Chapter 116

Chapter 116

Demon Kings can generally be divided into three categories.

The first type is the martial-oriented Demon King, who places great emphasis on brute force.

The second is the strategic Demon King, who focuses on gaining power through tactics and politics.

And then there are Demon Kings who can combine both approaches.

The most representative examples of the first category are Demon Kings like Belial and Andromalius. The most notable figure of the second category is Dantalion.

In fact, the best option would fall under the third category. There is no benefit in being biased toward only one side. However, due to the authoritarian position of Demon Kings and their inherent personalities, there are not many who can successfully accomplish all of these tasks.

In particular, the controlling nature and cruelty unique to Demon Kings has led to the creation of many martial-oriented Demon Kings. In contrast, there are relatively few Demon Kings who lean towards strategic thinking.

The type of Demon King Nahun was planning to recruit this time was also martial-oriented. Typically, strategic Demon Kings or those who employ both strategies are generally cautious, but martial-oriented Demon Kings tend to be more impulsive.

If they dislike something, they will become hostile immediately, but if they like it, they can lend their hand at any time.

The first place Nahun intended to head to was the 24th floor. Upon hearing that they were going to the 24th floor, Seere tilted her head.

“You said we would meet the top-floor Demon King, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why are we going to the 24th floor?”

The 24th floor was certainly of a high rank. However, it did not correspond to the rank of the top-floor Demon King that Nahun had mentioned. Noting Seere’s confusion, Nahun simply explained.

“This is a matter of etiquette.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s for the sake of when we meet the top-floor Demon Kings later. From their perspective, imagine if a Demon King below them came without any intention of yielding, but instead, rushed to meet them directly.”

“…Would that come off as somewhat arrogant?”

“That’s one reason. At least, we should establish some form of a ‘faction’ to facilitate conversation when we meet.”

Seere nodded as though she understood that point. However, another question still lingered.

“But why specifically the 24th floor? You know what kind of place it is, don’t you?”

The ruler of the 24th floor was a Demon King with the rather concerning alias of “Massacre Prince.”

Glashalavras.

That was the name of the Demon King Nahun was supposed to meet. Dubbed the Massacre Prince, she was known for her cruelty and was the farthest from the concept of benevolent governance.

One reason why her influence was relatively small for a Demon King ruling the 24th floor was because of these factors. Nevertheless, maintaining a high rank on the 24th floor proved that she was an excellent martial-oriented Demon King.

“And that’s why we’re going.”

“And?”

“Glashalavras is one of the extreme martial-oriented Demon Kings. The most important thing for her is ‘power.'”

She assesses everything through the scale of strength. This was the primary reason Nahun had chosen Glashalavras. Nahun smiled lightly as he spoke.

“She is the easiest type to persuade.”

“…Come to think of it, she’s a woman again.”

“…Huh?”

Nahun turned to Seere with a slightly bewildered look, while Seere stared at him with narrowed eyes. After a moment of silent eye contact, it was Nahun who spoke first.

“…I’m not going to meet her just because she’s a woman, you know?”

“That’s true. I know that well, but… how is it that you only end up meeting women like this?”

Seere’s jealousy was slowly spilling over, felt even by Nahun.

‘…How did it end up like this?’

She was such a cute girl. The fact that eight years had passed so emptily was truly lamentable for Nahun.

Despite Seere showing affection toward him, this obsessive behavior was entirely his fault. The two years he had initially mentioned were long enough, but he had made her wait an additional six years…

‘If only we had spent those eight years together, at least she wouldn’t have changed like this.’

Nahun thought to himself. Of course, if that had happened, a future entirely different from his expectations would have unfolded, but Nahun was unaware of that.

With a sigh over his circumstances, he spoke.

“We’re not going to share any emotions. There’s no need for you to be jealous about it.”

“You never know.”

“What do you mean by ‘you never know’?”

“There could be someone beautiful, like Lady Citri, who shows up.”

“…….”

Nahun knew Glashalavras’s face. She was one of the Demon Kings who prominently appeared in Ebel Queen Maker.

As a Demon King who takes a significant role in the game, her appearance was quite splendid. Seere had practically guessed it.

‘But if I were to say she’s really beautiful…’

There was no mistaking how Seere would react. Nahun pondered how to articulate this and then spoke calmly.

“That could be the case. But did I ever have any feelings for Citri? My ability to distinguish between public and private matters is clear, regardless of the other person’s appearance.”

“You’re somewhat close with her.”

“I don’t have any memories that have progressed beyond that.”

“Uhm…”

Seere gazed intently at Nahun. Feeling that strange gaze from her, Nahun confidently met her eyes.

“Alright, I’ll trust you.”

Seere said this and walked ahead, with Cecili following behind. Nahun watched their backs for a moment, then let out a faint chuckle.

‘I can’t really say the other reasoning.’

