Hweeheett, hiccup…!

Shia was unleashing a one-handed beatdown on the Demon King, but she was still completely drunk.

The mercilessly violent Shia finally stopped swinging at the Demon King only when her beverage-induced stamina gave out, and the shards of the Demon King, draped in Wang Soyoung’s skin, groaned in pain as they bent over on the floor. Lirisia, Yeonhwa, and Menelapie had surrounded him.

Despite being nothing but fragments and having suffered brutal assaults by the Awakened One Isia, the Demon King resigned himself to the fact that there was no hope left and let his body go limp.

“Then before I obliterate you, I have a few questions to ask.”
[…………]
Meeting Menelapie’s piercing gaze, the Demon King scoffed internally.
How ridiculous. If my demise is the inevitable conclusion, why should I even bother to speak?
Having been mercilessly beaten for over several minutes, the Demon King spoke perfectly fine, as if Wang Soyoung’s body was merely a shell.

“However, depending on your answers, I might spare your life.”
[…I don’t understand. Being the Witch of the Dark Star might be forgiven if I had become human, but is the Awakened One and the Saintess really going to spare my life? Don’t lie, just kill me.]
“You’ve got a point, Demon King. Hey, Hero, are you out of your mind? Why would you want to spare a piece of trash like this?!”

At Lirisia’s words, Menelapie shrugged her shoulders.
“Shia hasn’t killed it yet.”
[What do you mean by that?]
“Everything in the universe is interconnected. If there’s a cause, there’s an effect. Even if my Saintess occasionally acts in ways I don’t understand while drunk, the fact that she is a Saintess cannot be denied.”
“So?”
“The reason my Saintess Shia didn’t obliterate the Demon King’s fragment the moment she saw it, even while drunk, is that there is a reason behind it. I’ve heard that she mercilessly smashed several fragments after coming to Earth, but this piece hasn’t yet felt the full power of the God of the Dead’s scepter.”
[…]
At Menelapie’s words, Yeonhwa glanced at Shia.
The reason she spared the fragment…

“Hiccup… Hwee…”
Shia, who had collapsed in a pile of stones, was so drunk that she stumbled over. But the moment she caught a whiff of the Demon King’s scent, she rushed over in a heartbeat.

Naturally, the original Shia would have come to obliterate the Demon King, but instead, she didn’t kill it.

She could have shattered the original body with the Scepter of the God of the Dead, but Shia only kept beating it down to a level that didn’t allow the Demon King to die with the shell.

From the Demon King’s perspective, that merciless violence was indeed torturous. He could not accept the existence of the Demon King and trembled, yet Shia did not eliminate it entirely. She even pressed him, asking, “Are you going to be a Demon King or not?!”, insisting on a response from him about not wanting to be a Demon King.*

Of course, that doesn’t mean she’s going to stop hitting him…
Yeonhwa had heard indirect information about the Demon King from both Shia and Menelapie several times.
The ruler of the malicious entities. A despicable and malevolent hypocrite. The worst of evils that has destroyed countless worlds.
However, contrary to that information, the Demon King draped in Wang Soyoung’s skin appeared quite human-like.

Of course, as a being full of hatred for intelligent lifeforms including humans, and deceiving them was akin to its own existence, it might all be an act.

“Fragment, do not ignore my eyes. The Demon King I know is not one to be lured by promises of sparing his life. I know that even at the cost of its own demise, it could not relinquish its hatred for humanity. Is it conceivable that such a creature would suddenly value its life?”
[…]
“Let’s start with something simple. What were you going to do here?”
[Ha, how disgusting. Talking amiably with these wretched fools – it’s an embarrassment to the title of Demon King.]
“Of course, it doesn’t matter if you don’t want to answer.”

Clang!
With that statement, Menelapie drew her sword from her waist.
The Hero’s sword shimmered with a golden aura, as if it would split the Demon King’s head in half at the slightest misstep.

