Ruler of Time
Thud!
“Boss! Isn't this just too much?!”
“Sorry... but things just snowballed like that, so I went for the quick resolution...”
Thud!
“How could you leave me out of something like a massive uprising?! I'm really, really upset, you know?!”
“Mary. I'm truly sorry! But listen...”
Thud!
“But what?! You all went off to fight without me! Am I not part of the family anymore?!”
The morning after hearing the worst possible news from Dantalian the night before. Just as I was pondering whether to call a meeting for the family's—or rather, the organization's—safety today, Mary burst into my room, slamming the door open to vent her grievances.
The reason she was this furious? She'd been left out of the showdown with the Pirate King and felt utterly sidelined.
“Are you even listening?! Huh?! Boss! I'm so, so, SO upset I could just die—!”
“S-Sorry, okay? Calm down... Hey, how about that new dessert Tucker whipped up...?”
“I don't care! Don't even think you can placate me with some stupid dessert!”
“Ugh... Then what?”
...
“Ahem! If you're willing to offer a sincere apology, Boss... go on a date with me!”
“Pfft! Cough! Cough! A d-date?!”
“Of course! You trampled on the fragile heart of someone as delicate as me, so it's only right you heal it personally~!”
A date out of nowhere?! We're not even lovers!
Sixteen years in this reincarnated life. Mentally, I'm in my mid-50s after dying from overwork in my mid-40s. How could I see Mary? Like a daughter? Or even a granddaughter? It felt like the kid was suddenly asking her grandpa out.
No way in hell! We're family! I can't let some young kid catch feelings for me...
“Boss! Are you actually listening to me properly? Huh?! Are you really reflecting on this?!”
“Well, there's this thing...”
Rattle!
“Boss! I heard a racket from early morning... Looks like some annoying fly managed to buzz in and stir up trouble.”
“Vanessa!”
“Vanessa-unnie!”
“Mary-unnie... Grr! You can't just barge into the Boss's bedroom uninvited! Get out now!”
Did she just grind her teeth? Yeah? The cool, dere beauty Vanessa just gnashed her teeth at Mary?!
“Wh-What?! Why does Vanessa-unnie keep blocking us from getting close to the Boss?!”
“Because I'm his secretary and the manager of this estate! Leave the Boss's bedroom immediately!”
“No way! I'm settling things with Boss today, no matter what!”
“Mary?! Settling things with me?! Were you that pissed off you wanted to kill me?!”
“Boss doesn't understand my feelings!”
“Get out of the Boss's bedroom right now!”
Thanks to the three of us turning the morning into total chaos, others heard the commotion and piled in, finally putting an end to the madness.
“...That's why. It looks like we've got another enemy to deal with...”
...
“Th-That sounds ridiculous, but... someone say something?”
Silence blanketed the room. Everyone was dumbfounded by Dantalian's message, too stunned to speak. Honestly, even I'd react the same way blind—how could our clueless kids fare any better?
“Boss... The scale's just too huge. I can't keep up...”
“Even this big sis, who loves fighting... is getting sick of it now that we're up against archdemons.”
“Boss. We barely survived the Pirate King last time. Now you're saying we face something way worse? Just tell me to off myself instead...”
...
“I'm really sorry!!”
“““Sorry doesn't cut it?!”””
You think I want this?! The world's screwing me over!!
I'm clearly the boss of this organization. So why do my kids climb all over me without hesitation? Do I really lack that much presence?
I'd called an emergency full-family meeting that morning, but no sharp ideas emerged. Dantalian had ordered us to stay put in this mansion, so maybe there was some defense here. Or perhaps it was scheming to lure other demons to block Halphas. For now, all we could do was hunker down here indefinitely, just as instructed.
“So? You dragged me to this damn mansion just to annoy me?”
“What choice did I have? It's an emergency.”
“Tch! So that's why Glashalabolras vanished for ten years. Didn't know the kid was that popular in Hell.”
“I don't wanna be popular! Anyway, with things like this, can you manage our subordinate organizations, the thugs, and riffraff for a while? I'll give you half the revenue.”
“Hah~ You crazy bastard. Think that war-crazed demon's only after you?! Coming here means turning the entire North Continent into a battlefield! You really believe it'll be satisfied with just you?!”
“Huh? For real?”
“150 years ago, I fought one of Halphas's contractors. The guy was a knight who'd made a name in the West Continent. No idea how he hooked up with that war maniac, but he turned this North into a warzone—a total lunatic.”
“Even the contractor went war-crazy?”
