"It is truly excellent, Sir Gormand. Ever since we came under the rule of her eminence, the available dishes and methods of preparation for myself to use have skyrocketed. There are an immeasurable amount of new things to try, all sparking from her mind! It's as if she is a trove of knowledge. If I didn't know any better, I would have claimed that she was the origin of knowledge, rather than the origin of suffering."

A dragonic chef stood before Gormand with a grand smile as he placed a steaming dish before the built dragonoid.

"Ooh.... what is it today? What is this called? Long floppy yellow stuff covered in a red sauce...."

"This is a dish called spaghetti. The sauce is made from tomatoes, a vegetable very common within the capital from what I have heard. We've imported a number of them recently to produce all sorts of dishes with them."

Picking up the plate and sliding the entire thing into his mouth in a single motion, the dragonoid gulped down the dish with a smile.

"This is great. Apathia, why don't you try some?"

"You just ate it all. What, do you expect me to get up and make it myself?"

With the roll of her eyes, the green haired dragonoid who sat beside Gormand planted her chin on the table.

"Ah. Chef, can you make some more for her?"

"Sir Gormand, I know you far better than you think. We knew that you wouldn't be satisfied with just a single dish. Behold."

Entering the doors of the room, an army of chefs rushed forth, each pushing their own cart filled with all sorts of dishes.

"We prepared a seven course cuisine, 'Italian style', as her eminence stated. Though this place 'Italy' does not exist within this world, but rather a different one which her eminence has apparently lived in. According to her, the Vythguard Empire ruled by the humans is the closest thing to such a place, though she stated that it is more similar to an ancient society which once existed in it's place."

Caesar salad, breadsticks, mozzarella sticks, garlic bread, pasta with tomato sauce, chicken alfredo, shrimp alfredo, lasagna, and more. All this was quickly placed on the table as Gormand wiped the drool from his face, looking back and forth from dish to dish.

With a proud glare, the chef held out his hands to the feast.

"Do not hold back. This is only the beginning, Sir Gormand. The knowledge with which her eminence and the antiheroes have brought to this world is not limited to food, however their knowledge on food is excessive. I will continue to pry them for recipes, until I have exhausted every last possibility."

With this statement, the line of chefs bowed before taking off, leaving the two to eat in peace.

Apathia slowly reached her hand out to grab one plate of pasta, however just before she reached it Gormand grabbed it and shoved it all in his mouth.

"Are you trying to make me work harder?"

Giving him an evil eye, the girl stared at the dragon, who stopped halfway as he was shoving the food down his throat.

"Ah."

"What do you mean, 'ah'. Don't give me that. Quit taking everything that I'm about to eat."

"Alright alright. Here."

Taking the drool covered plate out of his own mouth, Gormand placed the half eaten meal before Apathia before moving onto his next delicacy.

Apathia merely stared at the dish, unimpressed.

"This is what you put in front of me?"

"Well I already tried that one. I wanted to try everything, so I decided to give you something that I had already tried."

Ever so slowly, the girl lifted up a single finger.

Flicking the forehead of Gormand, a lump soon formed at the location of impact.

"You really are a glutton."

With a light sigh, the girl could be seen making the slightest smile.

"I guess we jumped the gun a little bit too early, didn't we?"

As Apathia stated this, Gormand stopped in his tracks, ceasing to consume the dish which he held.

"Yeah. We did. I never imagined..... that she would be one of us."

Scratching his hair with awkward expression, Gormand put down the plate, looking straight forward.

"But wasn't it strange? When we were linked with her suffering, did you notice it as well?"

"Notice it? Notice what?"

Apathia layed her head on the table, no longer motivated enough to put forth the effort to eat anything.

"The fact that there were two sets of memories. Two sets of suffering. One was almost normal, with a few blips aside. And the other....."

Gormand shivered just thinking about it.

"The suffering she went through makes me want to hurl."

With this statement, the two became silent in thought, mulling on the words of Gormand.

[Ah, you'd like to know why, wouldn't you? Isn't that right?]

"Your eminence?"

Looking up, Gormand heard the decrepit voice of Clarice speak.

[That's a long story. Maybe I'll tell it to you someday. But I haven't even told my other self about it yet. So..... perhaps later.]

With this statement, the voice trailed off, and the two were left alone in the room.

"She.... must have had it hard. Just like us.", Apathia murmured. "Even if she killed Vex and the others.... I can't exactly be mad."

The two continued their meal in silence, in a room filled with darkness with the flickering light of a candle aside.

These two, who were once abused beyond measure as slaves, had now once again taken the title of slaves.

Yet even with that title, they were currently serving a ruler who treated them far different from any other slavemaster.

They were serving the Determined, the Queen of Evil.

She had united all the beings of this world who were considered by human standards to be inherently evil, and was now in every aspect considered to be the official Queen of Monsters.

Right below her stood the antiheroes, who had now taken the title of the four Demon Lords.

And underneath them, were the Former Hosts of Sin who stood alongside many head slaves, assisting in the ruling of the many cities which the Dictatorship now consisted of.

