■ Regular Report #2 □
After receiving approval from the Demon King to take Barnett and Dorothea as party members, I immediately went to find them.
Dorothea, whom I hadn’t seen for a while, was delighted at the prospect of traveling together legally. However, unexpectedly, Barnett stubbornly refused to join.
“Who will serve Lady Ozma if I’m not there?”
At that moment, the person in question who happened to be nearby spoke up.
“Huh? I think I’ll be fine even without you.”
“What!”
Barnett removed her helmet and stared with an expression akin to “Brutus, you too!” Meanwhile, Ozma, who had been cleaning her sword nearby, tilted her head and said.
“Well, I’ve done fine on my own so far, haven’t I?”
“That’s unfair! Lord Ozma! I’ve served you diligently since I was a child!”
“No, stop! Why is this coming up now? Someone might misunderstand!”
Watching the two argue made me wonder if this was truly the right decision.
The title of Sword Master is rare, and the position of the Demon King’s personal guard captain wasn’t earned lightly.
However, despite being proven capable through force, there was something clumsy about her, making me slightly doubt whether involving her in assassinating King Oscar, who demands perfection, was wise.
“Hmph! Just wait and see! I’ll show you how splendidly I can perform!”
Ultimately, Barnett turned away from Ozma, crossing her arms, seemingly quite upset.
Among the demon tribe members I know, she seemed most suitable, which is why I chose her. But perhaps reconsidering would be wise.
After all, the most terrifying enemy isn’t a competent foe but an incompetent ally.
“I’ll give you some more time to think about it. We’ll meet again next time.”
Before Barnett could stop me, I quickly bid farewell and fled.
[Meanwhile] While Caldlasth was recruiting potential party members, Camilla visited the Demon King’s office alone to report recent events.
Knock knock—
“Come in.”
After hearing the voice from inside, Camilla carefully opened the door and entered. Nero was sitting on the sofa playing chess with Walter Leonhart, his right-hand man.
“Oh, Camilla. It’s been a while.”
“Hello, Lord Leonhart.”
Nero and Walter were old friends. Knowing well the circumstances between Nero and Camilla, Walter was like an uncle to her.
Nero moved his rook on the chessboard with a thoughtful expression and asked,
“So, what brings you here?”
Camilla slightly bowed and began speaking.
“I’ve come to report on the events that occurred during the tribal exchange meeting.”
“Ah, go ahead.”
With Nero’s permission, Camilla took a deep breath to calm her nervous tension before recounting everything she had observed and heard while following Caldlasth—how Ozma became a magic mentor, the quarrel and fight with one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Nick Iron, her participation in a martial arts tournament, and the intense battle with Gabriel after he revealed himself.
Among the stories Camilla told, Nero reacted most sensitively when she mentioned that Ozma seemed to have developed feelings for Caldlasth.
“What?! Ozma!”
Upon hearing the shocking news, Nero stood up abruptly, knocking over the chessboard. A typical reaction any father might have upon learning such news would involve immediate anger.
But Nero’s response was different.
“That’s actually great. I thought she’d live her whole life as a spinster.”
Instead, he genuinely rejoiced at the news of his daughter’s romance.
To Nero, Ozma was his only concern. Having his only daughter aspire to become the next Demon King, training tirelessly with her sword day and night, would naturally worry any parent.
So, hearing that she had developed feelings for someone felt like relief from a long-standing ache.
Moreover, the object of her affection was Caldlasth.
‘If Ozma marries Caldlasth, we could form an even stronger alliance.’
Should their relationship succeed, it would be a win-win situation from Nero’s perspective: resolving his concerns about his daughter’s marriage and reducing the probability of betrayal by Caldlasth. Even if they succeeded in world domination and divided the land, it would remain within the family.
“Hehe… Hehehehe…”
As Nero chuckled darkly, plotting something sinister, Walter, observing him, muttered under his breath.
“This guy’s lost in his own world again.”
“I’m sorry. Don’t mind me.”
“No, Camilla, you don’t need to apologize. That’s just how he is.”
Despite Walter’s sharp critique, Nero, unfazed, began contemplating how best to bring the two together to ensure good rumors spread.
One week had passed since the plan to form an assassination squad to target King Oscar of the Oz Kingdom.
During this time, I busily prepared beforehand, but controlling the timing remained crucial, preventing us from executing the operation immediately.
By the time winter fully set in, most creatures began preparing for hibernation, including the demon tribe. Soldiers patrolling outside started wearing thicker clothing.
Though the hero died due to divine interference, the world remained unchanged.
Unlike the Demon King’s death, the passing of one hero didn’t significantly alter the world.
This would likely continue; history repeatedly erases the names of those who fail, preserving only the names of those who succeed.
Anyway, many things happened during my stay at the Demon King’s Castle over the past week.
Incidents included Dorothea’s surprise attack on my room driven by lust, a tense confrontation with Lady Ozma amidst it, and Barnett unintentionally getting caught in the crossfire while trying to mediate.
Life was much more dynamic than when I was with the hero’s party.
Though it leaned towards the positive side, it was still somewhat tiring.
Until now, I thought my life was hard-boiled, but looking back, it had somehow transformed into a romantic comedy.
“Phew…”
After finishing my daily meditation ritual, I wiped the sweat off my forehead and stood up. Through breathing, mana enters the body, circulating once and expelling accumulated toxins through the skin.
It’s fine if done regularly, but doing it occasionally results in quite a foul smell, which is why I made it a habit.
Besides, feeling refreshed afterward is an added bonus.
“Good work.”
I don’t know when she entered, but Camilla handed me a towel as I wiped my sweat with my forearm.
While drying my face with the towel she offered, I walked toward the wardrobe and asked,
“What’s today’s schedule?”
“There’s nothing special in the morning, but there’s a planned lesson with Lady Ozma in the afternoon.”
“Nothing much then.”
As I buttoned my shirt, I nodded and picked up the brass knuckles lying on the table, putting them in my back pocket.
“Did Dorothea say anything?”
“Yes. After drinking heavily last night, she hid in your bed, but fell asleep quickly. I escorted her back to her room.”
“Good job.”
After praising Camilla, I stood in front of the mirror to do a final check of my appearance.
When I first arrived here, my hair was buzzed short, but it had grown considerably over time.
I considered cutting it whenever I had free time, but memories of the past stopped me.
They often say a man’s pride lies in his hair, but I had lived too long with a military cut.
After applying some gel and neatly combing my hair backward, I put on my robe and was about to leave the room when something came to mind.
“Now that I think about it, is today the day?”
Hearing this, Camilla paused while opening the door and nodded.
“Yes, the day we previously agreed upon.”
“Have you thought about what to do?”
Without hesitation, Camilla nodded.
“My decision was made a long time ago.”
“In that case, it’s fortunate.”
Feeling suddenly awkward, I scratched my cheek and said,
“Don’t regret it later?”
Camilla smiled faintly and replied,
“That won’t happen. I pride myself on having a keen eye for people.”
Then, opening the door for me, she whispered,
“So, look forward to tonight.”
Even though I tried to cover it, Camilla exuded a somewhat suggestive atmosphere. I stared blankly at her for a moment and instinctively bent down.
‘Is this the power of a succubus?’
Seeing her every day never gets old—it’s truly impressive.
