A Harsh World for Men (2)
"Hey, Master."
"What is it, Slave?"
"The Archduke of Hell is like this, and all the other dukes too—why are all seven of you women?"
"Oh? You got a problem with that?"
This was one of the uncomfortable truths I'd learned after arriving in this world, chatting with the Archduke of Hell, Chang Yeom.
"Can a guy who's bedded the seven colors of women really say that?"
"Did I bed them? They jumped me."
"Who was it that could've shoved them off easy but pretended to go along meekly?"
"What was I supposed to do when they threatened suicide if I didn't? And you gave the okay too."
"Of course. Thanks to that, I nailed down my spot as the undisputed number one among the seven grand dukes. But seriously, so what if all seven are real 'women' instead of just female forms? More girls should be a good thing, right?"
That's what Chang Yeom said.
"Are you bummed there's not a single guy? Craving some bro talk but no one to confide in? Or maybe that's your thing?"
"Definitely not that, and even if there were guys, I wouldn't bother with counseling. If I need advice, talking to you gets results faster and better—why bother with anyone else?"
"Puhuhu. Trying to bait me like that? I like it. What's on your mind?"
"It's not like this is some female-dominated world, so why are all the dukes of Hell women?"
"Obviously, because all the demons classified as 'demons' from the beginning were women."
Chang Yeom dropped the red pill on this world.
"Me, Hidra, the other dukes—we were all women even back on the surface when we lived there. We were practically the Demon King's seven daughters."
"That wasn't just some story?"
"Nope."
"Then what about men?"
"Men... well, it might shock you a bit."
Chang Yeom hesitated a little on the men, but then casually mimed drawing a halo above her head and pointed skyward like it was no big deal.
"All the angels are men."
"......What."
A shocking truth that hadn't even appeared in the in-game lore—one even I, who'd achieved 100% completion, didn't know.
"To put it in terms you'd get, the goddess and all the angels are what you'd call 'netkama'."
"Can you not use niche community slang? Make it universal."
"But doesn't it hit home like this? Or should I go all dramatic like some classic game prologue?"
Chang Yeom struck a pose.
"In the beginning, there were celestials and demons. Celestials were all men, demons all women. The celestials drove the demons from the surface and sealed them underground. The goddess transformed all celestials into ideal female forms to gain faith from the mortals of the middle realm. Then, a young man from the middle realm descends to the demon world, vowing revenge..."
"Fine, the goddess being a guy—whatever. But why'd they all turn into women?"
"Guys who craved love from the opposite sex but couldn't get it from women, so they turned themselves into women... but still didn't want love from men, so they chased lilies instead—turning into ultimate deviant perverts with warped libidos?"
"......."
"That's reality. It's speculation, sure, but don't look away from it. Angels are basically just online femboys."
Was that it? Were all angels netkama?
Netkama who approached men pretending to be girls seeking "friendship," only to whip out their hidden little friends during scissoring sessions or whatever and go at it.
"Then why are they trying to wipe out humanity? What's with the apocalypse?"
"Scared of becoming lesbians?"
"What?"
"Puhuhu, you got it the second you heard. You're just denying it now 'cause you wanna pretend it's not true."
Chang Yeom conjured flames to project an image.
"A guy loved by an angel. You saw this event a lot, right?"
"Stop."
An academy male student locked in an embrace with an angel. But unlike the typical angel, its wings were pitch black, its halo twisted and warped—clearly a "fallen angel."
"Lesbian fallen angel."
"......."
"From the angels' perspective, even if they've become women, they can't shake their inner masculinity. But to abandon that masculinity and become some lowly mortal female from the surface? That's 'fall' itself."
"Ha, hahaha."
"For humans, it'd be like a beast and—"
"Got it. Stop."
There are forbidden truths in this world you should never uncover. But if you do, you have to swallow the abyss whole. And if that's the true path to salvation, you gotta ride the wave.
"Angels are all netkama. That's why they possess heroines and women. They're the types who never play male characters in RPGs—just female ones."
"If a heroine becomes the apocalypse..."
"A netkama TS guy gets a new earthly body and avatar in the heroine's flesh."
"......Gotta stop it no matter what."
Now I had even more reason to save the heroines from the apocalypse.
One of the world's secrets: Every angel's soul and gender identity is male.
Which is why, if an angel possesses a man...
It's one of two things: into fallen-female lovers, or gay from the start.
"Gaaah!"
