In the dimension of Hades, Reaper was enjoying one too rare moment of relaxation with a book when she suddenly felt a tremor echoing from a dimension. Her usual jadedness was replaced by a sudden panic when she identified its source as the world of Real History. She didn't even have the time to put the book away that she saw the White Rabbit appear with a grimace, her hands joined behind her back.

"That came from true history, what happened?!"

"Okaaay, I know this was a huge echo, but don't worry, I guarantee you everything is under control!"

"What did you do?"

The lagomorph defensively raised her hands. "It was just a little harmless prank. Promise me you won't get mad."

"What. Did you. Do?!"

Reaper threateningly swung her scythe in the direction of her partner, cutting apart a line in reality that made the White Rabbit yelp in fear. Both avatars knew that, as concepts, any damage was non-lethal, but it didn't mean that they enjoyed getting hurt. In fact, knowing that you would come back to suffer made things worse.

"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you what I did! …actually it will be better if you look by yourself. Check on Luka in the OG world."

"OG world?" Reaper frowned. That denomination was probably the most idiotic nickname ever used to describe it. Still, the avatar of death relented. She quickly opened a direct observation on Luka. The hero was currently in the old lab of Remina with Alice, Micaela and Tamamo, checking the remainders of the technology left by Promestein while arguing about the ethics of using her old equipment. So far, nothing looked out of order… she frowned at the White Rabbit, who invited her to continue her observation with a silent nod. Then Reaper saw it.

Her reaction was immediate. The head of the White Rabbit rolled on the floor before Reaper kicked her body in the abyss, glaring down at her partner.

"You better hope no major changes occur. Or we will both eat rabbit stew for the next thirty years."

"…Yes, I understand you. Promestein did horrible things with these machines, but so did people with weapons and magic through history. However, magic can be used to heal, and weapons help the weak even the odds against the stronger. These machines could complete these uses. And to say nothing of entertainment!"

"That's the first time I hear about it. I don't imagine how those machines can be used for entertainment, unless you enjoy seeing people getting operated on."

"You'd be surprised by what I found on some of the disks we've taken from here." Tamamo giggled. "Promestein didn't just record her experimentations, she also created some game to be played on those makinas."

"Games… wait, would they be the reason why you disappeared when we were dealing with the succubus/angel incident in San Ilia?"

Tamamo turned red-faced. Alice pinched the bridge of her nose.

"God damn it, you fox hag! Even Alma Elma gave a hand in that one! And Micaela had to go full medieval on the angels!"

"Then again, I blame Ilias for forcing them to hold back their desire. Once she disappeared, the proverbial floodgates opened." Micaela shivered. "I mean, I knew that the likes of Endiel or Valkyrie would be appreciated, but even Wormiel and Revelle?"

"And we thank you for helping us. Still, Tamamo should have been here."

The kitsune continued foraging in the piles of disks as much to look for anything unusual as to hide from the numerous reproaches thrown in her direction. Then one box with pink writing attracted her attention. It had been innocuously placed under a large pile of black boring reports, almost begging to be found. Tamamo used her tails to stabilize the pile roughly as tall as the seraph and pulled on the box. Her attempt to prevent a minor disaster proved unsuccessful, as the large piles of plastic boxes tumbled in an avalanche that buried her alive under several layers of plastique cassettes. Her arm quickly emerged from the ground, holding her prize.

"I'm okay!"

"Damn it Tamamo… you nearly buried us all! Don't accuse me of being careless after that!"

"Oh, shush you big baby. This wouldn't even have scratched one of my trainees. You do worse with Luka each night."

Micaela chuckled and grimaced a bit inwardly at the one information too many present in her sentence. Her keen eyes quickly read the cover of the box.

"Monster Girl Quest : Paradox RPG?" That's quite a strange name for an experiment."

"That's more likely to be an entertainment disc."

"Given the pink color, I imagine what kind of entertainment is on it. You better share it- aaaand the disc is already in your mouth."

Tamamo's ears and tails fluttered a bit as the kitsune chomped on the item. To Alice's surprise, she ejected it after a few seconds.

"Yep, it's definitively entertainment. However, it's not like anything we've ever dealt with. How about we get more comfortable to learn more about it?"

"Oh, you will even let us see your secret makina playing fox den?"

Tamamo sighed. "This is not a den to play… ok, I did play inside, but I originally did it to experiment and for a practical reason."

"Whatever let you sleep at night… let's bring the other knights too. They'll probably need a break in their own work anyway. Naturally, the invitation extends to you Micaela."

"I'll gladly accept it then." Micaela smiled, but there was a hint of tension in her face. "If only because I need a break myself after what happened in San Ilia. The image of Wormiel taking on all of the clergy at the same time wasn't one I needed."

"It was in a fight, right?"

"No. No, it wasn't."

"…Alright. I apologize Tamamo. It's way too big to qualify as a den. It's more of a theater."

"I wanted to reveal it later… the tanukis think that it could make for good business, and for once I agree with them."

Alice, Luka, the Heavenly Knights and the First Seraph comfortably installed themselves on several armchairs in front of a wide screen with several finger foods prepared by the cooks at their side. Alma Elma wallowed across one of them, her tail hanging from the side. Granberia warily sat herself a few seats away from the Succubus queen, making the flying obscenity pout. Alice coiled herself on a large couch potato near the front, while Erubetie placed herself behind her. Finally, Micaela ended up behind Alma Elma slightly shifted, allowing her a good sight of the screen without the succubus queen.

