The Villain's Second Time

Chapter 23

The Saint spoke.

"I do not pray for a life of ease, presumptuously granted by the Lord. I only wish for the will to overcome adversity and hardship."

"What kind of ghostly nonsense is this? Everyone prays for the former. To live richly, to live healthily. Humans always pray to God for these two things endlessly."

"A life that seeks inner growth by rising above adversity is truly a healthy life, is it not?"

"...I don’t quite understand."

I desire a comfortable life. I also desire a joyful life. You could say I stand at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Saint.

But I like the Saint. I adore her, I love her. Because of her existence—no, because of the future where she will exist—I become complete.

Saint. Those two short syllables are awe, respect, an ideal, and a goal to me. When I see someone like the Saint, the desire to corrupt them like me runs wild. On the other hand, I also wish to be tainted by her.

That is why the Saint makes me complete.

In the past—no, in the future—there was someone similar to the Saint. A hero of justice, unparalleled in the world. That hero almost made me complete, but in the end, she succumbed.

In my past life, I spent over a decade successfully corrupting her, and I felt an unparalleled ecstasy, endless emptiness, and a sense of exhaustion.

Whether I can corrupt this life’s Saint like that hero, or whether I will be reformed as she boldly claims, I do not know. I will find out when I go to Eden Academy, where the Saint told me to come.

500 years, I have waited so long. I hope Eden Academy is established soon, so I can play messily with the daughter of God.

Until the day I reunite with the Saint, I will simply create a playground. A playground called the Continent where I can run and play with the Saint. While also mixing in some personal revenge, of course.

Squeak-.

Beings who have reached a certain level of mastery, regardless of race, gender, age, or dimension.

When they stomp their feet, the earth trembles; when they wield their swords, the sea splits; when they cast magic, space twists. Monsters.

Mortals born as mere mortals, who have stepped into the realm of the divine. Transcendents.

Such beings are called 'Absolute Strong Ones' by the world.

There are not many creatures who qualify as Absolute Strong Ones across all dimensions. The Five Kings residing in the Demon Beast Forest, the Archangels, the Great Demons, and the Saint from my past life who shared my final moments?

Of course, besides the monsters I just listed, there are several hidden Absolute Strong Ones in the world. Like the Demon King or the Four Great Dukes of the Demon Realm. The Godslayer Theseus, who escorted me from Babel Tower to the guillotine in my past life, was also an Absolute Strong One.

Each Absolute Strong One is a monster comparable to a nation. If they play their cards right, they can wage war against the 'world' alone.

This is not drunken nonsense. In ancient times, there was such a being. One who carried out guerrilla operations, appearing and disappearing across the world, causing terror, and eventually bringing an end to a civilization alone. An Absolute Strong One.

And now, the being I am trying to impersonate is also an Absolute Strong One.

Not now, but in the distant future. I am impersonating Lilith, who will become the Western Grand Duke of the Demon Realm. In my past life, she visited Tartarus, distressed upon hearing that the Saint would die. Our clumsy demon.

Squeak-.

I write down black letters with a fountain pen. I am not writing in one swift stroke like a calligrapher. I am slowly and carefully imitating a girl’s handwriting.

I like beautiful things. Naturally, I also like artistic things. When writing, I prefer to write elegantly. But since art is inherently subjective, others often fail to understand my tastes.

I am writing beautifully enough. Foolish beings trapped by the narrow perspectives society has set.

The recipient of the letter is my eldest brother, Retavis. I also plan to write a letter to my second brother, Leonard.

"Dear... Grand Duke Retavis Lucifer of the Northern Duke Family, the Lucifer Family...."

Unlike my usual self, I pour delicacy into every single letter. Retavis and Leonard must mistake it for a letter from a young succubus of the Western Duke Family.

At this point, Lilith is not yet an adult demon. She is the same age as me and the Demon King. However, Lilith, like me and the Demon King, comes from an elite family, the Clanaein Family of the Western Duke Family, and has been a famous figure in the Demon Realm since childhood.

"I, Lilith Clanaein... have long admired you in secret... hearing rumors of you... Therefore......."

Squeak-.

