Fated to Be Loved by Villains
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chapter-134
༺ Decision ༻
Yuria’s Starsteel Circlet, which she always wore, scattered light around her.
Normally, when such a phenomenon occurred, the Devil or Severer should be calmed, but now, there was not even a hint of that occurring, as a fierce white aura violently surged.
Due to having to deal with both the Curse of the Severer and the White Devil’s Demonic Aura at the same time, the Starsteel Circlet had turned completely useless.
‘…Well, it seems like that thing is hitting its expiration date soon.’In the first palace, if it had been working as it should, I wouldn’t have been split in half by her last time.
However….
System Log
[The event related to ‘Yuria’s Second Fragment’ will be released soon! ]
Given that this had popped up, it was obvious that the power of the Devil was getting stronger and stronger. To the point where even Starsteel could not suppress it.
The reason I brought her here was that there was something that could only be ‘tested’ in such a situation.
And the test was a success…..The Homunculi Sisters would be strengthened, giving me advantage on the Main Scenario that would occur in Chapter 4. Not only that, it would also cheer these two up.
And most importantly…
There would be a clue to unlocking the ‘Happy Ending’.
I could obtain everything all at once.
‘…Domesticating a Devil, huh.’
I reflected on the phrase I thought of earlier with a bitter smile.
Though I spoke out in such a grandiose manner, it was actually impossible to do that.
And that was the reason why I came here. To gain the crumbs of the ‘clue’ I needed to achieve that.
Before you ask, yes this was obviously a dangerous matter.
System Message
[ ‘White Devil’ detects the presence of beings related to ‘Seraphim’. ]
[ The target is enraged to the point of losing rationality. ]
[ Corruption Value of target ‘Yuria’ surpasses 150%! ]
[ The target will definitely go berserk soon. Take immediate action! ]
As I read the windows popping up in front of me, I let out a sigh.
I knew this would happen if I were to bring her here.
Unlike when I encountered the Virtue in my Image Space before, the angel misters here were directly working under the orders of Seraphim.
From the standpoint of a Devil, who was entangled in a massive grudge with them, or at least that was how the story went, just sensing their presence was enough to drive them insane.
Normally, if her Corruption Value had reached this point, I would be sweating bullets, but…
‘…It’s still too low.’
In this current situation, it was actually way ‘too low’.
Which meant, I had to raise it a bit more.
“Saintess.”
“…Y-Yes… YES?!”
Lucia, still dumbstruck, turned to look at me as I calmly issued her an order.
“Please perform the usual Sanctification work on Yuria. Right here and now.”
“…Me alone?! With Yuria in that state?!”
Lucia exclaimed with a horrified look as she glanced at Yuria.
She was continuously writhing, trying to lunge towards the angels as if she was actually a shackled beast that had lost its reason.
It seemed Lucia had realized by now that if I hadn’t grabbed her collar and flung her away, she’d have been split in half because she was in her sister’s way.
“It’ll be fine.”
After saying that, I began my own preparations.
In one of my hands was Lucia’s collar, and in the other one was Yuria’s.
I set them up so I could freely change their positions before continuing my words.
“Because this is not something you’d have to do alone, Saintess.”
“…You dragged a bomb here so suddenly— The nerve of this bastard—! I’ll remember this, you fucking piece of shit—!”
Then, the Dominion, who previously had transferred a Divine Blessing to me, spread his wings while screaming such words.
This was a kind of ‘battle mode’ for angels.
“S-Sir Dominion, what in the world is that thing?”
“It’s a Devil’s Fragment, you dumbass! Stop yapping and move out quickly! If it explodes here, we’ll all be dead!”
“What in the world is this?! Damn it, I thought our work for today is over?!”
In an instant, the surroundings turned into a huge fuss.
Well, I could understand their feelings. For them, this was the equivalent of encountering a Major Boss Battle after finishing their shifts. This was supposed to be the time for them to rest, not to deal with something like this.
“Hey, Miss! You seem pretty capable, so let it loose for now! Just fucking send it! If that explodes here, we’re all dead, so try to appease it skillfully!”
“…U-Um? I don’t understand—”
“There’s no time to explain! Let’s start right away!”
With that, Divine Power from the angels started pouring into Lucia’s body.
They couldn’t cause a huge impact on our realm because they were in the Astral Realm, but at the very least, they could ‘assist’ the Saintess.