"Don't worry, it won't take long…" Tamamo placed the disk into a tray. A few seconds later, a white, clouded screen with the word Monster Girl Quest : Paradox RPG appeared on the screen with a small blue window and music blasting from the basses.

"Oops. Sorry about the volume. Other media don't have a music like that blasting in your ears as soon as you start."

Alice gritted her teeth after the sensory assault. "God damn it Tamamo… this better be worth it." The lamia sighed. "You better show us everything you want and not try to weasel out your way of anything you don't want us to see."

Tamamo froze for a second, a gamepad in her hands. "Alright, in that case… we'll take turns. And Luka will play first!"

"Eh? M-me?" The hero started sweating bullets, raising his hand against the gamepad as if it was a dog ready to bite. "I have no idea how to use that! I have no idea what I'll do! I'll just miss everything! And this looks incredibly fragile! Don't you have anything more… fitting for me?"

"Oh, don't worry, it's pretty simple. I'll explain you the basics, and you'll get it in no time! First, this button to act, then this one if you need to move around… press that button when you're on "New Game", since this is the only option you can choose."

"I can also select exit."

"Yes, but you don't want to exit the game, do you?"

"No… choose a difficulty setting… which one do I choose?"

"Go for normal. Given the order of organization, I don't think choosing Paradox will be a good idea."

"Do you think the fact that the difficulty named like the game is presented as harder than hell announces things to come?"

"Naaaah, don't worry about it. Also, reminder. This is a fictional story. Everything inside is fake. Nothing that happens in the game will have consequences in reality. So don't worry, and have fun!"

"We know that… why do you need to say it?"

"Oh, sorry, I had a few kitsunes back then that were worried that what appeared in the screen would come to life and bite them. As if…"

Luka: "Where am I?"

"Wait… this is me?!"

"We don't see you… but it's your name appearing." Alice massaged her chin as she got closer to the screen. "We're five seconds in, and this is already getting creepy."

"This… I admit this is weird, but it might just be a coincidence…" Tamamo nervously chuckled. "Oh, well. I don't think we'll get worse surprises down the road."

"Luka... Hero Luka..."

"Aaaand here is the ugly mug of Ilias…" Alice glared at Tamamo whose head was hanging down in shame. "And it looks quite loyal to the real deal as well."

Ilias: "Luka... A crisis is approaching the world. If you don't stop it, the world be swallowed ..."

"Let me guess, that crisis is the big bad evil Monster Lord…"

"I'll bet tomorrow's dessert that it isn't."

"Deal."

Ilias: "This rld ... Lu..."

"Huh… that reminds me a bit of the beginning of my adventure… but not quite like back then either.

"You did tell me that Ilias did appear in a dream and I didn't believe you back then. I still have difficulties believing it."

Micaela mechanically answered. "After the Dark Resurgence incident of 156, she often did intervene in dreams to motivate heroes to hunt down the Monster Lord. She didn't want the risk of another wide-scale conflicts that would lead to too many monster casualties that would allow ancient monsters to project themselves in the world again."

"Oooh… how devious of her, yet boringly unimaginative. I have better ideas of what I would do if I could get in the dreams of other people."

"She beat you to it."

Alma Elma pouted while Alice suspiciously glanced at Luka.

"Did she do it with you?"

"What?! No! Also, what are those squares? Is the game broken or something?"

"I don't think so… keep an eye out if they reappear."

"…"

"Huh. So in this story, you're searching for your disappeared father. That's different than the truth."

"Yeah… Also, I look small and weird here. I'm not sure I would be recognizable without the cape."

"Also, in this game, you somehow sleep with your cape."

"Also also… I don't want to further creep anyone out, buuut when we rebuilt the village, we did it as close to reality as possible, and Luka's room is pretty accurate."

"Yeah, I agree… wait, how do you know what my room look like Tamamo?!"

"I was simply keeping an eye on Lucifina back then."

"Really?"

"Yes! Now, can we move on?!"

Slime Girl: There's trouble! Hans the lumberjack was abducted!

"Wait… did the game said that this was a slime girl? I thought that it was at the beginning of my adventure!"

"Then move on to the stairs. We need to get to the bottom of this."

"…there's indeed a slime girl in Iliasville. And she doesn't look like the reason people are panicking. I'll go save Hans then!"

"Calm down Luka, this is just a game. You should maybe wait for the guards of the temple for support. I don't think it will punish you if you take your time."

"Nonsense! You're a hero, go save that unfortunate civilian now!"

"Strategically speaking, waiting for the Iliasville temple guards to get ready is going to be its own punishment. Just go ahead Luka."

"Oh come on, they're not that incompetent! They're just scared of monsters!"

"Luka, remind me how many came to help you against that slime girl or to check on me after I fell from the sky?"

"…touché."

"…"

"So people already know there's a colony of slimes living close-by and are trading with them? That's so cool! They're still barely making contact today!"

"I admit…the world looks a bit too close to ours to make me comfortable. But for now, it looks like the few differences are for the better."

"Yeah… are you alright Erubetie? We didn't hear a word from you. And it looks like you're melting."