Another reason for Nahun wanting to meet Glashalavras lay in the presence of “Moon Blood.” The 24th floor where Glashalavras ruled held the largest amount of Moon Blood among the scattered Moon Blood in the Demon World.

If Seere reacted like this simply because Glashalavras was a woman, how would she feel if he mentioned he was after the Moon Blood…?

‘…I should search secretly.’

#

After passing through several portals in the Demon World, Nahun and Seere arrived at the 24th floor. They tested if they could travel there using Nahun’s magic, but it seemed that the 24th floor had never been accessible by magic even before his possession, hence they could not move by magic.

In the end, after taking the portal dozens of times, both Nahun and Seere were exhausted to the point of losing their voices due to the repetitive task.

“…It would be better to just catch one person and fight.”

“I agree…”

“You two should get your act together now.”

Following Cecili’s advice, Nahun and Seere nodded. Since they had finally arrived at the 24th floor, it was time to take action.

Nahun spoke to Seere.

“For now, it’s better not to reveal your identity.”

“Pardon?”

“All Demon Kings are fundamentally in a competitive relationship. We should do this for your safety.”

“Then how are you going to meet Glashalavras?”

“I’ll first send a letter of request to visit under your name. Then, I’ll come in as a ‘reaper’ to meet her.”

Seere narrowed her eyes.

“That means in the end, you’ll be meeting her alone.”

“…No, we should all go together.”

“They’ll know my face. I’ve seen you in the Demon World’s council.”

“That’s fine, Your Majesty.”

At that moment, Cecili, who was nearby, spoke up.

“Your Majesty’s appearance is very different now compared to then, so there’s a good chance you won’t be recognized. If you alter your hairstyle a little, they may not recognize you at all.”

“Ah… it’s been six years after all.”

“Exactly. So let’s have you come as a reaper and first meet with Glashalavras.”

“Since you’re saying ‘first,’ I assume you mean we’ll properly meet again later?”

She was indeed a clever girl. Nahun nodded and explained to her.

“If we first meet Glashalavras, she will definitely try to test us.”

“What kind of test?”

“What did I say was the most important thing for Glashalavras?”

Seere tilted her head thoughtfully, recollecting her memory before answering.

“Power.”

“Correct. It will be a test related to that.”

“Does that mean she won’t meet with those who lack power?”

“To put it precisely, she won’t listen to the proposals of those without power. While she may nominally meet with us since we’ve come as reapers, she won’t truly pay attention to what we say.”

“Ah.”

Seere nodded as if she understood. Then she asked Nahun.

“So, how should I disguise myself?”

“Huh? Well… do as you like. As long as you don’t give off the impression that you’re a Demon King.”

“Hmm, then…”

Seere glanced at Cecili. Then she looked at Cecili’s neat maid outfit.

‘Should I go as a maid?’

Disguising herself as a maid would probably lead to amusing situations with Nahun. Surely, the moment she mentioned the maid costume, her teacher would be flustered.

Thinking it would be fun, Seere immediately put it into action.

“Then, should I disguise myself as a maid like Cecili?”

“Oh, that’s not bad.”

“…?”

Her response was different from what she expected. Seere thought that Nahun would feel embarrassed, imagining how she would look in a maid outfit.

However, he didn’t seem embarrassed at all and wasn’t pretending to be indifferent either… on the contrary, he was endorsing her suggestion.

“If you say it’s because you came as a maid, there’s no fear of being found out. Just changing your hairstyle a little will suffice. Cecili, can you manage that?”

“Yes, that’s possible. I happen to have an extra maid outfit.”

“Uhm…?”

Seere looked extremely flustered. She couldn’t understand why things had turned out this way. Seeing that expression, Nahun couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

‘Your intentions are too obvious.’

Nahun already knew. Since Seere glanced at Cecili, he could tell what she was planning to do. This psychological battle, where he had preemptively grasped her intentions, was a complete victory for Nahun.

“Let’s head to an inn. We can change there and then head to the Demon King Castle.”

“Um, excuse me…!”

“Yes, Nahun. Your Majesty, let’s go.”

Seere’s expectations were completely off the mark. In the end, she had to disguise herself without any harvest, and after stopping at the inn, they came out shortly afterward.

“I’m done, Nahun.”

“I’m all set…”

Nahun contemplated. Was it right to compliment her whenever she looked good?

Of course, Seere’s appearance was outstanding, so she looked good in whatever she wore. The way she tied her hair up cutely, reminiscent of her childhood in the maid outfit, caught attention for good reasons.

However, she was a Demon King.

She was a ruler. Was it truly a compliment to say that a maid outfit, worn by a subordinate, suited her?

That was the kind of dilemma he faced.

Finally, Nahun chose to say nothing. It didn’t seem right to praise a Demon King for looking good in a maid’s attire.

“Teacher.”

“Yeah?”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“…Huh?”

