I Failed to Be a Hero, So I Became the God of Three Realms

Three centuries ago...

The cold wind bit into Kaito's skin as he stood at the edge of the dense forest, his heart pounding in his chest. Fear tightened its grip on him. Shadows moved between the trees, and from the darkness, he could see them: Demonic beasts with twisted horns and glowing crimson eyes.

As the creatures drew closer, their forms became clearer. He recognized them instantly. Demon Generals.

He'd overheard the guards talking about them when he was being thrown out of the castle. The way they described these monsters—mindless, feral, yet powerful enough to tear through seasoned knights—matched what was now staring him down. He felt the terror gnawing at his resolve. He was going to die here. Alone. Forgotten.

But then—

[[Notice. Individual named "Kaito Aragami" has begun awakening as "True God."]]

Kaito's breath caught in his throat. The world seemed to tilt around him. What...what was that voice?

[[Notice. Awakening 50% complete. Activation of Skills beginning.]]

[[Notice. Godly Skill "Demonic Authority" is activated. All the Demons will now show deep devotion and accept any command.]]

The Demon General froze mid-step, its fiery eyes dimming. It bowed its head in submission.

Kaito's jaw dropped. He hesitated, his voice shaking as he muttered, "G-Go away."

To his astonishment, the monstrous beast turned and vanished back into the shadows.

His legs nearly gave out beneath him. "What...what was that?" he whispered, his mind a whirl of confusion and fear.

A cheerful voice echoed in his head.

[[Oh, hello! It's been a long time since I had the chance to have any conversation at all.]]

Kaito blinked. "Who...who are you? What's happening to me?"

[[You'll know that pretty soon. For now, just know that all you need to do is think, and you'd be able to do so. Wanna try flying?]]

"Flying?" Kaito said aloud, incredulous. What is this, some kind of anime? He shook his head. "I don't even have wings!"

But the moment the thought crossed his mind, he felt a strange sensation on his back. He looked over his shoulder to see a pair of sleek, elegant wings unfurling from him, shimmering with ethereal light.

Before he could process it, he was off the ground, the forest shrinking beneath his feet. He soared higher and higher, exhilaration replacing fear. And strangely, he wasn't getting tired at all.

He flew for hours until the silhouette of a grand city appeared on the horizon. The capital of the Valtherian Empire. As he landed near the city gates, he thought, Hide wings. The wings vanished in an instant.

The streets bustled with life as Kaito wandered through the city, his eyes wide with wonder. He soon spotted a large, imposing building—the Adventurer's Guild. A good place to start, he decided.

Inside, he approached the counter and registered as an adventurer. Everything went smoothly until the magical affinity test. The crystal orb remained lifeless in his hands, as expected. No affinity. No magic.

"Typical," he muttered.

The receptionist handed him a guild card. "Just a drop of your blood to finalize the registration."

Kaito nodded and bit his finger. But no matter how hard he bit or cut, his skin sealed instantly. He didn't even feel pain.

The receptionist stared, baffled. "Uh...what?"

"I'll be right back." Kaito stepped outside, took a breath, and thought, My blood. A small jar filled with crimson liquid appeared in his hand. He handed it over.

The moment the jar was opened, a blinding light erupted from it, marking the guild card with a crest—a symbol in deep red, like solidified blood.

The receptionist squinted at it. "That's...a family crest? But what language is this?"

Kaito's eyes narrowed. The crest was unmistakably Aragami. Hiragana script, out of place in this world.

This just keeps getting weirder.

Determined to figure things out, Kaito took his first quest: an F-class dungeon run. But the moment he faced the monsters, all he had to do was think, Die. The creatures dropped dead instantly.

In two weeks, he climbed to SSS rank. An unheard-of feat. Whispers of his abilities spread like wildfire. There had never been an SS-class adventurer, let alone SSS.

That's when the summons came.

The Empress of Valtheria wanted to see him.

Kaito smirked as he approached the Royal Castle. This matriarchal empire's leader was curious about him, perhaps to reward him or assign a mission.

