Hope Tree Orphanage (1)
The Esreda Empire boasted the largest territory on the continent. Far from the heart of this vast empire, in the northeast, lay a small village adjacent to a place called the Dragon's Ridge Mountains—named as if a long, massive dragon had rampaged at whim.
Dragonfoot Village. It got its name because turning your head showed the mountains right there beside it, like a side profile. A mid-sized village with an average population hovering around four hundred. Unlike the gateway city at the mountain entrance, swarming with travelers crossing the range, or the large village at the exit, its location was awkwardly in-between.
Despite its age, the village neither grew nor declined dramatically, scraping by while clinging to its modest size. In short, it was just another backwater rural spot with nothing to brag about.
Thanks to the lord residing in the gateway city who managed this village and her domain with iron precision, the roads were safe for travelers. The natural scenery was quite beautiful too, earning universal praise from passersby—a silver lining, if you could call it that.
There were local products, but no standout specialties. The village's main income came from providing essentials and lodging to those entering or exiting the mountains, fleecing them for every coin they had.
'Ever since my orphanage opened, they've been profiting nicely, but it's still tough shaking off that rural vibe.'
My Hope Tree Orphanage sat in the forest adjacent to the village.
'Clean air, pure water, no monsters nearby, close enough to the family estate if they ever visit. Good spot to see Master too. Perfect conditions. I got lucky with this spot.'
I was at a small lakeside near the orphanage. It was a cloudless, perfect day, so I'd brought the kids out. We'd spread blankets by the shore, told them to play freely, and now I lounged in the shade a short distance away, watching lazily.
"—Chloe! Look! I caught a frog!"
"H-Hieeek! Why are you shoving it in my face?!"
"Gotta do it like this to get you off that book! We're outside—move around! Hehehe!"
Camella charged with a thumb-sized frog, rubbing it right toward her face. Chloe, who'd been quietly reading in a corner, yelped and bolted, fleeing from the assault.
"Hey, what're you doing! Let's fight with these today! Here, I grabbed one for you too!"
"…Fight with these twigs? Didn't it cross your mind they're even lamer than brawling? Might as well ask that fisherman way over—"
"Hey now, getting all wordy like usual. Scared?"
"…Scaaaared? Haha, cocky as ever today, huh? Fine, gimme that!"
"Loser takes three hits to the head first!"
Epia and Serelda clumsily mimicked swordsmen with scavenged twigs. Today's brawl seemed more like play than their usual life-or-death grudge matches—though those two always approached fights with that intensity.
Gia, sitting in the middle keeping an easy eye on everyone, wasn't stopping the twig duel, so that confirmed it.
"…They've grown so much. Even Gia."
I reminisced watching Gia wave at some fishermen from the distant village.
Three years already? Time flies.
The ailing old emperor, bedridden for years, finally succumbed and abdicated. Right on cue, the Second Prince—who'd booted his elder brother's rear to claim the crown prince spot—ascended as the new emperor. But a young ruler struggled to calm the ensuing chaos.
Then, without warning, the Demon King's army struck the empire first. Even with my devouring of the game's developer notes, I'd never foreseen this sudden declaration of war and blitz invasion.
The war with the Demon King, meant to spark the empire's downfall far in the future, had erupted prematurely.
The frontlines near the demon realm were ravaged by hordes of demons. As the empire and my sanity crumbled, an offer came to join the hero party—I, who'd ditched my family early to roam as a top-tier adventurer.
Shortly after war broke out, the gods' chosen hero assembled her party: swordsman, priestess, mage, archer. A classic five-man lineup. With the world going to hell already, I jumped in without hesitation, despite no memory of her.
A women-only squad, including me. Each one a certified nutcase (hero party material). If they shared anything, it was that each was unhinged in her own way—mad enough to earn the label.
That era was hands-down the busiest, toughest of my life.
Under the young emperor's secret orders, the hero party received full imperial backing and charged ahead. In just one year and nine months, the hero's sacrifice beheaded the Demon King, clinching victory.
'Stubborn fool… No need to go for mutual destruction like that.'
Determined to leave no loose ends, the hero's self-sacrifice fully eradicated the Demon King. The empire swiftly reclaimed peace.
I steeled my unease, retired, built my dream orphanage, and started gathering kids.
Gia was the first villainess at my side from the beginning.
Gia. The name I gave her. In the original story: Demon King Shapina.
