A towering building in the city of Lynchghi Ham.

It's the headquarters of the Ulmamoz Chamber of Commerce.

In the dimly lit room, Franz was staring at a picture on the table with his hands together.

"Master Franz."

A boy enters such a room.

Although he noticed his voice, Franz moved his mouth without raising his face.

"You're back. Where have you been?"

"I have something to do, too."

The boy who shrugs off the answer.

And to get off the subject right away.

"So... did you give the stuffed animal to His Highness Nigel?"

"Hmm, that's a stupid question." Don't you trust me, Joel──? "

and Franz called his name.

──Puppeteer Yol.

Even though he wore his sleeves in white, he was a boy who made── such a strange impression on others as a bat that melted into the night.

He was the one who made the stuffed animals for Cecilie, Leticia,── and Eliane.

"Excuse me."

Joel apologizes, but he can't feel any apology from his words.

"I haven't seen you in a long time, have I?" How was it? How did you feel about meeting your college friends? "

"Friends..."

"Franz murmured, staring further at the picture.

The picture showed Nigel in college.

Nigel is surrounded by his classmates and makes a refreshing smile. The pictures show a happy air, far from the humidity of this room.

"Nigel was as good as ever. It was nothing different from the college days. Seriously and relentlessly with no one. Now that I had a beautiful wife, I looked happy. That must be the ideal prince for everyone──."

Having said that, Franz grabbed the handkerchief that was nearby.

I shook it up and── dropped it on Nigel's face.

"That's why I hate him." I'm throwing up. "

Looking at the photograph of Nigel with his hammer pierced, Franz distorted his face regretfully.

"I know you hate His Highness Nigel."

The jaws continue unabated.

"But why are you so disliked? Doesn't your Highness really hate you? It's not like they're selling a fight.──”

How many times do I have to explain it to you?

Franz is angry with his voice.

"I don't like it." The one who always looks cool and brings something delicious with him. "

While saying that, Franz remembered when he first met Nigel──.

──Nigel called Franz a friend.

But in reality, it was different.

Nigel was the only one who thought that, and── Franz actually hated him.

Until ──now, I thought I was the best.

From a young age, he had a rare commercial ability.

Whatever you do, it works. I thought I was a man chosen by God.

Initially, some people thought that Franz had become an executive of the Chamber of Commerce at a young age, but if he continued to produce── results, he would not hear such a voice anymore.

But the── gears stopped meshing when I entered the academy.

At the entrance ceremony, many aristocrats showed up, and it was a magnificent stage.

──Nigel was among them.

Even though it was such a splendid place, his appearance changed the atmosphere. It was different from the others.

Since he entered the university, he has run to the top of the college in── all fields of study and exercise in general.

I've never been humiliated like that before.

Somehow, Franz gave up on Nigel in the offensive.

Instead, he had a woman sacrificed around him.

Nigel was an admirer of girls. However, because the person did not feel that way at the time, there was not a single story that came up.

Therefore, he had a solitary sense of superiority over Nigel by always being with a woman.

(But even if I did, my mind was not clear. And... how can he marry such a beauty? This world is unfair!)

After seeing Elaine, a complex exploded against him whispering inside Franz.

Eliane is a── saint and now the princess of the king of this country.

I knew the shape beforehand, but when I saw it nearby, I accidentally fell in love with it.

Although Franz had been dating all kinds of girls, Eliane was more beautiful than anyone she'd ever seen.

I envied Nigel, who married such a beauty.

At the very least, after much resistance, I tried to get Eliane to go on a date, but the── result was a terrible failure. Franz's inferiority towards Nigel only increased.

"I wanted to see his suffering face for a while." That's why I asked for your help. "

"... I see."

Without altering the tone of his voice, Joel said so.

"So... this is good, right?" If we just give him that stuffed animal, he'll..... "

“Yes, but as I explained beforehand, the effect won't be immediate. I was wondering if I should wait a long time."

"Kukuku, that's fine." But why did you have to give the stuffed animal to the Prince of Berkhaim? It wasn't so difficult to give the prince over there to his fiancé because he was a dreadful girl.... "

When Franz asked, Joel thought for a moment and then answered:

"... because I need it."── No, it was Franz's plan. "

"I see...? Well, that's all I need to accomplish my ultimate goal."

Nyali and Franz hoist the corner of their mouth.

"Oh! I want to see his painful face soon!" Everyone who defies me can fall! "

Franz's eyes were as blood and as beasts.

"... ugly"

At that time.

I ──felt that Joel's murmur had entered my ear.

"Joel, did you say something?"

No, it's nothing.

Franz immediately questioned, but Joel only spoke lightly.

"Well... I'm just here to listen to the trends." For the time being, I'm sorry to interrupt. ”

"Hmph, talking to you makes me feel spicy." Get the hell out of here. "

Franz gives a good hand.

And Joel went out of the chamber without any sign of a desire.

◆◆

"After all,── humans are ugly."

After Joel had broken up with Franz, he came to a certain place, stupidly staring at a snake in the water.

The whole body of the snake is pure white. The length is so huge that you── don't know where it starts and where it ends that you can't grasp it all.

The snake watches the world as it roars at such a huge body.

"Especially... that Franz person is superb." Attempts to seduce others by subverting the victim's delusions. Even if you do that, there's nothing you can do about it... "

Joel muttered to himself as he looked up at the snake.

“I've been watching you for years.”

It's not about you── and Franz. The snake in front of me.

There is no response from the snake.

But it doesn't matter, Joel moves his mouth.

"To a foolish world, a foolish man. I wanted to believe in humans, too. But man was── still ugly. You don't have to get your eyes dirty anymore.”

Until now, the snake was secretly working in the shadow of the Demon King.

The great evil, the Demon King, swallows up his surroundings.

Even though it was sealed,── its influence was tremendous. If the snake moved too prominently, it could be seen by the demon king and the demon race.

(I was wondering why I had to pay attention to the demon king── and the demon tribe, but if I got in the way, the plan could collapse. After all, you can't use your full power by yourself anymore.)

However, the situation changed for the better.

The Holy Lady defeated the Demon King.

(I── thought the saintess was an abominable being, but the saintess of today has enormous power. That's how you got rid of the intruders, and that's── how you can draw out the power of the snake.)

And Joel lifted up his hand, and said,

“Let's get── started. Let's start with what's important to everyone."

The body of the snake glows white.

However, the light was pale, and it was not strange that it disappeared at any time.

But ──then something important disappeared somewhere in Lynchghi Ham.

The power of the snake was still weak.

But that's just the beginning.

In time, its power will extend to the whole world.

That's why── I'm going to consume the Holy Lady from that world

The snake turned its back on the world, wondering if it was interested in the end.