Looking back, few enemies had shared such a long and tangled history with me as Balk.
I had memories of clashing with him countless times during my previous life. His schemes were always cunning, and more often than not, I found myself dancing to his tune. If I was able to overcome him at all, it was entirely thanks to her.
When we met again after I became the Demon King, Balk was consumed by a burning desire for revenge. He had navigated a series of complex maneuvers to resurrect the Former Demon King Diera, challenging me with everything he had. Although I emerged victorious in the end, Balk’s tenacity refused to break. Even after his death, he obtained Gwen’s assistance and conspired with John Doe within the mental world. His insatiable thirst for revenge was almost enough to command respect.
To me, the man known as Balk was a curse user who had been my shadow and adversary for a lifetime.
"Hmm..."
Balk’s Soul, secured inside the vessel, was in a perpetual state of restoration. This was his unique property. Even if he met his end, he could return to life after several years had passed. Even if his soul was shattered by magic, he would eventually reform. To prevent that, I had been forced to keep his soul in a state of constant, rhythmic damage to halt the revival process.
Of course, such measures were largely unnecessary now. Balk’s mind no longer resided within this soul; his ego had perished within my mental world. Since then, no sign of his self had resurfaced. It appeared that Balk, the former member of the Four Heavenly Kings, had died while leaving only the shell of his soul behind. It was an exceptionally rare phenomenon, but given his unique constitution, it wasn't impossible.
"It is a soul of such incredible purity! It likely reached this state precisely because Gwen-san extracted the mind in its entirety. Oh, it’s simply breathtaking! I could stare at it forever!"
The Research Institute Director spoke with manic intensity, her cheeks flushed with a feverish red. I understood the rarity of the specimen, but her obsession far surpassed mere academic interest. She quickly lost herself in a series of frantic, whispered monologues. Since this was her usual state of being, I saw no reason to interrupt.
From here, I would bleach the soul to completely erase all traces of Balk. By doing so, I would fashion it into a Pure Soul—a blank slate that retained only the property of restoration. I would use that as the foundation for her resurrection. As a catalyst for the ritual, it was as close to perfection as one could get. Even if one searched every corner of the globe, no object would surpass the quality of this soul.
As for the resurrection itself, I intended to use Gwen’s power. I would have her perform the Soul Alteration on the Bleached Soul. Gwen specialized in the manipulation of memories and spirits, elements that were inextricably linked to the essence of the soul. Since she had boasted that such an alteration was well within her capabilities, I wasn't worried.
While the Director and I could have likely achieved the same result through joint research, we would have wasted decades in the process. The only reason I was able to commit to the resurrection at this particular moment was Gwen’s presence. I had to be grateful for her cooperation.
However, as a quid pro quo, I had been forced to promise her freedom of movement and the return of a portion of her confiscated power. Regarding the former, she had already taken advantage of it. Since the conclusion of the meeting, Gwen had been roaming as she pleased.
I kept her under constant surveillance, of course. The spells I had placed upon her remained active; should she attempt anything suspicious, I could kill her instantly. Gwen understood this perfectly, and so she took no provocative actions. For the most part, she seemed content to stroll through the castle and chat with the soldiers and servants of the Demon King's Army.
While returning her power was a risk I would have preferred to avoid, I had to trust her in this one matter. If I did not consent to her terms, I could not bring her back. Gwen was far from what anyone would call "good," but I wanted to believe she wasn't currently plotting revenge against the army. If she did turn, I was prepared to take responsibility and deal with her myself.
"..."
I stared at the soul inside the vessel. It floated there, its shape shifting incessantly like a cloud.
I knew, intuitively, that this plan would succeed. The people of the world were currently desperate for a hero. By taking advantage of that collective yearning to bring back one of the greatest heroes in history, the Will of the World would undoubtedly bolster the success rate. I knew all too well how that Absurd Law worked—how it would bend reality to facilitate the destruction of evil.
(Will I finally be able to see her again?)
How would she feel when she looked upon the world as it was now? And what would she think of me, the man who had become the Demon King? Would she be furious, decrying my choice as foolish? Would she be overcome with pity, weeping for how far I had fallen?
At the very least, she would not be happy. She had been a woman of absolute justice; she would never have desired a solution like this.
I intended to explain my vision of world peace to her. I had no idea how she would react. If she could accept a world peace maintained by a Demon King, then all would be well. I would feel a sense of relief and joy beyond words, and together we would build the Eternal Demon King's Army. That was the dream. World peace through the reign of Absolute Evil would be guaranteed for eternity.
However, there was every possibility that her inherent goodness would lead her to reject me. She was a paragon of justice who lived by her principles. It was that very steadfastness that I had admired more than anything else.
She might not understand my conclusion. We might end up crossing blades. It was a scenario I had averted my eyes from for a long time, but the time had come to face it directly. The path to our reunion was already set.
Despite the internal conflict and the lingering fear, I moved forward. Once, she and I had failed. Poetic justice had not been enough to save the world. Therefore, I had chosen a different path—aiming for the Unity of Humanity through dominion and the threat of a common enemy. There was nothing else left for me.
I was the Demon King of Arbitration. And I had to meet the Hero Who Saved the World once more.