I used <Void Crossing>¹ to jump to Mount Garan, a peak held by the Heisenberg family. Directly ahead of me sat the grim research facility I had plucked from the Garzac Underground Dungeon.
"And... up we go."
I tore the iron door right off its hinges with my bare hands and invited myself inside. I moved through a dim, dust-heavy corridor until I reached a massive laboratory. Books and papers were scattered across the floor, magical formulas were scrawled on the walls, and bizarre liquids swirled inside giant flasks. In the center of this creepy room was a large examination table, and upon it lay a girl.
She looked to be about twelve, the same as me, with silver hair so pale it was almost translucent. She was strapped into a white straitjacket, and on her chest, a mark tainted by the Demon King-the Defiled Crest-was pulsing with a dark light.
(The same reddish-black pattern from the original game... I see. So that's the Demon King's curse.)
This girl was a true descendant of heroes. She was a survivor of the glorious clan that had struck down the Demon King five hundred years ago.
"Ugh... ah... hah, hah...!"
Large beads of sweat stood out on her forehead as she twisted her body, letting out stifled cries of agony.
(...Hmm...)
From the looks of it, the Demon King's factor was eroding her body, and her heroic blood was fighting back. Inside her, a constant cycle of destruction and regeneration was playing out-a living hell of endless suffering. An ordinary human would have died in less than three days, but because her vessel was too sturdy, she couldn't even find the mercy of death. The proud blood of the hero simply wouldn't let her give up.
"...Please... just... kill me..."
Perhaps noticing my presence, the girl's moist eyes trembled as she pleaded with me.
The Demon King's factor possessed infinite potential. It could be used to develop unknown magic, create new energy sources, or even reproduce the Demon King's Innate Magic. Because of this, research institutions across the world had gone to any lengths to analyze it. This girl had likely been subjected to inhumane experiments while being held in the Garzac Underground Dungeon. For years and years... until her heart broke, until she craved nothing but the end.
(...Kill her, huh?)
That had been my plan at first. In terms of disposing of the Demon King's factor, that was the most efficient solution.
...But I wonder why. When someone asks me to "kill" them, I feel an intense... no, a maddening urge to do the exact opposite.
It's not that I'm naturally a contrarian. If anything, I'd say I'm a pretty straightforward guy... but for some reason, the desire to go against the grain was overwhelming.
(Well, I suppose this is an experiment in itself.)
The Demon King's curse is powerful. The magic left behind by High Priest Amour, <Light of Holy Purification>, isn't enough to break it. However, I have meta-knowledge. I know the method to neutralize the Demon King's factor-the ritual of purification that only comes to light at the end of the main story route. And the skill to make it happen is already in my hands.
"Now then, shall we begin?"
I extended my right hand and touched the Defiled Crest on her chest.
"-<Light of Holy Purification>!"
Holy power surged forth, weakening the Demon King's curse.
"Ghk... ah...!"
The girl writhed in pain as the Demon King's factor thrashed about.
"Endure it," I said. "It'll be over soon."
I immediately moved to the recovery process. I transformed my mana into microscopic threads and sent them into her body, shredding the Demon King's factor to bits. Since they would just regenerate as soon as they were cut, I began forced-assimilating them with her natural magic factors. I wasn't rejecting the Demon King's factor; I was weaving that wicked power into her very being.
(...There. That should do it.)
The purification ritual was a success. The Demon King's factor had completely merged with her own. With this, she could finally say goodbye to that hellish agony. I drew the sword at my hip and sliced through her restraints.
"Hey. How do you feel?"
The girl slowly sat up and stared at her own body in disbelief.
"...No... way..."
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"This is... really... it's not a dream... Thank you...!" she sobbed.
I had saved her on a whim, but being thanked didn't feel half bad.
"That's right, I have to get out of here...!" the girl said.
She likely thought she was still in the dungeon. She scrambled to her feet.
"On that front, you have nothing to worry about," I replied.
"What do you mean...?"
"It's faster to see for yourself. Come on, follow me."
I turned on my heel and walked out of the lab. Following me timidly, the girl's eyes widened in shock.
"...Eh...?"
Outside, a vast expanse of lush greenery stretched as far as the eye could see. A massive moon hung in the night sky, and the stars shone with a brilliant radiance.
"I used my Innate Magic to teleport the entire facility," I explained. "You're safe here."
"I see... thank God..."
Sighing with relief, she asked a very reasonable question.
"But... why did you save someone like me?"
Now, why did I? "Because you asked me to kill you, and I felt like being a contrarian"... that's a bit too dry, isn't it? Since I couldn't think of a better reason, I decided to fake it with something that sounded meaningful.