The efficiency would be terribly low compared to the original amount, since it was indirectly transmitted across dimensions, but…
If the sender in question were ‘angels’ and in such a number, such inefficiency would cease to be a problem.
She received a level of Divine Power that wouldn’t have been strange to rupture her body immediately if she wasn’t a Homunculus. However, she was able to take it as someone whose stats were all-in on Divine Power, at the cost of various ‘side effects’.
Just looking at Lucia’s entire body emitting a holy light confirmed this.
“…E-EEEK! I don’t really understand what’s happening right now, b-but…!”
And with that energy, Lucia began the Sanctification process, her eyes shut tight.
“You told us to come because you were just going to cheer us up, but what even is this?! Didn’t the scale turn way too big—?!!”
“…”
I had nothing to say to that outcry of hers.
Well, yes, that was the original purpose.
But, you know… There were other things that needed to be done while we were at it… That was why we were here, so please let it slide…
Contrary to her cries, complex and advanced Divine Blessings worthy of the title ‘Saintess’ unfolded one after another.
Like usual, they started to remove the curses accumulated on Yuria’s body one by one.
The combination of curses and Demonic Aura that even Starsteel couldn’t suppress would normally render such an attempt ineffective, but now, receiving the Divine Power of the angels, it seemed to be working somewhat. Auras that had been emanating from Yuria’s body had started to weaken.
“Eh? Is it working, is it working?!”
“Stay strong! Just a little more…!”
The surrounding angels’ cheers echoed.
Meanwhile, Yuria wrapped her head and let out a scream.
At the same time, the Divine Power enveloping Yuria was shaken off, and the Demonic Aura and curses emanating from her body intensified even further than before.
As if it was actually ‘rebelling’ against the Divine Power.
“…S-See, it’s not work—!”
“No. You did well.”
Saying so, I adjusted the leash. I quickly sent Lucia’s body far into the distance while pulling Yuria’s body towards me.
As Lucia screamed while flying away, the distance between me and Yuria closed instantly.
“…Wai- Mr. Dowd-! Stop, stop-!”
Lucia screamed with a pale face.
It was probably because she remembered what happened when I did this last time.
Of course, I was split in half once before, but this time was different.
After all, now there were angels around and Lucia had received all of their power. The situation was completely unalike from before.
That was why I brought her here as a safety measure.
And most importantly…
The state of the girl ‘trying to cut me’ was the difference between heaven and earth.
Though Yuria, who had already lost her rationality, noticed me and gripped her sword hilt…
For a moment, her eyes wavered.
After all, she must have remembered the time she almost split me in half in a similar situation before.
Even though her Corruption Value had exceeded the critical threshold, the bitter memory embedded in her mind instinctively stopped her movement.
And that created enough of a gap for me to make my move.
“…Heup!”
I grabbed her neck, slammed her to the ground, and forcibly turned her gaze.
The Fallen’s Seal was on my chest, and I couldn’t let her ‘see’ it.
Showing her the presence of the Grey Devil and the Blue Devil would cause her Corruption Value to skyrocket. That could not be allowed to happen.
Because I was aiming for the right level.
System Message
[ Corruption Value of ‘Yuria’ surpasses 300%! ]
[ The target is on the verge of going berserk! ]
This.
If the Value had gone over 500% and she went berserk just like Eleanor, this would have turned into a lost cause.
Honestly, whether it was 300% or 500%, it would normally be a death sentence for me because their Corruption had been confirmed.
But at this moment, there was an extremely meaningful difference between the two values.
System Message
[ ‘Fallen’s Seal’ reacts to the Aura of the ‘White Devil’! ]
The usual message appeared before my eyes when facing a Devil’s Aura.
Originally, that would have been the end, but since I got resurrected recently, I opened its Stage 2.
So, assuming I was right…
I could do something more.
System Message
[ Checking the Stage of the Seal. ]
[ Stage 2 Confirmed. ]
[ You gain the right to control the target with the Privilege ·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞ ! ]
[ Would you like to ‘suppress’ the target? ] [ Y/N ]
There we go.
Seeing such messages cascading down, I smirked inwardly.
Without an ounce of hesitation, I touched the Y.
And at the same time…
System Message
[ The Demonic Aura of the target is being suppressed! ]
[ Corruption Value of the target is rapidly decreasing! ]
[ ‘Fallen’s Seal’ is being charged with the Demonic Aura of the ‘White Devil’! ]
[ Energy required for ‘Mutation’ is 33% charged! ]
Along with such a message, the White Demonic Aura that was surging in the surroundings was ‘absorbed’ into my chest.
