There she is.

The first general unit I ever created.

Thankfully, she doesn't immediately look like I messed her up.

Which is a good start.

"Maou-Sama. It seems your first attempt was a success. As expected from our lord. Now you only need to apply the unit in the right way." (E)

The newly formed general confusedly blinks several times between me and the succubus.

"Could you hold on for just a moment?" (I)

I need to inspect my new hero unit first.

"But my advice could be invaluable. How else would you know the intricacies of the game?" (E)

"This isn't a game! Not for me at least." (I)

"Nonetheless, you ought to win it. So if I may say so, the next thing you should do..." (E)

"Scrpssh"

Abruptly, black tendrils pierce through the chest of the succubus.

They rip at her body and pull her to the ground, where more erect and plunge right through her, growing further in complete disregard to her writhing form.

There's no way she can last through this if she doesn't have complete regeneration.

Over the fresh corpse, the plants grow a bit more and open up into black bulbs that glimmer with a violet-blue shine on the inner side.

The culprit is, of course, none other than my general.

Apparently, water plus nature enables her to grow black vines.

So, first I should state the appropriate question.

"Why did you do this!?" (I)

"This thing wasn't loyal!" (demon mistress)

"Okay... but you are completely loyal towards me, right?" (I)

I know, it's a weird thing to ask the supposedly mega-powerful demon you just created and that just killed an advisor.

Still, it feels appropriate.

"How could there ever be a reason to doubt my loyalty, Maou-Sama?" (demon mistress)

"Well, how about the fact that you're calling me like this? Are you aware of what is going on here? What is at stake?" (I)

"This is a game of gods. A clash of power in order to determine who seizes the 'prize'. Also referred to as Chiaki Sato. Your friend. And I am merely a means to an end for you to make use of as you see fit. Nothing more, nothing less." (dm)

Okay, seems like they have access to all the information I have.

I tried to give them this on the way, so they may know about my true intentions and act accordingly as the trusted retainers they're supposed to be.

Especially as I can't have them go around and accidentally kill Chiaki while thinking they'd be carrying out my will in doing so.

Yet there's this point that makes me rather dubious if this is going to work out.

"If you know all this, why would you push this act any further?" (I)

She knows I neither am, nor want to be called, the demon king or any variation of this.

But then something unexpected happens.

For a moment, her eyes glaze over, before she comes back to her senses an instant later and focuses back on me.

"Peculiar. I don't seem to be able to change the 'setting'. My prime directive should be absolute loyalty, but I don't seem to be able to overcome this limitation." (dm)

"Hence my question." (I)

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"I... honestly don't know. This lack of control is concerning." (dm)

If I'm being honest, what she did just now was far more concerning.

She was independently looking into herself.

Moreover, just now she seemed genuinely frustrated about this fact.

As if... she has actual feelings.

Shit!

Did I mess up?

"I need to give you a checkup." (I)

"Of course, Maou-Sama... I'm sorry. I don't intend to annoy you with this. But… I can't help it! I apologize for my failing." (dm)

Yeah, my concerns are still very present.

To look further into the issue, I do another intrinsic tentacle analysis on her, just like with the soldier before.

They invade her body and due to the natural connection to me, there isn't even any resistance.

The demon in question truly doesn't seem to mind this invasion.

She gasps a bit when they enter, but aside from this, she is now stuck with a pleasured smile on her face, in which I've apparently frozen her, now that my tentacles have seized control of her very being.

My influence reaches every little bit of her, to the last innermost part.

By doing so, I gain a complete 3D image of her body.

This one, unfortunately, confirms my suspicions.

I used too much soul...

Or rather, the magic that is contained within her body caused some kind of exotic reaction that catapulted her straight to the level of a thinking, feeling being.

In other words, from an ethical point, I can forget about using her as a disposable pawn.

Something my other self is fuming quite hard about.

I, on the other hand, am a little stumped about what to do with her now.

"Sigh." (I)

"Is something the matter, Maou-Sa-... I apologize. This is truly vexing. I can't seem to serve you as you deserve, Mao-, Ma-, Ma-... st-, -er." (dm)

Did she just break through her programming!?

