"..." I decided to rest after that embarrassing spectacle, and after a good rest, I woke up surprised. That arrogant guy isn't around.

"Eve, where's Darian?" I ask confusedly, looking around and seeing that he's vanished. He was still pretty badly injured.

"He left about two hours ago. He took one of the swords and a staff to use as a crutch and started walking. He didn't look too good, but he said he didn't want to stay here with 'bratty' novices."

"Syl'Vyr followed him and saw that he started heading down. He'll probably exit the dungeon. And though he's injured, he's strong. As long as he doesn't run into any powerful monsters, he should be able to get out. He's likely hunting for that spot that ejects intruders to floor 1," Eve explains quickly.

'...'

"I see..."

"You seem...sad," Eve says, seeing my less-than-thrilled expression.

"Ah... yeah... Just worried... He was in pretty bad shape... Do you think he managed to escape the dungeon safely?" I ask uncertainly. Eve just ends up shrugging.

"Possibly... Shall we continue descending, Evelyn-sama? Or do you wish to leave?" Eve questions as Syl'Vyr joins the conversation.

"Evelyn-chan, that weird guy also said this! I almost forgot to tell you, though Eve there probably would've remembered."

"He said exactly, [I won't forget that you saved me, and I won't forget that you stole my storage ring. If you become queen, I'll come to collect what was taken from me.]" When Syl'Vyr says this, I smile.

"W-What an idiot! I almost died because of him letting that tiger get away! Hmmnf, let him come! I'll kick him right out of the castle!" I say a little arrogantly as I get up, grabbing my bag and storing it in the storage ring.

I guess that's his way of saying thanks. It's a really rude and even kinda arrogant way, but at least he thanked me and acknowledges that I helped him.

"Eve, let's keep going down! We can't stop just because of some stupid guy who's probably already left the dungeon... So get everything ready! With Syl'Vyr's help, it's safe for us to go down to at least floor 40!" My eyes shine thinking about all the money we can get now that I have the storage ring.

"Understood, Evelyn-sama," Eve says, starting to gather our things while Syl'Vyr skips over to me with a little smile.

"Evelyn-channn, can I..."

"No," Eve interrupts Syl'Vyr, giving her a serious look before Syl'Vyr clicks her tongue. I don't know what Syl'Vyr was going to ask for, but I don't think it's good to ask.

"Evelyn-chan, I don't have anything to channel magic with. Is there anything useful in the storage ring?" Syl'Vyr, now more restrained, asks while I think about it.

"There isn't... Ah, but I know how to improvise a magic staff! If we can get a good core with a decent amount of magic, I should be able to make something temporary, even if it has limited uses." It's possible to make simple staves with a monster's core.

Unfortunately, that kind of staff has limited use because the core doesn't absorb and store the user's mana, so it's just a temporary measure, but it should help Syl'Vyr.

"Thanks, Evelyn-chan! Your crafting skills seem great! You're a talented artisan," she praises me, nodding affirmingly while Eve brings me a few things to store away.

'...' I look at the two of them with satisfaction. I'm finally making notable progress in this world. I'll definitely become the queen who saves this world from destruction one day.

...

...

...

"This outcome... bothers me," I murmur, looking at the papers Elizabeth sent me. They detail how Evelyn is performing in the dungeons.

"Do you need something, Esther-sama?" The maid in my room asks, seeing my dissatisfied face.

"No. I just need you to leave so I can be in a quiet environment," I order her sharply to get out, all while staring at this report.

The report starts off well, talking about how Evelyn is surviving in the dungeon, until it gets to the part where she uses her domain. It's interesting to see that she knows how to use a domain.

I was sure Evelyn had a domain, but I never imagined she'd know how to use one when the need arose, so it was a pleasant surprise. Although Elizabeth wasn't inside the domain, so I don't know what happened in there, she did kill a monster that was quite strong, so I'll give her credit for the effort.

What irritates me is that thing she created. Elizabeth observed calmly and with great interest how Evelyn "creates" those things. I myself was curious about how Evelyn created Eve.

And thanks to Elizabeth, who watched Evelyn creating that so-called Syl'Vyr, I understood how it works. It's almost like a summoning. Evelyn gathers materials, choosing only ones with low impurity, creates a solid base for what she's going to create, and then grants her magic and vitality to the raw materials to become something new.

What differentiates this from a summoning is that Evelyn isn't summoning anything but rather building a thing, probably based on some mental selection process. That's fine. If that's Evelyn's blessing, it makes sense for her to keep creating more allies.

The thing that really pissed me off is how this Syl'Vyr is a horny slut who flaunts herself naked in front of Evelyn.

'Why do I feel... this...' I've read books to understand what I'm feeling, and the only feeling the book describes that resembles the bitterness I feel is jealousy. It fits the book's description perfectly.

