An actress in our midst! (web version)

Jake wasn’t sure how to feel anymore. Ever since Cathlyn had died and the dubious demonic spirit had invited him to join the demon army, he had been almost obsessed with revenge and getting stronger. So much so that he had more or less abandoned the one person that still connected him to his late wife, his daughter.

And then it turned out that she had done exactly as he had and joined the demon army. And not just joined it, flourished in it so much that she had been nominated for the general position just like himself.

That alone would have been enough to shake his world views, but it hadn’t ended there. Once at the trials, the demon lord had revealed the whole truth about the entire conflict between the demons and the magical girls.

It was so stupid and at the same time… weirdly human. Jake didn’t like that it was so human. In the first place, he had joined the demons to leave his humanity behind, and to turn on humanity as a whole, and fight the magical girls.

He could hardly focus during the trial, and although the fighting portion was easy enough that he didn’t have to, the puzzle section forced him to. He was barely listening as the great ancestor or whatever talked nonsense.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a general or even wanted his revenge anymore. Maybe he should fail as soon as possible and then be fired and have his memories erased. Maybe it would make him feel better. Maybe Jessica wouldn’t be as pissed at him if he let it happen.

Regardless, he passed the trials and became a new demon general.

Merdis, the berserker.

Fitting, considering how he had acted before.

Naturally, that daughter of his had already passed the trials and left by the time he was done himself. She hadn’t waited for him, because why would she? He wasn’t relevant to her life anymore. After all, he had removed himself from it on his own. He had nobody to blame but himself. Sure, he was still technically her guardian, but she had very clearly shown she didn’t consider him her dad anymore.

By the time they got back to the castle, the depression really set in, and Jake wanted nothing more than to do his duty and get beaten by the magical girls, his vengeance forgotten.

And then, he heard Jessica’s speech as the new demon general; Tepes, the enchantress.

Of course, he knew that she was a hobbyist actress. He had been to a number of her plays in the past. But seeing her performance be so convincing that even he himself almost believed it, Jake felt an odd feeling in his chest.

It only took a moment to figure out what that feeling was.

Pride.

He was proud of his little girl. Proud of her accomplishments. Proud of being her dad.

And then, immediately afterwards, he remembered that she likely didn’t even consider him her dad anymore, nor should he even call himself that after abandoning her.

He felt even more pathetic than ever. He was supposed to be the adult, the one who faced the harsh reality for his daughter, and yet he’d completely and utterly failed.

And he had been planning on failing again. On abandoning responsibility and purposefully being defeated by the magical girls.

No, he couldn’t do that.

Maybe his relationship with Jessica wasn’t salvageable anymore, but he had to at least try. She was his and Cathlyn’s daughter, after all. And if there was an afterlife, he wanted his wife to greet him with a smile and not a furious scowl for being an utter screw-up of a father.

So he gave a speech of his own. Granted, he wasn’t one for speeches, but he managed. Several minions were visibly moved by his words and cheered for him once he finished.

Not something he deserved.

Regardless, it helped with making some of them switch over to his newly formed division, and start preparing for his new duties.

Jessica was still ahead of him, however. Not only had she already planned her very first demon general attack, she even convinced the demon lord to let her help with his research into the fifth weapon.

But Jake couldn’t dwell on that.

Cathlyn was gone. It was time to finally accept it and stop chasing pointless revenge. It was time to support their daughter in whatever endeavors she might pursue, even if that might be the dubious career of a demon general.

She likely wouldn’t let him back into her life – not with how she had reacted to him – but that was fine. He could remain as the side character, supporting her from the shadows.

It was enough for him.

“I am Merdis, the berserker. I’m the fourth demon general,” he intoned to the four floating girls in front of him, whilst hefting his greataxe. “I will destroy you.”

The magical girls were gripping their weapons, visibly uncomfortable. Maybe because of his flat voice, or maybe because they didn’t like the idea of another general. It didn’t matter. There was a fight about to happen.

“There you are,” Sarah snarled with hatred unbefitting of a magical girl. “I’ve been wanting to punch you in the jaw.”

The others said nothing, eyeing his form with similar disdain.

Somehow, they seemed to utterly despise him in particular even before he had done anything. He wasn’t sure why, but couldn’t help but think it was karma.

He had been planning on killing them, after all. And how dumb had that been? Planning revenge against girls who couldn’t have even been old enough to legally drink?

Jessica had been right. He really was pathetic.

“I would like to see you try,” he replied out loud. “I am stronger than Tepes.”

And he was. When it came to raw power, he was almost as powerful as Hecate. But on the other hand, he was the least versatile of the current generals. All he could do was fight.

Like a berserker.

For some reason, the four girls in front of him scowled as he finished the last sentence, though.

“We’ll see about that!” Spark yelled as she pulled back her bow. “Thunderstorm!”

Jake bent down to meet the barrage and the fight was on.