"…those slime girls are too cute."

"Never mind. She's doing fine."

"Cuuuuuuuute… boomerang , boomerang ."

"…"

"And now some of them want to battle! …do I really have to beat them without Angel Halo?"

"Don't worry, it's just a game. And besides, monsters are tough! They'll slink away the moment they take too much damage, and will come back later just as fine."

"I think Erubetie is disagreeing."

"Erubetie… relax, please. Erubetie? Why are you glowing? Are you about to go nuclear on us?"

"No."

"Ah… for a moment, I was afraid… can we vent the place? I don't know if it's the makina, but it's doing unusually hot."

"Hey, I can talk to monsters! …they're still attacking me afterward however."

"That's how monsters work. Fighting is as much a way of socializing as talking is. Don't tell me you haven't noticed by now?"

"I did…" Luka did his utmost to avoid Alice's gaze.

"Good. In that case, try finishing her or heal up, because you're already about to lose against a slime."

"Oh crap, I forgot to look. Phew…"

Slime Girl: Wawawa, I'm losing... Hey, I'll squish my slime all over your penis if you'll spare me...

Luka resists her temptation!

"Awww…"

"You made the right choice. Never let temptation lead you astray."

"…Alice, are you trembling?"

"No, I'm not. And you could have accepted the option to see what it does. However, whatever you see monsters doing to you here, I will do that tenfold to you, is that clear?"

"Eeek!"

[…]

"Fish Boomerang? A fish combined with a boomerang increase its damage? How does that even work?"

"The fish increase the weight of the boomerang while its elasticity increases its kinetic energy through the centrifugal momentum."

"…I didn't think I would get a serious answer."

"Huh, there's been an earthquake. And of course, at its center… Ilias?! Why is that sorry excuse of the goddess here? I thought that she was dead! And we saw her appear when she was already supposed to be dead?! What's going on? This game isn't making sense!"

"Breath, Alice… remember what I told you during your writing lesson. You remember Seria's sword, don't you?"

"…" Tamamo swatted Alice with her fan when the Monster Lord was unable to came with an answer. "Any reveal must be set up before being properly delivered to be well-received! Also, she looks small and cute! Not as cute as me though."

Luka:"No way, you're really Ilias!? You're a lot smaller than I expected..."

Ilias:" S-small...? How insolent! I'm an almighty Goddess! You dare insult me? Taste the power of Heaven and see how puny you truly are compared to me!"

"I admit…" Alice chuckled. "She looks endearingly pathetic here. Also, she tried to smite Luka for saying that she was small."

"Promestein knew her well enough to nail her character." Micaela sighed. "She once smote a cook for putting pineapple on pizza."

"Eww. I would have done the same if I could."

"Can we not start debating cooking now please? Aaaand she's leaving while crying, of course. I don't imagine the goddess would tolerate anything than having the power to kill anyone that slighted her."

"Awww… less than ten minutes in and Luka already made a girl cry."

"I-It's not my fault! She was like that when she arrived! And I failed to recognize her in the game, but there's no way I would take her for another angel!"

"Is it because she tried to smite you?"

"Partly… wow, a pink bunny slime. It's funny, I met the first one last week. She was just as adorable as here."

"Cuuuuuuute…"

"Wow, the music is picking up… I guess that means the fight is getting serious! I'm not worried by a trio of slime girls.

[…]

starts playing.

"…Really Luka? REALLY?"

"All heroes must start somewhere. But even by the standards of your adventure, that was a pathetic display."

"It's not my fault that Flail Wildly kept missing every single time! I really did my best to beat her! Honest!"

"Statistically speaking, I think the probabilities of the game miiiight have been against Luka."

"Yeah, I mean four strikes three times with a fifty-two percent chances of hitting should have led to an average of six hits, not three! And not a single one passed when I had that bonus!"

"Well, you didn't get six strikes, so here you are… do you find her sexy?"

"No! I mean she's cute, but nothing more!"

"Really? It's not what your body is saying!"

"Five minutes break everyone, the time that Alice and Luka sort their little issue. Also, the time for me to create a proper venting system. You get out too Alma Elma!"

"Awwww…"

"And don't think I didn't see you leave some slime behind, Erubetie!"

[…]

"And we're back! Sooooo… what happens now? Luka's now the slave of the slime bunny, but we don't even get to see the aftermath."

"Well, apparently there's an option to get reincarnate or get an evaluation, whatever that means."

"If you can't even beat this slime girl, this is going to be a painful adventure... You'll want to be level 2 when challenging the Bunny Slime. To be honest, you don't have much a chance at level 1. The key to this fight is how you manage your HP. If she binds you when you're under 20 HP, there is a chance you won't make it. If you want to leave no room for luck, you'll have to heal yourself, even if it's only for 10 HP. Prioritize healing and keep attacking. Now go, oh brave Luka. Treat that rabbit like a real one and make a stew out of her."

"…her strategy sounds good, buuut I just wish that she slightly cut it down with the insults…"

"Tamamo, please, we both know she's not a tenth of the rudest that she's ever been right now. If anything, Promestein's writing her is tamer than usual."

"Good point Micaela. Also, how are we supposed to put it in application now that we're dead? I mean, technically, but you get what I mean.

