The audience chamber inside the royal castle.
I was swamped with a colossal amount of clerical work.
Every day, more desks are being added to the room.
The flood of documents was becoming too much to handle.
As a result, the number of workers has also increased.
Inside the room, not just the executives were handling paperwork.
"Ooooooooh! It boils! This workload boils the soul!"
The one shouting and struggling is Grom.
He is using his eight arms to process the documents.
His unusual enthusiasm is probably because he is happy to be trusted by me.
He has been like that since morning.
Thinking back, he might have been that energetic since a few days ago.
In any case, he was overflowing with motivation.
I was starting to worry about Grom overworking, but then I remembered he is undead.
A being beyond physical exhaustion.
Even if he sustained a fatal wound, he could recover as long as he had magic power and miasma.
There was no need to worry about him constantly.
"Hey, Minister Bones. If you're practicing vocal exercises, could you do it outside?"
Luciana complains, looking vexed.
She is slumped in her chair, looking depressed.
The sheer volume of work is clearly taking its toll on her.
I plan to give her some rest once we reach a stopping point.
Grom, having heard the complaint, stood up and looked at Luciana.
Holding up his brush, he objected.
"This is not vocal practice! I am working for the Demon King!"
"Stop shouting that. It's ringing in my ears."
Luciana wrinkled her face as she spoke.
She seemed genuinely bothered.
Perceiving this, Grom sat back down, looking uncomfortable.
"V-very well..."
"As long as you understand. Now, hurry up and finish."
Thus, the two returned silently to their work.
The room was filled only with the sounds of brush on paper.
Similar exchanges had been taking place irregularly since earlier.
Everyone seemed accustomed to it; the other subordinates continued their work without pausing.
I, too, paid it no particular mind.
I know their relationship isn't bad.
The fact that they argue frequently probably means they're comfortable with each other.
They manage well enough, all things considered.
For my part, it's a relief.
However, this still won't end no matter how much time passes...
I glance at the documents on each desk, feeling utterly exasperated.
There was a reason why the workload had increased so drastically.
It was all caused by the expansion of the Demon King's domain.
Half a year had passed since the battle with the previous Demon King, Diera.
The environment surrounding the Demon King's domain was changing by the moment.
First, the Republic's territory had been entirely absorbed into the Demon King's domain.
Honestly, I hadn't wanted to be so bold with the invasion.
When territory expands too much, you end up swamped with management tasks like this.
But, I had been forced into that situation.
Due to the machinations of Balk, former of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Republic had become a dangerous zone overrun by demons and magical beasts.
If left unchecked, there was a risk the damage would spill over into other nations.
That was a situation I simply could not overlook.
If uncontrolled packs of demons and magical beasts flowed out of the country, it would cause immense chaos for every nation.
It was an undesirable state of affairs.
Therefore, I struck preemptively and occupied the entire Republic.
I slaughtered or captured the magical beasts and demons in various regions, thereby securing the safety of the people who were still unharmed.
To the cities where people had survived, I dispatched the Demon King's army under the pretext of occupation.
While keeping them under my control, I also pushed forward with reconstruction support.
Recently, there had been many more capable subordinates, even among those who weren't executives.
It is not uncommon for former prisoners to achieve unexpected rises in rank.
Though I have not been directly involved in these matters, I have heard reports from Luciana and Henry.
These individuals were appointed as leaders in various regions.
I intend to send a message of appreciation to each of them eventually.
The Demon Lord’s army, despite perpetrating massacres, had the good fortune of being blessed with capable personnel at key points.
Although it has not been possible lately, I also wish to inspect the domains under my control.
Reports of rebellions or declarations of independence had ceased, and it seemed an exceedingly peaceful period was being enjoyed.
On occasion, a lord would act improperly, and in such cases, I would issue a warning.
Those who did not reform, Luciana would dominate through her charm magic.
She would bind their minds and leave them masquerading as a puppet master.
At present, however, this remained a minority practice.
I intend to allow for self-governance as much as possible and place my hopes on the conscience of the lords.
Incidentally, regarding the captured magical beasts and demonkin from various locations, this too was a decision I made independently.
Among the demonkin who retained their reason, those who did not favor combat were permitted to live as residents of the Royal Capital.
To avoid conflict with other races, they were housed in a separate district.
