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Muriel THE Demon Lord
Chapter 24: Allegiance

Chapter 24: Allegiance

In the final stage, Muriel unleashed her dragon’s fire into the smelter. It didn’t take long for the raw metal that Lilith had prepared to change its hue, becoming molten steel. The dwarves quickly forged it into high-grade steel and poured it into molds. Once cooled and hardened, the steel was taken out and refined further, ready to be shaped into two legendary weapons.

The process took hours—nearly an entire day. Lilith watched as the black flames heated the metal to a glowing red before the enormous mechanical arm brought down its hammer to shape it. Each deafening strike caused the room to quake, sending vibrations through Lilith's small frame, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the process. The blood of a dragon was being transformed into legendary weapons before her very eyes.

At last, the process bore its first fruits. A long cylindrical steel rod emerged—destined to become a magical staff. Shortly after, a thin, wave-patterned blade was finished. Its elegant design was mesmerizing, rippling like water from tip to hilt. The blade was shorter and a little thinner than typical swords, with its slender, razor-sharp form reflecting the cost of the precious blood that had been lost.

Lastly, a rectangular steel block was removed from the furnace. Lilith tilted her head in confusion, unsure of its purpose. But before she could question it, a dwarf with a long gray beard nearly brushing the floor approached her. He was clad in leather and wore an apron tied around his waist.

“Lilith, isn’t it? The name’s Agua—alchemist of the city. You’re an alchemist too, right? Come with me. Our next task begins here. Skill Activation: [Metal Manipulation],” he said, without lifting a finger, Agua used his own skill to levitate the rectangular steel block and the staff, moving them effortlessly.

Lilith’s eyes widened in admiration at his mastery, and she eagerly followed him. Agua led her to his workshop, a modest room compared to the grandeur of the forge. It contained only a single marble table, a few wooden chairs, and wall-mounted magic crystal lanterns that flickered gently.

“Take a seat. We’ll be working here for a while,” Agua said, placing the materials on the table and pulling up a chair. He adjusted his thick glasses before sitting down.

“What are we doing here exactly?” Lilith asked curiously as she glanced around the room before settling into her chair.

“We’re here to craft the head of this magical staff,” Agua explained with a smile. “Think of it as sculpting—but instead of just chiseling, we’re going to reshape its very structure.”

“Oh! That sounds so exciting! Let’s start, let’s start!”

Lilith exclaimed, her clear enthusiasm warming Agua’s heart. Seeing someone else enjoy alchemy as much as he did brought him great joy. Together, they began the process again, using their control magic to transform the rectangular steel block into a distinct shape. Lilith started slowly, following Agua’s guidance and corrections as she worked. However, her quick learning surprised him. It didn’t take long for her to shape the material with minimal instruction.

In less than two hours, the steel rod and block were transformed into a silverly magic staff. At its tip was a half-dragon figure, wings spread and mouth open. Lilith had tried to replicate Muriel’s dragon form as best as she could remember, but without Muriel present, she had to rely on her creativity to fill in the gaps. Around the base where the half-dragon figure stood, intricate carvings spelled the word “Freedom.”

“This dragon is beautiful, Lilith. You’ve learned so quickly—it’s astonishing! But sometimes you miss small details. Could it be that your eyesight isn’t great?” Agua marveled at the final product. He was immensely proud of Lilith for crafting such a detailed sculpture from a block of steel, but he had noticed her occasionally squinting and hesitating during the process.

“Huh? Really? No one’s ever said that to me before,” Lilith replied, tilting her head. Thinking about it, she realized it was strange that her vision didn’t seem to match others’ abilities to see far or notice fine details. Maybe her past mistakes were because of poor eyesight.

“Hmm, how about getting a pair of glasses? They might help. We can do that after we finish decorating the magic staff,” Agua suggested.

“Sure, I guess…” Lilith replied, though she felt a bit uneasy. Glasses? Isn’t that kinda expensive? She didn’t fully understand what he meant but agreed anyway. After all, with Muriel still in the city, it seemed unlikely that anyone would harm her.

When the dragon sculpture was complete, Lilith and Agua brought the magic staff for the final decorations. It was the same area where she had earlier seen the dragon-blood-forged sword being completed with its hilt and sheath. Muriel herself was there as well, gnawing on a large rib bone with both hands, seemingly enjoying her meal.

As Lilith and Agua entered, Muriel’s eyes immediately locked onto the staff with the dragon at its tip.

“Well, well, Lilith. This turned out beautifully,” Muriel said, stepping closer to inspect the staff.

“If not for Master Agua’s guidance, I wouldn’t have been able to do it, Lady Muriel,” Lilith replied humbly, though her eyes wandered toward the massive rib bone in Muriel’s hands, the aroma making her mouth water.

“Really? That’s great. Nice to meet you… Agua, was it?” Muriel said, looking up from the staff to the dwarf.

“An honor to meet you as well, demon lord Muriel. Lilith is an incredibly fast learner, but her eyesight seems a bit poor. I was planning to take her to get glasses. I believe there’s a shop in the city that sells enchanted ones to correct vision,” Agua explained, bowing slightly.

