Randan: One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Kingdom. In charge of Internal Affairs.
Hou Leg: One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Kingdom. In charge of Financial Affairs.
Gratz: One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Kingdom. In charge of Military Affairs.
Beezel: One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Kingdom. In charge of Foreign Affairs.
Mettora: One of the caretakers for Alfred and the others. A member of the Post-Age of Gods Dragon Race.
Asa: One of the caretakers for Alfred and the others. A member of the Mercury Race from Village Four.
Earth: One of the caretakers for Alfred and the others. Urza’s Soil Doll.
Rigne: A High Elf and Ria’s mother.
Tia: Tiselle’s mother. A member of the Angel Race.
Ruincia: Tia’s mother. A member of the Angel Race.
Frau: Beezel’s daughter and one of the Village Head’s wives.
I was Tiselle. I was the daughter of the Angel Race who always put her father first.
I ate my breakfast with gusto, pumping myself up to do my best again today. It was delicious.
"Tiselle, you used Big Brother Gol and the others again, didn't you? They’ve only been married for a few years; you should be more considerate."
The gentle-looking man sitting across from me was my older brother, Alfred. I called him Al-ni. Al-ni was so worried about me that he refused to let me be alone anywhere except in my room or the outhouse. He constantly insisted that someone be by my side. I honestly felt he was being a bit overprotective.
"It wasn't just Gol. You've been making Big Brother Sil and Big Brother Bron do things, too, haven't you?"
The woman overflowing with an unusual amount of charisma eating with us was my older sister, Urza. I called her Uru-nee. She was just as worried about me as Al-ni was and refused to leave me be. I could truly feel the love from both of them.
Physically. As in, literally through the rope tied around my waist.
I wondered if love was something meant to be felt physically? I had always assumed it was a spiritual connection. Incidentally, the other end of this rope was attached to Uncle Demon King.
"Ah, Alfred, Urza. Tiselle using Gol and the others was partly because I asked her to. Could you find it in yourselves to overlook it?"
No matter what Al-ni or Uru-nee thought, they couldn't argue once the Demon King himself spoke up. They fell silent.
Wait...
Both Al-ni and Uru-nee were staring intently at the rope connecting me and Uncle Demon King. Had they realized I’d just yanked it to signal him for help?
Ah, they both sighed at the exact same time. It seemed I’d been caught. I had to hand it to them; their powers of observation were impressive.
However, even though they caught me, they said nothing further because the Academy Director—who was also the Demon King's wife—was present at the table. They couldn't exactly point out that Uncle Demon King was ignoring his own wife to communicate via secret signals with a girl like me.
"Alfred, Urza. Please, don't mind me. You are perfectly welcome to scold her."
Wait, had the Academy Director realized it, too? And Uncle Demon King, don't pull back on the rope to ask me for help just because you're scared of her!
Good grief. I ended up getting scolded for quite a long time. I realized I needed to be more subtle next time. I’d have to try harder.
"Tiselle, shall we go?" Uncle Demon King said as he stood up.
Everyone had finished eating. We had managed to clear our plates even while the lecture was ongoing. I climbed onto Uncle Demon King's shoulder, and we headed toward the Royal Castle. I was there to assist him. Al-ni, Uru-nee, and the Academy Director headed toward the academy buildings. My siblings weren't there to help the Director, though; their focus was on socializing with the other students. Considering their futures, building connections here was vital. I hoped they would do their best.
"Good morning, Your Majesty."
While receiving greetings from the guards at the castle’s main gate, Uncle Demon King and I entered. Four escorts and eight civil officials appeared, forming a small procession as we headed for the office. Uncle Demon King’s work began the moment we set foot inside. He listened to the officials' reports and gave brief, decisive instructions as he walked. Everything discussed in the halls was safe enough for public ears.
Once we reached the office, the escorts and officials remained outside. Waiting inside were three civil officials and a general. These were proxies dispatched by the Four Heavenly Kings: Internal Affairs (Uncle Randan), Foreign Affairs (Uncle Beezel), Financial Affairs (Leg-san), and Military Affairs (Uncle Gratz). Even the Demon King couldn't afford to be careless around these four.
Except, for some reason, all four of them were reporting to me instead of him.
Uncle Demon King, please listen to them instead of just staring out the window. It was true that many of these matters were my own initiatives, but dumping everything on me was a bit much... and you proxies shouldn't be saying that things go faster if you talk to me directly, either!
For now, I processed the urgent matters quickly and passed the ones that weren't as time-sensitive back to Uncle Demon King.
"The Eight Generals of the Demon Kingdom? What is this?" he asked.
It was a position that had existed in the past. There was a suggestion to revive it.
"Eight Generals? Does that mean we have to choose eight people to command the armies?"
"In this context," I explained, "I think 'General' is meant to denote 'the strongest people' rather than literal military commanders."
The proponents of this idea were worried that there weren't enough figures of power acting as deterrents across the vast territories of the Demon Kingdom.
"But do we not have powerful nobles and magistrates in the various regions? Is that not enough?"
"The problem with that is that it increases the influence of the local nobles instead of the Demon Kingdom itself. We have to allow them some power, but we don't need them becoming strong enough to threaten the central government."