Julius Keiar, the student council president, writhed in agony. The angel possessing his body—more precisely, Angelica's crossdressing uniform—suffered even more.
"Instructor Esta, that angel right now. Doesn't it seem like it's possessing the uniform President Julius is wearing?"
I pointed at the student council president, who wasn't moving of his own will—like he was being dragged around by the clothes themselves.
"As I mentioned, the angel that possessed Senior Angelica controlled her body too. But it's not controlling male President Julius's body, so it doesn't possess men... but it does possess women's clothes. Seems like some kind of spirit."
"A spirit, huh."
"Yeah. Probably?"
Spirits. Specters, wraiths, banshees—ethereal beings without physical form but capable of mental influence. Immune to physical damage, but mana attacks with attributes work, especially light-attribute magic, their kryptonite.
Basically mana-based lifeforms.
They can't maintain a solid body, but their souls and minds persist via mana—like gaseous lifeforms. A type of monster that uses a medium to anchor its soul to the earthly plane and survive.
What about angels? The one that possessed Angelica lost its halo and lingered as a vengeful spirit with its remaining holy power. It just happened to find and possess the Angelica uniform it'd used before.
Like a low-res thumbnail issue.
You click thinking it's Angelica, but it's some deep dark fake.
"Gaaah!"
Poor Julius, suddenly skin-to-fabric contact with the angel via skirt and stockings. My condolences.
"Instructor, shouldn't we subdue it soon? President Julius might get slammed into the floor at this rate."
> [Ah. Let's do that. All personnel, reconnaissance complete.]
At Instructor Esta's command, the faculty drew their magic rifles one by one.
> [Everyone practiced overnight, I'm sure. No one taught you, but you all drilled anyway. Show me the results.]
No sooner had Instructor Esta finished than—
Bang!
A gray orb shot from the magic rifle. Yesterday, orbs far wider than the barrel had exploded on impact, but now they were BB-pellet sized, hurtling toward the angel.
Pop!
The moment the shot hit the fabric, it shattered like glass. What had been mere cloth before the possession broke apart like a window under the faculty's non-attribute mana round.
"It's working!"
"Attack! Cover and support anyone who can't land a hit!"
"Attribute rounds aren't totally useless! Blind it and lock down its movement!"
Academy instructors, as expected.
Rat-tat-tat!
With fluid coordination, they swiftly dismantled the angel-possessed clothes.
"I'll join in."
Rydmila charged. With rabbit-like speed, she leaped high, drew a dagger from her thigh, and swung wide.
Slash!
A razor-thin gray mana flickered at the dagger's edge. Non-attribute mana for a split second right before the cut, shifting green immediately after—but the wing was severed all the same.
"I'll catch it!"
Evangeline, in her lady cosplay, pulled out a new bear doll.
"[Grizzly]!!"
Gray fur—fitting, I guess. The giant bear doll snatched the flying Julius student council president midair.
"Can't damage angels directly, but I can pin 'em physically for a bit...!!"
No damage, but physical force applies. Just grapple to immobilize.
"Mr. Phoenix."
Unia addressed me accusingly.
"It's a reenactment, so stick with me."
"Yeah, yeah."
I supported Unia's arm as she precisely aimed her bow at President Julius.
"......No halo, though."
"Just blast the solar plexus."
"That okay?"
"Yeah. Probably. But..."
I spoiled what happens after the arrow hits. Unia fired immediately.
"Gwah! Unia!!!"
President Julius screamed as the gray arrow flew at him—but
Crack!
Metal shattering. The angel hit by Unia's arrow exploded too.
"...I ain't looking."
"Eyes covered."
A sight I couldn't show Unia or the other heroines carelessly.
"Ha, haha. Well then."
President Julius, gently lowered to the ground, scanned his body and let out a hearty laugh.
"Looks like anyone possessed by an angel—man or woman—ends up with all their clothes shredded!!"
Student Council President Julius had gone through exactly what Angelica did.
"From now on, the student council'll keep robes ready to cover anyone possessed—no shame on our watch! Hahaha!"
"President."
I pressed my hand over Unia's eyes and pointed ahead.
"Quit bragging about your big one and borrow some clothes."
"Ah, right. Can't crinkle a drake in front of a dragon."
"......."
"Knowledge gained!"
The president declared.
"No idea why, but angels don't possess men—that's proven now!"
Along with the fact that angel possession strips everyone—men and women alike.