"Well, we're now stuck in some sort of limbo with a grim reaper look-alike who tells us that this circle will send us back… and it actually sent us back. I'm almost surprised that whatever comes after Ilias is actually helpful…"

"Perfect then, the adventure is not over! Are you still ready to continue, Luka?"

"Yeah…" The hero was wallowed forward, his hands barely holding the controller. "I can continue fine. I won't lose again."

"Oh, boy… for the sake of your safety, we'll make the first change after you wrap that part up."

"What do you mean? He's looking perfectly fine." Alice shook the limp hero slightly. Luka was barely more than a rag doll.

"Moving on, round two!"

[…]

"Mmph. Don't tell me you will lose again. Pathetic."

"Your insult would be more credible if you were not happily wagging your tail."

"And I got her!" Luka let out a breath of relief while Alma Elma whined. "Hans is saved, let's continue… and Alice is even here! But she's somehow sealed?"

"Curious…"

Small Monster: "Uhm, hey boy. Yes, you over there. Did you see a monster that looks like a rabbit anywhere around here?"

"Awwww! You look so cute again! Why don't you do like Tamamo and stroll around with that small form more often?"

"Because the Monster Lord must be dignified. Also, because I'm pregnant and I don't want to waste energy with some lowly tricks."

"…Party pooper."

"And the reason is that I was sealed by a Rabbit?" Alice scoffed. "That's ridiculous. Nothing short of the Six Ancestors great seal can contain me. Yes, I know, it's a fictional story, so they created another ridiculously powerful being to weaken me and create drama. See? I remember your lessons."

"Good. Here. You get an extra cookie."

Luka: "Gulp, Sonya!"

Sonya: "What the hell, Luka, where have you been?! The Head Priest is sick of waiting for you!"

"…I've never seen that girl. Who's she?"

Sonya: "Umm, Luka? Did you hit your head? I'm your childhood friend Sonya!"

"…You had a childhood girlfriend?"

"No! I swear not! Alice, stop rattling your tail like that each time, it's scaring me!"

"I can confirm, I've never seen that girl either."

"Me neither. Was Promestein that desperate to add a cliché childhood friend? I bet that she's secretly in love, will act as a big sis, and will not get the boy."

"See?!"

"Mmh… very well. I would have smelled her anyway. And then I would have snapped her like a twig."

Ilias: "Luka... Hero Luka... Can you hear my voice?"

Sonya: "No way... That's the real Ilias?"

"Of course she decides to show up, drop some inane bullcrap about how the world is doomed, and disappears." Alice chuckled. "It's funny, in this story, seeing her is somehow exceptional while in this world, your story was unique because you weren't baptized." Alice grinned. "Because she couldn't endure the idea of being seen with a bruise."

Tamamo swatted Alice with her fan. "And she still beat you. After you left without telling me what you were doing. You're lucky that it was Luka and not an actual hero finding you."

"D'awww, don't be harsh Tammy… but I would have helped if you asked."

"The power of that goddess alone is enough to justify her title. To take down the Monster Lord in one strike…" Granberia shivered. "It might have ended badly for you too."

"Even my barriers were insufficient to protect myself against her. I'm afraid I would have just been more dead weight. I do not know who would have been powerful enough to stand up against her."

Everyone turned toward Micaela. The seraph reflexively answered. "By the time I understood what was that lightning bolt, it was too late."

"And would you have come if you knew?"

Micaela regretfully sighed. "No. And it's not because I'm afraid of her. It's because her death would have left no resistance against Promestein and Black Alice, allowing them to acting freely and doing maybe even worse than her."

"…Wasn't Eden still keeping an eye on them?"

"I maintain my statement."

"Wow. Harsh."

Head Priest: "Luka, it appears you've been burdened with a great destiny. You must save the world, Unblessed Hero."

"That speech does not sound absolutely familiar at all…"

"To everyone's credit, there's been nothing about slaying the Monster Lord so far."

Alma Elma leaned forward. "And besides, everyone knows that Luka is rather into laying the Monster Lord!"

A loud slapping noise echoed as a blue transparent tentacle slapped Alma Elma on the head.

"Thank you Erubetie."

"You're welcome."

Sonya: "No time to talk about it! Your house, lots of trouble! There's a pair of children fighting in there, a monster and an angel! They're beating each other up and making a mess of the place!"

"Ah. Even in this world, Alice and Ilias fight as soon as they meet. Some things don't change…"

[…]

Alice: "I'm not taking this Goddess along with us though. Her self-righteousness will be the ruin of mankind one of these days."

Ilias: "No, it is the Monster Lord whom I shall not allow to accompany us. We cannot be sure of what she schemes behind our backs."

"Wait. I can choose who accompanies me?"

"Mmh. Why would anyone ever consider taking that petty excuse of a goddess on an adventure is a question for the age, even barring me being the alternative."

"…"

Alice's tail threateningly circled around Luka. "…What? Don't tell me you're hesitating? Why?"

"It's just…" Luka shifted uncomfortably. "Back at the very beginning of our adventure, I was… not quite happy that you followed me and drained my food and me against my will."

"Ah." Alice's tail stopped its threat. "I admit I was not the most agreeable companion at the beginning of your adventure. And that I was downright rude. I should properly apologize…"

"(That's surprisingly touching from her. Did she change that much?)"

