[Hachiman's POV]
It's another morning after I was brought here. My body seems to have recovered quite a bit. To be honest, it's healing unnaturally fast, though running would still be a struggle. Lately, that dream still haunts me. It'll probably stay like this for a while. At first, I thought about asking Grayfia to cast some kind of spell so I wouldn't have to dream like that… provided such magic even exists. But thinking about it, maybe those dreams are meant to remind me never to forget the loss of those children—so I can eventually pay back that bastard for what he did to them.
"Are you thinking about something?"
After finishing breakfast, I was walking behind Grayfia to meet the Great Maou. Usually, when people talk about a 'Maou,' they imagine an evil being that it's my job—wait, no the Hero's job to defeat, following the classic cliché of isekai light novels or manga found everywhere. The Maou usually sits on a daunting throne in a dark, gloomy castle, chuckling while plotting world domination. But then again, in a world where my common sense doesn't apply, hoping for things to go according to a plot I've read seems a bit delusional.
I let out a soft sigh, my eyes fixed on Grayfia's straight and unnervingly perfect back. Her gait was silent and elegant, every step flawless—unlike me, who was struggling just to keep this broken body walking in a straight line.
"Not really... I was just wondering if the 'Maou' of this world wears spiky armor or if he'll look like someone who makes an ordinary guy like me want to turn around and go back to bed."
"..(Ahem).. It won't be like that." If you looked at her profile, you could see she was stifling a laugh.
I replied in my usual flat tone, a habit carried over from my Service Club days. No matter how much the situation changed, my internal sarcasm seemed stronger than any 'cheat skill' in another world.
To be honest, facing the 'pinnacle' of the Devil race while my body still felt like scrap metal fresh out of a grinder wasn't pleasant at all. For someone who loves peace (and solitude) like Hikigaya Hachiman, getting involved with high society or those in power is a deep crimson-level risk.
But well... I had nothing left to lose. If I was going to lose anything, I would have lost it a long time ago. For now, I just had to trust Grayfia.
"And how did you know I was thinking? Is it magic?" Does such detection magic exist?
"No. It's just that your expression was too clear. You looked like you were daydreaming."
"...Huh?.." How could she say that when she was walking in front of me without looking back? I don't believe it; it must be magic.
"We've arrived. This is the Maou's office."
The two of us stopped at a pair of massive doors.
It's huge! Well, of course it looks huge from my perspective in this child's body.
(Thud… Creak… Sound of the door opening)
After the door opened, I saw a man with shoulder-length crimson hair sitting at a desk with a solemn face. Through my left eye, I could see the flow of energy surrounding him. It was raw, savage, and incredibly intense.
The pressure radiating from him wasn't just atmosphere; it felt like a heavy stone pressing down on my lungs, making it hard to breathe. My left eye—that problematic eye that senses this crazy 'power'—was protesting with a sharp throb, forcing me to squint to suppress the pain.
'So this is... the peak of the Devils.'
I swallowed hard, trying to maintain my emotionless face (actually just my natural dead-fish eyes). My mind began instinctively calculating escape routes, typical of Hikigaya Hachiman, who prizes self-preservation above all. But before I could even imagine a getaway plan, Grayfia stepped forward and bowed gracefully.
"Sirzechs-sama, I have brought the child."
The red-haired man, who looked like he'd stepped out of a portrait of a cold Maou, suddenly looked up. His solemn gaze changed in an instant when he saw me. He broke into a wide smile—a smile so 'bright' for a Maou that I couldn't help but feel suspicious.
"Ah... you're here. It's a pleasure to meet you, Hikigaya Hachiman-kun."
He stood up and walked toward me with a casual demeanor, completely opposite to the aura he radiated moments ago. I quickly gave a slight bow, following what remained of my social manners.
"...Hello, Maou-sama."
"Just call me Sirzechs. Make yourself at home; there's no need to be so stiff."
How can I not be stiff! Do you not know your own status? Is he messing with me?
The Hikigaya Hachiman dictionary doesn't contain the phrase 'make yourself at home' for situations where a literal Demon King is standing in front of you with a beaming smile. Besides, that aura of kindness he's projecting is scarier than the murderous intent of a manga villain. People in high positions who act friendly are the most dangerous because you never know what they're thinking behind that charming smile.
