The Kingdom of the Demons is a land bountiful magic power remnant. Strong magic power courses throughout the kingdom that give life to magical beasts that are rarely seen even outside of the land.

It shelters thousands of rare plant and animal species with abnormal growth. The residence of the demon kingdom is likewise varied from territory to territory. Among their kind is another subset of race.

Oni is being one of them.

Oni is known to have raw and natural strength unrivaled by any other races. Magic is one of their weak points, however, if given enough time, they can harness their underlying talent for spells that can also greatly boost their fighting capabilities.

As such, Oni is greatly appreciated in the demon community as a strong fighter. It also said that it was one the sole reason why they have so much family branches.

Oni is, however, have so much mystery to them. The only thing they are reputable with when it comes to their behavior is their alcoholism. And together with their drunken state, a party is about to happen or worst, a brawl.

In nature, they are generally friendly. However, become too friendly to one, they will be stuck with you forever and will seek you as drinking partner. Being a lover isn’t any better as they love their partner like how they love their liquors…

…they want to taste it every day.

They are bound to be impish and love playing pranks as another general knowledge about them, but they are always honest or frankly, they don’t see the reason for lying.

As such, because of their famous attribution, the previous demon lord was also an Oni. However, being an Oni, he was not an effective leader.

The previous demon lord led the whole kingdom into a mad frenzy of laziness and overbearing every day partying. However, none could resist him for his famed strength. He was well respected for his strength, not as a leader.

In about ten years, he did not do even half of his total responsibility but the kingdom was able to stay intact. The reason why is because of the people working in the shadows.

They are not some special forces. They are those who are desperate to keep everything intact. They did everything such as enforcement of tax, partitioning of territory, monthly and annual budgeting, stock usage and renewal, distribution and collection, and much more.

Until one day, a new face makes her appearance.

A demon, a subset of vampire appeared. Not just you local vampires who cower beneath the power of the Oni Demon Lord, a true natural foreigner who came from far away land whose power made everyone tremble.

Too beautiful, too dashing, too charming, and last but not the least, she was too…odd…

She challenged the Oni Demon Lord in a battle. Everyone actually thought that the foreign vampire would immediately lose, however, she didn’t. She actually won in a flash.

Who was she?

Ivy Hellbeing, at that time, is just a mere twelve years old.

With her coronation was implanted in immediate effect, the previous demon lord obediently settled down without any complaints. No, more like being a demon lord or not didn’t actually matters to him.

She led the whole demon kingdom to a new league of prosperity that even the humans envied them but didn’t bare their teeth to them.

She brought a vast amount of knowledge to the people and immediately applied it. She taught a new set of magic where none could even think of. She brought in a huge amount of new jobs and ways to cultivate the land which one could never think of.

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All of it is knowledge brought from her faraway land.

A simple construct of spell aria with a set of Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Dark, and Light had so many additions that no one could have ever thought. She also introduced the concept of null magic in which some utilizes the inner potential of magic to use as heal, barrier, and even disturb a portion of dimension and facts.

She also brought in necromancy, witchcraft, and even divine revelation spells.

Within the four years of her leadership, the demon kingdom became the pinnacle of magical knowledge.

And with Ivy Hellbeing’s natural talent and skills with magic, she also possesses a magic that truly disrupts the flow of time and continuity, the ability to stop time.

She never showed an iron claw in her leadership, however, for knowing the sole reason that she is nigh invincible, she was feared and even revered as an overlord.

Some family of Oni started becoming laxer as their life became much easier, however, some lost their territories and lands because of so much reform in their laws. Most of the population of Oni huddled together and lived in harmony but some couldn’t.

As such, Salis, Lisb, and Bury becomes a delinquent among their race and became bandits altogether for the sake of still feeling the freedom.

The trio stayed in the mountains where some merchants and travelers cross and steal their belongings. Of course, it’s the best haul if there is some booze. They planned to stop, however, they felt a little joy in becoming fugitives inside their own territory and feared.

Their attitude as a bandit came naturally to them like it is inborn.

They lived off from hunting animals and stealing goods from people, albeit barbarically. Being an Oni, they immediately instill fear whether they are human or demon. It was always an easy haul for them and will let anyone go as long they understand their places and will be physically harmed if they fight back.

Of course, they don’t kill people, and they don’t eat them unlike the rumors about them. After all, even they developed an exquisite palate that longs for delicious foods. It is not just true for the three of them but to oni in general.

Hmm…?

Yeah, they ate people in the past but not anymore as human flesh tasted like rotting fish to them. And they will never even think of eating another demon’s flesh because it is just plain disgusting.

And a certain day, a man with pretty face wanders in their lair and stealthily stole a beef jerky that they hung to dry.

That bastard is Falikh.

Salis, Lisb, and Ury don’t know if it meant by fate but as soon as they laid their eyes on him, they immediately felt a strong bond of friendship from being the scum of society.

This and that happened and the Mountain and Forest Bandits have become friends.

“And that’s how everything led to this kind of bonds between us and them.” Salis said as she puts an end to the story. She then poured another cup full of liquor for her to drink.

“Isn’t it a touching story? Well, really not even if you put it in a child’s perspective.” Is thoughtfully said by Lisb as she holds her cheek with one hand. She stopped drinking midway of the story because even among them, she drinks the lightest.

Although an Oni and among three of them, Lisb is the most soft spoken.

“Hmm! The story of friendship!” Ury declared with a puff and drank another cup of liquor.

“Ah, still, none of you has answered my question yet. The question I’ve been asking right from the start…” Falikh said as his eyes sharpen like an eagle. In an instant, the three oni fell awkwardly quiet as the air around Falikh turns into a serious one.

He places his elbows on the table and encroach his knuckle with his other hand using the palm and menacingly covers his face behind it.

Aspara who didn’t know about Falikh tensed up. Ideas such as a great master mind and master of tricks and plots started eroding her mind as the man with golden hair becomes serious.

Falikh draws his breath and spoke…

“Like what I’ve always asked…what kind of panties are you three possibly wearing under those loincloths?” Is what Falikh asked with dead serious eyes.

The three, upon hearing Falikh’s question, sobered up in an instant.

SMACK!

“Idiot, who the hell do you think you are to ask such lame question?!” Reysha said as she smacked Falikh in the head that broke the menacing atmosphere around him.

“Ow! I’m only asking such question because I am curious about it! They are just walking in their bare legs and tummies on the broad! I am curious how they could stay toasty all year round with that kind of outfit!” Falikh protested back at Reysha with a desperate face.

It was not out of perversion, it was just out of pure curiosity.

“Why does it matter?! You’re asking unreasonable questions about their choice of clothes!” Reysha countered with a fine answer.

“THE HARDEST QUESTIONS ARE THE ONES WE ASK OURSELVES, MASTER!” Falikh exploded.

“Goddamnit…” Reyhsa collapses on the couch as she cannot comprehend Falik’s humor anymore. No, she does understand but, she is too tired, like how they have always been in their previous life.

She couldn’t care less at this point, however, what concerned her most are the oni…

With one eye she peeks on them, however, she blinked twice from what she saw…

They were squirming and fidgeting like a maiden…

Upon the discussion of their attire, they became a little self-conscious…

“They are surprisingly pure…never expected that.” Reysha said as she stares at them curiously.