The demise of the Two Heroes sent shockwaves through the neighboring nations.
Every country had watched the conflict with bated breath, pinning their hopes upon the Steel Knight and the Valkyrie.
However, those hopes had been extinguished by their deaths.
Nothing remained but the stark reality of the current Demon King’s victory.
The Holy Staff Kingdom and the Technomagic Kingdom, having spearheaded the campaign, faced condemnation from all sides.
Others suspected them of being blinded by the pursuit of glory, criticizing them with the claim that such precious heroes would never have perished had the two nations acted with greater caution.
A torrent of complaints and slanders flooded both countries, and no small amount of chaos began to ripple outward.
Observing the situation as a third party, the entire spectacle was utterly foolish.
These people made no effort toward genuine cooperation.
I was well aware that alliances were being forged and non-aggression pacts signed beneath the surface.
However, those were strictly for the sake of individual national interests.
There was not a single country among them that prioritized the Demon King Subjugation above all else.
Despite having no viable plan to defeat me, they were all fixating on a world after my death.
I would not necessarily call such behavior evil.
It was simply that they were severely lacking in any sense of unity.
Through my efforts as the Demon King, I had successfully induced a state where open conflict did not occur.
However, many challenges remained.
The various nations still possessed enough leeway to fret over their vested interests, and even at this late stage, they were still attempting to outmaneuver one another.
I knew that their leadership consisted entirely of such individuals.
Yet, when confronted with their true natures like this, I could not help but feel a sense of disappointment.
Of course, they had their own respective positions to maintain.
They had to protect their nations and ensure their prosperity.
I wished that even a small seed of compassion would sprout within them, but that seemed a difficult prospect.
One must not expect goodwill from others.
I had been betrayed time and time again.
If there was a future I desired, I would have to seize it with my own hands.
To that end, I would provoke fear and hatred, forcing the world into an ideal state.
In the end, that was the most certain method.
I had to oversee the grand scheme and move the pieces myself.
I would shave away as many uncertain elements as possible.
Operating under that policy, the Will of the World was a truly troublesome existence.
It stood in direct opposition to my hopes, plotting to interfere at every possible turn.
That entity was the Avatar of Absurdity.
An Absolute Device for the extermination of evil.
Its true identity remained a mystery, but it was certain that some form of power was at work.
In any case, it triggered various phenomena for the sole purpose of my eradication.
I wondered if the Will of the World had interfered in this recent matter as well.
Since there were no clear criteria, it was impossible to judge.
The Will of the World was a problem I would eventually have to solve.
I had a premonition that it would continue to block my path for the foreseeable future.
If a solution existed, I wanted to implement it without a moment's hesitation.
(If I could at least learn to anticipate or evade its interference, it would make a significant difference...)
Once this current affair settled down, it might be time to investigate the matter in earnest.
I had plenty of leeway regarding time.
The Demon King's Domain was gradually becoming structured so that it would function even in my absence.
I wanted to reach a point where it could be completely independent.
By doing so, I would ideally be able to move with total freedom.
(But first, there is the Demigod.)
I shifted my thoughts to the immediate problem.
Two of the heroes were dead.
Only one of the three created through ritual magic remained.
Almost certainly, it was that man known as the Demigod.
However, his exact location was unknown.
He was a Space Magic User of extraordinary caliber.
He could move anywhere without restriction, making it nearly impossible to uncover his hiding place.
Even the Holy Staff Kingdom's Magic Workshop, which could have provided a clue, had been thoroughly obliterated by the Demigod himself.
Therefore, I had no choice but to wait for him to make contact.
For the time being, I had established a network of various countermeasures.
Even for a Demigod, he should not be able to infiltrate the Royal Capital without me sensing him.
At that moment, Luciana entered the Audience Chamber.
She walked quickly over to me and delivered her report in a low whisper.
"Maou-sama, it seems one of the spies has received a letter. She said it was just... there, in her hand, before she even realized it."
"...I see," I replied.
At present, other subordinates in the room were busy with administrative tasks.
Luciana likely whispered out of consideration, wishing to avoid spreading information that might cause unrest.
Rumors spread in the blink of an eye.
Unless one completely eradicated the people of a region, suppressing them was an impossible task.
That was why I ensured that critical information did not reach the general subordinates.
I would announce things when necessary, but otherwise, I kept them strictly confidential.
"Have you looked through it yet?"
"Not yet. Wouldn't it be awful if I opened it and something strange happened?"
Luciana was likely referring to magical traps like curses.
In this world, there were items designed to trigger the moment they were unsealed.
It was a wise decision not to open it carelessly.
"Here, please. Be careful with it."
"I know."
I took the letter and analyzed it.
I detected no particularly suspicious traits; it appeared perfectly ordinary.
I peeled back the wax and broke the seal.
I opened the letter and confirmed its contents.
Once I had read to the end, I gave a small nod.
"Hmph, I see."
"What did it say?" Luciana asked, peering over my shoulder.
I answered her.
"It is an invitation from the Demigod. A date and location for a Duel have been specified."