"But even if you say that... these Eight Generals will probably just end up being rotated among the military elite or the nobility anyway, right?"
That was a surprisingly cynical take for the meritocratic Demon Kingdom. Since the goal was to maintain the prestige of the capital, it didn't matter if they were military or nobility; they just had to be strong people chosen by the center.
"If that's the case... then Gol, Sil, Bron, Alfred, and Urza. Then there's Mettora, Asa, and Earth? Oh, and Lady Rigne. Should we just make it Nine Generals?"
"Don't go dragging our family into this so naturally," I warned him. "The only ones I could see overlooking were Ojes, Hyfryguta, and Kihatroy. Those three are weak in human form, but they’re formidable enough once they transform into dragons."
"True. However, I need them to focus on baseball. Speaking of which, how is the plan to build stadiums and form teams in the other regions going?"
"It's stalled. Spreading an unfamiliar team sport is difficult. I think the best way would be to invite people to Shashato City or Village Five so they can see it for themselves. Or we could take two teams from here and play an exhibition match."
"Ugh. Since baseball is funded from my personal budget, moving two whole teams is quite a burden... the travel costs, the lodging..."
"Wait. If we used the military facilities in those regions, wouldn't the lodging costs disappear?"
"I cannot mix public and private affairs."
"I think it would be fine for you to act like the country belongs to you, Your Majesty."
"A tyrant is a bit much... I don't even want to think about the people rising up against me."
"I see. Well, in that case, we’ll just have to promote your greatness properly."
"I'd rather you not be too flashy about it."
"It'll be fine, it'll be fine. Just leave it to me."
Ah, it was almost time for reports from Big Brother Sil and Big Brother Bron. Since the info came from Father, I didn't think we needed to verify its accuracy, but we had to go through the motions. Oh, by the way, Ridley's Baker-Maka Company had expanded into Village Five; did Uncle Demon King have any companies he wanted to recommend? If I introduced them to Yoko-san, things would move much faster.
"That would be a help, but are you sure the Goroun Company is okay with that?"
"If I did anything to hurt them, Father would be furious with me."
"If possible, I'd prefer it if you didn't interfere with the companies I recommend, either..."
"I won't interfere. They’ll just provide conveniences on their own."
"Randan and Hou will be livid if those conveniences go too far."
"I’ll handle it smoothly. It’ll be fine."
"That's not exactly the issue... but very well. It's almost time for lunch. I'll entrust the rope to Asa then."
"Is something happening after lunch?"
"An envoy from another country is arriving. I’d be in trouble if I brought you to a place like that."
"Who would be angry?"
"Your mother, Lady Tia, or your grandmother, Lady Ruincia. Besides, it would be a political disaster for a member of the Angel Race to be at the forefront of the Demon Kingdom’s diplomacy, wouldn't it?"
Ah, right. The Garlet Kingdom, which was hostile to us, was home to the Angel Race Village. The Angels had a massive influence over the Garlet royal family. Since I’d never been to the village or even to the Garlet Kingdom, I didn't think it mattered, but others wouldn't see it that way.
Well, that just meant I had another card in my hand. When I finally did step onto the diplomatic stage, I would make sure it was a grand debut. Hehe.
"That's a terrifying laugh. Just remember, I'll need the Village Head's permission before putting you in a position like that. If your father says no, then it's a no."
"Aww, why? I'm working so hard for the Demon Kingdom!"
"You're working for the Demon Kingdom only as long as it doesn't negatively affect the Village of the Great Tree. Right?"
"I thought our interests were aligned?"
"They are, but I understand a father's feelings. You want your daughter to stay home forever."
Hmm. Living in the village wasn't bad, but Father's presence there was so overwhelming that there was no room for me to really shine.
"Is that so? You could help Frau's daughter, or help Lady Rusty; there’s plenty to do."
"Mother Frau has Fracia, and Mother Rusty has Lananon. It would be a problem if I overstepped my bounds."
"Regardless of 'overstepping,' Fracia and Lananon are still just children, aren't they?"
"That's exactly why. I can't be the one to crush their potential to help in the future."
"...You certainly think things through, don't you?"
"Naturally. Well, if Fracia or Lananon decide they don't want to help, then I'll step in... but that's a story for the distant future. For now, I'm doing my best here. You're grateful for the help, aren't you, Uncle Demon King?"
"I am. In fact, I'd like you to keep at it for at least another five years."
"Why five years?"
"In five years, Alfred and Urza will be a bit more independent, won't they?"
"I suppose they will be by then."
"If either Alfred or Urza aims for the throne, I could retire in peace. After I'm gone, Tiselle can do whatever she likes. You could even assist the next Demon King."
"You're already thinking about retirement?"
"Yes. The human kingdoms will likely collapse on their own in a few years, so being the Demon King won't be such a burden. From your perspective, between Alfred and Urza... my hope is Urza. She has the mental fortitude to handle the crown. If you could secretly nudge her in that direction..."
The thought of Uru-nee being the Demon King was terrifying to imagine. I mean, she would be a good ruler, but she suited being a frontline commander much more... I could already see a future where she marched through human kingdoms, leaving nothing but dust in her wake...
"Ah, I can see it too," the Demon King whispered.
The two of us shared a pleasant smile, ending the topic there. We then made our way to the dining hall for lunch.