What Should You Call Me?

The moon was black, the wind high, the atmosphere oddly pleasant.

The Demon Lord of Evernight, Vivian, was locked in a staring contest with the former Daughter of Light, the strongest Hero, Lucia.

For a moment, the scene sank into a strangely eerie silence.

“So, what exactly is your situation?”

Vivian took a deep breath, then slowly asked the other.

“Hm… I was outmatched. Died.”

Lucia’s outstretched wings folded slightly. She thought for a moment before responding.

She said it lightly, as if recounting something entirely unrelated to herself.

“…Nonsense! Of course I know you died!”

Vivian was naturally dissatisfied with the answer.

The overly “honest” yet utterly uninformative reply left her choking with frustration.

She couldn’t help glaring at Lucia, the “culprit,” and pressed on with a heavier tone.

“I’m asking about your current state! Have you… become a heroic spirit? Or some… other kind of existence?”

“Ah, you mean this.”

Lucia’s expression brightened as if suddenly enlightened. She nodded. “Just think of it that way. But it’s also thanks to you, Vivian—I’ve regained my freedom, in a certain sense.”

“…”

Vivian fell silent for a moment, glancing at the ring on her finger, then at the Lucia before her.

‘…In a certain sense, Lucia’s “existence” is now sustained by Vivian’s mana? Though the cost is almost negligible.’

‘Is it because of the Rhine Holy Ring? And how did Lucia regain her consciousness? Could it be the ornament…’

‘But from another perspective, doesn’t this mean Vivian now effectively has… the former Daughter of Light, the strongest Hero—equivalent to the game’s own daughter, the strongest Hero, even the 【strongest】 【Angel】 combat power?’

‘Oh ho, the game can be played like this?’

“Who would’ve thought, Lucia—you still had this trump card hidden?”

Vivian toyed with the ring and winged ornament on her finger, adopting a deliberately meaningful tone as she spoke to Lucia.

“Ahem.”

Watching Vivian casually handle her important “artifacts,” Lucia gave a light cough to steady herself. “Actually… it was pure accident.”

“Oh?”

Vivian eyed the radiant angel Hero before her, suppressing a smile at the corners of her mouth, even drawing out the syllable slightly.

“Pure accident, you say?”

Vivian glanced sideways at the luminous yet somewhat flustered “angel,” her smile deepening.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect an ambush.”

Lucia scratched her head awkwardly. “I never imagined four whole Demon Lords would be waiting for me—though I did die back then. For a while after, I felt like I was lingering in… hmm… a very strange space. A state of not quite alive, not quite dead.”

“…And then? You… became a heroic spirit? Turned into this 【Angel】 form?”

Vivian continued fidding with the items on her person while asking the Lucia who was trying hard to steer the conversation toward serious matters.

“I suppose so? But I felt like a puppet, only able to be controlled—wow, let me tell you, that feeling was awful.”

With that, Lucia crossed her arms over her chest, her face full of displeasure. “But thankfully, it didn’t last long. I finally regained my consciousness and woke up—though as things stand, it’s all thanks to you, Vivian.”

“Ah, truly worthy of being my wife.”

With that, Lucia puffed out her chest slightly, looking immensely proud.

She was clearly trying hard to avoid certain topics.

But a rare chance to see the game’s own daughter flustered—how could Vivian possibly pass up such a golden opportunity?

“Oh? Before, I was your captive, your wife. I couldn’t beat you, so I didn’t argue.”

Vivian deliberately drew out the “oh” again. “But now, you rely on me to snatch you back, rely on my mana to maintain your manifestation and descent. So tell me—what should you call me now?”

“Uh… hm?”

Hearing Vivian’s words, Lucia seemed momentarily stunned—and the corners of Vivian’s mouth curved into a faint smile as she stepped closer to the Lucia before her.

“Go on, my dear Miss Lucia—what should you… call me now?”

Vivian acted somewhat unrestrained, pushing her advantage. She took another step forward and spoke, her fingers slowly resting on the ring, poised as if ready to remove it at any moment.

“…Y-you should… c-call me… M-M…”

As if never having suffered such humiliation and passivity, Lucia instinctively retreated a few steps, gritting her teeth and refusing to utter the final word.

“Say—it—out—”

Vivian continued her assault with a faint smile—

“…Master.”

Facing the somewhat aggressive Vivian, Lucia had no good countermeasures in the end. She bit her lip and forced out the word tinged with a hint of humiliation.

With that, the strongest Hero collapsed to the ground like a deflated ball, kneeling in defeat.

“Sigh, it’s over. My spotless reputation, my lifetime of glory.”

She muttered under her breath, her tone filled with despairing melancholy.

“Alright, get up.”

Vivian waved a hand, her tone much lighter, carrying a magnanimous air of “adults don’t hold grudges against the petty.” “You’ll get used to it eventually. The first time is always uncomfortable, after all.”

Vivian hummed teasingly, gesturing for Lucia to stand.

The double entendre in her words made Lucia’s ears—who had just suffered a “heavy blow”—turn even redder. She could only glare at Vivian in indignation, daring to be angry but not to speak.

“Hey, you have to admit—seeing the strongest Hero flustered is a rare sight.”

Vivian’s mood couldn’t help but brighten considerably, even tempting her to hum a little tune.

“Alright, enough teasing for now.”

Vivian took a deep breath, looking at the Lucia before her, gradually retracting the smile from her face.

“Time to talk seriously, Lucia—I’m asking you now: who exactly incited you to come subjugate the Demon Lords and carry out a decapitation strike? The first time succeeding was one thing, but why risk a second decapitation strike within just one or two months?”

Vivian stared at her, her tone extremely grave. “This isn’t like you. I know you—you’re never reckless.”

“……”

Faced with Vivian’s words, Lucia unexpectedly fell silent.

“What, unwilling to answer?”

Vivian frowned, pressing further.

“No.”

Lucia shook her head, her gaze not meeting Vivian’s but falling to the ground. “I… forgot.”