The End of the Third Trial
"Hmmm..."
In Perloché's trembling vision, as she huddled on the ground shaking, the Demon God appeared, radiating a ferocious black light.
"So, how does it feel?"
The Demon God, who had been glaring at Perloché just like that, soon tossed out the question in a cold voice.
"Your impressions after deceiving everyone to get this far?"
"Wh-who are you...?"
"...Ha."
As Perloché played dumb, the Demon God let out a hollow laugh.
"You can't hide in your subconscious forever..."
After that, the Demon God slowly approached Perloché, about to continue speaking.
"Ah, Frey."
".....!"
Serena's eyes widened as she looked toward the entrance and spoke, causing Perloché to flinch in shock, her body trembling.
"...A Demon God who's such a coward?"
Serena shot her a sidelong glance and sneered from behind her fan.
"Waiting for Frey to leave before scurrying out, or putting on that terrified face."
"......"
"Well, considering a divine being got beaten half to death by a mortal... it must be humiliating..."
"...Quiet."
The Demon God, who had flinched, declared in an icy voice.
"".....!""
At that moment, the girls' mouths snapped shut.
- BOOM!! -
- WHOOSH!!
At the same time, Clana's solar beam and Irina's fireball flew in.
However,
"Enough."
The Demon God dispelled the attacks with just a low mutter.
- Zzzzt...Zzzzt...!
She conjured a massive screen in the air and began manipulating something complex.
"...So, why are you here?"
After a long while, once the silence spell lifted somewhat, Serena asked the Demon God again.
"You used tricks to uncover the truth, so I came to exercise my rightful authority."
"...Rightful authority?"
"Well, truth be told, my energy finally gathered, so I came to do what I had to."
Irritated by the question, the Demon God sighed softly and continued.
"From now on, you can't tell anyone the identity of the 'System Bearer'."
As the girls frowned, the Demon God smirked and went on.
"No, not just you all—everyone's the same. Anyone who gave the System Bearer a 'penalty' can't reveal the truth to those who didn't."
Serena's lips twitched upward ever so slightly at those words, but it returned to normal in an instant.
".....?"
The Demon God eyed her suspiciously, then smiled again and continued.
"Well, it works out for you too, doesn't it? No risk of accidentally spilling Frey's secret to others..."
"...In exchange, we can't reveal the Demon King's identity either."
The Demon God smirked at Serena's calm remark.
"Pfft... See? Fair, right? Applies equally to the hero or the Demon King, doesn't it?"
"...Why bother showing up personally to tell us this?"
At that, the Demon God grinned brightly.
"I'm hungry."
"...Pardon?"
"Creating new rules drained too much of my divinity... So, I came to feast on the intense guilt you're radiating right now."
"......"
"Of course, that irritation you just felt too."
With a satisfied smile, she answered, then muttered to herself while fiddling with complex formulas for a while.
"Oh, by the way?"
Soon, she spoke with a eerie expression.
"Even if Frey somehow wins... he has no hope."
The girls' faces froze at her words.
"Wh-what do you mean...?"
Kania asked in a trembling voice amid the stunned girls.
"Kania, the one black mage I can't control as a subordinate..."
The Demon God whispered with an alluring smile.
"Won't you join me? I'll give you power and authority beyond the Demon King."
"Shut up! Explain what you just said!"
But Kania raised her voice with blazing eyes.
"Why doesn't temptation work on her... She's a black mage with terribly low mental strength..."
Licking her lips regretfully as she watched, the Demon God soon smirked faintly.
"You all saw it, right? Frey wishing for 'annihilation'."
Everyone, including Kania, froze solid.
"Frey already wasted his wish on my foolish sister... So, if he perishes with the Demon King this loop, it's over."
""......!!!""
"Frey must have known that too... but didn't tell you, huh?"
"Th-that..."
"Well, a naive fool like him probably fabricated evidence and made excuses. But he has no more chances. It's fixed by the world's laws."