[…]
“Ha, alright, I don’t want to die either.”
The shard pointed at itself.
[I, the shard of Wang Soyoung, have been living as one body with her for over a decade. Among those who directly implanted fragments into themselves, Wang Soyoung and I have perhaps stuck together for the longest. I don’t know the whole story, but Wang Soyoung failed to complete her task and was attacked by someone in Korea.]
“By whom?”
[I don’t know. When in a fragmented state, I am not always conscious. Each country has powers governing it, so there probably are such forces in this country as well. Anyway, Wang Soyoung did not die, but she had significant injuries, enough to barely keep her life, wandering through the back alleys. If she were to be spotted by those who attacked her again, her chances of dying were high this time.]
“The woman carrying the Demon King’s fragment is so easily killed? Ha, she must have been in real danger.”
At Lirisia’s sarcastic remarks, the fragment leaned its body against the wall.
[Dangerous? Wang Soyoung came to Korea related to that Awakened One over there.]
“Shia and…?”
“With my sister?”
[I see you didn’t know? To put it simply, we’ve… The Demon King’s fragments have been in this world, Earth, for quite some time. And certain organizations or individuals of Earth, including the San Guild Wang Soyoung is affiliated with, have been collaborating with us to fulfill their desires or carry on such plans.]

…
…
[Anyway, Wang Soyoung was heavily injured and couldn’t use her powers properly. If she misstepped, there was the threat of being chased by the Saintess with that mace. Even if attacked by a B-Class Awakened One, the injuries were severe enough that it wouldn’t have been strange for Wang Soyoung to die on the spot.]
“Why didn’t she contact headquarters? Wang Soyoung is with the San Guild, right? She’s not just a regular member but a high-ranking official.”
[Wang Soyoung’s master’s abilities are ‘Replication’ and ‘Multiplication’. Even if the failed subordinate dies, they can use their powers to fill the same spot with the same face. Because of being attacked in Korea, Wang Soyoung felt that by failing all her missions, she would have nowhere to return. Even if she did return, she knew that someone already replaced her place. So she must have had to hide in a back alley, nursing her shattered jaw and digesting her pain.]

Of course, that mission was to abduct the Suitor Yoonjeong and pass information about the Awakened One Isia to Cheon Danaa, the leader of the San Guild. However, ultimately, every single mission failed.

Yoonjeong was rescued by Shia, who shattered Baek Wisin and Baek Un-dae, and a comprehensive tablet of information about Isia was stolen by the assailants who ambushed Wang Soyoung.

With the mission failed and nowhere to return, she had to hide in the back alleys out of the reach of the government, hunters, and guilds, which was even more pitiful than being a lone egg in the Nakdong River.

“So, was attempting to brainwash the Elves with that brainwashing powder here Wang Soyoung’s personal plan?”
[Of course not; someone approached Wang Soyoung while she was nursing her wounds in the back alleys.]
“An outsider? Not from the San Guild?”
[The San Guild would have no reason to approach Wang Soyoung. They didn’t even know she was alive.]

The sudden establishment of the outsider raised tension in Yeonhwa’s face.
This confirmed what Menelapie had suspiciously suggested earlier.

“What was the identity of this approaching person?”
[I don’t know.]
“………………”
At the Demon King’s firm reply, Menelapie’s sword stabbed into Wang Soyoung’s foot.
[Kuh, ugh….!]
“I could also test a technique of striking your legs until you remember. Would you like to give it a try, shard?”
[I swear… I really cannot remember!]
“The Demon King doesn’t remember? What kind of nonsense is that? Aren’t you supposed to surpass the limits of a normal species? But here you are, claiming to be like a human who can’t remember? That’s absurd!”
[Ugh, duck….]

The Demon King winced and shouted through the pain as a golden aura emerged from the stabbed leg.
[There’s a sorcerer…]
“That mind-control sorcerer I took down, do you mean?”
[I don’t know if it was a mind control sorcerer or something, but yes. And that sorcerer proposed a deal to me… no, to Wang Soyoung. Having lived with Wang Soyoung for a long time, I couldn’t find a better host like her, so I accepted the proposal at the time.]
“What was the content of the deal?”
[He said he couldn’t allow non-humans to run rampant in this world, and provided the equipment, manpower, and the mind-control powder to ruin the Elves however possible. And he wasn’t just targeting the Elves. He also had his eyes on that Awakened One.]
“…………….Shia?”
“My sister….?”

At the mention of targeting Shia, the expressions of Menelapie and Yeonhwa turned grave.
A warm aura had enveloped the Hero’s eyes, which now bore a shadow, and frost gathered around Yeonhwa’s shoulders.

