"The previous Demon Lord... and the Four Heavenly Kings, you say!?"
Grom revealed his shock openly.
He had been born only recently.
Though he had acquired knowledge and techniques from the deceased who served as his base model, it seemed he did not know the finer details.
"I will explain the details later. For now, introductions take priority."
Cutting the conversation short, I leaped from the outer wall.
Using wind magic to slow my descent, I landed before the former Heavenly King, the succubus.
"What business do you have in my domain?"
"Um, are you the new Demon Lord?"
The succubus tilted her head slightly and asked.
Her tone was somehow lacking in tension.
And it was a voice I remembered well.
Setting aside the resurfacing memories of the past, I answered her question.
"For the time being, the title of Demon Lord is a self-proclaimed one."
"Oh? Is that so. I see, I see..."
The succubus looked me up and down.
It was a gaze that seemed to be enjoying herself, sizing me up.
"――Girl. If you dare be any more disrespectful, I will cut off your head immediately."
Grom, who had descended to the ground, spoke in a cold, hard tone.
He was different from his usual self.
The atmosphere was the same as when we first met.
Her attitude toward anyone other than me hadn't softened in the slightest.
The threatened succubus hugged her own shoulders and shuddered theatrically.
"Don't be scary, I don't like it when you say frightening things."
It was overdone and deliberate.
Clearly an act.
She was handling Grom's killing intent with impressive ease.
Her words and gestures were frivolous, but then her expression suddenly turned serious.
She approached me and, after a moment, leaned her face in close.
She appeared to be sniffing me.
After a while she lifted her head and let out a cheerful voice.
"I thought I recognized that magical signature—wise man Dwight, isn't it! Hey, that's right, isn't it?"
"How dare you speak to the Demon King with such impudence, you little—!"
"Grom, stop."
I held out a hand to halt Grom, who was about to step forward.
Grom dimmed the flames in his eye sockets.
He seemed dejected from being reprimanded.
"Demon King..."
"Leave this to me."
I told the sorrowful-looking Grom, then faced the succubus.
A strikingly beautiful visage, clad in black garments.
Every aspect of her demeanor, gaze, and movement was meticulously calculated to provoke and entice her target.
I knew of many who had fallen prey to her venomous charms.
Naturally, the current me was immune to such allure.
"It's been a while, hasn't it, Luciana?"
"Indeed. Since half of your precious hero was blown away. That was over a decade ago, wasn't it?"
The former Archdemon, succubus Luciana narrowed her eyes fondly at the memory.
As she spoke, her long peach-colored hair swayed.
Under the moonlight, it subtly shifted in hue.
"Dwight, you've changed so much. Is it just that age?"
"You must have already deduced it. It's the authority of the Valley of the Dead."
"Ah, so I was right? I thought so."
Luciana's smile deepened.
Behind me, I sensed Grom's mood souring.
When I glanced back at him silently, he collected himself and straightened his spine.
"By the way, standing around is tiring. If possible, could we go inside? I'd like to let these children rest as well."
"Understood. I'll show you the way."
As I nodded, Grom cautiously voiced his opinion.
"Lord Demon King, is this acceptable?"
"No problem. Should anything arise—I will handle it with my full power."
After a pause, I made my declaration and erupted with miasma like flames from my entire body.
It was a pitch-black so intense it stood out clearly against the night's darkness.
In that state, I stared intently at Luciana and the others.
The monsters visibly shrank back.
Luciana, who had felt it firsthand, was also dumbstruck, letting out a dry laugh.
"A-ahahaha... You've really changed, haven't you, you? You feel more compelling than when you were human."
"That doesn't matter now. Follow me. I'll welcome you as guests."
I turned on my heel and entered the Royal Capital.
The monsters followed behind me in a shuffling line.
"Isn't the miasma in this city a bit too thick? It's serious enough to affect monsters, too."
Along the way, Luciana spoke in a resigned tone and cast a ward.
She was purifying the miasma along the path.
Calmly reducing the burden on her subordinates.
Indeed, the current Royal Capital was an environment not designed for living beings.
Until now, there had been no issues because only the undead existed here.
Even though monsters were more adaptable than humans, this concentration was harsh for anything living.
Upon reaching the castle, I beckoned to Luciana.
