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“……Can you forget what I’m thinking right now?”

“How do you know what I’m thinking?”

“It’s obvious.”

“Tell me.”

“Ha, I just said I love you… Ah, no. Can you not make me say it out loud?!”

Bella, annoyed, turned her head sharply away.

Bella, who had barely calmed down, still had a blush on her face. Honestly, if I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t have been able to lift my head either. It’s only natural.

As Bella said, the Izakhel Family has long been a family that fought against evil. From the first head, Alonso, they were revered as heroes of light who defeated the Demon Lord in place of the warriors, so the Demon Lord was naturally their sworn enemy. But now, the young lady of the Izakhel Family is marrying that very Demon Lord? It’s an unacceptable situation.

I was troubled by this and couldn’t easily reveal to Bella that I was the Demon Lord.

Of course, if I wanted to, I could have kept hiding my identity as the Demon Lord and maintained my relationship with her. But the longer I spent time with Bella, the more guilt I felt. I didn’t want to deceive her. I wanted to be honest. I wanted to stand proudly before her.

Of course, I was afraid. Afraid that she wouldn’t accept the truth. Afraid that she’d be disappointed and turn away from me. Afraid that she’d leave my side.

But deep down, I thought that maybe she would understand the circumstances that forced me to become the Demon Lord… Maybe she would embrace and support me for who I am…

So, I mustered up the courage to confess the truth to Bella. And Bella, in turn, confessed her love for me, ready to abandon everything.

Hearing such words from Bella, it was impossible not to feel embarrassed. I had prepared myself for a farewell, but instead, I was met with a confession of love. I maintained my composure with ‘Patience,’ but if I hadn’t, I might have smiled again.

I spoke to Bella, trying to act composed.

“……Bella. I’m glad I got to confirm your feelings.”

“Do you want to see how hard I can kick you?”

“…No.”

It’s better not to provoke her.

“By the way, Lady Michaela.”

Bella noticed Lukaela sitting next to Michaela.

“Who is that person next to you…?”

“Ah, she’s…”

“Hello, Bella. It’s our first time meeting, isn’t it?”

Lukaela smiled slightly and gave a small greeting.

“I’m Lukaela. Michaela’s older sister and the god who rules over Hell.”

“And I am Lady Lukaela’s loyal servant…”

“The god of Hell?!”

Bella was startled. Well, it’s surprising enough that Michaela has an older sister, but the god of Hell? Meeting someone as formidable as the Demon Lord, it’s only natural she’d react like that.

“A loyal servant…”

“Why is the god of Hell in Paradise?”

“Her name is Nial…”

“It’s not strange. Paradise and Hell are connected, and I’m Michaela’s sister, aren’t I? If my sister needs help, I can step out of Hell and onto the surface in an instant.”

“Help? It wasn’t me who asked for help, it was Tristan.”

“Hehe…”

Lukaela, who looked strikingly similar to Michaela, smirked and added.

“By the way, I was the one who saved Tristan when he fell into Hell.”

“You’re the one who saved Tristan…?”

“Yes. Humans who fall into Hell can never return to the surface without my permission, but I sent him back as a special case.”

Bella looked back and forth between me and Lukaela, then bowed her head politely.

“Thank you… I had no idea…”

“It’s fine. It’s only natural you didn’t know. Anyway, since I saved the man you love so much, I hope you won’t be too wary of me.”

“No! I-I don’t love him that much…”

“Oh, but you do~.”

“Helga!!”

“Hehe. You’ve said too much to deny it now, haven’t you?”

“Ugh…”

It seems like everything Bella said today will be used against her for the rest of her life. It’s frustrating, but seeing Bella unable to retort is both cute and pitiful.

“Bella. You don’t need to be so grateful.”

I subtly placed my hand on Bella’s waist and gently pulled her toward me.

“She sent me back to the surface as a repayment for me rescuing her from the Endless Hell.”

“Hmm…”

Bella, noticing my touch, hesitated for a moment but soon leaned into me. Seeing this, Helga made a disgusted face… But for this moment, I wanted to support Bella. She was just too lovable today.

“Ahem! I see. Then, who is this person who came with Lady Lukaela…?”

“I told you, her name is Nial!”

“A vulgar demon.”

“It’s Nial! Nial!”

Nial, feeling wronged, started to get angry, her face turning red.

“I’m not just any demon! I’m the great Demon of Lust, someone humans wouldn’t dare to look at! It’s Nial!”

She wasn’t wrong. If it were an ordinary human, they wouldn’t dare face a demon like Nial. The problem is, there are no ordinary humans here…

Helga even scratched her ear and tilted her head in confusion.

“Balls? That’s a unique name.”