"(Wait for it.)"

"…and make it up to you this evening. It is only natural that as the Monster Lord I share my skills with you until you turn into a moaning mess."

"(Aaaand here it is.)"

"(Were all the Monster Lords that bad?)"

"(You don't know how promiscuous a Monster Lord can be until you know about the escapades of the Fourth. Trust me on this one.)"

"Actually… since it's just a game where the characters are quite loyal to how they really are, why not choose Ilias?"

"WHAT?!"

Everyone stared at Micaela as if she grew a second head. The seraph just shrugged their reaction.

"It won't have any real consequence, and we already know how Luka's adventure with Alice went. So instead, why not have Ilias accompany you? Since her powers are sealed and she's obviously not putting a facade, we'll get some insight on her character and might learn more about how she feels."

Tamamo tapped her chin with her fan. "I admit… those are very good points you make. What do you think about it?"

Luka didn't say anything, if only because he didn't want to do that choice. However, Granberia quickly made her opinion clear.

"That would be disrespecting the Monster Lord. Alice has accompanied the hero on his adventures and vice-versa. By her own admission, she might not have always been the ideal companion, but she did help you, train you and guide you."

"…Well, technically, Ilias did guide me in my dreams too."

"I maintain that this would be betraying her."

"I agree with Granberia." Erubetie's whispering voice echoed in the room. "Even in fiction, we have no reason to side with the one goddess that did her utmost to destroy us, from sowing distrust to actually launching an attack in a tantrum."

Alice smirked. "I'm glad to see that the loyalty in my Heavenly Knights is well placed."

"I think that Luka should get Ilias."

The smirk of the Monster Lord disappeared on those words as her glowing eyes locked on Alma Elma. The succubus queen was smiling innocently.

"I correct myself. Half of the Heavenly Knights are loyal to me. Is there an actual reason for why you want to side with the goddess that harbored a genocidal hatred for your race, or are you doing it just to be contrarian?"

"There's an actual reason."

"…you're not going to say it, are you?"

"Noooope!" Alma Elma giggled again. "Maybe later. Soooo, what is it going to be?"

"I propose a vote. Who wants Luka to take Ilias on the adventure? Me… Micaela… and Alma Elma. And who wants Ilias to take Alice? Alice of course… Granberia and Erubetie. Your vote still counts for one even if you copy yourself five-hundred times."

"Mmph."

"So it's three votes for Alice and three for Ilias. What's your position Luka? You do want to use that opportunity to learn more about Ilias and her motives, right?"

"Don't try to lure him your way, you damn fox. He would naturally want to side with his wife… don't you, Luka?"

Luka was completely frozen, sweating in fear while the cursor kept switching between both options.

"Come on, Luka-boy! Pick that small Goddess and show her how fun the world can be."

"Say the one whose whole race she wanted to exterminate."

"She wanted to exterminate everyone anyway… I just think that we can get some valuable insight on the matter."

"There's nothing to be gained by accepting to accompany a demanding genocidal goddess who wants to guide your every decision."

"Ok, ok, time for another break!" Luka put the controller down. "I just can't take that decision for everyone! Yes, I know that as the co-leader of a country I will have to take some harsh decisions, but whatever I choose half of people will be against it and can decide to start a fight. We need to address that first, and it's out of question to bring the whole castle in that mess. This problem gets solved by the people in this room, and that's it. I keep my vote neutral."

"(Let's hope that there won't be any decisions others like that.)"

"(I… am afraid this is going to be the first of quite a few. Also, I'm impressed that lesson stuck the first time. It took ten months for young Alice to understand that subject.)"

A somewhat childish voice echoed from behind Micaela. "I want Luka to choose Ilias!"

Everyone jumped up in surprise in fighting stances. Caught aback by their own reaction, a blond imp jumped away from her hiding spot.

"Uwa! Scaryyyy!"

Alice was aghast at the unexpected introduction of the small imp. "What are you doing here?! How did you get in?!"

"I couldn't help myself! Tamamo kept that room locked tight most of the time, I wanted to see what was inside!"

Alice glared at Tamamo. "You can no longer accuse me of being careless for the next six months."

Tamamo huffed and fanned herself. "You're just mad that she wants to choose Ilias. If she had chosen you, you would currently be grinning and saying that her vote counts. Besides, we can also blame Alma for not watching out for her kin…"

"Hey!"

"Granberia because she's responsible of the security of the castle."

The dragonkin blushed in shame.

"And each of us for failing to detect her…" Tamamo smiled. "In fact, I even think we should invite her to our little session. What do you think of it, Rami?"

"I'll do anything as long as the Monster Lord doesn't eat me with her lower mouth like the hero."

"…of course, you watched that." Alice pouted and sighed, wallowing on her potato couch on the side. "Fine. Pick that sorry excuse of a goddess. See how little I care for when she inevitably betrays you again."

Ilias: "That is wonderful to hear. Luka, you have made the correct choice."

Ilias: "My memory is all jumbled up with parts missing. It is probably a side effect of trying to stuff the soul of a Goddess into such a small container. Think of it like trying to back up a large amount of data onto a floppy disk."

Luka:"...?"

"What is she talking about?"

"Luka, make your brain a solid and don't try to understand that one."

Ilias: "He went on another journey...? Was that part of his activities with Ilias Kreuz?"

