Chapter 115
The next day, Nahun was in Seere’s office. He had come to discuss something, and Seere was happy just to see him.
“It’s touching that you came to see me, Teacher,” she said.
“It’s not the first time I’ve come here, so what are you talking about?” he replied.
“I was just saying it because I felt good.”
Seere stood up and sat on the sofa with Nahun. This time, rather than sticking close to him, she sat gracefully across from him.
It seemed she had picked up on the fact that Nahun had come to talk about something serious. In these moments, Seere was still the excellent and beautiful student who understood his intentions well, just as she always had.
“Is there something you’d like to say?”
“Take me to the Demon World Assembly.”
Seere tilted her head at Nahun’s request. Of course, she intended to take him without him needing to say anything. Last time, Lin came along, but that was because Nahun wasn’t present; he was supposed to be there originally.
She wondered why he would bring it up if he already knew she would take him. In her contemplation, she soon realized the reason.
It was ‘courtesy.’ While Nahun certainly thought she would take him, asking for it was a sign of respect for Seere.
“…Hehe.”
Seere, feeling happy, smiled brightly.
“I was planning to go with you.”
“Really? That’s good to hear.”
“Then, has what you wanted to say come to an end?”
“…No, I have one more thing to discuss.”
Nahun urgently brought up more information. Originally, he had planned to talk only about the Demon World Assembly and leave other things for later, but Seere’s questioning gaze had changed in various ways, making it seem like the conversation could take a different turn.
With vibes dark and sticky, as if pressing all over him, Nahun quickly shifted the topic.
“I—there’s something I need to discuss regarding the human world.”
“Ah…, you’ve probably heard something from Dein, right? Right now, they’ve completely banned travel between the Demon World and the human world, so we can’t gather any information.”
Seere sighed slightly as she spoke.
“Thanks to that, the slave trade has also stopped, and we are suffering significant losses in various ways.”
“Yes, I’ve heard. So I was hoping to bring this issue up at the upcoming assembly.”
“You want them to lift the ban on human world travel?”
“Exactly.”
“Hmmm….”
Seere pondered for a moment at Nahun’s words. After a while, it seemed she had come to her own conclusion, and she promptly shook her head.
“It won’t happen.”
“You are certain of that.”
“It can’t be helped. This is a rule set by the top rank. They probably won’t consider lifting it until the Heaven Demon War is completely over. In the first place, there won’t be any Demon Kings opposing it.”
The top rank—truly the strongest in the Demon World.
Beelzebub von Deus. His statements naturally held the greatest influence in the Demon World, and no one even dared to think of arguing against his proposals. Even Seir, known as the King of No Kings, couldn’t compare to the overwhelming force that prevented any contrary thoughts.
“So, Beelzebub’s opinion means there won’t be any opposing views from the other Demon Kings?”
“Correct.”
“Well, I’m not so sure about that.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
Nahun chuckled lightly.
“It’s not that they will follow so obediently according to your thoughts.”
“Is that so?”
“There are many Demon Kings with strong pride. There are some who secretly harbor discontent with Beelzebub’s actions. Particularly, a few belligerent Demon Kings will find it humiliating that the doors were sealed out of fear of the angels.”
The Ebel Queen Maker features 72 Demon Kings. Naturally, each has different tendencies, and among them were those who were unusually aggressive.
Demon Kings such as Agreas, Amon, and Barbatos, the apex of the current martial faction, were individuals who had a mindset of destroying anything that stood in their way, even if it meant their own annihilation.
“Seere, what rank are you currently?”
“I’m ranked 50th. I’ve had a few successful conquests in the upper tiers, so I will surely rank up even more during this assembly.”
Seere’s achievements were impressive.
Considering that the size of the armies and territories grows exponentially with rank, finishing the conquest up to rank 46 in just six years since the last Demon World Assembly was no small feat.
‘…But it’s still not enough.’
However, it wasn’t enough. More precisely, it was insufficient to engage the other Demon Kings necessary to end the prohibition on human world travel.
“Seere.”
“Yeah?”
“The Demon World Assembly always starts with a banquet, followed by the meetings, right?”
“Yes. It takes time for the Demon Kings to arrive. We hold a banquet while we wait for them to gather, and then we discuss the matters that night or the following day. It was the same last time.”
“If that’s the case, then it might be possible.”
At Nahun’s significant words, Seere narrowed her eyes slightly.
“What are you thinking?”
“I need to gather forces that will oppose Beelzebub’s actions.”
“Of course, you have Lord Citri and Lady Gremony. If three Demon Kings present the same opinion, it will be included in the assembly discussion.”
“Yes, that’s true. However, I fear Citri and Gremony’s influence may be too weak.”
