The Executives serving under the Six Kings were world-famous figures, known far and wide even among commoners. However, the level of their fame varied significantly depending on their faction. If one were to exclude the Death King Faction, which had only recently begun gathering followers, the Underworld King and Phantasm King Factions stood out as the most unique.
For instance, the Five War Generals, the Seven Princesses, and the Four Great Magic Dragons were incredibly famous. They were often featured in magazines, and while it was rare for a commoner to meet them face-to-face, portraits of them were easy to find.
As for the Four Great Magic Dragons, their draconic forms were common knowledge, but ordinary people might not recognize them in their human forms. However, the Five War Generals or the Seven Princesses would usually be identified immediately—save for a select few Executives who were so remarkably inconspicuous that they tended to go unnoticed.
In contrast, the Underworld King Faction and the Phantasm King Faction were different. For the former, there was no formal grouping referred to as "Executives." While several members of the Underworld King Faction were famous in their own right, it was unclear where the line for "Executive" was drawn. Because they did not act as a unified group or attend the Hero Festival together, many commoners had heard of their names or epithets but had no idea what they looked like.
The Ten Demons, who served as the Phantasm King's Executives, were in a similar position. While their code names and epithets were widely known, the Phantasm King Faction was a secretive organization. Consequently, while the public knew of their titles, most of their faces remained a mystery.
Even for someone like Moloch or Lilim, who were known as the head of the Satania Great Trading Company and the mother of the Current Emperor respectively, very few people realized that they were members of the Ten Demons.
(W-Who could she be? Those massive horns... is she a demon? Her dress is entirely black, but the fine details suggest incredible quality. Is this what's currently trending in high society? No, wait, that's not the point... I need to figure out who this woman with such a uniquely intimidating presence is.)
Just like Gurin, a vast number of ordinary people had never seen the faces of the Ten Demons. However, when it came to Tiamat, she was one of the few whose affiliation with the group was widely known.
(...S-Such incredible magic power. I used to be confident in my own reserves, but she's on a completely different level. Is she a High-ranking Peerage-class Demon? Those large horns... that blue-tinted black hair... wait. I feel like I've heard a description like this before... Hmm. I can't quite place it.)
The Cruel race, of which An was a member, was said to be descended from demons. As a child, she had heard fragments of the legends surrounding the "Monster of the Black Forest." However, those stories were few and far between, and because the current Tiamat was in human form—lacking her characteristic serpentine lower body—An failed to make the connection.
As a side note, had an ordinary citizen of the Demon Realm been standing there, they would have fled the instant they saw Tiamat’s face. She was recognized as one of the most dangerous entities in the realm. Her two massive horns, her wavy, blue-black hair, and her golden eyes with vertical pupils were enough to send most people running for their lives.
"...Is something the matter?"
"Ah, no, well..."
"I happened to overhear your conversation. Are you looking for your quarters? If you'd like, I could check your keys for you."
"Ah, yes."
Though the woman's smile was beautiful and seemingly kind, Gurin and An felt a sudden chill crawl down their spines as they handed over their keys.
"Ah, I see. With these room numbers, your quarters are on the third floor. It's quite close to here; I shall guide you."
"Eh? Ah, thank you very much. But we wouldn't want to put you to any trouble..."
"Think nothing of it. It is only natural to offer a hand to those in need. Come, this way."
Despite her unsettling aura, Gurin and An followed her, though they couldn't help but feel a lingering hesitation. Her presence was undeniably eerie, but since her words and actions were rooted in genuine goodwill, they found it difficult to voice their discomfort.
The two followed Tiamat in silence. They climbed the stairs to the third floor, and just as they reached the hallway where their rooms were located, Tiamat turned around and smiled.
"...Your rooms are just ahead. You will find the numbers on the doors; please verify them against your keys."
"Thank you so much for your help... Ah, I’m sorry for being so rude and not introducing myself. I am—eh?"
An tried to thank her properly and give her name, but Tiamat raised her palm to An’s lips, silencing her with a soft gesture.
As An trailed off, looking bewildered, Tiamat spoke with a faint, enigmatic smile.
"...Do not tell me your names. If I know them, I shall only wish to know more. And do not ask for my name either. If you learn it, I shall only wish to know you better. Do not become close to me. If we were to become friends, I would surely find myself wanting to part with you..."
" "..." "
Her words carried a weight that brooked no argument. Neither An nor Gurin could find their voices as they stared at her.
"Consider our encounter today a transient dream... a fleeting chance... and 'forget it'."
Tiamat’s eyes glowed with a strange light, and An and Gurin’s gazes lost their focus. After one last smile, Tiamat turned her back on them and headed back toward the stairs. As she reached the landing for the second floor, she whispered to herself.
"People who are pure, kind, and decent... people I could kill so easily if the urge took me... they should not involve themselves with a monster like me. That is what I believe."
The Monster of the Black Forest... Tiamat, otherwise known as Media Leviatashi. She was an abnormal person who harbored murderous intent alongside her affection—a woman driven by a desire to kill those she cared for.
She was undoubtedly abnormal. However, perhaps thanks to Alice's tutelage, she understood that she was distorted and recognized that her nature was a sickness in the eyes of the world.
She was certainly broken, but one could not truly call her heart evil. After all, her decision to help the two lost women had been born of pure kindness, not a dark desire.
A few seconds after Tiamat’s figure vanished, An and Gurin both blinked and snapped back to their senses.
"Ah, Gurin-san, I’m sorry. I seem to have been daydreaming... I must be more nervous than I thought."
"I'm the same, An-san. It's embarrassing, but I think the sheer luxury of this ship overwhelmed me. I felt like my mind was in a fog from the moment we left reception until now."
"Hahaha, well, at least we're together in that. Still, I'm glad we managed to find our rooms like this without having to bother anyone for directions."
"Yes, it's a relief that we found them so easily. Well then, I'll be off to my room... actually, going alone is a bit intimidating. Would you mind if we checked our rooms together?"
"I'd like that very much."
The two shared a wry laugh, having completely forgotten about their meeting with Tiamat. Chatting about trivial things, they headed toward their assigned quarters.
Serious-senpai: "That's the thing. She's a total psycho, but compared to the other monsters in this world, she seems almost manageable because she's actually self-aware about her own abnormality."
???: "As an aside, that 'Monster of the Black Forest' legend was actually something that I—er, Alice-chan—spread throughout the Demon Realm at Tiamat's own request. It was that snake’s way of making sure kind-hearted people would instinctively avoid her for their own safety. I mean, she's still a total pervert though. She's constantly 'killing' Phoenix in a state of mutual ecstasy..."