“Ni!Al! Niaaal!!! You vulgar human!!”

“Whoa, calm down. Balls.”

“Argh!!! I’m so mad!!! If I knew it’d be like this, I wouldn’t have come to the surface!”

“Um, Count… What are you planning to do here today…?”

Wendy, who had been quietly observing, cautiously asked. Everyone’s eyes turned to me.

They must all be curious. What am I planning to do in Paradise, even borrowing the power of the god of Hell and demons?

“…I’m not sure where to start explaining.”

I explained as concisely as possible why I wanted to install a Gate in Paradise. It could have been a lengthy explanation, but fortunately, they already knew about the world I came from through the Gate, so they understood the purpose of my plan.

“…….”

When the explanation was over, they were momentarily speechless. They must have had a lot of thoughts after hearing why I’ve been so busy.

“I had no idea the Count was preparing for something like this…”

“Hmm… So the Count has been thinking about this all along?”

I nodded.

“I thought it would be best to eliminate as many risks as possible.”

“But isn’t that a bit of an overreaction? It’s true that if people from other dimensions flood into this world through the Gate, it could cause chaos… But there’s no guarantee they’ll come here.”

Bella’s point was valid. To those who don’t know the future, what I’m trying to do might seem like an overreaction.

But the players will definitely come. Michaela, who also saw that future, seemed like she wanted to say something, but she kept quiet after my glance. Revealing that future now would only complicate things.

Fortunately, they have an example.

“Think about Park Se-hee. We never know when people like her might suddenly appear in this world. By the time we prepare, it’ll be too late.”

“That’s true…”

“So… The Count wants to prevent thugs like the ones we saw at the cafe from coming through the Gate and causing trouble… Is that it?”

“That’s about right.”

Helga seemed to understand, so the others probably did too.

“I want to break the boundary between the two worlds for the sake of this world. To do that…”

I looked at the peaceful scenery of Paradise and said.

“First, I will burn Paradise.”

“Huh? Wait? Tristan, what did you just say…?”

“Lukaela. Begin.”

“Got it.”

Lukaela, as if she had been waiting, signaled to Nial. Nial nodded and muttered.

“Alright, it’s time for ‘us’ to work.”

Rumble…

“?!”

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. The faint tremors quickly grew, shaking the heavens and the earth.

“Ahhh!”

“Be careful.”

I grabbed Wendy’s shoulder as she stumbled.

Everyone was bewildered by the sudden earthquake.

“W-what’s happening now…?!”

The ground began to crack. Flames erupted from the cracks. A disaster that unfolded in just a minute. That alone was shocking, but what the women, including Bella, saw next was even more horrifying.

“Oh my god…”

From the cracked ground, flames rose. Within them, horned figures emerged. A voice so chilling it made you want to cover your ears echoed.

Meeeh…

They were ghosts wreathed in flames. Demons with goat skulls… The jailers of Hell.

The flames they spewed began to burn Paradise. The beautiful scenery that had just been there moments ago was now scorched. Trees and grass burned, and black smoke rose.

It was literally Hell on earth.

“Ahhh…! My Paradise!!”

Naturally, Michaela, the owner of Paradise, turned pale and screamed.

“Enough! You can stop burning now!”

“No. They need to make a scene.”

If we’re going to summon them, they need to make a grand entrance. The demons Nial summoned began to mercilessly set Paradise on fire. Their roars echoed through the smoke-filled air.

“How much are you planning to burn?!”

“But the effect is undeniable.”

Lukaela, satisfied with the Hell unfolding in Paradise, had a bright light shining above her forehead.

“They’re here already?”

In the blinding light, wings spread. They were angels… Valkyries, looking down at the demons of Hell.

[System ‘Valkyrie’ activated]

A voice devoid of tone announced the beginning of Judgment Day.

*

“Master! What’s happening all of a sudden?”

At the same time.

Mondri Cremont, floating above the Empire, was pale as he watched the changes unfolding before his eyes.

“Huh…”

Beside him, the sage Myohail could only groan lowly in response to his disciple’s question.

It was blinding.

Even Myohail, who had lived for many years, had never seen such a sight. The sky was shining as if multiple suns had risen.

‘Just as the Count said…’

-Keep an eye on the sky. Tomorrow, ‘they’ will come from the sky.

Tristan had asked him that yesterday. No, it was more like a prophecy. There were indeed changes happening all over the Empire’s sky, as if something was about to appear.

“Is it… the end?”

The whole world was shining brightly.

The people on the ground, like Myohail, were staring blankly at the sky as if the end had come.

It wasn’t just the Empire. All over the Otherworld, people watched as pillars of light descended from the sky.

Finally, the service had begun.

 

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