The Academy’s main building had a tea garden reserved for the upper crust.
It was an elegant park, filled with lush greenery and bright, cheerful colors.
And now, two demons sat across from each other there.
“Mephisto, how much do you know about the ‘Imperial Princess’?”
Andras, the demon wearing Beatrice’s appearance, posed the question.
Ex carefully gathered his thoughts before answering.
“The title of ‘Imperial Princess’ is essentially ceremonial. She holds no real imperial authority whatsoever. She was given only the bare minimum necessary to maintain her status.”
“Right. And do you know why?”
“Because the Imperial Princess was originally a Saintess Candidate.”
It was already a famous story throughout the Empire.
Beatrice had possessed exceptional divine power from an early age, and her devotion had been so profound that she was practically regarded as a saintess already.
But five years ago, Beatrice had suddenly lost the ability to use divine power.
The reason was obvious.
“Because that was when I possessed this body.”
Andras had taken control of Beatrice’s body.
“It was quite the incident. Shook the entire Empire. A girl once considered a Saintess Candidate suddenly lost all her divine power.”
“It was rather famous even in Hell. Everyone in the castle went wild when they heard Lady Andras had finally pulled it off.”
“…Anyway, because of that, the Imperial Prince suddenly found himself in an awkward position. For the first time, he actually had someone to compete with for the throne.”
The imperial succession of the Dritania Empire followed a system of direct designation.
The reigning Emperor personally chose the next Emperor.
Either Imperial Prince Darius or Imperial Princess Beatrice.
“There is one exception to that system. If the Emperor becomes incapable of appointing his successor, the eldest son is given priority under the law.”
“I’m aware of that, but why bring it up…?”
Ex already knew exactly where she was going with this.
He deliberately played dumb, prompting Andras to continue.
“Mephisto. Suppose the Imperial Prince’s claim to the throne suddenly started looking uncertain, and then, for ‘some mysterious reason,’ the Emperor became incapable of choosing a successor… who do you think people would suspect?”
“Naturally, they’d suspect the ‘Imperial Prince,’ since he stands to gain the most.”
“And if the only political rival with a competing claim, the ‘Imperial Princess,’ suddenly found her authority suppressed?”
“…People would have no choice but to suspect the ‘Imperial Prince’ again.”
“And that is precisely the position our Imperial Prince finds himself in.”
The Imperial Prince’s current reputation could be summed up rather simply.
“The prince who lost the people. The unfilial prince. The arrogant tyrant. Every terrible name imaginable is being thrown at him.”
“And in this situation, I have one card prepared.”
“The Revolutionary Front?”
“You know your stuff.”
Public sentiment throughout the Empire had already tilted heavily toward the Imperial Princess.
She had once been a Saintess Candidate, so she was widely known as a benevolent princess. She was also seen as a tragic figure who had been unjustly stripped of her power.
Plenty of people believed that an Empire ruled by a compassionate princess would be better than one ruled by a power-hungry prince.
‘So the Revolutionary Front is finally starting to move.’
Andras had exploited the resentment festering among the Empire’s commoners to secretly create an organization.
That organization was the Red Flag Revolutionary Front, the very group Roxwell belonged to.
All of it had been orchestrated by Andras, the ‘Demon of Discord.’
‘She really is good at manipulating crowds and stirring people up.’
“But popular support is a matter of faith. Power is another story.”
Andras leaned farther forward as she continued.
“Nobles move toward power. Of course they would side with the Imperial Prince, who already possesses power, rather than the Imperial Princess, who merely has the support of the people. That is why there are currently no nobles you could truly call part of an Imperial Princess faction.”
What Andras wanted was obvious.
“In other words, what you’re lacking right now is ‘nobles.’ And you intend to get those ‘nobles’ from the Sword Gang.”
“Then I assume you know what you need to do.”
“Take firm control of the Sword Gang.”
“You catch on quickly. I like that.”
If Ex seized control of the Sword Gang, and then used the Sword Gang to take control of the Academy, Andras would effectively gain a new card to play: an Imperial Princess faction.
