I wondered... what exactly was a Demon King supposed to be?
I found myself pondering many things.
Yes, I was the Demon King of the Galgard Demon Kingdom. The ruler of a nation. A man burdened with heavy responsibilities. I had skipped out on my duties to accompany my daughter on her trip, only to discover a place that defied all common sense.
Oh, my daughter. You really shouldn't have come to a place like this. Hahaha.
"Father? Are you all right?"
"Eh? Ah, no, I'm fine. Forgive me. I suppose the daily grind is finally catching up with me."
My daughter was worried about me. Nothing could have made me happier.
"My Lord, I have brought some food and sake. This dish in particular seems easy to eat."
Beezel was a tactful man. He recommended something that looked gentle on the stomach. It was surprisingly delicious.
"Hmm. The sake is good as well... but I don't recognize this flavor."
"Indeed. It might be a new variety. I’ll put in a request to purchase some."
"Yes. It goes down quite smoothly; I’d like at least two barrels."
"I shall do my best."
Dos and the Sovereign, who were seated near me, were also enjoying the feast and already drafting their own shopping lists. To think such high-quality meals could be prepared here in the Forest of Death...
Furthermore, there was seafood that had clearly been transported from the Southern Port Town. I saw various dishes I had never even heard of, let alone tasted. Every single one looked appetizing.
"Could we not hire the chef here?" I asked.
"I suspect that would be quite difficult," Beezel replied.
"What about borrowing them?"
"That would also be a challenge, I believe."
"Father," Yuri chimed in, "I requested all of those things myself, but none of my wishes were granted."
"No, surely if the Demon King himself desires it..."
Actually, who was I kidding? It was impossible.
"Let’s focus on buying their seasonings then. I’m particularly curious about the one used in this dish."
"Ah, that would be miso," Beezel said. "If that’s what you're looking for, I already have several jars at my house."
"At your house? Why have you not offered them as tribute?"
"I thought I should risk my own life to test them for poison first. Well, that and the scent is rather... unique. Hahahaha. I’ll see if we can purchase more. Oh, look, it’s about to begin."
The referee had appeared on the stage. Of course, that referee was also a dragon. I decided to stop thinking about it.
The Sovereign and one of the dragons who had been sitting nearby had headed off to help with the cooking for some reason. The pressure at the table lightened considerably in their absence, for which I was grateful. Since Beezel’s daughter, Fraurem, was scheduled to compete in the General Division, I resolved to cheer for her properly.
"Father, it’s not just Fraurem. Several others are participating as well. Please cheer for everyone."
As the Demon King, I decided not to think too deeply. I simply cheered with all my might.
Fraurem unfortunately ended her match in a draw, which counted as a loss for her, but it wasn't because she fought poorly. It was simply a matter of her opponent being exceptional. It was said that anyone living near the Forest of Death was naturally strong, but I hadn't expected a young beastman girl to move with such skill.
The tournament continued through the Warrior Division and the Knight Division. By the end, I had memorized their names and titles whether I wanted to or not.
The Vampire Princess, the Annihilation Angel, the Genocide Angel, Bulga of the Frenzied Feast, Stifano of the Jet-black Spear, the Mad Dragon Lastismoon, and the Gate Guardian Dragon's Elder Sister. Even the High Ogre Ann was strong enough to be a 'named' warrior with a fearsome title.
Add to that the High Elves, Lizardmen, Elder Dwarves, Mountain Elves, and Lamias. There were mountains of Inferno Wolves and more Demon Spider offspring than I could count...
This place... didn't it possess more military power than the Demon King's Castle? No, perhaps more than the entire Demon King's Army combined.
In a one-on-one fight, I could probably handle myself... maybe? I might be able to manage Lastismoon, but I had nothing but a bad feeling about the Gate Guardian Dragon's Elder Sister.
Ah, Dos, stop trying to goad me. I told you I'm not fighting. I don't want to. I absolutely do not want to.
"Beezel."
"Yes, My Lord?"
"What do you think about granting the Village Head a noble title and bringing him under our wing?"
"I believe that would be a foolish move."
"I thought so."
