Chapter 353: Her Regrets

Chapter 353: Her Regrets

"D- Demon God."

With a pale face, Ruby, who had entered the imaginary world, urgently looked around and searched for the Demon God.

"Demon God, where are you?"

Until just a moment ago, the Demon God, who was lying on the ground, was nowhere to be seen.

Why? Where could she have gone?

She needed to quickly ask her what was going on.

She needed to hear the Demon God's explanation.

By any chance, she didn't run away, right?

Her heart kept growing anxious.

"Where are you!!"

"Come forward."

In response to Ruby's increasingly panicked shouts, a commanding voice came from in front of her.

- Thump, thump...

Hearing those words, Ruby started to walk forward with trembling legs.

"You're finally here?"

As Ruby's sight focused, she saw a black peak rising high in the imaginary world.

"I thought you'd come a bit sooner, but you’re late.”

The Demon God was seated with her legs crossed on a black chair atop that peak.

Unlike a moment ago when she was a mess, she now appeared composed, wearing a haughty smile on her face.

But Ruby didn't perceive any of that.

She was panicking for the first time in her life, and there was no way she would have the ability to think rationally.

"Th-there's a problem."

"A problem? What problem?"

"Frey was a regressor. He was a true regressor."

"Oh, really?"

As Ruby spoke urgently, the Demon God, looking down at her, showed an intrigued expression and put her cheek on her hand.

This behavior was completely different from her usual compliance with the Demon King's mood.

"...?"

Only then did the Demon King begin to notice the strangeness.

"Yes, Didn’t you tell me?"

But, she couldn’t just stop asking questions just because of a slight strangeness,

"Frey... He wasn't a regressor. Didn’t you say something like that could never happen?”

"Oh, that?"

"Turning back time is close to impossible..."

Ruby spoke with a trembling voice, but soon her words trailed off.

"W-what's with that expression?"

Because she saw the Demon God, who just looked at her with a smile and amusement in her eyes.

"What are you smiling at!"

Ruby raised her voice as she was thrown off by the Demon God's unexpected reaction. After a while, the Demon God finally opened her eyes slightly and spoke.

"Sorry, Ruby."

"Sorry? What's there to be sorry about..."

"In truth, it was a lie."

The Demon God spoke with a wide smile on her face. Then she whispered softly.

"Frey is a regressor."

"W-what...?"

Ruby's expression began to crumble.

.

.

.

.

.

"What... What do you mean?"

Ruby began to emit killing intent from her entire body, her eyes looked crazed.

"What kind of bullshit is that!!!"

"It’s simple, really. You bitch just got deceived by me."

The Demon God just looked at Ruby with a disdainful expression, as if she was laughing at her. She lifted the corners of her mouth and continued to whisper.

"You're more naive than I thought. It was cute how you fell for my words so easily when I showed up out of the blue."

"What..."

"Well, that's how it is."

"What do you mean by that!"

Ruby exploded at the Demon God's brazen attitude. She gathered demonic energy in her hand and rushed towards her.

- Crackle, crackle...

"Uh, ugh?"

However, when the Demon God made a light gesture with her hand, Ruby stopped abruptly in her tracks.

"You might be strong, but... this is my domain."

- Thud...!

"Ugh..."

As the Demon God flicked her finger, black chains began to emerge from thin air, ensnaring Ruby.

"No matter what you do, you can't challenge me here."

As Ruby struggled against the chains, she staggered and sank to the ground at the Demon God's gesture.

"Ugh, ugh..."

"It's futile."

Trying to break free from the chains, Ruby thrashed around, but it was useless.

As the Demon God had said, this place was her domain.

Even as the strongest Demon King, she couldn't oppose the Demon God here.

"S-So is it true then?"

As the Demon King realized this, she gave up struggling, her expression grew increasingly pale.

"Did Frey really go through countless regressions just to save me?"

"I'm not sure."

"And I, oblivious to it all, got corrupted and mercilessly killed him?"

"Well...?"

Although Demon God whispered with a teasing expression, the meaning behind her words was clear enough.

Tears began to fall from Ruby's eyes.

"Have you been deceiving me all this time? Are you?"

"Mhmmm..."

"And I, oblivious to it all, have been with you all this time..."

"Hey, you sure do talk a lot for a mere puppet."

Hearing those words, Ruby's expression turned vacant.

"Go quickly and finish off Frey’s soulless body. Then both you and I will be free."

"..."

"You never know. If you obey my words well, maybe I'll revive Frey, just for you."

As she finished her speech, the Demon God began to prepare to banish Ruby from the imaginary world.

"A pawn should just do as they’re told. Now get moving–"

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

"Huh? Ohoo?"

