High school student Ren Arisato falls into a world that looks like a warzone — still wearing his uniform. But he doesn't panic. He can open an admin menu. In front of trembling villagers, he casually spawns legendary divine items, mutters that he just wants a quiet life, and walks off.
Lyra, the village herbalist, becomes his guide against her better judgment. A cat-eared girl named Kiki appoints herself his official witness and sells stories about his nonsense for high prices.
When a demon ho
Do Not Bend the Knee - The Suffering of Herbalist Lyra and the Demon's Scout
Morning light streamed into the hut on the hill. The wind through the window carried the scent of dried herbs. The village of Carve was quiet again today. A tributary of the Selva River burbled softly, and in the fields, villagers swung their hoes.
Arisato Ren lay wrapped in his blanket, staring at the ceiling.
It had already been a week since his transfer. On the way home from school, the asphalt had suddenly glowed, and before he knew it, he was in this world. Vasteria. An isekai where humans, demons, and spirits maintained a three-way balance. A massive chasm called the Grand Crevasse ran through the center of the continent, with the three human kingdoms to its north and the demon territories spreading to its south.
"...Fwahh~"
Ren yawned.
All of that was what he'd heard from the villagers. This world had a mysterious law called the System, which apparently quantified levels and stats for all living beings. Who made it, when it began—no one knew. The only known fact was that it had suddenly started operating about 1,200 years ago.
And before Ren's eyes alone floated a special panel called the Administrator Menu. Item generation, status modification, entity deletion—the authority to rewrite the fundamental rules of the world. Why he had this, even Ren didn't know.
"...Well, whatever."
Not thinking too deeply was just the kind of man Arisato Ren was.
In his original world, he'd been a target of bullying. He couldn't read the room, and keeping to himself was best. That was how he'd lived. In this isekai, his style hadn't changed. Live quietly. That was all.
The hut was a former shepherd's shelter. The walls were mossy, and part of the roof was nearly caved in. But now, after renovating the interior with the Administrator Menu, it had plush carpeting, a fireplace, and even simple plumbing. It looked run-down from the outside, but inside it was absurdly comfortable. Ren's perfect hideaway.
"...I'm hungry."
Even as he muttered that, he had no intention of getting up.
Empty cans lay scattered by the wall. No—in this world, they weren't empty cans, but dried-out bread and half-drunk bowls of soup strewn about. Shoes kicked off carelessly. A jacket left where it had been tossed. This was about what you'd expect from a seventeen-year-old high schooler living alone.
Ren was just about to roll over again.
Knock, knock, knock.
There was a knock at the door.
"...Who is it?"
Instead of an answer, more knocking. Louder this time.
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock!
"I know you're awake! Open up!"
A young woman's voice. Angry.
Ren pulled the blanket over his head.
"...Nobody's home."
"I know you're in there! I heard you yawn just now!"
BANG!
The door flew open. He hadn't even locked it.
Standing there was a girl with long ash-brown hair braided on the left side. Calm green eyes. Freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose. A small herb pouch hung at her waist, and the scent of dried herbs rose from her body.
Lyra Fernell, the herbalist of Carve Village. Nineteen years old.
"What is wrong with this room?!"
Lyra looked around the interior and grimaced.
The wreckage of daily life spread across the walls. Dried-out bread on the floor. Empty soup containers piled up. Two shoes lying in different directions.
"I can't believe this. What have you been doing here for a whole week?"
"Sleeping."
"That's it?"
"Also, ate a little."
Lyra pressed a hand to her forehead.
This man was the very person who had casually produced those legendary divine items? The messenger of god whom the villagers had prostrated themselves before?
A week ago, Lyra had witnessed the villagers' panic. Adults collapsing, children crying. When she'd heard that three legendary-grade weapons had appeared at once, she couldn't believe her eyes. And she immediately understood: this wasn't just a village problem. It would become an international issue involving the Kingdom of Berkhein, the Holy State of Filseena, the Travas Trade Alliance—all three human kingdoms—and the demon territories to the south.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"Hmm."
"Divine items! Three legendary-grade weapons appeared at once! What do you think will happen when the kingdom finds out about that?"
Ren poked his face out from the blanket. Short black hair with bedhead. Sleepy dark-brown eyes. Half-lidded.
"Dunno."
"Don't 'dunno' me!"
Lyra raised her voice.
"There are three kingdoms in Vasteria. The Kingdom of Berkhein, the largest military power. The Holy State of Filseena, united by religion. The Travas Trade Alliance, a merchant city-state. These three have maintained a delicate balance for about three hundred years. Your power will destroy that balance."
"Huh."
"Don't 'huh' me! And to the south, there's the demon territory. Beyond the Grand Crevasse, seven demon lords called the Seven Pillars rule. If demons appear in a human village, normally everyone gets slaughtered. Your existence is a threat to the demons too."
Ren pillowed his head on his arm.
"So what's your point?"
"I'm saying it could mean war! Because of you!"
Lyra rattled on without pause.
"For example, the knights of Berkhein will come and order you to become the kingdom's property. If you refuse, the whole village might be burned. The bishops of Filseena will come and demand you be worshipped as a messenger of god. The merchants of Travas will scheme to turn your items into money. And the demon lords will send armies to eliminate a human with dangerous power."
Ren's response was a single word.
"Troublesome."
Lyra froze with her mouth open.
"...Were you even listening to what I just said?"
"I was listening. So what does that have to do with my quiz tomorrow?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, I had a quiz back in my world. Physics. If I can skip that, war doesn't sound so bad."
Lyra looked up at the ceiling.
The conversation wasn't connecting. No, it was beyond not connecting.
"Are you insane?"
"I get that a lot."
