#656 The Students’ Perspective – Eryngear’s Standpoint

I am Eryngear, a proud and elite member of the Demon King’s Army!

The demon race, which has conquered the land, is the ruler of the world. The Demon King’s Army, its military force, is invincible and dominates everything!

As one of its soldiers, I am one of the elites promised to eventually rule the entire world!

With my youth and talent, I undoubtedly have a promising future. If I continue to excel, I may even become one of the Heavenly Four!

Then, I can influence both the Demon King’s Army and the world as I see fit!

A behavior befitting the most superior race in the world!

...or so I thought.

Until I came to this place.

To be honest, I don’t think that way anymore.

I keep on thinking about how foolish I was back then.

I have come to realize my arrogance, my lack of awareness of my position, and my foolishness.

It was a ridiculous mistake to think that winning a war against the Human Kingdom would make us the strongest in the world.

There are beings in this world that could crush the Demon King’s Army if they so desired.

Multiple kinds, even.

Dragons.

Lifeless Kings.

I had known of the existence of the World’s Two Greatest Calamities since I joined the army, but young and foolish me thought that even if we struggled, we could defeat them if the Demon King’s Army united its power.

I thought wrong.

Rather, the dragons and the Lifeless Kings could easily eliminate us instantaneously, as if patting off dust from their shoulders.

Furthermore, there are angels with destructive abilities that rival those of the Two Greatest Calamities.

Orcs and goblins who have mutated repeatedly to enhance their power to the ultimate level.

Geniuses called witches who are feared and respected in the Mermaid Kingdom.

Princess Letasreit.

They all possess the power to defy the Demon King’s Army and easily crush them.

The world is vast. This farm taught me that there is always someone better than us.

I thought hard about my own insignificance and moved forward with humility.

What I learned on the farm was that kind of thing.

Under the gentle guidance of Sensei, the Lifeless King, and Lord Saint, the farm owner, I trained myself and stood before the final exam.

I want to prove how much my efforts on the farm have borne fruit and taken shape.

This exam is meant to verify that.

I will pass this exam with flying colors and prove that I have grown both mentally and physically!

...But I was wrong. Again.

The final exam made me realize that I was still conceited.

A fierce wolf that could even slay gods and a world-class giant serpent attacked us right from the very beginning. I didn’t feel I could win against them, even for a moment.

What was the point of all the effort I had put in until now?

The outrageousness of the final exam made me think that way.

It made me realize that I was still naïve and arrogant.

Even in the seventh trial just now...

“Halfway there at last!” “This exam is as good as passed!” I thought in relief, but my soul was about to be obliterated by Daiitoku Myoo.

I was about to fold to the imposing figure of an absolute being that was not even a dragon, an undead, or a god I had ever been close to without fighting.

I am weak.

Helplessly weak!

And yet, there stood Ritheseus, facing the formidable Daiitoku Myoo without hesitation or fear. 

He didn’t falter. In fact, he even had a satisfying exchange with the being greater than a deity.

I, on the other hand, have been arrogant since our victory in the Human-Demon War and have looked down on humans for a long time. 

But coming to this farm, I have never been able to defeat Ritheseus, a human. And now, we’re having our graduation exam.

I know this will be our last few days together, yet I still have no hope of winning against him. 

At most, I am merely following his path and trying to pass the exam alongside him. 

In the eighth trial, we were to exterminate a ferocious man-eating horse, and Bato Kannon represented this role through Lord Enma’s introduction. He was another being that surpassed the deities.

Although he did not pose as much of a threat as Daiitoku Myoo did, we managed to break through by ganging up on him under Ritheseus’ leadership.

In the ninth trial, we had to take the girdle from the Elf Queen, who once ruled over a vast forest. Playing the role of the Elf Queen was the Queen of the Underworld, Hel, who came from Great God Odin’s realm. 

Since she didn’t have a girdle, we had to forcibly strip her of her undergarments to obtain our spoils. 

And it was Ritheseus who did it again.

As I thought, Ritheseus is impressive. 

He fearlessly fights gods and beings even greater than them and always emerges victorious. 

