A couple days later, the demons have gotten visibly stronger due to the training and mana provided by Anise’s familiar contract as Xania goes by once a while to check in on them, helping whenever she is needed. The pendulum clock with the bracelet was also removed by Xania, leaving behind a ghost story about a pendulum clock that appeared out of nowhere that randomly shouts for help and disappearing as suddenly as it appeared.

Anise.

Yes my lord?

Is there any new information on when the humans plan to attack?

Not recently, they got more secretive, probably due to my appearance, and not wanting to scare the citizens that the demon lord was found in one of their cities.

Shame, but do they really think you are a demon lord? They're not taking it right?

Obviously, I have almost enough qualifications to be a demon lord you know?

Really? But you just seem a little…

A little what?

Weak.

…

Anise attacks Xania using her staff with dozens of weak fireballs as Xania teleports away, dodging easily, leaving Anise alone in their room, annoyed along with the still perfectly fine wall despite the attacks.

Xania looks around, remembering that she only teleported to a close location as she finds herself at the outside of her castle, looking up at if, not realizing just how big it was before.

Actually, what do I even need a castle of this size for?

There's only me, Anise, Granter, Sliver, Davien, Dragrove and the elves who live here just so the demons don't attack them, mistaking them for spies… oh yea, there's also the triplets.

What were the elves' names again? I haven't actually spoken to them since the feast anyways.

Demon lord! Demon lord! Someone calls out to her, making her look back to find one of the elves calling for her.

Oh wow, I was just thinking of her and she appeared.

What do you want?

Demon lord, Could you help?

With what?

The elves are being attacked!

First, how do you even know that, second, what's your name? I forgot, and also, where's your sister at?

Is that important right now?!

Yea.

Fine, I'm Elvia, and my sister is… timid so she isn't here, so are you going to help or not?

You didn't answer the first question.

Not important right now!

Actually, I do find it pretty important so, how do you know?

… Teleportation circle.

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No, you don't have enough mana.

Small teleportation circle, made for items so the mana usage is much lesser.

And what were you using it for this whole time?

Spying…

So, why should I help?

If you help I'll teach you elf magic alright?

I have stronger magic though?

Don't lie, you're skilled enough to copy and improve on any magic you see or have, but you don't have elf magic yet!

Show me an example.

I'm not stupid.

Fine, tell me the situation first.

All the mostly unintelligent monsters have started attacking them.

Why so suddenly?

Before, the humans used to help defend the world tree with the elves mainly due to the fact that the world tree, due to its fruits and the fact that it could make a very strong weapon and eating part of it could probably improve mana, it attracts monsters nonstop.

Aren't elves supposed to protect the world tree? Why are they so weak?

They are saving mana.

For what?

You obviously.

Oh yea, that's right, there's me.

So will you help or not?

If I help, what other benefits do I get?

Isn't elf magic sufficient?

It's a good thing but if I let the elves die, I also benefit, don't I?

I… the magic I'll teach you with your mana can surround the world tree!!

Normal shields can't do that.

It isn't normal, just promise not to harm the actual tree.

I can do that.

Then hurry up and follow me!!

Fine fine, but please keep this in mind, if you keep spying, I'll go kill all your elves, alright? Xania threatens her with a smile on her face like nothing's wrong but Elvia is too panicked to care.

Elvia keeps walking, leading Xania to her room where her sister, Ella is also at, hiding under the blanket as Elvia goes over to the table, using magic that Xania has never seen before as a small circular object is formed with engravings on it, similar to the engravings on the platform Xania appeared on at first with slight but noticeable differences.

So what now?

Demon lord, can you copy this but make it bigger for the 3 of us to use?

3? You and your sister are coming?

I have to check if you keep your promise, and I want to send my sister back too.

Fine, wait a moment.

Xania uses detection magic to locate Anise before using the teleportation magic she is familiar with to teleport Anise to herself.

What? Anise looks around, still annoyed by Xania earlier, evident by the fact she isn't even looking at her.

Gotta go save a couple of elves, you're coming.

… Context?

Sure, so basically–

Hey! Can you two stop chatting about? Just teleport us already!

Not my fault Anise, it's hers.

… Fine, I'll figure it out with “gotta go save a couple of elves”.

Nice.

Xania teleports them all with the teleportation circle she memorized, with a terrible odor invading her nose before Xania can even take the time to look around.

Ew! What the hell is that?! Even poison smells better.

Xania teleports them all into the air, using a shield as a platform as she looks down, noticing a ridiculously large tree in the distance, surrounded by ridiculously large walls, though nowhere near the height of the tree with tens of thousands of monsters she hasn't even seen before all running towards the tree.

Am I right to assume that's the world tree?

Indeed my lord.

So, Elvia, remember what you owe me after this.

Yea yea, keep your side of the promise first.

Easily, but do I have to keep the environment safe afterwards?

Huh?

Habitable? Non lethal? Suited to survival?

Yes!

How troublesome, guess using dark magic and keeping the environment perfectly okay will be too annoying.

Then what now? You can't save them without dark magic?

Hey, if I were to perhaps… destroy the environment, without poisoning it, it's okay, right?

Well yea, I guess, elves have magic to regrow plants quickly too.

Okay then, don't blame me.

Anise, follow me, use whatever the hell you want, just not dark magic.

Of course my lord, this is a good way to vent my anger out.

What anger?

Oh you know, not much.

Anise puts her hand on Xania's stomach, using a decently strong fireball to send Xania flying off, albeit with no injuries.

Guess I deserved that.

As Xania falls down, she turns herself to look down at the board beneath her as she lets out a ridiculous amount of flames from her palms with Anise teleporting away, doing the same as her, incinerating dozens of monsters immediately.

Xania teleports towards the walls surrounding the tree, staying afloat in front of it's gates with her wings as she prepares 6 fireballs surrounding her, with 2 above, 2 below and 2 by her side as she starts sending them flying out like a machine gun one by one at the monsters, causing a massive explosion every where it lands.

How nice, blowing things up without a care like this is more entertaining than expected, though this is taking quite long, I hope Elvia forgives me for this.

Xania creates hundreds of fireballs above the air, an equal distance away from each other with fireballs filling up the air within 10 km in any direction as she makes them all fly downwards at once, blowing up the land all surrounding her at once along with every monster.

What a sight indeed, but why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?

Demon lord? Demon lord?! Where are you! What just happened?! Elvia shouts while still being stuck mid-air on the shield with Ella.