Lyra let out a huge sigh.
A nineteen-year-old herbalist had come alone, carrying the village's future on her shoulders, to explain things to this man—and this was what she got. She didn't want to be underestimated for her youth. She'd thought she could at least make him listen and understand the danger, but he just stayed wrapped in his blanket and wouldn't come out.
"Anyway!"
Lyra steeled herself again.
"You stay quiet! When villagers come, be polite! No, politeness might be impossible. At least don't produce anything weird. And—"
That was when Lyra's eyes caught the state of the room.
"...Wait a minute."
Lyra slowly looked at the pile of empty soup containers by the wall.
"Have you... not thrown away a single piece of trash this whole week?"
"Too troublesome."
"Laundry?"
"Haven't done it."
"Cleaning?"
"Obviously not."
Lyra's temple twitched.
Then, silently, she rolled up her sleeves.
"What are you doing?"
"Cleaning, obviously!"
Lyra picked up the bread from the floor, lined up the shoes, and carried out the empty containers. She was efficient. The organizational skills she'd cultivated through herb mixing were being put to use here.
"Don't move. Just lie there and sleep."
"...I didn't ask you to."
Ren muttered quietly, but Lyra heard him.
"This is what happens when you don't do it yourself! If someone does it for you, at least say thank you!"
"...Thanks."
Ren said it flatly.
Lyra's hands stopped for a moment.
That was unexpected. This man actually thanked her sincerely.
"...It's not like I'm doing this because I want thanks."
She said it as if to hide her embarrassment, then continued cleaning.
That was when it happened.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
Fierce footsteps charged up the hill.
The hut's door flew open again, this time with force.
"Lyra! Lord Ren!"
It was the village hunter, Garof's apprentice. He was out of breath and pale-faced.
"What's wrong?"
"Demons! A demon scouting party is approaching the village from the Grand Crevasse!"
The color drained from Lyra's face.
"...How many?!"
"About twelve! A swarm of black shadows! Faster than horses!"
A demon scouting party. An invasion force from the demon territory south of the Grand Crevasse. Even one was more than an ordinary human could handle. And there were twelve of them. Carve Village didn't have a single proper warrior.
Lyra looked at Ren.
...Wait, seriously?
"Don't go back to sleep!!"
"...So noisy."
Ren pulled the blanket back over himself.
"Demons are coming! The village might be attacked! Wake up!"
"Troublesome. Can't the villagers handle it? Barricades or whatever."
Lyra ripped the blanket off him.
"You handle it! You can do it, right?!"
Ren opened his eyes.
"...Don't order me around."
For an instant, the air in the hut went cold.
Ren's half-lidded eyes were different from usual. His dark-brown pupils quietly fixed on Lyra.
Lyra swallowed hard.
Scary. This lethargic man could change the atmosphere in an instant. But she couldn't back down. Everyone in the village was in danger.
"...It's not an order. It's a request."
Lyra forced the words out.
"The villagers believe you're a messenger of god. If you just swing once, demons will be blown away, right? I saw it that time. Your power is genuine divine power. So—"
"...Twelve, was it?"
Ren yawned.
"Fwahh~... Twelve, huh. So troublesome."
Ren sat up. He ruffled his bedhead with one hand.
"I'll go, finish it quickly. That good?"
Lyra nodded repeatedly.
"Yes! Hurry!"
Ren left the hut barefoot.
The village square was in a state of panic.
Adults were piling up furniture to build barricades. Women were hiding inside houses with their children. Children were crying and screaming, and the elderly were praying to the gods.
"Ohh, Lord Ren has come!!"
"The messenger of god!!"
One of the villagers shouted.
Instantly, cheers rose from beyond the barricade.
"He really came!"
"We're saved now!"
"Lord Ren will defeat the demons!"
Lyra pushed through the crowd and shoved Ren into the center of the square.
"Come on, hurry! They're approaching from the south!"
Ren looked toward the south.
Sure enough, a swarm of black shadows was writhing there. Monsters wrapped in miasma, shaped like wolves. Shadow Swarms. Masses of shadow that spawned naturally from demonic miasma. They were running beyond the fields at the village's edge.
"...So those are demons."
Ren looked at them with half-lidded eyes.
Then he raised his right hand.
A transparent panel glowing blue appeared.
[Administrator Menu]
Every villager held their breath.
Ren scrolled through the list. Item generation. Divine item group.
[Sword of Dawn] [Hermit's Lantern] [Mantle of the Sky] [Ring of Moon Shadow] [Staff of Dragonbone]...
"...Any of these works."
Ren casually tapped the item at the very bottom: [God-Slaying Stake].
A heavy weight settled into his hand. A stake of jet-black metal with a sharply pointed tip. Blood-red patterns ran across its surface like veins.
"So I just throw this, right?"
Ren tossed it carelessly, as if throwing away trash.
There was a light whistling sound.
The black stake flew in an arc.
And then, above the demon scouting party, it seemed to stop dead in the air.
The next instant.
A roar.
The air exploded.
Crimson and black light swirled, enveloping the twelve Shadow Swarms.
"GYAAAAAAAH!!"
Death cries echoed for just a moment—
And vanished.
Everything. The demons' forms, the sounds, their presence.
All that remained was a small black hole gaping open beyond the fields.
Silence.
Then the villagers erupted.
"OOOOOOOOH!!!"
"They're gone! The demons are gone!!"
"As expected of the messenger of god!!"
"Lord Ren! Lord Ren protected us!!"
The villagers rushed over in a frenzy, prostrating themselves on the ground one after another.
Some were crying. Some were laughing. Some were praying.
Everyone had gone past fear into hysteria.
"Praise be!"
"Lord Ren is the one who will guide the
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.