After a couple hours of scouting, the paladin gives up, slamming her fist against a tree in anger.

How the hell did she run away? She shouldn't have been able to do so!

As she vents, she notices a pigeon bringing a small mana device to her, recognising it as a manager projector.

As she grabs the device from the pigeon, she switches it on, a screen appearing In front of her, her superior being projected on it.

Vanice, I would like you to elaborate on your report. Her superior says.

Yes miss Canue. Vanice, the paladin replies, clearly still angry, but suppressing it In front of Canue, her superior.

As she starts to elaborate, Canue gets stuck deep in thought as she considers that although demons are a big problem, a single one shouldn't have been able to make her superior, a woman who she has never seen struggle before, think so hard.

I believe that was the demon lord.

… Excuse me? Could you please repeat what you just said? Vanice clearly confused, due to what she just heard.

I said what I said, she could have probably killed you, but refrained from doing so, as to why… I have no clue, but she does seem a lot weaker than expected.

Are you sure?

She fits the description, she has enough mana for a long range teleport, is a succubus and has a wand too, one completely pitch black, darker than the night skies.

I suppose it fits… but at this rate, we won't even need the hero?

Better safe than sorry, do not act on it for the time being, further orders will be provided in the future.

Very well miss Canue.

Back at the imperial castle.

Your majesty, we have received word from the city of Civli that the demon lord has been spotted.

Is this information true? The queen, Lucinder asks, sitting atop her throne, getting surprised but keeping calm despite already having expected important news beforehand.

Indeed your majesty.

I already told you to call me by my name, or if you like, add miss.

Your majesty, how could I do so?

You're my closest assistant and my bodyguard, you're more than qualified.

Your majesty, I could never.

What if I ordered you to do so?

Your majesty I still…

Seems like you have no refuge, from now on, I order you to call me by my name.

V-very well your majes… miss… Luci… Lucinder. She says awkwardly.

Cinder, is it really that hard?

Yes… miss… L-Lucinder.

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Very well, you can go back to calling me what you want in that case, I won't force you.

Thank you, your majesty.

She sighs at the huge contrast, contemplating something for a moment, turning her attention out the window, a habit she has when deep in thought.

Your majesty, is something bothering you?

This new will be impossible to hide from the other kingdoms even if I wanted to, meaning the war will start sooner due to the demon lord already being injured and weak.

But won't getting rid of the demon lord quickly be beneficial?

Indeed, I simply cannot get rid of this bad feeling for some reason.

Your majesty, if I may be direct with you.

Of course.

I believe you are overthinking this.

Yes, that must be the case, bring me another two mana projectors, I believe I need to speak with the other rulers.

Very well your majesty.

Back at Xanias bedroom

After a couple hours, Anise wakes up on Xania's lap, with Xania looking after her the whole time she was fainted. Anise tries pretending she's still fainted, taking advantage of the opportunity to stay on Xania's lap.

Get up, I'm not stupid.

Anise sighs, reluctantly getting up, no longer in pain despite her massive injury before due to Xania’s proficiency in healing magic.

Anise, could you fill me on what happened properly?

Very well my lord.

As Anise starts telling Xania what happened, taking advantage of the opportunity to lie back on Xania's lap, along with all the useless and unnecessary information, Xania listens closely, making a mental note of everything important.

Anise, have you prepared a spy group yet?

Yes my lord, I actually even got some information from the imperial palace of Cranze and Kislat.

Not Lucival?

Lucival is too high a risk, if you want I can still appoint some spies there but…

Don't worry, it's okay, don't anyhow throw away the lives of the demons under you.

Of course my lord, unless you order it, I will never do such a thing.

No Anise, even if I order it, unless there's a good reason, don't do it, promise me.

It'll be hard to keep that promise, but I'll try.

Anyways, my lord, the kingdoms are preparing for war against use and…

And?

They believe I'm the demon lord.

You? Didn't you get beaten easily? Not to insult you of course.

Yea, I only held back for your sake so as to not attract even more attention my lord!!!

Remember–

Yea yea, don't risk my own safety etc etc etc, my lord, sometimes you act like a naggy mother.

Xania gets annoyed by Anise's remarks, but keeps quiet about it, only due to the recent accident.

My lord, you suck at hiding your emotions.

Xania glares at Anise as Anise immediately changes the topic.

Anyways my lord, as I was saying, they got this strong due to how long we hadn't had a demon lord for.

Wasn't it only like 27 years?

Yea, but 27 is a lot for humans and it was actually 40, the 13 years in between was temporary ceasefire due to the hero and demon lord both dying, chasing both of our sides to forcefully retreat, but their hero appeared almost immediately, the 13 years was mostly training for them, hence why they could so easily interrupt the summoning ritual.

That's annoying, couldn't we wait for the hero to age to death?

Not possible, though most heroes don't survive too long, due to dying to the demon lord, or the remaining demons after killing the demon lord, we suspect they can live up to 300 years, and staying passive for such a long time means the humans will get much stronger.

Hmm, that is a problem indeed, we need an army too, to protect this place when I'm not here just in case.

Oh, my lord, why don't you help in their training?

How? I have no experience in teaching.

But you have healing magic, which also gets rid of fatigue and heals injuries.

So?

The way we can train them is… by beating them up.

Huh?

They'll learn eventually if you keep beating them, so I'll get Graunter to do so, you just need to keep healing and mass produce armor and weapons, and we'll have an army in no time.

… I get that we're demons but isn't this a little…

Humane? I know, right? If only we had more time, we could use weapons instead, making them actually feel like their life is at risk.

That's not what I was about to say…

So my lord, will you help?

Sure… when are we starting?

First we need volunteers.

Ok, and?

Pay.

Easy enough, but what pay?

Mana, I'll make a familiar contract with them, but a weaker adapted one since I have nowhere near as much mana as you my lord.

Ok, and anything else?

Food.

Food? It's not like we're starving them, right?

Yea, but some demons have hugely different preferences, making it hard for us to deal with all the different types due to how many different demons there are.

Have you considered… getting more than 3 chefs?

Yea, but no volunteers for that.

… What are most of the demons doing?

Free loading, though they've been asking for jobs to show loyalty to you.

…

…

…

My lord, why are you silent?

I hate this.

Huh?

Xania lies back in her bed, not wanting to deal with her current problems as she postpones them to the next day.