Volume 2, Chapter 4: Superbia’s Arrogance, Part 1: Abnormal, and Foolish
This was back when I had just developed awareness.
There was something I tried asking oneechan.
“Why is it that we only have first names?”
All of those Demons out there were made of both a first, and last name.
The first that proved their individuality, and the last that defined their way of life.
If they hadn’t decided on how they were going to live on, then in most cases, they took on the last name of their ancestors.
That’s why, as Demons, it was unthinkable that those of a house that’s served a Demon Lord for generations couldn’t have a last name.
And to me, the sister that boasted an identical appearance offered a short answer. Kindly, as if to caution me.
“The way we live our lives is decided by our Lord. That’s why our predecessors have no last names.”
I simply couldn’t believe it.
Once in a distant past…
Me, and my parents, and the parents before that and in the generation even before that lot was born, our continuous line was something you could call a form of legend.
It’s not like we performed service on the battlefield, and it’s not like we successfully followed our desires.
If I were forced to say, then our family’s last name was 『Shadow』.
The Lord of Depravity who, as a Demon, boasted a providence much too undemonlike. For us, who continued to nestle ourselves close to him, we could be nothing but pure shadows.
We weren’t weak, but you wouldn’t be able to call us strong either.
Strength was unnecessary to a shadow. All that we wished for was to serve, and it wasn’t the sort of service we were rewarded for.
The existences that continued to serve the Lord who spent his time meaninglessly, were likely just as meaningless.
I remembered back to my ancestors.
I didn’t know what had happened several tens of thousands of years ago. I couldn’t even hazard a guess.
But killing off the cravings that dwelled in their bodies, they spent an eternity accompanying their Lord, and living while concealing their breaths. They were likely more abnormal than any of those third rate Demons lying around out there, and much more foolish.
That’s why, oneechan included, I sneered at my predecessors.
On that day, rained poured to the ground, as if the heavens were weeping. The violent sound of the rain drumming against the glass window, and the reverberating rumble of thunder.
In the darkness, the figure of my body reflected back at me was identical to oneechan, but only my eyes were a little different.
My ancestors, my patents, my siblings, and even the Lord I was to serve. I sneered at them all.
And as if even to sneer at the girl who did all of that, the blue eyes I saw were earnestly probing my expression.
Lightning lit the scene.
On rainy nights, the miasma would grow thick. Among the Demons of the Demon World, the holders of strong negative souls, that was passed as a simple superstition.
But on the other side of the glass which interrupted the darkness, I saw my figure putting on a smile so dazzling even I couldn’t believe it.
There wasn’t a hint of miasma in those lips.
All those pitch black emotions were enclosed within me, and not a fragment of them was to leak out.
Right.
That must be my 『Superbia』.
Not to raise myself to a higher platform, merely a heinous vice to scorn all others.
Effort was unnecessary.
Strength was unnecessary.
Friendship was unnecessary.
All of it, everything was… just stupid.
Even if the result were to isolate me, if I’m just to quietly find my spot in the grave without even a name, then I choose the path that would shine some light onto myself, as temporary as it may be.
Within the polished, mirror-like class, the gold-haired woman giggled to herself.
That should have been me, and yet, she lacked a sense of reality.
“Kusu kusu… no matter how you look at it… holding yourself back too much…”
A somewhat sweet, and slovenly tone poured out of my mouth.
Right. This is the shape of Hiero’s soul.
If you desire it, then seek it.
If your Lord is idle, then take action.
Overrule everything in this vast Demon World.
In order for me to stay as me.
If desire is what’s to decide the power of Demons, then…
There’s no doubt that my Superbia is the mark of the world’s strongest Demon.
Within the darkness, my lips bent into the shape of a smile.
… I mean look at just how brightly I’m shining.
My image swirled around the frame of the window. The light caught onto my golden hair, and glistened.
It was as if it were the portrait of a fairy, yet for some reason, it appeared tasteless.
“… Lord of Sloth, please look at me. Please remember me. My name, my form, my voice, my soul…”
Spending a pointless lifetime not feeling anything, without thinking anything, not recording anything to memory, for you, who never cared in the slightest for us, my existence will be…
Kusu kusu kusu.
Right. Then first comes introducing myself.
“My name is Hiero. Hiero of Superbia.”
No last name, no way of life, just a normal Demon
But I’ll accumulate my desire, and show you as I wash out the heavens.
I am Hiero of Superbia.
But you don’t have to prostrate yourself before me. You won’t have to kneel. I don’t need your worship.
I’ve no need to make you fools out there understand me.
I’m on top, and you’re at the bottom. That’s all.
It’s fine as long as you understand that.
But things went beyond my expectations in the blink of an eye.