Having witnessed their own pasts and comparing them to her own suffering, Claire decided to accept their reasoning for going against her and the antiheroes.

However just because she could accept it did not mean she had forgiven them.

They submitted to her after having thoroughly been taught the difference between the two.

The Hosts of Sin held abilities which could control fate.

They held abilities which could change the state of the universe in certain ways, and this allowed them to act effectively against both the antiheroes and the Determined.

However they did not take into account the magnitude of the Determined herself.

The limitless, and restriction-free fate inducing powers which she held.

Apathia, who held the power to sap the willpower from a person, held the restriction that it could only be used on a single person at a time.

Huberos, who held the power to invert reality by humbling and exalting the states of others, required a spoken statement to apply his own ability on.

Gormand and Avarco held abilities which were useful, however they were not overwhelmingly powerful. Their abilities were considered to be more of utility to plot and counter the powers of others, rather than a way to defeat an opponent.

Envidia was limited by her own jealousy, for the object of her jealousy must exist in order for her to obtain that which she was jealous of. Furthermore, as soon as she fully obtained this object, her jealousy would dissipate, thus allowing her to become vulnerable to attack.

Vex, who controlled the ability of wrath, allowing him to remove the fear from a person, thus amplifying their own wrath to the point where they exploded in rage as an uncontrollable beast, was also restricted to wrath which was not directed at himself.

And finally, Lustia, who controlled the ability to charm others to do her bidding, whose own charm was outmatched by Samantha in a direct battle of control.

These seven Hosts were once considered to be the most formidable demons in the realm, however the Determined had shown them her lack of weaknesses.

She was an existence of suffering, with powers that could spread endlessly, and limitlessly.

With the ability to set conditions without limits, and the ability to reset time should she be attacked, the hosts held no chance at defeating her.

She was truly and fully, a Queen.

And they accepted this.

Because of this acceptance, Claire had set forth a single rule.

"If you disobey me, I will end your lives. No ifs, ands, or buts. I don't care what your excuse is. If you do not show complete and utter loyalty to me, then I have no reason to keep you alive."

With a sinister smirk, the horrid demon had said this to all seven hosts.

"Do your best to survive. I'll be looking forward to crushing you, should you fail to meet my expectations."

"Ah, don't mind my other self. She just likes teasing you guys! If you're truly dissatisfied with something, then just come to me about it. I'm willing to discuss things with you all. But.... if you really do try anything stupid like betrayal, then I will find out the truth, and I will kill you. That much has already been Determined."

----

"Lady Lustia, are you ready?"

"Just a minute. I'll be out in a moment. It's not every day that I leave the tower, after all."

Applying lipstick to her own slim lips, a sharp eyed spirit currently gazed into the mirror as she prepared herself to go out.

In one hand she held a fancy handbag, and her outfit was a cute sundress which a young girl might be seen wearing.

Currently she wore a black baseball cap on top of her head, though there was no team or logo on it. Her shoes were sandals, and the short haired diva truly appeared as if she was nothing more than a young girl going out with some friends.

If one ignored her snow white skin, that is.

"Alright. Do I look ok?"

"You look gorgeous, Lady Lustia. Almost as much so as her eminence."

"I see. You probably shouldn't compare me to her though. After all, she is an actual angel, though a fallen one."

[I heard that]

"I meant no offense by it, your eminence. It is through your fallen nature which you have truly brought out your innate beauty, for it is only in being surrounded by darkness that a star truly shines brightly."

With quick wit, the mature sounding spirit corrected her statement.

[Haha.... well, I wouldn't go that far. After all, at the end of the day I'm just a bitch who has forced her problems onto everyone around her.]

"A bitch? Your eminence, to think that you would use such a term to describe yourself...."

[It's true, isn't it? But that's fine. I'll become as bitchy as I need to.]

Trailing off, the voice of the woman became low.

[If it means the ruin of that man.]

Lustia merely stood in place, listening quietly.

[You ready to be teleported?]

"Indeed."

And with that, Lustia disappeared from the tower.

----

"Lady Berith! That is quite enough! Get down here at once!!"

A spiderling who wore nothing more than a hoodie was currently hanging upside down from the corner of the ceiling in the dressing room.

A butterfly insectoid woman was holding up a frilly dress, likely in an attempt to force it onto said spiderling.

"Nah. I'm not gonna wear that. I'll wear this or I don't go out."

"How stubborn you are. You wore such a thing at her eminences inauguration, and now you refuse to dress appropriately to address your own people which you have been given rein over? You need to act like a queen if you wish to become-"

[When was the last time I acted like a proper queen? Do what you want, Berith.]

"Thank you, your eminence."

As her statement was cut off, the butterfly immediately bowed to the ground, putting her head down in shame.

"Please forgive me, your eminence! I merely wished for Lady Berith to-"

[Ah, I don't really feel like hearing your explanation. I don't care. Just be quiet and that will be enough for me.]

At this, the woman immediately closed her mouth.

Berith, meanwhile, stepped down from the corner with a toothy grin.

Her trails of hair dragged along the ground as the ticks of her legs resounded through the room, and the girl made her way to the balcony.

