My fingers twitched as I woke up.

I felt a soft, smooth texture beneath my fingers. Clenching the materials, I realized it was some sort of fluffy, thick fabric.

The first thing that came to mind was the realization that I wasn't dead.

And then, with wide eyes, I shot up awake.

Taking in my surroundings, I noticed I was on a bed. An incredibly high quality one. Hell, I think it was even nicer than the beds in the guest rooms in the palace!

Still, memories of my previous battle were still vivid in my mind, and I wasted no time in getting up and getting my bearings.

Where is this…?

The room I was in was about the same size as your average inn room, except the walls were painted white, and the wooden floors were strangely shiny.

It was furnished similarly as well. A bed, a desk, a couple of chairs, and a closet in the place of the usual chest used for storage.

All of the previously mentioned furniture had a foreign design, however.

There was also a door and a large window.

While briefly glancing around the room and inside of the closet, I realized all my belongings were gone.

I contemplated escaping through the window, but considering I ended up here after losing to the King of Darkness, I couldn't ignore the possibility that my companions might be somewhere here as well.

I also considered taking a chair as a weapon, but I was probably better off with my hands alone compared to lugging it around.

Still, I figured a weapon would be useful, so I broke off one of the table legs instead to use as a weapon.

Seeing the quality of it made me slightly reluctant to do so, not to mention the fact that I was breaking another person's property…….

Wait… If by chance this place belongs to someone who rescued me and possibly even my friends, would that mean…….

I decided to drop this line of thinking as my instinct told me it would go nowhere good.

…….

So, I went and opened the door, and at that moment…

“Ah…”

“Huh?”

There was a man standing right outside, positioned as if he was about to knock on the door.

“.....”

I was speechless.

The man in front of me was someone I could never forget.

The King of Darkness.

Immediately, I readied my stance and proceeded to swing the table leg without hesitation.

He dodged it easily by a hair’s breadth.

“Whoops… Tte… HUH!? Wait a second, you…!”

After casually dodging, he proceeded to grab my weapon. I let him yank it out of my hand and retreated back. I already knew his strength was beyond mine anyhow; it would've been a pointless struggle to get it back.

“Ah… Ah! This! Isn't this from the desk!? You broke it??? You've been awake for less than a day, and you're already destroying my stuff!? What's wrong with you!? Who does that!?”

Immediately, proceeded to get angry over a chair leg…

Though I probably should've stayed on the offensive and keep fighting, I was in too much of a shock to even move.

Who…? Who was this person?

Clothes aside, his appearance was identical to the King of Darkness. However his personality and mannerism was vastly different from the King of Darkness I fought with what felt like moments ago.

The King of Darkness I remember was a flashy, flamboyant figure wearing pointlessly extravagant clothes that only served to hinder movements and had an arrogant personality while going, “Now, with the power of the chosen one engraved in my very own soul by the Goddess of Pri- no, Superbia, Alyssa Mellirian Velis Purururin Rou Afururupun, I shall eradicate you pitiful humans from the surface of the world!!!” or some such thing every several minutes.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

The irritation of his speeches that could go on continuously for up to 10 minutes straight while flawlessly dodging all our constant attacks throughout the whole thing was a never before seen strategy to interfere with one's concentration. We had no resistance so to speak of and only resulted in simpler, easier to dodge attacks caused by blind anger, annoyance, and a pure desire for him to shut up.

He was nothing like this seemingly easy-going man in front of me, who was upset over a broken table.

Was he his twin? Split personality, perhaps?

“Haah….” He sighed, “Well, It's fine I suppose. I'm not surprised you were so careful. Though I don't understand why you'd be so wary when I didn't tie you up or hurt you while you were completely unconscious.”

...He had a point…

“.....”

With a guilty silence, I dropped my stance. I kept my guard up, however, as his uncanny resemblance to the King of Darkness was still suspicious.

“Sorry about that,” I started awkwardly, “I… wasn't thinking along those lines at all.”

“Well, fair enough. It's understandable, given your circumstances.”

“If you're aware of the situation, can I take it that you're related to the King of Darkness somehow?”

“Pfft…”

Right as I finished speaking, the man in front of me started trying to suppress his laughter.

“Ah… Un... Y-Yeah….”

Did I strike gold!?

He was someone who saved my life, it seemed. At the very least, he did not appear to be our enemy.

Not to mention, he was acquainted with the King of Darkness! He might have information that could help us.

“Then, do you perhaps know a way to defeat him? Anything will do! Even information on the deity he worships, Goddess of Pri-No-Superbia Alyssa Mellirian Velis Purururin Rou Afururupu, will do!”

In response, he hunched over with his shoulders trembling and tears in his eyes.

“Uu… Kuku… Pfff, Aha… Ahahahahaha!”

In the end he gave up his attempt to restrain his laughter.

“!?” I was too surprised to respond.

“ Pu… Puru… I can't believe you remember the entire name… Uu… Aha... And said it so seriously too.. Ahaha… Pfft..! I was just messing around too… Hehe…”

I was speechless while trying to process what I just heard.

Nope. I had no clue what he was going on about.

“Could you please elaborate?” I asked grimly. Somehow, I feel like I would end up regretting this…

“Hmm… Well, for starters, that Goddess, Purururururi-something doesn't exist.”

“Eh… Eh?”

“Secondly, I know the King… Kuku… King of Darkness because I am him. My actual name is Kuru- Ah, no, Haruto Kurugaya, so call me that instead.”

“Y- Then you're…!”

“Relax~ The next point will be more shocking♡”

“.....” I stayed silent.

“Ahem! I believe a picture is worth a thousand words, so take a look for yourself!”

He pulled out a hand mirror from behind him and placed in right in front of my face.

In the mirror was the face of a person I've never met before.