I returned to the Royal Castle the moment my conversation with the Great Spirit concluded. In the Audience Chamber, Grom and Luciana were already waiting for me.
"Lord Demon King, are you unharmed!?" Grom cried out, rushing toward me.
"It looked like something incredible had arrived. Are you alright?" Luciana asked, following close behind.
I held up a hand to steady them. "What is the matter with the both of you?"
"What do you mean, 'what is the matter'? We were waiting here because we were worried sick," Luciana said, letting out a long, heavy sigh of relief. "I’m just glad it didn't come to blows."
Even though they hadn't been present, they had clearly sensed the Great Spirit’s overwhelming presence. They must have panicked when they realized I was accompanying her into the sky.
"The Great Spirit simply wished to speak. There were no issues," I explained.
"Is that so..." Grom said, visibly relaxing as he smoothed his chest.
Luciana, however, shook her head with an exasperated sigh. "My, you’ve certainly become dauntless, Lord Demon King... Back when you were just Dwight-kun, you were so much more wistful."
"Is that so?" I replied.
Logan had said something similar to me recently. To those who had known me while I was still alive, the transformation of my spirit was apparently quite striking. Still, as a Demon King, being dauntless was hardly a flaw. I decided to take it as a compliment.
Straightening his back, Grom snapped into a sharp salute in the tradition of the fallen kingdom. "Lord Demon King, the organization of the army is complete. We can march at a moment's notice!"
"Understood. Return to your units and wait. I will join you shortly."
Grom and Luciana gave their respective acknowledgments and withdrew from the chamber. The two of them were well-versed in these procedures. Even without specific instructions, they would divide the necessary preparations and see them through. They bickered constantly, but they were exceptionally capable and their coordination was second to none.
Once I was alone, I turned my gaze toward the side of the throne. There stood the crystal pedestal where the Hero's remains floated, and leaning against it was the keepsake sword. Nothing had changed since the day I first placed them there.
I had the Research Institute investigating the resurrection of the dead, but they had yet to produce any meaningful discoveries. I was frequently forced to confront the harsh reality that such a feat might simply be impossible.
It couldn't be helped. I knew from the start that the path would be arduous. I had no choice but to pursue it with infinite patience. Fortunately, time was no longer a constraint for me. I did not have to worry about aging or the limitations of a human lifespan; I could devote centuries to my goals if necessary. I would continue the research into resurrection alongside my other duties. I would never give up.
The reformation of the world was progressing steadily. The future that she had desired was finally drawing near. I wanted her to see it.
"—Please, lend me your strength once more."
I stepped up to the pedestal, and with a silent word of permission, I took the keepsake sword in my hand. I had a premonition that I would need it for tonight’s battle. The last time I had wielded this blade was during the struggle against Saint Machia. Though some time had passed since then, my swordsmanship had not dulled in the slightest. The blade that had once claimed the life of a Demon King would taste human blood tonight.
I turned my thoughts to John Doe, the technician of the Technomagic Kingdom. It remained unclear whether he was being manipulated by the Will of the World. To be perfectly safe, John Doe should probably be executed.
He was a mere technician. Unlike a Hero or a Saint, his direct combat capabilities were negligible. Intelligence reports suggested his power was roughly equivalent to that of an average citizen—at best, he could use basic magic that paled in comparison to a professional mage. Killing him would be an easy task.
The real question was whether I should kill him. His inventions brought prosperity and ease to the lives of common people. I felt a pang of hesitation at the thought of extinguishing that potential. One look at the weaponry he had developed made it clear that John Doe possessed an extraordinary, even deranged level of ingenuity. He was, without question, a genius. If his creativity could be redirected, he could provide immense benefits to the world. A world of convenience and peace was exactly what I aimed to build.
However, the current Technomagic Kingdom could not be ignored. The crime of using the Empire's nobles to steal the Great Spirit’s Secret Stone was severe. Their actions stood in direct opposition to global peace and had invited unnecessary chaos.
"...Hmm."
After a moment of deliberation, I decided to reserve my judgment. I would decide John Doe’s fate only after speaking with him in person. Depending on his character, I might even recruit him to the Demon King's Domain. I could borrow his intellect while simultaneously removing the threat he posed to human stability.
I would judge everything based on the man himself. If he harbored dangerous ideologies or refused to submit, I would kill him without hesitation. No matter how much I weighed the options, the tranquility of the world remained my highest priority. Anyone who threatened that peace had to be eliminated. The Demon King's Domain was the only threat the world required; everything else would be pruned away.
Having finalized my policy, I teleported to the staging area in front of the castle.
The Demon King's Army stood in perfect formation under the cover of night. Magical lanterns cast flickering light across the ranks. Once again, it was a combined army of undead, monsters, humans, and elves. There were roughly ten thousand soldiers in total, with a higher concentration of mages than usual to counter the Technomagic Kingdom's long-range weaponry. The rest of our numbers would be bolstered on-site; once I raised more undead, the scale of the force would be truly formidable.
"Hey, Boss. Ready to go?"
Henry called out to me with his usual casual air. Even surrounded by the heavy tension of an imminent invasion, his attitude remained unchanged.
"I am ready. What about you?"
"Prepared and raring to go. Dorda’s tuned up and ready, too."
Henry threw an arm around the shoulders of the Dullahan standing beside him. Dorda, pulled into the embrace, clicked the jaw of his old wolf’s skull.
"Heads... I... shall... hunt..."
"See? Perfect condition," Henry grinned.
"...So it seems," I replied with a nod.
The subordinates standing nearby looked as if they wanted to comment on the display, but they were wise enough to remain silent.
"The enemy will deploy many unknown weapons. Exercise extreme caution," I warned.
"Understood. I’ll make sure to show them whose weapons are actually superior." Henry laughed, fiddling with his Dragon Bow. In his case, it wasn't empty arrogance. His confidence was backed by absolute skill and a clear understanding of the enemy’s capabilities. With him and Dorda leading the vanguard, I felt confident. They could tear through golems as if they were made of parchment. Through constant training, their coordination with the rest of the army had become seamless.
Next, I moved to the edge of the formation to find Logan.
"Are you feeling alright? You mentioned you were still in recovery."
"...My apologies," Logan said, looking a bit sheepish. He was likely apologizing for leaving the negotiation with the Great Spirit entirely to me.
I shook my head. "Think nothing of it. I understand the pressure. I'm counting on you for this mission."
"Leave it to me."
This operation was not intended to be a long campaign, but a swift, decisive strike. Our sole objectives were to reclaim the Secret Stone and make contact with John Doe. The Stone was reportedly held within the Technomagic Kingdom's Capital. Since the exact location could only be verified on the ground, I needed Logan’s detection abilities. Our spies had already identified several candidate locations, so the search should not be overly difficult.
I took to the sky, hovering at a height where I could look down upon the entire army. I raised both hands high.
At my signal, the soldiers braced themselves as one. A quiet, burning fervor swirled through the ranks. The sheer weight of their morale dominated the air.
—Not bad.
Satisfied, I cast the teleportation magic to begin the invasion.