Demon King's Zeal: The Ultimate Fatigue Cure

The Demon King's motivation was a fantastic fatigue recovery agent. With enough zeal alone, humans could keep pushing forward. Even through the most boring drudgery for hours on end.

"Heard the news? Sisilia's turned over a new leaf."

"...Isn't she just a dog anyway?"

"That's the impressive part. Think about it. Has our vice-captain ever even pretended to listen to anyone? She's always been a stray cat doing whatever she pleases."

"Ooh..."

The rumors of Sisilia's change had spread like wildfire even within the Windsor Knights.

She was handling paperwork even while riding in a carriage on the way to some assignment. Of course, there wasn't any special reason for Sisilia's dramatic shift. It was simply that her motivation hit 100% whenever it involved newbies.

"Looks like we're mostly wrapped up here."

Sisilia neatly stacked and tapped the documents into place. She'd just finished navigating a procedural maze so airtight even Beatrice's light couldn't pierce it.

And with that, the new Windsor Knights division was born. Officially dubbed the Demon King Special Mobile Battalion. They couldn't call it a hero party outright, after all.

Now the hero party was firmly in Sisilia's grasp.

"I've finished up my part too."

"...What have you been doing, Serephina?"

Serephina beamed proudly while hugging her rabbit doll.

-A gift from Sisilia-

"I prayed fervently to the goddess to forgive Sisilia's sins."

It had already been a week since Serephina became her next-door neighbor. And as you might guess from living right next door, she was practically camping out in the vice-captain's office these days.

The silver lining? Serephina seemed blissfully happy every single day, and she often said so out loud. That these were the happiest days of her life, and nothing could top them.

But there was one issue.

"I haven't committed any sins."

"Sisilia."

The problem was that Serephina was pure—far purer than anyone could've imagined.

"Like I said before, cutting off someone's head is a very, very bad thing to do."

...Good thing I didn't put her in the hero party.

This woman would weep even over demon necks being severed, or the public execution of corrupt nobles. She was a saintess in every sense of the word.

"And please stop doing bad things to Liliana. If Sisilia can't go to heaven, I'll be so sad."

Sisilia thought with a pathetic expression.

...If she knew how Liliana 'eats' humans, she wouldn't say that.

For reference, succubi were dream demons who acted out exactly as imagined. With one key difference—

For them, it was literal feeding. Meaning they chomped down below.

"Ah. You just let that go in one ear and out the other, didn't you? I know all your tricks now, Sisilia."

"You catch on quick. Then pray extra hard about that part too."

"Got it!"

Serephina dove back into her prayers with spirited determination. As Sisilia, no pushover herself, reviewed the documents once more—

The door creaked open cautiously, and Beatrice entered with a bright smile.

"I brought cake, Vice-Captain."

Sisilia shoved the papers aside. She gripped a fork firmly, her eyes sparkling.

In the grind of daily duties, cake was always the perfect pick-me-up. And today was new-release day, no less.

"...Lady Serephina's praying again."

"Perfect timing. Let's devour this cake before she notices."

Sisilia eagerly opened the box—only to plunge into deep despair.

"What the hell is this?"

"...The new cake? I waited in line for two hours to get it."

A carrot was perched atop the slice.

"Cake with carrots on it isn't cake."

Sisilia speared the carrot with her fork and flung it aside. Legendary table manners on display.

Beatrice could only gape in bewilderment, but Serephina was here too.

"How could you do something so cruel..."

Serephina stared at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the carrot remnants like the sky had fallen.

Sisilia, oblivious, leaned in for a big bite. But Serephina snatched the plate away with a resolute glare.

"...My cake's gone."

Sisilia's fork sliced through empty air.

Beatrice gasped in shock. She knew exactly what it meant to steal Sisilia's cake.

"Being picky is bad, Sisilia. No cake until you apologize to the carrot."

'I-I have to stop her.'

Sisilia hit women. Serephina was surely in for a rough time—or so Beatrice thought.

But the unexpected happened.

"...I won't throw carrots next time."

Sisilia apologized with a sullen pout.

'Wh-what? She's so soft on Lady Serephina.'

And this wasn't a one-off. Serephina nagged constantly, but Sisilia never snapped or got annoyed.

The reason was simple. Sure, Serephina's purity ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and cuteness played a part.

...But mostly because she'd fixed Chiron's arm.

Sisilia had been quietly obsessing over that.

*

"Remember this, Ruby. Everything you're about to learn is the most important stuff for the rest of your life."

With some work done and cake devoured—Sisilia's next task was Ruby's training.

Ruby nodded tensely, burning with determination not to miss a single word.

"First off—follow my lead. When making an omelet, wrist angle and control are crucial..."

And so the cooking lesson began.

"Crochet and cross-stitch aren't just about showing off your femininity—they're practical life skills, perfect if the hero's clothes ever tear. But if you think you can make a living off this, I'll chew you out."

How to crochet and cross-stitch.

"A smile and V-sign are essential for any woman in the hero party. You need precise angles and sparkling eyes."

The proper form for Vs and smiles.

"Haaah, hek."

Ruby panted from the grueling lessons. Sisilia was thrilled. As an idol, Ruby picked things up lightning-fast.

