Idria’s voice carried a deep sneer.

“I won’t defend myself or beg. Instead, I will laugh at you.”

“What?”

“Even though I have been beaten into this pitiful state, this is only temporary. Even if I die, I will soon resurrect.”

Idria lifted one corner of her mouth.

“Foolish humans. Have you ever wondered how and why a Demon King is born.”

“…….”

“Some scholars or a few sharp ones may have realized it. A Demon King is born from the negative emotions of you humans.”

“……!”

“The greatest negative emotion of an era creates the Demon King. In that sense, my existence is no different from something you created yourselves.”

It was something we were already used to hearing, but many here were hearing it for the first time.

“What did that thing just say?”

“Hey, don’t listen. Don’t listen. Did you forget it’s the Demon King of Lies?”

“But even the Hero isn’t saying anything……”

“Damn it. What’s happening.”

I glanced around the room.

A large number of people had turned pale.

Some were even covering their ears and shaking their heads.

[Will this be okay?]

‘There’s no choice. They had to go through this at least once.’

Idria continued speaking.

“You can never become saints. That is, as long as humans exist, new Demon Kings will continue descending.”

“T-that’s a lie! Hero, that’s a lie, right?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to me.

With a heavy expression, I shook my head.

“It is true.”

“Th-that can’t be……”

“I feel heavy telling you this. But I have no intention of lying.”

“…….”

“What Idria said just now is an undeniable fact.”

Even when my fame barely exceeded 1.2 million, my words were accepted as truth across the continent.

Let alone now, my current fame made it unquestionable.

Even without evidence or guarantees, humanity accepted the premise.

–It is humans who summon the Demon King.

That.

‘Sigh. To think they believe my words without a doubt like this.’

[You are benefitting from it now.]

‘True, but long-term, this Hero System is way too dangerous. Who the hell made this.’

[Don’t ask me……]

Anyway, shortly after.

Idria resumed speaking, taking advantage of the softened chaos.

“It would be troublesome if you’re shaken by just this. Humans.”

“W-what?”

“In addition to lies, I can use other negative emotions as my power.”

“Don’t spout nonsense!”

“Nonsense? Through whom did the Demon King of Desolation appear?”

The room fell silent.

It was already widespread knowledge that the Demon King of Desolation was created by Idria.

“Do you think the Demon Kings of Destruction, Greed, and Corruption were stronger than I am?”

“…….”

“Should I rephrase the question? Do you think Grade, Lepia, and Leon were stronger than Mide standing here?”

I’m sorry, Grade, Lepia, Leon.

I didn’t mean to insult you, please forgive me.

“I am an existence on a different level from the Demon Kings of the past. Why? Because I absorb all the negative emotions you release!”

“……!”

“Heh. That’s why I don’t die. Now, go on, sentence me to death. I will resurrect soon enough anyway.”

So this was my cue.

I stepped forward.

Then, putting on a thoroughly enraged expression, I spoke.

“You will resurrect soon? As expected of the Demon King of Lies, every time you open your mouth, it’s a lie!”

“Mide Mohan.”

“If what you say is true, then why did you travel across the continent with us to offer sincere apologies?”

“That too was to deceive you. I wanted to spread the lie that the Demon King was defeated by humanity.”

She smoothly recited the lines we had prepared.

“Behold. It is now time to harvest that lie.”

“Hah! Let’s see if that’s true!”

Sreung.

I drew my sword.

And at that moment, Neril formed hand seals.

–Dor Ascane.

It was the spell used once to extract Patrick’s eyeballs.

And again during the Great Flood incident to show the illusion of a rainbow.

Even the old Neril had accomplished that.

Let alone Neril now, with her current fame, embedding a ‘reality itself illusion’ into the minds of the entire continent was as easy as flipping a hand.

So Neril cast Dor Ascane on me too, since we couldn’t risk this performance failing.

In the illusion I was shown, Idria died with her heart pierced.

But she resurrected in less than a minute.

Color returned to her body that had collapsed like a corpse.

Her heart, which I had pierced, reconnected its vessels and began beating again.

And soon.

“Are you satisfied, Hero.”

Idria stood back up.

I signaled to Neril.

She nodded and released Dor Ascane.

‘It worked, right?’

[Look at their faces. To the entire continent, Idria just resurrected in the blink of an eye.]

Sure enough, the expressions in the room were despair and hopelessness.

“E-even the Hero cannot kill Idria.”

“No, he can kill her.”

“But if she resurrects right away, it’s the same thing.”

“Aaaaah. So we really lost to the Demon King?”

“This can’t be. This can’t be!”

I confirmed that the atmosphere was ready.

Good.

A hero always brings a reversal at the moment of despair.

“Everyone, remain calm!”

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

My voice amplification magic combined with my loud voice became a sound that shook the skies.

Everyone covered their ears yet still looked at me.

With eyes full of expectation, believing that if it was the Hero, he would surely find a way.

“It’s strange, Idria.”

“What do you mean?”

“My sword is still stuck in your body.”

“……!”

“If you died and resurrected, you should be able to pull out a sword like that on your own. Aren’t you in the stage of harvesting lies right now. For you to come this far and still not be able to remove the sword……”

Idria was an excellent actress.

Her face turned deathly pale.

I shouted, pretending to be a philosopher who had reached the truth.

“I see! You may be able to resurrect, but you can never surpass me.”

“S-shut up.”

“In that case, I will kill you again and again. You will live a life of dying by my hand forever!”

The reaction came immediately.

