■ Regular Report □
After parting ways with Caldlasth, Camilla headed alone to the Demon King’s office.
Her original mission was to monitor Caldlasth, a gray eminence.
During this process, there were various incidents such as receiving lessons or forming a friendship with Dorothea of the Four Heavenly Kings. However, she had never once forgotten the order given by the Demon King.
And now, she was on her way to carry out that order.
Knock-knock.
Upon arriving at the office and receiving permission from Seneca, the chief butler, Camilla knocked a few times on the door, and a deep voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
After receiving permission, Camilla didn’t enter right away. Instead, she checked her attire one more time, took a small deep breath, and with a determined expression, opened the door.
Creak!
Behind the door sat the Demon King, always buried in piles of work, at his desk.
With his gaze fixed on stacks of documents, he spoke without lifting his head.
“If you have something to report, say it from there. I may look busy, but I’m listening to everything.”
Hearing the Demon King’s voice for the first time in about a month, Camilla felt a slight lump in her throat but quickly composed herself and acted as usual.
“Your Majesty, Grand Mage Caldlasth has just returned to the Demon King’s Castle.”
Realizing who the visitor was only after hearing her voice, the Demon King finally looked up from the pile of documents.
“Camilla!”
Indeed, he called out her name with evident joy and rose immediately from his seat, leaving behind the documents he had been wrestling with just moments ago.
Officially, the Demon King Nero and Camilla had no relationship.
However, Camilla regarded him like a father, and the Demon King Nero thought of her as a daughter.
Their bond was so close that even the Demon King’s biological daughter had shown jealousy at times.
The Demon King, walking briskly, firmly grabbed Camilla by the shoulder.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
To which Camilla shook her head gently.
“No, I remained at the rear, so there was no chance of injury.”
“Thankfully so. I’ve been secretly worried sick since sending you to the eastern front.”
After saying this, the Demon King brushed his chest and gestured for Camilla to sit down.
Then, with a serious expression, he asked:
“Well, how did Caldlasth seem to you during your month-long observation?”
It was an expected question.
And Camilla, having mentally rehearsed her response several times before coming here, answered without hesitation.
“He is someone who will undoubtedly benefit our Demon King’s Army in the future.”
At this, the Demon King stroked his long beard in admiration.
“Hmm, could you elaborate on why you evaluated him this way?”
In response to the Demon King Nero’s question—someone akin to her adoptive father—Camilla nodded slightly and began answering smoothly.
“He referred to himself as a self-serving person. He believed it was enough to take care of those around him rather than people whose faces he doesn’t know, and he prioritized practical value over fleeting honor.”
“So, he’s not a philanthropist like a hero, then?”
“Yes. It seemed he greatly disliked serving others without any personal gain.”
Caldlasth wasn’t a good fit for the Hero Party in many ways.
Perhaps the initial selection was wrong.
Considering his overwhelming power, the Kingdom might have had no other choice but to recruit him.
“Caldlasth achieved remarkable feats during this deployment to the eastern front. He played a decisive role in capturing the Hamburg fortress, which had been impregnable for over a hundred years. Not only that, he defeated Baron Louis von Betendorf, known as the ‘Mage of the Ocean,’ one of the Kingdom’s greatest forces. And if that wasn’t enough, he infiltrated the Hamburg Count Territory, personally wiping out the count himself along with 100 elite soldiers under his command.”
The Demon King solemnly nodded upon hearing Camilla’s report.
“I’ve already confirmed this part through Dorothea’s report. Bringing him to our side truly was pure luck.”
Even within the Demon King’s Army, Caldlasth’s notorious reputation was well-known.
Back during the Human-Demon War, when he was still a fifth-tier mage, his exceptional combat sense and ability to read the flow of battle allowed him to bring down countless officers of the Demon King’s Army.
Moreover, the magic techniques he mastered were said to be unmatched, as demonstrated by the Emerald Tower’s current master, Esmeralda, whose signature skills were nothing short of extraordinary.
He was truly a peerless talent.
