Chapter 459

Edina Palace Conference Room.

There were four nobles sitting there, excluding Lucien.

"Your Majesty."

"It's been a while. Great presence."

Although Eleris claims to be my servant, the other three are not in a superior-subordinate relationship with me. They are helping me as much as they can, but that is only their cooperation, not their submission to me.

Of course, Le Luyen, Galarsch, and Antirianus have all moved their tribes to the Edina Islands.

There was also a will to help me, but they couldn't leave their tribes in the continent that had become a mess due to the Gate Incident.

Now, the Lord Vampire's tribes were also responsible for a very important axis of my military power.

Vampires are generally magicians, and the Lord Vampires who can withstand sunlight are also very important pillars supporting my rule in various parts of the islands.

Magic.

If that important power didn't exist, I wouldn't have been able to provide a good place for the countless refugees, build new buildings, or grow food for them as quickly as this.

Basically, humans are very afraid of vampires.

However, when humans see vampires using magic to cultivate crops and working hard to feed them, they are confused about what it is.

Humans provide blood as long as they don't become vampires, and vampires provide food for humans.

It's a bit of a parasitic relationship, but what can you do when your throat is a grape juice.

So, the tribes of Friday, Thursday, and Saturday seemed to have no complaints about this situation.

So my most important supporters and collaborators, the vampires, were looking at me.

"Your Majesty, rumors about this place are spreading little by little on the continent."

It was Eleris's words.

Eleris mainly acted alone.

She did what she could to destroy the warp gates while wandering around the continent, in order to completely end the Gate Incident.

"Rumors?"

"Yes, we confirmed that rumors are spreading little by little, whether they are from refugees who refused to join or not, that there is a paradise in the south."

The continent is in chaos.

The Empire does not yet know that I have established myself in this far south, despite doing its best in its own way.

Even if they knew, they wouldn't have the power to do anything about it right now.

"Currently, there are only rumors that there is a place in the south, and we don't know who specifically knows about it... But in the long run, powerful forces, including the Empire, may search the southern region and reach Port Mokna."

"...That's right."

Port Mokna, our continental hub.

On the map of the continent, it is only a small dot, but if the Empire finds out that it is safe and that a large number of troops are stationed there, it could become a problem.

If someone in Port Mokna is captured, the Empire will know that the Demon King has established himself in a faraway southern island.

This Edina Islands will not be out of the Empire's sight forever.

The Gate Incident destroyed most of the foundation of humanity, but this incident will end someday. Eleris reported that the installation of water and sewage systems in the refugee camps is almost complete, and large-scale cultivation in the south is almost finished. The Lord Vampires are skilled in magic related to biology, which is useful for farming. The Demon King's advantage is having a large number of skilled magicians who can be used for production and farming. The Empire cannot adopt this method due to the vast territory they need to defend. The Demon King's forces are securing abandoned mines and quarries to supply the Edina Islands with magic stones, a resource that is currently scarce. Antirianus reports that the Empire has successfully destroyed 80% of the existing warp gates. However, there is still a long and difficult task of dealing with the monsters that have already entered the world. As the number of warp gates decreases, the remaining gates will become more dangerous. The end of the Gate Incident is approaching, but each remaining gate will become increasingly risky. "Furthermore, the Empire has successfully restored all of its thirty provinces, including major cities, and has firmly established its defense posture. From now on, it seems that they will support other surviving empires and work to restore their territories. It seems safe to say that the Empire has fully regained its national function."

"Even though the Edina Islands are safe, the Empire is reclaiming the territories that were taken by monsters in the continent where monsters rampage like waves, and has fully restored the country's function. I can feel the power of humans once again."

"I'm not sure if this is good news for me, but Antirianus smiled softly. 'However, the population concentrated in the Gradium region exceeds about forty million. Large-scale refugee camps have formed in the outskirts of Gradium, and the Empire cannot currently handle their size. The streets of the refugee camps are filled with sewage and waste, and they are facing a state of public security vacuum, such as leaving the corpses of starving refugees.'"

"It is natural for people to flock to Gradium, and it was the same in the original work. Therefore, a wide range of public security vacuum areas are created. Even if we only consider the population concentrated in Gradium, it is much larger than the total population of the Edina Islands. The Empire cannot support, control, or guarantee their safety and livelihoods. Monsters that roam the continent will attack them frequently."

"The Gate Incident is coming to an end, but other problems are plaguing the Empire. Furthermore, due to the growing distrust of the Odean Divine Sect, it has been confirmed that the majority of refugees believe in the faith of the Warrior Church, which presents Elene Arthorius, a warrior, as a prophet."

"A forced warrior. As I, the Demon King, am revealed to be the culprit of this incident, Elene is being forcibly embraced as a prophet of the Warrior Church. Antirianus laughs. As if this situation, where I am doing such things for the sake of humans, and being an object of hatred for the majority of humanity, is enjoyable."

"The majority of refugees, as well as a considerable number of existing Gradium residents, are believed to believe in the Warrior Church, and their dissatisfaction is going beyond the limit."

"Dissatisfaction? Does that mean they are dissatisfied with Elene not killing me? But Elene probably doesn't even know where I am."

"Warrior Church believers want to sacrifice the princess, who is the Demon King's confidant, as a sacrificial lamb."

"......"

Ah, that's what it was about.

* * *

I already knew about the story of Charlotte. Stories about her strange power had spread.