Luka: "I've never heard of any Ilias Cruise. He simply said that the "world was being covered in darkness" when he left."

[…]

Luka: "I have no reason to explain myself to you."

Ilias: "Damn you... When I get my body back, I'll roast you alive and cook marshmallows over your smoldering ashes."

"No doubt. It is Ilias."

"Oh, miss goddess isn't that bad, is she? Hey, is that Rumi on the screen? Hey Rumi!"

Ilias: "Luka, just slice her head off and be done with it. We'll bury her in the field and let her blood fertilize the strawberries."

Rami's face decomposed when she read Ilias's plan for her friend. Alma Elma sympathetically grabbed her shoulder.

"Welcome to the world of those that dealt with Ilias. It will be worse before it gets better."

"Let's see the village chief since he apparently has some stuff for me."

[…]

"So in this story, Luka got on well with his father, Lazarus didn't become a murderous terrorist, and instead of the Slaughter of Remina that divided people, they had the Great Disaster that united everyone to the point that even a slime girl can live in Iliasville, and Ilias died back then… that's a better world than ours for sure." Alice sighed… "If only there was not a small copy of her running around."

Tamamo gently swatted Alice with her fan. "Appreciate the positive. We're now at peace. Also, those Tartarus sound scary."

Sonya: "Done talking to the chief, Luka? If that's the case, let's go."

"Oooh, what a surprise, the childhood friend is joining you… now we will have a pointless love triangle between you, her and Ilias." Tamamo groaned while Alma Elma gigglef.

Nero: "...Hello, you must be Luka. My name is Nero, a simple traveler passing through."

Alice audibly snorted before everyone save for Luka exploded into laughter.

"Oh, sweet Alipheese! Look at that outfit! This is… HAHAHAHA!"

"This lacks any sort of practicality, and that weapon is definitively compensating a little something." Granberia was mockingly grinning.

"And seriously, this is the worst excuse one could come up with… hehehe" Tamamo slowly breathed in and out as her body was shaken by bouts of laughter. "You couldn't make a single effort to be more conspicuous if you tried! Seriously, who comes up with stuff like that?"

"A travelling gourmet taken for a prostitute." Luka instantly regretted his instinctive answer, but it was too late. The air had been utterly sucked out of the room. Alice's tail was once again threateningly rattling while Alma Elma sharply inhaled while cringing.

"Way to bring down the mood Luka-boy."

"I swear I didn't want to! S-sorry… hey, there's a slime girl to save!"

"…How did she end in the middle of a poisonous marsh? Wait, is there even a poisonous marsh in Iliasville in the first place?"

"Well, there was the trash deposit… but it's getting cleaned out thanks to Erubetie."

"You're welcome. May I suggest to take your time to explore the whole place? I'm sure you could find useful equipment for your adventures."

Ilias: "What are you doing helping her in the first place? She's a slime, and I absolutely will not allow you to take monsters along with us."

"Wait… I'll have actual companions to help me in fights? Actual people that will help me even if I fall in battle? That's amazing! I wish I had some people like that during my adventure to watch my back!"

"What are you talking about?" Alice sounded sincerely offended as she rose up. "I've always been with you."

Everyone stared at Alice until the Monster Lord silently conceded.

"…Point taken."

[…]

Yoma: "Ara, welcome to the Ilias Temple basement. The basement of the temple is a haven for monsters."

Ilias: "My anger has peaked. I have no words. I swear that when I remake the world, nothing will remain here but dust!"

Yoma: "Ara, it's rare to see an angel, but we don't discriminate against anyone here."

"You were right. Taking Ilias was actually a good choice." Alice was beaming in bliss. "Simply seeing that goddess seething at the sight of monsters living in her oh-so-precious temple was worth it."

"And it's not one or two monsters either, there's one of every race… there's even an angel?!"

"…Mmh. It looks like this place is used to introduce any player to the mechanics of the game." Tamamo produced a notepad. "I'll take notes, this will definitively be useful later."

"Wow, I can change jobs, and there are a lot of options… what do you think I should become?"

"First, half of them can't be accessed yet, and second, it looks like you're better with hero skills, so you should stick to them for now."

"You're right. And what about Ilias…"

"Mmmmh… she starts as a hunter, but maybe there's a more fitting job for her."

"Unemployed. Or Gadabout. It's your call."

"Do you really want her to be more of a load than she already is?"

"Gadabout!" Rami chuckled. "They often say that I'm good at it, so it's probably good for the goddess as well!"

"…Stick to hunter."

"I agree… Huh, interesting door. I wonder where it leads."

"Considering it's on the second floor, probably nowhere." Micaela raised an eyebrow. "Also, I know the guards of Iliasville are universally considered as jokes, but Promestein's pushing it a bit by having them fail to notice that giant door."

"Aaah? I smell something that won't be of use for before… seventy hours in the plot maybe?"

"Bet."

[…]

"I don't know if I like that Lazarus for looking even more pathetic that he doesn't even started Ilias Kreuz." Alice softly smiled. "I guess he had no reason to." Her expression soured. "I don't know how to feel about the fact that them dying in accidents and not by my hand has created a world of peace."

