Hugo

“So, uhh, your clothes… they really are gone?”

“Yes. The archfey’s thorns ripped them off to pieces.”

“You know, I’m surprised that you’re this calm standing in front of me without any clothes. I can see your… well, everything.”

“…You’ve known my deepest feelings. I don’t see why my body should remain hidden from you. And besides, I know very well just how much of a pervert you are. Even now, you’re ogling me up and down. You even got a stiffie down there.”

“E-eh? I do?” My hands reflexively went to cover my crotch.

After our heart-to-heart chat, Myrilla and I gave a throughout search of the now much smaller room. It was now a bedroom instead of a forest, and a pretty lavish one at that. It looked like the bedroom of a royalty.

We quickly found Myrilla’s staff. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said with her clothes.

“Oh, we haven’t checked the wardrobe over there, have we?” I pointed at the corner of the room. “Hey, maybe there are some clothes you can wear there.”

Myrilla nodded before walking towards the wardrobe, opening it with her telekinesis.

What she found inside, however, was not the dress she wanted.

“Hmm? What’s with the frown? Is it empty or some—woaahhh!”

T-the wardrobe! It’s filled to the brim with lewd clothes!  Maid outfits, nurse outfits, and all kinds of cosplays clearly intended to be worn for foreplay! And then there were the costumes like the horns, tails, and wings—all intended to replicate the features of all sorts of demon races!

…I guess the Demon Lord has a lot of fun with his wives with these every night.

I glanced towards Myrilla. Immediately my mind imagined her wearing some of the costumes.

“No, I am not wearing any of them. So stop that thought at once.” She glared.

Sheesh, this is why it’s hard to have a mind-reader as your wife.

“Well, you still gotta choose one. Unless you want to run around naked.” I grinned.

She could not respond.

ㅤ

“Oooo, you look good in those, Myrilla!”

In the end, she settled on a really skimpy, really translucent black negligee. It failed to hide the black panties she wore underneath. And of course, being the flat-chested woman she was, she wore no bra with it.

And I got to see every second of her wearing it.

Damn, those tight panties only enhanced her tight butt and crotch. Her ass isn’t as prominent as Sherry’s or bouncy like Felicia’s but it still has its sexual appeal.

And those two small mounds that were her chest, I’d love to give them a good groping from behind. Pretty sure they were bigger than Sherry’s.

“You really are a pervert.” She glared at me, a small blush sweetening her cheeks.

“You know, you’ve said that over and over, you’re starting to sound like a broken record.” I grinned.

“I do hope you leering over my body won’t make you let your guard down in a fight.”

“Heh, don’t worry. A fight is a fight. Ogling a cute girl is another.”

“…I am not a cute girl.”

“Do you prefer I call you a sexy older woman instead?” I smiled.

She looked away, her face turning even redder.

“A womanizer. Just like your father,” she mumbled under her breath.

ㅤ

We made our way outside the room. Closing the door behind us, we were back in the hallways we arrived from. However, it was clear as day that we had arrived in a different section of said hallway as just to our right, there was a door that led to a staircase, going down to the darkness below.

“Ah, there it is.” I pointed towards it. “That should take us to the center of the fortress.”

“Hugo, I think you should go down there alone.” Myrilla spoke.

“Hmm?” I looked at her. “What do you mean? You’re not going to help me?”

“I can’t help you. You’re a lot stronger than I am. It would be better if I go search for the others.”

I paused, tilting my head. Hmm, she got a point… There’s a big possibility that the Demon Lord is down there after all…

Heh, how clichéd. The Demon Lord guarding the princess.

“You got a point. But can you remember the way to get back here?”

She frowned. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“N-no! Not at all! I’m just worried you and the others will get lost again. Call it a hunch but I feel the whole place might explode once I win against the Demon Lord.” That’s how it is usually, right? You beat up the Big Bad in their flying fortress and then the self-destruct sequence is activated.

“Explode?” She raised her eyebrows. “I suppose there is always the possibility of him not having the dignity to lose gracefully. All the more reason why I should fetch the others.”

“Then, I’ll leave it up to you, Myrilla.” I nodded.

I turned to face the door. The staircase inside seemingly went forever, into the darkness down below.

With a slight twinge of fear, and a great pinch of alertness, I entered.

ㅤ

Theo

“Urghhhh…”

My eyes fluttered open.

And the very first thing I saw was a tearful face of a very beautiful elven girl.