Watching the girls pale, the Demon God murmured.
"Ah... bliss."
She soon wore an ecstatic expression.
"What makes 'happiness' and 'love' so tasty to Sis? These emotions are the best energy source."
True to her word, the Demon God was eagerly sucking in the auras around the girls.
"Mmm, good. Settings changed..."
Continuing to absorb emotional energy, she glanced at her screen and muttered.
"First, apply to those who know Frey's identity...?"
She deliberately raised her voice while sneaking glances at the girls.
"Good. Kania. Irina. Clana. Applied."
As the named girls flinched, she savored more energy with a smack of her lips.
"Now... our cute Ruby..."
Flipping the screen with unusual glee, the Demon God soon tilted her head.
"..........Huh?"
"Wh-what?"
Her face turned flustered as she muttered.
"Th-there's a penalty, but... why no object value?"
Frowning at the unexpected snag, she grumbled.
"Damn, why make creations so complicated... Can't apply the rule like this...? Or maybe just a glitch..."
"Fr-Frey!?"
Suddenly, Serena gasped, looking behind her. The Demon God turned with a cold expression.
"Playful child, don't think I'll overlook you forever."
"Ah..."
"You know how the moon shines, smart as you are? Think night is always safe?"
"......."
"Right. I'll ramp up surveillance several times over. Wriggle in fear of getting caught anytime. The more you do..."
Serena's face hardened at the words, and the Demon God sneered smugly.
But then,
"I am..."
She stopped, eyes widening.
"Ah, ahh?"
Distinct star mana emanated from behind her.
"Frey... you really came!"
Serena cried out joyfully at the same time.
"H-hii..."
The Demon God, still flinching,
- Poof...!
Turned into black smoke and vanished in an instant.
""...........""
A long silence filled the room.
......
"...Ha."
Serena sighed, her expression shifting as she eyed the black smoke the Demon God left behind.
"If she has any shame, she won't show up again."
In her view was the orb Frey had gifted her for his birthday, made of star mana.
"...Trying to absorb energy from anywhere."
It was Serena's ingenuity shining—rolling the orb toward the entrance while the Demon God was distracted.
"Anyway, quite the haul."
Carefully picking up the still-spinning orb and tucking it away preciously, Serena thought with satisfaction.
'First... the subjugation magic I placed last time dodges the penalty, so no issue with the plan...'
'From the Demon God's reaction, maybe even the identity of that 'one coincidence'...'
"Y-Young Master... is fated to die...?"
".....?"
Serena tilted her head at Kania's dazed voice.
"I thought you'd be relieved knowing about the Sun God's wish rights..."
"N-no. That can't happen."
"Frey..."
Kania, Irina, and Clana had fallen into despair upon hearing the Demon God.
"Why are they acting like this...?"
Serena puzzled over their odd behavior.
"Ah."
She frowned.
'They believed the Demon God.'
'But the Demon God knows surprisingly little.'
Serena had already grasped her weakness.
Since her brain battle with Ruby, she'd used absolute subjugation magic without confirming her identity, plotting something.
Had the Demon God known, she'd have accounted for it in the new rule—but she only restricted penalties.
'Well, it happened at night, so she wouldn't know...'
She also didn't know about the DLC.
She'd been genuinely flustered by the sudden 'one coincidence' orb incident.
And she was oblivious to the new wish right from former hero Hanbyeol's intervention—something Serena knew from reading the full prophecy book.
"Everyone, I have something to say..."
Thinking that, Serena smiled to reassure them, but
"....."
Her face turned cold as she shut her mouth.
'Explaining now risks the Demon God noticing.'
The Demon God had threatened intensified surveillance.
Mentioning the moon reflecting sunlight suggested she might monitor nights too.
So...
'Hold off sharing info until a safe way is found.'
With that, Serena smiled softly at the girls staring at her.