"Stop. It's not what started it." Tamamo dope-slapped Alice on her head with her fan. "The circumstances in this world are different beyond your own actions. Impulsive mistakes have been made in the past. You moved on from that to become a fine Monster Lord. Now move on."

Alice whined like a puppy.

"Now let's move on. It's too early to say that this world is indeed as fine as it presents itself."

[…]

Marie: "By the way Luka, are you familiar with battle fucking, or BF for short? Shall I explain?"

"Wait, Battle Fucking is a thing here?" Alma Elma leaned forward with a grin. "Niiiiiice, I missed that!"

"…Do I even want to know?"

"Well, I think she gave a pretty good explanation." Micaela looked straight in Tamamo's eyes. "Don't you agree?"

Tamamo mechanically nodded.

"Sooo… GAH! Alice! I didn't choose anything yet, please stop staring at me like that! You look like that murderously angry dragon girl when I visited the Gold Volcano again!"

"…remember what I said earlier? That I would do ten times what you see monsters do to you?"

"Well she's a human so she doesn't count!"

"…" Alice's tail was opening and closing, revealing purple tentacles.

"He's right you know."

Alice groaned but relented. "Fine. Whatever. Do it and move on."

"(Phew, good job Tamamo. Try thinking about a fake origin story or we may end up having to talk about its Babylonian roots.)"

"(Ewwww… thanks for reminding me.)"

"(Blame your sister, nor me.)"

"(It was Astaroth who got the idea actually, since she was pragmatic enough to notice that men still needed to reproduce with human women and... I'm better off stopping now.)"

[…]

Ilias: "Luka, hold on a moment. Earlier, while I was engaged with my heroic life-or-death struggle with the Monster Lord... I reached down her shirt and swiped an interesting object from inside. Take a look at this."

Sonya: "Thousands... What an amazing magical artifact! I can't believe she had this. Was that girl really the Monster Lord?"

"So I had a miniature castle with me? Why don't we have the same one, you damn kitsune?"

Tamamo stopped tapping her chin for a moment. "I had plans for one, but… you can craft it if you want, it will only take you a quantity of mana equal to everything that you accumulated since you were born. That, or if I drain the full population of Grand Noah…"

"I see… Luka! I need mana! Now!"

"No! Please no!"

"I'm more impressed that Ilias is just as self-serving and petty as ever…" Granberia sighed. "Her life-or-death fight would qualify as petty mugging."

"And she wants to remove Lime from the party…" Erubetie started bubbling again in anger. "That goddess must die."

"Calm down Erubetie, I'll get her back in my team! Huh… so they have an affection value, I can give them food, and past a certain threshold they give me items and I can make requests which is… I'll pass! I'll pass! Calm down Alice!"

"Mmph."

"Aww, just when this was starting to get interesting…"

"Focus. What about that Caves of Trial where the guards challenge themselves? That sounds like a slightly dangerous challenge, but this could be worth checking out…"

[…]

"Really? The trial to become a guard in Iliasville is to brave a cave filled with lowly somewhat friendly slimes, slug girls that you can avoid by briskly walking, and imps that have so much air in their head they think they can cast Omega Blaze?" Granberia sighed. "That explains why they're so weak."

"Well, there's no real threat around Iliasville. Those imps are just so much fodder, and brisk walking is enough to neutralize a slug girl."

"(I think it's better if I don't remind them I'm here.)"

[…]

"I'm not sure trying to go through the Lost Woods even if you have three companions is a good idea… you have allies, but they attack you in number too."

"You're right… oh, crap! I still end up fighting some!"

"Running away is an option."

"…"

"Luka? We repeat, running away is an option."

"Yeah, I heard you the first time… but what would have happened if, at any point during my adventure, I ran away?"

"…touché."

starts playing.

"Well, not that, that's for sure…" Alice leaned forward to see Luka cross his legs to hide his obvious shame.

Micaela groaned. "As hindsight is settling in, I should have kept an eye on the dark elves… Luka dying to one of them was a possibility that I'm now not comfortable with."

"I got it… just because I can go somewhere doesn't mean I should… I hope I get a way to direct myself afterward, this map looks huge. Let's try going to Iliasburg."

"Of course, the party camps and Ilias refuses to help… typical of the goddess."

Tamamo raised her fan in an eureka fashion. "I'll be right back! I have an idea!"

Ilias: "Lucifina... Sigh, you're dead now... Why were you so stubborn... Did you really hate me that badly?"

Luka sighed and looked down, pad still in hand. Alice didn't make any remark, instead only sympathetically placing her hand on the hero's shoulder without a word. Luka answered by looking up to her with a sad smile and gently grabbed it, holding it for a while looking in her eyes.

"Get a rooOOH?!"

"(Rami, if you don't want to go spelunking in that tail, please watch the mood.)"

Sonya: "...um, I'm going to go pick herbs."

Ilias: "Using the bathroom? Take your time."

"Watch what?"

"Never mind... also even Ilias agrees that this Sonya girl is weird."

"Well… she's teaching me techniques in your stead. I hope they'll be just as useful as the ones you taught me. At least they don't sound as gruesome." Luka nervously chuckled. "Seriously, who names their skill bloody fissure thunder thrust?"

"Well, I would thunder thrust her bloody fissure!"

A goopy noise filled the room as Erubetie swallowed Alma Elma's head.

"Did somebody hear something?"

"No."