[It’s common knowledge that we harbor suspicion and resentment towards the Awakened One. She was, after all, the one who killed us in the previous world… But the guy who proposed the deal to me and my host seemed different.]
“Different how?”
[Rather than wanting to kill the Awakened One… it felt like he wanted to obtain her, though I can’t be certain.]
“………………”
“……………..”
Lirisia sighed as she watched the two’s expressions, now brimming with malice.
Here we go again, can’t they calm down when it comes to Isia…
Lirisia still questioned the shard.
“What’s that got to do with you not remembering who the sorcerer is? You can’t answer properly? This doesn’t even match up! That insane Hero will seriously peel your skin off if you mess up, right? You’re not telling me that a mere human mind control sorcerer used a memory manipulation spell on you, right?”
[Listen to the whole thing! That sorcerer had a shard! A shard like myself! I’m not incapable of remembering the deal just because I’m another shard, but my brain… I know it sounds strange to say I have a brain, but simply put, my brain was interfered with!]
“Oh, does that mean shards don’t always agree and cooperate with each other?”
[Yeah, you somewhat make sense there…. Ugh!?]

Finally receiving a satisfying answer, Menelapie pulled her sword, and the shard groaned.
Of course, it quickly forgot the pain in its body and returned to a relaxed expression.

“Shards don’t cooperate with each other? Tell me more.”
[…The basic purpose of the shards is to reincarnate their original body in this world. However, due to individual specifics, personalities, and characters forming, some shards act diligently to gather others for reincarnation, while others are just plain weirdos. Some don’t even form personalities at all, but others go around spouting nonsense, while still others come up with schemes non-stop.]
“And you seem awfully honest for a shard. Almost too honest to the point of draw suspicion.”
At Lirisia’s remark, the Demon King twisted his lips into a smile.
[As I said, each shard, each entity, forms individual personalities and reason. And do you know what happens when enough shards gather together to allow the main body to manifest?]
“The Demon King reincarnates?”
“Right, that just makes for something even more disgusting and vile, doesn’t it?”
“A snot-nosed brat full of inferiority complex pops up.”
*[Hah…]

The three shared casual banter as if it were nothing, and the Demon King chuckled and continued.
[Sooner or later, we eat each other. The self-consciousness and personalities that were born to keep the shards alive are all annihilated, and the remaining personality eventually becomes the Demon King.]
“That’s new information.”
“Well, it makes sense why the voices of the shards I’ve devoured sounded slightly different each time.”

Lirisia chuckled as memories of the shards she consumed during her witch days flashed through her mind.
While she was human now, she had devoured plenty as a witch.
[We are one and the same, yet we are also enemies. And I just want to live, no matter the circumstances related to the main body’s reincarnation or whatever!]

Hearing that made Lirisia and Menelapie’s faces change interestingly.
Both had spent a long time fighting the Demon King, but seeing such a side for the first time was novel.
Moreover, they had never heard of shards having their own identities fighting to become the final persona by devouring each other.

[Even if I’m not the ideal Demon King, still, proposing a deal to that Witch of the Dark Star was solely to expand the options for survival.]
“And in the process, you don’t care if human lives or others’ lives are lost, right?”
[Don’t impose humanity’s ethics on me. In fact, I find humanity’s ethics the hardest to understand.]
“Hey, is it just me or should we just kill this guy?”
“If my little sister is suggesting it, seems like a fine plan.”
[You heartless beasts…!]
“The Demon King saying such things sounds like a comedic joke to me, you know?”
[Hah, you fools!]

Eventually, the fragment gave up and sank into a resigned position, sighing in Wang Soyoung’s form.
[So what will you do now? Are you going to obliterate me? I wanted to live, hence I have revealed what I know. What more should I do to get an answer? It’s not like I can say anything more. Since the sorcerer and the shard forced my host and me into brainwashing, I know nothing further.]

After much contemplation, Menelapie looked towards Wang Soyoung.
If this was the Demon King she had known, such actions and words would have been impossible.
This Demon King wanted to live.
No, it seemed so human that it felt as if it couldn’t be called “different.”

Perhaps after living ten years with a compatible host like Wang Soyoung, it learned human emotions and feelings, something the Demon King she knew would have found impossible even if it were through hypocrisy.

“Alright. For now, I’ll take you at your word.”
[Really? That’s a relief.]
“However, you understand that I cannot release you just like that?”
[I can accept that. I just want to live.]
“Hah… Is this really a Demon King? This is the first time I’ve met such a type…”
“I completely agree.”

