Ch.20The Demon King’s Qualification (4)

“Those bewitched by false rumors have appeared.”

Spranches whispered. The lizard spoke while keeping an eye on the outside. The thought that leaked truths could create unfortunate incidents made him anxious. Still, since it was Durin’s order, the lizard gathered his courage.

“As expected, the hostages in the reception room responded the fastest.”

“They must be busy transmitting information back to their homeland. They likely have their eyes and ears keenly open to the central region, aiming for the next Demon King.”

“As you can see from the report, the eastern region is currently the most active. While they have frequently gathered for discussions before, we’ve recently detected circumstances of individuals acting independently.”

The document handed over by the secretary contained various writings. Even at a glance, it was filled with desire and greed. They were assessing who would become the next Demon King while looking at the empty throne. However, no one had the courage to step forward, so things remained stagnant. In this imperfect peace, no one wanted to shoulder the responsibility.

They were all filled with thoughts of picking up the scraps that would fall from whoever ascended to the throne and seized power. Of course, there were some who were trying to step forward.

“Among them, this woman is the most active. Your Excellency, you should pay close attention.”

Spranches handed over a picture. She was one of the persons of interest already reported by Ludmila. The demon drawn on the yellowed paper had yellow eyes. Green horns indicated her eastern origin, and the name written at the bottom showed she had an impressive bloodline.

“Serphin Del Istria.”

“This is what the Golden Guard who watched over the prison reported directly.”

“Does she show greed as rumored?”

“She doesn’t completely reveal it outwardly, but it seems she’s conducting some underhanded schemes beneath the surface.”

“If she’s an eastern demon, that’s certainly the case. They’re the kind who never openly plot anything.”

Durin put aside the portrait and picked up a new parchment. The content was similar to before. Just heated discussions about who might be in the empty prison. But what caught his eye was something else.

– Controls others with golden eyes.

“Interesting.”

Durin muttered quietly. But Spranches, who heard that small comment, tilted his head.

“Your Excellency, may I ask which part you find special?”

“The way this child handles her subordinates. An interesting demon.”

“If I may humbly say, Your Excellency, isn’t enchantment magic a basic magic that any high-ranking demon can use? Please enlighten my foolish self on what I don’t yet know.”

“Spranches, this is a realm you shouldn’t know about yet.”

“I apologize, Your Excellency.”

“You’ll learn everything in due time. I’ll tell you then.”

As Spranches said, enchantment was a basic skill for demons. There was no better sorcery for subduing those weaker than oneself. Ludmila, who was the best in this field, held a position of power as a sorceress.

However, Durin saw it differently.

“Spranches.”

“Command me.”

“Go immediately and find the maid that Serphin has enchanted.”

“Since her identity has already been specified, we should be able to find her quickly. I’ll inform the royal guard.”

“No.”

The royal guard was insufficient. Stronger force was needed.

“Deploy the Golden Guard. All personnel except those guarding the prison will participate.”

“The… the entire Guard, you say?”

“It’s that important, Spranches. Move quickly.”

“I will do as commanded, Your Excellency!”

#

Drip.

The stream of water from the teapot filled the cup. A deep aroma spread throughout the room.

Serphin closed her eyes and emptied her mind. Recently, the castle had been going through such a turbulent period that there was too much incoming information.

These days, the hottest topic in the castle was still Durin’s military reorganization.

There was a time when the southern warriors filling the training grounds seemed like novices. They often broke formation and strayed from their lines, causing nobles to secretly laugh at them. Where had the central region’s proud strict military discipline and elite army gone?

But not anymore. They had been absorbed into the central region. The speed of their adaptation was unbelievably short.

Their spear tips were aligned. The gaze beneath their blue horns was incredibly sharp. True to the saying that the south was the cradle of warriors, they had been reborn as excellent soldiers.

If it had stopped there, it would have ended as a remarkable development like before, but the southern soldiers were deployed throughout the castle for patrol duties. As they began to fulfill their roles as the castle’s defense force, the previous shortage of troops was somewhat resolved. This naturally put pressure on the nobles.

Durin had gained more eyes. Except for the reception room, spaces where nobles could freely talk were disappearing. Aside from occasional instances where magistrates lectured southern soldiers about the law, corridor conversations had decreased.

This meant that useful information coming to Serphin had decreased. There was a lot pouring in, but it was all about Durin’s actions and commentary on him. All the regent’s backsliding from secret places was being buried.

“Should I add one more?”

Serphin touched her cup without lifting it. Even as the aroma brushed her nose, she couldn’t feel it.

“These days, the frequency of visits has decreased, and the effect doesn’t seem as good as before.”

Even now, southern soldiers were patrolling around the reception room with vigilant eyes. Moreover, noble youths from Raktelun were strutting around inside the reception room, forming a new faction. The self-proclaimed pro-Durin group was pushing out nobles gathered by continent.

Like the castle corridors, the reception room was likely to become a place where one couldn’t speak freely as before. No, it would definitely become so.

“What should I do?”

When the still young demon realized she didn’t have many cards in hand, her worries deepened.

What resolved this was none other than a shout that shook the entire reception room.

“Serphin Del Istria, come out!”

By completely eliminating her worries, that is.

Serphin raised her head in surprise. It was rare for the name of the Eastern Grand Duke’s daughter to be called so easily. To begin with, there were few people of higher status than her, and she had lived quietly in the reception room. That’s why the current situation was so bewildering.

However, she didn’t ask “why?” Fear that pricked her heart came first because of what she had been doing.

“I won’t say it twice. Serphin Del Istria, come out at once and greet the regent!”