"There is definitely hope."
"...Yes?"
"So, don't worry too much."
As Serena finished, silence fell briefly.
"R-right... there is hope... there must be..."
"Y-yeah. I'll do my best too..."
"I'll wield my power to the fullest to find a way..."
The girls regained composure, murmuring in trembling voices.
'...How do I explain this?'
Serena clutched her aching head, planning ahead, but
"...Th-then, I'll head out first."
Irina bolted for the exit with wild eyes, snapping Serena alert instinctively.
"Irina, where are you in reality?"
"...Frey's dorm."
Irina answered calmly.
"So, when you wake... what will you do?"
"Ask Frey... and if it's true..."
Her face paling, Irina said,
"...Before it's too late, I'll offer myself to him."
She dashed out before anyone could stop her.
"W-wait...!"
"Wait!!"
Kania and Clana, eyes crazed, lunged after but bounced back.
"...Tch."
Serena ground her teeth watching.
"...Yawn."
She blankly stared at Perloché rubbing her eyes and standing.
"Mm! As expected, that was a dream!"
"You were urgently shouting something while watching the video with Frey earlier..."
Serena cautiously asked.
"Huh? Uh? A scary ghost appeared, so I kept my eyes shut till it vanished, but I'm still dreaming? Ghost gone, place the same..."
".......Ha."
Serena sighed at Perloché's nonsense.
"...I can't be fooled, Perloché."
Whispering softly in her ear, she headed for the exit.
"Fooled by what, Serena...? Don't leave me alone! Kyaa!"
As Serena vanished urgently, Perloché tilted her head dumbly before following.
- Zzzzt...
At that moment, the judgment chamber flooded with light.
Thus, the third trial truly ended.
......
"Mm..."
I slowly open my eyes.
Hopefully, nothing else starts?
No more trials, traps, or new variables. I'm done.
Finishing the third main quest brought the longest trial ever—I'm exhausted.
Now, time to rest and prep for second year.
"...Oh."
Opening my eyes fully, relief—my dorm.
Moon and stars outside mean it's night.
"Phew..."
That means the major second-semester events are finally over.
Time to catch my breath.
".....?"
Glancing aside, Irina and Kania are slumped over my bed, heads bowed.
Magic formulas and scrolls packed around them.
Looks like efforts to intervene in my trial.
"...Ha."
How could I hate them after this?
No matter how I think, the 'judgment' was too ea—
"Fr-Frey!"
"Whoa, you scared me."
Irina suddenly jerked up, staring like I'd seen a ghost.
What? Problem?
"S-so... at the end, you perish with the Demon King, right?"
"Huh? Uh, yeah..."
Perplexed, I nodded at her question.
"Th-then... what happens after...?"
She asked again, so I scratched my head.
"Didn't Kania tell you? She knows everything."
"S-so it's true... you just die?"
".....?"
Something's off. What is Irina saying?
"N-no? I don't die?"
"....."
I frowned deeply at the nonsense, but Irina's expression was dire.
"Uh... what was it, I don't die. You saw, right? Me in the trial wishing to the Sun God."
"Fr...ey..."
I explained seriously, but Irina started sniffling.
"You saw it, so you know? I have one Sun God wish right. At the end, ask to revive me. No problem..."
Whatever it was, I needed to keep talking, but then
"I... love you..."
"...Gah."
Irina suddenly climbed on top of me.
"I love you... idiot."
"I-Irina?"
"...Sorry, being reckless."
But then,
"B-but... more..."
".....?"
"Before it's too late..."
She burrowed into my arms, trying to say something.
"Meow!!"
"Ow, ouch...!"
A cat dashed in and bit her ankle.
"Hiss!!"
"Gugu!!"
"...Tweet."
Startled upright, she was dragged off by an owl, pigeon, and canary flying in from the window.
"W-wait...!"
".............?"
I have no idea what's happening.
But for this break, I just want some peace.