Chapter 219
Chapter 219. Bumpy Familiar Faces
――A little time goes back.
Somehow, the day after the wake, I, Demon Lord’s Prince Zilbagias, had landed at the Evaroti Royal Castle.
I had planned to stay one night in the Reiju Territory, but after visiting the bereaved families, I felt so unwell that I decided to head back to the Demon Lord’s Castle.
“There’s no need to rush, why not take your time?”
I was held back by Chief Reiju Jijiivart, but it felt like formal words, and honestly, he seemed relieved that I was leaving.
I also politely declined, citing that my work was incredibly busy.
……The extremely busy work of a six-year-old.
Hmm. Well, let’s not dwell on the details.
By the time I departed the Reiju Territory on Leila, the night had completely turned to dawn. Flying in the morning sun felt like it washed away my troubled heart, and it seemed to be quite a nice change of pace.
Returning to the Demon Lord’s Castle, I took a nap, and when I woke up, I received a report that personnel had arrived in Evaroti, and preparations for the autonomous district’s management were roughly complete.
So, once again I asked Leila—she was full of energy, being a dragon and all—and we flew to Evaroti.
That said, the journey from the Demon Lord’s Castle to the Reiju Territory takes a day by carriage, and the journey from the Demon Lord’s Castle to Evaroti takes three or four days by carriage, but we covered that in less than half a day. The mobility of dragons is insane.
Conversely, the Demon Lord, who never rides a dragon, doesn’t have this mobility…
I thought it might be useful for stirring things up in the Demon Lord Kingdom.
――Evaroti, Royal Castle.
In an underground conference room without windows, a meeting was held for the representatives of various races involved in the management of the autonomous district.
First off, the local demon representative.
“Long time no see, Your Highness.”
The one who bowed was Marquis Veteranos Reiju, dressed in noble attire.
“Ah. It’s been about two weeks, hasn’t it? It’s good to see you well.”
Although there were significant casualties among demon warriors during the Evaroti invasion, it seems they offset that with a rapid conquest, and as a commander, he ended up with neither rewards nor punishments.
And apparently, he decided to take it easy after this.
…However, the fact that he opted to settle in the Evaroti Autonomous District rather than the Reiju Territory gives a sense of closure and commitment from this old demon.
“Well, congratulations on your promotion to Marquis, albeit delayed.”
“Thank you.”
“I thought you would catch up to me soon enough, but it was quick, wasn’t it? Next time we meet, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re a duke.”
With a somewhat relaxed expression, Veteranos jested.
Though he wasn’t directly involved in the autonomous district’s management, he is the coordinator for the demons residing in Evaroti, and in emergencies, he acts as a healer, so he’s here to show his face as well.
He holds a title on par with mine.
“Now, now. This war was intense. The road to being a duke makes my head hurt.”
…Really, it gives me a headache.
“Moreover, even as a marquis, I still lack experience. There will be times when I’ll rely on your years of wisdom, so I hope you’ll assist me then.”
“Understood.”
With a look akin to a grandparent watching their grandchild, Veteranos smiled and bowed.
Next was the representative of the demon officials.
“I am Baron Porkun, the Demon of Tyranny. Nice to meet you.”
He was a well-built demon with purple skin, characterized by one horn sprouting from his forehead. When he walked into the conference room, I spotted his tail, and I nearly chuckled at its unexpected cute, curled appearance.
If he hadn’t had that Demon Lord smile from training, it could have been bad.
“Nice to meet you.”
I returned the greeting without a hitch. Porkun seems to be some kind of familiar from the Reiju Tribe. However, he definitely comes off as a solid martial type, yet he’s a government official… He must be capable if he’s the representative over other demons.
There’s just one point I’m a bit anxious about.
“Um… About your ability, Tyranny, just know that unchecked actions won’t be allowed, alright?”
The management of the autonomous district is experimental and requires delicate judgment!
“Yes. Please don’t worry, Your Highness. I usually regulate my actions, so when the time comes, I’ll unleash my tyranny and gain power. At that point, I’ll seek your permission for tyranny, so please grant it.”
“Tyranny permission.”
“Yes, granting tyranny permission.”
Porkun was dead serious. What is this guy…
Well, it’s good that he can control his actions. I nodded along.
Next was the representative of the vampire faction.
“I am Yavka Cheesuina, the Countess. Please take care of me.”
The elegant young lady, Yavka, bowed gracefully toward me and Veteranos.
Whether it’s alright to say she’s safe or not is a mystery, but it seems she reached an agreement with her father, Lord Vlad, and has taken on the role of coordinator for the vampire faction in the Evaroti Autonomous District.
