Chapter 7

The Demon King's castle, Dovolberg, is located at the eastern end of the continent.

Built atop a cliff, it would require a considerable number of soldiers and siege weapons to capture this castle.

While this is only an estimate, it would likely require hundreds of thousands of troops and hundreds of siege weapons, as well as an excellent commander to lead them.

However, this is just an estimate.

No human kingdom has ever conquered Dovolberg in recorded history.

While there have been kings who have managed to reach the foot of the castle and successfully negotiate peace, no king has ever succeeded in driving out the demons.

"Well, if there were, my grandfather would have died, and I wouldn't be here."

Perhaps, if that were the case, I might have been raised as a human child and led a normal life.

The thought made me feel strange, but the feeling quickly faded as I reached the summoning chamber in Dovolberg's palace.

Dovolberg's palace is protected by a powerful barrier, so it's not possible to teleport anywhere within it.

If it were possible to move freely, one could easily reach the Demon King's chamber and assassinate the Demon King.

It's a reasonable precaution, but I was surprised by the strict security.

"Is something wrong? Did you get affected by the miasma of the Demon King's castle? You are human, after all. Even with the Robe of the Undying King, it must be tough."

"No, it's not that..."

I was puzzled by the presence of a demon mage in the depths of the summoning chamber.

"Captain, could that mage be checking the humans who enter the Demon King's castle?"

When I pointed this out, she turned to look and readily confirmed it.

"Exactly. Did you think you could meet the Demon King without any checks?"

I thought so.

Since I was with the army's second-in-command, the Legion Commander, I thought there might be some flexibility, but it seems there would be thorough checks.

"This is bad, Captain. My true identity might be exposed."

"What, are you afraid of being revealed as a coward who can't touch a woman's breasts?"

"...No, that's not it. My human identity might be exposed. As long as I wear this robe and mask, I won't be exposed, but the way things are going, I might be stripped of them."

"You'll have to take off your mask in front of others at some point."

"At that time, I'll use a transformation spell. It might fool a low-level demon, but I doubt it would work on a high-ranking mage like that."

"Is that all? Don't worry. Your magic might not be enough, but mine is easy."

With that, she cast a spell on me without chanting any incantations.

A witch of her caliber probably doesn't need to chant, but a more dignified incantation would have been reassuring.

However, the check was mercilessly my turn.

As expected, I was made to remove my robe and mask.

My heart racing, I looked at the mirror, known for revealing the truth.

There, I saw a fine demon with fangs and horns.

Oh, it seems Sefiro's magic was perfect.

However, as befitting the Demon King's castle, the check wasn't just a simple mirror test; a direct check by the mage was also required.

A middle-aged demon, presumably, cast a spell on me with a blank expression.

Unlike Sefiro, he didn't cast the spell without chanting; he recited several verses of incantations, a proper spell.

I received the spell with a tense expression.

Sefiro's spell was simple, and I was afraid it might not hold.

I tried to control my heart rate while watching the middle-aged demon's expression.

He muttered,

"Hmm..."

and continued,

"Indeed, you deserve the title of the Demon King's right-hand man. Your magic is impressive. It's hard to believe you're only at the Legion Commander level."

It seems the check wasn't just to verify if I was a demon but also to measure my abilities.

"Wow, Ike, you're impressive. You'll surely become a Legion Commander one day."

I sighed in relief at his words but had one question.

"Huh? You know my name?"

"I've known it for a while. Besides, I have some acquaintance with your grandfather."

Oh, this person knows my grandfather.

No wonder.

My grandfather was a renowned Great Mage in the Demon King's army, but it has been a considerable time since he passed away.

Given his many legends, many demons should know him, but I didn't expect to meet one of his acquaintances here.

I wanted to hear stories about my grandfather, but I couldn't.

"What are you chatting about?" Sefiro pushed me from behind.

"Don't dawdle here. We're heading to the Demon King. The current Demon King is a generous person, but he's strict about time."

Hearing this, I bowed slightly to the mage and headed towards the Demon King's chamber.