The Demon Lord

3 weeks earlier, I woke up in this world for the first time.

When I opened my eyes I saw a dark room made out of cold, dark stone. I was sitting on something hard and rough. My arms rested on similarly hard armrests.

This is not my hand...

I stared at my right hand. It looked almost like a claw. My fingers were unnaturally long and the color was off, an inhuman shade of dark red.

I curiously lifted a finger, just to confirm that it was in fact my hand. The finger indeed raised, and when I touched the finger tip with my thumb I could feel the rough, dry, almost scaly texture.

Where am I? And what’s up with my body?

This body felt so foreign to me, but at the same time, I felt powerful. There was an energy in my body begging to be released. An energy of destruction, it wanted me to rip apart the very walls around me.

Normally I would not be able to resist this power. It’s the kind of power that could consume any mortal man, leaving only destruction in its wake. But just like my body, there was something different about my mind as well.

I felt a strange sense of authority. Like as if everything in this world, living or not, was destined to obey me. Including this power welling inside me. It did not threaten to overwhelm me, but instead I knew that it would bend to my command.

I’m the demon lord, the world belongs to me and so does its power.

The Demon Lord. I did not know why that was the first thought that came to my mind. But given everything I was experiencing it was hard to doubt it.

I looked around. There was almost nothing in this dark throne room, but I could still feel the presence of countless servants, soldiers, and slaves in the halls surrounding the room.

Is this a dream? Or am I in another world entirely?

I tried to remember the moments before waking up in this body. I had been playing a game, that game my sister had been obsessed with. A fantasy dating simulator for girls, about a young heroine that attends a prestigious academy, and then seduce all the handsome princes or whatever.

Honestly it seemed like generic slop, but my sister kept pestering me about it. Eventually I caved and gave the game a try. It was just a way to keep my little sister happy, and maybe figure out if there were some hidden gem to the game, a reason why it’s apparently so popular...

My thoughts were interrupted by a servant entering the throne room. He kneeled at a distance, keeping his head lowered. I didn’t recognize him, but the mere presence of this lowly servant, bowing before me, brought me an incredible surge of pleasure.

“My lord.” The servant spoke, his head still lowered. “You’ve woken up.”

*I don't know what's going on, but I might as well play along. Maybe I can get some more information on what's going.*

“Rise, and report.” My voice was rough and inhuman, but it carried the unmistakable authority of an absolute ruler.

“Yes, my lord. As per your command we’ve gathered more recruits and started training them. As for the situation at the border, well, things haven't changed. Our forces have not been able to overcome the defensive line erected by Marquis Draivelle yet.”

Marquis Draivelle... I feel like I've heard that name before.

“Maybe with your powers, we could finally break through the defenses? Those worms are nothing in front of you.”

Of course, I am the demon lord.

The power inside me urged me to agree, to cause carnage and havoc, but before I could say something another voice interrupted us. This time, the voice was decisively female.

“My, my, Adrovale. Is your memory failing you in your old age? Have you forgotten that we are holding back until my spies have found and eliminated that prophesied 'Saint'? Until then, our master has to lie dormant.”

A shadow flew in through a moonlit window. A humanoid figure formed inside the throne room and revealed a demonic woman clad in black leather.

"Perhaps if your spies actually accomplished something, we wouldn't need to have this discussion. I don't see how we can be sure that so called 'Saint' even exists. For all we know the stories are just a ploy to keep us from acting."

The woman stepped in close to Adrovale and hissed: "I'd gladly bet *your* life on it, but not the fate of the entire demon realm."

I was barely paying attention to their squabbling. The name Draivelle was on my mind. Where had I heard that name before? Why does it sound familiar?

"Enough!" My voice boomed through the hall. Both Adrovale and the demoness immediately went silent and kneeled. "Bring me a map of the human realm." I commanded. "I want to see it."

"Of course, right away!" Adrovale scurried off to get the map. When he came back, it only took me a glance before I realized what I was looking at. I had seen it a dozen times on loading screens, and for the first time since I had awoken, things clicked together. I finally understood the nature of my situation.

I'm not in just any other world. I’m inside my sister's game.

***

The game my sister played, called “Midnight Lily's Bloom” tells the story of Lily Everlight. She’s an ordinary common girl who, for reasons that are never quite clear to the player, is accepted to Valastra Academy. There, she practices her magic for an inevitable conflict against the forces of darkness and her destined confrontation against the dreaded Demon Lord. At least, that's what it says on the cover.

In truth, the game is more of a wish fulfillment fantasy of dating hot nobles. The whole Demon Lord business barely plays a part in the game until the final climax. In the end, the Demon Lord attacks, Lily discovers she is the legendary Saintess foretold in some prophecy and with her newfound power she effortlessly slays the Demon Lord.

There isn't even a way to fail that final encounter. No matter what you do, Lily always defeats the Demon Lord. It makes all the training you can do up to that point feel completely pointless. Just one of the many reasons I never liked the game.

The story made it seem like those optional training scenes were sooo important, but even if you avoid all of them, she still wins thanks to her plot armor.

In my opinion, the game has just one redeeming quality. There was one character in particular that stood out to me. Seraphine Valtesse von Mireydyne. She's the game's 'villainess'. Her purpose is to get in the way of Lily, mostly acting as a romantic rival for Lily's love interest of choice.

But I found her character to be more interesting than the rest of the cast combined. In a world of shallow stereotypes, Seraphine had a surprising amount of depth to her. I assume the writers felt the need to make her complex to justify her cruel attitude towards Lily, but it works. To me, she's the most appealing character in the game.

Which makes the ending of the game so infuriating! In the end, once people know Lily is this legendary Saintess, they decide to prosecute Seraphine for all the times she harassed her. Even though it's all very minor things, they charge her for treason and she's sentenced to be executed. And the game plays this up like she had it coming, like it's all some kind of divine justice.

It doesn't sit right with me. Seraphine doesn't deserve to die over something so stupid. I remember playing the game late into the night trying to find an ending where Seraphine survives, and then...

Then I woke up here. As the demon lord. And the more I thought about it the more it made sense. The Demon Lord has the power to take the world. He can change things, bend history in the direction he desires.

And I, I will use this power to save her. I will make a world in which Seraphine survives. I will save the villainess.