Unless Citri, who had regained all her powers, stepped forward, the current Citri, who had yet to regain any powers, lacked the strength to deliver impactful statements. Gremony was a mid-level Demon King, but having been at the bottom of the mid-level ranks for a long time, her voice also seemed to lack force.
Rather, among the three allied Demon Kings, it was Seere herself who had the strongest voice. In just a few years, she had risen from the lowest rank to that of a mid-level Demon King.
“So, we need to draw in those with strong influence.”
“Those with strong influence… You mean, aim to bring in high-ranking Demon Kings?”
“No, even above that.”
“…What?”
That was right. Nahun intended to bring in some ‘powerful Demon Kings.’ It would take the voice of a top-ranking Demon King for Beelzebub to lend an ear. The same applied to other Demon Kings as well.
However, Nahun’s proposal had a serious problem. Seere pointed it out.
“How do you intend to win over the top-ranking Demon Kings? There’s no advantage for them in allying with us.”
This was indeed the most significant issue. The top-ranking Demon Kings commanded overwhelming military might and resources, and their scale was such that their internal markets could sustain their ranks.
What incentives could there possibly be for such Demon Kings to agree with Seere’s opinions and cooperate? No matter how you looked at it, it seemed Nahun’s thoughts were naïvely optimistic.
However, Nahun wasn’t speaking from an unreasonable hopeful perspective.
“It’s straightforward. Power begets power. Even if they don’t defeat them, if we show them satisfactory strength, they will be intrigued.”
Nahun did not dismiss the power of the top-ranking Demon Kings. He couldn’t afford to overlook it—top-ranking Demon Kings were stronger than the higher tier demons.
However, there was a reason Nahun was so confident. He had something he brought from hell.
“I’ll handle that.”
“…If you do that at the assembly, you will draw attention, Teacher.”
“Of course, I intend to meet them before the assembly.”
“Where are you going again?”
Seere shot him a disgruntled look. To calm her, Nahun said, “It won’t take long. I won’t keep you waiting for years like before.”
“…How long will I have to wait?”
“For now… I’ll return once within a week. I’ll show myself once and then go again, so don’t worry too much.”
Knowing that Seere would be anxious if he left again, Nahun proposed this plan. However, Seere seemed displeased with how he approached it and said, “No.”
“Huh?”
“I want to go with you.”
“…What did you say?”
“It’s not impossible, is it? In the first place, I can’t leave everything to you when gathering forces with the same opinions. Plus, it’s most effective for the leader to meet with the other leaders, isn’t it?”
Nahun was at a loss for words. However, the individuals he planned to meet were truly intimidating Demon Kings.
“No, it’s too dangerous for you.”
Although Nahun expressed his concern, Seere was not pleased. It seemed he still treated her like that little girl from eight years ago.
Seere let out a slight sigh and said, “Teacher, I can take care of myself now. Plus, you’ll protect me, right?”
“Still, there’s no telling what could happen.”
With a serious expression, she continued, “I can’t rely on you forever. Especially concerning matters involving other Demon Kings, I believe I must go.”
“…”
She was right. It wasn’t incorrect, but Nahun still felt a large amount of concern. Yet to argue further after she had said this much would be akin to saying he didn’t trust Seere.
“…Fine, I understand.”
“Are you permitting it?”
“I have no authority to stop you. If you want to go, then let’s go together.”
“Yay, that’s great~.”
Seere smiled brightly, pleased with his response. Nahun, watching her, couldn’t help but smile in resignation.
#
“Is it really alright for just the three of us to go?”
Unlike Cain’s worried tone, the three preparing to leave appeared relaxed. Among them, Seere von Debata, the master of this castle, replied simply.
“It’s just a hassle if we bring too many people. And…”
Seere glanced at Nahun. As long as her teacher was with her, there shouldn’t be any major issues. Cain noticed her glance and nodded.
“Cecili, please assist them well.”
“Yes, Master Butler.”
Following those two was Cecili. Just like before, Cecili ended up being assigned to this task, as Cain, the butler, and Rea, the maid, couldn’t accompany them. Surprisingly strong despite having a position that wouldn’t cause issues if they were absent, well-acquainted with the chores, and friendly with Seere, Cecili was the only person suitable for this.
“Seere, let’s go.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Nahun actually didn’t want to take Seere with him. It wasn’t that her company was bothersome or that he disliked her.
The reason was simple…
‘…I feel uneasy.’
He didn’t know what kind of trouble might arise outside the Demon King’s castle.
And Nahun’s concerns were not without merit; they had a slight basis in truth. At this very moment, Seere was thinking:
‘A date~♪’
As Nahun watched Seere, who wore an anxious yet gleeful smile, he spoke to Cain.
“Take care.”
“Yes, please be careful.”
Nahun, Seere, and Cecili left through the front door. Nahun mentally organized the tasks ahead.
‘It’s about to get serious.’
It was time to meet some of the strongest beings in the Demon World.
