Became the Slave of the Hell Archduke (3): Killing the Goddess
I became the slave of Chang Yeom, the exiled Blue Flame Demon Lord to this hell-underworld. Me, a former player. And her, banished here by that goddess. Our interests align perfectly.
That's why we need to cooperate—and we can help each other. Even if all my memories as a player have been stripped away. No matter what state my soul is in, my scorched flesh in the mortal world is that of Regiph Hapsderk.
It's not because Regiph is special. It's because it's a body born and raised in the mortal realm.
"Let me cut to the chase. Only I can cross over to the mortal world."
"......"
"You won't deny that, right?"
I lightly tapped my temple with my finger, and Chang Yeom let out a deep sigh before nodding.
"You already know this, but let's make it clear anyway. Even with my memories, even if you've found a path from the underworld to the surface, can you go up there alone, Master?"
"No. Impossible."
Chang Yeom admitted it readily.
"This place is sealed from above, and the barrier blocks any underworld being from passing through."
She tapped the floor lightly.
"Underworld denizens can't leave the underworld."
The moment Chang Yeom touched what looked like a magic circle barrier, the four sealed guardians' eyes flashed open, slowly stirring to life.
"Even if this passage exists, crossing from the underworld is impossible. Because..."
"It's one-way."
I pointed below the barrier, and she snapped her fingers.
Fwoosh.
It blinked across the barrier like a teleport. The reason this is possible? This isn't the actual barrier site—it's a virtual reality simulation world created by Chang Yeom.
"Once you enter the underworld, you can't exit through the way you came. It's like... a trap."
"Like a snare for catching birds."
"Exactly. No one can escape the underworld. The goddess made sure of that, with help from her four guardians."
The hole is wide open both ways, but the barrier those four guardians created ensures no one from the underworld can climb up.
'No Return. In-game, it's the system warning: [Once you enter the underworld, you can never return to the surface.]'
Anyone who enters the underworld on their own two feet can never return to the mortal realm.
"Except for one case."
"......That's going to be tough."
Chang Yeom shook her head.
"Even if I cooperate, do you think the other six 'dukes' will hand over their essences so easily?"
There's only one way.
"And after gathering those essences, you have to become the 'Demon King' and ascend."
Demon King Descent. Gather the essences—God Cores—of hell's seven dukes into one, become the king of this demon realm/underworld, and rise to the surface.
Using the method of the one being in the original story who broke through this passage to the surface: the Demon King.
"It's not impossible."
"If you're thinking of using my power to become the Demon King, that's absurd. Planning to turn the underworld into actual hell?"
"Isn't it already?"
"I mean in the sense of the Great War."
Chang Yeom firmly rejected my proposal.
"Which duke would surrender their God Core? It's their essence, their heart, their symbol."
She pointed to her chest. For a split second, my vision X-rayed her body, revealing a sphere of roaring blue flames in her heart—like a miniature sun.
"Depending on what you do, I might give you mine. But even if I do, the other six dukes are a different story."
"As for them—"
"You've already reached the conclusion."
She tapped her own temple.
"Even if they learn this world is a 'game' or you're a 'player,' they won't cooperate. You know why."
"Of course."
Telling in-game characters about the game feels like breaking the fourth wall, but anyway.
"Among hell's seven dukes, the only one recruitable as a comrade was Chang Yeom."
"That's right."
In the original, the other six dukes couldn't be recruited as companion characters.
"Use my power to defeat the other dukes? Think they'll fight them one-on-one? Well, one might out of pure rivalry..."
"But you'd have to face their 'duchies' too."
Can Chang Yeom's power alone take down the other dukes and all their minions?
"Of course, as the 'Archduke' of hell, I'm far stronger than the other dukes, but taking on the entire demon realm alone... it's a bit much."
It exists. But the aftermath is the problem.
"If you go all-out against the demon realm's inhabitants, you won't have anyone left to help as allies against the goddess's apostles later."
"Exactly. They might feel like enemies now, but long-term, they're friends who'll become allies."
In other words.
"The Heavenly Demon Great War... or something like that?"
After breaking out of the demon realm to the mortal world, the final showdown with the goddess there.
"What's the point of clearing a path for that if you wipe out all the other demons, burn the souls of their enslaved contract humans, take the Demon King's throne, and ascend alone?"
Hell has countless nobles and common demons, plus the devil contractors they've enslaved as slaves—they'll all become our strength in the distant future.
"Hell's seven dukes. In human terms, they're not just dukes—they're kings ruling seven divided kingdoms of hell. Each with their own territories and subjects."