"-Let me tell you a story from a long time ago," I began. "About five hundred years ago, humanity was on the brink of extinction. A Demon King had suddenly appeared with a massive army, invading the continent. His forces were too strong; the people were slaughtered without mercy. Just when it seemed there was no hope left, six individuals with incredible power appeared. They were the ones who would later be called the 'Six Legendary Heroes'."
Since standing still wasn't very dramatic, I started walking in a stylish circle around the girl.
"After a long, arduous journey, they finally destroyed the Demon King. But with his final breath, the Demon King cast a curse. Not on the heroes' bodies-but on their magic factors."
"Their factors...?" the girl asked.
"Exactly. As you know, magic factors are passed from parent to child. By cursing the factor itself, the Demon King ensured the heroes' power would eventually lead to their ruin."
"To wipe out the lineage rather than the individual... I see. It's logical," she said.
She was sharp. She grasped the concept immediately.
"The legendary heroes were strong enough to live out their lives even with the curse. But as the centuries passed and the hero blood thinned, their descendants could no longer suppress the Demon King's power. They began falling to a mysterious illness."
I gave her a meaningful look.
"Those who possessed both the Hero's factor and the Demon King's factor became the 'world's greatest research material.' Because the factors are still a mystery with infinite potential. And so, a world that forgot the heroes' sacrifice began conducting cruel experiments on their children, all to squeeze out more wealth and power."
"Research material... wait, you mean...!"
"Yeah," I said. "I'm talking about you."
She choked on her words. "Is that story... really true...?"
"Who knows? If you're curious, go ahead and look into it yourself," I replied.
Of course, it was all true. But I didn't expect her to believe it all at once. The girl put a hand to her chin, lost in thought.
(The logic holds up. And above all... he has no reason to lie to me...)
After a moment, she gritted her teeth. "...I won't forgive them...!"
In that instant, a surge of silver magical power erupted from her. Oh, as expected of a hero's descendant-that's a terrifying amount of mana.
"A society built on absurdity and injustice, a peace bought with the sacrifice of others-it is fundamentally wrong," I said. "To tear down these worthless interests and build something new, I have to fight this world."
"...I'll fight too," she said.
"To do that, you need power. Overwhelming force to defy this shitty scenario!"
I'm going to beat my own route. So, you go ahead and work hard on yours. It'll be tough, but with that mana, you'll probably make it pretty far.
Just as I turned my back to warp back to the Heisenberg mansion, the girl spoke up.
"Please... let me fight alongside you."
"...Eh?"
"Is that... not allowed?" she asked.
"No, I mean... it's not not allowed, but..."
My main goal was to destroy the Demon King's factor and delay the Great Magic Cult's plans.
(This is already pretty far off from my original plan...)
But in terms of messing with the Cult, keeping this girl close had value. After all, the Demon King's factor was still inside her.
(And considering how the story goes from here, the more pawns I have, the better.)
"I am so grateful to you," she said. "I know I'm in no position to ask for favors. But if I'm not a burden... I want to fight with you."
"Sure. Why not?"
"Thank you. Um... your name?"
"I'm... hmm. Just call me 'Void'."
Giving her my real name felt wrong, so I went with a fake one. I use Void magic, so Void. It's a bit lazy, but simple is best. Besides, I was getting tired of the "acting." Maintaining that villainous noble persona takes a lot of energy.
"By the way... wait," I said.
Now that I think about it, what was her name? I tried to dig through my meta-knowledge. Silver hair, half-elf, beautiful face... she wasn't a random mob; she was a named character. But I couldn't remember. In the main story, she usually dies early. She had so little screen time that I just couldn't recall her name.
"Hey, what's your name?" I asked.
"I..."
The girl froze for a second, then shook her head slowly.
"-I threw it away."
"Threw it away?" I asked.
"I was sold by my parents for three copper coins. I have no use for a name given to me by people like that."
"Ah... I see. I get it," I replied. From the moment someone manifests the Crest of Impurity², they are treated as something less than human-mere livestock. It wasn't hard to imagine the horrors her own flesh and blood had put her through.
"I was saved by Void," she continued. "If you're willing... I want you to be the one to name me."
"Wh-What? Me?" I asked. Naming someone was a heavy burden. It was a choice that rippled through a person's entire life; it wasn't something to be thrown out on a whim. "Are you for real?"
"Yes. Please," she said. Her eyes were hauntingly sincere. A girl's name, huh... (Ayumi... Kyoko... Yukari... Shiho... Saori...) No, those were Japanese names. They would sound completely out of place in the world of Ronzolkia.
"You don't have to overthink it," she whispered. "Just look at me. Give me a name that fits exactly what you see."
