Chapter 11 (1/2)

The Lazy King 2 Chapter 3: Acedia’s Neglect

Part 1: Today was Peaceful

It was the reaches of space

space According to some God out there or another, it was an endless abyss of darkness Even if one possessed heavenly wings, it wasn’t so easy to span the eh Heavens, and rumored to exist in a place somewhere far beyond the existed

Gravity and ht and even desire ceased to exist

All that was there was… right

“Nothing…”

“… It’s not… nothing!”

An unthinkable amount of power came from those slender arms to pull at ness, I was dragged out

lust generally wasn’t suited to battle, but when love was concerned they did have a nature that raised their abilities quite a bit Not that it really matters

Beautiful golden hair, and deep blue eyes Her innocent yet delicate features held an air that would knock any Deinal sin silent

But at the sah to assault her on this land

Lorna No last

A Luxuria Demon, as well as the Lord of Sloth’s personal maid

But that form I once yearned for, that way of life, none of thehtest

It’s not like I Overruled her, or that I didn’t even envy her any like that

It all just becahtenment

Between me and her, I was just a little shorter, but that was a difference in the range of experied round

With strong will concealed in those blue eyes that seele word as always

“… What?”

“… Why are you… in Leigie-sama’s bed…”

‘Twas my daily schedule That’s why I’m always so sleepy

With my arms locked down by her, I let out a yawn The corners of Lorna’s lips twitched for a moment, but even that expression of hers was lovable

Thisthat siuys are always te others’ carnal desires

The darkness gradually seeping out of the deepest depths of my body

Like Envy, it was hard to go against, but overwhel but kind That force that was sinkingcalled drowsiness

I wonder how much time has passed since the path of Sloth opened to ie-sahtly

I’ish

Just as Envy continues to scorch, and Gluttony continues to hunger, the desire of Sloth forbadeany drastic movement

“… Each and every day, just give it up already…”

“That’s because you haven’t given up on crawling in there each and every day!!”

As if her usual cal me with her broom

And just as I’ve begun to understand Leigie-saun to understand Lorna as well

It’s not that she’s kind She’s kind to Leigie-sa him

There was probably a small difference between the two

She incessantly shakes up my shoulders

But up to here’s just our usual routine Perhaps because of Sloth’s power, even if she’s shaking h to me

“Medea Luxeliaheart! Do your work properly!”

“… I’m a pillow”

It’s not like working is a pain

My duty is for ie-sae way I’ to indicate pure and simple sleep

In that sense, I’ my professional duties more than all else

As evidence,forward at a reasonable rate

“Then… what the hell is that under Leigie-sama’s head!?”

“… My senpai”

Whether he was listening to our exchange or not, Leigie-saainst the pilloithout le bit

The way he looked as if he were dead hadn’t changed at all But the power I could feel fro there was definitely that of a Lord

Senpai My senpai

Handed down fro, Kanon Iralaude, he was a pillow crafted froons Of course, he didn’t have a naon ly durable, possessed ridiculously high fire resistance, and on top of being constantly warmed to a comfortable temperature, he boasted exquisite softness

He was undoubtedly reatest foe

He was, but recently, I’ve foundlike that In the first place, I never accepted it from the start

Isn’t it idiotic to envy a pillow? I’ve never heard of an Invidia like that

The reason I still aim for that coveted position is simply because my instincts will me to

… And it’s not like I have anything better to do

What’s reatest bedroom in the Castle of Shadoas undoubtedly the De here, my power rises

Lorna silently held a hand mirror up to me And in it, I saw an expressionless Medea Luxeliaheart, without a trace of the abundant emotions I had before

Truly expressionless…

“… And?”

“… Hah… Medea Are you really fine with this?”