Yet, he never lets these victories get to his head and is always down-to-earth, knowing who he is and what he must do.

This was evident from his grand exchange with Daiitoku Myoo.

Ritheseus will surely dominate our generation at its apex. 

We must always be there as his supporters and followers. 

Realizing that my earlier predictions of being in the center stage of the world by the time we are of age were mistaken is a miserable feeling.

I scoff at how pathetic I am.

What should I, a Demon King’s Army soldier who has tasted the ultimate defeat, do now that I am graduating from this farm? 

Can I still live confidently and compete in the army’s success race, knowing I am incorrigibly helpless?

What should I do...?

* * *

“It’s simple.”

What awaited us at the tenth trial was the goddess Hathor.

Hathor is the goddess of passion with a voluptuous body and horns of a water buffalo who had come from Anubis’ world.

“Since you are a lady, I can teach you how to dominate the world like one. Would you like me to show you?”

“W-What do you mean?” 

In every world, there’s usually a goddess who presides over love and beauty. 

Hathor, with her breathtaking appearance and figure, stands out as an exemplar. Her charm is capable of capturing the heart of any man and ensnaring him in her spell.

While she brings prosperity and fertility to the people, she also poses a threat as a goddess of love who could call forth ruin through blinding passion.

In Anubis’ world, Hathor occupies this position as the cow-horned goddess.

“To become a queen, what do women need to do? It’s simple: just become the wife of the king. With that alone, you can attain power that rivals the king’s.”

“B-But that has nothing to do with my own abilities...!”

“Women need not possess such power. The key lies in assigning tasks to those best suited for them. Men can handle dirty, strenuous work, so why should women willingly do it? Women have a more wonderful power than brute force or violence. And that power is beauty, do you understand?”

Chaos is unfolding around us as the male slaves and bulls Hathor brought with her brawl with one another.

They’re all spellbound by the goddess’ captivating charm.

“Make no mistake. Women are pitiful creatures who cannot live without men. They are feeble, incapable of ensuring their survival without a strong man to protect them and bring food and fortune. However, women can become indispensable to him in exchange for giving love and bearing the strong man’s heir.”

“But I have disciplined myself to be independent...!”

“Regrettably, that strength can never compare to that of heroes that are so-called men. To them, a woman is nothing but a worthless piece of trash. However, when a woman offers her love and bears a child for such a man, which he could never accomplish alone, she becomes an irreplaceable entity in his life. Strength is not important, you see.”

Guh...

Nghhhhhhhhhhhh!

“Abandon your stubbornness, and your potential shall become boundless. Come, let us reevaluate with a broader perspective. Do you truly require a heroic partner or aspire to become a hero in your own right? The answer, I believe, is already evident to you.”

S-She’s right...

Even if I were to become strong, it would be of little to no importance. Perhaps it would be better for me to follow Ritheseus and have him protect me?

Ehe, ehehehehehe...!

“Don’t let this succubus goddess fool you, Eryngeaaaaaar!”

“Kyaaaa!”

Huh?!

What’s gotten into me?!

As Ritheseus delivers a flying kick aimed at Hathor, the light-headed feeling disappears, and my thoughts become clear.

Could it be that the goddess of love was tempting me?

“Don’t underestimate her! Eryngear has worked harder than anyone else on the farm! Don’t you dare deny her efforts only based on her outcome!” indignantly says Ritheseus, as if it felt like a personal insult to him. “Her hard work is what makes her beautiful! That’s her charm! Don’t deny that and talk about her without considering her efforts!”

“Ufufufufu...! Oh, passion. It’s a hero’s devilishness that charms everyone, regardless of gender...”

“Shut up!”

“Gah!”

Ritheseus is amazing for not being swayed by the perfect goddess’s allure...!

He even acknowledged my efforts...!

“I love you, Ritheseus!”

“Wah! The charm hasn’t completely worn off of Eryngear yet!!!”

Of course, I won’t stop working hard, but thanks to the goddess Hathor, I feel like my perspective on my life has broadened.

Perhaps I should reconsider my post-graduation plans...?