“Oh! Thank goodness you’re alive, Theo!”

E-eh? Why is she hugging me? This isn’t right! I already have Tama!

…Wait, Tama!

I cocked my head to the side. And sure enough, I could see her unconscious body laying down on the floor.

And it just so happened that her butt was facing right towards my sight.

Black as usual… W-wait, this is not the time for that! She’s wounded! I have to help her!

“H-hey, let me go! I don’t know who you are but I need to help my friend!”

“Hmm?” She released her grip, tilting her head with a confused look. “What do you mean you don’t know who I—oohhh!” She covered her mouth and giggled.

She then stood up, allowing me to look up her extremely short skirt.

Now she wears white…

“I’m your mother, Tira!”

E-eh?

“You know how us elves will grow to adulthood in an instant? Well, that’s what happened with me! I grew up in a middle of a fight!” She smiled, resting her hand on her chest.

W-w-what? She’s Mother?

I instinctively scooted backwards, averting my gaze from her panties, moving it to her body instead.

Silver hair… light red eyes…

She really is Mother!

BA-DUMP

She's... she's beautiful!

I could feel my face warming up just from looking at her. Her sparkling, unblemished skin, her long, silver hair, now going all the way down to her waist, and her sensual thighs that her now far too small skirt failed to hide at all, it took all my will to stop ogling her.

"How do I look?" She giggled again, twirling in place, giving me a full view of her now five-sizes-too-small panties.

“Y-you’re… different…” was all that I could blurt out.

“Different…” She stopped, a sad look on her face. “I suppose it will take you some time to get used to my new looks. But on the bright side” She clasped her hands together. “I get to be your mother properly now!”

“S-sure...” I replied, nodding with my mouth half-open. My mother? You look more like my big sister now!

Afterwards, Mother made her way to Tama and used her healing spell on her as well. Before I could ask her why she could use healing spells all of a sudden, she explained that thanks to her transforming into her adult self, her magic had become a lot stronger, resulting in her being able to cast water and lightning magic. And at the same time too, with dual magic.

I remember that term! Master Hugo had to train hard to learn it yet Mother can just learn it instantly!

"Uuhhhh..."

With a cat-like stretch, Tama woke up from her slumber.

Blinking, she looked at Mother, then at me, then at Mother again.

"Hello, Tama! I'm glad you're fine as well!" Mother smiled. "Before you ask, I'm Tira! It's a long story how I got to be like this so please be patient, alright?"

She then explained everything that had happened ever since we lost to that ogre, all while Tama sat cross-legged with a confused and dumbfounded look on her face.

“Really?! You beat her all by yourself?! That’s amazing, Mother!”

“Oh no, you helped too, remember?” Tira giggled.

“No...” I shook my head, lowering my gaze. “I didn’t help at all…”

I tried to slash her with all my strength… but I missed… and then I fainted… aaahhh, what a blunder! I’m really a failure compared to Master Hugo!

“What happened to her?” Tama asked, a serious look on her face. “Did you…”

Tira pointed to the corner of the room.

There, we saw the horned girl, slumped in a sitting position with her shoulder leaning on the wall. A trail of blood followed her from the middle of the room.

I looked at Mother. “Is she…”

“I don’t think she’s dead.” Mother said with a grave look. “I could still feel her breathing, even if just a little. She’s in quite the grave state though due to the wound I inflicted on her.”

“Shouldn’t you finish her off?” Tama asked with a curious look.

Mother shook her head. “No, I don’t believe it’s necessary. She won’t be a threat to us.”

“Are you sure? Demons can be really durable, you know.”

I looked back at the horned girl, remembering how she was when he had our conversation.

Oh no… I can’t help but feel bad about her…

If Master Hugo was here, would he have finished her off?

Tama then stood up, patting her skirt for any stray dust before offering her hand to me.

“You’re alright, Theo?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.” I smiled at her, grabbing her hand and letting her pull me up. “Mother healed me up.”

All of a sudden, she averted her gaze, looking down at her boots instead.

“I’m sorry… I wasn’t strong enough to be of help of you…”

Her tail and ears drooped down. Oh no, did I make her sad?

“H-hey, don’t be sorry!” I grabbed her hands. “You did your best, didn’t you?”

“My best is not nearly enough.” She bit her lip. “If not for Tira having her transformation just at the right time, you would be dead!” She yelled, looking at me with tears swimming in her eyes. “We would all be dead!”

