image [https://i.imgur.com/eY2gF5l.png]

I went back upstairs, leaving behind Arbos to make his decision. He was not very strong-spirited, but his ambition pleased me.

Should he fail, I wouldn't care in the slightest. In fact, I would welcome it.

I sat on my makeshift throne, resembling the one inside the Hellfire Citadel. Over the years, I had chosen to live a life of secrecy, refraining from any contact with others. The void gates had opened for me, granting access to incredibly vast magical powers. However, I couldn't fully tap into these powers as long as the trees of life and heaven remained my enemies.

For the past two years, I had been honing the powers I had gathered. The orb was now fully embedded into my demonic body, and the forces of darkness within it had become a part of me. Their whispers of oblivion echoed in my mind, but my overwhelming hate overshadowed anything they could say.

As I gazed out the window and relaxed my back, sinking deep into my chair, almost an hour passed since I left Arbos. The ritual hadn't been activated yet, meaning no one had died. The ritual involved mana conversion, where Arbos would receive life force as mana if he chose to kill the man. This step was necessary for him to become my apprentice. Instilling loyalty through such actions was essential, as I needed someone both loyal and hateful.

The vast Southern Empire intrigued me, and its king lived up to my expectations. However, I knew that the humans would eventually grow bored and seek to invade. I wondered how they would react when that time came.

Perhaps it's time I should contact Alpos... but I feel bad, considering I left him alone for so long.

...

No... It's not yet time.

Ever since my absence, the mortal races had established their own source of news, a newspaper called Terras News, named after the world itself. This paper provided critical information from all around the world. I remembered finding a simpler version of this newspaper in Hupu Village, but the current edition was far more intricate. Over time, I had grown accustomed to the human world, blending in with the people as I saw fit.

As I waited for Arbos's decision, I engaged in my daily activities, including reading the newspaper, even though it held no significant news for me. I picked up the current edition and began reading about the world's current predicaments.

The newspaper extensively covered a triple alliance in the north, standing against the demonic invasion led by Alpos. Despite his efforts, Hell's armies seemed to be failing, and the paper suggested that victory for the alliance was inevitable.

How did everything go so bad... He was doing so well, was it a loss of confidence?

As I flipped through the pages, a particular phrase caught my eye and struck a nerve: "Arch Angels to regrow Tasildor." This news had the potential to disrupt my plans. Even though the powers of the void had merged with mine, I still needed to eliminate Tasildor and any resistance from elves, humans, or others standing against me. It seemed like the tasks were piling up, making my path to domination more complex.

It was somewhat expected, considering my two-year absence, but I had hoped that Alpos would have stood his ground in my absence. It was a disappointment, to say the least.

The newspaper set ablaze in Arbious' hand, ignited by the burning hatred that ran deep within him. He had changed significantly since the void had started whispering to him constantly. His intellect and magical manipulation had grown immensely, but along with power came consciousness, and now he felt unmotivated to act.

Surprisingly, he had developed an affinity for humans after living amongst them for two years. Observing them reminded him of his time in Hupu with Mila and Graybeard. However, he was still disgusted by the people, and the only true satisfaction he found was watching them fight and squabble as he manipulated events behind the scenes.

Despite the enjoyment he derived from his manipulations, he had grown rather bored. He knew that most of his fights would end in victory, which dampened his enthusiasm for personal combat. He would only be excited to fight if he faced an incredibly powerful force, but he wouldn't actively seek such challenges. The thought of encountering the dreaded Sword of Heaven, which could cut through him, terrified him. He remembered fleeing from the archangels before because of that very reason.

But now I have the void orb... Perhaps next time it will be more of an even match...

Arbious stood up from his chair and glanced out the window once more. Hours had passed while he was lost in thought, a common occurrence due to the whispers of darkness in his mind. He needed to keep track of time, as he was prone to getting lost in his reflections.

He was getting anxious of sitting about and doing nothing.

I should go for a walk...