And the high-ranking families of the Demon Realm enjoy intermarrying with families of the same level. Not for some demon-like reason like alliances, but because doing so increases the probability of strong offspring being born.

The two noble sons of the Northern Duke Family and the beautiful noble daughter of the Western Duke Family, Lilith, who is famous for her talent as the strongest succubus in history and her beauty enough to drop a wyvern. This single letter will stir the hearts of the two passionate young demons.

Thinking of my brothers, who will be excited without even dreaming that their youngest sibling is behind this, I already feel thrilled. I can’t wait to shatter their expectations.

"I hope... we can build harmony together... through mutual interaction.... If you are willing to accept my feelings... please come alone... to Endros’ Cliff tonight......."

The letter is finished. Although the neatly written handwriting doesn’t quite satisfy me, from the perspective of imitating Lilith’s handwriting, it is a perfect forgery.

Tap, tap tap-.

I seal the letter with a stamp. Then I manually copy the same letter word for word. The sender remains the same, only the recipient changes.

This is a two-person life-and-death notice I have written. A letter that will announce the final chapter to the fates of two demons. The death sentence of the Joker, who will be remembered by no one.

Although it is a shoddy preparation completed in just a few minutes, it is enough. When hunting jackals, you only need a jackal trap.

Still, one might think it’s too sloppy to catch the eldest and second sons of the highest-ranking family in the Demon Realm. But from another perspective, being the children of a high-ranking family is like being flowers in a greenhouse.

Retavis is twenty, Leonard is ten. At that age, lower-ranking demons are already competing for survival, engaging in life-and-death battles with demon beasts to obtain food. Even then, they are often robbed by stronger demons.

On the other hand, Retavis and Leonard are novices who have never experienced real combat. They might have sparred a bit with their brothers or family members within the family, but they have never fought a life-or-death survival battle.

Of course, even high-ranking demons naturally grow stronger as they age. The talent given by their bloodline, the magic power accumulated through generous support, and the techniques passed down through generations make them formidable. Add experience to that, and you get my eldest sister, Adela.

But not yet. Retavis and Leonard are still gentle lambs raised under the protective shield of the Northern Grand Duke’s Residence. In fact, in my past life, they both met their end after leaving for the Demon Beast Forest for training about five weeks from now.

This is also why I am rushing to act after hearing the information from the King. I don’t want to dawdle and lose the initiative. In this life, no matter what, I will personally cut off Retavis and Leonard’s breath.

And as for the trip to the Demon Beast Forest after that... this time, I want to go in their place, hehe.

"Now, little dove. Go. Deliver my message to our eldest and second brothers."

I tightly tied the letter for Retavis to the leg of a messenger pigeon, a carrier pigeon. I did the same with another carrier pigeon for Leonard. Then, with a smack on their bottoms, the two carrier pigeons soared into the crimson sky of the Demon Realm.

The sky of the Demon Realm is filled with monsters that dominate the heavens. Each one is a creature that could strut proudly on the Continent, and even Black Wyverns are mere riffraff in the Demon Realm’s sky.

Yet, those fragile carrier pigeons somehow pierce through that terrifying sky of the Demon Realm with their own peculiar luck.

It’s truly a marvel. Without any prior agreement or arrangement, how do most monsters not attack the carrier pigeons and let them pass? Well, thanks to that, among many birds, pigeons can serve as messenger birds.

Gazing at the freely flying carrier pigeons, I took out Horus’s Egg, which I had received from Adela. The half-spherical orb, emitting a radiant light, revealed its majesty to the world.

Who is Horus? One of the Five Kings, the strongest demon beasts ruling the Demon Beast Forest, and the protagonist of a legendary tale where he tore open the eyes of the Demon God, making him shed tears of blood.

The absolute ruler of the skies, reigning high above the Demon Realm, whom no demon beast dares to approach. That is Eagle King Horus.

And now, before my eyes, lies the egg of such a monster, its offspring peacefully sleeping within. Of course! To me, it’s just a handful of fried chicken! Hehehe!

About... ten hours left? Until nightfall?

Considering the time it takes to reach Endros’ Cliff, where Retavis and Leonard’s graves will be, I have roughly eight hours left.

Within that time, I must fully absorb Horus’s Egg and cleanse my blood and energy. I also have a few other preparations to make.