"I understand, sir-sirzech-san"
I forced myself to say his name while instinctively backing away, like a herbivore trying to distance itself from a predator disguised as a saint.
His gaze wasn't full of the contempt I expected from high-ranking nobles; instead, it was filled with curiosity... like a child who just found a strange new toy in the box. And that's exactly what gave me the creeps.
Grayfia, standing behind me, remained as still as a North Pole ice sculpture. Isn't she going to help ease this awkward atmosphere? Or is this the first trial of meeting the Maou? Enduring a smile so bright it blurs your vision?
"It seems your body has recovered better than expected. It's only been three days. Even with magic, it shouldn't have healed this fast," he said, tilting his head slightly as if searching for a possibility.
"Ah… miracles happen sometimes," I replied, avoiding eye contact.
"Hahaha! Yes! Yes! Perhaps it is as you say. You seem to be exactly as Grayfia described."
"Hmm?" I turned to Grayfia, but she had her eyes closed, feigning ignorance. Did she say something weird about me? I turned back to Sirzechs and asked, "Did she say something about me?"
"Oh, that. She said—"
"..Ahem!.." Grayfia cleared her throat to stop the conversation.
"Well… let's move on to other matters."
It seems she doesn't like being talked about, especially right in front of her.
Can't be helped. I'll have to ask her directly later.
"Hachiman-kun, can you tell me what happened at that place? Actually, when I arrived, all the evidence had vanished without a trace." He asked with a serious expression.
"..Sigh.. the story might be a bit long."
"Don't worry. I like listening to mysteries and things like that."
Hmm? He likes horror stories? Is he a psycho? No, he's a Devil; it's probably normal for them…. Whatever.
"The story goes like this——
.
.
(After finishing the story)
The silence after I finished speaking was heavy. It wasn't a scary silence, but the kind where the air in the room felt thicker. Sirzechs listened without interrupting once. The beaming smile from earlier was gone, replaced by an unreadable expression. Something in his blue-green eyes looked like a flickering flame, but it wasn't from amusement.
"...Thank you for telling me, Hachiman-kun."
His voice dropped significantly. I just nodded slightly, not knowing what else to say. It wasn't the kind of thing where you say, "No problem, it was a fun story."
"The name 'Fergus'..." He murmured the name softly, leaning back in his chair and tapping his chin as if deep in thought. "Interesting."
'Interesting?' I thought. A person who caused the deaths of dozens of children is 'interesting'? But given the context, I guessed he didn't mean it that way... I hoped.
"Grayfia."
"Yes."
"Record this name in the priority one watch list."
"Understood."
The exchange between the two was brief and rapid, but it sent a chill down my spine. Not out of fear, but because I knew what it meant.
Sirzechs looked at me again, his gaze now harder to read.
"You said your parents gave their consent from the beginning."
"...Yes," I replied flatly.
"And how do you feel about that?"
I paused for a moment. Not because I didn't have an answer, but because I wasn't sure if I should be blunt. In the end, I decided that lying in this situation was useless.
"I don't feel anything in particular."
Sirzechs raised an eyebrow slightly.
"It's just…" I looked out the window. The sky of the underworld was darker than it should be, yet it had an inexplicable glow. "If I were to be angry, I wouldn't know how. I never felt they were 'real' parents. It's like… something you can never lose because you never had it to begin with."
I turned back to find both Sirzechs and Grayfia staring at me with different expressions. He smiled, but it was sadder than before. As for her… she looked away before I could read her.
"You are a remarkable child, Hachiman-kun."
"Thank you," I replied automatically. "But I'm not sure if that's a compliment."
"It is a compliment," he laughed softly before saying, "Now about the offer I gave Grayfia—"
"I accept that offer," I replied before he could finish.
Sirzechs nodded with a satisfied smile, then walked back to sit at his desk casually, as if everything had gone according to plan from the start.
"In that case, I will have Grayfia train you from now on."
"Hmm? Grayfia-san?" To be honest, when I said earlier that 'I'd ask Grayfia to teach me,' it was just the heat of the moment. Plus, I sometimes don't know how to act around her… it's a bit suffocating.
"Is there a problem with me teaching you?" Her voice, though calm, held a hint of displeasure.
