Chapter 15: Who Does This Guy Think He Is

"You're not going to kill me for defying you?"

"...If you want to die, go ahead and die on your own. Tell them to send the slothful one next."

Suu—. Lazy-sama let out a weary sigh, looking utterly uninterested. From those words alone, I became certain that my little rebellion hadn't made the slightest impact on this Demon Lord. Truly, he was a hopeless case. I could almost hear Kanon-sama's exhausted voice echoing in my head.

The skill that overwrites desire with sloth.

I guessed that was the effect of the unknown power Lazy-sama had used only once. At that moment, the abyss inside my heart—once filled entirely by my own desires—had been replaced in an instant.

If my theory was correct, then that skill was the ultimate weapon against demons. After all, a demon's combat power scales directly with their desires. Just like how my own "Flames of Wrath" increase dramatically in power the more enraged I become.

And it wasn’t limited to wrath alone—the same applied to every other desire type. Lose greed, and the skills of Greed become useless. Lose appetite, and Gluttony's powers can’t manifest their true strength.

It's an absurdly powerful skill. Normally, skills like that would be blocked by the innate mental-resistance skills in a demon’s base skill tree. But Lazy-sama had bypassed it entirely and forced his ability through in an instant. That alone proved it—his skill wasn't something a basic resistance could defend against. It was a high-tier ability, at least, possibly even above that.

Whether it would work against other Demon Lords was uncertain. But if it did, then even a Demon Lord would be reduced to nothing before the King of Sloth. And though I hate to think it, that probably includes Kanon-sama—the Great Demon Lord himself.

No… in fact, for someone like me, it's even worse. My Wrath-based skills scale almost entirely off my anger. That means Lazy-sama's power could cripple me more effectively than most other Demon Lords.

When I think about the smoldering rage still lingering inside me, I doubt the effect would be permanent. But if even for a moment, in the middle of battle, that abyss opened again… I can’t deny it. It terrifies me.

What’s the effect? The range? The area? The conditions?

I know nothing. Facing this Demon Lord in ignorance… is far too dangerous. And the worst part? He’s only shown me one power so far. I have more than ten Wrath-based skills at my disposal—and given his skill tree is likely no less advanced than mine, assuming Lazy-sama has fewer abilities would be ridiculous.

Lazy-sama is… dangerous. Not because he annoys me or wears down my sanity—but because his power itself is a threat.

I suspect Kanon-sama knows this too. That’s why he sent me here. I doubt this Demon Lord would ever stage a rebellion, but Kanon-sama wants contingencies. Just in case.

If my Wrath skills can’t defeat him, no other skill tree—especially the ones lacking direct attack power—will be able to break through his durability either.

He complained about the heat. That means that, at least for a moment, my blade had affected him. I can’t hurt him now… but someday, when I grow stronger, I’ll have the power to cut even this Demon Lord.

Sharpening my blade—that is my path.

Kanon-sama’s will is clear: facing this man, wielding overwhelming strength, I am to refine my edge. At the same time, I’m to manipulate this man’s resources and turn them toward the Great Demon Lord’s army.

He would be a terrifying enemy, but with that Sloth-based skill on our side, he’d be an invaluable ally.

Balancing both tasks—honing my own strength and making him useful to us—that’s my mission. My trial.

And when I overcome it, I’ll be stronger than I’ve ever been. That much is certain.

Later, after being relocated to a new room, Lazy-sama rolled over lazily on an identical bed.

Looking at him now, there was no trace of contempt left in my eyes.

The room had been burned to ash by the backlash of my own power and was currently under reconstruction. None of Lazy-sama’s subordinates had said a single word about it. Someone should have.

Just then, the door creaked open and a single demon entered.

A girl in a maid’s uniform. She looked slightly like Rona, though she seemed a bit younger.

She glanced at Lazy-sama, still hidden under the blankets, then flicked her gaze at me briefly before approaching him with a bright smile that mirrored Rona’s almost perfectly.

"Lazy-sama! Pleeeaaase wake uuuup!"

And without hesitation, she began shaking the Demon Lord’s bed like a lunatic.

The smile, the air about her—they were similar, yes. But her behavior? Nothing alike. If this was the little sister Rona had mentioned… total scam.

This is no way to treat your master.

Before I realized it, I was the one stepping in to stop her—even though, technically, I was on Lazy-sama’s side.

What even is this situation?

"!?! Hey—be more gentle!"

