The Main Heroines are Trying to Kill Me
Chapter 367: Tragedy

"Hmm... Where am I?"

It was a dark and obscure space, where even the flow of time seemed peculiar.

"I'm scared..."

A girl wandered around with a slightly frightened expression in this eerie space, where various eyeballs and black tentacles floated ominously.

Glare: I’m in big trouble!

Glare: I woke up in a strange space! There are weird eyeballs and tentacles floating around!

The chat window floating in front of her glowed eerily bright.

Her messages remained unanswered, a stark contrast to the prompt reply she usually got.

- Rustle...

Thanks to this Glare was sulking.

Then, a sudden attack from the tentacles caught her off guard.

"Gross!"

Glare recoiled in disgust as the tentacles rushed at her.

Then she snapped her fingers, causing the tentacles to shatter into pieces.

But there were too many of them.

"Ugh..."

As she kept breaking them apart, more tentacles kept sprouting out relentlessly.

Just as she began to tire from the relentless assault of tentacles...

- Shaaa...

Behind her, a bright light and a soft glow started spreading in all directions.

"...?"

As the eyeballs squinted and closed in the light, the tentacles also vanished.

Thanks to this, Glare sighed in relief before turning around to face the light.

Soon, she opened her mouth with a surprised expression.

"Pretty sisters..."

"P-Pretty? Th-thank you..."

"Sister, is it the right time for that?"

"R-right...?"

The Moon Goddess 'Lunar', who appeared behind Glare, scolded her older sister 'Solar', who was basking in compliments.

"S-so... what exactly is going on here? I was just taking a nap– I-I mean, resting for a while..."

The Sun God regained her senses and threw a hurried question with a worried expression...

"...Trouble."

"When the Fourth Ordeal started in reality, we were kicked out of here together with the kid."

"What...?"

"It's probably the work of that eye bastard. Damn, this is bad..."

Grasping her head, Lunar muttered while checking the chat window in front of her.

Stellar: Wait for a moment

Stellar: I’m assessing the situation

“It seems because she is the Creator God, she didn’t get kicked out… At least we avoided dimensional annihilation..."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lunar's expression turned grim shortly after.

“But this is still bad... The Fourth Ordeal requires assistance from a helper..."

"S-so, how did we clear the previous ordeals?"

At the Sun God's timid question, Lunar replied with a dark expression.

"We couldn't. Retry Frey and Ferloche were remarkable. But that was when the Fourth Ordeal was executed incompletely. This is the real deal."

"S-so, we’re in big trouble...?"

"Yeah, it's a huge problem."

As Lunar spoke, chewing her nails anxiously, she glanced at Glare, who was grinning beside her.

"Originally, the helper should receive Retry... But that eye monster seems to have finally noticed the little kid."

"..."

"Darn it, what should we do? Frey has already fallen into corruption... and Ferloche hasn't shown any signs of coming forward... Ugh, my head..."

"U-Um..."

Wandering anxiously and on the verge of hysteria, Lunar turned her head at the timid call from the Sun God.

"We have Retry... It hasn't been activated yet... but someone already received it…?"

"What?"

"R-Retry was under my authority. So I checked... But why does she have it?"

The Sun God spoke while displaying the system log in front of her.

"...!?"

Lunar checked the log, and for some reason, Glare could also see the log despite her lack of divinity

Both of their eyes simultaneously widened.

"What's this, her...?"

"Huh? Uh-huh?"

After that, for a while, voices full of incredulity and doubts echoed in the dark space.

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After the events of the ‘Battle of Starlight Duchy’ involving Frey, the heroines, Ruby, and the Hero Party, time passed rather quickly.

And within that swiftly passing time, there were hardly any pleasant occurrences.

"I'll say this one last time. Frey chose the path of becoming a Demon King to save us, and this world."

"And at that moment, the Frey who loved us disappeared forever."

"We have to kill him as his last request. That's the ending Frey wants."

After Ruby resolutely revealed that Frey could never return, a shadow was cast over the Hero Party.

"I, I can't… Sob… do this..."

"..."

"Brother..."

After her last hope was shattered that day, Aria was completely devastated and isolated herself in the restored mansion with Roswyn’s notebook and the Hero’s Armament.

"Aria... It's up to us now. There's no other way..."

"Miss Aria... Let's talk..."

"..."

Defeating Frey was nearly impossible without her. And despite Ruby and some of the children repeatedly visiting the mansion to console her, Aria remained indifferent.

In such a situation, the Hero Party, left with no other choice, eventually found themselves waiting in the Empire.