Seere slightly pouted her lips. She then gathered her two sections of hair with her hands and asked.

“Does it not suit me…?”

Nahun realized his misunderstanding. The issue he had worried about didn’t concern Seere in the slightest.

Seere simply wanted to be admired. The increasing obsession was just because she didn’t like Nahun’s gaze wandering toward others instead of her.

Words about cutting off limbs or locking her up, as she had stated, were far from her true sentiment.

‘…Indeed.’

Perhaps it was her demeanor only in front of him, but there remained aspects of her that were still childlike. Nahun gently patted Seere’s slightly downcast head.

“It looks good on you. I was only worried that you might feel offended if I said a maid’s outfit suited you, seeing as you are a Demon King.”

“Ah…”

Her expression suggested she had never considered that. Seere felt that she wouldn’t be offended by such formalities when it came to her teacher.

“Really, it looks great.”

“Yeah, you look pretty.”

“Heh… hehe.”

Seere smiled happily. Her smile was so pure that Nahun instinctively chuckled.

“Then shall we go meet Glashalavras?”

#

The 24th floor, ruled by Glashalavras, was also known as the “Arena” floor. The reason for this was that endless blood battles occurred there.

Clang! Clang!!

“I’m putting my money on you today! Hurry up and win, Arjuna!!”

“Crush them!!”

Amid the cheers of the crowd, two gladiators were engaged in a bloody battle. Finally, the winner was determined.

Crack!

A sword slipped through the gap in the helmet of the armor, and soon, crimson blood flowed along the blade. The moment the outcome was clear, cheers and groans mixed among the crowd.

“Damn it, we lost! My money!!”

“I was counting on you, damn it!!”

“Arjuna! Arjuna!”

Arjuna, bearing the name that means “shining,” was a nickname given to the silver-armored swordswoman who had just emerged victorious.

As Arjuna’s sword slid out smoothly, her opponent collapsed forward. It was a death blow. The clean victory prompted the spectators who had wagered on her to cheer loudly.

“She really is strong.”

“How many victories has she had now?”

“Was it twelve in a row?”

“That’s incredible. What about those who bet against her?”

“Of course, they’re just trying their luck.”

With the crowd’s voices trailing behind her, Arjuna returned to the waiting room. At the moment when no one was watching, she took off her helmet. Her blue hair flowed out, freed from the constricting confines of the helmet.

Although she wore thick armor and was quite tall, the crowd remained oblivious…

“Haah.”

Arjuna was a woman. The name Arjuna was merely a nickname; her real name was Eliza. She was one of Glashalavras’s subordinates.

Of course, she didn’t have any substantial loyalty to her tyrannical and cruel master, yet Eliza still quietly carried out her duties.

Her task was to directly participate in the arena to ‘secretly’ select individuals capable of serving as Glashalavras’s subordinates. For reasons unknown, her master had strictly instructed her not to reveal her identity. If discovered, the mission would fail, and the price of failure would be her life.

To hide this, Eliza made it a point to don armor and conceal both her gender and identity. Having become the champion in the arena, she had achieved twelve consecutive victories in defense, but…

‘The mission isn’t over yet.’

It was because she had not found any sufficiently qualified candidates. Whenever Arjuna fought in the arena, scouts sent by Glashalavras would signal her, but they invariably returned with a “disqualified” indication.

“…Do I have to die for the mission to end?”

The one who defeated her would surely capture her heart.

Taking a brief break in the personal waiting room assigned only to the champion of the arena, she again donned her helmet. Moments later, the arena manager entered and opened the door.

“Arjuna.”

Without uttering a word, she nodded in response. Although it seemed quite awkward in a normal context, such behavior was not unusual in the arena.

Many visitors came to the arena carrying various circumstances, making this kind of demeanor not stand out at all. Some individuals even had seizures before or after matches, so being quiet was not particularly remarkable.

“Your next match has been arranged.”

It was uncommon for matches to be set up so quickly. Eliza found this quite surprising as she listened.

“It’s someone from outside who expressed their intention to challenge you. It seems the higher-ups accepted it.”

Upon hearing that the higher-ups had approved, Eliza was taken aback. Normally, to challenge a champion in the arena, one must win a certain number of matches and earn the right to challenge.

However, for someone from outside to submit a challenge and for the higher-ups to accept it…

‘…Could that difficult woman have granted permission?’

A talented person approved by the extreme martial-oriented Demon King. Eliza was also curious to see who might appear. Nodding, Eliza acknowledged it, and the manager left her with a brief warning.

“I think you’ll manage well, but don’t kill your opponent.”

Since they were an outsider, it seemed that killing was prohibited. Eliza thought that this would lessen the excitement, but she rationally accepted it.

According to the schedule the manager handed her, the match was set for the following day. Eliza awaited the arrival of tomorrow, filled with a sense of anticipation.

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