“Oh? Poor eyesight, huh? No wonder. Glasses should help a lot, Lilith,” Muriel said, glancing at her. She then took another bite of the large rib in her hands, snapping off a chunk of bone along with the meat and chewing it with relish.

“Go on, then. These should be finished in a bit. After you’re done getting your glasses, head to the fortress built into the wall you saw when entering the city. I’ll bring both of these weapons there once they’re ready. Oh, and take this.” Muriel swallowed her food before reaching into the pocket of her skirt with her tail, and pulling out a coin. It was a silver mermaid coin, valued at the equivalent of one hundred regular silver coins.

“Th-thank you, Lady Muriel!” Lilith accepted the coin, staring at it in awe. She had never held anything of such value before.

“Don’t be so shocked. That gold nugget you made for me is worth about the same. Buy yourself something if you’re hungry—I’m not sharing my food.” Muriel smirked slightly as she observed Lilith’s astonishment. Then, turning back, she resumed watching the dwarves working on the weapons.

“Yes! Thank you, Lady Muriel! Master Agua, let’s go get those glasses!” Lilith exclaimed with a wide grin, bowing to Muriel before eagerly motioning to Agua.

“Kids these days,” Muriel chuckled softly.

By late afternoon, Lilith arrived at the mountain-wall fortress, now wearing her new glasses. They weren’t as bulky as Agua’s because they were imbued with magic to adjust her vision. As she walked, she kept glancing around, marveling at the clarity of her surroundings, though it occasionally made her dizzy. Still, her excitement was boundless, to the point that Agua had trouble keeping up with her.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

When they reached the fortress embedded in the cave wall, Lilith could see everything in remarkable detail—from the winding stairways leading up to the fortress to the intricate hallways within. Finally, she found Muriel standing alone in a lounge, examining something on a table. But as Lilith stepped into the room, an odd sensation overcame her. It felt as though there were three Muriels present, even though her new glasses clearly showed only one, focused on the decorated weapons.

“L-Lady Muriel?” Lilith stammered, confused. Could it be these glasses? she wondered. Even so, a mere pair of glasses shouldn’t cause her to see things this vividly—or strangely.

“Oh? Lilith, you’re here. Those new glasses suit you,” Muriel said, turning to face her. Muriel noticed that Lilith’s rust-orange eyes gleamed brighter than usual, and her small nose made the glasses perch charmingly on her face. Muriel gazed at the young girl with an amused smile, finding her adorably endearing.

“Huh? Oh! Thank you, Lady Muriel. It’s all thanks to your mermaid coin that I was able to get such a high-quality, enchanted pair,” Lilith replied, focusing on the Muriel directly in front of her. The other two "Muriels" she had felt earlier seemed to fade from her mind.

“Good, as long as you can see better now. Come, take a look at these dragonblood steel weapons. I bled for these, you know,” Muriel said with a grin, placing a hand on Lilith’s shoulder and guiding her toward the table.

On the table rested two finished weapons. The first was the magic staff with its half-dragon headpiece. The entire staff, crafted from Muriel’s blood-forged steel, was wrapped in leather for better grip, leading up to the base of the half-dragon sculpture. Beneath the dragon figure and under the word “Freedom”, an amber gemstone was embedded, the sole ornament on the staff.

The second weapon was the dragonblood steel sword. Though slightly smaller than typical swords, its blade was adorned with beautiful wave-like patterns. It was razor-sharp and far more durable than any ordinary steel weapon. The crossguard was shaped into a stag’s head, its antlers curving upward elegantly. The hilt, made from oak wood, ended with an amber pommel encased in twisted steel resembling a bird’s nest. The oakwood scabbard had steel fittings at the tip and opening, intricately carved to match the sword’s crossguard design.

Lilith stared in awe at the craftsmanship, fully appreciating the effort and care that had gone into creating the weapons. She gazed silently at the two weapons for a moment. She could clearly sense Muriel's magical energy emanating from them. In that instant, she realized that the two other presences she had felt in the room earlier were none other than these two weapons before her. Her orange eyes locked onto the weapons, and her hand slowly reached toward them as if on its own. Muriel, noticing the glint in Lilith's eyes, smiled faintly.

"Do you want them, Lilith?" Muriel asked. Just by looking into her eyes, Muriel already knew the answer.

"A-ah—my apologies, Lady Muriel." The moment Lilith heard Muriel's voice, she quickly pulled her hand back.

"I just... well, when I saw them, I simply wanted to touch them. I understand that you created them to deceive Lord Samwell," Lilith said hesitantly.

"If you want them, I won’t stop you," Muriel replied. "But you must know… if you choose this path and take any one of them, there’s no turning back for you."

"Lady Muriel?" Lilith asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Right now, if you touch one of those, it means you're choosing to betray that Satoru of yours. From this moment on, you'll become an enemy of him and those filthy wretches who call him their boss. This is your last chance, Lilith. If you wish to walk away, I’ll cast a spell to erase all your memories of this. I promise not to harm you when the time comes." Muriel turned to Lilith, a glowing purple magical circle forming in her hand.

