Alex looked at Nyx, lying on the floor with a broken nose, and just shook his head. Her attempt to take a hostage to turn the situation in her favor was truly foolish. Alex had prepared for such an outcome, not wanting Hestia to one day be captured and blame herself for what happened. He smiled, realizing that the training had paid off. It was nice to see Hestia skillfully executing combos to take down her opponents. Summoning his throne, Alex decided to sit and watch while the girls rested.
"Need any help?" Alex asked, looking at the girls lying on the grass, uncertain if they were asleep or just resting.
"I'm fine, I'll rest a bit and be ready to fight again," Daphne said, not opening her eyes.
"I could use some help; I'm a healer, and I'm not used to this kind of strain," Cassandra said wearily, trying to lift her head.
"That's because you neglected your training and did everything half-heartedly," Daphne retorted, turning her head towards Cassandra.
"My job is to heal, not to beat monsters with my staff," Cassandra argued, displeased with Daphne's words.
"But Haruhime isn't bothered by it and handles monsters just fine," Lily interjected in a tired tone.
"Haruhime is a priestess; that's half a combat class," Cassandra replied indignantly, refusing to acknowledge their point.
"As you say," Daphne replied calmly, closing her eyes again and continuing to rest.
"I see you're not too tired if you can argue," Alex said, watching the girls, who merely groaned in response, expressing their fatigue.
Alex just laughed as he observed the girls and continued sitting on his throne, his gaze fixed on Nyx, who lay bound on the ground with a broken nose and a bloodied face. Hermes, realizing that all the problems were resolved, returned to his usual state and was now sitting on a log, softly chatting with Asfi, who was clearly ignoring him. Alex, catching snippets of their conversation, only grimaced, understanding that Hermes was trying to dissuade Asfi from buying a self-defense kit.
"No, Hermes, I really need that kit," Asfi said, drawing everyone's attention.
"But why do you need it? You can already protect yourself," Hermes pleaded, almost in tears, trying to hold Asfi's hand as she stood up.
"I'm a girl, and as Alex said: every girl should be able to stand up for herself," Asfi replied calmly, pushing Hermes' hand away.
"Don't do this to me! I don't want you to shock me with the stun gun one day too," Hermes said plaintively, showing complete despair on his face.
"If you don't act like a fool, no one will use a stun gun on you," Alex interjected, watching the whole scene with a smile.
"I'm not doing anything wrong, just having a little fun," Hermes defended himself, looking at Alex.
"Of course, spying on bathing girls, peeking into changing rooms, and other 'little things'—that's definitely not mischief, but quite serious business," Alex replied with clear sarcasm.
"You're spying on bathing girls? Want to get another dose of 'positivity'?" Hestia asked menacingly, pulling the stun gun from her bag. Hermes immediately hid behind Asfi, trying to keep Hestia from getting to him.
"It was purely for scientific purposes!" Hermes defended himself, trembling with fear.
"Of course, 'scientific purposes.' And Hermes is definitely not a pervert, but a truly respectable god," Alex chimed in with a broad smile.
"Why are you doing all this? Don't you know about male solidarity?" Hermes asked indignantly, pointing at Alex.
"Of course, I know. But you said we're friends. And as your good friend, I'd be happy to throw you under the bus," Alex said, struggling to keep from laughing at the sight of Hermes's face, which looked like he'd just eaten a whole ton of lemons.
"You… You… You!" Hermes stammered, pointing at Alex, unable to find words for his outrage.
"That's right, it's me," Alex replied proudly, pointing at himself with his thumbs.
Everyone started laughing at Hermes' predicament. Even those resting on the grass, who hadn't lifted their heads, could hear the entire conversation and couldn't hold back their laughter. Hestia, still holding the stun gun, watched Hermes intently, who, hiding behind Asfi, was afraid to look away, fearing she would sneak up on him and hit him again.
Asfi, behind whom Hermes was hiding, was starting to lose patience. She also had a desire to "gift" her god a dose of "positivity" so he would stop bothering her.
"Hermes, stop hiding behind me. Hestia-sama won't do anything to you," Asfi said irritably, pushing him away.
"But-but-but…" Hermes mumbled, losing his last line of defense.
"No 'buts.' You're an adult man and should take responsibility for your actions," Asfi declared with disdain, recalling how Hermes had spied on the girls while they were bathing.
