The changes in the world were not immediately noticeable.
The so-called equality and freedom granted by the demons.
But most people didn’t really know how to make use of it.
While they were no longer expected to bow to those higher up, they still had to go out and work the fields, just like before.
However, even though the changes weren’t obvious at first, the world was slowly, and surely, changing.
The beginning of this change was in the very homes where they lived.
“From now on, you will cook and do the laundry too.”
“…What?”
The absurd declaration from his wife.
Upon hearing this, Jace, the farmer who had just finished his exhausting work for the day, looked utterly bewildered.
“What nonsense is this? You want me to cook and do laundry…?”
It wasn’t like they had a particularly good relationship to begin with.
The reason he married her was simply because there were no other suitable options.
Yet, due to his sense of responsibility as the head of the household, he had worked day in and day out, sweating for their young children.
For Jace, his wife’s declaration wasn’t just absurd—it made him angry.
However, his wife, with confidence, said to him,
“If you don’t like it, we can divorce. You know the law changed, right? If we divorce, I’ll take the kids, and you’ll have to pay child support. If you don’t want to see the kids for the rest of your life, just do as I say.”
“What the hell…”
“I haven’t said this before, but living with you has been boring. Your face isn’t much to look at, you don’t have much to say, and you don’t even bring in much money. Plus, the country is offering support for divorced women. I was going to just sign the divorce papers, but out of respect for the time we spent together, I’m trying to be patient.”
Despite their bad relationship, her words had clearly crossed the line.
At this, Jace felt his patience snap, and he raised his hand.
And then…
Slap!
“Yikes!”
“Has this woman gone mad? I heard she’s been attending some feminist groups lately, and it looks like she learned only the worst things! Divorce? Fine, go ahead and do whatever you want! The country isn’t crazy enough to make something like that possible!”
Unable to hold back his rising emotions after repeated provocations, Jace slapped his wife for the first time since they were married.
He had heard that the demons had enacted strange laws, but Jace wasn’t fully aware of the specifics.
After all, laws were something the higher-ups meddled with—complicated and troublesome matters that had little to do with someone like him.
Jace had thought that he could just quietly go about his duties, doing what was expected of him.
However, the world did not turn as simply as Jace had imagined.
“The usual discord in the marriage, and the fact that you even went so far as to physically assault your wife, leads me to rule for a divorce. Additionally, you will be required to pay 10 silver coins per month for child support for the next 30 years. Given your violent tendencies, you are also prohibited from having any contact with your children.”
The judge spoke with a cold, indifferent voice.
Jace’s face turned pale as the absurd words his wife had spoken were now coming true.
“W-What… What is this…?! This is… this is insane!”
“Where is it insane? This is the justice that has finally been given to women who were persecuted. Now, don’t bother your wife again, and make sure to send the child support every month.”
Just like that, in one day, Jace, the head of the household, lost everything—his children, his dignity.
After working for years, sweating and sacrificing for his family, the worst reward he could have imagined left him trapped in a despair so deep it felt as if his mind might shatter.
However, as Jace was drowning in this despair, people didn’t sympathize with him—instead, they pointed fingers at him.
“Serves him right. He should’ve treated his wife better.”
“Does he think just earning money is enough? Women are delicate beings, you know.”
“Of course, women can do anything. Meanwhile, useless men just need to serve them and give them what they want.”
“Thanks to the demons, the country seems to be running properly these days.”
Thus, Jace left the courtroom, receiving nothing but scorn from the people.
Soon after, Jace was found hanging in his home.
In his suicide note, the only thing written was his desire to see his children again.
“Mm…”
“What’s wrong, Irushil?”
Irushil examined the contents of the proclamation in her hand.
A deep sense of doubt filled her face.
“No. I just can’t seem to understand. The system you’ve put in place, Master… Isn’t it a bit too good from a human perspective? Honestly, I thought you were going to raise taxes tenfold, turn all the humans in the city into slaves, and make them work as forced labor.”
“Heh… Is that so?”
Mari gave a small smile.
Despite Irushil making such serious remarks, her gentle response, like a mother, made Irushil speak with a hint of frustration.
“You said you were going to get revenge on humans, didn’t you? If this is implemented as it is, the nobles and the rich may grumble, but it seems like most people will live equally and well.”
The system was filled with so much kindness that it almost seemed like a benevolent king’s rule, far beyond mere generosity.
Seeing the stark contrast from her original declarations of revenge against humans, Irushil couldn’t help but grumble slightly.
However…
As she gently stroked Irushil’s head,
Mari spoke in a quiet voice.
“Living equally and well… That will never happen. In fact, it will only lead to even greater chaos.”
“What?”
Irushil was surprised by the unexpected response.
From her perspective, it seemed like a lot of good measures were being implemented.
Yet, for Mari to say that this would lead to chaos instead of prosperity, Irushil couldn’t quite understand.
Of course, the rapid changes might cause some initial social turmoil, but even so, Mari’s words didn’t quite make sense to her.
“Equality is certainly a good value. The idea that no one is discriminated against, and everyone lives happily together… But, that is precisely what goes against human nature the most. Do you understand what I mean? You’ve already experienced it several times yourself.”
At Mari’s words, Irushil suddenly started recalling her past.
The various forms of discrimination she faced as an orphan from a commoner background when she was younger.
And the people who caused her the most pain were, ironically, not the nobles at the top, but the commoners like her…
Especially the children on the streets, who were no different from her.
“Humans have an instinct to want to be above others, not only when they are at the top, but even when they are at the very bottom. What happens when those who were once at the top are pulled down, and those who were at the bottom are pulled up?”
Mari’s words hung in the air, making Irushil pause.
Human reason might dream of equality and speak of it with their mouths, but Mari, who had been the victim of discrimination almost her entire life, knew better than anyone else.
No matter how convincingly they talk about equality, humans inherently do not desire equality. They always want to be above others.
And when they grasp even the smallest amount of power, they will do everything they can to wield it, even if it means crushing others underfoot.
Especially those who had been at the bottom…
For those who have experienced deprivation, this tendency becomes even more pronounced.
If that power was not earned through legitimate means but was given in a twisted way, they become even more obsessed with it and show madness.
Many usurpers throughout history were the same.
This is also the reason why slave or peasant revolts usually end in failure.
Even if a rebellion starts for a just cause, once someone tastes the sweetness of power and lacks the mental strength to resist it, they eventually become intoxicated by it and make reckless decisions, leading to their downfall.
“Of course, not all humans succumb to this instinct. There are always those with strong willpower. But, they are a very small minority. In the current situation, even they will be swept along by this tide. This so-called equality that I’ve created will only lead to chaos.”
Irushil’s mind raced, but she couldn’t speak.
At this moment, Mari’s words became clear to her.
What Mari had unleashed on the world was a poison disguised as equality.
At first, it would be as sweet as honey, but soon, that poison would slowly spread, bringing down the entire body of society.
Despite this realization, Irushil did not feel pity for the humans.
As a victim of ‘discrimination’ herself, she too secretly hoped for their downfall.