That was what she had meant when she said all the cards were finally coming together.
Of course, that assumed everything went according to plan.
“However, Lady Andras, the Sword Gang is in no position to accomplish anything right now. There’s still too much internal turmoil after that human Griphoc left the organization.”
“I’ve heard something about that. Apparently the officers have been fighting among themselves. But that’s temporary. They’ll realize soon enough. That is precisely why I summoned you so conspicuously today.”
“Ah, then that means…”
“Anyone who isn’t a complete idiot will eventually reach the conclusion that ‘staying in the Sword Gang might give us a shot at imperial power.’ It’s the perfect bait for all the leftovers who have been cast out of the Imperial Prince’s faction.”
Andras’s plan certainly made sense.
She already had sufficient public support, and if she could secure backing from the nobility as well, then aiming for the throne would no longer be unrealistic.
Even if the law prioritized the eldest son under exceptional circumstances, a throne seized without the consent of the majority would never be stable.
There was, however, one enormous problem with this method.
“It will take too long.”
That was the issue.
Time.
“First stabilizing the Sword Gang, then taking control of the Academy, then gathering the nobles… We’re at too much of a disadvantage, Lady Andras. More importantly, we have no idea when the ‘Emperor’ might reappear.”
Ex deliberately brought up the word ‘Emperor.’
Andras reacted to the bait and gave him exactly the answer he wanted.
“Ah, you don’t need to worry about that. I have the ‘Emperor’s’ condition completely under control.”
“Pardon? Then you mean…”
Andras’s lips curled into a thoroughly wicked smile.
“The ‘Emperor’ disappeared from public view five years ago. People have thrown around every theory imaginable, but the truth is disappointingly mundane. The Emperor merely collapsed from illness. Of course…”
Andras reached into her clothes and pulled out a necklace set with a red gemstone.
To an ordinary eye, it looked like nothing more than a simple jeweled necklace.
But through a demon’s eyes, a powerful curse could clearly be seen clinging to it.
“I made sure of that.”
It was an artifact imbued with a curse of enfeeblement.
Ex responded with an appropriately astonished expression.
“As expected of you. To think you had planned even that far ahead… Such a thing never would have occurred to me.”
Naturally, that was a lie.
Ex had known from the beginning that Andras was the one who had made the Emperor sick and driven him into unconsciousness.
The reason he had deliberately maneuvered her into saying it aloud was simple.
He needed the ‘keyword.’
‘Now that I’ve heard it directly from her, the condition should be fulfilled.’
Andras put the necklace away again and sighed.
“Of course, that still does not change the fact that this will take time. That is why I called you here to discuss it. Two heads are better than one, after all.”
“I am deeply honored that you hold my judgment in such regard.”
“Enough flattery. Think of a solution. A way to make me Emperor within one month.”
“Within one month? If it has to be a month…”
Ex knew exactly why she had specified one month.
“Lady Andras, I only heard this in passing back in Hell, but isn’t it true that a month from now, that damned bitch you hate so much intends to steal the credit for all of your accomplishments?”
“…Yes. That disgusting bitch, ‘Gremory,’ is making her move.”
Andras took the bait.
Ex slowly began reeling in the line.
“What kind of demon is Gremory? I know she is an enemy you despise, Lady Andras, but I don’t know the details.”
What Ex needed was information.
Gremory was a demon who had existed entirely outside the original novel and its established setting.
He had merely assumed she was a new existence created by Elysia.
But that might not actually be the case.
At Ex’s question, Andras furrowed her brow.
“Gremory was my subordinate. A very capable one.”
“She was capable?”
“Yes. Until that bitch betrayed me.”
The word betrayal made Ex flinch internally.
Andras noticed nothing and continued.
“I had known Gremory for quite a long time. Her ability was extremely useful. I came up with the plans, and Gremory carried them out. Working that way, the two of us rose through the ranks very quickly.”
Andras bit her lip.
“Originally, I should have been serving directly beneath the Archdemon. I was supposed to witness His descent with my own eyes. But that damned bitch betrayed me at the most critical moment. All so she could steal my place.”