"That's right, Hermes, you're a man, so be one and bravely accept a stun gun hit from Hestia," Alex smirked.
"Exactly, pervert! Now come here and take your punishment," Hestia exclaimed, rushing at Hermes. The stun gun in her hands crackled menacingly, and Hermes, seized by panic, fled.
"Wait, Hestia! I won't do it again!" Hermes shouted, running away from her.
The situation triggered another wave of laughter among everyone present. Alex smiled, thinking that moments like these were a great way to relax and temporarily forget about other problems. There's nothing better than laughing with family, even if just for a moment. He watched as Hermes, shouting about his reform, ran around the house while Hestia, speeding up, tried to catch him.
"Alex, what's with the throne you're sitting on?" Asfi asked, pulling him away from watching the chase.
"You mean this throne?" Alex clarified, pointing to it.
"Yes, it's quite strange and different from any throne I've seen," Asfi continued, examining the throne closely.
"You're right, it's not an ordinary throne," Alex agreed. "This throne is a scabbard for a sword."
Asfi adjusted her glasses and looked at the throne even more closely.
"A scabbard, you say? So, that handle at the top is part of the weapon?" she asked, pointing to the handle at the top of the throne.
"Exactly. Look here," Alex said, standing up from the throne and drawing the sword. The blade was broad and silver, with lines running along it. Near the guard, a blue-violet crystal sparkled, the guard was golden, and the black handle allowed a firm grip with both hands.
"Amazing…" Asfi whispered, inspecting the sword from all sides.
"What's it called?" she asked, adjusting her glasses.
"This sword is called 'Sandalphon' after one of the angels, and the throne is 'Throne of Annihilation,' it's part of this sword," Alex replied, returning the sword to its scabbard.
"And there's also its dark version, 'Nihima,' but I haven't gotten around to creating it yet," he added with a shrug.
"Your spear, according to Lily, belonged to the fairy king, and your sword is named after an angel that doesn't exist in this world," Asfi said, staring intently at Alex. Her words drew the attention of even those lying on the grass, as everyone was eager to know who Alex truly was.
"Who are you really?" Asfi asked, and Alex paused for a moment.
"I…" Alex began, but he was interrupted.
"Alex, are you sure you want to reveal who you really are?" Hestia asked, dragging the unconscious Hermes with her.
Hestia's words left Alex momentarily stunned. He hadn't anticipated that revealing his true nature could lead to negative consequences.
"Well, damn it," Alex thought. "Do you really want to know who I truly am?" he asked, looking at the girls, eager to hear their response.
"Yes!" the girls answered in unison.
"Well, I…" Alex began, but suddenly fell silent, intensifying the tension on the girls' faces as they awaited his confession.
"Enough with the dramatic pauses! Just tell us who you really are!" Lily exclaimed, having gathered her strength.
"Alright, alright. I just wanted to lighten the mood a bit. Your faces got so serious that I started feeling uneasy," Alex said with a smile. "In truth, I am… the Demon King from another world."
The girls' minds momentarily short-circuited upon hearing this. They tried to process what they had just heard.
"YOU WHAT?!" they shouted in unison.
"I'm saying I'm the Demon King from another world," Alex repeated. The girls began to exchange glances, realizing they hadn't misheard.
"That explains a lot," Hermes said, getting up from the floor and brushing himself off.
"I see you've recovered faster this time," Alex noted, looking at Hermes, who simply nodded in response.
"And what do you mean by 'That explains a lot'?" Alex asked, fixing his gaze on Hermes.
"Your strength, knowledge, not to mention your weapon. All of it definitely doesn't belong to this world," Hermes replied in his usual tone.
"But there's still one thing to find out: why are you here?" Hermes asked with a serious voice, staring intently at Alex.
"It might be fate, or maybe just chance, that I ended up in this world. But I certainly don't intend to destroy it. If I wanted to, I would have done it long ago," Alex replied calmly, which eased the tension on the others' faces.
"So, you don't wish harm upon this world?" Asfi asked, taking a slight step back from Alex.
"Do you think if I were evil, Hestia would love me?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow, which made everyone fall silent and turn their attention to the blushing goddess.
"Well, you've got a point there," Hermes conceded, stroking his chin.
"So all your knowledge and abilities came from your old world?" Hermes continued, his eyes shining with curiosity.
