Three days had passed since I returned to the real world.
The Demon King's Domain was gradually regaining its composure. With no further sign of the beasts within my borders, restoration work was now underway across the territory.
I had dispatched the Demon King's Army to various regions to provide immediate relief supplies and begin the construction of temporary housing. Securing the people's basic needs—food, clothing, and shelter—was the first priority. Fortunately, we had sufficient resources and manpower.
At present, no major issues had arisen. While the path ahead would be difficult for a time, we appeared to have avoided any truly fatal damage. This was entirely due to the tireless efforts of the Demon King's Army, led by my executives. I could never thank them enough.
Across the rest of the continent, the Great Spirit and I had worked together to annihilate the beasts. However, because accurate news was slow to travel, the lands remained in a state of chaotic uncertainty. To the common folk, these events had been terrifyingly sudden.
Although the immediate threat had been neutralized, it was only natural that the major cities remained paralyzed. It had even reached the point where some were preaching about conspiracy theories and the end of the world. In reality, the truth of the matter was on an entirely different level, but there was no one to set them straight.
Knowledge regarding the beasts was limited to a very small circle of people. Spreading the full truth now would likely only invite further panic. While I eventually intended to use my spies to conduct information manipulation, for now, my policy was to wait and see.
There were enough tasks piled high within the Demon King's Domain alone to keep me occupied. Unless a dire emergency occurred elsewhere, it was best to leave the other nations to their own devices for the time being.
It’s been a tumultuous few days...
Standing on the castle balcony, I let the night breeze wash over me as I took a moment to rest. As an undead, I was a stranger to physical fatigue, and my magic power was constantly replenished. Nevertheless, the weight of mental fatigue could not be ignored. If I pushed myself too far, I risked inviting unforeseen consequences. For that reason, I made a point of taking frequent breaks.
Over the past two days, my subordinates had been particularly fretful. They had even gone so far as to consider a plan where they would take turns watching over me. I had destroyed my own body to immerse myself in the mental world, and apparently, that had been a bridge too far for them. Though it had been necessary, I had clearly caused them a great deal of anxiety. They had pleaded with me to adopt more peaceful methods whenever possible in the future.
To be worried over despite being immortal... I suppose I’m quite fortunate.
As I idly gazed down at the castle town, a familiar presence appeared above me. The Great Spirit descended and landed at my side. I had heard she had gone to share information with the other defense mechanisms, but she was back much sooner than expected. I had assumed it would take her a bit longer. Given the gravity of the situation, perhaps they had kept their discussions brief.
Regardless, I didn't recall summoning her here.
"Do you have business with me?" I asked.
"I have come to provide a progress report. I assumed you would be curious about the state of the other continents."
"...Indeed." I nodded.
The Great Spirit had likely gathered intelligence on the global situation from her fellow defense mechanisms. While I had grasped the general state of things through my spies and sensing magic, having access to accurate, firsthand reports was a welcome development.
Once I signaled my interest, she began her report with her usual economy of words.
On the other continents as well, the beasts that had been rampaging openly had been annihilated. Apparently, there was zero chance of the defense mechanisms losing in a direct confrontation, but several cunning beasts had managed to go into hiding. Their current locations were unknown, and the defense mechanisms were now occupied with the search. It seemed that someone like me, who could accurately perceive the beasts' presence, was a rarity among their kind.
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked. "Do you want me to provide reinforcements to the other continents?"
"I have no such intention," she replied with a firm, detached air. "I am not in a position to coerce you."
There was no hint of deception or evasion in her tone. I tilted my head slightly in surprise.
I fully expected her to ask me to handle the tracking...
Perhaps the situation wasn't that desperate yet. However, more than anything, I felt a sense of consideration in her response—a concern for my well-being. Having expected her to make a demand without room for argument, I felt as if the wind had been taken out of my sails.
Just as I was beginning to feel a sense of relief, she made a cold observation.
"You are thinking of me as an arrogant calamity, aren't you?"
"...It's just your imagination."
I shook my head, doing my best to hide my guilty conscience.