At the banquet earlier, Doro still saw Charlette and the others, but the feeling at that moment was different.

Now, with shackles on her feet, Charlette was escorted by Adeline to stand before him.

This was the first time Doro had looked down upon Charlette and Adeline so loftily.

The two of them kept their heads down, avoiding his gaze. Doro stared at them for a long time and finally let out a long sigh:

"I am very disappointed."

His voice echoed in the empty great hall, the reverberations seemingly pounding like drumbeats on the hearts of the two individuals.

They were eager to know what Doro would do. The longer they waited, the more tense they became; the more tense they became, the more they anticipated.

"When you created another version of me, I was actually pleasantly surprised." Doro spoke to himself, "I thought that even people like you had done something humanly, that people as ignorant and selfish as you had done something beneficial to the world. Creating another version of me—I actually admired him. He passed my test; he proved his hero-like will. Although he is ultimately not the same as I am, he is without a doubt a hero, a hero more resilient than I."

Doro generously praised the "self" that was created, not sure if it counted as a kind of vanity: "But, despite how I had come to see you in a different light, to this day, you have let me down so. Why did you give up?"

His tone couldn't be considered intense, but there was much bewilderment: "Surely, you must have some means to deal with me, some idea to confront me, right? Charlette, you should be advancing toward the god-like domain, shouldn't you? In such a situation, should you not directly let the Goddess descend and confront me head-on? What is it that you're doing now? Allowing the church to oust you, abandoning all sanctity and power. What meaning does such a version of you have standing before me? Even if I were to kill you, do you think it would bring me any joy? Are the church's people really so hopelessly foolish?"

It's hard to understand what he was thinking.

"When doing such things, you should have thought of this."

Charlette finally lifted her head and said this to Doro.

Doro laughed, as if he had suddenly discovered something amusing, and he confidently met Charlette's gaze: "Your eyes still haven't given up, Charlette. Do you have some plan? A plan to defeat me? Very well, that's great. Why don't you tell me, what kind of help do you need? I can offer you assistance; I am the Human King now, and with this power, I can grant you anything you want."

Charlette's expression was complicated, and she bit her lip, "You've changed."

"I've changed?" Doro said self-mockingly, "I've never changed; it's just that, in the past, you've never really looked at me, never truly thought about what I'm like. Don't tell me things that don't matter. You want to oppose me, I give you this chance—In this domain, I fully understand Mohe's feelings. Back then, when facing off against me, she held thoughts similar to mine, waiting for me to break through, waiting for me to defeat her. Now, I can follow her example and wait for you to defeat me. If you can do it, that would be a delightful surprise."

His attitude was so composed, as if he had never cared about Charlette: "So, state your conditions. You, who came to me sacrificing everything, wanting to conduct your plans, can openly state your intentions. I'm in no mood to play some tragic game with you, so I advise you to abandon the thought."

"Bring forth all that you can, wield every means you possess, perform for me. That's all."

Contempt.

If Charlette could feel anything at this moment, it was the contempt coming from Doro—She had felt such contempt once, during the Hero's party's final battle against the Demon King, akin to the Demon King's disdain toward them. In the Demon King's eyes, only the Hero mattered, and everyone else was just disposable.

At this moment, Doro's eyes did not see anyone else.

He sat on the Human King's throne, indistinguishable from when the Demon King sat on the Demon King's throne. The only difference lay in that it was humanity, not the Demon Race, that would become the supreme race—though Charlette, being human, should feel honored by this since her collaboration with the Wise King was based on such reasoning.

The White Church's expansion relied on human power expansion, its strength on human power; it inherently bound closely with humanity, even though it claims "all races are equal." But this isn't truly reflective of the Goddess's will; simply put...

In the "Holy Record, Volume One," it records that humanity was a race the Goddess created based on herself, from which all other sub-races were derived.

Such a notion is essentially unfounded in the Demon King's eyes—after all, to the Demon King, humanity is no more than a newly emerged race.

