Ch.272Chapter 272 – The Appearance of Another Devil

The small but wealthy nation of Oberon in the southern continent no longer existed.

Now this country had become a complete stronghold of the demon cult, due to the work of the demon “Aegir” summoned by Leon, a bishop of the demon cult.

Using Aegir’s abilities to produce additional fanaticism potions, Leon had turned all the people of Oberon into fanatics of the demon cult.

“Thank you, Lord Aegir. Oberon has now become a country that is completely loyal to Lord Enceladus.”

“What did I do to deserve such thanks? It’s all thanks to your efforts.”

Aegir waved his hand dismissively as he looked at Leon expressing gratitude to him.

“When you think about it, my helping you is ultimately helping Lord Enceladus’s resurrection. As one who serves him, I’m simply doing what is natural and proper.”

Leon felt that Aegir was a being of a completely different dimension compared to other demons known through oral tradition.

Usually, the image of demons known through oral traditions and legends was that of beings who confused their targets’ minds with sweet words to make them enter contracts, only to ultimately drive them to the most miserable destruction.

But the demon standing before Leon now, Aegir, was introducing himself as someone who considered everything done for Enceladus’s resurrection as his rightful duty.

He wasn’t trying to steal the other person’s soul; he was simply helping without asking for any special compensation because it contributed to Enceladus’s resurrection.

“Still, it would be proper to offer you some kind of reward.”

“That’s enough. Loyalty and service to Lord Enceladus is the true reward for me.”

“Loyalty and service as a reward…”

Leon couldn’t understand Aegir’s words.

Loyalty and service as a reward?

Since people always expect something in return when they accomplish something, Leon couldn’t comprehend Aegir’s thinking.

“You wouldn’t understand. We demons are only given names and develop self-awareness after we find someone worthy to serve.”

At Aegir’s words, Leon felt that everything he had known as common sense was being completely denied.

Only gaining a name and self-awareness after serving someone?

Then what about before that?

“Then before that…”

“We’re no different from beasts relying solely on instinct. That’s why it’s so difficult for people to find demons. Do you know why?”

“If they’re serving someone and active in this world… they must be skilled at hiding their true identity while operating.”

“Exactly right.”

Aegir smiled as if pleased with Leon’s answer.

Despite his ferocious appearance, his attitude toward Leon was consistently gentle.

“You may not know this, but the energy of demon-kind and the energy of demons are completely different.”

“What?”

“Why are you so surprised… Ah, did I not explain this to you?”

Aegir realized what he had done wrong when he saw Leon’s shocked reaction to his words.

“Demon-kind are the chess pieces chosen by Lord Enceladus. So to bring chaos to the world, they needed to use energy that was easily detectable by others.”

“Chess pieces… you say?”

“Do you know about the demon-kin called Eldran?”

“Yes, I do.”

Leon knew Eldran well.

A demon-kin who called himself the first of his kind, originally a high elf grand elder.

He had heard that the Demon God had personally bestowed power upon him.

As the first demon-kin to appear in this world, he received much respect, but recently he hadn’t been active.

“Eldran is not the first demon-kin. There were demon-kin before him. However, he is indeed the first demon-kin of ‘this era.'”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying…”

Leon couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing.

What was this all about?

Eldran not being the first demon-kin?

This era? Does that mean there was a previous era?

“Oh my. It seems I’ve revealed too much at once. Well, anyway, the important thing is this.”

“From the beginning, Lord Enceladus intended to use and discard the demon-kind.”

The bombshell statement from Aegir’s mouth threatened to destroy the foundation of the demon cult.

This was because the demon cult held the doctrine that through the resurrection of the Demon God, all beings would become demon-kind and rule this world together with the Demon God.

Therefore, Aegir’s statement that “the Demon God intended to use and discard the demon-kind” was a fundamental denial of the demon cult’s doctrine.

“After all, why would Lord Enceladus like the elves who are called the guardians of the World Tree? They’re just beings that interfere with his plans.”

“Ah…”

“So take heart. Lord Enceladus will surely create a paradise for you all.”

Aegir patted Leon’s shoulder a couple of times to encourage him and then left the room.

Leon still seemed shocked.

And for good reason—what had just happened completely denied the doctrine he had believed to be true all this time.

And these words came from the mouth of a high-ranking demon who served Enceladus, no less.

The shocking part was that the demon-kind were originally thought of as something to be used and discarded.

That meant, if Enceladus had chosen the demon-kind instead of them…

It could have been them who would have been used and discarded.

He was afraid. Terribly afraid.

This reality was too frightening.

An extreme fear that he could do nothing about washed over him.

However, the only reason he could barely hold on now was because of Aegir’s final words.

The statement that Enceladus would create a paradise for them.

At least if everything Aegir had said so far wasn’t a lie, then it must be true that Enceladus would create a paradise for them.

“I suppose that’s some consolation…”

Leon had never felt as powerless as he did at this moment.

In the end, no matter how hard he tried, wouldn’t everything be determined by the Demon God’s decisions?

Leon felt self-loathing as he found himself feeling relieved that the Demon God had chosen them.

“So, what do you plan to do?”

Just then, a sweet female voice that seemed capable of melting his mind came from behind Leon.

The owner of that voice was another demon who had been summoned recently.

“Lady Belinda. When did you arrive?”

“Hmm? I wonder when I came in here?”

Her name was Belinda.

Though she took the form of a human woman, her true nature was that of a being who could steal thousands of hearts with a single gesture and make them her puppets.

“Hehe, I’m just teasing. Facing the truth is harder than you expected, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is…”

“I understand. Even we were quite surprised when we first heard about Lord Enceladus’s plan to use and discard the demon-kind.”

Belinda gave a bitter smile.

“You were, my lady?”

“I am a demon of temptation, but I also possess some capacity for the emotion of love. So I treated the demon-kind children with a certain degree of affection.”

Many emotions crossed Belinda’s eyes.

“However, if Lord Enceladus has decided to discard the demon-kind, we must follow. That is the proper attitude for those who serve Lord Enceladus.”

“I see.”

Leon felt a subtle sense of kinship with Belinda.

Perhaps it was because he wasn’t the only one who felt regret about the sacrifice of the demon-kind.

“Well, let’s put aside these unpleasant topics… I’m planning to leave this place soon and infiltrate other kingdoms. Can you help me?”

“Of course I’ll help you. Isn’t that my job?”

“I really like how straightforward you are. Unlike that Eldran. Maybe that’s why Lord Enceladus chose you all? Hehe.”

Leon felt somewhat relieved by Belinda’s words.

In any case, with the strong support of not just Aegir but also Belinda… they needed to secure as many believers as possible before the Pantheon Temple could respond.

“Has there been any word from the Pantheon Temple?”

“We don’t have our people in there yet, so even I have limitations in finding out their opinions~”

“Even a general idea would be helpful.”

“Hmm… it seems they’re having some kind of meeting? But I don’t know the specific details.”

Thanks to Belinda’s help, Leon was able to determine that they were in a meeting.

He knew very well how long it took for the Pantheon Temple’s order to start and finish meetings.

After all, he himself had once been a priest.

“That’s enough. They’re extremely slow in making decisions. It will probably take a month before they reach a conclusion.”

“Then let’s move quickly~”

Leon predicted that the order’s decision-making would take a long time based on his past experience.

But his prediction was completely off the mark…

“Check the encirclement!”

“Set up three layers of palisades around the Kingdom of Oberon!”

“Build defensive positions quickly!”

The kingdom had completely locked down its borders because of the appearance of demons.

“…”

“…”

The two wore dumbfounded expressions as they observed the security that had become even more stringent than before.