A bitter feeling of anger and irritation that arises when something threatens to "steal," "take," or "usurp" the interest of the thing I'm interested in. A simple summary.

It's like a bitter taste that rises in your chest, a silent anger mixed with fear. The books call this jealousy—the dread of losing something that isn't even mine yet, but that I don't want to share.

'Why am I... jealous?' I don't love Evelyn. I've read many books and I don't have what they describe as "love." However, I have "jealousy," and I don't understand it. Why do I feel jealous of a girl I don't even like?

She is interesting, yes, and she sparks my curiosity and fascination, but that shouldn't be enough to feel jealousy over something as stupid as Syl'Vyr showing her body to Evelyn.

'How hateful... Is it because she's fake?' Perhaps the reason for my anger is these fake things swarming around the only real thing, like me, treating Evelyn as an equal.

Evelyn is unique, like me, so seeing her being lowered to the same level as these miserable pieces of fake meat seems to bother me.

'Yes... She should get rid of these fake things with no guarantee of real loyalty.' I can even tolerate that Eve person because she understands her place and doesn't overstep boundaries.

But this Syl'Vyr is a shameless slut without the slightest concept of personal space or basic decency. Only a complete whore exposes her body like that to strangers.

'Evelyn shouldn't be around such bad influences.' A noble must be elegant, charismatic, and above all, must follow proper etiquette. A woman who voluntarily exposes her naked body in front of various people is a slut without a shred of honor or self-respect.

'She could only be a being like those mangy dogs.' Exactly like a beastman. They have no class or elegance, unlike us demons. I don't even know why Evelyn created a girl of the beastman race to be her ally.

'At least she didn't create an angel.' I don't know how Evelyn's ability works, but Eve is obviously a "demon" and Syl'Vyr a "beastman," so I believe Evelyn could probably create an angel or a human as an ally too.

"...What a bitter taste... It's like... a sour candy without a single grain of sugar," I murmur, throwing these papers on the desk. I can't accept that stupid dog being the cause of my jealousy.

'This thing was just born, but it already irritates me... Evelyn is such an idiot, too.' If that thing is of the beastman race, it means it must follow the same base pattern—in other words, this thing isn't loyal to Evelyn.

I'd say it's even less loyal than Eve herself. Eve, at least, is a demon and understands who she is and her place in the world. But this Syl'Vyr is just a stupid animal who's so arrogant she treats her master like an intimate friend.

'Evelyn-chan... Even that whore's vocabulary is disgusting.' I feel disgusted by Syl'Vyr calling Evelyn "Evelyn-chan." It's so stupid, antiquated, and even offensive.

'If the Demon King really goes through with the marriage idea, I'll make sure to put that stupid animal in her proper place.' I feel like my entertainment is being tainted.

I don't read the reports on Evelyn to see some exhibitionist slut trying to provoke her. That's not what I want to read in every report.

'If that thing continues with this attitude... perhaps... I should make her disappear...' I don't want Evelyn straying from what she is just because of these fake things. In fact, I don't want Evelyn getting attached to anything.

I hate this. I hate seeing Evelyn making friends, having meaningful interactions, or even having people she cares about. I hate it more than I hate the people around me.

Because Evelyn is real. She's like me. So she shouldn't be able to get attached to this fake world and these fake people. It's not fair. I couldn't do it, so why do I have to see her achieving what I can't?

How much more does this damned world want to torture me before it's satisfied? With every friendly interaction I see Evelyn having with these fake people, my desire to destroy this world grows.

'Why can she treat this as if it's nothing? It's so... unfair...' I've tried. I tried to ignore it. I tried to ignore the fakeness of this world that was made to entertain whatever is watching us.

I tried to have friendships, help people, trying my hardest to get close to someone in a meaningful way, but it didn't work. For me, everyone is just fake things following an invisible pattern. I even tried to obtain and give familial affection to others.

But I couldn't. For me, everyone is fake, and that thought always returns to my mind with every new interaction. And since I couldn't do it... seeing Evelyn succeed makes me feel like I'm a failure, a loser who can't do anything outside of a script, and I hate looking like that.

Seeing Evelyn managing to make friendships even while knowing the falseness of this world is like the world slapping me in the face and saying, 'The problem is with you, not the world,' which increases this unpleasant feeling I have.

'This is so hateful... When this world ends, I'll make sure Evelyn is alive until the very end. She'll see me kill everything that's alive... but... what... do I do with her?' I freeze, and my desire to kill freezes too.

'I... should... kill her?... No... I can't... I can't kill the only real thing like me... So... she must stay alive... She must see me kill everyone and will remain alive after that...' It seems the most correct. Maybe it would be good to have company when I kill everyone.

'But is that right?... I don't know...' I sit down in the chair, staring at nothing while I think. What should I do with Evelyn, and what does she mean to me?

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