The concept of human supremacy subtly permeated various descriptions of the White Church.

So, she should be pleased.

Yet this wasn't what she wanted. She originally thought that Doro choosing to become the Human King indicated he had abandoned the Demon King, freeing himself from the Demon King's manipulation, clearly choosing the right path—but she was mistaken.

Doro did not leave the Demon King due to choosing the right path, but merely because he had become something like the Demon King, resulting in a situation where "two tigers cannot live on the same mountain." It was his similarity to the Demon King that led him to leave. In other words, considering the present Doro as the Demon King poses no problem.

What he does essentially does not differ from the Demon King.

This conclusion left Charlette feeling cold.

"Have you never thought about a scenario where I'm the one who defeats you?"

"That would indeed be fortunate, Charlette. The Demon King waited tens of thousands, if not longer, for someone like me; I wait only a few short years for the next challenger—isn't this my luck? I hope you truly possess such strength, Charlette, rather than just boasting before me. I hope your idea is genuinely grand enough to hold a chance of defeating me."

He restrained the smile on his face: "Originally, I thought your dull decision rendered you unworthy of life, but since you still have plans, you have the right to continue living. I give you this opportunity; you can freely move within this Human King's palace until you're ready to challenge me."

Saying this, his gaze fell upon Adeline: "Does this outcome suffice to reconcile with the White Church, to make them feel I have forgiven them?"

"...I suppose, it should?"

Adeline could not be certain.

Doro then fixed his gaze on Adeline: "Do you have any new plans, great ideas? I didn't understand, nor accept, what happened in Butuo City back then, but later, after I gradually understood Mohe's thinking, I finally knew why she thought so highly of you and called your concept 'great'. Also, she bestowed upon you that Alchemy Artifact Earthly Heaven…that indeed is a great concept, although Mohe didn't acknowledge it. Do you have any similar grand ideas?"

Adeline, unlike Charlette, did not dare look Doro in the eye, gazing evasively, offering no answer.

This only elicited further delight from Doro: "It seems you also have ideas! Wonderful, Adeline, I eagerly anticipate your performance. You are the same, if you need any help, tell me at any time. By the way, where are Adriana and Hidden Nephilim? If they have any thoughts, convey them to me, just bring them forth, I'd face them all. I am indeed fortunate. Earlier, in the World of the Dead with Mohe, we encountered a man named Nakrasa from ten thousand years ago. No wonder Mohe remembered him for ten thousand years; such an unyielding, determined mind, always challenging us beings, indeed deserves to be remembered by us. I look forward to the surprises you'll bring…Such anticipation excites me."

...

Hidden Nephilim arrived at Mohe's residence.

This mansion was actually not easy to find anymore, and she was able to come because of a crow's guidance, which clearly indicated Mohe had actively brought her here.

"Demon King, you want the Curse Master Alliance's allegiance—but I am curious, what significance does that hold for you? We are no meaningful force to either you or Doro and cannot pose a threat."

Mohe couldn't help but look at Hidden Nephilim with fresh eyes: "You certainly have a clear understanding of yourself…If you must say there is significance, this is a little game before Mr. Doro and I face off. If we, as symbols, tilt the world, how would the world lean…That's the kind of game. Naturally, Mr. Doro and I shall divide the world and cause world collisions—which, of course, Mr. Doro might use more artistic confrontation methods, as he doesn't likely enjoy seeing defeat. If a clear victory or defeat can be defined, Mr. Doro should be happy."

"I understand, so you and Doro will each present conditions, wooing various races, am I correct?"

"You may understand it that way. Currently, those loyal to Doro are humans; the White Church, those loyal to me are the Elves, Dwarves—you are the forces we vie for. I can offer the Curse Master Alliance a condition as the source of curses: I can alter your essence, extend the borders of curses, enabling you beyond mere curse power. Let me think, we'll call it witchcraft—what do you think?"

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