“Y-yeah. We have Lord Mide!”

“If it’s Sir Mide and the heroes, it doesn’t matter how many times Idria resurrects.”

“Hero, Hero.”

“Please kill that Demon King again. Please remove her from our sight!”

“A Demon King who gathers all our negative emotions into one body. She is even more dreadful than the Demon Kings of the past.”

Idria’s face twisted horribly.

I approached Idria as though responding to the crowd’s cries.

She stepped back a pace and said,

“W-wait!”

“It’s over. Die and die and die again by my hand. Forever.”

“Hold on, Mide.”

“No. A Hero does not listen to the requests of a Demon King. I listen only to the requests of the humans who made me a Hero.”

“T-then……”

Idria snapped her head toward the crowd.

“Humans gathered here. And every human of the continent watching through Append View!”

“…….”

“Yes, I admit it. No matter what I try, I won’t be able to surpass Mide.”

“Of course!”

“But I do not wish for a life where I am endlessly killed. I want to live.”

I deliberately slowed my steps toward Idria.

Everyone held their breath, listening to her plea.

This was her final argument.

The final act of the play.

Let’s watch comfortably.

“So I will make you a proposal.”

“A proposal?”

“I am not speaking to you, Mide! I am making a proposal to humanity.”

“…….”

“If you spare me here, I will not reveal myself to the world for the next thousand years. The emperor may monitor me regularly. I will let you know through the imperial palace where and how I live.”

She shouted with all her strength.

“At the very least, your safety during this era will be guaranteed forever! Believe me.”

“Hah. Believe the promise of the Demon King of Lies?”

“This will benefit humanity as well.”

“What?”

“Listen. Surely I will continue to be killed by Mide. But will Mide live forever?”

Faces turned pale.

Idria hurried to continue.

“When Mide dies, who will stop my resurrection? You. Yes, you in the front row.”

“M-me?”

“Will you stop it? After Mide’s death, will you be able to stop my resurrection.”

“T-that’s ridiculous……”

“Did you hear? Mide is the strongest Hero before and after. Can you guarantee that another Hero as strong as Mide will appear in future generations?”

The crowd slowly became absorbed in Idria’s speech.

I had expected it to go this way, and I had even hoped it would.

But it still left a bitter taste.

It was no wonder Neril and the others said this might make them hate humanity.

“Good grief.”

[No point frowning now. I’m actually more surprised by you.]

‘By what.’

[You predicted exactly how humans would react, what selfish choice they would lean toward, and crafted this play around it. You’re using humanity’s selfishness.]

‘…….’

[You are too good at it. Really.]

If no one were watching, I would have scratched my head.

Idria continued.

“If you do not accept my proposal, then after Mide dies, I will take revenge on humanity. The old may die of old age before then and escape my vengeance. Maybe the middle-aged too, if they are lucky.”

“…….”

“But your children and grandchildren will all die by my hand! I will kill every last one without exception.”

Now the people were shocked.

Idria spoke as though soothing a child.

“But if you spare me now, I will live quietly under imperial supervision. For the next thousand years.”

“…….”

“If you watch me die by Mide’s hand, then after Mide’s death you will die by mine. Choose between certain destruction soon to come, or a thousand-year reprieve!”

This was the final scene I had proposed to Idria.

A thousand years.

To humans, a thousand years is a future that will never come.

But “after Mide’s death” would feel real and close.

Idria looked at me.

“How fortunate. This was right before deciding my execution, wasn’t it?”

“…….”

“Now. Humans of the continent. Make your choice. Choose to spare me!”

Everything was ready.

Reveal that all negative emotions gather in Idria.

Do not present Trail as a solution.

Ask humanity whether Idria should be spared.

Now only a majority is needed.

I turned sharply to the crowd.

“Good. Let’s check.”

“…….”

“Humanity will never bow to your threats.”

I signaled to Neril.

Soon she displayed the Append View to the entire continent.

This prevented anyone from denying or retracting their choice.

Neril first showed Drucker Territory.

“W-we have to spare the Demon King.”

“I don’t care what happens to me. But if we kill the Demon King, our sons and daughters will be in danger.”

“Hey, calm down. We have Lord Mide.”

“Lord Mide won’t live forever. He is not a Celestial God!”

“They say the Celestial God was originally a human. Maybe Lord Mide could also somehow……”

“No. If that were possible he wouldn’t stand still like this.”

They murmured, debating… or arguing.

Agril’s shared vision was uncanny.

Even though the view was from high above, overlooking the territory, their voices sounded as if they were whispered into my ear.

“The Demon King said she will behave for a thousand years. That guarantees our survival for a thousand years. Our children, and their children too!”

“Damn it. Are you telling us to trust the Demon King of Lies?”

“Got any better ideas?”

“If she gives us a thousand years, surely we will find another solution before then.”

“Y-yeah. We have done our part. Let the next generation handle the rest.”

“That’s not ‘letting them handle it’. That’s dumping our burden on them. Say it right.”

My party and I quietly waited for the decision.

Even Idria shared the tension.

She spoke into my soul.

[How do you think they will decide.]

[One hundred percent they will choose to spare you. My gut says… maybe 8 to 2? 9 to 1?]

[You think they will dump their burden onto future generations. Quite a cynical assumption.]

[Just seeing clearly. Not flattering them, not degrading them, just as they are.]

[…….]

In the meantime, the noise gradually subsided.

They no longer debated.

Everyone realized that a matter like this couldn’t be shifted by a few more arguments.

Finally, one by one, they began making their choice.

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