In the eyes of an ordinary person, the vast expanse of sky was not observable.

A winged lesser demonic beast was leisurely gliding through the air, soaring above.

And atop this beast was a woman donning a dark hood.

As she surveyed the scene below from the beast’s back, she couldn’t help but smile slightly at what caught her eye.

“Hahaha, Lily really is quite impatient. Well, she’d have to be, practically forced to wait and twiddle her thumbs because of me all this time.”

The woman thought as she watched countless lesser demonic beasts gathering towards the human city, led by the Lustful Witch, Lily.

Indeed, she moved exactly as expected.

After being sealed by the witch who had a grip on the human city’s hopes, the woman had firmly believed that Lily would quickly lead the lesser demonic beasts to invade the human city.

During the years they were bound by their contract, how many times did she not mention this?

The contract made long ago between her and Lily, which prevented the witch from recklessly meddling in the human city without her permission.

If not for that contract, they would have already invaded the human city and turned everyone into puppets.

Thus, once the obstacle known as the Gluttonous Witch vanished, it was simply predictable that Lily would seek to attack the human city.

“Humanity must be facing utter despair.”

For the humans, this was undoubtedly a horrifying event.

Having barely overcome the calamity of the Gluttonous Witch, immediately afterwards the Lustful Witch had come to attack them.

Lily’s ability to control other beings would manifest strong powers against the many, and the woman naturally thought that the city would fall to destruction under Lily’s command.

Even if they had shown miraculous signs by overcoming what she believed they could never defeat, she thought this time there would be no escape.

Certainly, if one looked solely at the quantity of strength, there existed an overwhelming gap that could not be covered between Lust and Gluttony.

However, the forces of the city had already diminished due to battling the Gluttonous Witch, and furthermore, wasn’t there the sacred relic given to Lily by the woman?

Even if Lily was among the lower tiers of witches, she could sufficiently destroy the human city on her own if her powers were amplified by that sacred relic.

Therefore, regardless of whether there was a witch on the city’s side, the outcome seemed predetermined.

That’s how the woman thought, and the course of events indeed appeared to confirm it.

But—

“Oh?”

She widened her eyes at a completely unforeseen occurrence.

Angry lesser demonic beasts had suddenly appeared to join forces with the witches within the city and began to repel the forces of Lust.

Moreover, that was not the end of it.

A powerful bolt of scorching flame shot forth from a witch now aided by the reinforcements of lesser demonic beasts.

Lily was seen retreating, ultimately abandoning her troops.

In the end, the city had managed to repel the Lustful Witch’s invasion.

This was contrary to what the woman initially expected.

And as she observed this scene for a significant time,

“Kuh, hehehe…! Ah, how exciting. Good good. Things that flow solely as expected are never interesting!”

She mumbled to herself with an enthralling voice, unable to contain her joy.

Indeed, it was the second time unexpected results had emerged.

She had thought that she would never be able to defeat the Gluttonous Witch.

And now, the Lustful Witch too.

She was certain that it would be the end this time, yet the city had once again pushed back the anticipated conclusion, and the woman gazed down from above.

Just like a child who, believing they had eaten all the candy, finds one more piece they love.

“Keep struggling, keep fighting. For me to enjoy this world just a little longer.”

Muttering quietly to the diminutive-looking city, the woman gently closed her eyes and threw her body into the vast sky beneath her.

And the moment she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in an empty plain.

However, she knew that something very important existed in this place, which seemed like nothingness.

That was because this was the location where the Gluttonous Witch was sealed.

Standing there, she murmured into the void.

“You know, I enjoy when characters in a play act in unexpected ways. Improvisation that defies the script I wrote makes it much more thrilling than I had envisioned.”

To the void where nothing existed, yet she was certain the presence she had made a contract with remained.

“Yet there’s one thing I prioritize heavily, and that’s when characters exit the stage. At least the main characters, not minor ones. But you left all too soon, too emptily, going against my expectations. That won’t do. You were marked as the lead in this script, destined to end this world.”

‘It’s a contract. I’ll release you, but later, you must grant me one favor in return. Do you understand?’

Thus, the woman spoke softly and with a smile to her contractor according to the contractual terms previously established.

[So now, please rise.]

[It’s still too early for you to exit.]

“Meow! Fetch!”

– Meow!

“Wah! Well done, Meow!”

At some point, I had read something about a place called heaven.

“Meow! Let’s play! Come here!”

– Meow! Meow!

“Hahaha! Meow! That tickles!”

The text stated that heaven is a place free of sorrow and hunger.

Then surely, this must be heaven.

“Hey! It’s time for dinner!”

“Ah! Got it, grandma! Meow! Let’s hurry!”

– Meow!

The girl lived in a family home in a certain village.

She lived there with her friend, a puppy named Meow, and an elderly couple who kindly took both of them in.

“How is it? Today, as a special treat, your grandfather found some apples to make pie with.”

“Ehehe, everything you make is delicious, grandmother! Thank you, grandfather.”

“…Is that so.”

“Oh my, you really are shy.”

The elderly couple treated the girl no differently than their own granddaughter.

Even though they weren’t family by blood, she could feel what familial love truly meant through those two.

– Meow!

Oh, and of course, Meow was an indispensable part of her cherished family.

The girl loved her family who she lived with together.

“Who is this? You’re going to play with Meow?”

“Yes! Today we’re going to catch fish in the stream!”

“Alright? Here, this is the corn I steamed this morning. Share it when you get hungry. Just don’t trip and hurt yourself while having fun, okay?”