Kaito stepped into the castle, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of the Empress. He hadn't expected her to be so young—she looked almost his age. And, to be honest, she was cute.

Before he could think further, that same voice echoed in his head.

[[Hey, hey! She sure looks cute, doesn't she? Guess what, something big is coming up next! It's gonna change the course of your fate forever.]]

Confusion swirled through Kaito's mind, but he shook it off. He focused on the situation at hand. His mind raced; he didn't bring a gift for his first meeting with the Empress. In a moment of inspiration, he thought:

"How about something that can cure any illness or curse just by wearing it—or even by touching it once?"

A necklace appeared in his hand, elegant and radiant. He hesitated only a moment before offering it to her. The Empress accepted it, but then she stood up abruptly.

Panic flared in Kaito's mind. Did she hate it? Was it rude? Am I done for?

But then, she spoke, her voice ringing with sincerity.

"Kaito Aragami, I love you. Please marry me!"

Wait, what?

He blinked, certain he'd misheard. But no, she'd just proposed. His thoughts stumbled over themselves.

"Is this some kind of joke?" he asked, bewildered.

She shook her head, her eyes serious. "No, no! I love you, Kaito!"

He struggled to process. They'd just met. How could she possibly love him?

Seeing his confusion, she explained, "Are you aware of your rumors as the 'Miracle Person'?"

He wasn't. Over the past two weeks, aside from skyrocketing to SSS rank, he'd helped countless people—curing diseases, lifting curses—things no one else could do. Apparently, word had spread.

She continued, "I observed you myself. The way you treated everyone—the elderly, children, all equally—it was beyond what even the greatest healers do. And those you healed weren't just cured; they were blessed with strength and energy far beyond normal."

Her eyes glistened with hope. "I wondered if you could cure me too. I was cursed as a child to lose my sight gradually. By the time I turn nineteen, I'm supposed to be completely blind. I can't lead an empire like that."

Kaito's heart sank. No wonder she needed help.

She smiled, holding the necklace tightly. "But when you gave me this, you said it could cure any illness or curse. And it did. The moment I touched it, the curse shattered. I could see perfectly! And my strength, my energy—they surged beyond belief! Everything just confirmed what I felt about you!"

Her voice trembled with a mix of joy and obsession.

Suddenly, that damned voice chimed in again.

[[Notice. Godly Skill "Eternal Charm" is activated. Individual named "Valeria Valtheria" is now eternally charmed by master.]]

Wait, what?! Eternal Charm? He glanced at the Empress—Valeria Valtheria.

[[Well, now you're bound forever. This skill won't make someone love you, but it'll reinforce any existing love until it's unbreakable. It can't be undone. Enjoy!]]

For a fleeting second, Kaito thought the voice was finally helpful. Nope. Scumbag.

Desperately grasping for sanity, he thought he might be able to make the existing Emperor knock some senses into her. So, he asked, "So, uh… where's the Emperor?"

Valeria beamed. "Emperor? It's you! You're the first person I've ever proposed to."

His brain short-circuited.

"Wait, you've never been married?"

Her smile widened. "Also, Kaito, I wish to turn this Empire into a patriarchy after our marriage, with you as the Emperor."

He blinked in disbelief. "Wait, what? Why? Isn't this a matriarchy? Why would you do that?"

She sighed softly, her eyes reflecting both determination and exhaustion. "I've been ruling this land since I was fourteen. I've done my best to lead our people toward a better future. But in doing so, I've lost my own peace of mind. I'm not sure I can keep carrying this weight forever."

She stepped closer, her voice gentler now. "After seeing your kindness and the way you care for others, I know you'd be a far better ruler than I could ever hope to be. And besides…" She smiled warmly, her cheeks flushed. "I've fallen for you, Kaito. Ruling while constantly thinking of you would be unfair—to this land, and to you, my dear."

His dreams of relaxation shattered like glass.

After all that whirlwind drama, Valeria wasted no time arranging their engagement for that very day. No rest, no breaks—just straight into the next chapter of chaos. Kaito had barely processed the idea of being engaged, and here he was, already getting ready for the ceremony.

