In the penthouse suite of a grand hotel.
Alistair, arm around Persephone, sat casually, waving a hand: "Utaha-chan, sit and talk."
"I may be a god of darkness."
"But."
"I don't eat people."
His words made Utaha sit stiffly.
Though a prodigy for her age, achieving so much.
She was, after all, a mortal. She'd never set foot in such a place—likely never would in her lifetime.
"You two…"
Utaha opened her mouth, hesitant.
For a moment.
She didn't know what to say.
Alistair was relaxed, gesturing: "Ask whatever you want, but, Utaha-chan, consider what you can offer."
"…"
Utaha fell silent again.
After a brief pause.
She cautiously asked: "Are you two… gods?"
"Yes," Alistair nodded. "I said I'm a god of darkness. As a light novel writer, you've researched this, right? God is 999; I'm 666."
"Gasp…"
Utaha inhaled sharply.
She knew she'd encountered the mystical, but not this level of existence.
999 represented God.
Omniscient, omnipotent.
So, the 666 before her—how staggering was that?
Anyone with a brain could figure it out!
"Heh…" Alistair chuckled. "No need to be so tense. Beside me is Persephone, once Queen of the Underworld, now its Lord."
"Queen?"
"Lord?"
Utaha stared at the golden-haired beauty, impossibly perfect.
Utaha was one of Toyogasaki Academy's two renowned beauties, but compared to Persephone, she felt inferior.
Was such perfection even allowed to exist?
"Dust, if possible, can I hand the Underworld Lord title to you?" Persephone teased, lighting a dark cigarette with a lip print and passing it to Alistair. "It's exhausting. The Underworld's work is endless."
"No way," Alistair retorted. "Why would I, the god-lord, do the work? That's for subordinates!"
"Really…" Persephone sighed, her eyes brimming with unspoken affection.
She looked at Utaha, smiling gently: "Child, don't be too nervous. At most, we'll only destroy this world."
Not nervous?
Destroy the world?
Utaha nearly wailed.
Alistair glanced at Persephone, stunned. My Persephone's learned to trick people?
Persephone shot him a look. Who do you think I learned it from?
Utaha didn't notice their exchange.
"…"
She opened her mouth, then, after a pause, asked softly: "Lord Gods, is there a way I can save my world?"
Alistair countered, amused: "Pandora's conquering the world. Soon, it'll all surrender. This world's leaders sold it out to survive. Utaha-chan, you want to save it?"
"What a heroic choice!"
A lie!
Clearly.
Alistair was having too much fun.
Persephone shook her head gently. What could she do? This was her man, her god-lord—she had to indulge him.
She added: "In the Underworld, the worse the sinner, the higher the demon or devil they become, managing the Underworld. After all, we have an empty Hell to run."
"So that's it…" Utaha gave a bleak smile, lowering her head, her mind filled with thoughts of her loved ones.
Alistair's grin grew wickeder. Teasing a sharp-tongued girl like this was peak entertainment.
Moments later.
Utaha looked up: "Lord Gods, what must I pay to save my world?"
"Pay?" Alistair puffed his cigarette, arm around Persephone, smoke curling around his brash posture.
To an outsider, he might look like a crime lord.
He said casually: "Know the Seven Deadly Sins?"
"Pride, Gluttony, Sloth, Wrath, Greed, Envy, Lust…"
Utaha paused, sensing something.
Alistair nodded, pleased: "Exactly. As the god of darkness, I command the Seven Sins. And you, a beauty like you—I'm interested. Offer yourself, and I might let your family live."
"Me?"
"Just that?"
Utaha was stunned. Just that? So simple?
Alistair blinked, puzzled: "Under my power, you should be… pure. Unless you're not? Or had surgery?"
"Surgery?" Utaha sputtered. "I'm pure! I just didn't expect such a simple price for my family's safety."
"Heh…" Alistair chuckled. "You're overthinking, Utaha-chan."
Her heart sank, her mind racing with tales of cunning demons.
Alistair waved: "Simply put, besides your body and looks, you don't have much I care for."
"Sorry."
"I'm not some lunatic collecting pure souls."
"I have no such hobby."
Utaha understood. For him, it was just a matter of interest.
She had no objections.
Forget the original story's pursuit of idyllic romance.
In reality?
Heh…
This world's setting was a certain island nation—those in the know understood.
"Then…" Utaha stood, naturally shedding her clothes.
Until.
Alistair suddenly called: "Stop there."
"Huh?"
Utaha froze, her long legs in black stockings strikingly beautiful.
Alistair smirked: "Now, that's perfect!"
"Eh?!"
Utaha yelped.
In that moment.
She realized this god of darkness was incredibly playful—shockingly so!
Under the night.
A girl, for her family, gave everything—soul, will, all.
Until the sun rose.
The next day arrived.