It was a thunderous call. She involuntarily hunched her shoulders. Serphin took a deep breath to calm herself. If she went out completely frozen, something terrible could happen. At least she had to maintain her dignity.

Serphin removed her hands from the cup and stood up. After quickly checking for any wrinkles in her dress, she stepped outside her room.

Creak!

She came out.

She has come out.

Murmuring.

What she faced was the commotion of the crowd. Those who had accompanied her as eastern nobles and those who had competed with her for power were, on this day, whispering with one mind. It would be inevitable in such a situation.

It was natural since Regent Durin, at the center of the situation, was standing in front of Serphin. Moreover, behind him stood the Golden Guard in golden armor. They exuded an aura of a different dimension compared to the southern warriors she had previously discussed. It was not a force an ordinary person could withstand.

But Serphin was a high-ranking demon. She was barely able to pay her respects against all that pressure.

“I greet Your Excellency who protects the castle. I am Serphin Del Istria, daughter of the East. What brings you here?”

Her posture was perfect. She could bow her head to Durin without faltering. Whether the red glow in his eyes showed satisfaction was unclear, but she hoped it was alright.

“I’ve heard the rumors, Istria.”

Rumors? Serphin’s mind raced at each word Durin threw. She carefully chose her words to perfectly answer the next question.

“Follow me. I have urgent matters to discuss with you.”

“…Pardon?”

The problem was that Durin didn’t give her a chance. She was so deeply contemplating that she couldn’t respond properly. While she momentarily hesitated, the Golden Guard surrounded Serphin. The world turned completely golden. Only the unpleasant whispers of nobles generating new rumors filled the air.

“Let’s go.”

“Move out!”

Durin’s appearance was like a mirage. He surged in like a wave, called out his target, and then promptly took her away without any further rhetoric. Only the bewildered eyes of demons remained in the reception room.

“What on earth happened…?”

“Was Lady Serphin plotting something else without our knowledge?”

Along with vague questions.

#

The castle had two spires.

One was the eastern spire recently designated as a prison by Durin, and the other was the western spire forming a symmetrical point.

Like twins facing each other, this place was used as the castle’s punishment chamber, a place to interrogate those who had committed crimes.

From first impression, it looked like a dungeon for torturing hero parties. The blood soaking the floor indicated someone had already passed through, creating an atmosphere of terror.

Even Serphin, who had maintained her composure while being led by the Golden Guard, changed her expression the moment she arrived at the western spire. She didn’t move. She kept looking around while curling up her body.

– W-why am I in such a place…?

The magical curtain showed the scene of the interrogation room without filtering. Durin sat at the high seat, looking at Serphin who was trembling with anxiety. Above her fidgeting fingers with her head bowed, a trembling voice leaked out. Her fate would soon be decided by the magistrate. Having to watch the crossroads of life and death that had left her hands, she couldn’t help but lose her mind as time passed.

“Your Excellency, I’ve come here because there’s a special matter.”

The castle’s punishment was carried out by the Chief Justice. This was because a more definite justification was needed amidst the complex interests of high-ranking demons.

Old demon Matheus, who would handle this, took his place beside Durin while stroking his white beard.

“Has that young child plotted a rebellion?”

“If there were signs of rebellion, I would have cut her down on the spot.”

“Indeed, you show no mercy even to a grand noble from the East. Aren’t you afraid of backlash?”

“It’s all within the plan. If things had gone awry, it would mean the East had already left the castle’s hand and entered an irreversible path of destruction.”

“It’s fortunate such a terrible situation hasn’t occurred.”

The Chief Justice answered while writing in the scripture. The wrinkles on his aged hands represented worries about the cloudy future.

“Then let me ask once more, Your Excellency. What is it that I must do here?”

“Open the section describing the qualifications of the Demon King, Chief Justice.”

“……”

The words from Durin’s mouth were shocking. No one dared to open their mouth. It was something only the regent could say, and if someone of lesser authority spoke up, they might have to be prepared to die.

Demon King. A being that suddenly appeared from the regent’s mouth.

The betrayer who left the throne empty, the great warrior needed to fight against angels.

Durin asked Matheus.

“Can a succubus be controlled by enchantment?”

“…That’s impossible. Aren’t we staffing the castle with succubi and durahans who can resist enchantment for the confidentiality of the Demon King’s castle? Moreover, even if the castle’s defense system falls to enchantment, it’s set up to release false information twice over. No ordinary demon could break through.”

“Yet that child controlled a succubus. With something that can’t be called sorcery.”

“That means…”

Beyond the sound-blocked magical barrier, Durin’s red eyes looking at Serphin said:

“It’s the magic of dominion. It means a demon qualified has finally been born from the Demon King’s bloodline.”

“Oh my…”

“However, I’m not sure if she consciously realizes and uses it or if she uses it naturally from her subconscious, so I’ve confined her for now. If she knows how to properly handle the magic of dominion, great changes could occur in this castle. It could become the emergence of a sudden claimant to the throne.”

The mighty power to handle lower demons. The reason bloodline supremacy could be preserved in the demon world where the strong rule.

“Chief Justice, determine if that child can become a demon who can accept the magic of dominion. Since she could potentially become a king, we must know for certain.”

“…If she’s unsuitable and there’s material that could cause problems like the previous Demon King, what should be done?”

The face of the immature, half-witted king flashed by. He had witnessed what kind of ripples were caused when an unqualified person took the throne and had personally cleaned up the problems.

“Then…”

Durin clenched his fist. Red magic burned, drawing a long sword into the world.

If necessary, there was also the pretext of rebellion.

“I’ll have to make a decision.”