Shit! Scary!
"No, no! It's not like that. It's just... just—"
"Just what?" This time, there was a slight chill.
Hey, why are you getting upset? What should I do... what should I do... Oh! "Think about it, you're the Head Maid, right? So the burden of your duties must be more than enough already."
"Don't worry about that. I've handled everything. Besides, didn't you want to ask me to teach you earlier?"
"..Urgh.." Why did she have to bring that up now?
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Give up, Hachiman-kun. Once Grayfia has made up her mind, it's hard to get her to change it." He seemed to enjoy the scene.
"And although it's a bit late, {Welcome to the Devil World}, Hikigaya Hachiman."
After he finished speaking, I walked toward the exit with Grayfia.
But before stepping out—
"Hachiman-kun." I turned back toward Sirzechs' voice. "Good luck." He said with a smile.
Hmm? Why did it feel like he emphasized 'good luck' unusually? I'm not going to hell, right? Wait, the Devil world is basically hell.
(Break)
The sound of our footsteps echoed softly in the marble hallway again. But this time, the atmosphere was inexplicably different from when we arrived. It wasn't quiet because of formality, but because both of us had things on our minds.
"You're walking slower."
Grayfia's voice rang out without her turning around.
"...My body still isn't great," I replied shortly, which was half-true. The other half was my brain being overstimulated.
She slowed her pace slightly. Not much, but just enough for me to keep up. I wasn't sure if that was intentional, but I didn't ask.
Upon returning to the room, Grayfia opened the door and stepped in first, briefly inspecting the room in a style I was starting to get used to, before turning to speak in her usual flat voice.
"Please rest for today."
"Understood," I replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. The exhaustion that had built up all morning multiplied as my body received the signal that I was 'home.' Even though I wanted to train right away, my body wasn't cooperating. Besides, overstraining might slow down my progress.
"Uh… may I ask what the training program is like?"
"Yes. Since your body is not yet stable, magic training or anything requiring physical strength would be inappropriate. Therefore, tomorrow we will start with history."
"..Sigh.. At least it's not math," I muttered softly.
"What did you just say?"
"Nothing! Just talking to myself…. Also, I'll be in your care, Grayfia-san."
"Likewise," she replied with a small smile.
"In that case, I shall take my leave." She walked to the door and left the room.
(Thud)
After Grayfia left, I sat and thought about my goals from here on. Originally, I just wanted to live off a rich girl and be a stay-at-home husband, considering how lazy I am. It's going to be hard to do that now. Plus, I still don't know the origin of the substance injected into me… does God hate me or something? What will my life be like after this? Come to think of it, this world I was reborn into… feels strangely familiar.
(Break)
The next morning, I was sitting at a desk, listening to Grayfia lecture on the history of various races, mostly focusing on the Devil side. Grayfia's voice echoed through the silent library. She didn't use a single book; instead, faint silver magic circuits projected images in the air, like a high-performance projector that made the overview of past wars hauntingly clear.
"In this world, the main powers are divided into three major factions," Grayfia used a slender wand to point at glowing clusters of different colored energy. "Consisting of the Angels from Heaven, the Fallen Angels who were exiled, and finally, our race, the Devils."
She swept her hand through the air. Projections of chaotic and devastating wars appeared.
"In the distant past, the three factions fought a prolonged conflict known as The Great War. It was an era of bloodshed where the Devil race lost many purebloods, including the four original Maous."
"Four?" I frowned. "Then what about Sirzechs?"
"Sirzechs-sama is one of the four current Maous. After the war ended and power shifted, Sirzechs Lucifer-sama, Ajuka Beelzebub-sama, Falbium Asmodeus-sama, and Serafall Leviathan-samaa1 took their positions to rebuild the Devil world from collapse."
She lowered her hand. The projections dissolved into light before changing into the hierarchical structure of Devil society.
"What you must remember is the Class System. Currently, the Devil race is driven by a system called Evil Pieces, created by Lord Ajuka to compensate for the dwindling number of Devils. This system turns humans or other races into Devils. They are called Reincarnated Devils......…." Grayfia continued her long explanation.