"...Am I really doing okay?"

"You are. Don't believe me?"

"I-I do!"

"Louder!"

"I believe you!"

"Oh? What's that about?"

"Just the usual lady-in-waiting vibe."

"Yeah, kinda."

Passing maids whispered, turning Ruby red—but she trusted Sisilia completely, without a shred of doubt.

'She's on the right track.'

But the path to heroine was long and treacherous. Sisilia resolved to teach with utmost sincerity—

Next up: gaslighting and charm mechanics.

"...?"

Sisilia's radar pinged.

"Looks like Ruby's teammate finally showed up."

Smiling, Sisilia leaped out the window. Straight to the slums, no hesitation.

She reached into the air, summoning her coolest sword, and strode forward.

...It's changed a lot.

Thanks to the dragon tourism boom, the slums were developing fast.

*Twitch.*

The presence pinged near the dragon corpse.

Heart pounding, she vaulted over rooftops toward it.

As she neared, she spotted—a gang of slum vagrants and a cornered newbie. Clubs in hand, they menaced him. Quite the intense tutorial.

'Huh.'

Sisilia slowed. The newbie had already killed several vagrants.

*Thud*—she dropped into the alley, finishing off the rest.

'A newbie with unusual winds.'

Sisilia planted her sword in the ground with a clack and smiled faintly.

"One question."

It felt like she'd waited an eternity for this moment.

"Are you the hero who'll save this world?"

*

In a dungeon on the edge of the Markel Territory in the empire's frontier—a petite silver-haired girl watched Sisilia and the newbie through a crystal orb, eyes sparkling.

"Orphaned, affection-starved, no romantic experience. Last education: elementary school. Intelligence: slightly above Fern's."

This was Little Sisilia. She calmly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠evaluated her masterpiece newbie.

After all, this one was the strongest she'd handpicked from countless tutorials.

"But strong survival instincts and decent combat smarts. Above all—strong upward mobility drive."

Little Sisilia had run nearly a hundred playthroughs. She'd dropped her favorite into Terezia for the main body to find.

This meticulously selected newbie was 'Jay.'

Her top pick? Jay lacked any guilt over killing.

Anyone who felt even a twinge at taking life couldn't be a hero. Demons were living beings too, indistinguishable from humans outwardly.

Though... he was a bit too much.

'In 42 tutorials, he killed every single time without fail. Even if it was always "necessary to survive," his basic morality is absent.'

Even Little Sisilia shook her head at his personality. Teetering on the edge between evil and cold ruthlessness.

Whatever shaped him, it was innate. One wrong turn, and he'd be an irredeemable villain.

But Little Sisilia thought—

If she couldn't control that much, she wasn't worthy of the name Sisilia.

"He'll handle it himself."

Little Sisilia nodded firmly. If she couldn't rein in a minor newbie deviation while building a hero party, she lacked the qualifications—and besides, she could control it.

"Now, as for me..."

The tutorial NPC Little Sisilia's role ended here. Instinct told her she'd fulfilled her purpose.

She'd planned to self-destruct upon completion.

...But after living so long, even knowing she was just a copy, she'd grown attached to life. Even to Fern, dimwit though she was.

But if the main body found her? 100% execution.

'Beg for my life in exchange for full cooperation? Ha, I'd die before the "full" left my mouth.'

She knew herself. Sisilia wouldn't tolerate her existence.

Not because two suns can't rise—

Her very being was the reverse scale. The one possibility that could kill the main body.

Sisilia wasn't fool enough to let that linger.

Little Sisilia mulled options and muttered.

"Living quietly in some remote backwater nation where no demons tread doesn't sound bad."

If lucky, she might even hear hero party tales.

With such modest thoughts, Little Sisilia toddled over and smacked sleeping Fern's head.

"Eek!"

"Dungeon's scrapped. No more tutorials. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hero's here."

"Scrapping's moe?"

"...Stuffing Fern in a trash bin."

"Aha."

Little Sisilia sighed. Scrape together every brain cell, and Fern might hit 70 IQ. Definitely below dolphins.

Contemplating a lifetime with her, Little Sisilia seriously considered suicide.

But then—

"!"

A chill ran down her spine. She turned.

Sisilia's vision blurred.

"Demon King."

Cain stood there. Even in ashen sight, his presence loomed undeniable.

But Little Sisilia stayed calm.

'It's here.'

She'd sensed detection months ago. Hence relocating the dungeon to the frontier.

But she couldn't escape the Demon King's domain, it seemed.

'This is it. Never thought it'd end to the Demon King instead of the main body.'

Little Sisilia slowly closed her eyes.

"Not fighting?"

"No regrets in life. Mission complete."

"You're lying."

"...?"

Little Sisilia opened her eyes.

"Busted."

Cain smirked.

"Draw your sword."

'I have means, but no chance of winning.'

Little Sisilia reached into the air silently.

Whatever the main body had stirred up—

This wasn't an ordinary Demon King. Difficulty too high.

Sisilia smiled.

Good call weeding newbies ruthlessly. Nothing less would've cleared it.

And so—the clash: Demon King vs. Little Sisilia.