“And that is why you ended up possessing the Imperial Princess.”
“Exactly. If I hadn’t prepared a backup plan, I’d still be trapped in Hell right now.”
Hearing that much naturally raised another question.
“What exactly was Gremory capable of that allowed her to betray even you, Lady Andras? You’re so meticulous about everything, so how did she manage it?”
Looking at Andras lately, Ex wasn’t entirely convinced that ‘meticulous’ was the right word.
Still, the compliment clearly put her in a better mood.
“That bitch’s ability is unusual even among demons. She alone can travel back and forth to the Human Realm without a Soul Trap Ring.”
“Without a Soul Trap Ring?”
There were plenty of demons with bizarre and rare abilities.
But there had never been anything like that in the established setting.
Andras spat out the answer with obvious disgust.
“Her epithet is the ‘Demon of Mimicry.’ She devours everything inside a human body, leaving only the skin behind, then wears that person’s identity. She absorbs their memories, allowing her to imitate their behavior, habits, and abilities. There’s no way to tell the difference just by looking.”
“She devours them…? Then the human being mimicked…”
“Obviously dies.”
It was even more grotesque than Ex had imagined.
Then again, it was certainly an ability befitting a demon.
“And for some reason, while she is mimicking a human, divine power has no effect on her. That’s why she doesn’t need a ring.”
Ex hadn’t expected anything like that.
If divine power didn’t work on a demon, then detecting one would be virtually impossible.
“Is there truly no way to find her?”
“There is. Ask her, ‘Are you Gremory?’”
“That alone is enough? What if she says she isn’t…”
“Gremory only speaks the ‘truth.’ She is incapable of lying. No matter what question you ask her, she has only two options. Tell the truth, or refuse to answer.”
That was important information.
Now Ex had a way to identify Gremory when she appeared.
“Her mimicry isn’t omnipotent either. She can’t mimic someone too powerful or someone possessing divine power. At best, I’d say her limit is a 3-Star martial artist or a Tier 3 mage.”
After saying that much, Andras closed her mouth.
Apparently, she had no desire to talk about Gremory any further.
Still, this was enough.
‘I’ve gathered enough information.’
He had obtained the critical keywords, details about Gremory, and a clearer understanding of Andras’s weaknesses and desires.
At this point, hooking Andras wouldn’t be difficult at all.
Now it was time to start waving the bait right in front of her.
“Lady Andras, I believe I’ve thought of a solution.”
“A solution?”
Ex adopted a grave expression and spoke with deliberate caution.
“Our best possible move is to buy ourselves ‘time.’ But what I’m about to suggest is rather delicate…”
Ex stopped speaking.
He waited just long enough for a flicker of expectation to appear in Andras’s eyes before continuing.
“Suppose… despite receiving overwhelming support, that bitch Gremory still failed to carry out the attack on the day of the Tournament… Who do you think would ultimately be held responsible?”
“…What exactly are you suggesting?”
“We interfere with it.”
Andras’s eyes narrowed.
“With Gremory’s attack.”
Those words were extraordinarily dangerous.
“You are suggesting that we interfere with the grand plan? Even if Gremory has been given full authority, that does not absolve me of responsibility. Choose your words carefully.”
She was right.
The outcome Baal wanted was for Gremory to take full command while Andras supported her in the assault on the Academy.
If anything went wrong with the attack, Andras, as the one responsible for support, would inevitably share the blame.
But there was a blind spot.
“What if an unforeseen variable appears that neither you nor any other demon could possibly control?”
“…Explain.”
“The scenario is simple.”
Ex held up three fingers and folded them down one at a time as he spoke.
“The Hero’s strength far exceeded all expectations. Among the students was another individual whose power rivaled even the Hero’s. And the Academy’s defenses turned out to be far more formidable than anticipated.”
The first two were Leon, who would continue growing stronger, and Elia, the genius.
The third would be the trap Ex himself prepared.
“Because of these circumstances, Lady Andras repeatedly warned them. ‘This operation is too dangerous. The Academy is far stronger than we anticipated. Withdraw the plan.’”
