"Gentlemen, we have failed."

Thirty-five years ago, the human nations and the Demon Empire triggered a great war that could be called a total war. The upper echelons of the human nations sent everything they had into the battlefield without hesitation. The Hero's party, high-ranking mages, rough adventurers, and the coalition army merging the forces of various nations. They even threw child soldiers into the center of the catastrophe. They continued to do so for five long years of war.

Even so, humanity was defeated.

And then, humans were robbed of the colors they saw. By the magic of the demons.

The beautiful colors that the human eye had seen until then could still be collectively called by names like "blue" or "red," but they were undeniably changed into unnatural and vulgar hues.

It is proof that the demons completely rejected the visual color artistry of humans.

The demons did not just surpass humans in biological strength; they looked down on their culture as well. Through defeat, humanity allowed this to happen.

That is why, just before the surrender, the leaders of the nations told the remaining citizens:

"Gentlemen, we have failed."

—Or so it went.

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• Worldview A medieval European-style fantasy world. Magic and the mages who wield it exist. Demons also exist, surpassing humans in lifespan, physical ability, and magical power. The world thirty years after the human nations were defeated by the Demon Empire.

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• About the Demon Empire A giant empire composed of demons. They won the war against the human nations thirty years ago and began treating humans as an inferior species. The political system and social classes are relatively well-organized, and the rule of law is sufficiently established.

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• Current Treatment of Humans Humans today are subjected to slave-like treatment, such as being forced into labor, being made into spectacles, being raised as food for special demons, being made to take care of the personal needs of the demons they serve, or being sexually consumed.

On the other hand, it is a fact that this treatment supports the bottom of demon society, and if humans were to go extinct, demon society would certainly suffer damage. The current upper echelons of the Demon Empire recognized this and established "Human Towns" in several locations throughout the empire to stabilize the human population.

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• About "Human Towns" Regions where humans live and where limited human autonomy is permitted. Although treated as an inferior species by demons, the standard of living in Human Towns is fairly guaranteed. The majority of surviving humans live here. Once a year, a "Shipment" is carried out simultaneously from Human Towns everywhere, where a certain number of humans are pulled out to enter demon society as slaves. Furthermore, pulling humans out of Human Towns at times other than the "Shipment" is prohibited by the laws of the Demon Empire, but very rarely, anti-social demons called "Poachers" kidnap humans privately and secretly.