Chang Yeom spread her arms wide and shrugged.
"Unfortunately, mine's a one-person kingdom."
"Doesn't the queen have one citizen?"
"Oh? You mean yourself? Puhuhu."
Chang Yeom giggled, tracing the seal of her blue flames carved into my neck.
"Alright, my one and only subject. As you know, I've never had anyone under me before. Not as subordinates, minions, or an organization."
Chang Yeom is like a 'one-woman army.' Lots of harsh conditions.
"It's fine."
But I came here knowing all that.
"Impossible alone, but possible together."
"Heh."
"First off, my apologies."
"Huh?"
I stepped back from Chang Yeom and bowed ninety degrees to her.
"For force-feeding you the red pill."
"......."
Red pill. Whether you know virtual YouTubers or the source material, the modern meaning is one thing.
"Why? Because you learned this world is actually a game, and I'm a character in it?"
If she'd just taken Regiph Hapsderk's soul purely, she'd have seen all of human A's memories. But she took my possessing soul instead.
"Hmm, well, it's a shock, sure."
So she saw it.
"When I saw you sitting at your computer, using the protagonist to make me your ally, fighting alongside a version of myself I never knew... I was like, 'What even is this?'"
A version of herself she couldn't even imagine.
"But luckily, it hasn't spread anywhere."
"Huh?"
"The game company's synopsis and dialogue scripts—just recited, not like the other heroines or side characters..."
"Let's drop that."
I covered Chang Yeom's mouth.
"Don't say unnecessary things..."
Lick.
"......."
"Heehee."
Chang Yeom licked my hand and pulled back.
"Was Chang Yeom in your thousandth playthrough like this?"
"...That's from another heroine's episode."
"So what? It just makes it clearer."
She shrugged playfully.
"Game or not, you've already accepted yourself as 'a person of this world,' not a player. Maybe because..."
"No status window or anything."
Fwoosh.
"......Huh?"
"Oh my. Didn't you see the status window pop up?"
"......."
A status window all too familiar to me floated before my eyes. It was the exact interface from the in-game menu I'd seen countless times—
"Trying to fool me with an illusion like this."
"Ow."
I swiped through the glowing holographic status window and pinched Chang Yeom's cheek.
"Think this prank would work?"
"Uw, what rudeness to your master?"
"If your master doubts his slave's loyalty, a little rudeness is fine, right?"
This status window.
"You think popping up a status window suddenly makes me believe this is a game?"
It was Chang Yeom's subtle test for me.
"Even if it exists, I'd chalk it up to the goddess's tricks."
"......Or the tyranny of the company that sent you here?"
"Either way, same culprits."
I declared firmly.
"In-game events? The goddess hosted them all."
For in-game external events, the one grabbing the mic yelling 'Players!' was the goddess. Or rather, someone in goddess cosplay. Or a VTuber using her 3D model avatar.
Either way.
"The goddess is the company's vanguard. So whether this is reality or a game, I conclude: crush the goddess first."
Deal with her, then decide what comes next.
"Escape this world or stay forever."
"......."
"It's also my responsibility for red-pilling you about this world."
Chang Yeom smiled faintly.
"...In that case, we should start by learning how to wield 'power' first."
Fwoosh.
"How to handle mana. And if using my power, how best to wield it. For starters..."
Blue flames wrapped around Chang Yeom in her academy uniform, and she grinned in an entirely new form.
"First things first, learn to make clothes with mana, right?"
"......."
"Even if you're from another dimension... puhuhu."
Chang Yeom pointed below my waist.
"You identify with your flesh, not your 'clothes,' right? Including underwear."
"Hm."
One thing to note.
"No need to be embarrassed."
As with most spirits, souls usually don't wear clothes by default.
"Any reason to be shy? Or is that you?"
"Puhuhu."
Chang Yeom smirked, flicking the flames coiling around her body, scattering sparks.
"Can you really not feel embarrassed seeing this?"
"Wha...!"
"Having all your memories means I know your tastes too—all of them."
The Chang Yeom before me.
"Heh."
"W-Wait a sec."
"Even as a spirit, reacting there means your instincts are plenty potent, even if your reason holds back. Puhuhu."
She smiled at me in a form unseen in the original.
"You like this stuff, huh~"
"Your tastes are pretty niche, aren't they?"
"......."
"Ah, it's standing up."
"......Master."
"Yes, slave?"
"Could you teach me how to make clothes with magic first?"