“Yes”

“… Hah…”

As I gave an ih

Her eyes weren’t colored rath They held only the colors of sorrow

Lorna would never let an angry expression grace her face Perhaps that was the nature of lust, or perhaps she had gotten used to Leigie-sama’s behavior, or perhaps it was because she was the one who saved me I didn’t know the reason

She see, but once

“At the very least, please wear some clothes… clothes…”

“… That’s a pain”

In the first place, I’ to leave the bed, so there’s no point in wearing clothing, and when I did want to leave, there was only ever Lorna here, so there was no point in hiding anything

Leigie-sama’s here too, but I’ll bet he doesn’t even see me when I’m before his eyes, so the emotion of e about it was just a waste of time

Without saying anything to ain,’ she took a single Glance in Leigie-sama’s direction

“Leigie-sa out your meal, so please wait a moment…”

Leigie’s sleeping tier He doesn’t even htest movements at Lorna’s voice

Nodding in satisfaction, Lorna quietly extended her arms towards me

She inserted her hands into my armpits, and lifted me up I didn’t resist This is also but our daily routine

Being lifted like this was quite a bizarre sensation It literally felt like I was round

As she carried e, I offered her a word

“Lorna…”

“Yes?”

“I think it’s best if you quit it with these pointless things”

No matter how many times you put me away, I’ll return

And as of late, it’s a scene that’s happened over and over again As if through ho instinct, no matter how far away she would stow me, I would find myself here

Even if it went against my Sloth, perhaps that was the remnants of the Envy left within me

I can’t calm down I have to be here

“Medea… you are a bad influence on Leigie-sama”

“… Bad… influence?”

Lorna likely offered blind devotion She saw only what she wanted to see

This is the Lord of Sloth who’s lived an overwhel I’ of Leigie-sama?

There wasn’t a , but due to the countless candlesticks decorating the walls, the inside of the rooht

Oh, even if it was dark, with ht vision, I would be able to ardless

I thought for a

“So should I wear clothes?”

“… That isn’t the problem here”

Then what exactly is the problem?

Even if I didn’t ask that, I could guess If a Des are the validation for their existence, then Lorna’s being is the form of Luxuria

But in this current situation, without envying『Invidia』, she continued to embrace that, and in that sense, she was perhaps superior to me as a Demon

She didn’t answer anythingain

Without sound, she opened the door of Leigie’sael had ever reached was, to the maid, and to the worthless Demon known as me, simply a portion of our everyday lives

The arie of Sloth, that used to exist in such nule hand The inside of the Castle of Shadows, constructed of black stone, was dreadfully quiet

The powerful and faely been absorbed into the forces of a certain Heard Lauder No, that was probably Heard’s arin with That’s why that was the natural result

This castle was always much too vast

Even co Flames I had visited once before, its scale was off the charts It could fit two or three of those cities around inside it with ease

No, in truth, while this castle was a castle, it was just as much a town itself

Not just subordinates, all of the subjects under the protection of the Lord of Sloth gathered at this stronghold Of course, they lived apart, but that was also one characteristic of the Castle of Shadows

Additions, and annexes added onto one another, and onto this bizarrely bloated Demon Lord estate Inside, a countless number of Demons had their own properties, and it had already developed into a sort of labyrinth

But all of that is already a story of the past

“Now, Medea We’re here”

While I was nodding off, it seems we arrived The place I found when I lifted my eyelids was arnishi+ngs, it was a very practical room

Lorna’s room was the one beside it That wasn’t always the case, but since I began carrying around Sloth, she altered her station So she could deal with me easier

My body was left on the bed, and Lorna hit her hands against each other as if she had just finished cleaning up

How rude…

She tilted her head in thought, and murmured

“Wouldn’t just tying her to her bed be for the best…?”

“No use”

It was a pain, so I just gave tords

Right, that won’t work

It’s a given that Lorna’s sches will end in failure

Even like this, I’m a General Class Demon In just basic specs, I far surpassed the maid

In this dog-eat-dog world, that simple truth was an absolute value

With a wordless expression, Lorna looked at me

“Then just… work a little Every day, you just keep sleeping in that bed…”

Then why not tell that to Leigie-sama?

In the first place, I a to pursueas of late, but it’s not like fighting’s all there is to life

Just what is Lorna wishi+ng of me?

