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“…I swear, every single one of them is a complete moron.”

After everyone departed via the teleporter, I changed out of my ceremonial attire and into my usual frilly black dress adorned with a rose corsage. Back in the Japanese-style room, I muttered my frustrations to no one in particular, the emotions having brewed in my heart for far too long as I idly swung my feet from the chair.

“Responsibility and obligations are one thing, but what’s the point of any of it if they end up dead? It’s game over, plain and simple. That’s why I can’t stomach this self-sacrificing nonsense. What’s the point of preserving life if they treat it like some cheap bargaining chip?”

I could never comprehend the willingness to forfeit one’s life. And above all, I couldn’t fathom what kind of twisted plans were brewing in Devta’s mind. The source of the «Void Mist» phenomenon was undoubtedly his headquarters—the «Azure God’s Tower» or whatever Kagerou called it—right in the heart of this continent. The culprit could only be him.

It was incomprehensible why he even bothered to give me the ‘permit’ if his ultimate goal was to trigger the countdown to the world’s destruction. I had no intention of taking the bait. Who knew what kind of traps he had laid there? Maybe that’s exactly why he started all this—to take them hostage. He was likely sending a message: ‘Act quickly, or the world you know and everyone in it will be destroyed.’

I don’t know about him, but he clearly wasted his brain cells crafting such a worthless plan. How long does he think I’ve even been in this world? It hasn’t even been a year. I’m not so attached to this place that I’d go above and beyond for it. If I determine it’s beyond saving, I’ll simply set my sights on another world.

“Well, that’s humanity for you—weak creatures. That’s why their societies revolve around collective systems to compensate for their shortcomings. They create regulations and morals to hold everything together, and with them come restrictions and sacrifices.”

I couldn’t tell if Kagerou was sympathizing with their actions or just trying to lighten my mood. In his usual carefree tone, he made idle chatter while munching on watermelon. By the way, he was spitting the seeds into the garden, much to Tengai’s visible dismay as he stood watching from behind. Naturally, Kagerou paid him no mind.

“Hmph. They’re flawed creatures. By willingly throwing themselves off the metaphorical bridge, they’ve completely warped the concept of self-preservation. You’re absolutely right, Princess—humans truly are the pinnacle of stupidity,” Tengai remarked, shelving his irritation with Kagerou for the moment.

Well, that was a monster’s perspective for you. They lived independently, by their own rules. To them, life and death were personal choices, and the ambiguity and complexity of human society seemed utterly warped.

“Personally, it’s the sheer variety in their nature that makes humans so entertaining to observe,” Kagerou said cheerfully as he sprinkled salt on the watermelon halves resting on a wooden board.

“Hmm, that’s a fair point. But still, almost everyone I know is staying behind on the surface, while the ones we’re saving are complete strangers. How should I put it… priorities feel completely reversed.”

Personally, I wouldn’t bat an eye if a million strangers died. I’d rather save the one person I know. But they’d make the opposite choice, prioritizing their family or friends over themselves. We’re talking about saving hundreds of thousands of people, yet the ones I’d prefer to save—King Collard, Oliana, or the Beast King—are all bound by their baseless sense of duty and obligation. It frustrates me to no end how powerless I am in this situation.

“As it stands, that lot has rejected the grace you extended to them, Princess, proving themselves to be nothing more than monkey-brained low-lives content to revel in their chosen doom. You shouldn’t concern yourself with such worthless fools. Besides, humans barely live a century before their frail bodies give out. Just consider that they’ve cashed in their remaining years early.”

Tengai summed up the situation in his own way. After all, to the demon race, a century was no more than the blink of an eye.

“Nah, life isn’t measured by its years, but by how fulfilling it was,” Kagerou remarked, preaching his own philosophy as he continued munching on watermelon.

“Well, I wonder if they lived fulfilling lives. Maybe trying to understand each other’s perspectives is a fool’s errand at this point,” I said, the thought feeling distant to me.

As someone whose life as a human was long disconnected from such attachments, it was all lost on me. I sighed, picked up a slice of watermelon for a change, and took a bite, but—

“!?—Ack! Cough, cough! It’s so salty! What did you do to this?!”

“What do you mean, ‘what did I do?’ It’s just salt. Haven’t you heard, My Lady? Salt enhances sweetness,” Kagerou explained casually.

“No, I haven’t! And you must have a bizarre palate because it’s nothing but salty to me! What kind of idiot sprinkles salt on something sweet?!”

“Hmm, I don’t know. It just tastes good that way. But come on, My Lady, haven’t you ever had melons topped with dry-cured ham for lunch?”

“That doesn’t count! I was eating the dry-cured ham with the melon, not the other way around!”

“…Mutual understanding really is hard to achieve,” Kagerou said with a knowing expression.

◆◇◆◇

—Alra, capital of the Amitia Republic.

For the past few days, Gald had essentially turned the guildmaster’s office, located on the third floor of the Adventurer’s Guild headquarters, into his personal quarters as he worked tirelessly through his tasks. Amidst his work, he noticed a cup of tea placed on his desk and decided it was time for a short break. His gaze shifted to its deliverer—Mia, his catkin secretary, who stood by his desk with a gentle expression.

“So, you’ve made up your mind to stay behind, huh, Mia? I know I’m not the most persuasive, but we’ve only got three, maybe four days at best before the «Void Mist»—or whatever this phenomenon is—consumes the kingdom and the entire world. We’ve already decided on who will move to Her Majesty’s sanctuary, but I’m sure we can make a priority spot for you. Even King Collard thinks you should go.”

Gald tried to sway Mia’s decision, but his efforts fell short. The exhaustion etched into his face, replacing his usual stern demeanor, only emphasized his desperation.

“You shouldn’t push so hard, Guildmaster. For starters, many of the beast tribes, demi-humans, and monsters have already taken refuge under Her Majesty’s care. Besides, I’m just a clerk without any guild rank. Showing me favoritism wouldn’t set a good precedent.”

“But—”

Gald began to argue but stopped short when Mia chuckled softly, his thick brows furrowing in confusion.

“Ah, forgive me. I just remembered Joey saying something similar, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I guess I’m not one to lecture about nepotism either.”

“What about that brat…?” Gald muttered, his tone softening.

“Since he and his partner Fiore didn’t meet the required guild rank, I was secretly asked to persuade them to take shelter as well, but—”

To qualify for the evacuation list, a person had to either be young with a B-rank or have comparable achievements. Joey was currently a C-rank adventurer, while Fiore was only a D-rank and a fourth-grade magician. Neither met the criteria, making the formal route impossible for them.

“You know what he said? —‘I’m not cowardly enough to run away over some cheap deception!’ He turned down the offer without a moment’s hesitation.”

Typical of that brat, Gald thought as a wry smile tugged at his lips.

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