My name is Kairos.
I’m a human man living in Shashato City.
According to the human kingdoms, anyone of our race living within the Demon Kingdom is a traitor. But my family has lived here for generations, so the label doesn't really carry any weight with me. If anything, I find it strange that they are so obsessed with treating the Demon Kingdom as an enemy.
Now, if someone asked whether I’d ever felt inferior to the demon or beastman races, I’d admit the feeling was a familiar one. But that doesn't mean I agree with the idea that they should be annihilated. Even among humans, there are differences in height or the length of one's limbs; feeling inferior is a perfectly natural part of life. Does a person really decide to wipe out everyone else every time they feel that way? At the very least, I don't.
Besides, the demons have their own insecurities, and the beastmen have theirs. We all have our cross to bear.
That’s why I never accept invitations from the human kingdoms to turn spy. Whenever they approach me, I report them immediately to the Magistrate’s office. Lady Miyo, one of the Magistrate's close aides, usually handles the matter, and the person who came to entice me is promptly arrested. I have no idea what happens to them afterward, and frankly, I don't care. I’m perfectly satisfied as long as I can protect my current lifestyle.
One day, around noon, I was wandering the main street before my night shift began.
Suddenly, a sound filled the air—something I can only describe as "sublime." It was sacred music, drifting through the city. I looked for the source and realized it was coming from Maruura, the restaurant where I’d just finished eating.
If it was Maruura, I wasn't surprised. That place is always coming up with something to shock the residents of Shashato. I figured this was just another one of their grand displays. As a citizen of this city, I felt it was practically my duty to go see what was happening.
I started heading toward the restaurant, but a man running the other way began shouting to the crowds.
"Clear the way! A procession is coming through!"
So, the music was for a parade. I wondered who on earth could be at the center of it. Leading the way was the God of War, Galf himself. He marched forward with his sword held high across his chest. Behind him followed a group of elves—they seemed to be the ones playing the music. There were beastmen and lizardmen, too, along with the staff from Maruura.
What kind of procession was this?
Then I saw Lady Lu of the Ifuls Academy. I waved as she passed. She was wearing an incredibly flashy outfit.
And then... there was someone else.
Who was that human man riding the Flying Carpet behind Lady Lu? He looked like a perfectly ordinary human, but the sheer number of guards surrounding him suggested he was someone of immense importance. Beyond that, I was stumped.
But trailing behind that human was the Demon King.
Wait, the Demon King? Why didn't he have any guards? Was the escort guarding the wrong person?
Next to the Demon King was Magistrate Ifuls. And Lady Miyo was there, too! Why? What was the meaning of this parade?
The procession wound its way around the perimeter of Big Roof Shashato. Was this some kind of elaborate advertisement for the facility? That didn't seem right, especially with the Demon King and the Magistrate involved.
After circling the building, the group headed toward the Teleportation Gate. If they were going through the gate, their destination had to be...
The Royal Capital!
Of course. This was a triumphal march to the capital. Which meant... could it be?
Was I witnessing the birth of a new Demon King?
It sounded crazy, but in this kingdom, the sovereign is chosen by strength. A change in leadership could happen at any time. Demon King Galgard was a legend in war, but he’d been quiet for the last decade or so. If his physical strength was declining with age, it was a plausible theory.
Was that why so many spies from the human kingdoms had been sneaking around lately? Had they sensed this shift?
My god. I was witnessing a tectonic shift in history! My whole body began to tremble.
I told myself to stay calm, that this was just my imagination running wild. But my heart wouldn't listen, and my voice acted on its own.
"Long live the Demon King!" I shouted.
For a heartbeat, the sounds of the street seemed to vanish at my cry. But only for a moment. In the next second, a thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd. A roar of voices rose up, chanting for the new Demon King.
The man on the carpet gave a wry, slightly troubled smile at the cheers as he approached the Teleportation Gate.
What happened next left me even more stunned.
The Teleportation Gate was a functional facility, but the gate itself was usually nothing special—just a shimmering door. This time, however, two dragons stood flanking it. They held their heads high, but as the new Demon King passed between them, they bowed low in unison.
He really was the new Demon King! He even had dragons submissive to his will!
The Maruura staff, the old Demon King, the Magistrate, and Lady Miyo all stepped aside, seeing the man off as he stepped through the gate. I was overwhelmed. I had just witnessed something I would be telling my grandchildren about for the rest of my life.
Though... there was one small detail. Just one thing that bothered me.
"Lord New Demon King," I thought, "the gate you just used goes to Village Five. The one for the Royal Capital is the other one."
Did he use that one because the dragons were standing there? If he went to the wrong place, would he be able to get back easily? I felt a twinge of worry.
Once the two dragons flew away, I approached Lady Miyo to voice my concern.
"Unfortunately, he is not the new Demon King," she replied.
"Eh? He's not?"
"He is a being beyond the Demon King."
A being beyond the Demon King? You mean... a Great Demon King?
I was floored. He was someone even more powerful than I’d imagined!
"However, this is still a state secret," Miyo whispered. "This parade was a special occasion. You mustn't go spreading this around."
"Of course! My lips are sealed!" I promised fervently.
So, he was a Great Demon King.
Behind Miyo, the "current" Demon King and Magistrate Ifuls were both nodding, so I knew it wasn't a joke.
But wait. He looked like a human, didn't he?
If a human became the Great Demon King—the absolute top of the Demon Kingdom—wouldn't the human kingdoms lose their reason to fight? Could the war that had lasted for centuries finally come to an end?
It wasn't a guarantee that a Great Demon King would choose peace, of course. But judging by the man I saw today... he didn't look like the type who would go looking for a fight.
One way or another, I have a hell of a story for my grandchildren.