Awaiting her once more were a number of people.

"Hey, people. How's it going?"

"Lady Berith!!"

"We love you!!!"

"Please thank her eminence and their excellencies for placing you as our ruler!!"

Met immediately by cheers, the four eyes of the spiderling thinned as she gave them a wicked smile.

Waving her human hands which were covered by the sleeves of the hoodie she wore, Berith merely watched as the people of this village cheered her on.

'I guess this isn't all that bad. Well... if I don't have to wear a dress. Although.... I sure would like to go back to the human realm one day.....'

Recalling the bonding with her brother which she had done through a casual competition of puppeteering, Berith grinned all the more, baring her fangs before the crowd.

[Don't worry, Berith. You will. Be patient.]

'Is that true, your eminence? Heh..... hehe.....'

[Yep. Me and Theo and Ally have been doing a whole lot of planning together, so just be patient. There are a few more things we need to fall in line before it happens though. I even have a task for you to perform before then.]

'I see. I will do my best to meet your expectations, your eminence.'

With this interaction, Berith continued waving to the people, who begun to shout even louder.

"We will give our lives for you, Lady Berith!!!!"

"Please accept us as we are!!!!"

To which, the spiderling shot out a threat into the crowd like a bullet.

The cheers halted for a moment as the threat grazed the neck of the man who had made this statement, and he stumbled backwards in fear.

"Lady Berith?"

The man looked up, his body trembling in fear, yet his own expression was that of delight.

A small cut opened on the man's neck, and yellow fluid oozed from it.

"How tempting. But unfortunately, I can't take your lives. After all, you are precious to those I serve..... and I suppose to myself as well."

Retracting the thread, the girl walked off with a grin, shutting the doors of the balcony.

And the cheering resumed.

"Lady Berith!!!"

"For our Queen, and for her eminence, the Queen of all rulers!"

----

"Hypocrite. This is a word which is very, very important. Can somebody tell me what a hypocrite is?"

Two people stood at the head of an enormous class, the size of a lecture hall.

The buildings and seats appeared to have been made from flesh and bones, and they were filled to the brim with children of all ages and races.

Lizardmen, insectoids, ratmen, snakemen, humans, elementals, demons, dragonic demons, spirits, and plantkin.

The lecture hall was immense, with thousands of children from across the monster realm present for the session.

"I know, Professor Coran!"

Raising her hand, a young twintailed snakegirl called out, to which the spiderling pointed to her.

"Yes, Pliara?"

"A hypocrite is someone who makes a statement in an attempt to correct others, however doesn't follow that statement themselves."

With confidence, the girl quickly answered.

"Exactly. A hypocrite is someone who believes that others should act in a certain way, but for some odd reason, they believe themselves to be an exception from this rule. They believe that they are above everyone else, and that for no reason at all they are free to disobey the very rules they set."

At this statement, many children murmured with displeasure.

"How horrible."

"They must be pretty shitty people."

"For example, I am sure you all are well aware of the term 'hero'?"

The one who spoke was a humanoid wasp woman who taught alongside the spiderling.

The children all nodded in agreement as the woman stood forth to speak.

"Heroes are disgusting creatures who like to call themselves by a name which is recognized as good. When a human hears the word 'hero', their immediate first thought is 'a good person who helps others'. Unfortunately, heroes are hypocrites. They act like they help others. They pretend to help others. They tell everyone else to 'follow their example' and help others. But then..... they do exactly what they want. For their own sake. And when they find someone they disagree with, rather than helping them, do you know what they do instead?"

The woman became extremely serious as her tone lowered, and tension filled the people within the stands.

"They label them as monsters, and dispose of them."

With irritated glares, the children furrowed their brows.

"Boo...."

"Stupid heroes...."

"I can't believe they would do that...."

"Ah, but here is the most important part. Listen up to my lovely wife.", Coran stated, which caused the wasp to straighten her back in awkward shock.

"Ha.... you threw me off there, Coran..... er.... anyways...."

Fixing her own demeanor, the wasp woman raised a finger.

"Every single one of us in this city, or rather within this entire realm, has already been labeled as a monster."

Many gasps of shock were heard as the woman said this, but she continued on.

"What should we do if the rest of the world has labeled us as monsters then?"

Speaking this question, Coran threw the question to the children, at which they all begun to smile with horrible grins.

It was then that a human child, a young girl four years of age, spoke up with a grin.

"We do what they say. We become monsters."

With bloodlust in the eyes of every child, light laughter could be heard throughout the halls, and the two teaching the lecture nodded in approval.

"There will be no homework for tonight. That will be all for today's lecture."

----

"Claire."

"Yes, I know."

"Stage 3 of Trevor's plan has been completed. Take over and unite the monster realm."

"I know."

"You understand what this means of course, right?"

"I know."

The angelic girl who sat in an immense throne with an overarching demeanor held one hand to her chin.

With her eyes glaring down at the vast number of slaves beneath her spoke to herself.

Currently, her form was that of a complete angel- pure white in every aspect aside from her single demonic hand.

"It is time to begin stage 4. It's time to bring about the end of this world."