…

…

I gave her a hug.

I gave her the best hug that I could muster.

“Don’t bear the guilt all by yourself, silly! We’re all in this together! If you’re weak, then I’m weak as well!”

I released my embrace, placing my hands on her shoulders as I smiled at her. Now that I had grown up a little, I could look at her eye to eye.

“We shouldn’t have come,” she said, looking at me in the eyes. “We’re just a burden to Hugo. We’re not strong enough to fight his enemies.”

My smile disappeared.

She was right. We were way over our heads. We just selfishly believed Master Hugo would save us if anything happened.

Mother walked up to us, giving both of us a headpat. An easy thing to do, now that she was taller than us both.

“Cheer up! You two would only get stronger as you grow older! Just like me!” She giggled.

A smile formed on Tama’s face.

Sometimes, I wonder if Tama saw Mother as her mother too.

ㅤ

Sherry

Grr, I can’t believe this! Now I’m forced to walk around naked!

After defeating the lamia, Sherry took some time to rest and heal her wounds. Using the technique taught to her by her grandmother, she could combine the healing properties of her hair and the ambient demonic mana in the air to heal herself in a terrifyingly fast manner, especially since the latter was abundant in number, due to the place being the dwelling of a Demon Lord.

Once she’s finished, and by that, she meant just enough healing for her to be able to fight again, she made her way outside. She had to find Hugo ASAP. She had wasted enough time as it was fighting.

Unfortunately, thanks to her clothes being destroyed in the fight, her only option for modesty was to wear her own hair as her clothes.

“Come on out, you weaklings!” She yelled. “I’ve killed your friends! Don’t you wish to avenge them?”

No response.

“How about you, Demon Lord?! You’re just going to let your wives die?!”

No response either.

She gritted her teeth. Why weren’t they posting more soldiers here? She expected much more from a Demon King’s lair!

“Hugo! Myrilla! Felicia! Tama! Tira! Theo! Are any of you around?!”

As if Fate itself answered her, the moment she turned at the next corner, she crashed into one of them.

It was Myrilla.

“Ouch!” Sherry fell on her butt. “Hey, watch where you’re— Myrilla! Wait, why are you wearing that skimpy lingerie?”

“And why are you naked?” she replied, giving her an annoyed frown.

“The lamia wife destroyed my clothes, that’s why.” She pouted.

“Mine was destroyed by the archfey. Had to wear these as a result.”

The two stood up. Myrilla then proceeded to tell her everything that had happened with her and Hugo.

When she was finished, Sherry only had one thing to say.

“I’ll go with him! You go to the others, alright?”

Myrilla nodded. Sherry was their second strongest fighter, just below Hugo. He could use her help for sure.

And with that, the two separated once more.

ㅤ

The Demon Lord waited.

Not in his throne room, no. That place was now vacant. It was merely a place to receive visitors so there was no need to defend it.

Instead, he waited inside the deepest chamber of his fortress, right beside his ultimate prize.

Hugo Greenwood… you’re going to make your way here, are you not? Or would you perish in the hands of my wives?

It matters not. You’re no Hero. You have no chance to win either way.

The white-haired horned man stood in front of Victoria with his arms folded, his eyes resting on her form.

Not because she was ogling her large breasts and exposed panties, for he never really felt what humans called lust, being a Naturian.

But because he was wondering—wondering how it felt to be half-human half-fey like her.

Humans were short-lived, feeble creatures. They could not comprehend anything that didn’t benefit them in the short term. In that way, they were similar to the fey, who also only cared about the present moment, never to the future. Even though the feys were immortal.

No, to be more precise, humans did not care about the future that would come after their deaths. They only cared about the future that they would enjoy.

Glory, wealth, love—humans obsessed over those as they would grant them a bright and beautiful future. The future for them, not for the world.

And you… He gazed at Victoria’s slumbering face. You are a mere pawn for your parents’ future. They naively believe their little kingdom will last.

And yet, you reject my hand of salvation. You cling to the belief that your Hugo Greenwood will save you, even though you yourself spat on his face when he offered his help. What a sad existence you are, Victoria Fey Relfatia.

There is no salvation other than mine. Your white knight will die today.

And your power—the power of the daughter of him and Titania—will be mine at last.

And with it, the title of Demon God will be mine.

“Dearest! Dearest! Oh, dearest!

The Demon Lord turned to face the voice, for it came from behind him.

