The Demigod isn’t killed.
"Restoration."
Using a DORECA Paradium Card, the half-ruined Demon King’s Castle was restored to its former state.
The castle, shattered by the Demigod’s power, was instantly repaired by the Goddess’s might.
Back to its former self—strong enough to withstand assaults by armies of thousands, not easily broken.
"Amazing... to have grown this much. No, to have learned how to wield such power."
The Goddess’s presence had changed.
No longer the timid, animal-like aura she’d worn just moments before. Back to the sharp, intelligent air she’d carried when first encountered.
Only… not divine anymore.
No aura of power, no sense of godliness.
That power still resided within the Demigod.
"Is that so?"
"And you’re using cards I didn’t even intend."
"Even the Black Card—so that’s your limit?"
"Should’ve been a human’s limit."
So this card has no limits, huh?
“Honestly, your very existence was irregular from the start.”
The Goddess laughed, self-mocking.
“Hm?”
“People who laugh at the idea of a slave… who want to love and cherish one… I never thought such a thing existed. The Holy Night was far more ordinary.”
“Is that so? A being so pitiful, so delicate… doesn’t that make you want to dote on them just for being there?”
“Ordinarily, that wouldn’t happen.”
“That’s what I can’t understand.”
“Ordinarily, *you’d* be the one who doesn’t get it.”
“Hmph.”
Well, whatever.
The Goddess shifted her gaze toward the Demon God.
The Demon God, who’d been shifting faces all along.
Even her aura—her presence—had vanished.
Just a genderless beauty standing there, nothing more.
Her power… both Demon God’s and Goddess’s—was sealed by the Paradium Cards.
Eventually, even the Demon God laughed, self-mocking.
"Looks like no matter what I do, it's all pointless."
"Doing something, huh?"
"Yes. I thought of ten thousand ways and tried them all. None of them..."
"Right this second?"
"Such a cruel child. Stealing someone's reason to live like that."
"Your own life's been stolen from so many people already, haven’t they?"
"Are you going to steal mine too?"
The heretic goddess asked, her lips curling into a thin smile.
No—better to say she’d thrown down a challenge.
At least, that’s how I felt.
"Big brother."
Rirya stepped up beside me.
"I think you should kill me. Right now, you could erase me completely. That would save the world entirely."
"Arisa thinks so too."
Arisa arrived as well, mother and daughter standing side by side, pleading with me.
"True. It would be the quickest, cleanest way—no loose ends."
The heretic goddess was the root of this world’s ruin.
If I just erase her, it’s straight to a happy ending.
So Rirya and Arisa’s plan is right.
I turned back toward the heretic goddess.
“Smart girl. That’s the right choice. Now, though.”
“Don’t go deciding people’s hearts for them.”
“…What do you mean?”
“You’re not going to kill her.”
“““What!?”””
Rirya, Arisa, and the Goddess.
Three voices harmonized perfectly.
But the one who was most shocked was the heretic goddess.
That thin smile still stuck to her face, but her eyes betrayed clear unease.
“You’re not serious.”
“There’s no need to kill. I’m already sealing her power. That’s enough.”
“Strange child. Why would you—”
“I like smiles. Slave smiles are best, but I like human smiles too—anyone’s, really. Better than sorrow. That’s how I feel.”
“You want me to smile?”
“Yes. I want everyone in this world to smile.”
Ah, that’s right.
I get it.
I did think about enjoying the throne halfway through—but in the end, I came back to building the nation. Like a cart horse, plodding along.
Because I wanted to see smiles.
I’m moving because I want everyone to smile.
And I can do it! I can make every human being in this world—this world called Laskars—smile.
With DORECA, and with slaves.
“Such a sad child. Like a slave to smiles.”
“That’s right. After all, they call me the Slave King.”
“I won’t become like that. My joy comes with destruction.”
“People change.”
“I won’t. When you die, when you’re freed—I’ll do it all again.”
“Then I lose. I’ll take you with me.”
……
……
Stared at the demon god. No—stared into each other.
After a silence so thick it stopped the air.
“Pff!”
The Goddess beside me burst out laughing.
“You lost.”
“How delightful.”
“Isn’t this smile lovely?”
“A boring woman who’s suddenly laughing too much.”
“He’s the reason. I’ve been watching over him all along.”
Is that so.
Well, she *is* a goddess. She summoned me, after all.
Watching over him? More like keeping an eye on me. Not surprising.
“He’s having fun. You know Sistrala? I’ve become his fan.”
Huh?
“That declaration of his—‘I’ll keep you smiling’—do you understand what that means?”
“…What?”
“Serves you right.”
The Goddess grinned, playful and wicked.
The Demon God’s smile cracked.
The thin, forced grin he’d worn through everything finally shattered.
Like glass breaking—like you could hear it, cracking apart.
“Terrible child.”
I was stared down. A little scary.
But not bad.
“Rirya, Arisa.”
I said, facing the mother and daughter slaves.
“A bit of a big job ahead—reforming a demon god. Help me out.”
“Reforming a demon god…”
“…Reforming.”
They blinked, exchanged glances, stunned.
Then their faces lit up. Smiles blooming. Eyes full of respect.
“We’ll do anything, Rirya!”
“I’ll do my best to help Papa-sama, Arisa!”
The slaves’ smiles—endless, fueling magic.
Even destroyers become happy.
Yes. That’s what I believed, with absolute certainty.