"From here on, only you come with me. The others can use the building as they please."
"Well, that's how it would be, isn't it. Understood."
Luciana once again invoked her ward magic.
She gathered the relatively intact buildings nearby and enveloped them in a barrier.
This created a space with thin miasma, securing a safe zone to wait with my subordinates.
Grom, Luciana, and I headed toward the castle.
For our conversation, we chose the reception room, currently unused.
The room was well-maintained.
Grom must have been cleaning it diligently.
We sat on facing sofas and began talking across a low table.
"I ask again, what brings you here?"
"Don't glare at me like that. You and I are on good terms, aren't we, Dwight?"
"Y-you don't mean to say the Demon Lord and this little wench..."
Grom trembled with shock.
The flames in his eye sockets flickered wildly.
The words must have been quite a blow to him.
"Calm down, Grom. I know Luciana, but we are not close. We were enemies."
As a hero's retainer and one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord's army, we were fated to kill each other, engaging in deadly battles many times.
In the end, there was no resolution; while she was conducting sabotage operations against the human army, we defeated the Demon Lord.
"Were enemies, you say... past tense. Does that mean you think things are different now?"
Luciana made a mischievous face.
I nodded without hesitation.
"Your Dark Lord is dead. Ten years have passed since then. There's no reason for us to be fighting."
"That's a pragmatic way to think. I might have come to avenge His Majesty the Dark Lord, you know."
"Then I'll crush you and turn you into undead. We'll make good use of your corpses."
I declare with an intimidating tone.
That wasn't a threat.
If necessary, I'd see it through. It would require only minimal effort.
"...!"
Luciana's cheeks tense as she holds her breath, sweat trickling down.
She exhales to compose herself, then slowly sinks back into the sofa.
"I was joking. We just want to become subordinates to the new Dark Lord."
"What do you mean?"
As I ask, Luciana begins to explain.
After the Dark Lord's death, remnants of the Demon King's army were apparently ravaged by humans.
Even when they wanted to fight, with the supreme Dark Lord absent, they couldn't mount an effective counterattack.
Eventually, the remnants' leadership collapsed, and their internal objectives diverged.
Before long, they split into several factions, each going their separate ways.
At that time, Luciana, who held one of the Four Heavenly King positions, took her supporters and headed to the frontier.
They were apparently called the "moderates" within the remnants.
These moderates decided to live quietly in places beyond human scrutiny.
Holding to the belief that someday a new Demon Lord would appear, they had endured ten years of tribulation.
"If some spineless pretender tried to claim the title, I would have stolen it from him, but that worry seems unnecessary. After all, you are stronger than the previous Demon Lord."
Luciana offered her honest praise.
Her words carried a hint of exasperation.
My strength had apparently exceeded her expectations somewhat.
"Still, I never imagined you, Dwight, would become the new Demon Lord. I knew you and the hero were executed, but what truly happened?"
Leaning forward, Luciana asked.
She looked utterly fascinated.
Since it wasn't exactly a secret, and she had shared her own circumstances, I decided it wouldn't hurt to explain.
Judging that to be fair, I recounted the sequence of events from after the Demon Lord's defeat to the present.
The story wasn't overly complex.
It didn't take long to finish.
"In other words, the humans who scorned the hero who slew the Demon Lord ended up birthing a new one, who then destroyed them! Ahaha, humans are hopeless fools!"
Luciana rolled on the sofa, laughing.
She clearly found the tale quite amusing.
It didn't seem like laughing matter to me, but it evidently struck a chord with her.
Meanwhile, I countered her sentiment.
"Humans are foolish, yes, but not beyond salvation. I intend to give them everlasting peace."
"How noble. You aren't considering wiping them out completely?"
"I will exert my power for the sake of world peace. That has been my policy since before death, and it was that person's dearest wish."
Only the path to peace has changed.
The fundamental conviction remains unshaken.
It is precisely because I believe the current method is optimal that I execute it without hesitation.
Luciana straightened her posture and offered a gentle smile.
"Well, I understand your situation and objectives. So, what will you do?"
Her gaze probed for my true intentions.
Without waiting for my reaction, she continued speaking.
"We seek land of tranquility. In exchange, we can provide technology and military strength. You seek capable subordinates. As payment, you can offer the entire Royal Capital district."