As the sun had already set, the city grew silent, donning his black, luxurious coat with intricate runes and infernal sigils to suppress his sinister aura, he left his home, locking the door behind him. Even with the efforts to mask his presence, his immense power couldn't be entirely concealed, drawing attention from the people on the street.

I stepped outside, but I couldn't help but think about Arbos, who was still locked in the basement. Perhaps I should have stayed behind to make sure everything went smoothly... There was something captivating about him... I wanted to see him grow and eventually take a leadership role. Arbos showed magical potential, which was why I had taken an interest in him, it was rare for demi-humans to be magically gifted, but even more so for his intelligence, for I could tell the boy was quite smart.

The streets remained bustling with activity, and yet some people couldn't help but stare at me. Most probably because of the coat I wore. It was too intricate for this world, too high class. But I had no choice but to wear it. The void's influence had amplified my sinister and powerful aura significantly. As my powers grew, it became increasingly challenging to mask my presence. The intricately rune-carved coat I wore did suppress my aura, but some of its intensity still seeped through, a detail I was sure Arbos had noticed.

Aside from my aura, I couldn't help but notice that the women' passing by cast lingering glances in my direction. It was a rather blunt observation, but their attention meant nothing to me. The idea of sleeping with humans was beneath my interests and status.

Disgusting.

Thinking of human entanglements, I recalled Yavnich, the Vampire Lord. He was once under my command but always displayed a free spirit, often defying my orders. Despite his power, he was nothing compared to me. However, he spent much of his time indulging with human women, and I couldn't help but feel a hint of envy for his carefree demeanor.

As the women on the street glanced my way, their eyes quickly turned away with flushed faces when I smiled warmly and waved my hand in a gesture of acknowledgment. I had no intention of drawing their attention, and I continued on my way, leaving them to go about their business.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

I knew that Yavnich would be easily infatuated by these women, as they were indeed incredibly beautiful. However, such trivial pursuits held no allure for me, as my mind was consumed with far grander ambitions, for I had set my sights on greater conquests and dominance over the mortal realm.

image [https://i.imgur.com/7fgH3qs.png]

I spent the day wandering around, exploring mainly the poor sections of the capital, Dorma Rhode, or whatever it was called. The atmosphere there was distinct, filled with a palpable hatred that seemed to fuel my powers, allowing them to regenerate quicker as I harvested the negative emotions.

The poverty was clearly evident as the housing and streets themselves seemed run down. The atmosphere gave a shady feeling as well, as the streets were not safe, especially here.

The police had left this place for granted, never replying to emergencies. It was as if they didn't see the demi humans as even civilians.

I would often go out on these short patrols around the capital, looking for anything interesting to distract myself.

And finally, there it was. While exploring, I came across a group of children playing with a ball. It was a heartwarming sight to see them find joy in such simple games. There were three children in total, two boys and a girl. They had drawn a small square on the ground with chalk and were engaged in some make-believe sport.

I couldn't help but notice that many of the demi-humans living in this area seemed content with their lives, well the children were at least.

The term demi-humans though did remind me of a time, two years ago, when I had experimented with creating my own race of demi-humans. I tried combining demons and elves, but the project didn't work out, and the prisoners I had captured for the experiment likely met a grim fate...

if I could get some sort of demi human race under my thumb it would be a incredible boost to my forces...

Watching the children play, my thoughts drifted to Arbos. He possessed ambition and the power to act on it, yet he lacked proper training and guidance. It was thanks to my patrols that I was able to sense him, and honestly, although I had a tinge of suspicion that he would fail the test I had made for him, he wasn't all that important to me if he died. I could only gain from his decision. Still, this world, the way it was built... They dared call me unjust when they allow incompetent fools to run things. In Hell, merit was the ultimate governing factor. Those with absolute skill were held in high regard, and I, as their ultimate ruler, valued personal merit above all else. Alpos, with his tremendous merit, held the second-in-command position under me.

It was pathetic, and downright idiotic. Why allow people incapable of leading to lead. Perhaps this was some sort of a sick joke. if so, it would be funny to try and do it on Alpos.