"Hmm... Alright. How about Dia?"
"Dia?" she asked.
"It's after a diamond-a precious gem. I thought it suited your hair... it's so silver and clear, it's almost transparent. Maybe it's a bit too on the nose, though," I said.
"Dia..." The girl tasted the name, whispering it as if to see how it felt, before a small, genuine smile broke across her face. "It's a beautiful name. Thank you. I'll cherish it."
It looked like he had hit the mark. "Like I told you before, we're going to have to fight the entire world. To do that, we need overwhelming power. I'm going to need you to get strong, Dia. You ready for that?"
"I am. That's my only goal," Dia replied with a sharp nod, then tilted her head curiously. "Just how strong are you, Void?"
"Hmm. About this much, I'd say." As I spoke, I let go. I released the massive reservoir of mana I usually kept under a tight seal. In an instant, an abyssal blackness surged out like a burst dam-THRRRRRUM-a tide of concentrated malice that seemed to swallow Mount Garan whole. It was a wicked, suffocating power, exactly what was expected from a villainous archduke like Hollow von Heisenberg.
(What is this...? He's on an entirely different level. It's not even about being strong or weak anymore. This is something else entirely...!)
Even though I had only let out a fraction of my power, Dia collapsed, hitting the ground with a soft thud. She pulled her arms tight around herself, shivering uncontrollably, her face pale with pure terror.
"Oh, damn. Sorry. I didn't mean to scare the life out of you," I said.
"I-I'm... okay... I was the one... who asked..." Dia took a ragged breath and forced herself back to her feet.
(Way to go, genius. What a blunder.) She'd been rotting in a dark hole, subjected to twisted experiments for years. She was a walking ghost, physically and mentally drained. No matter how much I held back, blasting her with that kind of pressure was a total mistake. (I feel like crap now. Fine. I'll make it up to her with a top-tier meal later.) Sushi, ramen, BBQ... wait, that was just what I wanted. She was a young girl; she'd probably want something light, refreshing, or sweet. I would check with my maid, Silty³, she would know how to put together a proper spread.
As I was mentally drafting an apology menu, Dia spoke up in a small voice. "...Void, you're strong. You look like you could tear the world apart."
"Hah, don't exaggerate. I've still got a long way to go."
"Is there anyone... stronger than you?"
"Who knows..." I looked up at the stars, my mind racing.
Hollow von Heisenberg was a legend on the power-scaling forums back home. He had the ultimate kit: the versatile <Void> innate magic, physical stats that break the human scale, and a mana pool that felt like a bottomless ocean. He was a once-in-a-century monster. If Hollow played his cards right and ground efficiently, no one should be able to touch him.
(And yet... Hollow always died.) Even in the best-case routes, he would eventually trigger "Slothful Pride"⁴-that final, fatal symptom-and get put down by the protagonist. That debuff was like a geographical coordinate that always led him straight to a Bad End. (I'm going to snap every death flag in my path and force this story into a Happy End... just watch me.)
That was why I was playing it smart. Humble and steady-that was the new meta.
"Anyway, let's talk about what's next," I said.
"Okay," Dia replied.
We settled on having Dia live in Void Town. It was the perfect spot to stay off the radar of the Great Magic Cult and other hostiles. Once she'd had some time to heal, I would start her training personally. (Honestly, a hybrid Hero and Demon King build? I'm more than a little curious to see how that scales.) While I taught her the ropes, I could study that unique energy signature. Maybe it would give me the edge I needed to push my own limits.
(Besides, the Garzac Underground Dungeon raid was a total loot-fest.) I had gathered real-world data on my <Void> abilities, picked up a top-tier companion, and thrown a massive wrench in the Cult's plan to revive the Demon King. As far as openers went, it was a flawless victory.
As I was mentally patting myself on the back, Dia looked at me. "Void... are there others? People like me?"
"A few, scattered around. But someone with your specific 'mix' is pretty rare."
"Why?"
"Look, being a descendant of the Hero doesn't automatically mean you get the Crest. Usually, you're just a normal person. This 'sickness' is actually a curse of talent. You were born with such a high concentration of Hero blood that it pulled an equal amount of Demon King essence into your system to balance it out. That's why your parents were normal, but you weren't."
"...Some talent," she whispered bitterly. Then, she looked at me with a new fire in her eyes. "If I get strong... I want to help them. People suffering like I was. If we find more descendants, will you save them too?"
"Yeah. Why not?"
"Thank you. You've given me a reason to keep going."
"Don't mention it."
