Gorgon had enough of this chaos.

Now that the Demon Lord summoned him, he planned to voice his concerns.

They called him Gorgon for a reason.

And it wasn't his horns, but his stubbornness.

He was a rare type of Beastman, like the Demon Lord.

Rather than animal features like cat ears and tails, he was born with bull horns.

Except, unlike Omega, he didn't grow twelve feet tall. And he wasn't that muscular either.

Okay. He might have been short and weak for a warrior, but he didn't lack in the brain department.

Otherwise, they might have called him Minotaur instead or something more flattering.

But he was fine being weak while he had the smarts. It got him hired into the military staff.

And if the Demon Lord recruited him for his brains, he would use it to sort this chaos out.

That's why they summoned him anyway. That should have been the reason. Right?

He got a little hesitant when he arrived at the huge double-winged gate of the throne room.

What else would the Emperor want from him?

The door opened before he could think of any reason, and the Honor Guard announced his presence.

"Gorgon of the Staff, Your Grace." His voice echoed through the empty halls, then motioned him to step forward. The usual crowd that populated this place was missing.

Ever since the Seal broke, people left the dungeon in droves, most of them on the direct order of the Demon Lord. All they left behind was chaos.

He marched in the middle of the hall, feeling the pressure of the enormous being on the throne.

This reminded him that he was not supposed to look at his face, and fell on his knees.

"Gorgon. From now on, We call you Our Chief of Staff." He boomed, and he couldn't believe his ears. What? Chief of Staff? But Dioneras held that role.

While he was a Goblin, they dubbed him the Thirteenth Champion. He left with the other twelve a while ago, and chaos took over this place in his absence.

And what was this about? There was no explanation, ceremony, or long speeches, he dropped this huge news on him and fell silent.

"W-what do I owe this great honor, My Liege?" He planned to complain and make suggestions, preparing a long speech. Now he struggled to ask a simple question.

"We lost contact with the Twelve Champions a week ago. While it could mean anything, We have to prepare for the worst and replace them as soon as possible."

That was a sensible thought. He also noticed the Champions' reports never reached him, but assumed they were top secret. As it turns out, they didn't exist.

"Does this mean if Dioneras returns, I'll have to relinquish this position?" He raised his head, forgetting about the strict rules against it. The Demon Lord didn't look at him.

His crimson eyes looked empty and tired, gazing into emptiness. The indomitable spirit he grew up worshipping was a shadow of his former self.

And his aura, while he wasn't a magic expert, it felt hollow.

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"If he's alive, and ever returns, he'll have to answer for his carelessness to Us." The Emperor growled, flashing his eyes at him long enough to send a chill down his spine.

"Your first task is to name a Vice Chief. Then gather a company worth of soldiers, take a sorcerer and a shaman, and find out what happened to them."

That was quite a tall order. He didn't give him men, he demanded he would gather them himself.

Though his people wouldn't question Omega's orders, he was a nobody here until now.

Well, not anymore.

As a Chief of Staff, he was almost as high up in the ranks as the Brides.

Of course, without getting involved with all the Harem stuff. Still, how would he find out where the Champions went if he had no idea what was their task?

Sure, he was here when they left the fortress, it was quite the event a week ago, but that couldn't be it.

He glanced up and noticed the Emperor's burning gaze on him still.

"C-consider it done, My Lord." He stuttered, jumping to leave before he could change his mind.

Damn it.

He wanted to suggest solutions to solve the logistical issues and chaos here.

Now he has to leave too and add to those problems. And name a Vice Chief of Staff? Who?

Can he find sorcerers and enough warriors in the fortress to set up a full company? And what happened with Dioneras?

Well, of course. If it were that easy to answer, the Demon Lord wouldn't give him a mission in such circumstances. Who's even left that he could trust?

Most magicians were eccentric and ambitious. He didn't want someone who'd force him to watch his back. He was so lost in thought that he bumped right into someone.

"Nyah." That's all he heard, and the voice sounded familiar.

Looking up, there was a young girl on the ground. Her petite frame bounced back from his chest after they collided. She wore a round, pointy hat way too large for her.

It explained why she didn't notice him either. Now that it fell on the ground too, revealing the short red tunic, he recognized the girl.

"Ember? What are you doing here?" He held out his hand to help her, and the girl didn't hesitate to take it. They came from the same village.

"I'm bored out of my mind, you see." She noted, dusting herself off.

They visited the Old Capital at the worst possible time. When that disaster happened, both of them ended up here, sealed in together with the Demon Lord.

"They say I'm too young to join the Demon Lord's army, but I'm stronger than most of their spellcasters." She complained, putting the pointy hat back on her head.

Yes, it was way too big for her. The girl was only six then, and the children didn't have it easy here. But Ember was special. She went completely out of control.

Obsessed with magic and fire, she became the first sorcerer to learn her craft inside the dungeon. And he happened to need someone with strong magic he could trust.

"If you don't mind me bossing you around, I can spare you a place in the company I'm setting up."