I stood outside one of the guest rooms in the castle. I knocked on the door and called out to the occupant.
"I’m coming in."
"Go ahead," came the familiar voice of my old friend.
I opened the door to find Logan seated in a chair. He held a glass of fruit wine—a rare sight. I’d never really pegged him as a drinker, but perhaps he was just in the mood tonight.
I asked him, "How are you feeling?"
"I’ve recovered a great deal. Sorry for the trouble."
"Don’t worry about it. I was the one who pushed you. I’m not troubled; I’m grateful."
Logan had exhausted himself during the Secret Stone Search. Even with the Magic Power Supply I’d provided, physical and mental fatigue still took their toll. He had fought hard despite that. I felt nothing but gratitude; I could never blame him.
I moved to the window to look out over the Royal Capital at night. The districts along the main thoroughfares were bright, lit by the glow of magic tools. Further out, isolated points of light flickered here and there. As the population grew, the number of unused districts was steadily shrinking.
I turned back to Logan and got straight to the point. "I intend to move on the Secret Stone tonight."
"Will the Demon King's Army be mobilized?"
"I’ve left the unit organization to Grom and Henry. We’ll invade in one fell swoop, secure the stone, and withdraw by dawn."
The deadline set by the Great Spirit was tomorrow. We didn't have the luxury of a slow, conventional invasion from the border. My plan was to lead an elite unit and teleport directly in, unleashing a surprise attack while simultaneously raising fresh Undead to sow chaos. We would seize the stone in the resulting confusion.
It was my usual strategy—nothing particularly special. The real issue would likely be the Technomagic Kingdom’s weaponry. They possessed the latest technology, most notably their Golems. Meanwhile, the weapons under development at our own research institute weren't yet ready for the field. In terms of raw armaments, we were at a disadvantage.
I figured the best way to handle Golems equipped with guns and defense magic was to counter them with Golems of our own used as shields. In a city that size, there would be no shortage of corpses to turn into Undead. While they pushed the front line forward, we could rain down long-range magical attacks. If all the executives joined the fray, we could more than hold our own against the Technomagic Army.
Logan swirled his wine and murmured, "...I just hope the Great Spirit settles down once she gets her stone back."
"If she goes on a rampage, I’ll stop her with everything I have," I declared.
She was likely a superior being, but I didn't feel like I would lose. At the very least, I could handle an avatar. Even if her main body manifested, I could sacrifice the vast numbers of Undead scattered across the world to the Valley of the Dead to boost my Authority. If I did that, even a Great Spirit wouldn't escape unscathed.
Miasma contamination worked even against incorporeal beings. If anything obstructed my ideals, I would destroy it, no matter what it was. That was the responsibility I bore as the World's Enemy.
Logan’s lips quirked into a wry smile. "A response worthy of a Demon King. You have more confidence now than you ever did as a human."
"I’ve gained the power to destroy the world. Confidence comes with the territory, whether I want it or not."
I couldn’t fulfill the role of the Demon King without it. I had inherited my predecessor's ideals; I couldn't afford to look pathetic.
Right then, the barrier over the Royal Capital rippled. The defense magic was suddenly shattered as a massive magic power reaction forced its way inside and accelerated toward the Royal Castle at high speed.
"Dwight."
"I know."
I nodded to Logan, who had turned grim. He had sensed it too. The identity of the intruder was already obvious; I could never forget a magic power reaction like that. I prepared several spells, readying myself to attack or defend at a moment's notice.
A moment later, the Great Spirit appeared outside the window. She phased right through the glass and stepped into the room.
"Current Demon King. Have you found the Secret Stone?"
"Our agreement was for tomorrow, I believe," I replied with a hint of reproach.
Her appearance was a major headache. Her mere presence had a massive impact on the surroundings. When someone trespassed into the Demon King's Domain without permission, I had no choice but to be on high alert. By now, the castle town was surely in an uproar. Chaos was inevitable.
The Great Spirit, however, remained unfazed. "I simply couldn't wait. Am I a nuisance?"
"Not at all. It is an honor to have the Great Spirit herself visit our country," I said, offering a hollow social grace. It came out a bit sarcastic, but she didn't seem to notice. She just tilted her head curiously.
"Is the search for the Secret Stone progressing?"
"We have a lead. We should have it back by tomorrow."
I didn't give her the specific location. If she knew where it was, she would head straight for the Technomagic Kingdom and trample the people there in a fit of rage. That was exactly what I wanted to avoid. I intended to control the amount of damage dealt to the Technomagic Kingdom myself. While there would be some destruction, I didn't want to leave them beyond recovery. If the Great Spirit went on a rampage, that plan would be ruined. The retrieval had to be handled by the Demon King's Army.
"I see. I shall believe your words."
She backed down easily. It seemed she trusted me for now. If she hadn't, she would have pressed for details. Because she believed we could get the stone, she was keeping her attitude civil. From the look of things, she had come solely to check on our progress. She must have been incredibly anxious. It was my fault for not providing an interim report.
Her business was concluded. Now that she knew the search was going well, I expected her to leave the capital. But instead, she stepped right up to me.
She asked in a flat voice, "Demon King. Do you have a moment? I wish to speak with you."
"—Ah, I was just thinking the same thing," I replied reflexively.
I wanted her to leave immediately, but telling her that would risk offending her. I wanted to avoid a fight at all costs, so I had to play along. Besides, I was genuinely curious about what she wanted to talk about. This was a rare opportunity, so attempting a dialogue wasn't a bad idea.
Upon hearing my answer, the Great Spirit glanced toward Logan at the table. "What a coincidence. Let us change locations, then. Elven Chief, will you be joining us?"
"...I’ll pass. I’m still recovering," Logan said with a sour look.
I understood instantly. He’d caught the scent of trouble and was making a run for it. He was tired, sure, but not too tired to talk. He just wanted to get away from the Great Spirit as fast as possible. It was a cowardly move for an Elven Chief, who supposedly had a high affinity with spirits.
I stared at him in silence, but he refused to meet my eyes. Instead, he stared intently at the last few drops of wine in his glass.
"That can't be helped, then. We shall speak leisurely another time. You, follow me."
"...Understood."
The Great Spirit phased back out the window, and I followed. I couldn't exactly say no. Looking back into the room one last time, I saw Logan surreptitiously waving his hand at me. I was definitely going to have a word with him later.
My, what a dependable old friend, I thought, swallowing my annoyance as I rose into the night sky after the floating Great Spirit.