"Awaken, my lady. It's time," a voice urged persistently from beyond the confines of my makeshift tent. Initially, I contemplated ignoring it, but the insistence in the voice outside gradually intensified.

"Rouse, my lady. The sun already graces the sky," it implored further.

Unable to ignore it any longer, I responded, my tone tinged with irritation, "There's no lady in here. Let me sleep in peace." With that, I yanked the blanket over my head, attempting to shield myself from the intruding interruption.

"Awaken, my lady. The breakfast of fried eggs and pancakes is prepared," came the final, enticing plea. At this point, any thought of resistance vanished, and I exclaimed, "I'm awake! Bring it in quickly."

Shortly after, a maid nudged the makeshift door aside and entered my tent. Two small girls followed, carrying trays laden with food. One held a platter of sizzling fried eggs, while the other displayed a stack of mouthwatering pancakes. The delightful aroma alone stirred my grumbling stomach.

"Leave it here and go," I commanded, and the two small girls promptly placed the trays on the vacant table within the tent before exiting. However, the maid remained, her presence lingering.

After a gentle rub of my eyes, I turned my attention towards her. Her typically pleasant demeanor appeared marked by fatigue, evident from the dark circles under her eyes. A faint smile played on her lips, albeit with a hint of foreboding. Furthermore, she seemed less talkative than her usual self.

As I was about to commence my meal from the inviting trays, she finally spoke up. "I would like to remind you to clean your teeth before eating anything."

My hand, in the process of reaching for the food, came to an abrupt stop. I met her gaze and responded, "I'm not human. Your traditions do not apply to me." I demonstrated this by revealing my sharp and well-developed white teeth which were a little bigger than humans.

Her response carried a hint of intrigue. "Very well then. I'll need to reconsider today's lunch menu. Perhaps a serving of raw meat would be more suitable," she pondered, accompanied by a slight bow.

Suddenly, I stood up and scanned my surroundings. "Meryl, I believe I've misplaced my toothbrush," I mentioned matter-of-factly.

"You need not worry about that," she reassured me, producing a new toothbrush from her pocket. "I've already prepared a replacement."

Under my breath, I couldn't help but mutter, "Meryl, I hate you."

Her response remained cheerful and unwavering. "But I am quite fond of you, my lady," she replied with a bright smile.

I accepted the brush from her outstretched hand and commenced the human ritual of getting ready.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I was reunited with my beloved breakfast. Unfortunately, it had grown cold and slightly tough, yet its flavors remained quite satisfying.

As I satiated my appetite and contemplated returning to my slumber, Meryl's voice called out from beyond my tent. "My lady, the water for your bath is ready."

"No!" I protested, though I couldn't help but reluctantly step outside my tent to confront my relentless caretaker. I feared what she might do to my food if I refused. It seemed unlikely that I would receive any more sustenance today.

I followed the path to the women's baths, a facility specially created under Meryl's orders. As it was my designated time for bathing, I found myself alone.

As I reclined in the warm, soothing bathwater, relishing the delightful sensations on my skin, an unwelcome presence entered the bath area. I didn't need to look to know exactly who it was.

I accepted the brush from her outstretched hand and commenced the human ritual of getting ready.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I was reunited with my beloved breakfast. Unfortunately, it had grown cold and slightly tough, yet its flavors remained quite satisfying.

As I satiated my appetite and contemplated returning to my slumber, Meryl's voice called out from beyond my tent. "My lady, the water for your bath is ready."

"No!" I protested, though I couldn't help but reluctantly step outside my tent to confront my relentless caretaker. I feared what she might do to my food if I refused. It seemed unlikely that I would receive any more sustenance today.

I followed the path to the women's baths, a facility meticulously designed under Meryl's command. Since it was my scheduled bathing time, not a single soul occupied the area.

As I reclined in the warm, soothing bathwater in the tub, relishing the delightful sensations on my skin, an unwelcome presence entered the bath area. I didn't need to look to know exactly who it was.

Slowly applying shampoo to my silky black hair, Meryl began to speak. "I heard that five wineries were completely destroyed in a single night yesterday. Due to this, I had to shoulder an immense workload in the middle of the night."

