The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

Tarik responded with a low, muffled voice. He rubbed his still throbbing temples, feeling that it all seemed so unreal.

Not long ago, they were fighting monsters in the Whispering Forest, and then they were teleported to this godforsaken place. They were then told that the demon king they were supposed to defeat was actually an "ally" they wanted to cooperate with, and that the Holy Light Goddess they had always worshipped was the ultimate villain... This twist is too outrageous. At least take it one step at a time. How can you cram so much information into your head all at once?

He looked at Gray, who sat upright in the main seat with an unfathomable aura, and then at the ten female waitresses sitting around him, each with a different style but all powerful. He felt a mix of emotions.

Who would have thought that the targets of a life-or-death struggle would now be sitting together calmly, discussing cooperation against a "common enemy"?

While Tarik was still internally struggling and unable to fully process this massive amount of information, Sofia spoke up in an almost carefree and relaxed tone:

“Oh, what’s there to worry about, Tarik?”

Sophia tossed her moon-white hair, her blue eyes even showing a hint of smug satisfaction. "Isn't this even better? Since we can cooperate, we don't have to fight to the death with the Demon King! The mission difficulty has dropped from hell level to friendly negotiation level, making it so much easier!"

As she spoke, she deliberately nudged Philippa beside her with her elbow and asked with a wink, "Right, Philippa? You certainly don't want to continue fighting with... uh, Lord Demon King, do you? Wasn't that 'sparring' thrilling enough?"

Philippa blushed slightly as her friend saw through her thoughts, but she still nodded seriously, looked at Gray with gentle eyes, and then said to Taric, "Sophia is right. Even if... even if the other party is not Gray, as long as he shows that kind of strength and has a friendly attitude, I would never want to be his enemy."

She recalled how Gray easily parried all her attacks, and even when she made a desperate move, he could precisely control his strength to subdue her. A trace of awe still lingered in her heart.

To be hostile to such a being would undoubtedly be extremely unwise.

Taric listened to his two companions' words, especially Sofia's "optimistic" interpretation, and was speechless for a moment.

This guy's thought process is truly unique; he can actually summarize a shocking secret that overturns beliefs and worldviews as "the mission difficulty has been reduced."

But... after thinking about it carefully, he realized that Sophia's words, though rough, made sense.

Who would have nothing better to do than stubbornly fight to the death against a terrifying being with at least a tenth-tier strength, a group of eighth-tier experts under their command, and control of an ancient secret realm? What's the difference between that and suicide?

If we can cooperate, avoid unnecessary sacrifices, and turn the blame towards the real culprit, it is the most rational and advantageous choice at present from any perspective.

With this in mind, the immense resistance that Taric felt due to the shock of faith was finally somewhat suppressed by practical considerations.

He sighed helplessly and said gruffly, "...Sophia, you're right. Cooperation... is better than suicide. I... have no objection to cooperation."

Although the tone was still somewhat reluctant, the attitude was clear.

He is ultimately a pragmatic soldier who, faced with an unchangeable reality, will choose the path that is most beneficial to the team.

However, he may need more time to rebuild his collapsed beliefs and worldview.

Gray sat in the main seat, taking in all of Tarik's somewhat helpless but ultimately compromising statement, Sofia's almost "fortunate" optimism, and Philippa's gentle and respectful eyes that showed no desire to be his enemy anymore. A complex emotion flickered deep in his eyes.

What he had been pondering most was the helplessness and burden he felt as a Demon King facing the existence of "Heroes." The seemingly endless battles, the "protagonist's halo" that allowed him to grow stronger in combat and even receive the world's favor, and the destiny symbolizing the will of the gods behind it all instilled in him a profound weariness and an almost desperate pressure. To end this cycle, he had to slay a god, but how difficult that path was.

However, listening to Philippa's words and seeing the fleeting fear and relief in her eyes when she mentioned "not wanting to be an enemy of someone who had displayed such terrifying power," Gray suddenly realized something—

The despair he felt in the face of the seemingly invincible hero Philippa, and the despair and helplessness felt by heroes throughout history when facing him, a demon king with unfathomable power, countless strong subordinates, and ancient secret realms, were probably no less than his own.

Even if a hero possesses special protection and growth potential, what price must be paid to truly threaten or even kill someone like him who has inherited the complete Demon King's legacy? How many generations of sacrifice and failures are required? How many heroes like Philippa must fall one after another on the bloody road to the Demon King's castle?

This thought made Gray's heart sink slightly. He seemed to see, on another timeline that never intersected, a scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, where countless brave warriors with faith and courage could only turn into dust in history.

For Philippa, being able to sit here and cooperate with him, instead of having to embark on that doomed and hopeless path of conquest, is a kind of relief and good fortune.

This is not simply a matter of strength or weakness, but rather that both the Demon King and the Hero are burdened with their own shackles and despair while caught in the cruel vortex of fate woven by the gods.

Gray's gaze swept over the "heroes" and their companions who had temporarily set aside their destiny and chosen to cooperate, and his determination to push forward the god-slaying plan became even stronger.

Breaking this cycle is not only for the demon race, but also for all beings bound and sacrificed by this false destiny—including every hero forced to raise the holy sword.

He exhaled softly, suppressing all his turbulent thoughts, and refocused his attention on the practical issue of cooperation.

At least for now, they have found a path that may allow them to walk side by side instead of fighting each other.

This in itself is a hard-won miracle.

“Since none of you have any objections,” Gray’s voice regained its usual composure, carrying a guiding force, “then let’s discuss in detail the specific matters concerning the search for the ‘Path to Heaven’ and the countermeasures against possible interference from the Church of Holy Light.”

He turned his gaze to Phoenix: "The history of the Seramus family may provide us with some key clues."