The Extra Can't be A Hero

Paradis Conglomerate.

The Paradis Conglomerate stood as the wealthiest and most influential merchant group in the Hyades Republic, a giant whose reach extended into nearly every aspect of daily life. Real estate developments bore their name, farmlands yielded produce under their banner, and their banks held the savings of both commoners and nobles alike.

They brokered energy trade, controlled shipping routes across the inner seas, and even operated schools and academies where the brightest minds of the Republic were trained. For many, life itself was inseparable from the touch of Paradis.

Their monopoly was undeniable.

Entire industries bent to their will, and more than ten per cent of the Republic's total wealth flowed steadily through their accounts. Where other corporations would have drawn suspicion or resentment, Paradis earned admiration. Their factories were models of efficiency and safety, their workers praised the generous wages and benefits they received, and their managers were renowned for treating employees as family rather than disposable assets.

Every year, Paradis paid their taxes without dispute, their ledgers so clean that auditors joked they could be used as teaching manuals. Their philanthropic endeavours were numerous: they funded hospitals, orphanages, public libraries, and research institutes.

When natural disasters struck, Paradis was often the first to dispatch aid, sometimes even before the government itself. Their efforts to uplift society were so consistent that rivals accused them of being reckless, of sacrificing profit for ideals—yet the conglomerate only grew stronger with time.

For the citizens of the Hyades Republic, Paradis was more than just a corporation. It was a symbol of prosperity, proof that great wealth could coexist with virtue. In many ways, the Paradis Conglomerate was not simply the peak of capitalism—it was the pride and beating heart of the Republic itself.

The Chairman of the Paradis Conglomerate was also a well-respected dignitary with an impeccable record.

A paragon of virtue and nobility, the chairman commanded respect wherever he went. Most people idolised him to the point of worship, and they would often sing his praises in magazines and newspapers, not from media manipulation, but through sheer adulation of his capabilities.

Yet, that very chairman… was kneeling at the feet of the Demon Cult.

"My lord, why have you graced me with your presence?"

The chairman spoke with reverence at the hooded figure who sat on his chair, on the highest floor of the most expensive building in the Hyades Republic. Kieran, the Apostle of Domination, stared silently at his subordinate.

"Rise, my child."

"As you command."

If anyone else saw the chairman of the Paradis Conglomerate acting so subservient to another, they would have questioned their eyes. But the chairman wouldn't mind the contempt.

Although he climbed to the highest peak of the corporate ladder, he knew that the Paradis Conglomerate would have been nothing if not for the Demon Cult. In fact, the Paradis Conglomerate was created by the Prophet and Kieran many years ago, precisely for its quest for world domination.

The chairman himself was a disciple in the Gospel of Domination, the branch that Kieran led.

"Have you secured the locations I'd sent you?"

"Yes, my lord. They have been purchased using the shell companies of Paradis. If you need to, we will transfer them to your ownership."

"No, I wasn't buying it for investment. If you have purchased them already, then it's fine."

Kieran waved off the chairman's words, but a satisfied smile crept up his lips.

"Isadora, you may start preparations for the summoning."

Hearing his lord's words, the chairman's gaze drifted toward the corner of the room. There, two women sat side by side, one cradling a glass of wine, the other a cup of coffee, each taking leisurely sips in turn.

The first was a vision of celestial beauty, golden hair cascading like sunlight, eyes the vivid green of spring forests. Yet her expression betrayed nothing; she seemed utterly detached from her surroundings, as though Kieran's voice barely reached her ears.

Beside her sat a bespectacled scholar, a striking contrast to the aloof beauty.

Isadora and Ravenna. Two Apostles of the same rank as Kieran sat in the darkness, listening in to every word exchanged.

Ravenna shifted nervously in her seat, eyes darting between Kieran and the woman beside her, unsure whether to speak or remain silent. In the end, she opted to speak:

"Ermmm, Isadora? Kieran is calling you."

"Yeah, I heard."

Isadora placed down her glass of wine before turning her venomous eyes to the second-in-command of the Demon Cult.

"Kieran, when this is over, will the Prophet finally grant my wish?"

"Isadora… Why are you so impatient?"

"The only reason I joined the Demon Cult was for my wish. It has been decades since then, and the Prophet has yet to show signs of granting it."

"... as you know, the Prophet is currently in recovery."

"I know that very well," Isadora spat without a shred of worry for her leader. "That's why I'm getting anxious. If the Prophet passes, will the Demon Cult renege on my wish or not?"

"Insolence! How dare you curse the Prophet?!"

Kieran's eyes twitched, clearly showing annoyance.

