No matter how many times I checked, the monsters didn’t pick a fight.
Instead, they maintained an exceptionally gentlemanly attitude.
—Though their words sounded like incomprehensible screeches to Erin and the holy knights accompanying her.
On top of that, the expressions of the soldiers shown in the panels…
Their faces were drenched in cold sweat, appearing terrified.
The detailed, terrifying artwork of the monsters made their reactions understandable.
It wasn’t just that the monsters were scary.
The artist’s depiction was so vivid and lifelike that it made me wonder if they were this skilled at drawing creatures all along.
Honestly, if something like that appeared in my dreams, it’d be the kind of nightmare you wouldn’t forget.
Even Ophel, Luca, and Linnea—comrades who had walked the path of knighthood—seemed weighed down by the overwhelming pressure the monsters exuded.
***
To be honest, since this is a comic, I personally wanted to see an action scene where Ophel fought.
Although Luca and Linnea were skilled knights, Ophel’s prowess was revered even among her peers.
If she could slash through a few monsters here and there, making a grand display of her strength, my perception of her might shift entirely.
Even though she wasn’t the brightest, unable to remember even a single fact correctly, if she could effortlessly handle a fearsome, high-ranking monster that terrified everyone…
That’s what you’d call a “gap moe.” Clichéd but undeniably enjoyable.
There’s nothing better than showcasing the holy knight’s brilliance through an unstoppable battle.
That’s all I had hoped for—just that kind of scene.
Difficulties are fine.
‘After all, what problem could there be when God is always watching over them?’
Yes, the issue is—
I could see the monsters’ sincere desire to avoid fighting.
***
[Igogodon: Wait a second ]
[Igogodon: Are we starting the battle from the next chapter? ]
[MoneyPlease: That is correct. ]
[Igogodon: By any chance, are you planning to use ‘divine authority’ to directly handle the monsters? ]
[Igogodon: Quite the opposite. ]
[Igogodon: Can I ask them to stop fighting for a moment? Does that require divine authority? ]
[Igogodon: Since Erin, who is already deeply synchronized with you, exists, sending such a message wouldn’t be too difficult. However… ]
[MoneyPlease: Is there some sort of issue? ]
[Igogodon: Issue? The monsters are saying they don’t want to fight. ]
[MoneyPlease: ? ]
What now?
I gulped down a cup of cold water I had prepared earlier.
[Igogodon: Look at the dialogue in parentheses. ]
[Igogodon: They’re saying they don’t want to fight. ]
[MoneyPlease: Ah… ]
[MoneyPlease: Are you able to hear the monsters’ voices, Igogodon-nim? ]
“Ha!”
At the author’s cheeky response, I let out a dry laugh without meaning to.
‘You’re really going to act like that after typing the dialogue yourself?’
‘They say even a dog recites poetry after three years in school.’
After immersing myself to the point of insanity in these crazy 1:1 role-playing sessions with an overly passionate author, I’d built enough confidence to step into the WWE ring myself.
“Alright then, let’s see who wins.”
[Igogodon: Yeah, I can hear the monsters’ voices.]
[Igogodon: And they’re asking for dialogue, not battle.]
[Igogodon: Isn’t it right for a god to even listen to the words of mere monsters?]
[MoneyPlease: Understood.]
[MoneyPlease: The will of God must always be fulfilled. I will convey this to Erin immediately.]
***
‘So the fight has been halted, huh?’
‘Good. I am God, the one and only Igogodon.’
‘My words are undeniable facts…’
After lightly hypnotizing myself, I cautiously placed my hands on the keyboard.
[ Igogodon: The monsters’ voices sound strange to Erin and the knights, right? ]
[ MoneyPlease: Rather than strange, it’s more accurate to say that they sound terrifying. ]
[ MoneyPlease: It’s only because of their training that they’re holding their ground. If it were a regular civilian, they’d collapse in fear and become helpless prey to the monsters. ]
[ Igogodon: No, that’s not what I mean. The monsters don’t want to fight right now. ]
[ MoneyPlease: You did say that. Monsters not wanting to fight… even I find it surprising. ]
[ MoneyPlease: So far, demons have displayed intensely violent and hostile behavior toward humans, but… ]
[ Igogodon: Well, that’s true, but still— ]
[ Igogodon: Can’t we translate the monsters’ language so humans can understand them clearly? ]
[ MoneyPlease: Translate, you say? ]
[ Igogodon: Yeah. ]
Somehow—
The monsters wanted communication.
That much was clear from the parentheses in the dialogue.
Some problems are far simpler to resolve than they seem.
A prime example is communication.
Tangled threads that seemed impossible to unravel could often be straightened out with a simple conversation.
That was the true power of communication.
So, no matter how horrifying they looked,
No matter how unsettling or frightening their voices were, If they sought peace, shouldn’t they at least be given the chance to talk?
[ MoneyPlease: Interfering directly with monsters affected by the magic spread across the continent… ]
[ MoneyPlease: It seems possible, but… ]
[ Igogodon: But? ]
[MoneyPlease: As I mentioned earlier, with divine authority, nothing is impossible.]
[MoneyPlease: However, the issue lies in determining how much authority is required depending on the situation.]
So, it was just an expensive request.