But then she widened her eyes in surprise.

"Hmm?"

"You're going to feast today, Miss Kania."

As Ferloche said that, someone came out from behind her, leaving the Demon God wide-eyed.

"Y-You, how did you get here...?"

- Shaaa...

"Uh, uh? W-Wait a minute...!"

At that moment, the power that had filled her body began to drain away.

"This truly is a divinity, isn’t it? How fascinating."

"This is insane!!"

Kania was absorbing the Demon God's power expressionlessly.

"W-When did you become this strong? Wait, what are you? Why do you have more divinity than–"

“That’s because you are no longer the Demon God.”

"Huh?"

"Now? You're nothing but a mere divinity dispenser."

Kania's divinity was several times greater than the one she had already recovered.

The Demon God was sweating profusely at the unbelievable situation, then she opened her mouth with a subdued voice.

"W-wait. The deal..."

"The deal is off, right? Isn’t that what you said earlier?"

"D-Don't you want to recover Frey's soul?"

But when her urgent plea fell on deaf ears, the Demon God shouted desperately.

"Seeing as his soul is not only shattered but completely annihilated, it seems like there is a problem with your plan, am I right?"

"..."

"I'll help you the whole way. I'm a complete expert in that kind of–"

"Are you talking about this?"

"...Huh?"

But when Ferloche took something out from her chest, the Demon God froze in place.

- Shaaa...

"It's a pity, but it's all part of the plan."

A small bead was shining in Ferloche's hand.

Somehow, it emitted a silver light.

"What the fuck–"

“Please take care of me today as well.”

"Aaargh! W-Wait! Just a moment!!"

The Demon God, who had just grasped the situation and tried to escape, started struggling as she was bound by the black chains manipulated by Kania's gesture.

"Stop it!!!!"

"Hmm."

Watching the Demon God's fierce struggle with a cold gaze, Ferloche quietly moved away.

- Swoosh...

Then, she closed her eyes and kissed the bead before gently stroking it while murmuring.

"You may be able to deceive the others, but you can't deceive me."

- Wriggle...

"If I hadn’t sent Gugu at the last moment, your soul would have shattered completely. That seemed to be your original plan from the beginning."

Ferloche poked the wriggling bead with her fingers and asked in a subdued voice.

"What on earth were you thinking? Do you want to commit suicide?"

- Wriggle, wriggle...

"If you won't speak, I have a way to find out."

Then she whispered, licking the bead with her tongue.

"Is there a way to ruin your mind instead of your soul?"

The bead fell silent.

"Hmph."

Staring at the bead intently, Ferloche closed her eyes and placed it in her mouth.

"Speak before I swallow you whole."

- Gulp, gulp...

As Ferloche began to roll the bead around in her mouth, her expression became increasingly pensive.

.

.

.

.

.

"...Ah."

Ruby opened her eyes and let out a small sigh.

- Swoosh...

Then, she slowly looked around. The place she was in was undoubtedly the motel where she and Frey stayed.

"F-Frey."

Upon realizing that, she crawled over to Frey, who was lying next to her.

"F-Frey. I-I’m here. I'm here now."

"..."

"W-Wake up, please."

Shaking Frey’s cold body vigorously, Ruby placed her trembling hand on his chest.

- Shaaa...

Finally, she began to perform healing magic for the first time in her life.

- Hiss...!

Naturally, since she was incompatible with healing magic, her hands started to tremble.

But undeterred, Ruby poured enormous energy into Frey.

"F-Frey. I'll fix you soon. Okay?"

"..."

"So please, just hang in there. Alright?"

As she continued to mutter with blood dripping from her mouth, Ruby bowed her head deeply.

"I-I'm sorry, Frey."

Tears streamed down Ruby's eyes.

"I understand now. I've realized everything. Your attitude, my obsession with you, our past, our love... I understand it all."

"..."

"T-That’s why..."

After a while, Ruby stopped the healing and collapsed onto Frey's chest.

"Please stop playing around and come back to me..."

She hugged the still-cold Frey tightly and started wailing.

"I-I was wrong. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I just want to apologize for everything I’ve done so far. If you want me to crawl, I’ll crawl; If you want me to sacrifice myself, I’ll offer myself gladly; If you want me to commit suicide, I’ll do so with a smile; so please...”

Sadly, there was no response.

"No, no..."

Only after confirming that Frey's soul was truly gone did Ruby bury her head in his neck and start screaming wildly.

"No! It can't be!! Frey! No!!"

Frey's soul had already been completely obliterated.

His soul was totally annihilated, with no chance of recovery.

"Noooo!"

The regretful cry of a young girl filled the motel.