"M-Miss Eurelia?"

- Grrrrrr...

"R-Run!!"

What followed next was truly chaotic.

Eurelia’s betrayal and awakening into a full-fledged warlock shocked them to the core.

"Everyone! We’re in big trouble! Miss Vener, Miss Alice, and Miss Aishi...!"

Vener, who was once one of the pillars of the Hero Party, and recently, Alice and Aishi, whose conditions had been strange, suddenly went missing.

Some people speculated that they were attacked by the Demon King’s Army.

But only the Hero Party, who hid the notes stained with blood and tears found in their respective rooms, knew the sorrowful and dark truth.

Of course, that truth had to be buried deep beneath the cold, dark night.

"The Hero Party… They’re not doing anything much right now… right?"

"Yeah. Has anything happened since that battle?"

"Are they weaker than Frey?"

As the number of deserters increased and the Hero Party couldn't make a decision, it was natural that public opinion began to weaken.

"Hey, have you guys not heard the rumor yet?"

"Huh? What rumor?"

"Well, you see..."

In the midst of it all, a rumor began spreading throughout the Empire, which was truly fatal.

"Ruby was originally the Demon King, and Frey was actually the Hero? Does that even make sense?"

"It’s true! According to the contents of the prophecy that has been floating around these days...”

The essence of the rumor was that Ruby was the Demon King who pretended to be the Hero to destroy the world, and Frey was the true Hero trying to protect it.

"But... it's just a rumor..."

"But what if it's true...?"

"Is that why the Hero Party isn't moving?"

Thanks to Eurelia’s specialty in espionage and the confessions of some members of the Hero Party burdened with guilt, the rumor spread like wildfire.

If Serena or Roswyn had been there, they could have easily contained the rumor, but without both of them, it spread uncontrollably throughout the Empire.

"Look over there, it's Ruby, the Demon King."

"Shh, she can hear you."

"Hey, isn’t that Aria? She was also often seen playing with the Demon King, right?”

"Hey, I told you they can hear you..."

"..."

As a result, Ruby and Aria were completely isolated by the public.

"Ruby... p-please, kill me."

"..."

"I can't live like this anymore... When I go outside… No, even inside the room, I hear their sounds cursing me from the window..."

And that was why Aria called Ruby into her room one day.

She pleaded to Ruby to end her suffering with lifeless eyes.

"..."

"I feel like I'm being crushed by the pressure every moment… I just want to rest now–"

- Slap...!

That day, Ruby slapped Aria for the first time.

"...Huh? Ah."

"Stop this..."

"Ah, aaaaah..."

Aria, who looked dumbfounded at the stinging pain she felt on her cheek, soon burst into tears.

"Aaaaah..."

From that day, Aria always hid her emotions behind a frigid mask, but this was the first time since then that she showed her emotions.

"You have to kill me. Why do you want to die now?"

"S-sob, s-sniff...?"

"Look at me. The Demon King who made your brother suffer so much is right in front of you."

"..."

"Are you not going to seek revenge, Aria?"

It was inevitable.

To end her hellish existence, Aria needed to forcibly awaken.

"Eeeeek...!"

"That won't kill me. To kill me, you have to become stronger."

After all, dying was now Ruby's wish as well.

"Attack me like this every single day from now on. We'll train until we defeat Frey."

"Aaaaaaah...!!!"

"After killing Frey, I'll let you kill me. If you have the power, of course."

"Shut up!!!"

Since that incident, the only sounds coming from Starlight Mansion were shouting and clashing weapons.

Fortunately, that noise became a barrier protecting Ruby and Aria from the murmurs and grumblings directed at them.

The unseen Demon King, what does this mean?

The passive attitude of the Hero Party, a planned operation?

The Demon Army is still thriving. Increasing anxiety among the public.

Fortunately, there was still some time left.

After the Battle of Starlight Duchy, for some reason, Frey had been holed up with the heroines in the Demon King’s Castle, not revealing himself.

Frey... What are you thinking?

So, until the time of reckoning arrived, they were able to train Aria, but Frey's actions were suspiciously odd.

Didn't he say he was going to replace items to increase his power himself?

But according to scout reports from the Demon King’s Castle, Frey hadn't even taken such actions.

His official actions were limited to attacks by the Demon King’s Army and the heroines, nothing more.

He, who could set the Empire or the world ablaze in an instant if he chose to act, had never once revealed himself.

Thanks to this, there was now a tense atmosphere where public opinion speculated whether the Hero Party had any plans at all.

- Clang... Clang...!!!

