Two hundred days had passed since my death battle with the Holy Woman.
I still sat upon the Demon Lord's throne.
There had been no incursions from foreign lands, nor had we launched any of our own.
No word of great wars had reached us.
It was likely the calm before the storm.
In a sense, it was the ideal state I had envisioned.
It was probably only temporary, but for now I wished to rejoice in the peace that had been born.
From the spies planted in various nations, information was supplied regularly.
It seemed every country was progressing with its plans against the Demon Lord.
Often, the details were hidden and impossible to uncover.
For this reason, the intelligence was invariably brief and superficial.
There was a reason for this state of affairs.
During the era of the previous Demon Lord, the Four Heavenly King Luciana had been too rampant.
The intelligence operations she had conducted below the surface had caused great turmoil among the nations at the time.
Learning from the damage sustained then, information management was now airtight.
Every nation employed multiple layers of measures to prevent their internal affairs from leaking outside.
It was said that some of Luciana's favored methods were now so notorious they were documented in specialized texts.
Even so, the fact that a certain amount of information still reached us was largely due to the skill of the spy corps, Luciana among them.
Thanks to them, we could grasp the broad strategies of each country.
Without information, there would have been no leisure to remain this composed.
Incidentally, they had been strictly ordered to prioritize their own safety.
Intelligence was certainly important.
However, they must not lose their lives by being greedy.
The spies surviving took absolute precedence over anything else.
As long as they gradually and steadily provided information over time, that would be sufficient.
Even beyond the plan against the Demon King, each nation had begun to move.
First was the Empire.
Though the Imperial Capital had been destroyed and twenty percent of its territory seized by the Demon King's army, recovery was currently proceeding smoothly.
It was said that nobles from territories not invaded by the Demon King's forces were exerting themselves, trying to right the faltering Empire.
Information also indicated they had formed secret alliances with multiple nations.
While not back to its former strength, it was clearly showing signs of a solid revival.
After all, the Empire was a powerful nation blessed with resources and talent.
As expected, it had not simply decayed into oblivion.
It might eventually launch a counterattack against the Demon King's army as well.
He had issued a stern warning for them never to defy him again, but them plotting retaliation was no particular problem.
It would be even better if they cooperated with other nations.
The current Emperor was apparently a relative of his predecessor.
He was reportedly not of the war faction and was now focused on consolidating the nation's foundations.
One could only hope he would continue building a good nation in that manner.
Next was the Holy Staff Nation, though its situation was not as severe as the Empire's.
Since the Demon Lord's army hadn't actually invaded their territory, the physical damage was relatively minor.
This nation still possessed its own considerable military strength and retained ample reserves.
It would not collapse just from the losses of the Holy War.
However, in another respect, matters had grown somewhat troublesome.
By losing the Saint and tens of thousands of troops, the absolute authority they commanded had been clouded.
Part of the populace had begun to harbor distrust, and domestic security had reportedly deteriorated overall.
For the Holy Staff Nation, built upon faith and pride, this could be called a significant blow.
Perhaps to break through this situation, the Holy Staff Nation regularly announced progress in their plans against the Demon Lord.
They publicized the systematization of sacred magic and the emergence of a new Saint with great fanfare.
Most of it was merely rumor or false information, yet the Holy Staff Nation repeated these announcements with remarkable fervor.
They were likely doing it as a show of deterrence toward other nations.
When vanity reaches such lengths, one can only be impressed.
While maintaining this aggressive posture, there was no sign of the Holy Staff Army actually launching an invasion.
Having lost tens of thousands of soldiers and with a Saint who had the world's backing now dead, they might still have reserve forces, but they could not easily deploy them.
If they were to suffer defeat again, the Holy Staff Army's face would be completely shattered.
For the nation's leadership, this was an outcome they had to avoid at all costs.
Therefore, their actual movements were cautious.
Regardless of the Holy Staff Army's true condition, the fact that they were concentrating solely on attacks against the Demon Lord's forces was a positive trend.
For the time being, they would likely just maintain appearances without taking any significant action.
We would do well to continue monitoring them.
One thing is certain: the Holy Staff Nation has not given up on slaying the Demon King.
Sooner or later, they would launch a counterattack.
When that time came, they would invade with even greater force.
I had to remain vigilant.
As things stood, I had no intention of destroying the Holy Staff Nation.
Regardless of their ideology, their actions were closer to my ideals.
If they would cooperate with other nations, there would be nothing more to say, but that did not seem likely for now.
The upper echelons of the Holy Staff military were consumed by pride.
There were signs they looked down upon other nations.
They harbored resistance to joining hands with anyone beyond their own borders.
This was not something that could be resolved quickly.
Invading the Holy Staff military's territory and pushing them to the brink might change that, but the gains from such extreme measures would be few.
Though it might seem fitting for a Demon King, I did not truly wish to destroy the world.
It would only result in destruction and spur humanity toward unity.
I had to carefully consider the extent of damage I would bring about.
Deep despair, is it?
I recalled what Holy Maiden Makia had pointed out.
I harbored a not insignificant hatred toward humanity.
This was an undeniable fact.
Still, I must not let myself be swayed by personal feelings.
If I were to think only of revenge, I would promptly destroy the world.
When that time comes, no one will likely be able to stop me.
I would become a true Demon Lord.
I must dominate my own heart.
I must stay conscious, so I do not stray from the path I set out upon.
I inherited that person’s ideals.
I must never forget that.
"Lord Demon Lord, might I have a moment of your time?"
As I contemplated my own existence, Grom addressed me.
He was tidying papers nearby.
Was something the matter?
"What is it?"
"The visit to the research institute is scheduled for today. It is nearly time, so what shall we do?"
His words reminded me.
Inspired by the magic workshop I saw in the Imperial Capital, I had established a similar research facility in a corner of the Royal Capital.
It was tasked with weapons development and the creation and invention of various magical tools, with the aim of developing the Demon Lord’s domain and strengthening our military forces.
The inspection of that institute was today.
In the beginning, I had offered various opinions and directives, but recently I had not been very involved.
Everything, from personnel to construction and all other matters, had been fully delegated to my subordinates.
I had heard no major problems were occurring, but I was curious about the actual situation.
Setting aside my position as Demon King, I was purely interested.
I stood up, signaling Grom to follow.
"Let's go."
"Ha! Understood!"
Grom set aside his documents and immediately took position behind me with startling speed.
Perhaps he was quite pleased, as the flame in his single eye burned with increased vigor.
Though he must be incredibly busy, Grom was always energetic.
Undead don't tire from labor, after all.
He seemed to genuinely enjoy work—a typical workaholic.
I had heard he sometimes cooked for his subordinates at a tavern in the castle town.
Despite his terrifying appearance, he was apparently well-liked by those under his command.
His support might even surpass my own.
(...I need to think of some strategy)
The Demon King is a symbol of terror and destruction.
However, having all subordinates view me that way leaves me feeling uneasy.
While I can't exactly be called a good king, I at least want to be trusted on a personal level.
I am utterly clueless about these matters.
I wanted to ask the other executives for their opinions.
Perhaps I could casually bring it up during the next regular meeting.
Leaving the room with Grom, I carried a small nagging worry with me.