As I stood there, lost in thought, the girl in the group suddenly locked her gaze on me, causing the other two children to stop and turn their attention as well. Caught off guard, I offered a soft smile and attempted to discreetly step away from their inquisitive stares. I wasn't interested in engaging with them, as my mind was preoccupied with greater matters.

They approached.

"Damn it," the words left my lips in a faint breath.

The children approached, and the girl looked at me with a sincere expression.

"Your eyes, mister! They're..."

She's gonna say red or demonic, just like everyone else.

"They're lovely!"

Huh?

This was the first time I was complimented for my eyes, their color. Many frowned upon its color, associating it with demons, and yet it was just who I was. Perhaps the only human on Earth with this color of eyes.

"Why, thank you," I replied, gently rubbing the girl's head as my eyes gazed at them.

She was dressed better than the boys, was it because she was a girl? I couldn't really tell. I was still somewhat new to the human customs, so it was difficult for me to tell.

The boys felt a shiver run down their spines as my gaze was set on them, but she was different, she was so innocent, unaware of the evils of the world.

They wore ragged clothes, and their hands clearly showed that they did manual labor, a common occurrence within the poor.

"Mister, would you like to play with us?"

The boys seemed hesitant as the girl asked, and one of the boys, shorter and rather scrawny, spoke.

"We should get going, Anna... It's getting late."

Anna, so that's her name.

Looking at her arm, she seemed to have a bruise on her left hand. I brushed it off, thinking she might have fallen. It wasn't uncommon for them to get hurt.

"I... I don't want to go yet!" Anna replied, her eyes fixed on me.

"Hm?"

"But Anna..."

"You go on without me. I'll catch up with you later, and we'll eat together. Don't worry."

The two boys glanced at each other, agreeing silently. They seemed creeped out by my gaze, but she wasn't. As the darkness of the night grew deeper, the boys disappeared into the distance, heading home.

"Why have you reached out to me?" I asked, causing her brows to furrow before she answered.

"Because you seem upset, mister."

Seem upset?

"What are you talking about?"

"I can see it in your eyes, mister. Something about them, they aren't happy. My mother always says, do what makes you happy. That's why I want to make you happy too!"

Her mother must be an unhappy person.

Her straightforwardness was refreshing. There was something compelling about her innocence.

"Your mother is quite the generous woman."

"Mother does her best."

Her lack of education was evident, but I couldn't frown upon it.

"Thank you for your kindness. I will return it tenfold. But please, you should return to your family. Are they nearby?"

"Uhuh." The girl shook her head. "We live in the second district."

The second district is for the middle class, so why is she in the third, where the poor gathered? Is it because of her friends?

"Why are you here then? Do you know your way back?"

It was getting rather late, and I wondered what Arbos was up to. I wanted to get rid of her without drawing too much attention.

"Uhuh..." The girl replied, nodding her head.

There was something about her that gave me the feeling she didn't wish to go home, yet I wasn't intending to go out of my way to help her.

"Why don't you return to your friends? They should be waiting for you."

The girl remained quiet. Her eyes were set on me, but she didn't say much.

"Will you be alright, mister?"

It almost made me laugh, a girl her age asking me if I'm fine.

"I'll be fine. Go along now."

The girl understood and ran away into the darkness of the street. She was spirited, yet far too trusting.

I found myself left alone with my thoughts as the bustling streets gradually quieted down. Her footsteps echoed in the distance as she vanished from my sight. These chance encounters with strangers often piqued my interest, and I couldn't help but wonder about her sudden approach. Maybe she was someone worth investigating further.

With a simple command, "Summon Watcher," a mysterious eye materialized before me, eagerly awaiting my instructions. The Watcher was a unique entity, not particularly powerful, but it possessed the invaluable ability to remain undetected by casters of the 4th tier and below, making it the perfect reconnaissance tool.

"Follow that girl," I instructed the Watcher, "If anything unusual happens, inform me immediately."

With a nod, the Watcher set off on its task, becoming an invisible observer trailing behind the girl.

My daily patrol had come to an end, it was time for me to return home.