“Nah, side effect of contracting with Halphas. Signing with it turns you into a madman craving nothing but war. No matter how noble or pure you start, you end up living for battle alone.”
...
“What kinda bullshit side effect is that?! It just turns you insane!”
“Now you get it? You think Halphas is coming alone?! It'll bring its new contractor and army! Don't delude yourself that war-lusters like them will come in small numbers just for you!”
“Damn it!!”
Clearly, Halphas's visit wasn't something I could handle solo. I'm a pacifist, yet the world won't leave me be... It was so infuriating I felt like offing myself.
Big Daddy and I spent time in the office hashing out plans, but nothing concrete surfaced. We couldn't stop Halphas itself, but smashing its contractor's army was unavoidable. Following Dantalian's dream warning, I had to stay locked in this mansion. Big Daddy headed out to inform other organizations and non-humans, forming a coalition to face Halphas's contractor and forces.
“Hah~ What now.”
Late at night. Unable to sleep, I sat blankly by the window, staring at the moon and sighing. The past ten years had their skirmishes, sure, but they'd been peacefully mundane. Watching my kids grow into fine adults working hard for me and the organization—it even stirred satisfaction in my faded humanity. Yet, even without my intent, the world churned chaotically, refusing to let me be. Victory over the Pirate King had led straight to facing Halphas, leaving me too frustrated for sleep.
Flutter!
“Hm? What's that noise?”
Flutter! Flutter!
A bird?
Beyond the moon, something winged approached. At first, I thought it was a massive eagle-like mana beast, but as it neared the mansion, the wing outline grew enormous—humanoid in shape. Maybe a harpy from the valley? No—the figure was a black-uniformed woman with a taut six-pack exposed, short black hair, blood-red eyes gleaming with madness, and a spine-chillingly beautiful smile. A chill wracked my body, just like my first encounter with Dantalian.
Flutter! Flutter!
Whoooosh— Crack!
Shatter!
Urgh! One flap shatters the window and shakes the room with wind pressure?!
“Greetings, contractor of Dantalian. Finally, we meet~♥”
“You... don't tell me...”
“Hehehe. Nice to meet you. But I bet you know all about me. Considering how Dantalian and the others flailed to hide you~♥”
“666 demons... Rank 38. Demon of War, Halphas...”
“Yes! Exactly! Hehehe~♥ I meant to come with my apostle, but I couldn't wait to see you, so I flew ahead. New wind of change?”
This psycho!
I knew a demon would show soon, but I never imagined it'd descend to the mortal plane and fly straight to me—less than a day after Dantalian's warning!
“Now that we've met, why not contract with me? I flew here personally to welcome you.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Impossible. Because... I'll break you mercilessly and make you my apostle anyway~♥”
This psycho!
Demons were all arrogant pushovers by nature. Contracting with this war maniac would obviously turn me into a battle-obsessed lunatic. No way in hell—not even over my dead body!
“Then I'll torture you to the brink of death until you agree. You're special, after all~♥ So I'll be extra careful not to kill you!”
“Hey, you crazy bitch! Why the hell would I—”
“Boss. Didn't I tell you to sleep early at night?”
!!!
“Vanessa?!”
A voice halted the mad demon slowly gripping my throat with a lewd grin. Vanessa had slipped beside me, cigar in mouth, casually extinguishing it on Halphas's hem before speaking again.
“Boss. Worrying won't change a thing. Go to sleep. I'll handle this uninvited guest.”
“Huh? V-Vanessa? What are you—”
“Ha! Haha... Kyahahaha! This is priceless! Never dreamed you'd be here! And Vanessa? Pfft~♥ Since when did you start using such a childish name?”
...
“Oh! You haven't told your Dantalian contractor who you really are? Then allow me!”
“Shut it!”
Whoooosh!
With Vanessa's shout, everything froze. Wind from the broken window halted, fluttering curtains stilled, even falling glass shards hung midair. Time itself seemed stopped.
Halphas and I gaped at the bizarre scene.
“What the hell? Vanessa, this is...”
“Heh?! Hehe... Stopping time with sheer presence... Incredible. Even weakened, you're absurd. The former lord of all Hell, Rank 2. Ruler of Time, Baal.”
...
What?! Rank 2?! Former lord of Hell?!
Vanessa was a bigger deal than I'd ever imagined—a titan among titans! Now it clicked: why Dantalian insisted on this mansion, why Big Daddy cowered before her, why other elves trembled at her sight.
The fallen morning star, Lucifer, had toppled Hell and claimed lordship anew. But eons before, the one who'd reigned over Hell...
Baal.