Right after learning about the disappearance of Evil God-chan, Yuna floundered like a child caught cheating on a test, apologizing profusely.

“I’m sorry, so sorry… I didn’t realize I hadn’t taken care of it because it was so urgent…!!”

“No, it’s my fault for not noticing since I’m in charge… But it’s not too late… late… well, it is late.”

“Waaah!”

If she’s been abandoned for two weeks, it’s quite late.

Neither of us had our wits about us. A week was lost thinking about the fallen Yuri, and then we were busy dealing with Yuna’s hate incident.

It naturally slipped our minds, I suppose.

Safety measures were in place, but it’s still a fragment of ‘that thing.’ It could magically slip its leash by some means I can’t imagine.

At that moment, it’s not a game anymore, but the reality of Cthulhu Season 2 exploding. We can’t let that happen. I declared an emergency and sat on the magic circle in the academy’s basement.

Yes, that emotion-amplifying magic circle that’s been sucking the marrow out of me.

Let’s start by tracking down “King Goa.” A special magical wave will be amplified and emitted from the academy. It passes through other objects naturally.

But when it meets “King Goa,” it triggers an internal mechanism, causing the leash to transmit its current location and status. If Eternal Dark is within the empire, we can find it with this.

If it’s already crossed the empire’s border seeking asylum, or if “King Goa” has been released and thrown into some bush… then it’s time for a long business trip. I’ll have to embark on a world tour to catch the creature.

Its malignancy shares the same origin as the malignancy I’ve accepted. So I know how dangerous it is. The biggest problem with ‘that thing’s’ evil is that there’s no delay.

It doesn’t cycle through committing evil deeds – feeling satisfied – resting. Even if it feels euphoria, it never gets full. More and more… it spreads evil without end.

It feels like a virus that has embedded its entire purpose in life into doing evil deeds.

If it’s a being that originated from me, the responsibility also lies with me. I must capture it.

Yuna, perhaps pricked by conscience, was assisting me in my search with a face marred by guilt.

“Give me the signal, and I’ll amplify it!”

“I’ll start counting to three. One, three.”

“Hey, don’t count weirdly…!!”

────!!

A sound that could be felt through the skin rather than heard with ears resonated. Like ripples spreading across a lake, magical waves spread out from the academy. The magic was successfully activated.

Now, whether a response comes from “Kingoa” or not is the key.

We waited in tension for about 30 minutes. If the waiting time exceeds two hours, it means ‘outside the border.’ I was trembling, and Yuna was about to bite her nails, which I stopped her from doing.

Then, the echo came. Yuna and I sprang up and rushed to the magic circle.

“Analyze! Analyze!”

“Should we check the location first, or the condition?!”

“Look at the condition first. I’ll lay out the location!”

Yuna fed the encrypted information into the analyzer and spun it, while I stripped it bare with mental arithmetic. And the result.

“…? What the heck, why is this guy coming back to the academy?”

The marked travel path was strange. Instead of roaming around populous areas to bring about world destruction, he was just breaking through the forest to come here.

He did stop by the holy city once, but even that stay was extremely short. Why didn’t this guy run away? What’s going on?

No, there’s no way he would come back so obediently. There must be a plot.

I crossed my arms and glared at the monitor screen. While I was pondering how to interpret this result, Yuna approached me, bubbling with questions.

“Hey, what does this praise sticker parameter mean? It’s marked as 2…”

“It went up? That counts when you do a good deed.”

“He did…?!”

What are you talking about.

That can’t be right. I did plant the triangle of conscience in the heart of the evil deity-chan, but I thought it wouldn’t bite with just that. The plan to corrupt the hero hasn’t even started yet.

Is it a high-level deception tactic? Or is he bringing an army to attack the academy? We must be prepared. Whatever it is, a lethal attack is coming!

“Is it that dangerous? The dragonling that fell from the ‘Nest,’ it seemed like Eternal Dark was helping. Not exactly reformed, but somewhat changed.”

Pingballez, who seemed oblivious to danger, said this, and the Lord of the Tower and I retorted as if a panic button had been pressed.

“Yuri, you say that because you don’t know ‘it’…!! He’s been terribly wicked from the start, right?! Like when he just, I tried to play TRPG well, but then with Niole and Tara, he just…”

From noble mtl dot come

“Pingballez, you scoundrel, do you know how bad he is to be so carefree?! You’ll get backstabbed if you’re not careful! You have to be cautious!”

“I wonder if anyone would reflect on their past if they were tormented 3000 times over.”

“No, no, you’re wrong. Master of the Tower! Let’s prepare our defenses. Set up about four magic cannons, and lay traps so we can devour any army that comes our way…”

Yuna and I began to remodel the lab in preparation for the Evil God-chan’s rebellious invasion. We stockpiled all sorts of barricades, lethal weapons, and information bombs, and even bought sturdy armor to wear.

