Chapter 8

The Demon King Castle Dovolberg is abnormally large.

Built to flaunt its power and might, one must walk endlessly through unnecessarily complex corridors to reach the Demon King's chamber.

There is a theory that the complex routes are designed to prepare for coups, but I wish they had considered the plight of those who have to walk such long corridors.

I trudge along, following my superior's back.

My respected superior is floating effortlessly, gliding smoothly forward with magic.

At such times, I envy the *Flight* magic. I can use it, but I can't control it as well as she can; I can only fly straight up.

"Captain, is the audience chamber still far?"

Just as I was about to ask, the large doors appeared.

It is probably the audience chamber, the place where the Demon King resides.

As if to prove this, Sefiro said,

"Ike, wait here. I'll go in first and talk."

With that, she entered the audience chamber alone.

Two heavily armed trolls guarding the door glared at me.

Sefiro is well-known as the captain, but I am just a nobody to them.

Despite being known as the Demon King's right-hand man, my fame is still limited.

I ignored the two trolls glaring at me and imagined the person behind the door.

The supreme commander of the Demon King's army.

The king of the demons and the strongest demon.

What kind of person is he?

Rumors say he is cruel and ruthless, killing both friend and foe if they are incompetent.

On the other hand, there are stories that if he finds something worth recognizing in a person, he will elevate them, even if they are inferior in magic or strength.

He is also known for evaluating people purely based on their abilities, regardless of their lineage or status, and for bringing reform to the Demon King's army.

In the past, the Demon King's army, or rather, the demons, were incomparably weaker than they are now.

They were always at a disadvantage against humans.

The reason the demons, who gathered fierce warriors, were at a disadvantage was due to their unique characteristics.

Demons are born lacking in cooperation.

They never follow orders from those they consider inferior.

In other words, demons were always fighting among themselves.

They were constantly divided and defeated individually by humans.

During my grandfather's time, the human alliance army even approached the front of this Dovolberg, but even then, there were intense power struggles within the castle.

The current Demon King, Dairokuten-sama, changed this situation.

He taught the demons, who knew nothing of cooperation, how to work together and dominated them with his absolute charisma.

"Hmm, Dairokuten-sama..."

What kind of person is he?

The more I think about it, the more curious I become.

It's rare for a brigade commander to meet him.

I waited with a pounding heart, and after ten minutes, Sefiro called me.

By telepathy, she said,

"You may enter."

I opened the door nervously.

The audience chamber was even larger than I imagined.

It was lavishly decorated with rare items from other continents.

As rumored, he seems to be a lover of rare and new things.

I briefly looked around the luxurious room but soon turned my gaze to its master.

The Demon King himself.

My eyes were drawn to a small girl on the throne.

...Huh?

A girl?

"Wh-What...?"

I couldn't help but let out a surprised cry.

Is this my superior's prank? The one sitting on the throne was a girl, 14 or 15 years old.

Of course, she wasn't human.

She had fangs and horns.

She also had twelve black wings, and I immediately recognized her as a demon, but she didn't have the dignity I imagined.

Her delicate appearance gave no impression of a legendary Demon King or a charismatic demon.

But—

I was quickly freed from this prejudice.

Indeed, she looked like a beautiful girl, but the ominous aura she emitted was beyond human, even beyond demon.

The magical waves enveloping her body were filled with such dread that they seemed ready to tear out my throat at any moment.

(Indeed, this girl is the Demon King. I mustn't be deceived by her appearance.)

I immediately understood this and bowed respectfully.

Until the girl said,

"Raise your face."

When I raised my face, she was still the delicate girl.

She continued,

"Are you Ike, under Sefiro's command?"

"Yes, that's correct."

I gave a standard response, though I thought it was a bit unimpressive.

"Is it true that you conquered the impregnable city of Arsenam in just one week?"

A typical demon would boast, "Yes, that's true," but unfortunately, I am human and couldn't take credit for others' achievements.

"Hmm, quite modest. Unusual for a demon. Are you really a demon?"

"………………"

Oh no, this is bad. My modesty backfired.

Should I have acted more arrogantly, as a demon would?

As I was hesitating, Sefiro came to my rescue.

"This one is the grandson of Rombelg, known as the Guardian of the Abyss."

Upon hearing this, the Demon King said,

"I see, Rombelg's grandson. That explains your modesty."

She then twisted her lips.

"He was a moderate in the Demon King's army and one of the sharpest. His grandson. It's not surprising that you are thoughtful."

She laughed, adding,

"I almost fell for your appearance."

"So, you are Rombelg's grandson. That's why you didn't kill the residents or punish the responsible parties, and you almost took Arsenam without bloodshed?"

"………………"

I hesitated to answer.

It was because of her questioning tone.

I had heard that the current Demon King valued results alone, but perhaps that approach was wrong.

Should the Demon King's army have executed the responsible parties as a warning?

But, as a human, I couldn't do that.

No, even if I were a demon, I couldn't.

Rule by fear is unsustainable.

It will inevitably fail.

I decided to state my opinion.

"May I express my thoughts, Demon King?"

The Demon King slightly tilted her chin in agreement.

"The old way of the Demon King's army. Ruling through fear. It may seem efficient, but I believe it is inefficient."

"How so?"

"Humans fear fear, but they do not obey it. This is evident from history. When comparing the productivity of cities where human leaders were killed and those where they were left in place, the difference in wealth brought to our army is clear."

"Is this Rombelg's theory?"

"……Yes."

I affirmed, but this was also related to my past life's memories.

The inefficiency of fear-based communism versus freedom-based capitalism, the latter ultimately won.

The low productivity of the remaining dictatorships also showed how ineffective fear-based politics are.

I was well aware of this, and I believed she would be too.

Though we had only just started talking, I felt a certain certainty.

The certainty was:

'Probably, this person is also a reincarnated soul.'

The reforms she brought to the Demon King's army, her intelligence, overwhelming charisma, and her tone and way of thinking reminded me of a person known to any Japanese person.

She calls herself,

"Demon King Dairokuten."

This name, in Japanese, means "Sixth Heaven Demon King."

A person familiar with history would immediately recognize this name.

She also calls herself,

"Ufu."

In kanji, this is "Right Minister," the final position of a certain historical figure who had a significant impact on Japanese history and ended the Warring States period.

He is often described as cruel and ruthless, but I don't think so.

He was a harsh but rational person who didn't engage in unnecessary massacres.

If she is the same person I think she is, she will agree with my thoughts.

With this in mind, I presented my theory, but did my bet pay off?

I looked into the Demon King's eyes through my mask.

If I was wrong, I might be executed.

I broke out in a cold sweat, but my bet paid off.

She said, expressionless,

"Is that so?"

Then continued,

"You seem to be an interesting one. Different from other demons."

She liked it.

She said, "I will reward you."

I was taken aback by the unexpected words.

I stood there until Sefiro nudged me with her elbow and said,

"Will you not express your gratitude?"

"Thank you for your kindness."

I gave another unimpressive response, and the Demon King nodded lightly,

"Strive harder."

Then she left the audience chamber.

I stood there for a moment, watching her back as she left.