"So, what were we talking about?"

Despite having heard the entire conversation, the Demon King deliberately asked.

Night Bringer didn't back down either.

"We were discussing your purpose."

"Oh? My purpose?"

"Lately, it seems you have no interest in the annihilation of humanity. You've cast everything aside and are fervently searching for nightmares."

Reading the fierce momentum of Night Bringer, the Demon King continued to laugh. Night Bringer shot back.

"Do you truly intend to annihilate humanity? Who exactly are you searching for in the nightmares?"

"Let's make one thing clear, Black Dragon."

Immediately after, a vivid darkness poured out from behind the Demon King.

"There is no being who desires the destruction of this world more than I do."

It was a darkness so intense that even the world-renowned Black Dragon Night Bringer flinched. Eventually, Night Bringer realized the true nature of this darkness.

Hatred.

It was an abyssal, bottomless hatred.

"I cannot forgive this world. A world that did such things to 'that person' deserves to drown in my darkness."

But the next moment.

The swirling black hatred vanished without a trace.

The three Nightmare Legion commanders, who had been holding their breath, could finally catch their breath.

"But my revenge is for the salvation of 'that person'."

Suddenly, the Demon King was back to his usual self, lounging on his throne with a playful smile.

"If I cannot save 'that person', the destruction of humanity means nothing to me. But if I can save 'that person', the destruction of humanity will complete the salvation."

"..."

"Soon enough, humanity will be annihilated, and you will march out when the time comes. Don't doubt it, just wait."

Night Bringer frowned, gazing intently at the Demon King.

So.

Who is this being that the Demon King is searching for in the nightmares...?

The Demon King didn't speak further on the subject and gestured towards the Grand Sorceress White Night.

"White Night. You will march out in the upcoming great winter flood. Prepare in advance."

White Night quietly bowed to accept the order.

"..."

Behind the masked face, the Grand Sorceress thought.

It's unfortunate for the Black Dragon who so desires destruction. But there will be no turn for him.

She too wished for the world to disappear.

***

The day immediately following the Kings' meeting.

Thump!

In a gathering of the heroes under my command, I pounded my fist on the blackboard and shouted.

"It's a flag design contest!"

"...?"

Everyone looked at me in stunned silence.

Lucas was the one who finally asked.

"Pardon?"

"A flag design contest, a flag design contest!"

After repeating the same words three times, I finally explained.

"Now that the new alliance 'World Defense Front' has been formed, it's only natural we need a flag to represent it!"

It might seem like unnecessary formality or pomp, but no, flags are quite important! They make history!

"Besides, our Monster Front also lacks its own flag...!"

I pointed sharply towards the hotel. The heroes all looked in that direction.

Flags of various countries and forces visiting this time fluttered proudly, but our Monster Front was the only one without an original flag.

Instead, the empire's flag, adorned with a sword and rose, fluttered diligently.

At that moment, Evangeline tilted her head.

"Before you took over, the Southern Front used our family's flag. Should I lend it to you again now that things have come to this?"

That was indeed the case. Originally, the Southern Front had used the Cross family's flag as its symbol.

Since the Cross family had been governors for generations.

But given that I am currently the lord, it's not feasible to take the Cross family's symbol. And more importantly.

"No! Your family's flag is boring!"

Lame!

The Cross family's cross symbol, carelessly drawn as a single 'X' within an empty square frame! I wouldn't accept it even if you offered!

"Waaah! That's too mean! You're a fool, senior!"

Evangeline ran out crying.magicEveryone was sweating bullets, but I didn't care and continued.

"So, it's a contest! I hope everyone actively submits their ideas!"

Currently, we have a temporary flag, a black background with a red embroidered border, but the center is empty.

I planned to solicit designs to fill this center. Or perhaps even completely revamp the border as well.

"The Monster Front, and the World Defense Front, represent no specific nation or ideology. We have gathered purely to protect this world from destruction."

Of course, if you look into the intentions of the kings of various nations, each has their own desires for joining under my command.

But ultimately, the noble cause is to prevent the world's destruction and save everyone.

"I hereby call for designs for a flag that symbolizes our Monster Front and extends to the World Defense Front."

But it seemed no one was as serious about the flag as I was, everyone wore half-hearted expressions.

Ahem! Clearing my throat, I continued.

"The person who comes up with a good idea will receive a prize."

"A prize? What kind of prize?"

Evangeline, who had run outside, popped her head back in and asked. Such a cheeky one.

I crossed my arms and announced the prize with a powerful voice.

"Well, of course, the unparalleled honor of having designed this historic flag..."

"Boooo!"

Immediate jeers followed.

I sighed and added.

"...And a bonus of one year's salary, paid immediately."

"Wooooah!"

Applause erupted.

The heroes, now beaming, jumped up from their seats and clapped standing. These money-grubbers! Can't they care a bit more about honor!

Now fully back inside, Evangeline, who had somehow procured paper and a brush, raised her hand again to ask.

"When does the contest start and end?!"

"We don't have much time."

We need to depart towards the Imperial Capital within a few days. Any further delay and we wouldn't be able to stop what Fernandez is planning in New Terra.

"So... the deadline for the flag contest is until this evening."

"What?! That's too rushed!"

The heroes grumbled in discontent, but I added one more thing.

