Book 3: Chapter 2

Leaving the recovering Megara back in my room, I head off to the source of the scream. That source is, of course, Maleficent’s room. As I push through the growing crowd of harem girls, I end up looking at a dangerous scene.

Maleficent is still unconscious and naked, lying on the bed. Straddling her with his clothing still on is Florian. The one who screamed was Nala, who seems to have walked in on them.

“What’s going on here?” I ask casually.

“Hah? Ah…” Florian looks around the room. “What can I say? I’m a lolicon?”

“You…”

All of the girls suddenly shoot Florian hateful looks. Nala covers her mouth and looks like she’s about to cry. I snap my fingers, waking the sleeping Maleficent up.

“Eh… Ah! What’s happening? What’s happening? I asked!” Maleficent demands. “Get off! Get off!”

The hero gets off of her as she starts trying to hit him with the palms of her hands, and I notice the glimmer in his palm.

“What I want to know, is why you were trying to kill my guest.” I give Florian a smirk.

The girls all behind me gasp in shock.

“What’s happening! What’s happening! That’s you, loli-pervert? You kidnapped me! You kidnapped this queen?”

“Ah, Haaaaa….” Florian let’s out a breath and pulls the knife out to show the group. “What can I say? She’s a Demon Lord, isn’t she? As a hero from another world, it’s my responsibility to end her life. Even if you do not have the guts to.”

“Hmmm…” the girl’s eyes all dart back between me and him, looking to see where the argument is going. “That seems possible, but I do not appreciate my guests being attacked.”

“This is none of your business!” Florian raises the knife over Maleficent’s bare chest. “This is a matter between us. Butt out!”

Maleficent screams as the knife plunges down into her chest. The knife strikes into the mattress an instant later. Florian stares dumbfounded at the bed that is completely empty. Finally, his eyes creak up as he looks at me.

In my arms is a naked loli. “The thing is, I’ve already claimed this one as my property. I do not take kindly to losing things that are mine.”

“Y-y-yours?” Maleficent stares up at me as her face suddenly turns crimson.

“Mm. I will never let anything happen to my women.” I give her a nod.

Maleficent looks away, but the words she whispers are a stubborn defiance. “Loli-pervert…”

“You…”

“Hey, did I say this was over?” Florian demands. “I still must kill that monster.”

“F-Florian.” Nala says nervously. “Perhaps, since we’re in his home, we should let the master of the house dec-”

“Shut up!” Florian shoots Nala a look of disgust. “A creep like you doesn’t even have the right to talk to me.”

Nala puts on a look of hurt, and this time tears did start falling down her face. The other girls mostly just looked shocked. Lamilia comes and silently pats her on the head.

“Well, if you wont give up on my Maleficent, then I suppose we are enemies.”

“You do not want me as an enemy!” Hero snaps, waiving his hand and causing a gun to form in it.

He points the gun at me. I wave my hand and a beam of light shoots out. A second later there is a large gaping hole. Florian barely can look surprised as his legs give out and he collapses to the floor.

“No!” Screams Nala, trying to rush towards him as she is held back by Lamilia. “I know he was being mean but that was no reason to kill him!”

“Ah? Who did I kill?” I respond as I put the loli girl down and she wraps herself in a blanket. “Surely you can’t be talking about that creature.”

“Huh?”

Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

The sounds of clapping could be heard as the hero stands back up. The massive hole in his abdomen fills with tentacles, which wrap around themselves until the hole is filled. A few moments later, the skin heals over the writhing insides and there was no more evidence that he had even been injured.

“You knew… I’m glad, it makes it so much easier.” The voice changes into something malevolent.

It wasn’t the hero’s voice, but a sort of vibration of several different tones wrapped around each other. Like a crowd of people speaking perfectly in sync.

“W-w-what are you?” Nala asks, finally taking a step back and falling into Lamilia’ arms.

“It’s the creature that previously inhabited my Megara.” I respond simply.

“M-Megara? My general!” Maleficent's eyes widen. “You took over the hero! No, wait. You tried to kill me! How dare you betray the great me!”

“Betray you?” He had Florian’s face, but he held only contempt and amusement as expressions. “That would assume I was ever on your side? I used you. Simply put, you outlived your usefulness.”

“You…”

“Wait… I still do not understand.” It is Kida who speaks up. “Just what is going on?”

“Simple answer?” I respond. “This creature is like some kind of brain slug or parasite. They invade someone’s mind and take over their body, and then abandon it and take over the next person. Megara was taken over by the brain slug. Then it jumped over to Florian.”

“You bastard.” Maleficent growls. “To have taken over my demon general!”

“Hahahahaha!” Florian or the slug thing in Florian slapped his knee. “You think you ever had a demon general? Why would anyone even want to follow a little baby like you? The only Megara you ever knew was me. You armies? They’re my armies. They are loyal to me. You were just a puppet. Don’t you get it? You have nothing!”

Maleficent is shaking but can’t respond as she fights back the tears in her eyes. It has to be shocking to learn that everything she knew is a lie.

“Wait,” it is Aura who spoke this time. “If he rose to be the demon general using Megara, then who is Megara?”

As if saying the name summoned her, Megara walks in. She re-tied her kimono and was now in okay shape. The girls make a path for her to get right in front.

"That's what I'm trying to say! I'm the real Florian!"