She had a face that seemed filled with hope, as if to say, “Finally, I can breathe!” but I hope she doesn’t get too carefree.
“Lady Yavka is the coordinator for vampires living in the autonomous district. The vampire faction will assist with nighttime security and prevent interference from other races and harm to the residents.”
At my words, the others cast skeptical looks at Yavka. It was as if they thought, “Aren’t you vampires the ones most likely to cause harm…?”
“…We cannot bleed the precious residents of the autonomous district, who are both a cargo for the future of the Demon Lord Kingdom and a valuable asset. If dried corpses or missing persons appear, the vampire faction will be suspected, and if harm is confirmed, severe punishment will be meted out. Both the assailant and the representative responsible for mismanagement will face consequences.”
I declared with imposing authority, and Yavka tightened her expression.
“If the vampires mess up, I’ll shatter your fangs and drag you out into the sunlight, so be prepared.”
“I will do my utmost to ensure there’s no cause for your troubles!”
Good. That’s fine.
Next was――
“I am Tavuo, the representative of the Hobgoblins.”
“I am Nichar, the representative of the Night Elves.”
Oh dear.
The voices of the two at the end, the representative of the Hobgoblins and the Night Elves, overlapped.
“I go first!”
Synchronized, they decided to one-up each other, staring each other down across the table with gritted teeth.
The Hobgoblin looked like a nervous-faced goblin. No, he’s not a goblin but a hobgoblin, but since he looks almost like a goblin, that’s how I can only express it. His green, rugged skin had yellow eyes, jagged teeth, and he was dressed in a rather refined outfit, albeit several ranks below noble attire, constantly scurrying around with a notepad and feather pen in hand.
By the way, the name “Tavuo” has a unique pronunciation that rumbles in the throat, but I found it impossible to say even after several tries, so I decided to call him “Tavo.”
Even so, just a few attempts earned Tavo immense gratitude. It seems most demons don’t even try to pronounce the name of hobgoblins properly…
On the other hand, the Night Elf was a relative of Sidarl. True to his nature, he appeared sticky and annoying, not at all likable in my book, but I kept my feelings in check. After all, the Night Elf faction led by Sidarl is a powerful asset for me.
…Honestly, there’s really nothing to say aside from the fact that he’s a relative of Sidarl. He looked like a Night Elf with pale skin, murky red eyes, and gray hair. He seemed to have an acceptable face, and while he would take on the bulk of autonomous district operations as the Night Elf official representative moving forward, that would be his future responsibility, I guess…
“Both of you.”
With a slightly exasperated expression, I called out to Tavo and Nichar, who were still glaring at each other.
“You can argue all you want, but just make sure it doesn’t interfere with work.”
“Of course!”
They both answered in unison, emitting sparks. Aren’t you secretly friends?
That aside, Betheranos and I hold marquess titles, and Yavka and Porkun are counts, while the Hobgoblin and Night Elf are unranked.
If they were Forest Elves, they’d receive some decent treatment unconditionally in the alliance sphere. Though the Night Elves are treated like first-class citizens, it really struck me how they hold not a particularly high status in the Demon Lord Kingdom compared to Beastmen.
Thus, after wrapping up the brief introductions, we looked over some materials and sought consensus on the future policy of the autonomous district.
“Hmm, it seems the resident roster is already established.”
Antendeixis, the fantasy figure, said while peeking at the documents.
Though it’s not perfect yet. As the remnants of the Defteros Kingdom in the eastern front are hunted down and subdued, the population of residents in the autonomous district will surely grow.
“I haven’t provided specific information to the captives yet.”
“Yes. We have isolated them by a certain number and are keeping them under surveillance.”
In response to my seemingly solitary remark, Porkun answered.
“Hmm. Then let’s tell them with gratitude that ‘the right to live’ has been granted by our Demon Lord His Majesty.”
As I said this with a wicked smile, the others, too, responded with an insidious grin.
Ha…
I really want to kill them all.
“Now then, gather the representatives of the captives. It’s time for an explanation session.”
―Thus, I decided to personally explain the policies of the autonomous district in the audience chamber.
“Your Highness! I have prepared a seat befitting you just in case something like this came up!”
As we moved to the audience chamber, Nichar cheerfully spoke to me.
“Oh?”
Is it that chair draped in fabric which looks like a throne? That’s quite an ostentatious seat.
“Yes, here it is…!”
With an overly proud flourish, Nichar whipped away the cloth.
What I saw was――
A throne made of assembled human skeletons, far too grotesque.
The lengthy backrest was structured with intertwining ribs and spine bones.