"Maybe," Alex answered with a slight smile.
Hermes began bombarding Alex with questions on various topics Alex was unwilling to answer. Alex knew that if he answered even one question, Hermes would continue indefinitely.
While Hermes was pestering Alex, the group of girls was discussing their own matters.
"Heh, Ryuu fell in love with the Demon King," Lily said with a smirk, observing Ryuu's flustered face. Her words prompted laughter from the other girls.
"And you don't love him yourself? Don't try to deny it, everyone already knows," Tiona teased Lily with a smile, looking at her friend who was trying to embarrass Ryuu.
"Be quiet, you lustful amazon," Lily retorted, not denying the accusation.
"So, our captain is the real Demon King?" Bella asked, and everyone stared at her in surprise.
"And Alex wanted to make her a 'Hero,' and she's a bit naive," Daphne pointed out, glancing at Bella.
"I'm a 'Hero'? Where did you get that idea?" Bella asked, pointing to herself.
"Alex said that right after he first saw you," Lily replied, causing Bella to blush.
"But I can't be a 'Hero,' I just want to help people," Bella said, embarrassed.
"Even that already makes you half a 'Hero", but it's just an opportunity, not a predetermined future. You can choose who you want to become yourself," Ryuu reassured her, causing Bella's face to relax.
"And besides, if Alex is the Demon King, why is he like this, rather than like a typical Demon King?" Tiona pondered, making the others think.
"Maybe he's just like that by nature?" Cassandra tentatively suggested.
"In some ways, you're right. He's usually cheerful and a bit silly, but sometimes he becomes serious and thoughtful. It's like having two people in one body," Lily said, having spent the most time with Alex.
"But Alex remains Alex," Ais concluded, and all the girls nodded in agreement.
While the girls discussed Alex's character, Alex himself was trying to fend off the unending barrage of questions from Hermes. The questions were coming at him like a machine gun, and there were so many that he could hardly understand what Hermes was asking.
"Can you stop asking so many questions at once? I can't make out anything," Alex said, covering Hermes's mouth with his hand, but Hermes continued to mumble, clearly trying to ask more questions.
"Here's the deal: I'll remove my hand, and you ask questions one at a time. But if you start rambling again, I'll just stop answering. Got it?" Alex said, looking at Hermes, who nodded quickly.
"Alright, then ask away. If the question isn't too strange, I'll answer," Alex said, removing his hand from Hermes's mouth.
"Are there others like you?" Hermes asked, causing Alex to ponder.
This question threw Alex off balance, and he fell into deep thought. Could there be someone like Anos in this multiverse? Or did Alex absorb all of his power into himself? After all, two identical beings with such unique power couldn't exist. Or perhaps he just received the same potential as Anos and they might meet someday. These questions troubled Alex, and he couldn't find a definitive answer.
"To be honest, I don't know. There might be others with similar power, but I'm not sure," Alex finally replied, shaking his head.
"What do you mean by 'such power'?" Asfi asked, noticing Alex's frown.
"That's exactly what I mean: the power I possess is quite unique, and two beings with that power can't exist in the same place," Alex answered, looking up, but instead of the sky, he saw a ceiling adorned with crystals.
"I still don't get it," Hermes said, looking at Alex's thoughtful face.
"Don't worry about it, I'm not sure myself," Alex said, lowering his gaze and focusing on Hermes.
"What will you do once you deal with this group of villains?" Hermes asked, curious about Alex's plans after all this.
"I think I'll start traveling. To begin with, I want to visit the worlds that interest me," Alex replied with a smile, and Hestia's eyes lit up.
"You'll take me with you, right?" Hestia asked, jumping onto Alex's lap.
"Of course, my little goddess. Wherever I go, I'll take you with me," Alex said, kissing Hestia on the top of her head.
Alex's words caught the attention of the girls, who had been discussing their own matters on the side. As soon as they heard about the travel, they immediately understood that it involved traveling to another world. Their eyes sparkled with interest, and they quickly stood up, deciding to join the conversation.
"Can I come too?" Tiona asked loudly, joining the conversation.
"I'm not leaving anywhere yet, and you're already gearing up for adventures?" Alex asked with a crooked smile.
"What's the first place you want to visit?" Lily asked with interest.