“Yes! Thank you, ma’am! I’ll enjoy the corn too!”

The villagers living in the girl’s neighborhood were all good-natured people.

They were kind souls who preferred sharing their belongings with neighbors rather than obtaining something by hurting someone else.

The girl cherished those villagers deeply.

“I’m off to school!”

“Okay, have a great time.”

“Meow, please protect the house until I get back!”

– Meow!

The girl attended a small school in her village.

Though she felt a bit sad to be separated from Meow while at school,

She enjoyed going to school because she could talk with other kids her age.

“Hello, Teacher Eve!”

“Ah, welcome back.”

“Did you bring the journal I assigned as homework?”

“Yes!”

Today was the day to submit the journal as homework, and the girl happily submitted it to Teacher Eve.

After reading the girl’s journal, Teacher Eve smiled gently and asked,

“You always end your journal with ‘I’m happy’ at the very end, don’t you?”

The girl’s body quivered slightly at Teacher Eve’s question.

Reflecting on it, she realized it indeed had always been that way.

Two days ago, she wrote about how happy she was when grandma made her apple pie,

And yesterday, she wrote about how happy she was playing with Meow while trying to catch fish.

But there were reasons behind all those narratives, so the girl smiled and answered.

“Well, I really have always been happy! Every day is absolutely delightful for me!”

The reason the girl always wrote “happy” at the end of her journal was that, for her, every single day was filled with happiness.

Although she didn’t live in some extravagant mansion, she never went hungry.

Even though they weren’t related by blood, she had people at home who welcomed her with smiles, just like family.

What most people took for granted were true blessings for the girl.

Truly, she couldn’t imagine a greater happiness than this.

“…I’m glad to hear that you’re happy.”

In response to the girl’s bright smile, Teacher Eve also smiled as if relieved.

As this warm and kind world enveloped her,

The girl felt truly happy.

And unfortunately, that happiness didn’t last long.

[So now, please rise.]

[It’s still too early for you to exit.]

“…Huh?”

One ordinary day, while living her happy life, the girl heard a voice.

At the moment she heard that voice, she felt a sense of forgotten sensation reviving within her.

“Ugh, ah… Eugh…”

It was none other than,

“Ah, ugh…”

Hunger.

A sudden wave of intense hunger and pain struck her, and she doubled over, clutching her stomach.

– Meow!

“Me… Meow…”

Seeing her tormented state, Meow ran towards her.

Looking at Meow with concern, the girl suddenly recalled a memory she had forgotten.

“Ah…”

Suddenly, the downpour began.

The dark alleyway.

And, and.

With the resurgence of hunger came the realization.

What stood before her was not Meow.

Because Meow had,

Died that night.

“Ah, aaah…!”

An overwhelming wave of agony flooded in.

A sharp sensation stabbed deep within her gut.

What could be the source of this pain?

Was it the remnants of Meow’s bones that she had swallowed that night?

Or perhaps the pin attached to the tattered flower decoration that she had devoured?

She did not know.

Only that it hurt too much, that she was too hungry.

Unspeakable agony surged through her as the reality that the Meow before her was not real became unbearable.

“I’m… hungry…”

The girl briefly lost consciousness.

“…”

And when she regained her senses,

She discovered that she was bleeding profusely.

“E…?”

Despite the blood flowing from her, there were no visible wounds on her body.

Then where was this blood coming from?

Unknowingly, the girl wiped at the place the blood was dripping from with her backhand.

As she did, her hand became stained with red.

It was clear she had wiped her mouth…

“…?”

The girl looked around, dazed.

Meow, who had been with her just a moment ago, was nowhere to be seen.

Meow had disappeared.

Meow…

“Ah…”

Then, realizing what she had done,

“AAAAAHHHH—!!!!”

She screamed.

Black tears streamed down the girl’s face.

“Don’t… I’m hungry… I can’t be hungry… No, I’m hungry… I can’t… I’m hungry…”

As the tears, tinged with the light of hunger, overflowed, the girl’s sense of hunger grew stronger.

“Child, what’s wrong?!”

“I’m hun─ no! Don’t come here…!”

At that moment, her grandmother came running, having heard her screams.

The girl desperately tried to warn her grandmother, still clinging to her sanity.

“Ah…”

It was too late.

“Ugh… I’m hungry… I can’t…”

Her grandmother vanished.

“What on earth is happening—”

“Don’t…”

The grandfather, who had run in late, disappeared.

“Please, no… Stop… If you’re hungry, don’t…”

The girl writhed in pain from the anguish of having consumed her beloved family, from her hunger.

“I’m hungry…”

But still, her hunger would not dissipate, driving her steps out of the house.

She tried to stop herself, yet she couldn’t.

“No… I’m hungry…”

The kind lady from next door, who always made sure she had something to eat, was gone.

“Hungry…”

Even the uncle who occasionally made her toys was gone.

“Hungry…”

And even her school friends.

“Hungry…”

Even Teacher Eve was gone, with a sad smile.

The warm and kind world she knew shattered in an instant.

“Hungry, hungry…!!”

So the girl wept, staring at the happiness lost within her stomach.

Weeping, she laughed.

In despair, in pain.

In hunger, hunger, hunger.

Yet the girl’s hunger still persisted.

And so she took a step to soothe her hunger.

Toward the remaining parts of that illusory heaven filled with happiness.

And when there was nothing left to eat in this heaven,

At that moment, she would once again return to the hell filled with nothing but hunger.

To devour all the remnants of hell.