And the message that would follow was the most crucial.
After all, the reason I was doing all this bullshit was entirely for this.
Please, appear.
Please prove that what I was doing at the moment…
Was ‘meaningful’…
System Message
[ The ‘White Devil’ momentarily submits to you. ]
[ 1 ‘Worship’ Stack is accumulated. ]
[ Once all Stacks are charged, the target will function as a part of ·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ ̷̥͉̞͎̯̥̫̳̻͆͊̉̀̾͘͞·̴̵̢̢̥̱̝̘̟͎̯̥̟͖̞͊͐͌̿̎̋̔̈́̃̕̚͘͜͟͝͞͞! ]
“…”
What a relief.
It worked.
[…You seem to have gained quite an important clue.]
Valkasus’ voice echoed from within Soul Linker.
[Your reaction doesn’t seem like the usual jubilation that emerges just because things worked out well. Was suppressing that lady that important?]
Of course.
Of fucking course it was important.
This meant I was becoming a being that could exert ‘control’ over Devils.
A being that was not mentioned anywhere in the settings of the original game.
“…”
You see, I’ve been thinking about this for a while.
Where did the origin of that soul come from? I mean, the soul who has the disposition of being loved by villains.
And how far could I develop it?
This ‘interaction’ with Yuria now was a kind of crucial support for the theory I had in mind.
The theory that I could give these beings a Happy Ending.
As I inhaled deeply while having such thoughts…
“…You, right now.”
The voice of the Dominion could be heard from beside me.
“Did you just forcibly ‘seal’ a Devil’s Fragment that was about to berserk?”
His voice was unusually soft, unlike the usual noisy atmosphere of these people, but I could quickly guess why.
After all, each and every other angel around were silent with expressions of astonishment and horror.
As if they had seen something impossible.
“…It’s not that grand. This was only possible now because I came fully prepared.”
I replied with a bitter smile.
It was only feasible because I anticipated the situation, meticulously crafted a plan, arranged various means of regulations, and then precisely intervened at the moment the ‘exact value’ was reached.
If the Fragment were to spontaneously go berserk, even having the Fallen’s Seal would have been futile; I would have been decapitated on the spot.
It was like putting a bell on a wild beast with a safety team and medic team all prepared. A risky endeavor, but not impossible.
Without any preparation, I would just be torn apart by the wild beast.
“…Honestly, I’m kind of confused as to why you’re so shocked. Suppressing a Devil on the brink of going berserk is something you could all do if you were in the Material Realm, right?”
“No, that’s not the point. What baffles me is the ‘way’ in which you did it.”
“…”
“Of course, it’s possible for us. If we were in the Material Realm, we would have used Divine Power to forcibly beat the shit out of that Devil, before stuffing it back into its Vessel. However…”
His voice continued with a sound akin to a groan.
“Just now, the Devil’s Aura seemed to ‘respect’ your will and retreated. Didn’t it?”
“…”
“It looked as if it recognized you as a ‘superior being’.”
“…”
“In the first place, the very fact that you came prepared suggests you knew this was possible and came to ‘test’ it.”
There was nothing I could really say besides scratch my head in response.
Huh, as expected, his insight is really keen. The title of Dominion is definitely not given to just any old angel.
“…I had a feeling you were destined to become something greater since the very first time we met, but…”
His voice lowered once again as he followed up his sentence.
“What exactly are you trying to become?”
“…”
Well, who knows? The Fallen’s Seal had only reached Stage 2, so I couldn’t say for certain.
But at the very least…
I was able to say that I had taken the first step in an accomplishment no one in history had ever achieved.
“…I’m dreaming of becoming someone who has a huge heart.”
“What?”
“Big enough to embrace all six Devils.”
“…Embrace?”
“I can’t do it now, but shouldn’t it be possible later?”
“So what in the world is that supposed to mean?”
“Mmm…Well, to put it precisely…”
I would probably continue to sweat bullets and get chased around whenever someone, somewhere went berserk, but…
At the very least, I needed to firmly grasp where the ‘final destination’ that the Vessels and I eventually reached after all these hardships.
“I plan to live with all six of them.”
“…”
“Anyway, does Pandemonium have laws? Like, is polygamy allowed there?”
“…”
The Dominion’s mouth dropped open in silence.
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