"Probably, I'd like to see the 'Lonely Mountain.' Ever since I first heard about it, the desire to visit that place has never left me," Alex replied, smiling.
"What is the 'Lonely Mountain'? Why is it called that?" Hestia asked, lifting her head to get a better look at Alex.
"Heh. It's also known as 'Erebor.' It's a dwarven kingdom, and the mountain is filled with treasures that the dwarves have mined over the years. There's so much gold in the mountain that it seems to flow like a golden river. There are so many precious gems that they sparkle like stars in the night sky," Alex explained, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"So you want to go after the dwarves' treasure?" Hermes asked, and Alex's face twisted.
"You're going to ruin everything as usual," Alex said with a frown, looking at Hermes, who had chimed in again.
"That's right, Hermes, you should be quiet. Can't you see Alex is talking about something interesting?" Asfi said disapprovingly, looking at Hermes. Everyone gave Hermes a disapproving look, wishing he would be quiet.
"Besides, I'd like to visit the 'Shire,' where hobbits live, and the elven kingdom, and other beautiful places in this world," Alex continued describing the places he wanted to visit.
"Is 'Shire' the place where hobbits and Bilbo Baggins live?" Lily asked with interest.
"Yes, Lily. It's the place where Bilbo Baggins lives. Hobbits live in the hills. Their homes are built so that it seems like they're underground. But the homes are cozy, as is their hospitality," Alex said, making Lily's eyes sparkle with the desire to see that beautiful place.
"I'm curious about how the elven kingdom differs from ours," Ryuu remarked, looking at Alex.
"Sorry, but I can't compare because I haven't been to the elven kingdom in this world," Alex replied with a crooked smile.
"In Middle-earth, there's also 'Rivendell,' where the high elves live, and the kingdom of the wood elves, ruled by King Thranduil. But from what I know, he's a bit... unpleasant," Alex said with a crooked smile.
"The King of the wood elves is unpleasant?" Ryuu asked, looking at Alex's crooked smile.
"Yes, something like that. He only cares about his own territory and completely ignores what happens beyond it," Alex replied, nodding.
"Isn't that how an ordinary king is supposed to behave?" Asfi asked, looking at Alex, who seemed to ponder a bit.
"Well, every king has their own vision of ruling, and I'm not in a position to judge him," Alex answered with a shrug.
While Alex was talking about the places in Middle-earth, Nyx had already recovered but continued to pretend to be unconscious to listen to the conversation of the group that was ignoring her.
Nyx tried to break free from the mana restraints binding her, but all her efforts proved futile. Having attempted to use Arcana, she realized she couldn't even use her own powers, and in desperation, she started to sweat. Ignoring her broken nose, she thought about how to escape this situation, understanding that no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn't be able to avoid retribution.
"Alright, let's talk about this later. It seems our little prisoner has woken up," Alex said, causing everyone to turn towards Nyx, who was pretending to still be unconscious.
"Oh, you still want to pretend? Well, so be it," Alex said and threw a small stone at Nyx's forehead.
"Ouch, why did you do that?" Nyx exclaimed, feeling something hit her forehead. But then she realized her ruse was up, and cold sweat started to run down her face.
"Well, you tried, and that's what counts," Alex said, lifting Hestia off his lap and approaching Nyx. "But no matter how hard you try, you won't deceive me."
Alex crouched down next to Nyx and looked her in the eyes. Nyx met his gaze and felt her sweat streaming down, realizing that what she knew about the person before her didn't convey all the sensations she was currently experiencing.
"Do you know how much trouble your group has caused me? Instead of enjoying a peaceful life, you lot decided to create chaos," Alex said, his eyes starting to glow even brighter.
"Not only are you aligning with a being who can destroy the entire universe at will, but you're also bringing chaos to this world yourselves," Alex continued, never breaking eye contact with Nyx. She felt his gaze piercing into the very depths of her soul, making her uncomfortable.
"And what's your reason for all this? If Thanatos wanted to prove he wasn't a worthless being and Indra sought revenge for his lover Rudra, then what drives you?" Alex asked, wanting to know why Nyx joined the group.
"Didn't those two losers tell you?" Nyx answered, trying to avoid Alex's gaze.
"They didn't tell me anything. I pulled it out of their memories by force, but there was no reason given for why you joined them," Alex replied, causing Nyx's eyes to widen in shock.