The top villainess and final boss that popped into my head first upon reincarnating as a baby in this game world. Bringing her to my side meant I'd at least averted world-ending doom, if not imperial collapse.
She looked nothing like the Shapina I knew—not back then, nor fully grown now. In the game, she appeared older than me, a mature beauty wielding massive scythes and necromancy at transcendent levels, commanding hundreds of thousands of undead in a seductive dress over her pallid form, horns huge, figure killer.
…Lucky doesn't cover it. If I'd been half a year later finding her among the demons' hidden labs in the empire…
The researchers would've clocked her insane necromancy talent and shipped her straight to the demon realm for the next experiments.
Thankfully, we hit her facility first. When they answered my polite entry request with crossbows, I massacred the researchers and guards, rescuing her.
After five-plus years as a test subject, Gia hadn't lost her spirit in that hell. She was kinder and more upright than expected.
—You piled dirt and stuck twigs in it. A grave marker?
—Yes, Aren-unnie. Just a bit longer here, please.
Of the eighteen subjects there, including her, only Gia was sane-ish. The rest were beyond saving. I had to grant them mercy with my sword.
—Thank… you.
—Aah, finally…
—My child…
Even the shapeless husks wept gratefully in death. I carry them in my heart too.
—I want to pray. For those who were with me down there, who passed on.
Hearing their ends from me, Gia's first act was building grave markers and praying.
After all that, when she could've cursed the gods for abandoning her, she clasped her hands and beseeched the goddess Helmeros for their peace.
—Oh, praying with me?
—Yeah. They prayed for me even in death. They didn't deserve this end.
—…Thank you. For treating them as people.
Truly, unnie, you're a good person.
Good person… She said that to me, but I owed her those words. She proved my dream wasn't wrong.
'What the hell happened to turn this sweet girl into that mad Demon King?'
Glancing up, Gia smiled brightly and waved.
The game's main story unfolded on a ruined continent post-empire fall, other nations crumbling. Fitting the epic scale, it starred the era's top talent as the hero in a roguelike loop: die, regress, grow stronger against monsters and bosses to restore peace.
At start, Gia was already a mature Demon King basing from the fallen empire, invading neighbors. The story and notes never detailed her demon realm ordeals, her rise, or invasion motives.
Back then, playing: 'Final boss? No need for deep lore. Hot looks, killer body, fun patterns—good enough.'
'How was I to know I'd reincarnate here?'
Now supporting that final boss's childhood: 'Damn, just a bit more backstory, you trash game;;'
Tch. Reality.
'Well, should be fine. Killed every researcher at that lab clean, no escapes.'
Relaxing a bit, watching the kids—the twig fighters reached a conclusion.
—Thwack!
"—Done! That's three! I win today!"
"No fair! Last one was cheating!"
"Who said no fists?!"
"Y-You sneaky devil spawn! Fine, if that's how—"
Serelda, punched in the gut then head-whacked with the twig, raged at defeat. She hurled her stick far, then bull-rushed Epia's chest with a gleeful cackle.
"—Urk!?"
"—Gah?!"
Off-guard Epia flew back from the charge. Unlucky—right at the lake's edge.
Serelda tumbled forward too. Both splashed in amiably.
"Huh, unnie, the dummies fell—whoa?!"
Gia startled. Camella, who'd ditched clinging to Chloe to play solo, pointed at the plunge just as—
I sprang up, sprinting to my precious duo.
— Splash!
— Thud, pat, pat, pat.
"Hey, you little terrors, got anything to say?"
One in each hand, I hauled the soggy treasures out. The bedraggled pair glared daggers.
"Her fault!"
"Not mine!"
Before growls escalated, I preempted: shook their hands to bonk heads. They whimpered, deflating.
Gia hurried over, worried. Camella's eyes sparkled too—scooping unsuspecting Chloe, she scampered to me expectantly.
"Director's so fast! Always amazing! Can I drop Chloe and jump in too?"
"Why drag innocent me in?!"
"Water play's fun!"
"Go alone… put me down…"
Chloe flailed limply. I sighed.
"Enough, you repeat offenders."
"Aww, bummer."
"Bummer yourself. Time to head back. You kids'll catch colds staying wet—even if I won't."
Shaking the drenchlings for emphasis, Camella nodded, plopped Chloe, and stuck to my heels.
"Let's go, Gia."
"Yes. Up you get, Chloe. Kids, wash up then snacks."
Snack mention lit greedy eyes. Say what you will—still kids at heart.