatory to go back to sleep after waking up in the morning」

The whip flew again.
It hurt.

「Isn"t this treatment a little bad. The promise with the Demon King-sama, shouldn"t I"ve become a fellow colleague」
「There is no way the likes of a human can be the same rank as us. However, only your return to the earth was postponed」
「How cruel how cruel, to betray my feelings. I"ll sue you!」
「……Any more trouble from you, and you will die in this place. Am I clear?」
「Not at all, Ma"am. Good morning」
「Eeh good morning. From here on I do not want to see your face if possible」

The words of Aromsan as if saying die as soon as possible, I ignore those and crawl out into the dungeon.
It seems the shackles were removed while I was sleeping.

After coming out of the dungeon"s corridor where sunlight doesn"t reach and climbing the stairs connected to the surface, it was at that time that the sun tenerly shined towards me.

Today is the first day of my new life, a new morning has come.
It"d be nice if it was a morning of hope.

Thought there was never a time I betrayed my own expectations.

……For the time being, the only thing I was given was a fur pelt that covered the waist.

No shoes.
No coat.

It was a single article that is worse than the beat up slave clothes I originally had.

「……Aromsama. What season is it right now」
「Fall. It"s gradually becoming cooler and easier to pa.s.s time in」
「Of course it is. I also think so. But, this might be a little to cool」
「Is there some kind of problem?」
「…None whatsoever」

Walking through the stone corridor, I thought Gaia would be the very meaning of savage due to having no good rumors.
I continue to walk on the cold floor with my bare feet, it hurts.

Will you not forgive me.
It looks like she still can"t suppress her anger from what occured to Eru-sama yesterday.

……Rather, isn"t it"s related to you?
Isn"t that so?
Spiting out that you"re a good kid.
I"ll say what you did to me!
I"ll tell sensei!
I look forward to it being exposed in the meeting on the way back!

「Aah, that"s right. There is something that you can do」
「Yes yes what is it, I"ll do anything. Whether it"s toilet cleaning or washing dishes」
「Of course I"ll have you do that too. Cleaning the kitchen and dealing with the waste is your main job」
「Roger thaat~」
「…… Well, then do you best. Aah, Puria, what good timing. Can you guide this to the kitchen?」

Aromsan ordered the harpy — at a glance it looks like a flying race with wings at the part where the arms would be– we met on the way to guide me and left.

A face I remember.
As if I can forget the one who spit on me twice.

That harpy obediently conveyed her consent to Aromsan and then instantly turns to me and kicks me.

「Wa, wait, time time」
「Shaddap, why"d I have to do this」
「Please don"t say such a thing. Because from now on we"re colleagues」
「Haaa? What are ya sayin. Why"s a human, impossible. Ya hit yer head?」
「Aree, did you not hear from Demon King-sama? I was more or less employed here」
「Haaa!? Ya lie!?」
「No no, it"s true it"s true. Nine doesn"t lie」

The harpy with the strong accent, Puria, had no faith in me.

I got kicked for saying a few words, the second time I talked I was spit on, and on the third time I was slapped with her wing.
That last one felt a bit good.

Nevertheless, she still planned on following her superiors orders as she still guided me.

「Oi, Human. We arrived. This is the first kitchen, next to it is the dining hall」
「Hohou, well this is」

It is quite large.
More precisely, you can put several small houses inside.
There are vegetables and human meat that is eaten like cattle and pigs.
There is  human meat that is eaten like cattle and pigs, and there are also vegetables. Though to begin with they weren"t a culture that cooked meals, there are several cutting tools and racks, but there wasn"t a single piece of equipment to use fire.

Seeing the curious look on me, Purisan bends down and hits my waste with her wing and arrogantly explains it to me.

「This is the food warehouse for the omnivorous races. They mainly eat raw, so this a place to cut it to pieces」
「Do they not mind there condition」
「Dunno, but there"s some magic ta slow the meat from rottin」
「Hee, magic is quite a convenient thing」
「Whatcha sayin, humans excel at these simple techniques」
「No, I was poorly raised. I don"t know a single things about magic」
「Haan. Well, from a glance ya look shabby」

You"ve gone and said it.
A grin, she seems to thoroughly hate me.
Well, there are no demons that like humans.
There are also practically no humans that like demons.

But I will love you.

You too, Puria.

「Let"s go ta the next one. This here is where the one in charge cuts the rice, ta begin with there aren"t many leftovers comin outta here, at most ya"ll probably be cleanin floors?
「Speaking of the next, if we go in order then next is the second kitchen」
「That"s right, there"s three in total」

The second kitchen is in a separate building and it has ventilation, heating, and cooking equipment. Ingredients are kept and warmed separately, it doesn"t feel different from what humans use.

「This is that ya know, for them gourmets that care about food, well it seems the Demon King-sama also uses it, the place where the food fer our superiors are made. It"s usually made here and brought to there rooms」
「Demon"s also do that, cooking and such」
「They do they do. I can"t cause ma arms are like this but I"m curious, there are a few with a cookin hobby and are in charge of here. Well, the ones who make and eat it are in the minority. Most eat raw in the first kitchen」
「Is that so」
「Lots a filth comes outta here. So throw the garbage from this and the third one」
「The third kitchen is it」
「Nnnnhm. Well it is fer the sake of matchin, so we all call it that」

Purisan had a nasty smile as she said that.
An expression as if everything until now was the tuning of an instrument before a performance,

「Everythin till now was fine, but the next might be a wee bit tough fer ya」

……Well, I have my expectations.

「The feasting room, or so we say. Well, I don"t eat the food here」

Saying that, the place I was guided to was a cruel thing.
Eru-sama"s play room was also bad, but this was worse.

The structure isn"t too different from the first kitchen.
However, the ingredients here were from a single race.

……From big to even small.
Some are being processed and some are having their blood drained.
Of course, there were also ones that are alive.

First, they were neatly divided like ingredients that had no opportunity to even say they were human.

Neatly, in order to be eaten.
That is certainly a repulsive thing.

In the same way humans eat pigs and cattle, the demons are eating them.

「The ones who increase their achievements an persist at their job can eat from here. Ya shouldn"t eat too much. If ya get fat then ya"ll come here?」

Purisan smiles with her thin, vertical pupils as she peeks at my face.

「Then, Purisan too, in order to eat the rice here I must do my best」

Saying that, I return the smile.

Kiki, a high pitched voice leaks out,

「You, yer the worst. ………..Name, what is it?」
「Nine」
「Nine, Nine huh. Very well, then(……), I"ll recognize ya as ma gofer」

Purisan laughs as she says that.

Next is a tour of the inside of the castle, I follow after her as we exit the feasting room.

As I leave, help, let me out, screams as if they are clinging onto me continue coming out, but not once do I turn back.

……the garbage disposal here is quite troublesome, I thought.

TL: I"m not good with accents