We began our patrol of the castle interior—or, more accurately, our stroll.
We passed various subordinates in the corridors, exchanging greetings as we went. Each time, their gazes were invariably drawn to Yura, who was perched on Grom’s shoulder. They were clearly curious about her, yet none dared to stop us or try to touch her.
While Grom maintained a posture of absolute deference toward me, he was somewhat haughty in his dealings with everyone else. In terms of presence and speech, he looked far more like a Demon King than I did. Because of this, there was a sense that others found him unapproachable. He wasn't disliked—he was capable of being quite considerate—but people likely hesitated to speak to him casually.
Come to think of it, Grom held a position within the Demon King’s Army second only to my own. He was effectively my right hand, a figure far beyond the reach of the average subordinate. Even setting aside his natural temperament, I suppose it would be difficult for anyone to interact with him as a peer.
"By the way, have you heard the news, Your Majesty?"
As we walked near the dining hall, Grom spoke up as if suddenly remembering something. Since nothing came to mind, I asked for clarification.
"Heard what?"
"Word is that the Empire has been stripped of its entire territory and has utterly fallen, indeed."
"I see."
I gave a calm nod. It was new information, but it wasn't particularly surprising. Given the state of things, I had expected them to perish sooner or later.
The Empire's capital had vanished following the rampage of the Great Spirit, leaving behind immeasurable damage. The casualties had included the Emperor himself and the rest of the nation's high command. In such a state, the country couldn't possibly function.
Geographically, they were surrounded by other nations. Not a single country was willing to lend a hand to an Empire that had historically done whatever it pleased. The Empire had been overrun before it even had the chance to rebuild. Since I viewed this as a natural progression, I held no great interest in the fall of the nation itself.
However, the conflict over the Empire’s former territory was a problem. Currently, the surrounding countries were each seizing portions of the land. I suspected that a struggle over the distribution of the spoils would eventually break out. That was the development I feared most.
I would turn a blind eye to minor skirmishes, but if they escalated into a full-scale war, I would have to intervene. I would strike the nations involved, forcing them to realize that they could not afford to be squabbling over borders.
As I was considering how to handle the various countries, Luciana approached from the opposite direction. She looked at our group with a curious expression.
"My, my. What are you all doing together?"
"Response to Individual Name Luciana—we are patrolling the castle. We are searching for new dangers or potential problems."
"Hmm... a patrol, is it?"
Luciana wore a meaningful smirk as she stared intently at me. Being as sharp as she was, she likely realized this was actually just a stroll. I gave a slight nod, confirming her intuition.
Luciana turned to Yura with a gentle smile and a compliment.
"Finding work for yourself all on your own—how impressive. You’re much more of a hard worker than the Bone Minister over here."
"You truly have a gift for testing my patience..."
Grom began to tremble, and a thick miasma started to ooze from his body. To an ordinary person, his intimidating aura would be enough to cause a faint, but Luciana simply feigned ignorance with exaggerated innocence.
"Oh, did the truth make you a little defensive? My apologies."
"You little brat...!"
Grom flew into a rage and looked ready to pounce on her. At that moment, Yura placed a hand on his head.
In a flat, mechanical tone, Yura announced: "Detecting surge in killing intent and magic power. Warning to Individual Name Grom—conflict within the castle is a nuisance."
"Gnu..."
Chastened, Grom stopped mid-motion, looking thoroughly embarrassed. Since Yura's point was valid, he was unable to argue.
Luciana looked triumphant at the sight, but then she clapped her hands together as she looked at Yura.
"Ah, that’s right. I have something for you, Yura-chan."
Luciana pulled a small vial from her pocket containing a blue liquid. Standing on her tiptoes, she handed it to Yura. Yura took the vial and stared intently at the contents.
"Analyzing liquid components—this is a Magic Power Recovery Potion."
"Yes, exactly. I experimented with making it sweet. Please, give it a try if you’d like."
"Accepting instructions from Individual Name Luciana—commencing intake of potion."
Yura removed the cork and brought the vial to her face. She possessed no visible mouth for eating or drinking, yet as she tilted the vial, the liquid gradually vanished. She was clearly absorbing it through means beyond those of a normal human.
Once the vial was empty, Luciana asked, "Well? Is it tasty?"
"Confirming taste of ingested substance—it is sweet and delicious. Expressing gratitude for the provision of the potion."
"I see. I’m glad you liked it."
Luciana collected the empty bottle with a satisfied expression. I wondered if she had brewed that potion specifically for Yura. It seemed she cared for the girl in her own way. Perhaps I was the one who appeared the most indifferent by comparison.
Leaving aside my doubts and self-reflection, Luciana waved her hand as she passed us by.
"Well then, I have other work to do. Good luck with the patrol, Lord Demon King. Bone Minister, make sure you take proper care of Yura-chan."
"I am well aware! I shall perform my duties perfectly without your interference!"
Grom shouted back spiritedly. Once Luciana disappeared around a corner, he slumped slightly in a gesture that mimicked a sigh.
"...Honestly, that succubus is always so insolent."
"It’s good to see that you two get along so well."
"What are you saying?! For me and that woman to get along is...!"
Grom shouted, moving his many hands frantically. He seemed desperate to deny it. Yura placed her hand on his head once again.
"Warning to Individual Name Grom—making a racket in the corridor is a nuisance. Recommendation: lower vocal volume."
"M-My apologies..."
Receiving a second caution, Grom hung his head. It seemed like a well-worn routine, a scene that likely played out every day. I could easily imagine it.
After parting with Luciana, we resumed our stroll. Along the way, Grom offered a new topic of conversation.
"On another note, it seems the Holy Staff Kingdom and the Technomagic Kingdom have entered into a peace, indeed. The formal announcement is still a little ways off, but they intend to form a Demon King Subjugation Alliance."
"Ho. Now that is interesting."
I felt a surge of genuine interest. Upon asking Grom for details, I learned that the two nations had signed a peace treaty following a brief ceasefire. The agreement stipulated that they would cooperate until the current Demon King was destroyed.
The two nations had been locked in a vicious cycle of conflict until quite recently. Exhausted by the struggle, they must have concluded that a prolonged war was unsustainable. By rallying around a common goal—the subjugation of the Demon King—they had successfully engineered a way to bring the fighting to a close.
This wasn't just a favorable development—it was ideal. It realized, albeit on a limited scale, the shape of the world I had envisioned from the start. I was glad I hadn't recklessly destroyed those two nations. If I had broken them beyond the point of recovery, the day I heard this report would never have come.
"It would be wonderful if the world continues to move in the direction you desire, Your Majesty."
"Indeed."
Establishing a precedent for peace was a major milestone. In the future, if other nations fell into a similar predicament, this example would surely cross their minds. Whether or not they chose to adopt it, it would at least be a viable option. It was a welcome change.
(We must lend a hand to ensure the Holy Staff Kingdom and the Technomagic Kingdom maintain a good relationship...)
It would be a problem if they suddenly fell out and the peace was discarded. I wanted to carry out various forms of behind-the-scenes manipulation to ensure the alliance held, all while making sure nothing could be traced back to the Demon King. If the cooperation between the two nations proceeded smoothly, the likelihood of other countries imitating them would increase.
I’ll have to discuss this with Luciana later. This was different from a simple war of conquest; it required a more delicate touch. As the world evolved, the Demon King’s Army would have to adapt its clandestine operations to match.