Even Lirisia sighed in disbelief.
Things are getting complicated…
On top of everything, the identity of the one who mixed the mind-control powder into the Elven meat was no longer traceable.
With the power of the fragments, it seemed that digging deeper into the heads of those Yoonjeong and those who were previously devoured by Lirisia would yield no results.

With the possibility of all being false memories lurking from start to finish, that much was certain.

“Ah… Aah…”
“Uh, Shia?”

At that moment, Shia, who had been passed out at the back, stumbled toward the group.
Shia grimaced as if her head throbbed from a hangover.
While the Saintess could endure pain from sword wounds and burning, the agony sprawling through her head from a hangover was evidently beyond bearable.

“Shia, are you alright?”
“Ugh, yeah… uh… my head… I need a hangover remedy…”
“A hangover remedy?”

Seeing her scrunched-up brows, it seemed necessary to bring her a hangover drink immediately, but sadly, they were outside the urban area.
There were no people, and the surroundings were lined with factories fenced off due to the risk of monster attacks. Not a single convenience store was in sight.
Given the considerable distance, it seemed unlikely that Shia could traverse it without collapsing again.

“Sis, should I bring something back?”
“…Ugh, ugh….”
Shia suddenly looked around.
All she could see was half-destroyed underground facilities, discarded mind-control powder, and Yeonhwa and Menelapie looking worriedly at her.
Lirisia stood with an expression on her face that suggested she found this all amusing.
And finally…

“Oh…”
Slurp.
Suddenly, Shia’s face lit up as if a brilliant idea sparked in her mind as she licked her lips.
[…What?]
The fragment’s tone turned alarmingly flustered at the sight.

*
Zzzzz

Sizzle sizzle

Bubbling bubbling.

Moments later, Wang Soyoung was asleep with her eyes closed.
Of course, it made sense that she would fall asleep.
Submitting the body to a fragment was much more exhausting than one would expect and consumed a massive amount of energy.
It was only natural that the body couldn’t endure the fatigue and slipped into slumber when the energy sustaining it fell away.

Bubbling bubbling.
“Hehehe…”
“….”
“Sis, is it okay to eat that…?”
“Yeah!”
“Hey, let me have some too.”
“Oh no, Lirisia. Shia should eat first, right?”

Bubbling bubbling…
Sizzle, sizzle.
SChhhh…

Amidst the group’s simple cooking efforts, there was a hot flame conjured by Seongnyeok and a makeshift ice bowl created by Yeonhwa’s powers.
As an S-Class ice ability user, Yeonhwa was continuously supplying cold air, keeping the bowl’s shape intact, while the water inside was boiling, precisely maintaining the structure of the ice bowl.

“Hehehe, thanks, Yeonhwa, the water is just perfect because of you.”
“It’s nothing, Sis. Just being able to help like this is good.”
“By the way, Yeonhwa little sister is an ice ability user, so creating water shouldn’t be too hard, right?”
“Ha, haha… my head…”
“Oh dear, Shia, is your head that painful?”
“Uhun…”
“Then we should raise the heat a bit more.”

SHHHHHHH
Crackle!!!
“Aaaahhh, you demon-like fiends!!!!”

And what was boiling inside the ice bowl was the fragment of the Demon King.
A gem-like crimson stone was submerged and bubbling within the water.
Of course, consuming the Demon King’s fragment directly was dangerous.
For an ordinary human, it was virtually lethal. No matter how Shia was capable, it wouldn’t be safe.

Teresa once warned that if Shia consumed the Demon King, she might become the next in line for the title, but that scenario only applied if a complete Demon King was consumed. So a fragment should be fine.

SHHHHHHH
“I curse you, Isia!”
“Hehehe… this looks delicious…”

Shia’s intent in boiling the Demon King’s fragment was simple.
She planned to use the fragment like a tea bag, steeping it in water for a rich hangover remedy.
And naturally, the Demon King’s fragment felt every sensation of being boiled alive.

“Save me, Isia!!!”
“Hehehe, no. Tea is best served hot… A hangover remedy should be steeped thoroughly for better effects, right?”
“Stop talking nonsense!!”

……..
Yeonhwa honestly wondered if this was the right course of action, but she decided to focus on maintaining the ice bowl for Shia’s sake.
Otherwise, it felt like things were about to get… a bit dizzy.

“Though I won’t kill you, I’ll just donate your stomach.”
“Don’t be absurd!!! Aaaahhhh!!!!”