...I'm glad, but I still wanted to see him again at least once.

Ruby muttered as she pushed away Aria, who was fiercely attacking her.

"With those attacks, you can't pierce my heart. Nor Frey's."

"B-Brother...!!"

"He’s no longer your brother! He’s just Frey!!"

"Ugh..."

"If you won't attack, then I'll go...!"

As the training continued, Aria's eyes, trembling with guilt for abandoning her brother, gradually sharpened.

- Swish, swish...

"Now you're putting in some effective strikes."

"..."

"...Well done, Aria."

After that day, they continued to train in silence, and it continued for quite a long time.

Until one day…

"Report. Frey declared a full-scale attack."

"Does that mean...?"

"This battle will be the last one."

Suddenly, the moment of the final battle arrived.

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- Knock, knock...

"Young Mas–... Are you there, my Lord?"

On the night Frey announced the full-scale attack, within the Demon King's castle.

"I’m going in."

Kania, dressed in a neat suit, bowed her head as she entered the Demon King's room.

"...I didn't give you permission to enter."

"I apologize."

Even as his butler, it was her first time entering this room.

Partly because Frey was so vocal about his privacy, and partly because no one was allowed into his room.

"I need to confirm if it's true that you have ordered a full-scale attack..."

- Step, step...

"Ugh."

Despite the risk, Kania entered the room because there was something she had to do.

But as Frey got up and approached her, she began to sweat involuntarily.

- Thump, thump...

In Kania's arm was the dagger she favored.

Ever since Serena secretly informed the heroines that ‘Frey doesn’t exist anymore’, she had been contemplating ending this tragedy with her own hands.

- Swooshhh...

"I-I apologize."

But Frey's, or rather the Demon King's aura, was too overwhelming for her.

Attacking now would likely end in humiliating failure.

No, even before the attack, she felt like the Demon King had sensed her intentions and she would be the one who would die.

"Take a moment to catch your breath."

"...Understood."

"You go and prepare for the battle... No, forget it. Just rest."

"Yes."

Fortunately, no one died.

Frey simply left the room without saying another word.

"Haaa...."

Confirming Frey's departure, Kania let out a sigh and adjusted the dagger she had concealed with dark mana.

"There's only one chance... So..."

Before long, she was looking for a place to rest with exhausted eyes.

"...Huh?"

Her gaze shifted to one side.

"That...?"

Behind where he was sitting, a small door creaked open.

- Rustle...

With cautious eyes scanning the scene, she tentatively peered inside.

"...!!!"

Shortly after, her widened eyes surveyed the room behind the door.

"This... It's all..."

The room was filled with countless drawings, though they were quite poorly done, it was clear who the subjects were.

The girls depicted in the drawings all had ruby-colored eyes and were smiling.

"What... What on earth..."

Backing away, pale-faced, Kania halted as she stepped on something.

"...!"

Slowly lowering her head, Kania's expression hardened in an instant.

"This can't be real."

In the center of a white cloth lay a crudely drawn silver cat.

"This can't be..."

Confirming the handkerchief and drawing tools that filled the desk drawer where Frey had been sitting moments ago, Kania muttered in disbelief.

Then, she suddenly recalled one thing.

Her Young Master, Frey, truly couldn't draw.

This style of drawing… It wasn't a style that a Demon King with no memories could imitate.

"I-I have to tell someone."

Then, there was only one possible explanation she could think of.

The Demon King who was here just now must have regained his memory at some point...

"I have to tell them!"

Driven by her frantic thoughts, Kania, her face pale with shock, hurriedly moved.

- Clang!

"Y-Young Master... Young Master...!!!"

Tossing aside the dagger she had been holding, Kania dashed towards the exit of the room in desperation.

"Since when...!"

- Clang, clang...

"...Hold on."

However, for some reason, the door was firmly shut.

"O-Open the door."

Normally, the door couldn't be locked from the outside. It seemed like someone had deliberately locked the door from the outside.

"O-open the door!!!"

Despite Kania's powerful magic, the door remained unyielding, as if someone who had foreseen this event had made her magic useless.

"Is... is there anyone there!! This is an emergency!!! Emergency..."

- Tooott! Toot!

As Kania continued to madly pound on the door, trumpet sounds echoed from all directions.

"The Hero Party has invaded!!"

"Seal off the Demon King's castle!"

In the blink of an eye, the Demon King’s Army stationed outside the window was preparing to engage with the intruders.

"No, no, no, NO, NO, NOOOO!!!"

Kania's desperate scream filled the room.