A silver-haired spider woman. She was bending her eight legs and lowering her head.

“Dearest! That Izurd—she’s just too strong and scary! She has killed Esana and Ulum and I… I don’t think Aisha will be able to win on her own!”

“…So why did you leave?” He narrowed his eyes.

“W-well, that’s because… that’s because she’s just too scary!” The woman crawled forward and hugged him with her human arms. “We got her, you know. She was wounded all over. We knocked her unconscious and we even made her wet herself! But she just stood up and killed the two like it was nothing! And then she gave this terrible, awful killing aura that made all my hair stood up!”

“So then you run?”

“Y-yes! I got no choice! I’m no match for her! I’m not like that lamia! I’m sorry, darling!” She hugged him tighter, pressing her breasts more into his chest.

The Demon Lord didn’t say anything. He didn’t return her hug not did he give her any comforting words.

Emotions… both a weakness and a gift.

ㅤ

Hugo

Sheesh, just how deep this staircase go? It keeps going on and on and on… if I didn’t know any better, I’d say this is an infinite staircase!

Several excruciating minutes had passed since I descended down the staircase and if I were to be honest, there were no signs of the exit anytime soon. It was as if I was descending down the earth itself, even though I was inside a floating fortress right now. Still, I kept my guard up, scanning any signs of magic with every step I took, ensuring I wouldn’t fall for any traps the Demon Lord might have in store. The only light I had was from the claustrophobic glowing walls to my left and right. It was pretty dim so I still cast a fire orb to circle around myself—the usual “mage’s torch”.

Hmm? Is that…

I saw it—light coming from down below.

Finally!

It didn’t take long until the tight and narrow staircase expanded into a massive room. I didn’t come out on the ground level, however. Instead, I was now at the very top, with the rest of the room under me, opening wide like a giant hole.

And down there, I found her at last.

Victoria!

…Wait, don’t rush in. This has to be a trap. I don’t see the Demon Lord anywhere.

I closed my eyes, focusing my mind to my surroundings, sensing the mana flow in the air.

This amount of demonic mana… it can only come from the Demon Lord. He’s right here in this room…

But why can’t I pinpoint where he is?!

This doesn’t make sense! He has to be here! Is he donning some kind of an invisible robe? No. If it were so, I should still be able to tell his location from his mana. This is much more nefarious. It’s as if he has magic that actively blocks my attempt to detect his presence.

Then, I’d just have to dispel that magic!

I opened my eyes and took a deep breath, gripping my staff as tightly as I could.

“Dispel.”

I began to channel my raw mana to the palm of my left hand. I then spread it across the room, slowly but surely, starting from around me. It quickly weakened and dispersed the demonic mana that enveloped the room, turning it into its original, raw mana form.

And then, I saw her. Or rather, I sensed her.

An arachne woman, hanging from the ceiling, ready to strike from above.

A second later, she jumped down.

Right into the edge of my blade.

…

She didn’t even have time to scream.

Her head rolled off the platform, falling all the way down to the floor level, her face frozen in fear

As for her body, it remained beside me, gushing rivers of blood.

That…

That was close!

That was far too close!

If I had been late for a second, who knows what would’ve happened!

Crap, so the Demon Lord really is hiding his presence!

“There’s no need to be alarmed, human. I won’t use her cheap trick anymore.”

A deep and authoritative voice boomed across the room.

The Demon Lord’s voice.

He now stood at the bottom of the room in front of Victoria. His gaze, however, was directed towards me instead. It was a cold and lifeless gaze, almost as if he was a robot. Or a corpse.

“Descend. I wish to speak to he who named himself Hugo Greenwood.”

My parents named me that though…

I did as he was told, flying slowly through the air, still eyeing my surroundings in search for traps or any other surprises.

Landing in front of him, I noticed a bundle of translucent fabric to his side. It seemed to be a cloak of some kind.

Was that the cloak that made him turn invisible? That arachne wore something similar.

I then got a good look at him up close. He looked exactly like I had imagined him to be – a bishonen with long, white hair, pitch black spiky armor (damn, those shoulder pads are huge!) and a piercing gaze that I imagined was very popular with his wives, and whatever maids he had to the side.

“Look, all I want is Victoria. If you just let me go with her, I’ll leave you alone.”

“Such confidence. Do you truly believe you can win against me?”