We checked our location regularly, and every time, we verified that Evil God-chan was heading directly to the academy.

On that morning, which was almost fully fortified,

We detected the approach of “King Goa”. Close. There seem to be three presences… Even if Evil God-chan brought only two helpers, we couldn’t let our guard down. And then—

Bang.

The moment the door opened, I activated the trap I had prepared.

“Hey you b*stards, living well after abandoning me— Argh!”

“How do you like it, Espoir de Eternal Dark! This is the special slime I made just to capture you! Give up resisting and surrender!”

“Give up! Surrender now!”

“Ah, you crazy fools, even if you come back quietly, it’s a mess—!!”

The first suppression was a success. The target was temporarily neutralized. The spell, based on the queen’s gastric juices, had the effect of melting the target’s information into a gooey mess.

The dress Evil God-chan was wearing began to melt away in places. Since that dress wasn’t a physical entity but crafted from information, this proved that the special slime was effective.

But we couldn’t let our guard down here. Just as I was about to pull out the information-club for the second suppression,

I locked eyes with two people outside the lab who were quietly observing me and the Master of the Tower. It was Scarface Senior and Tear Spot Guy.

Their gazes… fell on me, and the club in my hand.

And then on Evil God-chan, crouched on the floor, surrounded by slime.

They looked at me as if I were human trash, their expressions…

“……”

“……”

“No.”

It’s a misunderstanding. I don’t know what they’re misunderstanding, but it is one. I am justice, and Evil God-chan is evil. I’m doing the right thing!

“That’s why she hated you, junior. I’m disappointed in you. I don’t know the circumstances, but to treat your own child, a b*stard, so cruelly, that’s too much no matter what.”

“Step back, mad magician. She is still my client. The request isn’t over yet, so if you continue to harm her, I will act to protect my client.”

A b*stard? A b*stard?

In a way, it’s not wrong, but no. That’s not it. I’m not someone who ruins a b*stard’s clothes and starts with a clubbing! It’s a misunderstanding!

I was trying to seal an evil being that was pushing the world into the abyss of wickedness!

“I’m, I am doing this for justice…!! Master of the Tower, please explain.”

With a buzz,

Yuna had turned into a butterfly and flown away.

I looked down with trembling eyes and met the gaze of Akushin-chan. I could feel the bubbling rage in her pupils.

Akushin-chan sent me a message in Morse code by blinking lights from her eyes, invisible to anyone else.

-“You must have forgotten about me. Fighting hard against the queen, saving those bewitched by the demon. And now, to be treated like this after returning so obediently?”

“Me, I—”

-“You’re finished.”

“Honestly, considering your track record…!!”

A misunderstanding? Really, has Espoir de Eternal Dark become somewhat of a good child?

What are you trying to do? No, don’t panic. Akushin-chan can’t do anything right now. The control over “Kingoa” is solid, and if we face off here, I’ll win. What can you do…

“Sob, hic… sniffle.”

What did I just hear?

The saddest cry in the world sounded, and tears welled up in Akushin-chan’s eyes, dropping one by one. I could feel my reputation crumbling and dying.

I must stop it. But how?

“Sniffle, I, I just wanted to be praised by dad, sob, gulp…”

“……..”

“I’m sorry, dad. Don’t hit me… gulp, I’ll hold back the tears, so please don’t do that…! I beg you, I’ll even lick your feet…!”

It’s unbearable.

The gaze hurts.

The look from Scarface-senpai, that cold expression as if he’s looking at something truly disgusting. It’s stabbing my heart like sashimi.

“Trash.”

Ah.

Today, I died a social death.

—

Today, I agreed to become Akushin-chan’s chair for the day. She sat on my prostrated back with a gleeful expression, as if she was thrilled to death.

Always on the receiving end of hits, now that she’s in the position to strike, dopamine must be overflowing.

“It’s just a joke, a joke. Don’t take it too seriously, Loreido and Rowillen. We always play like this, so don’t worry. Right, dad? Answer.”

“Yes, Eternal Dark-sama.”

“Exactly.”

Akushin-chan patted my behind as if praising a pet. Despite the humiliation, I had no way to respond, forced to suppress my anger and frustration internally.

If I let out a 3000 times sensitivity beam in a fit of anger, wouldn’t Scarface-senpai’s misunderstanding become completely nailed in? Now is not the time to lose my cool.

I feel a bit… sorry. I didn’t know I had worked so hard.

I asked cautiously,

“Excuse me, Eternal Dark. Could I perhaps correct the misunderstanding about being a b*stard, to express it as a relationship with a demon servant…?”

“Do you hate me, Dad? Are you so disgusted with me that you want to disown me now?”

