Diary of a Criminal Investigator - Chapter 322: Meeting the Parents

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.

Layland Kleinhaus (17) suffers from hypogonadism that makes him less “manly” on top of having a girly face. He is bullied because of it, but he always remains strong ... At least, until he can't bear the betrayals and sufferings anymore.

Filled with rage, indignation, and the lust for blood, he decided to end the life of his tormentors along with the bystanders before taking his own life.

Alas, in the middle of his deed, a mysterious being intervenes the act by summoning him and the rest of the bastards he is killing to another world. He curses his bad luck for not being able to fulfill his revenge because of it, but much to his surprise, there is something much better than having his revenge waiting for him.

“Layland... Be a Demon King.”

Thus, his journey of becoming the unparalleled Demon King begins.

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Those who know me are already in the know of my “condition”—minor dyslexia. So, if you find any misspell or 'wtf does this even mean' words, I hope you can pardon me from the insult, and notify me instead.

When he stayed at her home and one night, he took her body in a drunken stupor. From then on, he had been a constant fixture in her life. How adamant he was in forcing a marriage was how adamant she demanded for a divorce. “I’m not staying married to you! I’m not staying married to you! I’m not staying married to you!” After she repeated such an important proclamation three times, he finally tossed her the divorce paper. She thought she had finally escaped him alas… After the divorce, he still snuck into her room every night… Finally losing her patience, she yelled, “We are already divorced!” He glanced at her and set down the divorce paper before her. On it, it was written clearly: After the divorce, the car is hers, the house is hers, the company is hers, their child is hers, he… is also hers?

Bubbles…Soft, fragile, and fleeting. They drift without purpose, bursting at the slightest touch.They aren’t weapons. They aren’t threats. Just harmless playthings, forgotten the moment they vanish.But what if bubbles weren’t so innocent?What if, in a world of Hunters—where magic shatters mountains and fists split seas—someone awakened a Skill based entirely on bubbles?A joke. A death sentence.Goblins would laugh.The weak would pity him. The strong wouldn’t even bother to look twice.But powers can hide secrets. And some truths are buried in plain sight.When a nameless F-Rank awakens the “Bubble Skill,” no one expects him to survive.Let alone rise.However, the indomitable spirit of River Faelan refused to die.Step by step, he climbed to the top—shattering every limit placed on a “mere” Bubble Mage.He proved them all wrong.And he’ll do it again,Even if it means starting from the very bottom… for one more time.