Utaha woke groggily near noon, struggling to rise from bed. Her body ached, but it wasn't painful.
"Really…" she muttered. "Your Majesty's sense of humor is something else!"
She knew, having signed the kin contract, that her lord had been toying with her.
"Hey!"
"Hey!"
"Utaha-chan, don't say that. Your pure soul last night? I was very pleased," Alistair's voice came from outside. "Though your body's quite dark."
Utaha stood, slipping on a robe, and stepped out.
Outside.
Alistair stood by the window, lost in thought. Persephone sat on a sofa, sipping tea, savoring its flavor, eyes half-closed.
Seeing Utaha awake, Persephone said gently: "Utaha-chan, you're up?"
"Last night, Dust took good care of you."
"Otherwise."
"You'd really have died."
"Lord Underworld," Utaha said, bowing politely to Persephone. Turning to Alistair, who grinned at her, she sighed: "Your Majesty, you're really full of mischief."
"Well!" Alistair shrugged. "Gotta find some fun. This world's too weak."
"Such a weak world."
"Without fun, what's the point?"
Utaha sat beside Persephone, rubbing her sore waist: "So, Your Majesty, today…"
"No rush," Alistair smirked. "They're here."
The door opened.
Leone and Mine entered with a group of girls.
Alistair scanned them.
Megumi Kato, Eriri Spencer Sawamura, Michiru Hyodo, Izumi Hashima, Sayuri Sawamura, Akane Kosaka, Tokino Himekawa, Ranko Morioka, Eiji Mizuhara, Mayu Aisaka.
And!
Utaha's editor, Sonoko Machida.
Eleven women in total.
As expected of an anime world—every one a beauty.
"Your Majesty!" Leone said boldly. "Everyone's here."
"Good," Alistair nodded, smiling. "How's Pandora's progress on the world?"
Leone grinned darkly: "All under control. Every nation has surrendered and dissolved. Their leaders sold out for a chance to become demons or devils in the Underworld or Hell."
"As expected," Alistair said. "Their darkness is terrifying."
Mine, hands on hips, blushed but acted confident: "Obviously!"
In truth.
Mine's cheeks burned. She could barely keep up the act.
"…"
Alright, alright, alright.
Utaha, watching silently, knew what she had to do.
Especially.
Seeing Persephone's look: Play along, or you'll die—miserably.
Utaha imagined endless days in a dark room, vision fading to white, losing consciousness. She decided to behave.
"Good," Alistair said, eyeing the women, scanning each one.
Finally.
He waved, and kin contracts floated before several.
"Michiru Hyodo, Izumi Hashima, Akane Kosaka, Tokino Himekawa, Ranko Morioka, Eiji Mizuhara, Sonoko Machida, Mayu Aisaka."
"Sign these contracts, and you live."
"Otherwise?"
"Trust me, you won't want to imagine the cost."
Alistair smiled, but to the eight women, it was a devil's grin.
Sonoko Machida.
In truth.
The moment she entered, her eyes locked on Utaha.
Utaha gave a subtle nod. She knew, in this game, the eight were side characters, not even part of the main plot.
Sonoko signed the contract, and the others followed.
Instantly.
The eight understood. Before they could speak, Alistair said: "Leone, take them away. They can live—let them work in the Underworld."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Leone led the eight away, including Sayuri Sawamura. She'd explain the rest.
Honestly.
These eight, including Sayuri.
They didn't qualify.
Don't be fooled by Alistair's casual selection of Underworld Warriors or Demon Teigu wielders.
In reality.
People like Kanae from Universe 002 were just suitable.
These women? Alistair admitted it—he chose them for their looks. Beyond that?
They were mostly useless.
As kin, they could be kept at home. Those with potential could be trained for clerical roles. Those without? So be it!
In the future, when the Saekano world joined the Dark Multiverse as Universe 003.
They could return to fulfill their dreams.
It didn't matter.
Alistair truly valued three: Utaha Kasumigaoka, Megumi Kato, and Eriri Spencer Sawamura.
These three were protagonists with greater potential.
Whether as Underworld Warriors or Demon Teigu wielders, they were suitable.
"So…" Alistair sat between Persephone and Utaha, arm around each, smirking at the three: "Megumi, Eriri, you're special."
"Special?" Megumi and Eriri exchanged confused glances.
They recognized Utaha.
But.
Seeing her position, they dared not ask anything.
Alistair said casually: "Every world has protagonists. In this one, it's you three—Utaha-chan, Megumi, Eriri."
"So!"
"I'm very interested in you three protagonists. Utaha's already paid her price—her family can live."
"Now…"
"What about you two?"
Alistair grinned, and Utaha spoke quietly: "I've made my choice. I had no choice."
"…"
The two fell silent, especially Eriri, whose mother watched nearby. Did she have a choice?
***
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