"Hm? Ah! You must be Riez-san, the one my sister told me about! I’m Hiiro! Rona’s little sister, I used to look after Lazy-sama before!"

"Uh, y-yeah… right."

The girl—Hiiro—introduced herself without stopping her relentless shaking.

And there wasn’t a hint of resentment in her eyes. None.

Despite me being the one who burned her sister alive, she smiled at me—brightly, innocently, like a flower blooming.

Even demons normally feel some bond with their families. I, for one, pledged absolute loyalty to Kanon-sama.

But instead, she said…

"Thank you so much! For killing my sister! Thanks to you, it’s finally my turn! She just wouldn’t give up her position, no matter how much I waited!"

Her feelings were twisted beyond belief. And the lack of malice in her tone only made it worse.

Even under Kanon-sama, even among demons, I’d never seen emotions like this before.

"You… don’t have anything to say… to the one who killed your sister?!"

"Huh? Hmm…"

At that, Hiiro finally stopped shaking, placing a finger on her chin, thinking for only a second before replying.

"Riez-san, you really messed up. If you’re gonna kill someone, you need to properly kill them…"

"...What?"

Hiiro sat down at the edge of the bed, her skirt fluttering slightly, revealing sun-kissed skin beneath the shorter hem compared to Rona’s.

Then she giggled lightly, like a normal girl her age.

How the hell did Rona’s prim, composed nature produce… this?

"Heeheehee… she’s still alive, you know. Honestly, my sister’s so stubborn. I mean, can you believe she survived that? Even if it wasn’t a direct hit, taking the full force of a General-class demon—'Wrath Iira’s'—power and living through it? She’s lucky, really. I thought it was finally my turn, but now I have to wait again!"

…What?

Burned black—and yet still alive?!

No, wait, that’s not the important part.

What did this demon just say?

"...Wait. Did you just say you would have had to… wait again? You weren’t actually planning to—"

"No no no, don’t misunderstand! I wouldn’t kill my sister. She’s still alive, just… charred, haha. But seriously, if I did kill her, I’d end up leaning toward 'Envy Invidia,' you know? And handling two desires would be way too annoying."

That cheerful tone made my blood run cold.

This girl… she’s nothing like Rona. No kindness. No restraint. Even if they share a face, a shape, even youth itself—she’s different. Purely, unmistakably different.

A real demon. A true-born embodiment of malice—what we call a "Pure Demon."

Hiiro either didn’t notice my expression or didn’t care. She lay down casually—on top of Lazy-sama, no less—staring up at the canopy as she continued.

"My sister’s gorgeous, right? Even though we should share the same 'Soul Core' trait, she’s tall and elegant, with big, sharp eyes, pale unblemished skin even with all that housework, shiny smooth hair without a hint of damage, a voice neither too high nor too low that’s so soft and pleasant to listen to, and her chest… yeah, two whole sizes bigger than mine. Any male demon would go crazy for her. And yet, despite being such a bombshell, she’s loyal to Lazy-sama, letting no one else so much as touch her, always serving him faithfully… strong-willed too, refusing to back down even against 'Wrath Iira'…"

She giggled again softly, almost fondly.

"Really, she’s the perfect woman."

"…W-wait. 'Promiscuous'?"

"Eh? Oh, you didn’t know? My sister’s actually a Lust-type demon—'Lust Luxeria.' She’s pretty powerful, too. She’s refined her desires enough to wield A-rank skills. Demon ranking-wise, she’s probably right below General-class… maybe Knight-class level."

That… was impossible to believe.

'Lust Luxeria.'

Among the seven primary demon types, Lust is known as the least suited for direct combat. Their abilities lean heavily toward manipulation, not raw force.

Worse yet, Lust-types have some of the lowest resistances to physical damage among all classes.

They’re fragile. Extremely fragile. Especially against demons with strong mental resistance—their powers barely work at all.

But if that’s true, then why—

"Why…"

"I don’t know if my sister taught me this, but my family… has always served the King of Sloth, Lazy Slaughterdolls. Probably for dozens of generations. The rule was that the strongest demon in the family serves. And in this generation… that was my sister, Rona. That is, until 'yesterday.'"

Yesterday, I burned Rona with the flames of Wrath Iira. If Hiiro’s words were correct, she survived, but to the extent of losing that power. That’s how the generation changed—probably to this arrogant, insolent little sister.

"I’ve always felt inferior to my sister. Especially because of her looks. My sister had the ideal figure I wanted… because of that, I’ve always been weaker than her."

"Huh? Looks…?"