Allowing monsters to communicate naturally must be difficult within the framework of this world.
It wasn’t hard to understand why the cost was set so high.
[Igogodon: How much do you think it would cost?]
[MoneyPlease: To fundamentally alter the world so that monsters and humans can communicate freely, it would require divine authority equivalent to approximately 326,650 won.]
[MoneyPlease: Because this would shake the very foundations of the world, it requires a great deal of power. I hesitated to mention it lightly.]
It’s certainly… quite expensive.
I wasn’t short on funds, but using such a large amount for monsters I had just encountered—unlike Erin, Eirene, or the Holy Knights I had already grown attached to—made me reluctant.
[Igogodon: What about just translating individual sentences? How much would that cost?]
[MoneyPlease: In that case, it would cost around 2,500 won per sentence of divine authority.]
[MoneyPlease: However, the translation would only be delivered to those with strong faith in God.]
That was a price I could pay.
But…
‘Is this really the best method?’
I scrolled back up to look at the monsters again.
They were still hideous, horrifyingly grotesque. Frankly, their appearance inspired no affection at all.
Translating their words… Erin and the Holy Knights would understand, of course.
They had come to trust me, except for Linnea.
‘But what about everyone else?’
‘How would they perceive a saint advocating for a conversation with such grotesque monsters?’
‘Would rumors spread that the Church had struck some unholy deal with monsters under the pretext of divine will?’
‘Of course, I could resolve all of that if it became troublesome. A single click of support would do the trick, enforcing my will without question.’
But…
‘Would Erin, who constantly prays, saying, “Thank you for creating a better world for us” and “Thank you for sharing plain facts with us,” truly think that kind of world was better?’
‘More than anything, I wanted to answer Linnea’s doubts.’
‘To win over someone who still couldn’t fully trust Erin, perhaps there was a better approach than simply forcing things through.’
‘If there was no other way, then fine. But shouldn’t I at least explore other options?’
‘Some might say I was taking an unnecessarily difficult path.’
‘Even so, if it was the better path, shouldn’t I take it?’
After all—I’m God.
***
[Igogodon: Judging by the monsters’ comments, like “The Demon Lord wishes for dialogue,” it seems the Demon Lord has appeared.]
[Igogodon: Based on what the others said earlier, it doesn’t seem like the Demon Lord necessarily appears just because the saintess shows up, right?]
[Igogodon: So, can you investigate the Demon Lord?]
[MoneyPlease: The Demon Lord?]
[Igogodon: Yeah. Hasn’t it descended?]
[MoneyPlease: I’ll confirm immediately.]
If I could understand the Demon Lord’s intentions behind those words, perhaps I could find an answer.
As I pondered this, about 20 minutes passed.
While I was distracted, a notification popped up.
[MoneyPlease: It seems, as you suspected, the Demon Lord has awakened.]
[MoneyPlease: You really can hear the monsters’ voices… as expected of you, Igogodon-nim.]
[Igogodon: Haha, yeah, anyway.]
[Igogodon: Observe the Demon Lord’s actions for me.]
[Igogodon: Like you did when you showed the Holy Knights’ discussions before.]
[Igogodon: Can you do it?]
[MoneyPlease: Of course, Igogodon-nim.]
[MoneyPlease: I deeply empathize with your cause.]
[MoneyPlease: However, I must ask for your patience, as it may take some time.]
‘Empathize with my cause? This one always flatters me in the most peculiar ways.’
Time wasn’t an issue.
After all, creating a short comic from scratch takes time unless it’s pre-prepared.
[Igogodon: Alright, got it.]
[MoneyPlease: Then, please wait a moment.]
This time, it took much longer than 20 minutes.
By the time I had shut down my computer, eaten dinner, washed the dishes, showered, and prepared for bed, my phone’s notification finally buzzed.
[MoneyPlease: xcqw.wo.to <<< Here’s the result of observing the Demon Lord as you requested. Please check it.]
‘Good.’
Let’s see what led to those words.
Thinking this, I opened the link to the short comic sent by the author.
***
The Demon Lord.
It was born much earlier than expected.
The divine authority imbued into this world in extraordinary amounts had accelerated the manifestation of its immense magical energy, hastening its arrival.
From the moment of its birth, the Demon Lord could feel the will of its predecessors.
No, it might be more accurate to say it was born carrying the will of its predecessors.
As the destined ruler of all demons, the first thought it encountered upon gaining consciousness was a single conclusion:
“Humans will never accept our existence. Dialogue is impossible.”
As it faced this conclusion, past records began to flow into the Demon Lord’s mind.
Memories of its kind, who had been born much earlier and had shouldered the responsibilities of being a Demon Lord.
Most of those memories were filled with the horrors of bloody conflicts.
Yet, with its strong will, the Demon Lord processed them without trouble.
Having been born capable of logical thought, the Demon Lord reflected on the inheritance left by its predecessors and thought:
‘Does it really have to be this way?’
‘Even if the history between humans and demons had been painted in blood, if they were intelligent beings capable of dialogue, couldn’t they communicate?’
This was the Demon Lord’s first thought upon descending into the world—an idea perhaps influenced by the overwhelming divine authority imbued during its creation.
For a ruler of demons, it was an uncharacteristically hopeful thought.