"In return, the prize will be paid out immediately this evening."

"That's the way! Ideas should always be spontaneous!"

"Awesome! Let's start drawing right away!"

Soon after, the heroes were crouched or sprawled out in various parts of the mansion, busily drawing flag designs on the papers they had been given.

'...This looks like a scene from an elementary school art contest.'

I walked around with my hands behind my back, sneaking peeks at what the heroes were drawing. Let's see.

First up, Lucas.

He was drawing some kind of highly metaphysical three-dimensional structure on a large piece of paper. I approached, curious, and asked.

"That's a very philosophical drawing... what is it?"

"It's your face, my lord."

"..."

...Ah, this is me?

Upon closer inspection, this round thing looks like an eye... this protruding bit must be the nose... but why is the mouth attached here...?

Anyway, if I had to evaluate it.

"...It's innovative."

I don't know why he had to innovate my face, though.

I touched my face, just to make sure. Thankfully, everything was still in its proper place.

"The symbol of this front is none other than our lord himself! Who else but you, my lord, can represent this front?"

The words were nice, and the intention good. If only the drawing he diligently worked on didn't resemble Picasso's 'Weeping Woman'.

"It's an expression of my deep loyalty, my lord! Please make this the symbol of our front!"

"Uh, yeah... I'll consider it..."

Your loyalty is unmatched. But your drawing skills are probably the worst...

But if it's full of sincerity, then it's okay.

I patted Lucas on the shoulder, encouraging him to 'finish it!', and he gleefully focused more on his drawing.

Next, let's see.

Right beside, Evangeline was squatting and diligently drawing something. Approaching to take a look,

"Oh, what's this? Quite impressive, isn't it?"

Unexpectedly, she had quite the drawing skills.

Evangeline beamed with pride as I expressed my slight amazement.

"I've been drawing since I was young! If I hadn't become a knight, I might have been a painter?"

"Indeed..."...The problem, separate from her drawing skills, was Evangeline's consistent and bold taste.

The flag, set against a striking hot pink background, was covered in flowers and frills... Truly a firm taste.

In the center of the flag was a male figure resembling a hero from a 70s or 80s romantic comic.

I asked with a hint of foreboding.

"Just checking, but who is this?"

"That's you, senior! Aren't you the symbol of this front? Doesn't it look exactly like you, as if reflected in a mirror?"

"..."

I glanced back and forth between the drawings by Lucas and Evangeline.

The same subject, yet why such a hellish difference...?

"Honestly, my flag is the prettiest! Looks like the prize is already mine! Ehehehehe!"

"...Yeah, good luck finishing it."

I patted Evangeline's shoulder and quickly moved away. These knight duos have gone nuts! When were they ever not, though!

Not far off was Junior.

Junior was sprawled in the corridor with the little apprentice magicians, each diligently drawing something.

"Hmm...?"

Approaching, I saw they were etching complex magical symbols into the flag.

"Junior, what's this pattern?"

"Oh, your majesty."

Junior grinned and then explained.

"We thought of incorporating an actual magic scroll into the flag that can be used as an offensive spell if necessary."

"...Offensive magic?"

"And like this, if we align our five flags in a row, the magical effect amplifies and... boom!"

Junior connected five pieces of paper in a row to demonstrate,

Zzzzing!

"Uh-oh?"

The magical symbols, diligently drawn by the magicians, started functioning as real scrolls, emitting light right there...

"Whoaaa! The magic is activating!"

"Block it! Quickly block it!"

"How do we block this?!"

"Erase it with an eraser!"

"But we worked so hard on it!"

I quickly ran away from the chaos erupting among the magicians.

Using the flag as a scroll?

It's practical, but... the flag isn't meant for practical purposes... And the trouble of embedding this pattern into a flag, might as well draw it on regular paper...

I was relieved I didn't have to make up such a complicated excuse.

Behind me, I heard explosions and the magicians screaming as they were thrown through the air, but I chose to ignore it. Magic is dangerous.

"Hmm..."

At the mansion entrance, Damien was intensely focused, drawing something on his paper.

"Damien, what are you drawing?"

Approaching with a sliver of hope that Damien, our Monster Front's living conscience, would be different from the previous lunatics,

Inside his drawing, there was a plump hamster...

"..."

...Huh? This is the symbol of our front?

Seeing me frozen in place, Damien, sweating profusely, awkwardly explained.

"Well, I drew Podong, the hamster I've been raising..."

"..."

Ah, the hamster he's been raising since last year. Seems it's still doing well.

"But why did you draw this guy...?"

"Well, you see..."

Hesitating, Damien pushed his drawing forward, strongly making his point.

"It's, it's cute!"

"But how is that related to our front!"

We need a symbol that can represent our front! When I asked for a symbol, not a round hamster rolling out!

'I heard that judges always suffer during contests, now I understand why.'

Understand the intent of the assignment! Don't just draw whatever you like!

"Podong... is cute, though..."

With his shoulders slumped, Damien continued to draw the hamster. I left him behind and went to look for other heroes.

I saw heroes all over the mansion, deeply engrossed in their artwork.

The main party might have been a disaster, but there are still other parties left!

'The others must be drawing something sensible, right?!'

I believe in you, guys! Let's find just one usable thing! Just one!

--TL Notes--

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