"The power of 'Lust Luxeria' isn’t strong at all, even if a demon’s rank rises and they can use A-rank skills. I’m much stronger. But still, I couldn’t win. I’m grateful to you, Riez. I think, ‘Thank you for burning my sister’s beauty in your frustration.’"

Hiiro’s tone drops for a moment. Then the demon speaks:

"Thanks to that, I was able to… 'surpass' my sister…"

All the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Hiiro forcibly opens the blanket, curls up like a cocoon, and fearlessly clings to Lazy’s arm, her blank gaze meeting his.

"Lazy-sama, nice to meet you. I’m sure you’ve heard, but starting today, I’ll be taking care of you in place of my sister. I’m Hiiro! I will serve with all my heart and soul, so please take care of me!"

"…I see."

"My original sin… is ‘Pride Spelvia.’ I am Hiiro of ‘Pride Spelvia.’ Remember that!"

Of course… a demon of Pride!

'Pride Spelvia' is a demon that governs superiority and arrogance. In this army, it’s also the sin overseen by the Supreme Commander, Hard Loader. This type has… an extremely troublesome skill tree. It pairs poorly with direct damage skills like Wrath Iira or Gluttony Gra.

Hiiro speaks to the Demon Lord with eyes sparkling in her first conversation. But at that very moment, I instinctively knew: this girl simply cannot handle Lazy-sama.

The Demon Lord replies with nothing but an emotionless gaze.

"…Ah. Yoha."

"? ‘Yoha’? What does that mean?"

At those words, Lazy makes a face of utter displeasure. The expression says it all: too bothersome to explain. He looks toward me, but I ignore it. At first, I wondered too—asked what it meant. But Lazy didn’t tell me. I only learned later from other demons. It was a ridiculously trivial story.

Lazy sighs deeply, as if blaming me. That sigh clouds Hiiro’s expression. Lazy speaks in a heavy voice. To me, it sounds the same as always, but for Hiiro, speaking with him for the first time, it’s different. His voice always sounds like disappointment.

"…What happened to the previous one?"

"…Huh? M-My sister?"

"…Ah."

He probably has no idea. Lazy doesn’t care about a maid’s name or origin. Most likely he’s just answering because it’s troublesome. Hiiro, provoked in her pride, answers in a trembling voice:

"My sister… was burned black by Riez over there. So I—"

You were there! And it’s your fault! She’s perfectly ignoring the fact, and somehow remembers nothing from just yesterday. Is something growing in that brain of hers?

"I see… bring her here."

"…Huh? Lazy-sama, y-you just…"

Lazy furrows his brow. Probably thinking, 'what a bother,' but to strangers, he might look angry. For reference, if Kanon-sama made that face, everything nearby would be turned to ashes. You must escape immediately. But this Demon King is lazy, so nothing like that will ever happen. I’d stake my life on it. Ugh… infuriating.

Lazy repeats:

"…Bring her here."

"Y-Yes… ahahaha, but she’s just… ash, right? …Y-Yes, understood. I’ll ‘bring’ my sister."

Hiiro’s face briefly looked like she was about to cry, but she quickly stomped out of the room. It was as if to announce, I am displeased!

But, probably, Lazy-sama didn’t notice. I watched the Demon Lord roll in bed without moving a muscle, unusually active for him, and dared to ask:

"What are you planning to do?"

"…That one is hopeless."

"…Hiiro?"

"Yeah…"

Without giving a concrete reason, he said it in a single, bored tone. It seemed the indulgence Rona had spoiled her with until now had some effect, after all. No wonder Luxeria, who excels only in seduction, had been so skilled at manipulating people. She had performed every conceivable form of service… which was also why I lost my temper.

Hiiro stomped loudly, swung open the door, and threw something roughly onto Lazy-sama’s bed.

"…This is my sister."

What Hiiro brought was a ‘soul core’ only a few centimeters across, fitting in her palm. Half of it was scorched and partly destroyed. If it were me, I wouldn’t call it alive—there wasn’t enough intact material to tell. A demon can regenerate over long periods if their soul core is intact, but damage like this would likely destroy it faster than it could heal.

It was impressive Hiiro even found this among the ashes. Maybe… as sisters, she felt something?

Lazy-sama frowned at the thing, which had barely retained its shape, picked up the core, and let out a sigh of resignation. Then he looked at Hiiro and said… just one word again.

"…Yoha."

"…Huh? Ah… I’m sorry. I… I’m still inexperienced, but I’ll do my best. …Could you tell me what that ‘yoha’ means?"

