Nine holy priests were surrounding me in a circle, with one of them having already left to inform their king of the news.

The room had tall, thin, multi-colored glass windows all around, filling the entire place with outside light. I was likely in some sort of ritual room within a church.

Standing in a pentagram less complex than the one I made in Father’s library, I was wearing a plain white robe and no longer had any horns, fangs, nor wings.

“Someone check the hero’s profile!”

“Y-yes! I will get the crystal!”

Oh right—I was a hero candidate now. Meanwhile, my father was the demon lord.

There was absolutely no way I could stay here any longer.

✦✧

[In the King’s throne room.]

“Your Highness, a holy priest requests an audience with you.”

The herald, clad in finery, announced the arrival of a holy priest.

“Bring him forward.”

The king, sitting on his throne with a dignified posture, spoke in a dominating, yet calm tone.

At the king’s assent, the holy priest entered and stood at the center of the grandiose room, bowing humbly.

“Your Highness, I am Holy Priest Dara. I bring excellent news.”

“Speak.”

“The hero summoning ritual has finally succeeded. It is yet again a female hero.”

“That is indeed excellent news. Bring the hero to me at once!”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

Suddenly, another holy priest dashed into the throne room, muddled and short of breath.

“Y-Your Highness, please forgive my imprudence. I bring urgent news—the hero has e-escaped!”

Having heard the devastating news, the now consternated king pounced up from his throne, perplexed.

“What?! How could you let that happen? Find her immediately!”

“Of course, Your Highness!”

The two holy priests who stood before their king knew that they had to find the hero no matter what, because if they couldn’t, then even a thousand deaths would not atone for their blunder.

The king was, in fact, the most distressed.

Divine Gods above, I beg for my wish to be heeded. Please guide us insolent and incapable beings to the whereabouts of our hero, for we must defeat the malevolent demon lord and purify the lands.

The previous hero, Maria, has brought us great hope for the future. We vow to never allow the mistake we made ten years ago to transpire again. This time, we will engrave our souls into the budding of the hero and bring forth certain triumph.

✦✧

[Earlier in the Demon Lord’s throne room.]

“Maid, where is my daughter?”

“My Lord, the Princess is currently studying in the royal library.”

“Still? It’s been like a hundred years.”

“My Lord, it’s been an hour.”

My cute little Mari… just why had you taken an interest in studying? Were humans really that interesting? Was magic really that interesting?

Was I not… enough for you?

Mari. Come to me.

…Right. Telepathy couldn’t reach inside my library.

“Maid, I will head to the library.”

“Understood, Lord Reki.”

My library used to be a messy, dusty, and overall uncomfortable place due to my negligence. No one besides royal demons were capable of entering, so I couldn’t request the maids to clean it.

A spatial room filled with tomes of humans, demons, angels, and magical spells—it was the accumulation of knowledge amassed by past demon lords. Because I had already learned everything within, I no longer cared for it.

But one day, my adorable Mari wanted to go inside. She stayed in there for so long… I could not bear to have her bide in such a ghastly environment.

So, for the first time in a thousand years, I cleaned it.

For her.

Solely, for her.

Anything she wanted, I would give her.

And yet, what I saw before me was a ritual for reincarnation.

What was she thinking…?

Hm. This pattern—it was neither Angelation nor Demonation.

It was the heretical third type deemed unworthy of a name, offhandedly referred to as Hero Pilferage. Simply put, it was a ritual to replace a summoned hero with thyself.

Successful completion of this ritual required the participation of two sides, with one creating the entrance portal and the other creating an egress portal. The one who entered—the pilferer—is transported into a dark space, waiting for the transferring hero’s soul to appear. Once the soul was eliminated, the space would collapse, and the pilferer would be summoned instead.

Since time immemorial, there had only been a single usage of this ritual. It was by a royal demon who wagered that he could defeat another royal demon after reincarnating as a hero. During the fight, that remarkable dunderhead died immediately and was erased from existence.

And now, I discovered that my daughter was able to actuate this complex ritual.

How interesting… she learned to pull this off in merely six months. Normally, it should have taken at least ten years, even for a royal demon.

My precious Mari…

Why did you want to leave me?

Did you know how much I thought about you? Did you know how much slower time passed without you?

Did you know how special you were to me?

All you needed to do was be served by the maids, sit on my lap, and watch those lamentable humans.

I wanted to indulge your wings. I wanted to caress your horns.

You, who stole a beat from my heart with your indomitable valor.

I wanted you to stay with me forever.

But alas, you wished to leave me.

Nevertheless, I should respect your wish.

Grow.

Gain experience. Make companions.

Become a hero. And challenge me once more.

But this time… you shall never leave me again.