Chapter 6: Demon Lord

(Demon Lord POV)

What??? Do I have to do this????

Demon Noble: "Yes, I heard what you were thinking, Tero. You need to do this, or we would lose reputation as demons!"

Demon Noble 2: "If only your father weren't such a wimp! Ahhh! Someone save us from this embarrassment."

My father was the previous Demon Lord, and an unknown warrior killed him. My job is to retrieve his weapon and replace him as the Demon Lord.

Demon Noble: "Since your the son, only you could do this. Go on, get going!"

Tero: "Y-yes."

Tero was sent to the human world through a portal. The location was where his demon scouts last spotted the Demon Lord.

I never wanted any of this, though. I'm not even strong! My brothers should be the ones doing this, but they are currently "busy," so they told me to take care of the title for a while.

Sigh. I wish I weren't born a demon. Those Demon Elders kept bothering me about it, so I decided to take on the mission.

Standing in front of the stone bridge where Father died makes me shake in terror. I'm supposed to be the Demon Lord, but how can you stay calm?

My father was the strongest demon, and he fought with the different high-ranking Demons to take his rightful place. Who or what could've taken him down?

Tero(Demon Lord's Son): "Umm... maybe..."

Atup: "Hey!"

Suddenly a colossal warrior drop in front of me. He must've jumped really high since the earth shook when he landed.

Tero: "Wah!"

Atup: "You... You have the Mark of the Demon Lord. That familiar aura... You can't hide it from me."

Ah. My birthmark, which distinguishes me from other demons. I wished I didn't have it now.

Tero: "P-please, listen to me first!"

Atup: "Hiyah!"

He attacked me with a battleaxe.

Tero: "Ah!"

I jumped out of the way in a hurry. That axe!

Tero: "That axe!"

Atup: "Yes... It's from one of your kind... From a Demon Lord!"

The flaming axe had our mark on it. It's the legitimate weapon of my deceased father. It will burn the body and soul if the victims are slow enough to dodge it. 

Breaking common materials like steel and iron is a cinch for it too.

He made another swing at me. I needed to use blink magic to dodge it.

Tero: "Please stop first!"

His attacks are getting faster.

Tero: "W-what!?"

He's preparing a huge-scale holy spell. I don't know if that's ancient or secret magic, but I don't want to get toast by that.

Tero: "I surrender! Please! I'll do anything you want!"

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I quickly dropped on the ground and threw my weapon, an axe on the ground. It looks like I can't avenge my father, after all. Not a wimp like me, no no no.

Atup: "Your father gave me such a hard time by constantly burning the surroundings, and now you want me to believe your surrender!?"

Tero: "Please spare me... I don't even want to do this anymore... (Sigh)"

Suddenly the stone bridge under me become something beautiful beyond description.

Was the bridge always this beautiful? The huge warrior suddenly stopped his spell.

Atup: "Hmm... It looks like the bridge believes you, demon. I'll give you two options. You said that you don't want to remain a demon, right?"

Tero: "R-right."

Atup: "You want to die or you want to work for me."

What!?

Tero: "The second one, please. The second."

Atup: "Good. I'll have you swear an oath. This will be a spell that will seal an explosive holy spell inside your body, and it will explode when you break your oath."

Tero: "I...(Swallows spit)"

Atup: "So you pick the first option instead?"

Tero: "No! Please no... I... I accept."

Atup: "Good."

He muttered a language I didn't understand, and I felt a surge of energy go inside my body. It must be the holy-element bomb. What is this? I got myself in deep trouble again.

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(Atup POV)

Once I was finished with the spell, I got him to say the oath.

Tero: "I will serve the kingdom and will not betray you in any way!"

Atup: "Good."

This spell was used by Demon hunters that I've met before. They would interrogate demons and threaten to blow them up from inside if they don't spill the beans.

Now. I got a Demon Lord(?) on our side. Good grief.

The axe in my hand was shaking. The previous Demon Lord's energy is still present in this weapon, so sometimes he pops up to spout nonsense.

Demon Lord: "Hey! Thanks for taking in my son."

