We entered the heart of the World Tree's forest. A single path stretched ahead of us. It was used by elves coming and going, something that hadn't existed before. It was established because, apart from wild animals, there were no external threats nearby anymore, so countermeasures against intrusion were no longer necessary. However, that didn't mean we were careless. Countless magics were woven into the surroundings. From obvious ones to cleverly disguised ones, they were diverse in nature. Even a skilled mage would find it difficult to breach them. Anyone intending harm who approached would face immediate death. These spells were something Logan and I had set up together. They were fundamentally a measure of last resort, never meant to activate. In truth, they had never been used before, and I could only hope that would remain the case. Diera looked around as she walked along the path. She shielded her eyes, squinting against the sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves. "It's still a beautiful forest, isn't it? A shame we couldn't conquer it." What Diera referred to was back when she was an active Demon King. At that time, the Demon King's army was launching attacks across the entire continent. With demons wreaking havoc everywhere, it was truly chaos incarnate. That's why she and I traveled the world, defeating demons wherever we found them.
During that process, I was also seeking methods to ward off the miasma.
Without countermeasures, it would be impossible to fight in the Demon Lord's stronghold—the former Demonkin territory.
That time was truly filled with hardship.
There weren't enough lives to go around.
It's remarkable I survived at all.
As for the Demon Lord's army, whether they were constantly victorious is another question; in reality, they were nothing of the sort.
Compared to the current Demon Lord's army, they were far less coordinated, to the point of fighting amongst themselves.
Their invasion routes also lacked pattern and were frequently broken.
This World Tree Forest was a rare region largely untouched by the Demonkin threat.
The neighboring Empire played a big part in that.
Because of that relationship, the Demonkin couldn't attack rashly.
Though the Empire has perished in the modern era, it possessed tremendous power at that time.
It boasted strength that kept even the Demonkin at bay.
Furthermore, the previous Demon Lord, Diera, had a significant weakness.
Remembering this, I murmur with a sense of nostalgia.
"Spirit magic was your weakness, wasn't it."
Dragonkin possess high resistance to magic in general, but spirit magic is a rare exception for them.
It was something akin to holy magic for me.
At this, Diera lets out a bitter smile.
"Calling it a weakness suggests it was fatal, which it wasn't. But the elves made me suffer for it more times than I can count. I could still list them, even now."
In a geographically troublesome location, there existed the dwelling place of elves—one whose very weakness she could exploit. For Diera, that must have been exceptionally inconvenient. However, she had since overcome that particular weakness. Two resurrections had altered her constitution. If Diera from that time had been in her current state, the devastation across the world would likely have been far more severe. Recalling the events of ten years prior, I ask Diera. "Do you still hold any grudges against the elves?" "If I bore grudges, I would not have chosen their feast hall. I never held any to begin with. At that time, they had their own justice. The same as I did. It was merely a clash of convictions; neither side was inherently wrong. If forced to assign blame, then I, who endorsed slaughter and conquest, am the villain." Diera states this as we walk. Her tone is unusually serious. This must be her foundational belief. Condemning herself as evil, Diera had fulfilled her role as the Demon King. To achieve the goal of restoring the demon race. Her manner of existence mirrored my own. I interject a point into Diera's narrative. "The Demon King speaks of good and evil?" "That's something I especially don't want to hear from you." Diera chuckles, a sound from her throat, and turns her gaze toward Grom. Then she addresses him. "Grom, what do you think? Do you have any thoughts on the concept of a Demon King?"
"Hmm..."
Grom stopped in his tracks, staring at the ground in silence.
The flame in his eye sockets dwindled, smoldering faintly.
After a moment, he spoke in a tone as if chewing on each word.
"I support the Demon Lord's spirit and intentions. It is precisely for that reason that I serve her. Even if the one who created me is concerned, I cannot swear loyalty if I do not agree. If you had been my master in the previous generation, I would not have submitted."
"Ugh, hearing it put so plainly hurts my heart..."
Diera pressed a hand to her chest, looking pained.
Seeing that I didn't react particularly, she cleared her throat and resumed speaking.
"I'm a little wounded, but that's what it is."
"What is?"
"Your way of life as the Demon Lord. You once asked for my advice, remember?"
Her words jogged my memory.
Ah, yes. I had asked her something about this before.
Back then, I received such a useless answer that I could only be exasperated.
It was probably a whim of hers, but this time she seemed to be answering seriously.
"Being blessed with capable subordinates. That is the greatest secret. As long as you do not neglect your original intentions, the others will naturally follow."
I completely agreed with her on that point.
It would have been impossible to create the current situation with my strength alone.
The Demon Lord's territory is being managed thanks to the support of my subordinates.
They are nothing but reliable.
"..."
Without warning, Diera stands directly in front of me.
She gently reaches out and touches my face.
Diera, wearing a cool smile, addresses me with familiarity.
"Unlike me, you are wise. The more your mind turns, the more troubles you'll have, but you can proceed while uncertain. If you are to live for eternity, it is wise to ease up at times."
"I'll...keep that in mind."
I become acutely aware that the person before me is the former Demon Lord.
Even without emanating mana or killing intent, she is wrapped in an overwhelming presence.
This is charisma.
It must be the quality that made her the Demon Lord.
In her daily life, Diera, to put it mildly, shows no exceptional qualities.
She is like the epitome of a fallen being.
However, when I catch glimpses like this, I remember she was once my nemesis.
Having withdrawn her hand from my face, Diera puffs out her chest with a "now or never" air.
Wiping away the atmosphere from just moments ago, she asks me in a cheerful tone.
"Well? Did I seem like a Demon Lord?"
"I can't deny it."
"Hmph, you should praise me more. And while you're at it, accept my request for an increased allowance."
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Diera extends her hand toward me.
I deny it immediately.
"...I refuse."
"Why! Have you lost all sense of compassion!?"
Diera wailed as if the world were ending.
She collapsed to her knees, tears welling in her eyes, and began to plead.
"..."
I instinctively looked at Grom.
Grom had his hand pressed to his forehead and was facing the opposite direction, pointedly refusing to even look at Diera.
(Emotionally unstable?)
This former Demon King showed extreme swings in her demeanor.
Understanding her was still going to be very difficult.