Regret

A resort built by the seaside, taken as a vacation with Risha.

First, loaded it into DORECA.

Using the save-and-load function, I simply restored the previously made version.

Of course, it was a mess thanks to terrain influence, so I got Holkina to help with the fine adjustments.

“What’s a resort?”

“A place to play.”

“Play, huh?”

Holkina gazed off into the distance.

“Never thought about playing before.”

“Really? That’s surprising. I thought you’d be different from the other regrets.”

“I may look like this, but I used to be really serious back then? As an Eternal Slave.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I brushed off Holkina’s teasing with a half-hearted reply.

She wasn’t my slave, so she couldn’t use any of the abilities tied to DORECA.

So I could only help out a little, but even that was enough—preparations were ready in no time.

“Next… how many Regrets are there right now? Just the ones in this village.”

“About a hundred, I’d say?”

“Then let’s make a hundred twenty to be safe.”

I pulled out DORECA and made the dresses.

I followed the number I’d been told, adding a generous buffer—made exactly one hundred twenty.

“Dresses?”

“Everyone’s gonna wear these, and I’ll lead them here.”

“Hmm… starting to get it. Might be fun, actually.”

☆

I went around the village with Holkina.

Holkina couldn’t hold DORECA or slave cards, so she couldn’t carry anything—so I carried every dress myself.

Every time we met a Regret, Holkina shoved the dress into their hands and forced it on them.

Most just took it and did nothing, so I’d yank the clothes off their backs and swap them for the dresses instead.

The regretts were basically just eating and sleeping, yet most of them had striking figures.

I shoved dresses onto everyone and brought them to the hotel.

The grand hall inside the hotel, set up as a buffet-style party venue.

I brought the regretts here, intending to host a party.

Risha would’ve been pleased by this.

Modestly, yes—but pleased.

There was no will to live in any of the regretts.

So I threw this party to spark that will, bringing everyone along.

But—

No one was willing to participate. They remained listless even in the party hall.

Beautiful women with sun-kissed skin, dressed in glittering gowns, sitting on the floor or leaning against the wall.

Just existing. That was all.

An utterly bizarre sight.

☆

"Looks like it failed,"

Me, away from the hotel, feeling the night wind.

Then, the Demon Goddess showed up.

She stood beside me, a faint smile on her lips.

"Nothing like that."

"Such a pitiful child. Crushed by your first failure since arriving in this world."

"……"

First failure, huh.

Maybe.

Since being summoned by the Goddess and brought here, things had gone smoothly.

No matter what I did, I succeeded. I got through everything with DORECA and the slaves' smiles.

But here? That failed.

Rirya and the others didn’t react at all.

I dragged them here by force—yes—but not a single one smiled.

No one cheered.

That… stung a little.

"Did I do it wrong?"

"Yes. Fundamentally."

"What went wrong?"

"Such a sneaky child. You really want the answer that badly?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Any intention to figure it out yourself?"

"Not a bit."

……

The Dark God looked down on me.

Cold eyes. Fixed on me.

Those eyes… I can’t lie to them. But I’ll take it. I’ll swallow it whole.

“They were Eternal Slaves. Those ultimate little creatures. I know what kind of smile they make when they finally get a master. The regret ones should be able to smile like that too. Sveta smiled. If I can get even a little of that back… my pride? Screw that.”

“…Strange child.”

Something changed in the Dark God’s face.

The cold stare shifted to shock. Then softened into a smile.

“Alright. I’ll tell you one thing.”

“One thing? I want all of it.”

“Such an impatient one. Start with one.”

“Got it.”

I nod, eyes locked straight on the Dark God.

“You might already know, but ‘Regret’ is an old word meaning ‘regret’.”

“Regret… Rilgret.”

“Think carefully about what that word means.”

The Dark God said that, then quietly left.

Regret. Rilgret. Eternal Slave. Eternal slave.

“—!“

In an instant, a white lightning bolt tore through my skull.

Maybe… I thought.