Hmm? This isn't different from a slavery system. It's just slavery with a fresh coat of makeup. It's something I quite hate. But looking at it from another perspective, it could be a new opportunity for a life. I'll have to see if the Kings they serve treat them well. Still, I had doubts.
I raised my hand to ask. "I have a question."
"Go ahead."
"Don't Devils reproduce like humans? Why use this method?"
"That is a good question. There are two main reasons. 1. The birth rate of Devils is extremely low. Conceiving and giving birth to a pureblood child is very difficult and takes a long time—sometimes over 100+ years. 2. The aftermath of the Great War reduced our numbers, making it easy for other races to attack and wipe us out." She explained smoothly without a hitch.
Grayfia, wanting to test the boy's intellect, asked, "Now, Hikigaya-kun, from everything I've told you, do you think there is a fatal weakness in the current Devil social system?"
I stared at the magic circuits floating in front of me, narrowing my dead-fish eyes slightly. Grayfia's question felt like she was checking if I was 'awake' enough to handle serious topics.
"A weakness, huh..." I muttered, scratching my messy hair. "If I had to guess based on the nasty human nature I've encountered, a class system built to replace population is just creating a new form of 'inequality,' isn't it? Even if you change from a human to a devil, if you're still dividing pieces into Pawns or Queens... in the end, it's just turning a playground into a battlefield with class height as the dividing wall."
"..!.." Grayfia raised an eyebrow slightly. Her cold eyes wavered as if acknowledging my cynical (but realistic) perspective.
"An interesting answer... Bloodline inequality and piece ranking are indeed problems that have been eating away at the structure of Devil society." She thought for a moment. "…You are a very bright person, even if your words are harsh, they are realistic."
"Because it's the truth!" I reinforced with a bit of pride, tilting my head up slightly.
Grayfia was slightly amused by his innocent gesture.
"Alright, let's move on to the next topic."
"Wait! How many hours are we going to study like this?" I had a bad feeling.
"At least six or seven hours."
What! Six to seven hours is the minimum? "....Can we reduce it a bit? My body just recovered." This should be the best excuse for now.
"No." She seemed to see through his intentions. Her voice was firm.
"Why?"
"Because this study does not focus on physical strength."
What about mental strength? Did she intentionally leave that part out?
"But—"
"No buts."
"..Sigh... I understand, Sensei."
"Hmm?" Grayfia was slightly surprised by the new title.
"Is something wrong?"
"Nothing. You can call me whatever you like, as long as it's not in public."
"Oh?... okay." Hmm? She's acting strange today.
~7 hours later~
(Thud…!) My head hit the table with exhaustion, as if my brain had been used past its limit. Ah.. now I understand why Sirzechs said 'good luck.'
"Well, that's enough for today."
"...Then I'll just sleep right here."
"...Now then, Hikigaya-kun, get up."
"...Five more minutes."
"No."
"...Ten minutes."
"Also no."
I let out a loud sigh without lifting my head. My left cheek was pressed against the cool table surface, which felt inexplicably comfortable. My brain felt like a sponge soaked with too much water that couldn't be squeezed out.
The Great War, Evil Pieces, Devil society structure, 72 Pillars, Treaties, Rating Games—
Stop. Stop. My brain is about to restart itself.
"Hikigaya-kun."
"...Yes."
"If you sleep on the table, your neck will hurt when you wake up."
I slowly lifted my head with great effort and found Grayfia standing by the table, holding a glass of warm water she'd gotten from somewhere.
"...Thank you." I took it and drank slowly. The warmth flowing down my throat made my shutting-down brain jump a little.
Grayfia was silent for a moment before saying, "You absorbed more information today than I expected."
"...Does that mean you'll increase the content tomorrow?"
The silence that followed was a clearer answer than any words.
"Sigh..." I put the glass down and leaned back, looking up at the overly high library ceiling. "Sensei."
"Yes."
"You're very kind to me," I said with a hint of sarcasm.
"Of course."
I looked at her face for a moment. "...To the point that it's terrifying."
The corner of Grayfia's mouth twitched up slightly for a split second before returning to her normal expression. "Go rest. Tomorrow we start at eight in the morning."
"...Eight o'clock."
"Yes."
I stood up with slightly numb legs and walked out of the library without looking back.
Am I going to survive tomorrow?