If turned into an enemy, he would be absolutely terrifying.
“Camilla, do you think Caldlasth is someone we can trust?”
At this, Camilla paused before answering, carefully considering her words.
Though her single word wouldn’t heavily influence the Demon King’s decision, she was the only one within the Demon King’s Army who had observed Caldlasth closely.
Her deliberation didn’t last long.
“Yes, he is someone we can trust.”
She declared firmly.
“Reason?”
“In the study of kingship, it says that the easiest kind of person for a ruler to handle is someone who covets material things. Those who follow abstract ideals like honor or faith are hard to satisfy, but those who focus on personal gain and prosperity rarely betray once their own strict conditions are met.”
“I see.”
The Demon King looked at Camilla with evident pride.
“My thoughts align with yours. He didn’t defect to our side because of some grand ambition. It was simply more profitable for him. The Hero Party neglecting him, the central figure of their group, was just one of many reasons.”
Taking into account all the reports so far and what Camilla had observed firsthand, they concluded that Caldlasth was a highly pragmatic individual.
Thus, as long as the Demon King Nero directly oversees him, Caldlasth won’t betray them.
They had already sealed a Geas Scroll ensuring his loyalty, but human psychology made it hard to fully trust such guarantees.
The Demon King stroked his long beard as he spoke.
“Thanks to you, the picture is becoming clearer.”
“If I’ve been of help to Your Majesty, I am relieved.”
As Camilla bowed respectfully, the Demon King chuckled warmly, reminiscing about the past.
“When I first met you, you were so tiny you barely reached my waist. Now, you’ve truly grown up.”
“…”
Camilla didn’t respond to the Demon King’s playful comment.
“If you ever find a good man, bring him to me. I’ll help as much as I can.”
At these words, the face of Caldlasth briefly flashed through Camilla’s mind.
In truth, among the men she knew, Caldlasth was the only one she harbored any sort of positive feelings towards.
It wasn’t quite affection, nor was it romantic interest—it was an indescribable warmth that had settled somewhere in her heart.
“Yes, understood.”
Hiding her inner thoughts, Camilla maintained her usual expression and responded dryly.
“Since you must be tired from your journey, go rest now. Also, tell Caldlasth that he doesn’t need to come today. He can visit leisurely tomorrow. There’s plenty of time; there’s no need to rush.”
Following the Demon King’s dismissal, Camilla quietly retreated.
As soon as she stepped outside the door, Seneca, the goat-headed chief butler, Baphomet, slightly nodded his head.
While every time the throne’s occupant changed due to the arrival of the heroes sent by humans, Seneca’s position as chief butler never altered. Thus, he was essentially one of the hidden powers within the Demon King’s Castle.
However, Seneca was respected by all the staff for faithfully fulfilling his duties and solely focusing on serving the Demon King.
Camilla politely greeted him as well and then walked silently down the corridor, her footsteps making no sound.
Servants she passed greeted her warmly.
Though she appeared stern and spoke little, Camilla had no issues with interpersonal relationships. After exchanging greetings with each servant, she finally arrived at the guest room where Caldlasth was staying.
Knock-knock.
As was proper for a servant, she knocked before entering, but there was no response from inside.
Carefully opening the door, she found Caldlasth, whom she had parted ways with merely thirty minutes earlier at the castle entrance, lying face-down on the bed without properly removing his clothes, fast asleep.
After closing the door and entering the room, Camilla first removed Caldlasth’s outer coat and gently laid him down on the bed.
With her short blonde hair and green eyes, the usually mischievous-looking man now lay peacefully with his eyes closed and mouth shut, looking oddly unfamiliar.
After covering him with a blanket, Camilla instinctively caressed his sleeping face before suddenly withdrawing her hand in surprise.
“Why…?”
This question lingered in her mind as she walked to the window for some fresh air.
“‘If you ever find a good man, bring him to me. I’ll help as much as I can.'”
The Demon King’s words echoed unexpectedly.
A faint blush crept onto Camilla’s usually stoic face.