"No. What are you talking about?"

"(I heard it, but I think I'll be better off if I say no.)"

"(Good choice.)"

"Let's… move on. We're finally in Iliasburg."

White Rabbit: "Ta-da! Were you expecting Granberia? Sorry, it's me!"

"That's a weird beast monster… do you know her Tamamo?"

"No."

"…you dropped your fan. Are your sure you're alright?"

"Yes. Yes I am."

White Rabbit: "It wasn't me who cast the Six Ancestors' Great Seal. My role in all this is simply to guide Alice. Now, who could have cast that on you? You earned the enmity of a lot of people, didn't you?"

"I already like her." Alice smirked.

"She's the one who sealed you."

"Maybe, but she knows how to make Ilias suffer, and that's good enough for me."

Luka: "What does Granberia have to do with this? What was that... an illusion?"

White Rabbit: "The vision you saw was an illusion and it wasn't. It certainly happened in reality, just not in your reality... It's only going to get more uncertain from here though. Everything is mixed up, birthing a world of confusion..."

"…Am I the only one who's being creeped out?"

"Nope. I really, really hope that she's the equivalent to Amira who likes doing weird stuff like that."

"Yeah, I hope too… wait, you know Amira Tamamo?"

Alice sighed. "Of course she does…" She glared at her surrogate mother. "You DID use her support to spread the rumors that we were married before we actually did decide. Just how much control you had over her, you old hag? In hindsight, her appearances felt surprisingly convenient."

Tamamo answered with a tense smile. "Let me reassure you, I don't have a tenth of the control you can possibly imagine over her. She somehow gathered a good informant network. My own spies sometimes work with them, nothing more. They never work with Amira herself, and this for the same reason that you didn't try seeing her since you finished your adventures."

"D'awwww, Luka is abandoning a girl who helped him." Alma Elma shivered. "I'm joking of course. I only do as much business with her as I need to."

Ilias: "What are you doing, Luka? When you kneel, it should only be to me."

Everyone groaned at the goddess.

"Perfectly accurate… also, you somehow got the key to the netherworld, which somehow was related to that big door in the temple. Somehow… this is as insane as it can be."

Luka groaned. "Let's just… save and continue tomorrow."

OMAKE: No Ragrets.

"Hey… I wonder what Ilias will do to you if you request naughty stuff?"

"Alma Elma, no. We're not doing that."

"Pweeeeaaase."

Luka pleadingly looked at Alice in the hope that the Monster Lord would get back control of her subordinate. Instead, Alice simply sighed.

"She's going to be unbearable otherwise and it will be the first thing she does once she gets her hands on her pad. Let's just get it out of the way. It's just going to be a pathetic footjob anyway. It's not like it will arouse you… will it?"

"…"

"I'm more surprised that there's a request for laying with her properly afterward." Tamamo quizzically turned toward Micaela. "She wasn't the kind that rewarded heroes directly, was she?"

"For all of her talk that humans are her creations, she was thinking that they were way below her attention. I'm pretty sure that she had Eden create angels just for that purpose."

"And somehow, she hates succubi for loving sex…"

Ilias: "You continue to fail at showing me the respect I deserve. I think you need a little reeducation..."

starts playing.

"…I don't know what's worse between the footjob or that Luka visibly gets his mind broken from it… I don't even find it exciting in the slightest."

Alice tried to check on Luka's crotch, but the hero awkwardly repositioned himself.

Ilias: "Good answer. I think that deserves a reward. Shiver in delight as I bathe you with my holy water."

"Wait, she's not really going to… oh… oh SWEET DARK GODDESS WHY?"

"I wonder why I had no memory of how angels passed the time… now I remember." Micaela closed her eyes and joined her trembling hands in front of her face in sheer disgust. "So much for being pure."

"Hey, no kinkshaming!" Alma Elma crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted. "There are a lot of people into that, she's just answering a demand!"

"What, don't tell me you…"

"Yes! What of it?"

Erubetie bubbled loudly to make her disgust clear. As everyone was grimacing in shock or uttering words of horror about the Succubus Queen, Granberia simply sighing and closing her eyes felt like a measured reaction.

"…I think I'm done training with you for the predictable future."

Alma Elma whined and kneeled in front of Granberia while putting the biggest puppy eyes she could. Granberia simply ignored her until Alma Elma started grinning evilly, her tail not-so-discreetly trying to sneak behind her friend. The instant it tried to go for the dragonkin's head, Granberia's hand sprung into action and swatted the limb like a petty insect.

"I SAID NO!"

"I'm afraid I don't know the meaning of that woooooooord!~" Alma Elma started lewdly waving her fingers while approaching Granberia.

"Oh, great, it's been enough to put Alma Elma in the mood. Sorry that you have to see that, Micaela."

"This is still an improvement over the reincarnation cycle memories that are flooding back… why, Ilias, why did you create Silkiel and Revelle?"

"Thanks the Dark Goddess it's over…" Alice barked out her next order. "Alma! Leave Granberia alone or we'll lock you in your room-"

"I don't care!"

"-with Amira and her new poem book!"

A gust of wind later, Alma Elma was quietly sitting on her chair like a demure girl, staring at the screen. Rami whispered to herself.

"(I wonder if I had the good idea by lurking here…)"

"(Welcome to the club.)"