I didn't actually conspire with Charlotte. But with the hatred towards me going beyond the limit and me still being somewhere on the continent, people are looking for a sacrificial lamb they can pull in front of them.

That's why there are forces that have been kidnapped to the Demon King's castle, and Charlotte, who I have been close to, has been known as the top priority confidant of the Demon King.

It's a miserable situation.

Elene is a poor warrior who has been loyal to the Demon King until now.

Charlotte was a collaborator who worked with the Demon King.

Antirianus keeps laughing. "I am willing to cooperate fully, but at this moment, I really want to punch that crazy fanatic in the face. The more the Lord suffers, the happier he becomes. Antirianus says, 'The Imperial family is consistently unresponsive to the demands of the masses, but this trend could eventually lead to distrust of the Imperial family. Isn't the Imperial family in cahoots with the Demon King? That's why they're not handing over Charlotte de Gradia.' That's what he means. '...That's probably true.' People believe what they want to believe. They want to kill the princess, but why don't they? Aren't you all in on it together? The story of why the princess must die has already been completed. They just believe that they are in cahoots with the Demon King and believe it for now. So they will try to make all those who protect such a princess into a suitable existence to hate. The demand of the Warrior Church and the general public to kill the princess continues throughout the continent, and if the Empire continues to be unresponsive, riots will eventually occur. Killing the princess will not solve anything. People are just angry, unfair, and sad. Someone will wish to bear this anger and die. It's not a Demon King who may or may not be somewhere, but a princess who is known to be somewhere. 'Emperor Berthus will eventually have to put the princess in front of the crowd.' Berthus became the emperor. The emperor must protect the empire. He cannot exchange the fortune of the empire and Charlotte's life, and he cannot do so. Whatever his will may be, just like the Gate incident happened. Whatever Berthus's will may be, Charlotte will eventually have to be put on the stake. They must exchange the life of the princess and the anger of the citizens. 'Great existence, what do you suggest?' Antirianus laughed heartily. Charlotte cursed me. She said I would die the most miserable death in the world. I don't really have any grudges. I could say such things to Charlotte enough to make her believe them. Will Charlotte still hate me? I don't know about that. Once when I escaped from the Demon King's castle. Once in the Spring Palace. I saved Charlotte's life twice. So, whether Charlotte hates me or not, regardless of her will, I will save her for the third time. I swore to do so. I will pass any night and overcome any hatred or malice. I will save Charlotte. 'I have to go see the situation.' I don't know when that will be, but I will do it." "For example, unless they have the manpower of someone like Liana de Gradia who teleported with Eleris to the Royal Central Training Grounds, the number of people who can teleport is extremely limited. The Lord Vampires of the Council are not always stationed here either, as they all have their own tasks. Liana, dressed simply, glanced at me and flicked her head. 'Did you get any sleep?' 'No, I didn't.' Liana is now better known to people as the Star of the Brain, the strongest spear that protects Fort Mocna and saves people from monsters. 'Oh, I'm hungry. Let's talk while we eat something.' 'Sure.' Although we were having an informal conversation, Liana has killed the most monsters and saved the most people among us. * * * Harryot, Liana, and I sat in the restaurant of the palace and talked. It's not particularly fancy for a royal meal, but it's not too poor either. If we compare it to the meals provided at the temple, there is no comparison in terms of quality and quantity. 'There are no monsters or people around Mocna anymore. You have to go very far to even see a monster's tail. There doesn't seem to be much we can do here.' Searching the vicinity of the fixed base for people fleeing from monsters or hiding from them is now a situation where there is no special income. That's why initially, a huge number of refugees were brought on board ships, but today's refugees were only about 800 people. 'There is another port city about 170 kilometers west of Mocna, but it would be better to secure that place and use it as a base for search and rescue operations.' 'Okay, let's estimate the cost.' Establishing a new base and conducting rescue and monster relief operations there after capturing it. Liana asks while munching on sausage. 'But whether to abandon or maintain Mocna is important. What do you think?' 'Hmm... If we operate two forward bases, the possibility of being detected by the Empire will double. It seems a bit unnecessary to maintain Mocna, which has lost its utility.' 'But it's a shame to throw away everything like the materials and infrastructure there.' 'That's true.' The discussion of whether to abandon or maintain Mocna is put aside, and I am convinced of the need to install a new forward base. 'By the way... Are you okay? Are you really going to the Empire yourself?' This time, Harryot asked me. 'Empire? What are you talking about all of a sudden?' Liana flicked her head because she didn't know what I was trying to do. 'These days... It seems that there is a strong public opinion that the princess of the Empire should be executed. So I'm going to check the Empire's trends myself.' '...?' Liana flicked her head at my words. 'Wow... I think you're a sucker even among suckers... Isn't this going too far? You're not only taking care of humans, but now you're taking care of the enemy, the Empire's princess?' Among us, Liana is the one who hopes the most for the collapse of the Empire and the destruction of the Gradiaus royal family." Liana was not particularly close to Charlotte, so it was natural for her to be angry at my decision to go to the Empire to scout out the situation regarding the princess. She had heard everything that had happened between Charlotte and me, so it was also natural for her to have a disapproving expression. Harryot wonders if it's foolish to take care of the enemy, the Empire's princess. Liana hopes for the collapse of the Empire and the destruction of the Gradiaus royal family. The protagonist is convinced of the need to install a new forward base.