“And you think that bitch and those things will listen to me?”
“That is exactly the point.”
Andras would keep warning them.
But Gremory and the Archdemon would refuse to listen.
Which meant only one thing.
“…I would no longer be responsible?”
“Precisely. If the operation fails, no one could hold you responsible for it. You warned them again and again, and Gremory chose to ignore those warnings. The failure would be hers.”
What Ex was saying made sense.
But that alone wasn’t enough.
“And if they ask what I was doing while the operation fell apart?”
If Andras anticipated failure and simply stood by watching, she would still bear responsibility.
Fortunately, that part had an easy answer.
“Then you simply tell them about the plan we’ve been discussing.”
“…What?”
“While Gremory was busy failing, Lady Andras was preparing a plan to become ‘Emperor.’ Isn’t that a wonderfully clean story?”
Anger flared in Andras’s eyes.
The plan she had been preparing all this time was designed to screw over Baal and Gremory.
Revealing it would mean handing over every card she had worked so hard to keep hidden.
“You expect me to call that a plan…?!”
“Lady Andras, you must consider the reality of our situation. We need ‘time.’ And if we want to gain that time, we have to accept some losses.”
“Then we’d just be handing everything over to those bastards! Instead of screwing them over, you want me to do them a favor?”
“Lady Andras, you need to reconsider the matter from the very beginning. Would interfering with the grand plan truly be enough to make those bastards suffer?”
“What nonsense are you spouting now…”
She was starting to bite.
But he still needed one decisive strike.
Her emotions had to be shaken badly enough that rational judgment became impossible.
And for that, Ex needed to touch the one thing no demon could tolerate.
“They are pouring everything they have into one goal alone, ‘His Descent.’ In that case, there is only one way to truly ruin them.”
“Only one…?”
“We prevent ‘His Descent.’”
He denied the dream and ultimate purpose shared by every demon.
That was the one taboo guaranteed to provoke them.
Andras’s eyes went wide at Ex’s words.
“…Ha.”
A hollow laugh escaped her, as though she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
“You.”
At that moment, Andras flicked one hand through the air.
It was the same gravity manipulation magic she had once used on Griphoc.
And now it closed around Ex’s throat.
“Ghk…!”
The invisible force tightening around his neck lifted Ex straight into the air.
The crushing pressure steadily strangled the breath from his lungs.
“You’ve taken your joke too far.”
Andras glared at Ex with eyes that had gone cold and hard.
Behind that ruthless chill, an enormous fury was beginning to burn.
“You want me to prevent His Descent?”
“Ghhhk…!”
Andras clenched one hand in the empty air, and the pressure around Ex’s throat tightened even further.
“Listen carefully, Mephisto. My mission has always been ‘His Descent.’ Everything I have done has been for the sake of bringing ‘Him’ into this world. That is why I have endured every humiliation forced upon me.”
“Lady… Andras…!”
“His arrival in this world is the mission and desire of every demon! It is the one thread of hope we possess in the endless eternity of Hell!! And I!!!”
Andras violently drove her hand toward the ground.
Ex’s body slammed down with it.
BOOM-!
“Gah…!”
“I have lived for His Descent!! A worthless low-ranking demon like you may not understand!! But for hundreds of years, I have lived with my eyes fixed on Him and Him alone!! Hundreds of years!!!”
BANG-! BOOM-!! BANG-!!
As if venting her rage, Andras repeatedly smashed Ex into the ground.
“And you dare suggest that we prevent ‘His Descent’? Hearing such words from the mouth of a demon leaves me no choice but to question you. There are plenty of demons harboring strange thoughts, after all…!”
Andras conjured a spear of ice in midair.
The magic was so powerful that Ex could feel the frigid air rolling off it from where he hung.
“And I have absolutely no intention of keeping one of those aberrations as my subordinate. There cannot be even the slightest flaw in my plan…! I would be better off killing you and finding someone else…!”
Just before Andras’s rage exploded completely,
“THE EMPIRE, NOT THE THEOCRACY-!!!”
