My name was Kuzuden. I was a man of the Devil Race, the great-grandson of the hero Kuzupon, who had originally occupied the Sun Castle.
I tried to take pride in that heritage, but since no one was ever around to listen, it felt like an empty boast. My role was that of a squad leader, responsible for managing sixty members of the Devil Race and two hundred Dream Demons. In truth, I had simply inherited the position, passed down from Lord Kuzupon to my grandfather, then to my father, and finally to me.
We were trapped within the Sun Castle, completely cut off from the outside world. If someone had asked if I was anxious, I wouldn't have known how to answer. I had lived in this environment since childhood; to me, it was simply normal. Only the elderly residents seemed to harbor any real fear. Those who were overwhelmed by it would ask the Dream Demons to put them into a deep, prolonged sleep. In their dreams, they didn't have to face their anxieties. The Dream Demons warned that staying in a dream for too long would make it difficult to survive in reality, but for some, there was no other choice. It was a personal matter. I felt bad for the Dream Demons, but I had to ask for their cooperation.
My days were always the same. In the morning, I performed my rounds. Checking the outer walls was a task that could never be neglected; I had no desire to suffer because we underestimated the monsters or magic beasts outside. In the afternoon, I tended to the fields. Dungeon potatoes had the advantage of growing even in the dark, and the yields were respectable. I heard the taste was their only flaw, but they had been our staple food since the day I was born, so I had no complaints.
At night, I attended meetings with the crystal stone that called itself the Sun Castle. To distinguish the entity from the fortress we lived in, I called him Lord Sun Castle. My father and grandfather had taught me that he wasn't a bad sort. He was the one who had permitted us to convert most of the castle's interior into farmland, and he acted as our leader. His only weakness was his ego; he was a sensitive soul who would sulk if you didn't praise him properly when he did something well.
I expected my life to continue this way forever, but one day, everything changed. I was informed that the Sun Castle's course had shifted significantly. To be honest, I had no idea where we were flying or how the castle even moved, so being told this only confused me. My father had always told me to just offer praise whenever I didn't know how to respond, so that’s what I did.
"I am sure we are heading in a positive direction," I said.
I felt quite smug about that response, thinking I had cleverly referred to both our physical course and our future prospects. However, Lord Sun Castle's reply was unexpected.
"Kuzu-san. Unfortunately, this course change was triggered by an Ancient Contract. My own will played no part in it."
"Uh... what?"
"This Ancient Contract dictates that the Sun Castle must act as an ally to the Human Race. In other words, our destination is likely to become a place of tragedy for you and your people."
"Wait... are you serious?"
"What reason would I have to lie? We are scheduled to arrive in eighty-seven days. Use that time to prepare yourselves. If you can, I suggest you begin combat training."
"No way..."
The news was too heavy for me to carry alone. All the Devils and Dream Demons gathered to hear Lord Sun Castle's explanation. We spent days in meetings, but the situation did not improve. In fact, it grew worse. Lord Sun Castle’s warnings became increasingly dire, eventually claiming we would be annihilated upon arrival.
Faced with such a threat, we had no choice but to prepare. With the few days we had left, we attempted combat training. But how were we supposed to train? We didn't even know how to use weapons. I tried to bring out some magic items my grandfather had forbidden me from touching because they were dangerous, but Lord Sun Castle stopped me, saying that was going too far. In the end, we did what we could—we all ran laps around the interior of the castle. At the very least, the food tasted better after a good sweat.
Time was cruel. In what felt like a heartbeat, the days until our arrival dropped to single digits. Lord Sun Castle showed us a special view of our destination. It was a village nestled in a massive forest. The population appeared to be about double our own numbers. I felt nothing but despair.
Even so, Lord Sun Castle encouraged us. We decided to do whatever we could. At his suggestion, we prepared a declaration of war. He believed that if we played our cards right, we might be able to avoid a physical confrontation. I had never issued a declaration of war before, so he told me to use a book for reference. I picked a story I had loved as a child and hoped for the best.
I rehearsed in front of Lord Sun Castle, corrected a few phrases, and then it was time for the real thing. Immediately after the declaration, we were hit by an attack that shook the entire castle. Lord Sun Castle didn't hesitate; he decided on an immediate surrender. He told us that complete submission was the only way to save our lives. I agreed. Any will I had to fight had completely evaporated.
The days that followed were a whirlwind. Dragons visited from the village. They brought with them pitch-black wolves with horns, introduced as Inferno Wolves. They looked like the embodiment of death itself. The moment I saw them, I knew we were completely outmatched. Most of us fainted on the spot. I was no exception.
When I finally came to, I discovered that the monsters and magic beasts that had plagued the Sun Castle had been exterminated. We, the Devils and Dream Demons, were free. To be honest, the concept of "liberation" was hard to grasp, as I had lived this way since birth. However, I was genuinely happy that the terrifying beasts were gone. There were now even more frightening beings like the dragons and Inferno Wolves to deal with, but at least they could be reasoned with. As long as we didn't anger them, we would be fine.
When asked for an apology regarding the initial declaration of war, I offered it readily. I even asked if they could teach me proper etiquette so I wouldn't offend them again. The village representative, the Village Head, proved to be a remarkably generous man.