"I am the goddess of darkness and night. Isn't that part of my nature?" Nyx answered, and Alex sighed heavily, realizing he was dealing with yet another idiot. Alex's group looked at him with sympathy, knowing he was about to start another rant.
"Well, it seems you really are an idiot if you think that. I'm not going to lecture you about your powers because I'm just too lazy," Alex said after a heavy sigh.
Everyone in the group's eyes widened in surprise. Alex wasn't going to lecture? Did the sun rise in the west?
"Alex, are you okay? Are you feeling sick?" Hestia asked anxiously, worried about Alex's well-being.
"I'm fine. I'm just too lazy to explain to another idiot why they're an idiot," Alex said, shaking his head.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Nyx asked, looking at Alex with irritation.
"You're right; you are an idiot if you think your concept of evil is valid," Alex replied, nodding, causing Nyx's face to twist in anger.
"Alright, enough wasting time. You're going to tell me everything you've done, and I'll decide what to do with you," Alex said, lighting a cigarette and continuing to stare at Nyx.
"And what if I don't tell you? What will you do to me?" Nyx asked with a smile, looking at Alex.
"Well, I'll give you some corrective work similar to what your friends have already gone through," Alex replied, raising questions for Nyx.
"Oh, sorry, you don't know. Thanatos, for example, is dead forever, and it will be several thousand years before a new god of death appears," Alex said, causing cold sweat to break out on the gods' foreheads. They understood what it meant to die forever. Only Hestia didn't pay attention, knowing what had happened to Thanatos. The girls in the group tensed up at how calmly Alex spoke about killing a god forever.
"And Indra is currently in my workshop, sitting and drooling because his mind was shattered, leaving only a hollow shell of his former self," Alex continued, exhaling smoke into Nyx's face, making her cough from the smoke.
"You killed a god forever? How is a mortal capable of that?" Nyx asked nervously, looking at Alex's calm face.
"Who said I'm mortal? I am literally the Demon King, and killing a god is very easy for me," Alex replied with a slight smile. That smile made Nyx feel uneasy.
"And what will happen to me if I tell you?" Nyx asked cautiously, looking at Alex's calm demeanor.
"It will depend on what you've done. If it's nothing serious, I'll just lock you away in the realm of the gods," Alex said, watching Nyx's reaction.
"And if it's something terrible?" Nyx asked carefully.
"Then you'll end up like your friends. Although I can find out myself, a candid confession is always better than torture, don't you think?" Alex said with a smile.
As Nyx contemplated whether to confess or face a dreadful fate, she reviewed all her actions, trying to categorize them. She didn't want to end up like Thanatos and Indra.
"And what did Thanatos and Indra do to end up like that?" Hermes asked, wanting details about the actions of those gods.
"In short, Thanatos killed young children's parents and, under the guise of saving them, recruited them. And Indra was just a fucking rapist, and he's lucky that he's currently sitting in my chair drooling. Otherwise, I would have given him a fun time," Alex said with a bloodthirsty smile, making the entire group shudder.
"I…" Nyx began, but was interrupted by an earthquake that occurred in the dungeon.
"What's happening again?" Hermes said, trying not to fall.
"Did another Guardian spawn in the dungeon?" Lily said, holding tightly to Alex's throne to avoid falling.
"No, my dear Freya used a secret weapon," Alex replied with a smile.
"Oh, Nyx, it seems Dionysus didn't manage either. How unfortunate," Alex said with a sad tone, causing Nyx's eye to twitch.
"Is that what was in the black box?" Hestia asked, staring intently at Alex.
"Something like that. And before you start yelling at me, the weapon in the box was set to kill only monsters, not destroy everything around," Alex said, not giving Hestia a reason to start on him again.
"Better tell the truth, mister, or else," Hestia threatened, putting out her little fist in front of Alex.
"Don't worry, I said I prepared everything," Alex said, kissing Hestia's little hand, which made her blush.
Alex looked up, wanting to see what was happening on the surface. His gaze slid through the dungeon walls, and he saw Freya standing among her family members, looking towards where the monster had just been killed. Freya, as if sensing his gaze, turned around and smiled, realizing that Alex was looking at her.
Alex just smiled back, knowing that Freya felt his gaze, and then looked back at Nyx, who had a sour expression on her face.
To be continued…