This, however, was planned as a temporary measure.
Eventually, I aim to create an environment where any race can live together.
The current Royal Capital saw humans and monsters coexisting.
Initially, there was distance between them, but that sense of resistance had apparently blurred amid rapid development.
I believe the demonkin, too, will come to acclimate in time, following the same principle.
Those who had lost their sense of self or possessed high malice were all sent to the laboratory.
They would be asked to cooperate in experiments to revert demons and monsterfolk back to humans.
Among the demonfolk, there were many who desired their original forms.
They were victims of Balk's conspiracy, and I truly wished to grant their wishes.
Conversely, a portion of the demonfolk belonged to the Demon Lord's Army.
They were incorporated only as volunteers.
There was no backlash from others regarding this.
While it was perhaps harder to object since it was my decision, the main reason was likely the original composition of the Demon Lord's Army.
The majority of the Demon Lord's Army had always been comprised of monsters and undead.
Adding demonfolk to that mix made little difference.
On the contrary, those with exceptional combat abilities were welcomed.
The Demon Lord's Army was a meritocratic, hierarchical structure.
Although the increase in numbers led to adjustments in the chain of command and further subdivision of units, the fundamental nature remained unchanged.
This reflected the temperament of Henry and Grom, who stood at the army's apex.
Those with capability could rise, regardless of their origins.
Due to these circumstances, the military power of the Demon Lord's territory had further expanded.
Its composition was worthy of its name.
It was a most pleasing development.
Other nations also felt the threat, concentrating their hostility towards us.
The fact that the Republic was thought to have been transformed by the Demon Lord's hand was likely the biggest factor.
It seems rumors are spreading that Balk is also my pawn, and I sent him to destroy the Republic.
Of course, that is somewhat different from the truth.
However, it is not wrong that he seized their territory and brought it under control.
From a third party's perspective, that interpretation would seem only natural.
I have been tacitly allowing that false information to persist.
A fitting act of evil for the Demon King.
It aligns with my goals as well, which makes it convenient.
The important figures of other nations must be trembling with fear by now.
They are still devising strategies against the Demon King.
As evidence of that, wars between nations have virtually ceased.
It seems that alliances are being forged everywhere.
For the past half year, the entire continent has been shrouded in silence.
For the purpose of slaying the Demon King, humanity has been steadily sharpening its claws.
The current state was nearly ideal.
Though occasional issues can be seen, the Demon King's reign has been able to suppress the conflicts among people.
However, one cannot afford to let one's guard down.
This could just as well be the prelude to turmoil.
Sooner or later, each nation will make its move.
When that time comes, I must mount appropriate counterattacks.
Should a major problem arise, I must handle it swiftly and resolve it.
The policy had remained unchanged from before.
The only notable development abroad was that part of the Slave Autonomous Zone had surrendered to the Demon Lord's Domain.
Cities that had been subjected to the Demon Lord Army's invasion raised the white flag before they could be attacked again.
Roughly ten percent of the autonomous zone had become a territory under effective control.
This was a pleasant miscalculation.
The rulers had boasted that they could provide high-quality manpower at any time.
How quick they were to turncoat.
Since the autonomous zone had never taken the form of a nation to begin with, the sense of betrayal was probably rather thin.
The Demon Lord's Domain had become the largest territory among all the nations on the continent.
This had caused a dramatic increase in workload, plunging the domain into chronic labor shortage.
They had no problems when it came to military strength, but the smaller, day-to-day administrative matters were often frustrating.
They might eventually have to accept slaves as a source of labor.
Even amidst such events, the Demon Lord's Domain had carried on to this day.
Though they had been entangled in troublesome matters on numerous occasions, they had managed to resolve each one.
They intended to continue striving toward lasting world peace.
At that moment, the doors to the audience chamber opened.
The one who appeared was Yura.
In one hand, she carried a towering stack of documents.
A rough estimate put it at several hundred pages.
She had carried them all with effortless ease.
"Reporting to Master—I've brought the documents. Please review and sign."
"...Understood."
I give a quiet nod.
I had intended to rest this afternoon, but that was not to be.
Another night of relentless work, then.
I'll emulate the diligent Grom, making use of the nature of the undead.
Despite the sympathetic gazes from my subordinates, I crack the bones of my shoulders.