"Okay, that was impressive." (I)

"Thank you, Mao-... Maaaa-... -ssster." (dm)

She still seems to have her issues with this.

In any case, I don't think she's acting here.

This would mean that she can fight this program in some way.

In this sense, she might even be able to prevent herself from backstabbing me if things would come to this.

That is, if she truly wishes to.

Yet this leaves me still with the main issue.

"As I tried to ask before... Is something the matter?" (dm)

She's trying to adjust her speech patterns to avoid addressing me the wrong way.

"You are... independently thinking." (I)

That's really an issue.

I planned on using something like a robot, or in this context, more of an animated plant.

The fact that she's a being with a mind of her own means it would be wrong to send her into this war.

If it can even be called that.

Basically, it's more of a contest, for them at least.

To force a real person into this kind of thing can't be right.

If I'm being honest, not even my opponent does that yet.

"I'm deeply sorry if this inconveniences you. If you wish to change me, I will do everything I can to help you fashion me into the desired result." (dm)

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

"We certainly won't do this! Listen, the reason I can't use you is because I have to value your existence. I can't just use a conscious being as a tool. You need to be aware of the fact that as a self-aware being, you are you. Your actions and thoughts matter. And this not the slightest bit lesser than mine. That's a principle I live by, and I won't stray from it." (I)

This is my decision.

If I already have all those ridiculous powers, then I need rules.

Alone the meeting with my future self showed me very well how careful I need to be with my state of mind and whatever else I associate with my character to define myself.

If I start thinking of others as lesser beings or merely lose all morality and don't care for whatever I do, then all too soon I'll become someone I really wouldn't like to be.

I guess one can, without fault, call such a person an asshole.

Therefore, I don't intend to create life only to throw it at an enemy.

Even if it apparently shakes this demon quite deeply.

"I... matter?" (dm)

"Of course you do! You do! Not only because I say so, but because you are you. There can't be anyone else to define your value, therefore you matter by default! You are important... Oh, you don't have a name yet, right?" (I)

A silent shake of her head.

"Okay, then you're now Damina! I-is this okay for you?" (I)

Why won't she answer?

Is she embarrassed?

Oh, I think she's now going to say something again.

"Ma-. M-, m-, my, l-l-lady!" (Damina)

Why is she looking at me like this?

She even really carefully worded this address.

"Yes?" (I)

"Thank you for showering me with your love!" (D)

"Uh, well, I think you're reading a bit too much into this." (I)

"No! You are... Apologies, this was insolent. Please, punish me as you see fit." (D)

"Which part of 'you are important' didn't you get? You can speak up in front of me, you know?" (I)

I think I need to be a little harsher with her.

Otherwise, I'm sure she's going to insist on my rank and that she's just so terribly insignificant in comparison to me.

"I, I understand." (D)

Seems like I got her.

However, now she seems a little shaken and not in the mood to speak freely in front of me.

Well, it's not like I can force her to do so.

Or rather, I don't intend to do so, as that would contradict my point.

"Well, if this is settled now, please excuse me, but I need to get my best friend back before this cosmic entity decides to take her for dinner. Once I got my head free from this, I will see if I can find a place for you. I don't plan to fight this war forever, and will probably retreat once I've reached my goal, so we need to find a solution for afterward." (I)

Leaving her here to get killed by the "humans" would just be cruel.

"Splosh"

Suddenly, something that I probably should've expected happens.

Another cocoon bursts open.

The thief was apparently the next in line.

I can already see how wind is gathering from his black skin, forming thin lines around his lean frame.

"Maou-Sama?" (thief)

"Splosh, splosh"

Followed by the two huge brutes.

Might've been their correspondingly huge size that made them spend a bit more time in the incubators.

Looking closer, despite being cut from the same template, those two are quite different.

The fire one has fiery red skin, while the other is more bronzed-brown.

Also, for the earth one the incisors from the lower teeth are protruding over his lips, for the fire one, it's the upper.

"Maou-Sama!" (earth and fire demon)

Sigh.

Okay, this could become a little bit more complicated.