A terrifying aura burst forth from his personage, clearly intended to intimidate me. And, I had to admit, it was quite the terrifying aura indeed. I could feel every hair on my body rising – every instinct telling me to run away.

And yet, it was still less terrifying than the aura Sherry’s grandmother blasted me with.

“Heh… hehehehehe…”

“…What amuses you, human?”

“You think you’re some kind of a big shot, aren’t you, flaunting your strength like that?” I grinned. “Unfortunately for you, it will never work. For I have met another Demon Lord ten times stronger and scarier than you are!”

He was strong. There was no doubt about it. But, just like Sherry said, he was yet a weakling compared to Quania.

Slowly, as subtly as I could, I began weaving mana around my right hand, the one gripping my staff.

There was one thing this staff was really good at, and that was storing and dispersing mana. It could do so with far higher efficiency than the old staff I used before. And what do you know, it was especially good with time magic. Meaning, I could store my Accelerate inside it. And then, the moment I needed it, I would use it to boost my Super Boom Cannon, and that would be a Grandmaster-level spell right to his face.

If he didn’t notice anyway.

“Why do you want her so badly anyway?” I asked. Might as well keep him occupied with more talking as I charged my spell.

“Her power is needed. For me to become a Demon God.”

“Oh? Then why haven’t you eaten her heart already? Your race can do that to gain someone’s power, correct?”

“I can’t do that to a fey.”

“And so you have to use this whole device-thing to do it.”

I gave a quick glance to my surroundings though not without losing my sight on him.

Yeah, this large magic circle we’re standing on… I can’t read the runes written on it but I can imagine it’s a system designed to suck her power. They got a fey with them so she should know how fey power work.

“So,” A smirk formed on my face. “You admit you’re not strong enough to be the Demon God. You’re saying there are other Demon Lords that won’t bow to you.”

His eyes narrowed. “…Tell me, human. Do you know what it takes to be a Demon God?”

“Hmm? Be the strongest demon and unite all the Demon Continent under your banner?”

“Correct. And, unfortunately, there is another more qualified than me for the title.”

I raised my eyebrows. Why is he admitting this? “And who would that be?” He’s not talking about Quania, is he?

“One blessed by the true Goddess. In just a few years, he managed to carve out his own kingdom at the cursed lands down to the far south of the continent. I… never received Her blessing.”

Wait, hold up. Did he just say what I think he said?

He knows about the bitch goddess? And the Demon God she chooses?

I remember. Xaela said that the goddess might have hijacked the Heavenly Dragon’s Hero and Demon God selection system. She couldn’t know the identity of either even though she should.

So her worries were true!

Shit, I should tell her before we leave the Continent later.

As for this guy…

“You know about her?”

“She came to my dreams. It was her who piqued my interest to be the Demon God. But she betrayed me. She decided to give the throne to someone else.”

…Wow. So he was the original candidate. So why the sudden change?

God, it pisses me off not knowing what her plans are!

“Then, we should be allies!” I smiled. “I hate her just as much as you do! I’ve been tormented by her all my life, you know!”

A small look of surprise came to his cold expression. “You can remember her… You’re no ordinary man…”

“I see it now. You are one of her Hero candidates, aren’t you? A Hero needs a tragic backstory. But you… you were denied by her in the end. That’s why your strength is middling compared to the true Hero.”

...What? He's getting completely the wrong idea! So much for being a Demon Lord of Wisdom!

"I have a proposition for you, Hugo Greenwood. Join me. Aid me in defeating that Demon God Candidate and I'll release the girl."

And here comes the cliched "we can rule together" offer.

Even if I'm willing to be his subordinate, which I'm not, it's a really bad idea to pick a fight with a future Demon God. If I had to guess why he wasn't chosen, it was because he was just too weak for her.

I've seen Isolde, who's supposedly become one of the companions of the Hero. Her strength is far above mine. And the Demon God will be far above that still.

Yeah, it would be much easier to just kill this guy and rescue Victoria. He has no right using her as his tool in the first place.

"I'd have to say no." I gave him my confident smirk. "I got my own life goals to meet, which doesn't involve being your subordinate. So let her go, alright? So I don't have to kill you too, just like I've killed your wives."

A flash of slight disappointment from his face. It was all I got before he began his attack.

Or rather, his summon.

"Selene Treskios, heed my call!"

"Super Boom Cannon!"

A burst of light filled the room, right as I fired my full-power spell.

When the light receded, I was somewhere else entirely.