Lilith stared at the purple circle. She recognized it immediately—it was one of the Demon Lord's spells. She thought of Saleh and Aura, who had shown her kindness during the short time she had known them. But If she chose to go forward with Muriel now, she’d be making herself an enemy of them all and might have to fight them. This would be her first choice as someone truly free. She would choose those who kept her bound, endlessly traded between masters, nevermore. She decided to walk under the wings of the legendary black dragon, who had returned to grant her true freedom.

For an ordinary child, they might have chosen the path of least resistance. But Lilith was no ordinary child. She knew the cruelty of the world's darker side. If Muriel sought to destroy it, Lilith would stand as her first ally. Without hesitation, she knelt on one knee before Muriel, not out of fear or obligation, but of her own volition, swearing loyalty to the Demon Lord.

"I pledge to serve you, Lady Muriel, for the rest of my life. Not as a slave, but as a loyal servant," Lilith declared.

"Heh… Heh heh… Wahahahahaha!" Muriel burst into laughter at Lilith's words. The purple magical circle in her hand vanished as she reached out to pat Lilith's head instead. At that moment, Muriel found herself growing fond of Lilith.

"Stand, Lilith."

"Very well. From this day forward, you shall be the first servant of the Demon Lord," Muriel proclaimed, still chuckling. Her laughter echoed through the room as she looked at Lilith with newfound affection.

"Truth be told, I made these for you from the beginning. But since you’ve gone this far, take them both. Consider them a gift from your Demon Lord," Muriel said.

Lilith slowly stood, her heart pounding with determination. The legendary dragon had chosen her, and she was ready to embrace her new destiny.

"But if you give me both of them, won’t Lord Samwell figure it out?" Lilith asked.

“What Satoru wanted was something else. Now, go ahead and try holding both the sword and the staff at the same time,” Muriel instructed.

Lilith’s orange eyes lit up with excitement as soon as she heard Muriel’s words. She extended her hands further forward, closer than before. However, just as her hands touched both the sword and the staff, a voice echoed—not Muriel’s voice from behind her, but one coming from the sword and staff themselves.

["Do you seek to wield us?"] the voice questioned. Lilith was certain it was Muriel’s voice, confirming her suspicion that the Demon Lord’s magical power resided in these two weapons. She nodded in response, and as she did, the watery patterns on the blade glowed with a deep blue light. Simultaneously, the mouth of the dragon carved into the staff began emitting the same blue radiance. In an instant, both the blade of the sword and the head of the staff were engulfed in black flames that quickly extinguished.

"Amazing..." Lilith whispered as she lifted her sword and staff for a closer look. For someone as small as her, it seemed impossible to lift such weapons. Yet, to Lilith, both felt as light as air. The only issue was their size, which was still far too large for her to wield comfortably. It would likely take another five years for her to grow enough to handle them with ease.

“What will you name them?” Muriel asked with a sly smile as she watched Lilith holding her new weapons.

“Name them?” Lilith repeated, mulling over the question. She hadn’t realized she needed to name her new weapons.

“Yes, a name, it would be disrespectful to such weapons not to,” Muriel nodded. Lilith glanced at her sword and staff before closing her eyes, pondering deeply. Soon, two names came to mind.

“Freeflame and Dragon Candle,” Lilith said, naming her new weapons. She chose Freeflame for her sword and Dragon Candle for her magical staff. Muriel couldn’t help but feel slightly amused by the name Dragon Candle but gave a faint smile, supporting Lilith nonetheless.

“Well… if that’s what you want, then so be it. But listen carefully—these aren’t toys, especially that sword. Don’t use it carelessly until someone has properly taught you how. Understood?” Muriel warned, her concern for Lilith’s safety evident. She didn’t want the young girl to accidentally hurt herself or, secondly, others.

“Understood, Lady Muriel,” Lilith replied promptly, sheathing Freeflame without hesitation.

As Muriel continued speaking with Lilith, Beldar re-entered the room. Hearing his approach, Muriel immediately turned to face him and strode toward him, leaving Lilith to examine and wave Dragon Candle about. In Beldar’s hands was a small, elongated box. Muriel glanced at it briefly before opening it. Inside was a wooden sheath designed for a dagger, alongside a long dagger forged from dragonblood steel—a blade that had belonged to Fumiko more than 500 years ago.

“Strelitzia, huh? Fumiko, you always had a strange way of naming things,” Muriel mused as her gaze fell on the blade. The memory of Fumiko brought a faint smile to Muriel’s lips. She carefully lifted the dagger and its sheath from the box as Beldar closed it.

"How could we not preserve Lady Fumiko's dagger? After all, she was the one who opened this nation," Beldar explained with reverence.

“Ha! A single human who convinced the dwarven cities to open their borders and ally with dragons? Now that’s something,” Muriel remarked, her eyes studying the wave-like patterns etched along the blade. Its polished surface reflected her face as she tilted it slightly.

“That cunt Satoru dared to order me to retrieve this dagger from Listerok and deliver it to him.” Muriel’s expression turned dark, her voice dripping with venom.

“Fine, I’ll give it to him. I’ll use this blade to stab him through the heart myself.”

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