That was the biggest er has any territory besides this castle, and this structure was completely surrounded by Heard’s domain

Possessing a territory surrounded on all sides by allied forces was a trait that no one else but the Great De boasted

Meaning there isn’t a single one to invade here

Even if you think long and hard about it, I doubt there are et past that Heard Lauder

“Leigie-sama is fine Because that’s his job…”

Then what’s different with th I spend about half a day asleep, but while I’ his meal time That meal is also fed to him by Lorna, so I can’t even say with certainty that he’s awake at those times

I’ie-sama’s on another level

That great divide was so I could only look to in respect Just what can I do to sleep for such a long time…

When looked at froie-sama was quite bad, but when observed up closely, he was even worse, and even greater than that, was Lorna’s habit of taking everything in a favorable light I don’t knohat’s going on anymore

And all was at peace at the Castle of Shadows

Part 2: Honestly, it’s Troubling

I’m bored

Des don’t require any stimulus from the outside world

No stiive no reactions They can’t

To summarize, one with Sloth at his base aside, for a half-assed one with other longings within me, it was quite an unbearable sensation

This must be why there aren’t any out there that reach the extreh simple sleep

Boredom was the slayer of Sloth

I re ly weak Demon, but that stands to reason Theenlisted in the ar to such a low level

He didn’t lose the use of his Skills, but the greater problem was that his base abilities were much too low As a soldier, it was a fatal error

On top of that, Sloth Skills weren’t even used for offense

Every kind of resistance iinable, VIT elevation, and other defensive Skills, as well, as so to eat, and so dirty, and some passives to make excretion unnecessary, and… anyways, there was an absurd amount of passives Passive perfectly describes a Demon of Sloth, but no matter how you look at it, that’s an invitation to death’s door

That’s why there’s no reason to eie-sama continue to push on with it, I didn’t understand even a fraght process

But at the very least, I’m quite certain that the other Demon Lords proceed down their paths at a rate that leaves Sloth back in the dust

And… I’m bored

By doing nothing but wriggling around in the s I’ to feel a sense of inferiority

Like, aht with it like this?

Without finding victory, so around the depths of my heart

What’s useful at times like these are my Invidia Skills

Envy

It was the inal Sin embraced by the Demons of the Demon world

The heart to find jealousy in others was to De anyone had felt at least once in their lives

Fortune, and tragedy, and talent, and power, and treasure, and fame

Even in this desolate world, there was an abundance of targets to envy

It was the complete opposite sin to Pride, and its versatility of use was so not found within the other Skill Trees

Well, I put a lot out there, but to say it si time

While lying face up on the bed in my room, I activated a Skill

“Envy Vision”

My field of vision frothed over in an instant, and changed

It’s a Skill to observe those you’ve Envied Based on time and place, this was an evasive Skill that could display considerable power It could only target the targets of your Envy, and that restriction was quite a fault, but for the current me, it didn’t really matter who I saw, so there wasn’t really a problem

First, the General who once served under the saion, an Avaritia Demon, The Usurper, Deije Breindac Let’s peep at him

It’s been a bit since Deije left, but I get the feeling it hasn’t been too long either While it may be one sided, I can frequently view his form

Without taking up a position in another ar here and there across the lands

There are few of General Class That’s why regardless of what army he takes up service in, he should receive a favorable reception Despite that, without taking up any official duty, he sought the fulfilln lands Of his way of life, I was a little jealous

It see as me One with ashen hair and eyes

Co a woodchip to a tree, but the power I sensed fro so small

“… How nice”

Compared to that, how about me?

How many months has it been since I last tasted the outside air? I can barely even remember it

Since attaining Sloth, I’ve just done nothing but lie atop the bet, and spentaround

If you ask aboutabout it, but that groas li had changed at all

Thinking too deep about it would lower hts

I cranedwho seemed to be called Zeta’s conversation

“… Angel”

I’d never really ed to the natural enemy of Demons, who lived atop the heavens, and the polar opposite existence to Demons

The war that broke out around ten thousand years ago birthed considerable casualties on both sides, apparently, and the older Demons rarely ever talk about it

Recently, the fact thathad becoossip, and I’d listened in to that

It appears that Deije is pursuing them I don’t know the reason, and even if I heard it, I doubt I’d understand Deije’s desire was stronger thanlike that

If he’s telling the truth, then will that so on in the Demon World make it’s way all the way here?

