I, Bel Baal, was born between my respected Papa, Gustav Baal, and my beloved Mama, Eliza Baal. Papa is apparently the leader of the most powerful demons in the Underworld, and as his daughter, I lived a life of complete comfort. Of course, I had never left my mansion since I was born, so if you asked me if that was considered a hardship in general, I’d be a little perplexed. Still, I was content with my life in the mansion and received more than enough love from Papa and Mama. Yes. I truly didn’t feel any hardship, and I loved Papa and Mama.
As I grew older and reached the age of play, Papa assigned a butler named Sebastian Del as my tutor. However, even when studying or exercising, all of it was conducted through walls or via familiar maids relaying messages. I thought this was quite inefficient.
“Papa, this is so inefficient. If I have a capable tutor, I want to learn directly from them!”
“What! Hmm, Papa is deeply moved by Bell’s kindness… But, but my dear Bell. It is far too dangerous for you, who are too precious, to meet men. Men are wolves, yes, all men are wolves, no matter how gentle they seem! This will be on the next test, so engrave it in your mind. Or rather, never forget it.”
“I understand. So Papa was a wolf.”
“Papa is an exception; rather, Papa is an exception.”
Papa sometimes says things that make no sense. I wonder if he’s taken a liking to that phrase? Several years later, my tutor, the butler, finally showed himself. …Though for some reason, he kept his distance.
“If you lay a hand on my daughter, you understand, don’t you? You won’t be let off with mere torture by dismemberment, ohn?”
“Dismemberment and torture!? H-ha, no, anything—”
At a distance where Papa’s nose could almost touch his, Papa said something to him, but I couldn’t quite hear it at the time. If I could control windmagic more skillfully, perhaps I could have heard it.
After that, I didn’t take long to learn about Sebastian’s perverted nature. Nevertheless, Sebastian was an excellent butler, and there were many things I could learn from him. Among them, my favorites were his diverse kicking techniques and his versatile wind magic. As someone short in stature, martial arts involving fists lacked reach. This fighting style was what I encountered to compensate for that. I received instruction from Sebastian and thoroughly built my foundation. I had learned that in the demon world, power was everything, and I wanted to be useful to Papa and Mama someday.
“Gnh… kick me harder, with real intent!”
I kicked Sebastian, who was diligently defending himself. To be clear, this was sparring. This guy could guard against my attacks, but he’d deliberately get hit, which often led the maids watching from a distance to misunderstand and think something strange was happening. Since it wasn’t good practice for my techniques, I resented Sebastian for not being serious just this once.
“Come on, more! Even stronger!”
“These— Trash!”
“Those words are my sustenance!”
Sebastian is a true pervert. If I kicked him a little harder, he’d teach me anything, and I might have thought of Sebastian, the pervert, as useful rather than disliking him. If asked whether I liked or disliked him, I’d say he’s creepy. In fact, Sebastian was often sent flying by Papa.
If my skill is second only to Papa now, I feel dizzy thinking about whether this organization will be alright. It seems I really have to do something. I want to grow up quickly and fight alongside Papa on the battlefield. It was precisely because I had such strong aspirations that I never missed my morning milk. It might not be having much of an effect now, but someday, surely.
The incident occurred several more years after that. My height? Die, it didn’t grow. It wasn’t that my body underwent dramatic growth, but rather that people who interfered with Papa’s advance appeared. According to Sebastian’s story, they were a group of five, apparently heroes from the surface. Each of them was as strong as an executive of the army, and he said that particularly the white-haired swordswoman, presumed to be their leader, was on a completely different level.
“I have been granted the mission to subjugate them by Gustav-sama. I will be absent for a while.”
“Hurry up and defeat them. They’re just some nobodies, surely not Sebastian’s match?”
“I am honored by your praise. However, if you could intersperse a bit more abuse, it would add to my motivation for the mission.”
“Die.”
“Thank you.”
With his usual outwardly pleasant smile, Sebastian departed to subjugate the heroes.
And he never returned. All that came back as mementos was his blood-stained butler uniform. To actually die, how much of a masochist can one be. …Tch.
I understand. Papa is the Demon King, and heroes are the beings who will likely defeat him. While Papa remains unchanged in front of me, I’ve heard that he’s called a tyrant outside. From the perspective of a demon who is honest with their desires, the Demon King is a noble leader. However, the Demon King will destroy the world. That is why the heroes will defeat the Demon King before that happens. If I search through past literature, there is no record of the Demon King ever defeating a hero. Papa, probably too—
The heroes’ invasion was terrifyingly swift. They rapidly conquered only key points, prioritizing the defeat of the generals leading the army. By doing so, the command of the Demon Lord’s Army was severely crippled, and in the end, the whereabouts of the heroes, who were a small, elite force, were lost. As this was repeated in short intervals, the heroes had already reached the Demon Lord’s Castle.