The seat was formed from pelvic bones, while the legs were made from femurs and tibias, perfectly organized by body part――
And a brilliantly polished skull for the armrests stared at me with hollow eye sockets.
“This is the throne assembled from the remains of Osshimaier XIII and significant figures of the kingdom!”
“You idiot.”
I slapped Nichar.
What the hell, this isn’t a throne; it’s a body throne!!
“Ah, I’m so sorry… Did it not meet your expectations…?”
With a shocked expression, Nichar stared at me, his eyes like a soaked kitten somewhat calming me down. Could it be this guy is young…?
“Well… this chair is well made… Did you craft it?”
“No, everyone worked on it together.”
“Hmm…”
So it’s everyone from the Night Elves, huh…
Did no one stop them…?
“……I will express my gratitude for your thoughtfulness.”
I just barely managed to squeeze out words of gratitude, keeping in mind future considerations.
“But what I desire is smooth and harmonious governance. Do you understand?”
“Yes. Therefore, I thought it necessary to demonstrate your might in a form easily comprehensible to the foolish human race and teach everyone who the conqueror is…”
There’s no need to go that far.
“That said, there’s no need to sow the seeds of rebellion right from the start. Think about it—if you were captured by the Forest Elves, and the High Elf Queen was sitting comfortably in a chair made of Night Elf bones, how would you feel?”
Nichar pondered for a bit.
“I would want to give them a cruel death by any means necessary.”
“The humans would likely feel the same, you know.”
“I see. However, it was said that we should govern in a manner that permits rebellion…”
“I’m speaking of plans looking several decades ahead; firstly, I want to establish good governance to create stability.”
“I understand…”
Hey, Sidarl! Are you sure these guys and their associates are okay!? They don’t seem responsive at all!!
If something happens, I’m holding you responsible for bringing them on board!!
……That said, the body throne is out.
It’s possible I might want to use it to provoke the human race in the future, so I instructed them to carry it to my private room.
Sorrowful Nichar and several Night Elves struggled to carry it off. Tavo, the Hobgoblin, saw this and was mocking them as if to say, “Serves you right,” but at this moment, I actually agreed with the Hobgoblin.
Geez… It’s the remains of a king after all…
I feel really sorry… if possible, I want to give it a proper funeral…
And instead, I had them prepare the original throne supposedly used by Osshimaier XIII.
Alright!! This is much better!! I’m glad it remained undamaged.
“Then, I will bring the representatives of the captives, so please wait here, Your Highness.”
“Understood.”
I waited in a back room of the audience chamber. Since there was a full-length mirror, I checked my hairstyle and so on. Thinking about how former Defteros royalty also prepared themselves like this beforehand filled me with mixed feelings of sentiment and emptiness…
“—Listen, allies. No, everyone from the former Pan-Humanity Alliance.”
Nichar’s voice echoed from beyond the door. It seems the representatives have gathered, and the explanations have begun.
It’s my turn.
“—Above all, be sure not to offend His Highness. Not just for yourselves, but the fate of everyone living in the autonomous district is at stake…”
The Night Elf official by the door signaled with his hand.
It’s showtime.
I stepped into the audience chamber, sporting a proud arrogant smile befitting a demon prince.
The captives knelt down. There were a lot of wounded soldiers, and it seemed some were noble attendants or something, giving off that kind of vibe. There were even people related to the Holy Church! I had given instructions, but I wondered if those were properly respected…!
With an exaggerated stride, I sat on the throne.
“Raise your heads.”
As they looked up and locked eyes with me, their eyes widened in surprise. It was likely due to my youthful appearance.
Still, why does my nose always get itchy at times like this…?
Hmm… Everyone seems to show polite compliance, but…
“I am Zilbagias Reiju.”
I announced my name.
“I am the Seventh Demon Lord’s Prince and the provisional governor of Evaroti Autonomous District.”
Imposing magic pressure surged at the captives.
See that… the mask of obedience slipped off for just a moment.
There were colors of fear and apprehension, but――far exceeding those were anger and hatred.
Their gazes felt nice. They had good eyes. Truly good eyes.
Especially the injured soldier in the center had a face that made me want to grab a drink with him. …I feel like I’ve seen this guy before.
Well, anyhow.
This is a problem. While it’s good that there’s motivation, if they show too much enthusiasm, that becomes troublesome.
I want them to sharpen their fangs but don’t want them to bite down.
I want them to lie in wait until the day I deal a blow to the Demon Lord Kingdom.
――For that purpose.
“Well then, shall I say, ‘Welcome to the Demon Lord Kingdom’?”
As I reclined leisurely on the throne, I wore a particularly insolent smile.
“—Let’s discuss your future.”
The story of a difficult path linking to a brilliant future.