"Oh, really? Achieving such a feat in a single night would require a substantial number of people or someone remarkably strong," I replied, doing my best to maintain composure. Fortunately, being in a bathtub concealed the sweat on my clenched hands.

"Yes, you're absolutely right. It would take someone truly formidable to pull it off. To move through several villages in a single night without attracting attention and to obliterate the wineries without leaving a trace of wine," her voice grew colder with each word. "So, please tell me, why did you do it?" Her question landed like a heavy blow, confirming my earlier suspicions that this was the reason for her unusual demeanor since morning.

In a rush to justify myself, I blurted out, "It was all that bastard Asoth's fault! He insisted that the wine tasted like heaven. I merely took a sip, and it ruined my entire sense of taste. He just stood there, grinning at me. I couldn't..."

But before I could continue, Meryl interjected with a sentence that felt like a death sentence to my ears. "My lady, no evening snacks for an entire month." Her words were a heavy blow, followed by an additional blow that left me reeling. "You will also be attending the war council today. And before you suggest that Asoth take your place, remember that you sent him to battle, possibly under the influence of that wine."

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With these final words, Meryl concluded my hairwashing and left, leaving me to wallow in my misery. In the quiet solitude of the bath, I couldn't help but lament my fate.

As I soaked in the tub, I couldn't help but ponder the injustice of it all. "I am the employer, so why does she have a say in everything? What wrong had my beloved snacks done to suffer this cruel fate? It was clearly Asoth's fault for making me consume something so unappetizing." I remained submerged, lost in these profound thoughts.

The aspect of the war council that I loathed most wasn't dealing with the insufferable idiots who wasted my precious time but rather donning the black obsidian armor. It was excessively heavy, oversized for my body, and stiflingly uncomfortable. Approaching the tent where the discussions took place, I heard a cacophony of growls and sneers from various beasts, a chaotic din that drowned out any semblance of coherent speech.

As I lifted the makeshift tent door, a hushed silence descended upon the tent's occupants. Meryl stood beside the empty, impeccably designed chair at the head of the table. I moved toward her with measured steps and took my place.

"So, what is on the agenda today?" I inquired, my gaze fixed on Meryl. The helmet I wore restricted my field of vision somewhat.

Meryl began to read from the piece of paper in her hand. "The topics for today's discussion are as follows: the destruction of the wineries last night, the apprehension of monsters smuggling humans to the 'Demon Realm,' and the matter of wage distribution for the humans."

"My lord," an one-eyed ogre sitting opposite me suddenly rose, his voice gruff as he vehemently objected. "The captured humans are our property now! There's no need for us to provide them anything in return for their services. They are, after all, just our slaves."

Meryl's hands clenched involuntarily upon hearing his words, and a few more voices began to rise in support of him. It was evident that this discussion would be a highly debated one.

I observed the orc who seemed to have recently been promoted, likely due to the death of his predecessor in battle. The others supporting him appeared to be in similar positions. I surmised that this was why Meryl had insisted on my personal presence at this meeting.

I briefly cast a glance at Fergus, the demi-human white tiger seated to my right. He maintained his stoic composure, his gaze fixed ahead, abstaining from any involvement or utterance. Amidst the cacophony of voices and uproar in the assembly, his judgment carried paramount importance. Observing the persistent uproar among the dissenting members, I decided to intercede.

"Who am I?" I inquired calmly, causing the voices to quiet down somewhat. It appeared that not everyone had heard me clearly, as the orc requested, "Pardon?"

"I said..." I began to reiterate, but before I could finish, a deafening crash interrupted my words. The table at the center of the room shattered into fragments, and those who had opposed me were thrown to the ground, rendered immobile under the intense pressure I exerted.

"I don't like to repeat myself," I continued in a frigid tone, my unwavering gaze fixed upon the incapacitated orc. "Everything from here to the island country of Lapas belongs to me. What I do with it concerns no one else."

Turning my attention to Meryl, stationed beside me, I issued an instruction, "Distribute a portion of the spoils to the winery owners. Also, address the matter of salaries." A faint smile played upon her lips as she understood my awareness of her intentions in summoning me here. My eyes silently conveyed, 'I will let you off this time, but ensure that lunch is satisfactory.'