“Damn it…”

“Ahem, watch your language. Speak nicely.”

The evil deity playfully slapped my behind. This little…!

But the harsher the treatment I received, the quicker the misunderstandings were resolved. I had no choice but to endure.

Ouch!!

As I was sweating bullets from the karma coming back to haunt me, it seemed like even Scarface senior and Teardrop Guy began to understand a bit. The loathsome look in their eyes faded, leaving only a trace of suspicion.

“I had faith in you, junior.”

“You didn’t believe me, senior.”

“How could I in that situation? The moment the door opened, you were tearing off clothes and ready to beat with a club.”

“That’s because there’s a reason for everything… Damn it all.”

Actually, he’s a fragment of some terrifying entity in my head, closer to an information lifeform than physical matter. There’s evidence that he wreaked havoc around the world back in the day.

From what Yuna says, the more you recognize and believe in him, the more dangerous it becomes, so I can’t tell others. You understand, right?

This can’t be happening.

Let’s see after the guests leave.

“Thanks. Rowillen, do you need extra payment? I think I can squeeze some money out of Dad right now.”

“It’s okay. Are you… really okay? If you’re not joking and actually feel threatened.”

“I’m fine. Thanks to you, Lorei, I got to the academy quickly.”

“I did what I was owed. No need for thanks. The time at the tavern was fun.”

The three exchanged brief farewells. The evil deity waved without a second thought, and the two declared the request complete and left the academy.

Alone in the empty lab, I muttered to the 7% still perched on me,

“Meow.”

“Do it properly.”

“Sorry.”

“…You’re actually doing what I said?”

The evil deity sounded surprised, but…

Effort deserves reward. Kindness should be repaid. It’s a rule that must be upheld to acknowledge her hard work.

So, an apology is due. I had to squeeze the evil deity until now, and I don’t regret it, nor will I stop punishing to prevent future misdeeds.

Shouldn’t praise stickers be settled up?

—

Aksin-chan sat in the chair, slightly bowing her head. Her slender neck was visible between the strands of hair that flowed down both sides. Around her neck hung a “Kingoah.”

I accessed the “Kingoah” to read the detailed information. It contained everything about her actions and the emotions she felt.

I skimmed through it.

A scene where she feels betrayed after being abandoned.

A scene where she tricks a boy.

A scene where she spreads rumors about me.

A scene where she’s hiring an employee at an inn.

And then I realized… her ego is younger than I thought.

That ‘thing,’ which is hard to trace its origin, must have lived for at least a hundred years. So Aksin-chan, who split from ‘that thing,’ is also considered an ancient being.

Whether it was some chemical reaction when the data of Aksin was overlaid, whether the malicious information I poured in caused something, or if it was just the softer parts of ‘that thing’ that split off.

I don’t know the reason, but it became clear that her spirit wasn’t as solid as I thought.

If it’s childhood, it can easily change. It can change in any number of ways depending on education. Even a psychopath can live a decent life if accompanied by systematic education.

I thought her malice was immutable, and so I didn’t give her a chance to breathe and hunted her relentlessly. But if she could actually change.

Then.

Maybe it’s worth giving her a chance.

“Hey, crazy sorcerer.”

Aksin-chan’s voice came from beyond her black hair tinged with a hint of purple.

“Why.”

I answered curtly. If she detects a change in my feelings, she’ll definitely crawl back.

Aksin-chan seemed to ponder for a moment.

“Did you know? Right now, there’s a boy dying because he got caught up in my schemes.”

“…Hmm?”

“This ‘Kingoah’ is full of holes. Such a fool. Using security vulnerabilities, I tricked some idiot from the Elmest territory. Ripped him off a good amount of his living expenses!”

“Ah, I see.”

Aksin-chan talked about the promise she made with the boy. She boasted about how evil she was, along with the content that she received money to put in a request for me.

She seemed to want to deny the fact that she had done a good deed. The way she beat around the bush and tried to hide her embarrassment suggested that.

A good Samaritan, huh.

That was definitely a gray area though.

Yet, despite everything, Akshin-chan’s actions are of clear goodwill. Didn’t she call 119 when she saw someone collapsed on the street? She could have just walked by.

To throw oneself into an act of kindness is undoubtedly noble, but also sad. The ideal act of kindness I envision is one that is given as much as my heart’s capacity allows.

So… anyway, it’s a good sign.

“Oh my, our pretty little rascal, finally trying to become human, huh!”

“Huh──?!”

I hugged Akshin-chan tightly and rubbed her head vigorously. She struggled and told me to stop, but according to “Kingoa,” she seems to feel somewhat pleased, even if she pretends not to.

Praise makes even Akshin-chan dance!

“Stop it!”

“Ouch!”

In the end, overwhelmed by embarrassment and anger, Akshin-chan bit my hand hard and firmly.