Nightfall came, and the engagement banquet was in full swing. Just when Kaito thought things couldn't possibly get more intense, a report came in: Demons were spotted near the castle. Not just anywhere, though—they were closing in on the banquet hall itself.

Valeria's calm demeanor faltered for a moment before she led a hasty charge to the scene, Kaito following right behind her. As they burst through the doors, they came face-to-face with a massive Oni—a hulking, menacing figure—holding a young girl by the neck. The beast was ready to lift her, to devour her on the spot.

Panic surged through Kaito. Without thinking, he shouted, "Stop! Leave her!"

To everyone's shock, the Demon actually stopped. It hesitated, then released the girl. The Royal Knights stormed in, seizing the opportunity to subjugate the Oni before it could retaliate. The girl was safe, and the immediate threat was neutralized. The hall's collective sigh of relief was almost audible.

But one question hung heavily in the air, unspoken yet palpable: Why did the Demon obey him?

Valeria turned to Kaito, eyes sharp with curiosity. He didn't hide anything. He told her everything—the weird scumbag voice in his head, the cryptic abilities, the whole bizarre mess. She listened intently, though the part about the "Eternal Charm" flew right over her head (or maybe she chose to ignore it—hard to tell with her). But when he mentioned the words "True God" and "Awakening," her expression shifted.

It hit Kaito then, too. He'd heard those words, but in the heat of the moment, terror had drowned out any logical thought.

What did those words mean? He didn't know, and honestly, he wasn't sure he wanted to find out just yet.

The night carried on, the engagement ceremony concluded, and Kaito finally thought he could sneak off for a moment of peace. Just a moment to breathe.

But nope.

Valeria's voice rang out through the banquet hall, crystal clear and full of determination: "We're going to marry in two days!"

Kaito's brain stalled. Two days?

So much for a laid-back life.

Goodbye, peace and quiet, he thought bitterly.

Finally, the engagement ceremony ended. Kaito let out a sigh of relief, though his respite was short-lived. As they exited the hall, Valeria's expression was a stormcloud of barely-contained rage. Her focus? The King of Eldoria and his insufferable, arrogant behavior. The way he'd spoken, his disrespectful demeanor—it was clear Valeria was just a breath away from declaring war.

Her eyes glinted with a dangerous fire as she muttered, "I should burn his kingdom to the ground."

Kaito blinked. "Wait, what?"

Valeria didn't respond. Her fingers twitched, and the air seemed to crackle around her. He didn't doubt for a second that she could do it, but… holy hell. The last thing he wanted was to get married in the middle of a full-scale war.

"Hey, hey, calm down!" he pleaded, stepping in front of her. "I get it. He's a royal pain in the ass, but you don't want to start a war over that guy, right?"

For a moment, her intense gaze locked onto his. Then, slowly, she exhaled, the tension easing—though not disappearing entirely.

"Fine," she huffed. "But only because you asked."

He managed a weak smile, though inside he was screaming. He'd just narrowly avoided becoming an accessory to war crimes. As the adrenaline faded, he noticed something else—something he hadn't fully grasped until now.

Her fixation wasn't just affection. It was… obsession. That determined, unwavering gaze told him everything he needed to know. She wasn't just marrying him out of love—she was devoted to him in a way that felt almost scary.

Great. Just what he needed—an overpowered Empress with attachment issues.

His thoughts spiraled as exhaustion finally caught up. It was all too much. The engagement, the near-diplomatic crisis, her intense possessiveness—he needed a break. And he had a grand total of two days to get one.

Because after that? He'd be saying his vows and stepping into a whole new world of responsibility. His coronation was scheduled for the day after the wedding, making him the official ruler of the Empire.

But, blissfully ignorant of the looming storm, Kaito thought maybe—just maybe—he could survive this.

Little did he know, the Empire's dark secrets were waiting for him. An unknown fate lurked in the shadows, ready to test him in ways he couldn't imagine.