She nodded in acknowledgment, and then I shifted my focus to Fergus. Regardless of how often I met him, the question persisted regarding how his left eye remained intact beneath the extensive scar that marred his face.

I issued my next command, "Gather a group of guards and head toward the nearest 'Fissure.' Retrieve all those who were illicitly transported to the Demon Realm. If faced with resistance, refrain from confrontation and report back to me promptly. It appears I must reassert my identity."

"Sorry," a faint voice made a meek apology. "Forgive us."

Surveying the pitiable orc still sprawled on the floor, bearing the brunt of my formidable power, I responded, "It's not your fault. Hyenas naturally grow bolder when the lion is absent." With that, I departed the tent, followed by Meryl and Fergus.

"I will go and prepare your meal," Meryl stated, bowing her head before departing.

"I shall prepare for departure as well," Fergus added, then left the scene.

I found myself alone once more, with nothing but my thoughts for company. I returned to my tent and tossed the oversized armor to the side.

As I sat there, I drifted back in time, reminiscing about my life two years ago. The siege of the human lands had been in the planning stages for quite some time, and for reasons unknown to me, I had been chosen to lead a motley group of misfit monsters. While I often referred to them as useless, in reality, they were far more ferocious and powerful than humans. Initially, I decided to conduct reconnaissance in the human lands to better understand our adversaries.

During that time, my path had crossed with Meryl on Lapas, an isolated island nation ensnared by corruption. Those in power relentlessly pursued wealth, destroying the livelihoods of common citizens—a situation mirroring my homeland's state.

Recognizing her usefulness in various tasks, I brought Meryl along as I traveled the rest of the continent for a year, gaining insight into the military strength of the region. However, what fascinated me most was the food. After a life among beasts that savagely tore into each other for sustenance, the abundance of delectable meals felt like a genuine blessing.

When the invasion commenced, Lapas became our first conquest, secured within mere days to serve as a stable foothold for our further advance into the continent. Following that, I chose to withdraw from the frontline battles, entrusting the responsibilities to Asoth. My decision was guided by the belief that my continuous presence could eventually attract the attention of the continent's true powerhouses.

Furthermore, I desired to relish this newfound freedom beyond the confines of the Demon Realm. During this period, I once again crossed paths with Meryl, who proposed to become my maid, perhaps as an expression of gratitude for my role in liberating her country from the unjust rule of other humans. Acknowledging that her presence would significantly simplify my life, I promptly accepted her offer. Alongside Asoth, she effectively managed many of my affairs, affording me extensive periods of leisure to pursue my personal interests.

Nevertheless, our original army had suffered substantial losses, and the current composition mainly consisted of a diverse but weak groups from the outer fringes of the Demon Realm. Without reinforcements arriving within the next few months, we would be compelled to withdraw.

"Yes," I replied. She entered my tent, carrying a small tray that she placed on the table. When she lifted the lid, the delightful aroma of stew wafted towards me, causing my mouth to water involuntarily. I eagerly grabbed a spoon and began to savor the hearty meal, while Meryl watched me with a contented smile.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, with little of note occurring except for Asoth once again getting his ass kicked in his endeavors. His weakness was entirely his own fault, and despite his pleas for a few days of rest, I adamantly refused. My workload was mounting, and he had to shoulder it.

That night, after a satisfying dinner, I retired to bed early. I found myself dreaming about the first time I had indulged in delicious macarons with Meryl, a fond memory tainted only by the city guards chasing us for stealing them.

"Lady Vespara, please wake up quickly. Something of great import has occurred," she implored from outside the tent. I snapped awake, recognizing that she only used my name in truly significant situations. Swiftly, I responded, "Enter."

Meryl hurried into the tent, her complexion noticeably pale. "What's happened?" I inquired casually, my curiosity piqued by the gravity of the situation that had warranted my early awakening.

She met my gaze directly and whispered in an almost imperceptible voice, "Asoth is dead."

Instantly, all traces of sleep vanished from my eyes. "When and where?" I demanded to know.

"This morning, right here in the camp," she replied.

Asoth's location was among the most secure within the encampment, nearly impervious to infiltration or assassination. The question that gnawed at me was, why would anyone go to such lengths to kill him? An ominous feeling crept over me, and the gears in my mind began to turn at a frenetic pace.