Just like that, the funnest times in Benetnasch’s life had ended. The colors of her world faded once more, and she gradually lost interest in everything. As for the others of the Seven Heroes, even they started to look like part of the faceless, worthless masses to her.
“Benetnasch, I’m begging you...” said Alioth. “Help us. We need your power to defeat the Devil King.”
Benetnasch simply remained silent.
A few days had passed since that terrible betrayal. Alioth and the rest of his group had visited Benetnasch in her castle to petition for her help. While sitting on her throne, Benetnasch looked down at the six people who she had once recognized as her equals with ice-cold eyes.
“Go away.”
That was all Benetnasch had to say. That wasn’t something anyone should say to their friends, but Benetnasch no longer recognized them as such. Even this audience with her was something they weren’t allowed to cut in line for, so they had been forced to wait three days until after all the other nobles had had their turn. In other words, they’d fallen low enough to be grouped along with all those Benetnasch cared nothing about.
“W-Wait, please! You know that the Devil King is preparing to attack now that Lufas is gone, don’t you? If we don’t defeat him now, then the world will—”
“You’re right. All the days of peace, order, and safety from monsters and devilfolk that Maphaahl had worked hard to build until now have all been ruined. Now the world has returned to a hell where people are trampled over by those monsters and devilfolk, just like it was before Lufas Maphaahl.”
“If you know already, then—”
“It’s all thanks to you.”
Those words from Benetnasch were enough to make Alioth stop in his tracks, and not just him either. None of the six of them could say anything.
“You all ended it yourselves. You struck a faithful friend in the back and erased her without a thought for what comes afterwards. You even ruined my rematch with her... And you’re asking for my help on top of that?”
“Well, that’s...”
Benetnasch said nothing in reply.
“That’s... None of us get it...” admitted Alioth. “Back then, we really did think it was the right thing to do... But now that we think back on it, we must have gone crazy or something. We were wrong, and we know it. As for why we did that... Why we thought that Lufas must be defeated, no matter what... Truthfully, I don’t even understand my—”
Benetnasch’s fist thrust into Alioth’s face. It was a full-force blow; Benetnasch had struck him without holding back, thinking that she wouldn’t care if he died. If the one receiving it hadn’t been Alioth, who was level 1000, there would have been nothing above the base of his neck right now.
Benetnasch no longer had any interest in listening to the rest of it.
I thought that he might have said something even a little worthwhile, but crying about his regrets at this point? It’s not even worth listening to. Don’t understand? You trampled all over my wishes for something of that level? You were wrong? That’s the worst thing you could have said! It doesn’t matter who or where or when. You people are the only ones who should never say that! If the ones who defeated Lufas were to say that it was a mistake, then that would make Lufas a fool who was defeated by mistake. That would be the most disrespectful thing possible.
That was why Benetnasch would not listen to any more of their drivel. After punching Alioth flying, Benetnasch sat back down on her throne and looked down at the group.
“I’m disappointed in all of you... Get out of here. I will not say it a third time.”
“Benetnasch...!”
“Or...”
Benetnasch’s crimson eyes glowed. Magic power overflowed from her entire body, and she broke through the level 1000 limit. She was now in the world past level 1000, a place only Lufas and Benetnasch had ever been able to reach. With that much power, it would be possible for her to take on the rest of the Seven Heroes all at once. It was exactly because she was so powerful that she was necessary for the fight against the Devil King and why Alioth and the others had come for her help.
“Do you want to make me into your enemy along with the Devil King?”
Those words made Alioth and the others recoil from her before they all left silently. They’d sensed that if they were to continue to try to reason with her, she would attack them in that instant.
While watching the pathetic forms of their backs, Benetnasch clicked her tongue. If it were Lufas... If it were Lufas Maphaahl, she would have knocked me out and dragged me to the fight, even if she had to fight me a little first. But the men who defeated her are like this? Where’s their drive? Their spirit? Are those really the backs of the men who I once respected?
“Roy, don’t let them through next time. If they send any letters, just burn them without opening them.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. As you will.”
＊ ＊
After that, about another two hundred years had passed.
To Benetnasch, those two hundred years were terribly boring. Fairly large incidents happened, such as the members of the Seven Heroes—other than herself—losing to the Devil King and humanity’s territories shrinking considerably, but none of that mattered to Benetnasch. To her, it was just worthless trouble that only affected worthless people.
However, she still held a slight sliver—the tiniest slice—of hope. It happened around 150 years ago. Just once, the Devil King had come to mess with her. At that time, he’d said something strange.
“Lufas will return in 150 years,” was it?
Benetnasch hadn’t truly believed in it, but there was nothing else to put her hopes in, so she held on to that small sliver as she waited.
If that was a lie, then I’ll just erase the Devil King. With those thoughts swirling around in her mind, Benetnasch let the days flow past her, but one day, she finally found out that what the Devil King had said had not been a lie.
“Lady Benetnasch! There’s been a huge incident!”
As always, Benetnasch had spent her day in boredom. That was when one of her retainers burst into the room in a panic. Thinking that some small fry, like one of the devilfolk’s Seven Luminaries, had invaded, Benetnasch turned her gaze to meet her subject’s, uninterested. However, what she’d heard next completely broke all sense of calmness in her.
“The country of Laevateinn tried and failed to summon a hero... There have been reports that the Black-Winged Conqueror, Lufas Maphaahl, has been revived... Eep?!”
After hearing the report, Benetnasch reflexively bolted upright. She was so surprised that she accidentally let out a burst of magic power, needlessly scaring her retainer. However, she didn’t care about any of that. More important to Benetnasch was the good news that had just reached her ears.
After taking a moment to process, she exclaimed, “So she’s here...!”
Naturally, the corners of her mouth slid upwards. The pale world immediately started to regain its color, and her heart was filled with joy.
“You made me wait too long, idiot.”
I can’t stop smiling. I’m shaking too. I can’t help it. I’m so happy. I can even tell my knees are shaking too.
This was the prequel to Lufas Maphaahl’s story. As well as the story of the girl who, more than anyone in the world, waited in anticipation for Lufas’s return.