"Our interests are aligned, then."
"That's right! I believe the terms are mutually beneficial, don't you?"
Luciana spoke with a cool expression.
She wore a look of certainty that I would agree.
Just then, Grom whispered in my ear.
"Lord Demon King, I have a small matter to discuss."
"What is it?"
"Please, come this way."
I was led by Grom to the side of the room.
There, he generated a soundproof wall with magic.
He crafted it so his voice would not reach Luciana.
"You believe that succubus?"
"Luciana is certainly competent. She has an untrustworthy nature, but that can be managed through observation."
Monitoring her was necessary regardless of her true intentions.
If the demons they had protected began to wipe out humanity, the consequences would be unbearable.
As long as they kept that in check, this wasn't a bad deal at all.
Old grudges meant nothing to me now.
Only her current value mattered.
"The demonic army she commands is attractive. Even five hundred is a significant force to have under one's command. It will be a relationship of mutual exploitation. That is all."
"If that is your will, Demon Lord, I have no objections..."
Grom still seemed somewhat reluctant.
I could tell he was genuinely concerned about my future.
It felt wrong to dismiss that entirely.
I placed a hand on Grom's shoulder.
"If the time comes, I will count on your strength."
"Understood! This Grom will exhaust every fiber of his being for the Demon Lord!"
Grom's spirits lifted instantly.
The flames in his eye sockets blazed so fiercely they nearly scorched the ceiling.
That should keep him settled for a while.
I returned to my seat on the sofa.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. We've reached a decision."
"So, what are you going to do about it?"
"I will accept you. I promise you a place of peace, and in return, you will join the war against humanity."
Hearing the answer, Luciana smiled sweetly and offered her hand.
"No problem. We did this ten years ago. It's too late to hesitate now, right?"
"Good. The deal is struck."
When I took Luciana's hand, she happily bounced up and down.
"Yay! We'll be working together from now on, Demon King Master?"
She smoothly drew close and wrapped her arms around my neck.
Then she pressed her body against mine.
"...What are you doing?"
"I like strong men. The only reason I served the previous Demon King Master was because I was enchanted by his overwhelming power. So now... it's like that. Hey, you get what I'm saying?"
Luciana said, looking up at me.
Her eyes glistened with emotion.
Her plump, red lips drew near.
(Same as always.)
I generated magic within my palm.
I wouldn't kill her, but this sort of thing would be troublesome if it happened again in the future. Honestly, it was nothing but a nuisance. I should give her a warning first. Just as I was about to cast the spell, eight bony hands seized Luciana's body.
The bony hand forcibly tore her away from me.
This was, without question, Grom's doing.
"A succubus of all things, trying to seduce the Demon Lord himself with those wiles? Unacceptable! You must not be deceived—this one is a vile woman!"
"My, what a terrible thing to say. You're hardly one to talk—you look like you stepped straight out of a fever dream—but you're still nothing compared to the Demon Lord. Sorry about that. I only have eyes for number one."
Luciana replied with a smug smile.
Her leisurely tone carried no small amount of provocation.
"Silence, wretched harlot. You have touched upon my wrath. I shall make it so you never gaze upon that prized beauty of yours again."
Grom flew into a rage.
He had reverted to his true demeanor, making no effort to conceal his killing intent.
"Come at me, then. I'll make a special exception and deal with you myself."
Luciana, for her part, had inexplicably shifted into a combat stance.
Perhaps her criterion for choosing partners was strength—she clearly had a combative side to her.
The restraints she had imposed on herself for so long, those chains called suppression, had finally snapped, and now the backlash had arrived.
"Fwahahaha! I shall reduce you to cinders with my sorcery...!"
"Bring it on! I'll beat you senseless before you know it!"
At last, the two of them began a magical exchange.
The reception room was being destroyed in the crossfire.
Watching from the sidelines, I placed my hand on the door to the exit.
I couldn't afford to get involved in every little thing.
This body of mine was on the verge of exhaustion as it was.
Since they've formed a pact and become allies, two such intelligent individuals shouldn't truly have any reason to kill one another.
I'll leave them be until they're satisfied.
(...Should I send word of what transpired to Luciana's subordinates?)
Ignoring the battle that had begun in the rear, I departed from the audience chamber.