My name was Goethegrue... though that hardly mattered.
No one ever remembered it anyway.
To everyone else, I was simply known by my title.
One of the Four Heavenly Kings.
Since I retired from that position, it had shifted to "one of the former Four Heavenly Kings" or "one of the previous generation," but the essence remained the same.
In hindsight, accepting that high-ranking office was a strategic error.
I was grateful to have my talent for internal affairs recognized, but the workload was beyond any word for "staggering."
The Demon King of that era was utterly hopeless when it came to administration.
Well, I suppose even that is a fond memory now.
When the Demon King I served fell, the Four Heavenly Kings were disbanded.
Under a new Demon King and a new council of Four, the Demon Kingdom had since unified and grown stronger.
I had hoped to simply bear my title as a former official and spend my days in quiet retirement, managing my territory and watching over the kingdom’s future.
That was the dream.
For the last few years, however, rumors of "Special Cases" had been circulating through the upper ranks of the Demon Kingdom.
A Special Case was a matter restricted solely to the Demon King and his Four Heavenly Kings.
During my tenure, such matters usually concerned the assassination of a Hero.
It seemed the current Demon King was also being plagued by a Hero.
I thought they might eventually seek me out for advice on how we handled things in the past. I even started organizing my notes for them.
But things felt... off.
It became clear that the Demon King and his inner circle were personally profiting from these Special Cases.
Had they allied with the Hero?
That would be an act of ultimate betrayal.
The Demon Kingdom might strike deals with the human race, but never with a Hero. We cannot permit the existence of such an unreasonable force.
I considered marching in and demanding an explanation.
But I told myself to stay calm.
It could have been a misunderstanding. I needed to investigate properly first.
Yet, no matter how much I dug, I found nothing.
As expected of the current generation. Or perhaps I had simply grown dull.
It was a bit of a blow to my pride.
Eventually, I deduced that these Special Cases were linked to Shashato City.
That was the limit of what my spy unit could uncover.
Left with no other choice, I traveled to Shashato City myself to investigate.
I found nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
What were they doing here?
The Magistrate was a vault. I hadn't expected much else; the man is exceptionally competent.
I never thought I could extract information from him.
But even his son, who looked like a weak link... nothing.
The Hero hadn't been seen in the city, either.
Even my old contacts in the underworld had no information to share.
Hmm.
I decided to call it a day and settle for an early dinner.
If I was early enough, there might still be curry left.
I had missed out yesterday and felt quite bitter about it. The curry here is divine.
Then again, the mutton wrapped in herbs looked tempting as well.
Between the food and the excellent alcohol, it was easy to see why the place was thriving.
Housing an entire district under one roof to negate the weather was a stroke of genius.
If only I had thought of that during my time in power...
How frustrating.
After some bowling and a good night's sleep, I was visited by Paluanen.
He was an old comrade, another member of the previous Four Heavenly Kings.
His proposal was simple: if we couldn't find answers through investigation, we should ask the Demon King directly.
Even if he wouldn't tell us the whole truth, it was important to let him know we were concerned.
I agreed, and we set off together.
For reasons I still struggle to grasp, Paluanen and I were standing in a village in the heart of the Forest of Death.
They told us that seeing it was more efficient than explaining it.
Apparently, our arrival was "perfectly timed."
I see.
That may be so, but shouldn't they show a little more deference to their predecessors?
If they were thoughtful enough to provide a change of clothes, couldn't they have been thoughtful in other ways?
Calm down. Stay calm.
One thing at a time.
First... those were Inferno Wolves, weren't they?
A single one is a city-killer.
A pack of four or five is considered a continental catastrophe.
How many were there?
A quick glance suggested over a hundred.
Why were they as docile as house dogs?
Why were they rolling over to have their bellies rubbed?
And over there—the Demon Spiders.
So many offspring.
Why were they marching in perfect formation?
Then there were the "humans." They were clearly of the Dragon Race.
I was introduced to Giral, the Dark Dragon.
And wasn't Dos the Dragon King of the northern continent?
Was Raimeiren the Typhoon Dragon of the southern continent?
The Devil Race attendant... wasn't that Lord Gucci?
I met him once, long ago.
Even Bulga and Stifano were here.
Was this a summit for world conquest?
The Vampire Princess and the Annihilation Angel were sharing tea as if they were old friends, while a trio of Genocide Angels patrolled the skies.
The presence of the Sovereign of the Korin Religion and Fouche the Malignant seemed almost ordinary by comparison.
Oh, was that the Saint?
Is this her first visit as well? I see we are in similar straits.
How many times has she changed her clothes?
Twice?
Hahaha, I’ve already changed four times.
Hang in there, you have two more to go.
Why was Kierbit, the Garlet Kingdom Shrine Maiden, here?
She resigned?
Seriously?
Then who is the Shrine Maiden now?
Some nameless angel I've never heard of. I hope the Garlet Kingdom is doing all right. I’d completely overlooked them.
High Elves, Elder Dwarves, Lizardmen, High Ogres...
Yes, all ferocious races.
At least the Minotaurs, Centaurs, and Beastmen were familiar enough to be a comfort.
Wait.
That man was the warrior known as the War God in Shashato City?
Then he must be the strongest person here... Oh, he isn't?
He's near the bottom of the hierarchy? Gods help him.
Giant race... oh, heavens.
Lamia race... sigh.
Slimes... how soothing. I could hold one forever.
The horses were lovely, too.
Finally, a sense of peace.
The central figure of this place is the Village Head.
The man who carved a village out of the center of the Forest of Death all by himself.
He rubs the bellies of Inferno Wolves and walks around with a Demon Spider on his shoulder as if it’s nothing.
It seems he has even had children with the Dragon Race.
The children are quite adorable.
Though some of them don't even try to hide their heroic talent...
As I sat there, trying to make sense of it all, I remembered an ancient text.
It spoke of a God of Magic who was sealed within the Forest of Death in the distant past.
The man who built this village.
The world that revolves around him.
...
I understood then.
He is a god.
The God of Magic himself.
That is why everyone bows to his will.
The God of Magic is the deity of our people. He is our god.
Once I accepted that, the village began to feel like a Divine Realm.
I could almost feel the sacred presence in the air.
Ah, little cat.
Please step aside for a moment. I'm trying to organize my thoughts.
...
As it turns out, both my granddaughter and Paluanen’s are working here.
And there is a chance they might receive the favor of the master of this village...
Wait, Beezel’s daughter has already secured a position?
She's already ahead of us!
No, I shouldn't be jealous. This is a blessing.
To think a child could be born between our race and his.
Oh, my granddaughter.
I will provide every ounce of support I can manage!
Do your absolute best!
My name is Goethegruutellerte Seponest.
No one will likely remember it anyway, but as of today, I am a devoted follower of the God of Magic.