With a force field generated beneath my feet, I stood suspended high in the sky.
The wind whipped through the air, fluttering my robes. Perhaps it was because my body was nothing more than bone, but I didn't feel the cold. Luciana stood beside me, whistling a jaunty tune. It was a melody I recognized—a famous piece by a human composer. It seemed she was quite well-versed in human culture.
Spread out below us was a desolate cityscape. This place had once been the capital of a small nation, and it was also the land where I had recruited Henry. Now, soldiers moved through the streets that should have been empty.
They were the Empire’s Army. They had unjustly occupied the city, treating it as if it were already part of the Empire’s Territory. While they hadn't yet dared to touch the regions directly adjacent to the Demon King’s Domain, they were now boldly claiming this capital as their own. It was a surprisingly daring move. I couldn't understand why they craved profit to such an extent, nor did I have any desire to learn.
To scheme for a small nation’s destruction just to snatch up the vacated land—I was hardly one to judge, but their methods were far from humane. The Empire truly sat at the absolute antithesis of an ideal nation.
Luciana circled the air playfully as she gazed down at the former capital. She stopped whistling and clung to my arm.
"When you look down from up here, humans look just like little bugs, don't they? I feel like I could just squish them. Don't you think so too, Maou-sama?"
"I kill humans, but not because I wish to disparage them," I replied. "I eliminate them only as a necessary measure."
"Hah..." Luciana let out a dissatisfied sigh, directing a heavy, damp gaze toward me. "You’re so stiff. You'll have an ulcer before you know it."
"My stomach rotted away long ago," I countered.
Luciana burst into laughter. I hadn't intended it as a joke, but I suppose I had struck a chord with her. Regardless, her amusement was easier to deal with than being awkwardly coddled.
"By the way, I know what you're planning, but is it really possible?" she asked.
"I’ve tested the technique on a small scale. As long as the magic power holds, it won't fail."
"Most people get stuck on that 'as long as' part. You really are out of standard, Maou-sama..."
Luciana gave an exaggerated shrug. Her skepticism was warranted; even in my previous life, I would never have dreamed of such a thing. It was an absolute impossibility—for a human. However, it was something I could achieve now. It was a privilege granted only to the current Demon King.
"I’m going to level the area first. Watch for the shockwave."
"Yes, yes."
Luciana drifted away and reinforced her defenses with magic. Her barrier looked sturdy enough. Satisfied, I began the construction of the spell formula.
A magic circle materialized before my outstretched hands. It began to spin, slowly at first, then faster until it reached a frantic blur. At the peak of its rotation, a torrent of black fireballs erupted from the center.
The fireballs shot forth at incredible speeds, raining down on the capital ruins like a meteor shower. They detonated on impact, thousands of them pulverizing the city and tilling the earth in a relentless cacophony of destruction that drowned out all other sound.
"Hmm, this should be enough."
I cut the flow of magic. My fingertips were melting, beginning to crumble into dust. It was the price of the spell—a backlash I hadn't quite managed to suppress. My control still needed work; I would have to practice so I could exercise such power without injury next time.
Reflecting on my performance, I looked down. Where the capital had once stood was now a scorched wasteland. The city had been erased without a trace, leaving the area indistinguishable from the surrounding wilderness. Thick white smoke rose from the gouged earth.
Luciana released her defense magic and cheered.
"Ahaha! And you still claim you don't hate humans? You’re absolutely merciless."
"I do not do things halfway. If I set out to do something, I carry it through to the end."
"You're so dutiful, Maou-sama. I should take notes."
Luciana lay back in mid-air, resting her chin in her hands. She was remarkably dexterous even in flight.
"I need to concentrate now," I told her. "Do not speak to me until the spell is complete."
"Oka—y."
Now came the main event: a forbidden magic of space manipulation. It was an improved version of an existing spell, and it required my absolute focus. Destroying the ruins had merely been the preparation.
I began weaving the spell, my magic power draining at an alarming rate. A wave of heavy fatigue washed over me as my reserves plummeted, but I pushed through the strain and released the completed formula.
In an instant, the vast, scorched wasteland vanished.
In its place appeared a lush, vibrant forest. At its center towered an impossibly massive tree, radiating phosphorescence and a soft, holy light. I had known of its existence, but seeing the real thing was different. Now that the interference magic had been stripped away, its beauty was undeniable, even if the holy light was somewhat irritating to my undead body.
This was the Forest of the World Tree.
Using the forbidden magic of space manipulation, I had performed a coordinate exchange. I had cut out the scorched earth from this location and swapped it with the forest from its original, distant site. It was essentially a massive-scale variant of my usual teleportation magic.
I had carefully marked the boundaries of the forest beforehand to ensure a precise, safe transition. I didn't know what had happened to the scorched earth I'd sent to the original site, but it didn't matter. I had already turned it into a barren waste with the black fireballs anyway.
The Forest of the World Tree was now part of the Demon King’s Domain, but its previous isolation had been a problem. As long as it remained in its original location, it would have been a constant target for the Empire. By relocating it to the borders of my territory, I could protect it far more effectively.
The forest now sat about half a day’s journey from the royal capital. Placing it any closer might have caused friction between the new neighbors, so this distance seemed appropriate. Once we developed the neglected lands between the two points, travel would be easy, and the entire region would be easier to defend against surrounding nations.
I cast a detection spell and confirmed that the elves were still in their village. They had survived the transition unharmed. The spell had been a total success.
"I don't believe it... You actually did it," Luciana breathed, her voice filled with genuine awe.
She seemed a little intimidated. Because she was a magic user herself, she understood just how impossible the phenomenon before her eyes truly was.
I began my descent down the force field stairs. "I am going to inform the elven chief of what has happened. Are you coming?"
"Oh, definitely. He’s Dwight-kun's friend, right? I've been dying to meet him."
Luciana followed, sounding oddly excited. Logan was not a sociable man, and I doubted he would provide the kind of conversation she was hoping for, but I saw no reason to dampen her spirits. I was, however, curious to see how the two of them would interact.
With this, I had officially secured the elven clan and the Forest of the World Tree.