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

Just as Gray had predicted, Philippa absorbed the golden fragment of rules with exceptionally smooth progress, encountering almost no obstacles.

That source of light was a power that her body and soul had been familiar with for many years. Although it had been forcibly separated, the connection between them had not been completely severed.

Reconnecting now is like a wanderer returning home, a harmonious and inseparable bond.

A golden halo gently enveloped her arm, then flowed smoothly into her body like a stream merging into the sea.

The aura that had made her seem "ordinary" due to the loss of protection instantly returned to her, filled with pure and powerful light magic, even more refined and in harmony with her own being than before.

That special sense of protection unique to "heroes" has returned, but this time, Philippa can clearly feel that this power is no longer a rootless duckweed, but is deeply rooted in the depths of her soul, truly and completely belonging to her.

“It feels… strange.” Philippa clenched her fist, feeling the familiar yet slightly reborn power flowing through her body, and a relieved smile appeared on her face. “It’s like it was always meant to be here.”

Gray nodded and reminded him, "Just absorb it completely. From now on, don't let the essential rules of this 'inheritance' have another chance to leave you."

He spoke so casually, as if he were merely reminding her to take good care of an important personal item.

He had other thoughts in mind, but what he didn't say was: even if the rules of this hero's inheritance were accidentally lost and a new "hero" was born in the main plane, it was nothing to be afraid of.

Even the very source of this power—the Goddess of Holy Light—was utterly defeated and killed by him despite being of equal rank (and even possessing the theoretical advantage of extreme attribute restraint). How could a new hero who gained power through "second-hand" inheritance and lacked god-level understanding and control possibly pose a real threat to him?

Faced with an absolute disparity in strength, the so-called fateful restraint has lost its meaning.

However, there's no need to say these things aloud.

The important thing is to let her feel at ease and take control of her power so that she can completely sever the chain of this cycle.

"The issue of inheritance has been resolved, but there are still some 'minor issues' left over from history that need to be addressed between humans and demons."

Gray changed the subject, casting his gaze outside the temple as if piercing through the walls to see the vast realm of the Celestial Realm and the main plane connected to it.

The "minor problem" he mentioned was clearly not minor at all.

For example, what should be done with these powerful "angels" (former heroes) in the Celestial Realm who have lost their allegiance? Should they be suppressed, dismissed, or should we try to recruit or guide them?

For example, without the constant suppression and "periodic cleansing" of the Goddess of Holy Light, will the seven demons in the Netherworld Prison seize the opportunity to cause trouble? After losing the tacit approval of their "legitimate" existence, will the Demon Order launch a more frenzied counterattack, or will it decline?

For example, how would the humans and demons of the main plane react after learning the truth of the "fate" that has maintained their hostile relationship for thousands of years? The hatred and estrangement that have accumulated over a long period of time will not disappear overnight just because the gods have vanished.

For example, does the "unknown terror" that the Goddess of Holy Light worried about, which might arise from the disruption of the plane's stability, really exist? And how can it be prevented?

These are all the myriad "aftermath" matters that must be faced after killing a god.

Gray rubbed his temples; though tired, his eyes were clear.

He knew that overthrowing the old gods was the first step, but he had already solved the most difficult step.

The next challenge is how to establish a new, more rational order to prevent the world from descending into chaos or heading towards another extreme.

"Furthermore, regarding the issue with the demons," Gray calmly analyzed to Philippa, "the demons' accumulated fortune over millennia has been almost entirely depleted after the formation of me as their Demon King, especially after the forging and use of the Demon King's Sword."

It is impossible to rebuild this kind of 'momentum' at the racial level.

In other words—as long as I live and hold the position of 'Demon King,' the demon race cannot produce a next Demon King.

He paused, then looked at Philippa: "This means that the 'Demon King' problem, which has always been the biggest headache for the Goddess of Holy Light and has required 'heroes' to solve periodically, has been brought under control at its root. As long as I, the 'current' one, don't disappear, the problem won't erupt."

Philippa didn't quite understand, but she grasped the core meaning—Grey's very existence was a form of stability. This made her feel at ease.

However, Gray's next words made her heart skip a beat.

“However, this raises another question,” Gray said thoughtfully, “to maintain this ‘stability’ in the long term means… I need to live a very, very long time. Long enough to possibly exceed the lifespan limits of mortals.”

He looked into Philippa's clear, amber eyes, which now held a hint of bewilderment, and explained in more straightforward terms:

"So, at some point in the future, I may also need to... ascend to godhood."

It wasn't for power or anything else, but simply to gain near-infinite lifespan, to ensure that the position of 'Demon King' wouldn't become vacant upon my natural death, thus preventing the demon race's fortune from re-forming and giving birth to a new Demon King, triggering another uncontrollable cycle.

“Infinite…lifespan?” Philippa murmured, repeating the word. For her, who was only around twenty years old, the concept of “living forever” was too abstract and distant; she could not fully comprehend the weight and loneliness behind it.

She was simply instinctively happy that Grey had found a way to "keep living," which meant he could stay by her side forever.

Then, a thought closer to her own mind popped into her head. She instinctively tightened her grip on Gray's hand, looked up at him, and spoke with a hint of urgency and determination:

"Then...then I must also work hard in my cultivation! I can't...I can't let myself slowly turn into an old woman while you continue..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear—she didn't want to grow old alone and leave him because of the difference in their lifespans.

Seeing her earnest yet slightly stubborn expression, Gray couldn't help but laugh. The smile eased the weariness and contemplation between her brows.

He reached out and ruffled her hair, speaking gently:

"Yes, of course. Let's do it together."

He then added, in a reassuring tone, "However, there's no need to rush."

I still have many things to deal with in the main plane, so I won't be going to the Celestial Realm to stay there permanently anytime soon.

The time you spend in the main plane is enough for you to slowly cultivate and lay a solid foundation.

He tightened his grip on her hand, his gaze fixed on the radiant yet no longer oppressive "celestial realm" beyond the temple's exit.

"The road ahead is long, we'll take it one step at a time. Now, let's go back and take care of what's in front of us."