Hiiro was faced with an impossible question, and the smile she had just moments ago disappeared as tears streamed down her face. To make someone arrogant admit their own inexperience—that was terrifying. He probably wasn’t thinking at all, but for a demon who governs pride, it was an unimaginable humiliation. They put themselves at the center of the world and were extremely weak to anything that could hurt their pride, or compare them to others.

"…Haa…"

"!? M-Major Demon…"

Who does he think he is?

Lazy-sama sighed and closed his eyes. Whether it means ‘do as you see fit’ or ‘I am satisfied’, he wasn’t giving any concrete instruction either way. He wanted nothing in particular right now. He could have just told her.

Hiiro looked around anxiously. Her eyes met mine, but I ignored her; I didn’t like the demon of Pride. She tried to regain some evaluation with forced cheer. Probably, her standing neither rose nor fell. And honestly, getting praise from Lazy-sama wouldn’t mean anything.

I can’t help but think Pride and Sloth are a terrible combination. Arrogance believes in superiority over others, while Sloth doesn’t care about anything. A King of Sloth cannot satisfy the superiority complex of Pride. Rona, no matter the rules, clearly made a poor choice in picking a successor. Is this some kind of harassment?

"Ah… I’m good at housework! Cooking, laundry, cleaning… I’m confident. And if you wish… s-sexual service too…"

"I see."

Blushing deeply, Hiiro tried her best, and Lazy-sama answered as always. He wasn’t cold—just… as usual! But Hiiro didn’t know that. You shouldn’t try to communicate with the Demon Lord. You have to think of him as some kind of shellfish… which is why I’m so troubled.

Cornered, Hiiro said the one ‘word’ desperately:

"Please… command me in anything you wish!"

Hearing that, Lazy-sama for the first time spoke a meaningful word of his own will:

"……………Tch, what a bother."

"…Eh!?"

Who does he think he is?

Lazy-sama let out the deepest sigh yet. Hiiro looked at him in stunned silence. She had said nothing wrong, no insults, no selfish demands. Any reasonable person seeing this would side with Hiiro. I would. Don’t expect a maid who just arrived today to understand everything.

Then, casually, Lazy-sama held the damaged soul core up to the light.

What could he possibly be thinking?

And then it happened. A presence suddenly erupted, and for an instant, my breath caught.

Hiiro’s face twisted in fear, her perfect features convulsed, and she stepped back.

Pride forgot Pride. Wrath forgot Wrath. The power made my own Wrath Flame, Raze Flame seem like child’s play—a magical force capable of reshaping the world. It was, without doubt, the most intense wave of power I had ever seen.

Apathy Akedia’s power made everything feel meaningless, draining all strength from my body. Lazy-sama chanted with a face that seemed ready to die. It was clearly a spell.

"'I-I-Ru-Akeldia. All shall degrade and decay. Haa… Golden Principle, black foundation weaving all things, under my name alone, achieve only separation. 'Collapsing Exquisite Golden Moon, Sloth Minus Growth'' …Ah, I misspelled…"

"Wait…"

The overflowing magic followed the Demon Lord’s chant and took form as a phenomenon.

Normally, the hierarchy of difficulty for skill activation goes: with chant, with just the skill name, and finally chantless. The further it goes, the harder it becomes, and the weaker the power.

Yet the Demon Lord, who until now had never once spoken a chant—or even uttered a skill name—was forced to chant. And not just any chant, but one so long and grand that it was unmistakably the highest-ranked skill I had ever seen since being assigned here.

I had no idea what was about to happen, but every fiber of my being screamed that something was wrong. An alarm bell ringing inside me.

Normally, the presence of a skill activating can hardly be felt. Yet this time, I could sense it clearly.

At the distortion of the world’s laws themselves, Hiiro let out a scream.

And then, to make it worse… he botched it? That sigh in the middle was definitely a mistake, wasn’t it!?

He can’t even properly chant his own skill? This Demon Lord!

The thought racing through my head was just escapism. Even if the chant failed, the skill itself was still unmistakably activating.

Something scattered apart. Nothing had changed, and yet the sensation was one of things breaking.

The Demon Lord raised the soul core. The half-charred crystal’s color and shape began to change. From around it, a black haze appeared, gathering, forming, and changing in color.

Hiiro muttered in stunned disbelief.

"Big… sis?"

"…Haa."

Despite the weary sigh, the sight before us was like watching a film in reverse. The charcoal regained its color. The fully carbonized face turned white again, regaining luster. In the hollow eye sockets, large eyes regenerated.