… Yeah, probably not

After thinking a little, I ended up answering my own question

Leigie-sahtest, yet he’s overwhel

Even if that soh They’ll understand the co in such a deed, and how their poould never ah

I changed my posture, and pushed my face into my pillow

Despite what she says, Lorna cleans

Without shi+fting et

What entered rit teeth, looking over in my direction

She was trying to forlance could tell you how cramped her face was

Her forer version of Lorna, with her breasts quite a bit withered She definitely had an attractive face and figure to an extent

The nairl who, if you wiped away the s her face, would look identical to Lorna, was Hiero

Lorna’s younger sister, and the Deone

But she wasn’t the target of my Envy

My target was the one cal at Hiero’s side

Like Leigie, the Demon boasted black eyes and hair, as if they were fashi+oned of darkness

But the air about him was the opposite of the lazy Lord

The Demon whose mere existence constantly exerted an aura that forced all creation to their knees was a Deoverned Superbia

At the sa a Lord, he easily cru syste Demon Lords

The Prideful Kaiser, Heard Lauder

At this point, he was a Lord of Pride that no one didn’t know of, and with his condescending eyes pinned on Hiero, he raised his arm to the horizontal

Towards an area of ehtly lowered that arm

… And with just that, the ground split

Without using a Skill, the pressure froround asunder The earth quivered as if choked with tears, as black pebbles rolled across the ground

But with a single word from Heard, all of them fell flat on the earth

Heard used his chin to indicate the natural disaster he had personally brought about Even during that h Hiero

With a dejected expression, the girl pointed to herself, as she tilted her head in a planned-out cute gesture

Heard cole order

『Do it』

“Pu… Nonono, that’s impossible”

I unintentionally let out a laugh

Just what does Heard Lauder think Hiero is?

She’s an ordinary person without even any military service behind her For a civilian, she , but that’s all she was as a Demon of Pride

I won’t say she doesn’t have any talent Her garbage-like nature was exceedingly aligned with that of a De

But now is definitely not the time

More so, to split the land barehanded without using a Skill, just who are you…?

I don’t even think e that one

That was the farthest front only a Pride Demon who had continued to hone his body could reach

I had heard of how Heard had dragged Hiero off from Lorna

Perhaps he felt so fro in being beaten into shape

No, she was persevering, but… yep My condolences

That’s impossible, ain’t it?

In the first place, the thickness of Heard’s and her arth and appearance are disproportional, there’s so out there called limits Hiero was just as delicate a Lorna Her poas likely not so she polished to use in battle

『N-no… impossible That’s impossible for me…』

『Do it』

『No, I mean, my power is…』

『Do it』

On the other side of things, it doesn’t look like Heard has any intentions of listening to Hiero’s words Well, that’s to be expected from a Pride Demon, but…

Hiero lowered her eyes fro at their corners, she slowly lifted her hand

I couldn’t handle the scene any longer, and returned my vision to my own

On top of the bed The co idly in my world of repose I stretched my body

I recalled the scenes I just witnessed, did some calculations, and as no one was around me, I shook my head

“No, no… that’s impossible…”

I really wonder what Heard is thinking… that was… too much Even for me, it’s absolutely imposible

I reentle smile on her face, Lorna had toldI wonder if she hates her sister… no, that’s definitely wrong Despite this and that, when Leigie-sama isn’t concerned, she’s a woman of common sense

But that being the case, that scene back there was… just harassets trained

And wait, what about her household skills… I was kinda under the i to take up duty after Lorna…

It looks like the intent has completely shi+fted,…

This is kinda tiring…

I sighed, but I still went on to use the Skill for et

My field of vision shi+fted for a third time This time, it was for the kind older sister

