─“Shirakurama Urara ke!”

Men clad in hoods stood before a massive brazier, chanting prayers. Their appearance seemed out of place in this modern era of advanced science and heroes, yet this was their essence, their origin—faith passed down from their ancestors.

They were devil worshippers.
The ancient name of the Baphomet Corporation, which ruled City B, was none other than that.

“Still clinging to such outdated rituals, I see...”

Lize, watching the ceremony, pressed a switch on the wall. The enormous LED lights embedded in the ceiling flooded the cavern with brightness, causing the executives, who had been accustomed to the darkness, to grimace and groan in pain.

“Argh! My eyes—my eyes!”

Watching them clutch their faces and howl in agony, Lize sighed in disdain and waited for them to regain their sight.

Once their vision returned, the executives fixed their glares on Lize, their expressions hardened.

“—President Lize, what is the meaning of this?”
“No matter if you are the chairman’s only granddaughter, interrupting the ritual is a grave insult!”
“If you cannot explain yourself, we will not remain silent—”

“Oh, stop the theatrics,” Lize interrupted, dismissing their anger as nothing more than a ridiculous show. She nonchalantly picked at her ear and looked away. The executives, infuriated by her blatant disregard, were about to explode—

But before they could, the sound of soft, enchanting music floated from Lize’s smartphone. The executives, who had been ready to vent their anger, fell silent, captivated by the melody.

It was a rendition of Moonlight Sonata that Lize had painstakingly recreated over several months. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to quiet the room.

“...President Lize, what is this song?”
“I heard it at a corporate party not too long ago. Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Indeed, quite beautiful...”
“I thought so too. And this is just a crude reproduction. The original is far more impressive.”

Lize smiled, and the executives sighed in disbelief. She too found it hard to believe how stunning the performance had been. The mere memory of that moment still sent shivers down her spine. She alone, the youngest among them, had heard it, and that sense of superiority thrilled her.

But Lize hadn’t come to flaunt her experience. No, she had a more important reason for interrupting the devil worshippers' ritual.

“—Now, imagine if the composer of this beautiful piece were to write a song dedicated to our devil. How much would our lord enjoy such a tribute? Just think about it.”

“Ooh... You’re right!”
“That would be incredible!”
“Why haven’t we already brought them here?”

“Unfortunately, that composer is under the exclusive protection of the Demon King of the Eblis Corporation. While I know where they are, launching a reckless attack on Eblis, which rules City E with an iron grip, would only result in retaliation.”

The mention of Eblis Corporation sent murmurs through the group. A company that rivaled Baphomet and had recently conquered City Z, expanding its influence. With cutting-edge technology and a private army of villains, they were not to be trifled with, even by devil worshippers willing to die for their faith.

However, “difficult” didn’t mean “impossible,” and if the reward was worth the risk, there were always those willing to try.

“So, dear executives, I need your assistance.”

Her voice, like a serpent’s hiss, slithered into the ears of the gathered executives. Her ability—Charming Speech—played with their minds.

In no time, the only ones left were those willing to sacrifice everything for Baphomet.

“All for Lord Baphomet.”
“For Lord Baphomet.”

Be For MÆŦ
All for Him.

Squeak, squeak.
I was repairing a worn-out belt. I had been so busy with my main work for the past few months that I hadn’t paid attention to my side jobs. Who would have thought the belt would be this overworked in such a short time?

If I had left it any longer, the belt might have worn out completely, maybe even broken from overuse. Poor thing.

“Is it done, sir?”
“Just how roughly did you use this? It shouldn’t have worn out this quickly.”
“S-Sorry…”

Niverna, a former S-rank and now a freelance hero, gave me a sheepish smile. She had become independent with the support of Eblis Corporation, which meant she had to leave City E.

Staying in City E meant she would have to fight against our organization, and since she was backed by Eblis Corporation, that wasn’t an option. Though our evil organization was notorious for its showy antics, we still had rules and boundaries.

In her new city, Niverna had no choice but to cooperate with the local heroes, fighting villains—real villains, the kind you’d expect to see in a gruesome horror movie.

“No need to apologize. Just call when it breaks. If you keep treating it like this, what will you do if it gives out on you?”
“I didn’t want to bother you since I know how busy you are…”
“It’s not a bother. Call anytime. I won’t be making you a new one if this breaks.”

I handed the repaired belt back to Niverna, who received it like it was a precious treasure. She gingerly fastened it around her waist and caressed it carefully.

It made sense. That belt was the most valuable thing she owned. Without it, she was just a normal A-rank hero—someone who could be a supporting character but never the main star.

Yawn.
“Is it done yet?”
“Yes, it’s finished, Vira.”

Vira emerged from the back of the shop, where she’d been taking a nap. She scratched her messy hair and started making a phone call, likely to order food at a nearby restaurant.

Niverna, surprised to see Vira, leaned in and whispered to me.

“...Sir, is she your wife?”
“What? No, she’s my bodyguard. Things have been dangerous for me lately.”
“If you’d asked me, I would have gladly protected you!”
“I appreciate it, but Vira’s quite skilled.”
“Still…”

Niverna looked disappointed, perhaps wanting me to trust her more. But our relationship wasn’t that deep. She didn’t even know my real name.

Sure, I had helped her by giving her the hero belt, but that was it. Our relationship didn’t go beyond that.

“Hey, Niverna, right? The hero?”
“Yes, that’s correct. What can I do for you?”
“Wanna join us for lunch? The place we’re ordering from only takes orders for four or more.”

Unlike me, Vira was the ultimate extrovert. She was already trying to make friends with Niverna, offering to have lunch together.

After some hesitation, Niverna nodded. Soon, the three of us headed to a restaurant I had been to many times before.

City E had a surprising number of great restaurants, probably because Eblis Corporation owned most of the buildings and rented them out at reasonable rates. People from neighboring cities even came to visit just to eat here. The place we were going to was no exception, and the inside was already packed with customers.

“Good thing we made a reservation. We wouldn’t have gotten in otherwise.”

Vira grinned as she sat down, and I took the seat next to her. Niverna settled across from us. Since Vira had called ahead, the food arrived almost immediately, allowing us to start eating without delay.

In no time, the plates piled high with food were nearly empty. Vira’s appetite was enormous, and Niverna, being a hero, wasn’t far behind. The three of us managed to finish enough food for four people in record time.

As I wiped my mouth and took a sip of water, the glass slipped from my hand and fell to the floor, spilling its contents all over a passing customer.

‘What the…?’

It seemed like a scam, but the man hadn’t demanded any money. There was no evidence that he had deliberately knocked over my glass. So, I apologized.

“I’m sorry. The glass just slipped—”
“This is absurd! Are you telling me someone used superpowers to spill water on me on purpose?!”
“Hard as it is to believe, yes.”
“Are you messing with me?!”

The man, now soaked, shouted angrily. I bowed in apology. Even if it wasn’t my fault, proving that in the heat of the moment was difficult, and most people wouldn’t bother thinking rationally in such situations.

The man continued yelling, even pointing fingers at me in frustration.

“I can’t accept this—I demand compensation!”
“It wasn’t my fault, but I can cover the cleaning bill…”
“No! I demand compensation that fits the level of offense! Like... a song praising Him!”
“…Excuse me?”
“Didn’t you hear me? I’m as angry as if someone insulted the worship song to Him!”

At his words, I blinked in confusion.
…What kind of weirdo is this?