In mere seconds, there stood a completely uninjured 『Rona』. Her body, and even the clothes she wore, bore not a single mark.

Confronted with an impossibility far beyond anything he imagined, Hiiro’s eyes widened in panic. He staggered back, bumping into the table, collapsing onto his rear, and still scrambled further away.

And then, Rona slowly opened her eyes.

…She’s alive.

Impossible… what kind of skill is this?

Regeneration? No, that’s absurd. Regeneration doesn’t bring clothes back. More importantly, Rona had been utterly annihilated. Even if her half-destroyed soul core were restored, there’s no way she could be brought back this completely!

"Big… sis?"

"Hii…ro?"

Hiiro stumbled forward toward Rona, as though seeing a ghost.

Rona, blinking in confusion, looked back at her little sister as though she had no idea what was happening. And of course she wouldn’t—when even I, who witnessed everything, couldn’t understand a thing.

Then Hiiro’s expression shifted. From pale shock to bafflement.

Tilting her head, she studied Rona’s body from head to toe.

I noticed it too. The restoration wasn’t finished. No—her injuries were gone, perfectly healed. But her body was still "reverting."

The skill hasn’t ended yet!

The sensation of things breaking hadn’t stopped, even after Rona was fully restored.

Her height shrank slightly—but undeniably. Her chest flattened a little. Her features softened into a younger look.

Her outfit shifted too, changing from a pure white maid uniform into a smaller one, black-based. The long skirt shortened, though still a bit longer than Hiiro’s.

Don’t tell me… a mistake!?

As I watched in anxious suspense, her tall figure kept shrinking. The fifteen-centimeter difference between her and Hiiro narrowed to ten, then five. Her chest size remained largely the same, but her once-mature features were clearly transforming into something far more youthful.

Hiiro blinked rapidly in disbelief, then looked toward Lord Lazy.

"…Lord Lazy, is this…?"

"…I overdid it."

Lord Lazy, his face utterly devoid of remorse, pressed his head lazily into a pillow. Even when he failed, the Demon Lord had no motivation whatsoever.

Overdid it…?

Rona’s transformation finally halted.

By then, the difference between her and Hiiro was nearly gone. Personality aside, their faces looked so similar they could have been twins. Only that Rona was still slightly taller, and her chest noticeably larger, distinguished her. The true difference lay in what they embodied—Lust and Pride.

Rona, bewildered, inspected her shortened limbs.

Hiiro looked around helplessly, unsure how to react, almost as if wanting to ask someone for help.

Only Lord Lazy remained unfazed, gazing without malice at the considerably compact version of Rona.

"Do you still have your memories? Today’s date?"

At Lord Lazy’s question, Rona pushed aside her confusion and straightened her posture. Perhaps bothered by the skirt that had grown shorter, she fidgeted slightly, but still answered clearly.

"Eh? Ah… yes. Today is 271C8A of the Divine Calendar, 310th year of the Canon Calendar, November 11th, Lord Lazy."

Hearing her cheerful declaration, Lord Lazy glanced in my direction.

Wait—did he ask without actually remembering today’s date?

Hiiro, having regained her composure, supplied the correction.

"Big sis, today’s the 12th."

"Huh? No, it’s the 11th… wait? Hiiro, did you get taller?"

You’re the one who shrank!

Still tilting her head, unable to grasp the situation, Rona was met with Lazy’s dismissive words, as though it hardly mattered.

"I see. Very well. Yoha."

"??? Y-yes! Understood…"

Still puzzled, Rona instinctively checked her wristwatch, then the clock hanging on the wall. Realization dawning, she hurriedly bowed her head low to Lord Lazy.

"Lord Lazy, my deepest apologies. It seems… today’s meal will be delayed by about an hour."

"Yoha."

"Thank you very much. I am grateful for your mercy."

Just like that, Rona slipped back into her daily routine, pattering quietly out of the room while pulling along her still-bewildered little sister.

I could only stare, dumbfounded, unable to say a word.

What kind of pointless loyalty is that? She’s more worried about the Demon Lord’s meals—meals he could go years without—than about the fact her own body has shrunk?

I looked over at Lord Lazy, but the very culprit behind all this showed no signs of satisfaction, accomplishment, or guilt. He simply closed his eyes… and within seconds, was sound asleep.

This Demon Lord really never wavers, huh…

So utterly unshakable that I began to doubt my own dominion over 『Wrath』.