Chapter 271
Chapter 271. The Second Demon Lord’s Prince
Rubyphia hurriedly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and glared at me.
“—That topic! We’ve already moved on from that! Why are you bringing it up again?”
“I didn’t ask out of idle curiosity. I simply want to know your outlook, Sister.”
Her theory of the state, or rather, her thoughts on the ‘Demon Lord throne.’
“If Dia becomes king, would that be acceptable to you? In a way, he’s bringing in someone who can be considered an opponent under his command.”
At my words, Rubyphia raised her eyebrows sharply.
“…Just so you know, I intend to become the Demon Lord myself. Certainly, Dia’s recent growth has been remarkable, but I won’t allow him to rise above me.”
She tapped the armrest of the sofa irritably.
“Still, the reason I took Dia under my wing… The answer is simple.”
Then Rubyphia made a face as if she had just bitten into a hundred bitter insects.
“I had to take him in as a subordinate because he declared he would join Aio if I didn’t… as a reward for sparing my life during the throne succession war.”
“…Ah.”
So it was a choice between adding him to her side as an ally while risking her chastity, or fighting against him and doing the same.
“A truly ultimate choice…”
I began to feel sorry for her.
“In that case, having him as an ally is the better option, I suppose.”
“…Of course, that isn’t the only reason… there are clan affiliations and other things involved… but it is certainly an undeniable reason.”
Rubyphia sighed heavily.
“Brother is quite the sharp character, isn’t he?”
“Absolutely.”
“And as a ‘Demon Lord’s spouse,’ he’s not bad, which makes things complicated…”
When I pointed this out, Rubyphia’s expression soured.
It might seem odd for half-siblings, but it was a viable option.
Demon clans usually don’t marry within their own kind, as only one bloodline magic is inherited among members of the same clan. Marriage between siblings is out of the question.
However,
“True… the clans are different, but…”
Rubyphia pursed her lips.
For the children of the Demon Lord, that rule doesn’t apply; we are all children of the Demon Lord Goldgias = Orgi yet come from different clans.
This is related to a law established by the first Demon Lord Raougius. He, having wandered through various nations, understood well that simple hereditary monarchies tend to corrupt and decline within generations, and he believed that favoring the Demon Lord’s family in the Demon Kingdom would lead to trouble.
Thus, he decreed that “The Demon Lord’s children shall take their spouse’s clan,” and all children are to be raised by their mother’s family.
Of course, the Luina clan, from which the first Demon Lord hailed, vehemently opposed this decision, but they were silenced by Raougius’s Demon Lord punch.
To become a Demon Lord means to prioritize the entire race of demons over one’s own clan, and this law reflects the first Demon Lord’s philosophy.
So,
The fact that we, the Demon Lord’s children, come from different clans means that if we were to have children, both bloodline magics could be inherited without issue.
If Rubyphia intends to reign as the first female Demon Lord, selecting a royal consort would become quite complicated, but Diagias is, in a sense, a partner without strings attached.
“Right?”
When I reiterated this, Rubyphia narrowed her eyes with a glint.
“What…? What is it? Are you in league with Dia?”
“No, not at all. I won’t deny that we get along well…”
Compared to the other Demon Lords.
“But if you want to be a Demon Lord, then it’s a problem that can’t be ignored, right? It’s clear that you are very committed to becoming the Demon Lord yourself, but what are your intentions going forward?”
“I’m living for that purpose, after all.”
Hmph, Rubyphia crossed her arms and huffed. But Bon-Dage is quite something… we’ve both grown so accustomed to it…
“While it’s fine to aim to become the Demon Lord, what do you plan to do once you achieve that? How do you intend to run the country, Sister?”
You can’t just be satisfied to sit on the throne, can you?
“I haven’t had a heart-to-heart with Brother Aio yet, but I have a general idea of how he plans to govern the country. However, I can’t see your intentions. What future are you envisioning…?”
At my question, Rubyphia grinned.
“—A stronger Demon Kingdom.”
Her answer was straightforward.
“If I become the Demon Lord, I’ll invade the allied territories and conquer them all at once. I’m not into taking my time like Father.”
I was dumbfounded. Seriously, what do you mean by hobbies…
“I’ve read the first generation’s book. Sure, I’ve read it.”
Shifting her legs, Rubyphia leaned on the armrest of the sofa.
“I think telling the demons to direct their fighting spirit outward is indeed a correct guideline. But I don’t think that means ‘walk slowly to your destination on purpose.’ That’s just not very demon-like. Isn’t our pride in our battles? If unifying the continent leads to bloody conflicts, then let’s fight to our heart’s content.”
She giggled like a young girl.
“—Because that’s the kind of race we are.”
…I’d heard that the Rivarel clan is bold and spirited, but it’s a bit different from what I expected.
It’s bold, alright, but it’s downright reckless.
“And as long as the Demon Lord’s spear exists, no matter how much we waste ourselves fighting amongst ourselves, the demon race won’t perish. The number of demons is simply different now compared to when the first generation wrote the history of our founding. Even if other races rise against us, it’s impossible to wipe out the demons in one fell swoop. If a rebellion occurs, we can temporarily halt our disagreements and work together to suppress it.”
With an arrogant smile, Rubyphia looked down at me.
“In that regard, I commend your idea of an ‘autonomous district’ that allows for ‘tolerance of rebellion.’ You intend it, and I naturally feel the same way, thinking it would be good.”
……
Her vision for the future of the Demon Kingdom is simply void.
But I felt this way because I consider conflict ‘evil,’ while Rubyphia sees conflict as ‘good.’
Fundamentally, they are irreconcilable.
Guess we’ll have to wipe her out. Regardless of what future she envisions, I knew 99.9% for certain that it would not align with mine.
“In short, it’s about enjoying ourselves on this game board of a continent.”
“Oh, it’s not such a polite conversation. Just let things be natural.”
With my incredulous remark, Rubyphia simply smiled calmly.
“So, how about it? Want to join me under my banner and witness the end of my conquest?”
Rubyphia likely knew my answer already but made a point to ask anyway.
So I also made a point to smile cheerfully and respond.
“I’ll think about it thoroughly, Sister.”
…Well, it’s probably unnecessary to answer, but she knows it already.
We both do.