The for down a familiar corridor came to my eyes

Even when no one atching, she held a posture bri but walking, that figure made for a pretty picture She wore a clean white apron over a navy blue one piece On top of focusing on practicality, the attire made her seem all the more lovable

Her form was prim and proper, and while I can’t say for certain, she didn’t look suited to one carrying the sin of Luxuria

But I know Right, under that naively oblivious expression, I know just how muddy of an appetite lies Her well-calculated passions let her raise her status as a De taint her body

Honestly, she was the one I was most afraid of

In the past, I once chanced upon awith the De a part of her, I could understand

The Original sin of Luxuria didn’t possess any direct offensive Skills like Pride or Gluttony, but it definitely wasn’t weak Its way of life was, in a sense, close to Sloth

But if Acedia was like a plant, then Luxuria was a carnivorous plant For them, the battlefield wasn’t some bloodstained wasteland, but a… stained bedroo of fists, but to burst in full bloom

In that, there was afear that had built up in me without my notice And Luxeliaheart, the Deht a number of other Demon Lords to their deaths

It was, in a sense, the most dreaded power for a soldier

I returned my eyes, and under the covers, I let my body shake in a fear that came from the depths of my heart as I whispered

“… Lorna… what a frightening woman…”

“… And what do you mean by that…?”

I pulled off the blanket coveringof

The fact that I got lost in thought, and stopped watching, had backfired on me

The perplexed face that shetasted by the extended tongue of a snake, and on that illusion, I raised a short scream

“How rude…”

“Kku… h-ha… hah…”

It becaot myself in order It would be no joke if I choked to death atop the mattress

And despite all that… Lorna still takes care ofThat’s why it was unavoidable for her to be here

A Deht to refuse Ito earn it

“Now, Medea It’s time for your meal…”

“Y… yes…”

Hunger hasn’t struck me yet It’s because it has been abated withdown this tree, then perhaps food will beco a pain, most likely

But there’s no way I’ there any time soon, and even once I’ve reached that point, I’d still probably eatsuch a necessary habit

I press againstinto the dining table that had been prepared

Before co here, I had never eaten a decentwas the taste of home

Even without hunger, there’s no way I would ever think it wasn’t tasty

Silently, Lorna stood by my side

Without saying anything, she watchedthe food to my mouth If she stares atof the taste

I finished eating, and as if she were gauging for the moment I put down my silverware, Lorna finally opened her mouth

“… Hey, Medea”

“Yes?”

For a limpse of her hesitation But that quickly vanished, and resolving herself, she threw a strong look in my direction

“Don’t you think it’s about ti…”

“… Y-yes”

Those eyes were filled with such sorrow thatpain

What’s with this mental assault… my Skills won’t defend me from it…

Her voice was still untainted There wasn’t an emotion of Wrath or Pride behind them

And that’s why it was able to pierce through my heart like a blade

“Medea, no ie-sama… you should have your oay to live out your life”

“… Y-yes…”

I… I feel like running away Her earnesty was giving e to flee It was only amplified by the fact she was my life’s benefactor

And those words weren’t getting at the root of things It’s not like I want to beco… more so, I’m sure I don’t want to do that

What I want to be isn’t the man, but the man’s…

After thinking that far, I started going over the sins I carried once more

… There’s no way I wonder if a screent lose somewhere in my desire of Envy

To add to it all, I’ve even begun to carry Sloth due to that, and it feels like I’ closed in on from all sides

If you carry multiple Sins, then each individual Skill becomes harder to raise This is just a rumor, but its rate becomes even less than half Because of that, it’s hard for De

Also, how should I handle the pairing of Sloth and Envy…

And wait, in the first place…

“… This place doesn’t even need an army anymore…”

Right Leigie-saer has a need for bloodshed There’s no enemies, and no army If you had to say, I was the sole member of the army

If you tell

Right It’s not that I don’t want to work I don’t have a place to work

“It’s fine”

And to in Mary, and said so a Demon