The Hour of Choice⑤

Brief

Ariel’s words, heard by all humanity

‘Ah… Yeah! The beginning’s a bit loose, but please forget that part. Really.’

‘Now then. What was it again? Something about asserting, wasn’t it?’

‘Asserting… asserting…’

‘Still, to be honest, there’s not much to say.’

‘I don’t expect anything from humanity.’

‘Exactly. What could you expect from people who lived carefree until now, in this situation?’

‘Ariel-sama risked her life to sustain this world, and yet they’ve forgotten her gratitude all this time.’

‘How many years have passed, do you think? You can roughly tell from the Taboo’s records.’

‘Well, that’s also because someone deliberately erased it from history, so they could forget.’

Even after watching from the sidelines for so long, I’ve moved past anger. I’m disappointed now.

Thinking about how Ariel-sama sacrificed themselves to save these people—it’s unbearable.

Humanity chose to offer Ariel-sama as a sacrifice in the past, to save themselves. So why is it so obvious what choice they’ll make this time?

I don’t expect anything. I won’t try to convince them.

But I’ll say this much.

We will win.

If no one else even tries to save Ariel-sama—neither the world, nor Ariel-sama themselves—then I will save Ariel-sama.

Even if it means sacrificing more than half of humanity.

If they’re willing to sacrifice Ariel-sama, then they must be ready to sacrifice themselves in return.

So I declare it.

I am the Second Demon King, Ariel.

—A true Demon King, not a counterfeit designated by the system, but the genuine one.

—In继承 the will of the First Demon King, Fodui, who sought to eradicate all humanity to free Seriel, I declare war upon humanity.

—Humans. Die for the Goddess.