"Insolent or not, we're all thinking it." Isadora spat with equal annoyance. "The Prophet has been secluded with no signs of recovery, so that means the Demon Cult is under your leadership. So? What about it? Can you fulfil the promises that the Prophet has given to me?"

"... you know that I can't speak on behalf of the Prophet."

"..."

Isadora remained silent, casting a furious gaze on the man called the Mind Stealer. Almost every member of the Demon Cult would cower in fear before the second-in-command, but she remained steadfast. For without the Prophet here to keep her in check, the Apostle of Lust can finally move to her own accord.

"If that's the case, I won't participate in the ritual."

"ISADORA!!!"

Kieran yelled, causing the chairman and Ravenna to flinch. It wasn't common to see Kieran, the Apostle of Domination and the mastermind behind multiple schemes of the Demon Cult, to lose his temper. However, without the Prophet's presence, Kieran was nothing more than a figurehead. The Apostles, who were already a volatile bunch, were now fragmented, each moving for their own desires.

Malachi perished during the battle against the Sword Saint and Amon.

Samael, still drunk on the Demon King's blessing, had isolated himself in a life of debauchery, completely ignoring Kieran's orders.

And Zuphil had all but disappeared into the shadows.

The ones remaining were Isadora, the Apostle of Lust, Ravenna, the Apostle of Grief, and Dante and Damien, the Apostles of Vengeance. And for the next phase of the Demon Cult's plans, their assistance was all but compulsory. Particularly Isadora. Without her, the Calamity they wish to unleash upon the Hyades Republic would never happen.

"Shout all you like, but without any assurances, I will not follow your orders, Kieran."

"… Fine! If you succeed with your mission, I will grant you half the souls we succeed in claiming. Once the Prophet returns, we will proceed with your wish."

"Good."

Isadora finished her glass of wine before heading to the door with a sultry smile.

"Pleasure doing business with you, second-in-command."

"..."

Kieran cursed the Apostle of Lust as she left the room, yet he didn't have the stomach to call out to her verbally. Taking a moment to recollect himself, he let out a heavy sigh before turning to the other Apostle in the room.

"Ravenna, have the facilities been prepared?"

"Y-yes! We're ready to execute the mission at any given moment!"

"That's good," a wry smile crept up Kieran's lips. "At least I can count on you."

"Haha, everything I do is for the Prophet."

"What about the Magatama production? How has it been progressing?"

The Magatamas were artificial artefacts used to store demonic mana, something that was wholly unnatural in the world. In the past, the Foolish Lich was the one spearheading the project. But after his demise, it was taken over by Ravenna, who was putting on the finishing touches.

"Mass production has already begun. Also, we managed to reverse engineer the Chaos Dolls that Agva once created. Adding our gains in Magatama production, we should be able to begin the mass summoning early."

"Oh? That's wonderful news!"

Although the Prophet was mortally wounded and needed time to recover, that didn't mean time stood still for the Demon Cult. Most of their plans were set in stone, and it was only a matter of time before they could fully put them into motion. No, now that the groundwork had been laid, it was time for the Demon Cult to start their conquest formally.

"Now, all that's left is our prodigal son to gather more influence in Zephys before we can finally start the first phase. For that, child… We'll need your help."

"It is my privilege, my lord."

The chairman of the Paradis Conglomerate smiled happily as he opened his wallet.

"But, before that… there's one thing outside the agenda I would like to report to you. If I may be so bold."

"Speak."

"Amon Solaris and Eldorin are present right now… In Zephys."

"Hoh? That… might be an issue."

Every time the Demon Cult sought to advance their grand design, Amon and Eldorin had stood in their path. They hunted down and slew the sealed Great Demons, tearing apart the hidden bases that sustained the cult's power. They clashed with the Foolish Lich, nearly obliterating years of painstaking research on the Magatamas. And when the cult schemed to summon an Abomination by using the Sword Saint as a vessel and wrest control over the Clay Emperor's domain, it was again Amon and Eldorin who shattered their ambitions.

At every critical juncture, the Demon Cult's march forward had been thwarted by those two men. And now, with their presence in Zephys… it was a grim omen that history was about to repeat itself.

"But, it seems like they are unaware of our plans this time. For they are planning to do a showmatch."

"A showmatch?"

"Yes, one between the Eldorin knights and various talents from the Republic. I heard that it's a way to gather support for Eldorin and to celebrate their achievements."

"Hoh? Now that's interesting."

Kieran's smile turned sinister as he glanced out the window and towards the vast stadium owned by Paradis.

"Very interesting… indeed."