“Serge, it’s a hidden room. No, well, a hidden mansion, perhaps?”
“Let’s be careful. We don’t know what kind of traps there might be.”
“W-Wow, it’s a spacious place. And clean.”
“Serge, please don’t rashly reveal yourself.”
…They are truly fast. This is the place Papa boasted was the safest. I wonder what kind of strength and luck these heroes are blessed with.
“Huh? A girl?”
Currently, with the power of the ‘Disguise Hair Accessory,’ my horns and wings are gone, making me appear as nothing more than a human girl. Papa had said that if I didn’t move strangely, the heroes wouldn’t attack either.
“Was she captured by the Demon King? Serge, should we protect her?”
“Hmm, but we’re about to fight the Demon King, aren’t we? Isn’t it dangerous?”
“…However, leaving her here is dangerous.”
“Then this gentleman shall protect her! There’s nothing to worry about. I swear on my name as the Silver Bow— Gufa!?”
“Solondir!?”
I shouldn’t have. I kicked the elf straight in the face, as I usually do. No, it couldn’t be helped. This elf gave off a somewhat wicked aura. Different from Sebastian, a certain, well, sexual one. I twisted my body and kicked again.
“Dofa…! Gg… T-This girl is no ordinary person…!”
“It’s your fault for being a lolicon, Solondir. Perverts, stay away!”
“Shut up, you repressed pervert! What’s wrong with wooing a beautiful girl!”
“Going overboard is also a crime, you know? Should I report you later?”
“With that cute face, are you an oni, you, Phillip…?”
My intuition was correct after all. I should have added another kick.
“I’m sorry for surprising you, my friend. I, your older sister, will take responsibility for rescuing you.”
The white-haired girl began to stroke my head. …Um, by age, I should be older, so why is she patting me? But that was the problem. The hero’s hand happened to touch my hair accessory, and it loosened, falling off.
“Huh? Um… Are you, by any chance, a demon?”
“Tch!”
How foolish. To have my true identity revealed in such a ridiculous way. I immediately assumed a combat stance and unleashed a kick towards the girl.
“Whoa.”
“Serge!?”
The onlookers were surprised by my sudden attack, but Serge, or whoever that hero was, dodged it with a simple movement.
“Ah, it’s okay, don’t worry. You too. I’m not an enemy—”
“—What are you doing to my daughter—!”
Papa, his face contorted with an anger I’d never seen before, burst in, destroying the ceiling. My memories after that are hazy. I only have fragmented recollections, like a sword seemed to increase in number. I’m sure it was because my strength was insufficient. I don’t know what caused me to die.
And when I realized it, I was in a startlingly white space.
“I shall grant you a new light. …Do you believe in God?”
Frankly, I thought the silver-haired woman who said that upon meeting me had lost her mind. Perhaps it was because I’m a demon, but gods seem suspicious, and above all, they are enemies of demons. Moreover, it was the first time I had ever met someone who spoke such nonsensical words with such clear pupils. However, I couldn’t possibly show my thoughts. That was because she was someone I absolutely couldn’t defeat.
“Please don’t be so wary. I am your ally.”
Not to the silver-haired woman, but to something terrifyingly different lurking within her, my intuition told me not to fight.
“Would you please cooperate with me?”
The woman posed her request in a divine voice that seemed to compel anyone to obey unconditionally. When I heard her purpose, it was to revive the true God and purify the world. It was beyond suspicious; it was at a level where I suspected her sanity. However, the woman exuded an inexplicable aura that suggested she could achieve it. Annoyingly, my intuition clearly told me that she could. But, purifying the world—
“Of course, I shall pay you for your cooperation. Please name your price.”
“…Anything?”
“Yes, anything.”
I wondered if this woman, who spoke those words without hesitation, was genuine or a top-class con artist. However, as someone who had already died once, I didn’t need to worry about it.
“Then, I want to protect my hometown. From anyone, and from world purification.”
“…Hehehe. I see. Understood. Then, as a first step, I must retrieve your hometown. The Grellverelka Empire, which once held glory, is now like a candle in the wind.”
“Wait, what did you just—”
“Do not worry. If you fulfill your oath, I will certainly keep my promise. Now then, you will be assigned various tasks. First, I shall bestow power upon you. With these ‘Ten Fingers of God’ entrusted to me by Elearis-sama, I shall grant special blessings to transmigrators who seek to make this world a better one.”
The silver-haired woman placed her hand on my head. Huh? Suddenly feeling sleepy…?
“Ah, I just realized I haven’t introduced myself. I am Iris Delamillius, a Shrine Maiden serving Elearis-sama. Everyone else calls me a Proxy, so please call me that. I look forward to working with you. One who severs the sins of her kin who became the Demon King, the Judge.”
As the Proxy stroked my head, my consciousness sank into the abyss of darkness.