The more Demon King essence I could secure, the better. Every piece of that power held by my side was a piece the Cult didn't have. Tracking down Hero descendants all over the globe sounded like a massive fetch-quest... but if Dia was willing to do the legwork and I just had to show up and cleanse them, it was a win-win.
"Alright, let's head to Void Town," I said. I raised my hand, activating <Void Crossing>. A swirling vortex of pure darkness tore open the air in front of them.
"Is... the town really inside that?"
"Yeah. It's a bit of a trip the first time, but you'll get used to it."
She looked at the abyss, then back at me. With a tiny nod of trust, Dia stepped into the black.
(Three years... In three years, the main story begins, and I'll finally come face-to-face with the protagonist.) I had a lot of work to do before then. With that determination etched into my mind, I vanished into the void.
===
This concludes the 'Childhood Arc'! Starting next time, the 'Adolescence Arc' begins!
Three years have passed, and Hollow, now fifteen, will take on the main route!
Summary:
Void teleports the facility holding a 'Hero's Descendant' to a secure location on Heisenberg land. He uses his meta-knowledge and unique magic to perform a purification ritual that heals the girl by assimilating the Demon King's curse into her own power. Grateful for her survival and disillusioned by her past as a research subject, the girl pledges her loyalty to Void, though she has discarded her original name.
Hollow names the traumatized girl 'Dia' and explains the mechanical nature of her 'Crest of Impurity' as a balance of Hero and Demon King factors. He accidentally terrifies her with his magic but secures her loyalty by giving her a new purpose: rescuing others like her. The arc concludes with a time-skip as Hollow prepares to meet the game's protagonist in three years.
Trivia:
- The 'Defiled Crest' assimilation suggests the girl may now wield powers derived from the Demon King, potentially making her stronger than a normal hero.
- Void's inability to remember her name highlights that she was a 'tragic background character' in the original game, suggesting he is actively changing her fate.
- The mention of the 'Great Magic Cult' sets them up as the primary antagonist group for the upcoming arc.
- The mention of 'Slothful Pride' as Hollow's inevitable death flag suggests a personality-based curse or debuff he must actively resist.
- Hollow's meta-knowledge of power-scaling forums highlights his advantage but also his paranoia regarding the game's set events.
- Dia's hybrid nature as a 'Hero + Demon King' build marks her as a unique tactical asset for the upcoming conflicts
Character Insight:
Void shifts from a cold, utilitarian perspective ('most efficient solution to kill her') to a defiant savior role driven by his own contrarian nature. The girl moves from suicidal despair to having a new purpose, establishing a master-subordinate dynamic that Void views strategically ('more pawns the better').
The dynamic shifts from rescuer/victim to mentor/student. Dia's transition is marked by her request for a name, while Hollow's empathy is shown through his regret over scaring her and his plan to get her food.
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The 'Six Legendary Heroes' and the Demon King's curse on their bloodline explain why heroic descendants are now targeted for experiments. This establishes a dark reality where the world has forgotten the heroes' sacrifices and now treats their blood as a resource.
Introduction of 'Demon King factors' as a genetic or magical inheritance that balances Hero bloodlines. Reveal of 'Void Crossing' as a fast-travel or dimensional magic.
TL Notes:
The term 'Gyaku-bari' (contrarianism/going against the grain) is central to Void's personality, indicating a self-aware rejection of typical protagonist tropes.
Adapted 'Strongest Discussion Threads' to 'Power-scaling forums' to better suit US internet slang for the meta-commentary.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Void Crossing: An innate spatial magic skill used by the protagonist for teleportation.
2 ↩ Crest of Impurity (Fujo no Monshou): A magical mark appearing on descendants of Heroes, indicating a dangerous accumulation of Demon King mana.
3 ↩ Silty-san: Referring to the maid Silty; honorific retained from raw 'Silty-san'.
4 ↩ Slothful Pride (Taida Gouman): A unique debuff or curse associated with the character Hollow von Heisenberg in the game 'Ronzolkia'.
Notes:
• Heisenberg - Lord of the Heisenberg family. One of the Four Great Noble Houses. Noted for his immense wealth and territorial holdings.
• Dia - A descendant of the Hero who manifested the Crest of Impurity. She has transparent, beautiful silver hair and was sold by her parents.
• Hollow - 15‑year‑old heir of the Heisenberg ducal house, 170 cm tall, dark crimson medium‑length hair in a ribbon‑ponytail, crimson eyes, lean aristocratic build, black school uniform and navy jacket. Arrogant noble of the Four Great Houses, top‑ranked freshman at Redrick Academy, wielding innate Void magic (registered as Refraction) and meta‑knowledge to sabotage rivals while plotting as a ruthless villain.
• Silty - A maid serving the Heisenberg household.