And now, for reasons I still don't fully understand, I have been officially appointed as the Castle Lord of the Sun Castle. I wonder how it came to this.
My name was Gou Fougma. I was one of the Sun Castle’s Assistants to the Lord. Since the chief assistant was currently unavailable due to a special mission, I was the highest-ranking authority awake.
The Sun Castle’s fuel shortage was critical, but the current situation was even more dire. An Ancient Contract had been triggered! The castle had entered an automatic navigation mode, heading straight for a location occupied by dragons and humans. I had no control over it. My authority wasn't high enough to override the system. The chief assistant might have been able to do something, but she was unreachable. We were cornered.
This was bad. Even if the Sun Castle itself survived, Kuzu-san and the others living here would surely be slaughtered. Humans were notoriously merciless toward the Devil Race. I doubted their nature had changed much over the centuries. From the fragments of information I had gathered while flying, wars were still breaking out across the lands. The only reason the scale was smaller than in the past was because their civilization had regressed.
The Sun Castle was equipped with five automatic magic barriers. Since they operated on an independent fuel system, they would deploy without issue. Even if we were boarded, the monsters and magic beasts nesting in the corridors would act as a deterrent. The Ancient Contract would only be deactivated once we reached our destination. If we could just make a quick escape then...
I estimated a maximum of twenty days of potential combat. Fuel was tight, but if we moved at full speed, we might be able to get away. The question was how to handle the initial contact. Should we wait for them to act? No, if there were dragons present, there was a high probability they knew of the Sun Castle’s history. They might board us expecting an ally.
I decided to issue a declaration of war to keep the humans and dragons at a distance, then use negotiations to buy time. If they knew the Sun Castle had been armed by the God-kin, that should be enough to make them cautious. In reality, most of the systems had been wrecked by monsters and were useless, but they didn't need to know that. It was the only way to save Kuzu-san and his people.
As it turned out, my declaration was answered by an attack that tore through all five magic barriers with ease. The barrier generator suffered a critical malfunction as a result. It was an ancient machine, but it wasn't junk; it had simply broken itself trying to deploy new barriers as fast as the old ones were being shattered. I thanked it for its service.
I deeply regretted underestimating our opponent’s power. I didn't think they could fire an attack like that repeatedly, but their opening move had crushed our primary defense. The monsters in the castle might put up a fight, but we had lost all means of preventing a direct intrusion.
"Kuzu-san. It’s no use. We must surrender. Complete surrender. You can blame the whole thing on me. Just apologize."
I figured I would have to handle the rest through direct negotiation. Kuzu-san and the others were the descendants of invaders, perhaps, but since they were born in this castle, they were like my own children. In the worst-case scenario, as long as their lives were spared, I didn't care what happened to the castle. I was just glad I hadn't made him the Castle Lord. If he held that title, he would have been the one held responsible.
Then, I met the village representatives. A normal human? Wait, who were the others? A vampire? A God-kin? A dragon? What was going on here?
I realized quickly that I had to give Kuzu-san and the others some kind of official value, or they might be discarded.
"Kuzu-san will be the Castle Lord. Yes, it’s decided!"
My name was Bell Fougma. I was a foolish woman, chained to her duties by a bit of petty spite after falling for a simple provocation. That King... he was human, so he was surely long dead. I suppose I would have to settle for finding his grave. When I found it, I would give it a good kick. No, that wouldn't be enough. I would have to grind his headstone into dust.
No, I couldn't think like that. I couldn't let those dark, bitter emotions take control. I had to keep my heart serene and wait for the appointed day. According to the Book of Prophecy, it was almost time. Only ten years and seven months to go. After all this time, liberation was finally within reach. It had been so long. Truly, an eternity.
Wait. Intruders in the study? I tried not to let my hopes rise. As expected, they left without noticing the hidden mechanism. I had been disappointed so many times before; I was used to the betrayal of hope. Yet, my heart wouldn't be still. Would someone ever truly find that switch?
The Book of Prophecy was remarkably accurate. It was so consistently right that one might believe its author had truly seen the future. However, it wasn't infallible. Would they really not arrive for another ten years and seven months? If no one came by then, I decided I would shatter the Sword of the Sun myself. I couldn't touch it, but I would find a way to break it. I would destroy the object of my hatred that kept me bound here.
Wait... those people from before, they were back. Could it be? The mechanism? No way. They found it! They’re here, they’re here, they’re here!
Yes! Welcome! Come, just a little further. Straight through there... No! Why are you turning back now?! I understood, of course. It was a natural caution. In that case, I would have to act.
I deactivated the barrier. Once lowered, it could never be redeployed, but I couldn't let this chance slip away. I had to put on a mask—the kindest, most welcoming face I could manage. It would all be for nothing if they didn't accept the Sword of the Sun.
The man who eventually stood before me appeared to be an ordinary person. But to me, he was a savior. He didn't just accept the Sword of the Sun that had enslaved me; he destroyed it. It was incredibly refreshing. The darkness that had filled my heart for centuries simply vanished.
I was even happy that the Book of Prophecy had been wrong. I suppose ten years was just a margin of error. Honestly, it would be fine with me if every single one of its predictions turned out to be false from now on.
Now, it was time for me to leave this room. The beautiful Sun Castle was waiting for me.