"Yes."
If he could be won over with a title, Beezel would have suggested it long ago. The fact that he hadn't meant it wouldn't work. Indeed, for the Demon Kingdom to try and claim authority over a village frequented by the Dragon King Dos and the Sovereign was a burden far too heavy to bear.
The right choice was to avoid enmity, refrain from meddling, and maintain the current relationship. The man at the top of this village was... well, he was an ordinary human. When I first met him, I thought it was a joke, but looking at everyone around him, it clearly wasn't.
According to Beezel's report, he was the powerful individual who had cleared the Wyverns from the Iron Forest, but he looked like nothing more than a normal young man. However, a normal young man wouldn't build a village in the heart of the Forest of Death, wouldn't amass such a fighting force, and certainly wouldn't be on speaking terms with the Dragon King or the Sovereign.
Fortunately, he didn't seem to have a negative impression of the Demon Kingdom. Furthermore, he was easy to talk to and seemed very mild-mannered. As long as he remained the leader here, no major problems would likely arise.
I decided I would gift him an Elixir of Longevity. I needed him to live a long time. Ideally, I wanted him to remain alive for as long as I was the Demon King. With enough effort, even a human could probably live for another four or five hundred years. Surely he wouldn't just die in fifty years or so, right? I was counting on him. I was really counting on him.
In the absolute worst-case scenario, I considered marrying my daughter to him, but the position of Demon King wasn't hereditary by blood, so marriage politics didn't quite work the same way. Once I retired, Yuri would just be the daughter of an ordinary noble.
If I ignored the affairs of the state and thought only of my daughter’s safety, was marriage the best path? As long as he cherished her, it wasn't a bad plan. However, the fact that he had already married the Vampire Princess and the Annihilation Angel was a problem. Trying to displace them would be a disastrous move, so she would be the third or fourth wife...
No, absolutely not. Yuri was still a child. It was far too early for marriage.
I decided to keep it in the back of my mind as a last resort.
"My Lord, are you all right?"
"Ah, yes. I'm fine. More importantly, Beezel..."
"Yes?"
"The reason you sent your daughter, Fraurem, here..."
"My loyalty to the Demon Kingdom is unwavering, but my daughter is precious to me."
"I understand how a father feels. I won't blame you for it. But because I won't blame you... if the worst should happen, I want to be able to rely on that connection for Yuri's sake."
"Understood. I cannot promise a marriage, but finding her a place to live in this village should be no trouble at all."
"Is that true?"
"Have you forgotten? For all my faults, I am still one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Kingdom."
"As expected of Beezel. You're a reliable man."
"I’m actually thinking of moving here myself once I retire."
"...Eh? Wait, what? Retire? Hold on, if you leave, the Demon Kingdom is in serious trouble!"
"Now, My Lord. It is the night of the festival. Let us enjoy this magnificent food and sake."
"You're talking about the distant future, right? Like a thousand or two thousand years from now?"
"Hahahaha. Cheers!"
Hey, wait a minute! And you, Dragon King Dos—I’m not fighting you. I am absolutely not fighting you, so stop looking this way!
The festival night continued in boisterous fashion.
An aside: Several days later, at the Demon King's Castle.
"About that retirement..."
"It won't be for another hundred or two hundred years, so please put your mind at ease. ...What is this?"
"A Written Pledge."
"...Do you doubt my loyalty?"
"Just sign it for the sake of my mental health."
"Sigh. Really, My Lord... Fine, I’ll sign it. ...Wait, there's a mistake here. Right here, it says the minimum term is a thousand years?"
"It is not a mistake."
"............I see. Well, according to this pledge, the term is either that or 'until the Demon King dies,' correct?"
"Hey! You! Guards, it’s a rebellion! We have a traitor!"
"How dramatic. I was only clarifying the terms. Ah, guards, it’s just his usual fit. You can go back to your posts. And don't come near this room for a while."
After a heated physical brawl, the matter was settled with a formal declaration of three hundred years of active service.
"Damn it, I couldn't get the thousand-year pledge."
"Even without a document like that, I can't exactly just quit. I have my own territory to manage, after all."