Atup: "Son?"

Demon Lord: "Hehehe. Those old geezers won't be able to use my son for their whims now."

Atup: "Could you go back before you say weird things again?"

Demon: "Of course, hahaha!"

It always annoying because he would constantly try to take over your mind and use your body as his vessel. His weapon is cursed like that, and sometimes when I hit someone with that weapon, they turn into rabid demons.

That's the reason I don't use this weapon much. Hmmm.

Atup: "Since you'll be staying here from now on... Let me just say... Welcome, I'm Sir Atup. You will be receiving orders from me from now on."

Tero: "Yes, sir. I am Tero."

Atup: "Tero? Now get inside and find Nai. He'll make you a house. You'll need one to rest or for some personal time, at least, right?"

Tero: "I'm forever grateful for your generosity."

Atup: "Think of it as a good investment. Hahaha! Now, get inside."

It's a good thing the son wasn't as wild as the father.

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(Demon Lord POV)

I don't think my situation changed that much. Crazy superiors were asking me to do the impossible. (Sigh).

Tero: "Hello..?"

I came to a place where "Nai" is written on a signboard with an illustration of a hammer.

Nai: "Oh! A new tenant! Welcome, welcome! What house would you like?"

Tero: "A small one is enough. Thank you very much, Sir."

Nai: "No problem! Just go for a short stroll, and when you come back, your house is already here!"

Tero: "What!? It's that quick!?"

Nai: "Just go. Hehehe. Check out the places here; You'll love it!"

Tero: "D-don't mind if I do..."

Woah. The kingdom even has more great people here. I walked for an hour and stumbled upon a spring. I looked at my reflection.

I saw my face. It looks exactly like a human's except for the two long demon horns. 

My black hair covered my blood-red eyes. My skin was slightly reddish from the time I spent in inferno-like places.

Very different from my father's terrifying face, which could make an ogre cry.

Waiting there wasn't so bad. Then, I heard a splash.

???: "Oh, mo... Who's there!?"

It was a woman's voice. She must've noticed my presence.

Tero: "I-i'm sorry!!!"

I quickly run away with my spell. Whooo. It's a good thing to have this ever-handy spell!

The place where I blinked was in front of Nai's house. I thought I was dreaming, but I can see Nai doing the finishing touches for a small house.

Tero: "Is that mine?"

Nai: "Oh, you're here, Mr. Tero! I'm sorry I was an hour late in finishing your house."

Hour late? You could've finished it even quicker than that!?

Nai: "Sir Atup was too busy to help out this time, hehehe. Anyways, here you go!"

He gave me a key to the house.

Nai: "Make your self at home and... Welcome to the Kingdom. Looking forward to working with you."

Tero: "M-me too!"

I shook hands with him and parted. This place might not be that bad, after all.

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(Sir Atup POV)

I was taking a bath when suddenly a small child came out of nowhere.

Milu: "SIIIIIRRRR!!!! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING!?-desu."

An angry Milu came out from nowhere.

Atup: "What?"

Milu: "What do you mean, WHAT!? You were peeking on me, weren't you!?-desu!"

I looked at her from head to toe.

Atup: "Nononono... I didn't even leave this place for a while now. That can't be me."

Milu: "Ooooommmmmmm!!!!! THEN WHO IS IT-DESU!?"

Atup: "Dunno."

She was stomping her feet in anger. Why was she that angry anyway?

Atup: "It must be the new guy."

I wasn't sure that it was but- Oh, well.

Milu: "OOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!! DEMONLORDSUUU!!!!!!!"

She ran, screaming from the top of her lungs. Poor Demon Lord.

Anget: "Sir Atup. Suspicious persons were spotted outside."

Atup: "Really?"

Anget was in full ninja gear because she wasn't taking a bath this time. You can still see the bridge from here, that's why she can keep watch.

Atup: "How are they suspicious?"

Anget: "I don't know to describe them. You have to see it for yourself."

Atup: "Okay, okay..."

When I went to the bridge to check-

Atup: "How is this suspicious."

It was sheep—lots of them.