If I had a gun, things would have been easier, but alas.

Although I do enjoy the feel of using a sword. I’m still a demon child not even ten years old. I don’t like uncertain things, you know.

"Still, the thrill of cutting it close is fun."

Mentally claiming a psychological victory, I sneak out of the room and head to the kitchen. To cook Horus’s Egg for easy consumption and prepare the 'stage' for tonight.

I didn’t forget to put the Saint’s rosary into my pocket with gloved hands.

*****

"Oscar...! You damn brat...!"

The second son of the Northern Grand Duke’s Residence, Leonard, gnashed his teeth, unable to contain his boiling anger.

Grind-.

The uniquely sharp molars of a demon interlocked, creating a sound like gears grinding. Though the gears were slightly misaligned.

Throb-.

Leonard pressed his gums with his palm, feeling the pain in his teeth. Just yesterday, he had been unilaterally beaten by his younger brother, Oscar Lucifer, causing a crack in his tooth.

Although such an injury is not a big deal for a demon with a disgustingly tenacious vitality, it was enough to irritate him.

"A lowly bug from birth...! A bug, how dare you...!"

But what bothered Leonard the most was that he couldn’t even properly resist Oscar and got beaten up. No, it wasn’t just bothersome—it was humiliating.

Although he is only ten years old, he is destined to one day surpass even Retavis, an adult, and become the Northern Grand Duke. To be beaten by a younger brother who is only nine years old is a humiliation he doesn’t even want to recall.

'What trick did that bastard use...? Just the day before yesterday, he was helplessly beaten by me...!'

Anger paralyzes reason. Instead, it drives emotions into a frenzy. That was exactly Leonard’s current state.

Uncontrollable killing intent surged wildly. The humiliation of being trampled by someone he had looked down upon, the shame of wanting to forget that memory, and the petty desire for revenge born from a relationship that should have been clearly hierarchical.

All of that stained Leonard’s reason with violence.

'He must have used some cowardly trick...! Isn’t he the one who’s poisoned by Scattered Demon Poison and can’t even use magic...!'

Memories of the previous day consumed Leonard. A fierce club came flying at him, striking Leonard. It wasn’t a club imbued with immense power or one moving at an invisible speed. Yet, Leonard couldn’t block a single one of the club’s relentless strikes.

His every move was read, and except for one lucky strike to the crown of his head, he was utterly defenseless and beaten mercilessly. Like Cerberus being beaten before being thrown into a pot on Boknal. Of course, the prideful Leonard couldn’t admit that.

Instead, he believed it was luck that Oscar had beaten him. It was a conclusion drawn by his judgment, clouded by his paralyzed reason.

"You damn brat...! I was planning to kill you slowly once I became an adult, but you’re rushing to your own death...!"

Every time his teeth wobbled, a throbbing pain assaulted Leonard. His killing intent grew like a rolling snowball.

In the Demon Realm, the killing of young demons is strictly prohibited. Due to their inherently competitive and ambitious nature, as well as their long lifespans, adult demons frequently killed young demons in the past, fearing that they would grow up to threaten their safety.

Naturally, the demon population dwindled, and demons found themselves crushed under the weight of the self-inflicted crisis of extinction. In the end, the Demon God, unable to stand by, established a strict rule: young demons in infancy or adolescence must be unconditionally protected.

They couldn’t control deaths from starvation or illness. However, intentional killings were absolutely prohibited, and a law was enacted to punish such acts with life imprisonment.

For the naturally combative demons, rotting away in prison for thousands of years was a fate more horrifying than anything else.

Of course, this also applied to killings among young demons. After all, a talented demon could wipe out all their peers in the Demon Realm under the guise of rivalry. This law was also what allowed Oscar, who had no backing, to survive until now.

Of course, there’s one immutable law for all laws in this world. It’s that they have no effect as long as you don’t get caught.

"I’ll kill him soon in an accident... I could disguise it as food poisoning or poison him... Whatever it takes, I’ll end his life soon......!"

A perfect crime is as good as innocence. Leonard was planning to use this classic and famous principle to deal with Oscar.

Tap tap tap-.

It was at that moment that the sound of something blunt and hard tapping on the window was heard.