Around noon the next day, I was moving through the castle.
A meeting with the executives was about to convene.
Halfway there, I ran into Henry, who was carrying a bottle of liquor.
With unsteady steps, he greeted me cheerfully.
"Hey, General. You're looking sharp. A stern face on you."
"...Can a skeleton's face even look stern?"
"That's not what I mean. It's the vibe you're giving off. Anyway, I'm relieved to see it's a good change."
Henry laughed, clapping my shoulder and back.
I nearly stumbled forward.
The impact nearly shattered my bones.
His alcohol intake had made him lose all control of his strength.
Henry is a pure-blooded human.
He possesses absolutely no magical ability.
Despite that, his combat capabilities are off the charts.
He was one of the strongest in the Demon Lord's army.
Even now, he trains rigorously, further honing an already exceptional power among non-humans.
So my body could easily snap like a twig under his touch.
Even so, Henry had noticed the psychological shift in me.
He shouldn't have been present at the scene last night.
He must have intuited it.
Henry is a perceptive man by nature.
I knew he harbored sensitivity beneath his war-crazed exterior.
Henry and I moved together toward the council chamber inside the castle.
Along the way, having emptied his bottle, he broached the subject.
"So I'm called out from morning—what's the occasion today?"
"We need to discuss future invasion plans. It's about time we made a move."
When I said this, Henry snapped his fingers in delight.
He clapped his hands with a fierce grin.
"That's excellent! I've been waiting for this. Training alone leaves even the toughest men's spirits flat."
Henry's desire for battle was palpable.
It radiated from him unmistakably.
Lately, we'd focused on reconstruction and development across our territories, entering a period of restrained conflict with other nations.
As someone who sought combat under my banner, Henry must have found it terribly dull.
We soon arrived at the council room.
Opening the door, Grom and Luciana were already waiting.
"My Lord Demon King! Good morning. How are you faring?"
"Ah, no issues. Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Not at all! It's no trouble whatsoever. Your Lordship's physical and mental well-being is my greatest happiness!"
Grom expressed his joy by waving all eight of his arms.
The reaction might seem exaggerated, but this was his genuine feeling.
She was truly the model of a loyal retainer, as though she worshipped me from the depths of her heart.
At the same time, she was concerned for my well-being.
Luciana rose from her seat and came before me.
She leaned down, peering up at my face as if to study it.
As I wondered what she was about, Luciana smiled and nodded.
"...Mm-hmm, you seem fine. That's a relief."
It seemed she had been gauging my state of mind.
After all, that incident had happened the night before.
It would have been harder to tell her not to worry about it.
So I told her:
"I've come to terms with things in my own way. I won't cause any more trouble."
"Trouble is something we give each other, isn't it?"
Luciana poked my forehead with her finger.
It was an act, but she was putting on a show of mild irritation.
All I could do was nod.
"...Understood."
With that exchange concluded, we each returned to our seats.
Surrounding the round table, we commenced the meeting.
I was the one to begin speaking.
"The Demon Lord's domain has been steadily expanding its territory. It is now the most powerful nation on the continent."
This is beyond doubt.
We have achieved near-perpetual victory against every nation and vastly strengthened our military forces.
We have now reached a stage where even without my power, we could conquer the entire continent.
Provided there is no interference from the will of the world, success is assured.
Having stated this much, I continued with my premeditated declaration.
"Regarding our future policy, first, we will abandon the Republic."
"Wh-wha-what did you say!?"
Grom was the first to react.
He knocked over his chair in shock, then slammed his hands onto the round table with force.
"We've just conquered it! Are you saying we're going to hand it back?!"
I nodded calmly.
"Yes. Luciana, explain."
"Sure."
When addressed, Luciana slid the documents in her hands toward Grom.
Grom grabbed them and began reading.
As he scanned the pages, Luciana explained matter-of-factly.
"For the Demon Lord's territory as it stands now, the Republic is too much to handle. We're barely keeping things together in terms of management. Honestly, there's no benefit to expanding our territory this much."
This had been a concern of mine for some time.
The Demon Lord's domain was developing rapidly, and its controlled territories expanded with each conquest.
Until now, it had been fine, but at this stage, it had become a hindrance.
Problems began arising beyond the reach of observation.
Although spies reported each instance, preventing them proactively had become difficult.
Currently, no fatal issues had occurred.
This was because capable personnel were stationed across the territory to manage things.
However, even this arrangement could collapse at any moment.
The situation was being pushed quite far.
By shrinking the territory, these issues could be eliminated and stability secured within the demon lord's domain.
(The original objective has been achieved. This should be sufficient as a result.)
The Republic had been occupied because demons and magical beasts were rampant there.
Now, all of it had been reclaimed into the demon lord's territory, and reconstruction of damaged cities was underway.
There was no harm in giving it up.
"The nations have initiated plans for the Demon Lord Subjugation. Included within those plans is the recapture of the Republic. This presents just the right opportunity to relinquish it."
"Grrrrn... That is true, but..."
Grom looked up from the documents, still visibly unconvinced.
He understood intellectually that this was the correct course of action.
But emotionally, he could not accept the defeat.
I continued with words of persuasion aimed at him.
"Granting victory to humanity is also the Demon Lord's duty. If we win continuously, it will crush their spirit. Sapping their will to counterattack too thoroughly would be unwise."
The key was to lose skillfully.
This was a defeat viewed from the grand strategy.
If it proves beneficial in the long run, such outcomes must be accepted.
Perhaps we should even take the initiative to incorporate them.
Push people into a corner too far, and they will turn to forbidden acts.
That leaves room for the will of the world to intervene.
A development best avoided, if possible.
Grom struck the round table again.
Cracks ran across its surface.
Unfazed even by that, he voiced his objection.
"Then... do you intend to abandon our subordinates in the Republic?"
"Of course not. I plan to transfer them to the Royal Capital, matching the invading army's movements."
Using the undead as pawns allows us to surrender extraneous territory without incurring real losses.
Fabricating such defensive losses is simple.
With magic, anything can be achieved.
Seemingly satisfied, Grom took his seat with a somewhat calmed demeanor.
He cleared his throat while straightening the documents before him.
"Hmm... so, for the time being, we are to repeat a series of mock defeats?"
"As far as the Republic is concerned, yes. In other regions, we continue our conquests as before."
Naturally, we must avoid seizing too much territory.
Having the Republic situation repeat itself elsewhere would be troublesome.
While we're at it, I'd also like to tighten control over our existing domains.
If the Republic is reclaimed, cities will surely follow suit. We must plant the flag there.
"The specific arrangements are left to you. Plan freely, and if my abilities are required, please do not hesitate to ask."
Having told the three, I concluded the meeting.
As I was leaving the room, I suddenly asked Luciana.
"By the way, do you know where Diera is?"
"Do you need her for something?"
"I have various things to discuss with her."
I want to get her opinion as well.
Even if corrupted, she is an extraordinary figure who once served as the previous Demon Lord.
She does not belong to the Demon Lord's army, but I should consult her.
There is a possibility she might offer some ingenious solution.
At that moment, Henry spoke up as if remembering something.
With a bitter smile, he provided me with valuable information.
"The old lady was at the training grounds since morning. She was cleaning her weapons while half-crying."
"..."
It was the punishment for causing the tank to malfunction.
I had completely forgotten about it.
It seemed she hadn't finished yet.
In the somewhat awkward atmosphere, I teleported to the training grounds.