Ex yanked hard on the fishing line.
The sudden shout stopped Andras cold.
“…What?”
“If we bring about ‘His Descent’ here, in the Empire…!”
Ex offered her a temptation no demon could possibly reject.
A twisted grin spread across his face.
“Wouldn’t that be the perfect way to screw them over…?”
“…”
For a moment, Andras’s thoughts simply stopped.
The idea had never once occurred to her before.
Every ritual was overseen by the Archdemon in the Theocracy.
Of course He would descend in the Theocracy.
That was simply how it was supposed to happen.
That was what she had always believed.
“You obey whatever those bastards in the Theocracy tell you… You endure every humiliation and continue following their orders… Do you truly believe that is right…?”
But Ex’s words had planted a new thought in Andras’s mind.
‘Why should I?’
She had endured every humiliation.
She had even been betrayed by her own subordinate.
And after all of that, was she really supposed to stand far away and merely watch His Descent take place?
‘No.’
There had to be a reward.
After everything she had sacrificed, she deserved something in return.
“That does feel… rather unfair.”
A deeply twisted smile spread across Andras’s face.
“Cough…!”
Andras released her magic.
Ex dropped unceremoniously to the ground, gasping desperately for air while she looked down at him.
“You wouldn’t say something like that without a plan, would you?”
“Cough… I have… a solution…”
Ex slowly caught his breath before continuing.
“There are two things we need to accomplish. We must strengthen the Academy’s vigilance and defenses, and we must secure enough assistance to prepare the ritual of descent.”
The first was necessary to stop Gremory’s operation.
The second was necessary to screw over Baal and the demons in the Theocracy.
“To accomplish both, we only need one thing.”
“And what would that be?”
“The most powerful person in the entire Empire.”
For a moment, Andras didn’t understand.
As the Imperial Princess, she had lost most of her authority.
Neither objective could be achieved through her own power.
“You… Don’t tell me?”
But then she understood.
And she also understood just how absurd and dangerous the suggestion was.
“Precisely. We only need to fool one person.”
Ex answered with a twisted smile.
“I’ll deceive Imperial Prince Darius.”
Naturally, that was a lie.
***
While Ex and Andras continued discussing their plan at length, something horrific was taking place in a secluded corner of the Academy.
Crunch, crack, cr-runch.
“M-Mom… Someone… help me…”
In a dark patch of shadow beyond anyone’s sight, a female student stood on the very edge of death.
The agony of being devoured from the inside while still alive was not something a human being could endure.
It was unbearably cruel.
She had done nothing to deserve suffering like this.
‘It hurts so much… Why is this happening…? I was just trying to help someone who looked lost… Please, save me. Mom, Dad…’
Cruelly, her attacker refused to let her lose consciousness.
Because moments like this were when a person finally understood the meaning of life after spending so many long years living it.
Cr-runch-
“Ah…”
At last, the light of life vanished from the girl’s eyes.
But only for a moment.
“Mmm, delicious as always. It’s been so long since I’ve had a proper meal. Mmm~! Hah.”
As if nothing had happened, the female student stretched her arms overhead with a contented smile.
“Nngh~~ Everyone in the Theocracy was packed full of divine power, so there wasn’t a single thing I could eat. I almost became the first demon in history to starve to death. Not that I actually would’ve died.”
Crack— Cr-r-rack-
Sounds that no human body should ever make echoed from inside the girl, but they lasted only a moment.
“Ah, ah, voice test. Mmm, good. I like it. This body fits me nicely.”
The expression that had been twisted in despair and mortal agony just moments before had already softened into a gentle smile.
“Now, then… where might our dear goddess’s puppet be? According to her memories, hmm~ this way, I think? Ha ha, a ‘genius,’ huh. I wonder if I’ll even be able to eat her. Still…”
Gremory, the ‘Demon of Mimicry,’ licked her lips.
“I hope she tastes good.”
–TL Notes–
Tired of seeing Ads? Then please support me on Patreon! Any tier of subscription will make it so you won't get any ads!
If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/InsanityTheGame
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt