July 7th, Month of the Green Wind.
After returning to Pandemonium for the first time in a week, I teleported straight to the Fifth Layer, the throne room.
“Chrono!”
As the light of teleportation faded, what came into view was a fairy girl who leapt from the white lily throne and jumped straight into my chest.
“Welcome back!”
“I’m back, Lily.”
After hugging her and sharing the joy of our reunion after a week, I thought we could sit together on the throne and catch up… but before that, there was something I wanted to ask.
“It’s gotten quite lively here while I was away.”
Spheres of light were flying around everywhere.
They weren’t Lily’s light magic. They had two pairs of wings and were giggling with happy voices.
Fairies. Yes, there were dozens of real fairies here.
While it was easy to focus on the sight of many fairies playing around freely, the greenery of the throne room itself was also progressing.
The path from the front door to the throne and the surrounding area was covered in a field of blooming flowers, while robust trees lined the walls, turning the room into a complete forest. The original white walls were no longer visible.
Among those trees, fairies were lounging around, perched on the branches like small birds. They seemed to have settled here, casually munching on nuts or whatever… Was eating and drinking allowed in the throne room?
“I didn’t expect the man who fell from the sky to become the Demon King.”
“Hm? I feel like I’ve seen this fairy somewhere…”
Maybe it was the openly disrespectful gaze I had directed at her that bothered her. A fairy with a rather displeased expression flew in front of me.
I recognized her, but then again, aside from Lily, I had only seen fairies from the Fairy Forest. If I recognized her, it must have been from back then.
“Could it be the time you chased Lily away?”
What a reckless thing to say, reflecting on it now.
Anyway, she was the fairy who had come after Lily and I first met, claiming the territory and threatening us to get out of the Fairy Forest. It seemed she was somewhat of a leader among the forest fairies…
“Yes, that’s right. It seems you remembered me at least.”
“Muu, Chrono is the Demon King! You need to behave properly, okay?”
Lily puffed up her cheeks and warned her, and the fairy reluctantly performed a bow in the air.
“It’s an honor to have an audience with His Majesty Demon King Chrono. My name is Neneka.”
“You don’t have to force yourself. This is Lily’s room, and it seems it’s your home now, so feel free to relax like a fairy. Being mindful of manners is only necessary outside, where there are other people’s eyes.”
“Th-thank you!”
I felt more relieved than I expected by Neneka’s candid attitude.
For the past week, I had been treated as a state guest in Fahren, Adamantoria, and Varna, feeling stiff the entire time… the only person I could talk to casually was Wil.
“However, the fact that you’re here means…”
“Yes, all the fairies from the Fairy Forest came here. We can no longer stay there.”
Without needing to ask further, I understood their struggles.
“Welcome. Lily called for you, right?”
“Yes! There are fairies who came from other places too!”
With a bright smile, Lily replied while sitting on my lap.
She probably didn’t have a very good relationship with Neneka and the others, but now that she was the queen of Pandemonium, she must have used her power to extend a helping hand to her former kin.
“Ah, how kind of you, Lily… how truly kind.”
“Hehe!”
Just by petting her, Lily joyfully delighted was almost divine.
“Ha… well, I suppose that’s how it should be.”
As I was moved while petting her, Neneka wore a completely exasperated expression and flew off.
In any case, Pandemonium was in a state of being welcoming to anyone. Fairies coming was certainly welcomed too, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was really okay for them to settle in the throne room.
“But what makes me happiest is that Lily can now live with the fairies.”
Back then, I was just thrown in without a clue, and there was nothing I could do for Lily. Honestly, I was just a leech.
I quickly got used to living in the village and completed quests as an adventurer… but the situation of Lily being driven out of the Fountain of Light remained unchanged.
I was simply there with her and hadn’t taken any actions to resolve the issues. I probably had no right as an outsider to meddle in the affairs of the Fairy Clan, but I still didn’t think it was right for Lily to be treated the way she was.
In truth, Lily should be living joyously every day, just like any ordinary fairy, playing with her peers.
In the end, the Crusaders took away the Fountain of Light, but I never expected to end up with fairies like this.
“As long as Chrono is here, that’s all that matters to Lily. That’s why I wasn’t lonely until now, and I’ll continue to be happy. We will always, always be together.”
As I embraced Lily, who was melting into a blissful smile, I thought.
I had lost too much up to now. Yet, I realized there were things I had properly gained as well.
So, I must protect this. The throne room, where Lily and so many fairies reside, is the ideal scene I wished for.
After playing with the young girl Lily and healing a week’s worth of mental fatigue, it was time to talk about work.
The three of us—Lily, Wil, and I—gathered in the command room.
“————And that’s why I’ve successfully renewed our alliance with the three countries.”
“Good. I’m glad it ended without any mishaps.”
Lily, still in her child form but regaining an adult consciousness, nodded.
Pandemonium officially established the Elroad Empire, and the birth of the new Demon King Chrono took place. Normally, no one would recognize it, but with the current situation and, most importantly, the ability to provide proof of support from Goddess Mia at Pandora Temple, it had ceased to be laughed off as nonsense.
“Those who came from across the far seas destroyed even Spada in just two years. Even the Alliance of Beasts in far-off Varna felt a sense of crisis. There’s no merit in rejecting our alliance.”
As Wil said, all three countries were gathering intelligence on the Crusaders due to Spada’s downfall. Moreover, they openly declared the exclusion of non-human races and announced their intention to invade under the pretext of reclaiming Pandora Continent.
Fahren, the Dark Elves; Adamantoria, the Dwarves; Varna, the Beastmen. None of them expected they could forge friendships with the Crusaders.
“Especially since Fahren is Spada’s neighboring country. It’s entirely possible they could invade tomorrow. Sorry for the rush, but we’ve decided to provide material assistance.”
“Of course, we’re prepared for that. There are reportedly Spada refugees there as well, right?”
“I can’t express my gratitude enough…”
It seemed a considerable number of refugees had already flowed into Fahren.
The Crusaders’ occupation of all of Spada had only just begun, and they didn’t seem to be moving much beyond the capital’s perimeter right now.
However, the impact of the capital’s fall would spread quickly, and as expected, the Crusaders had started ravaging nearby towns and villages. Once they were adequately prepared, they would soon move on to occupy all of Spada. Just like with Daedalus, once it began, it would happen in the blink of an eye.
With the main forces of the Spada Army being decimated at Galahad Fortress, the situation might be worse than it was during Daedalus. And currently, we had no means to stop it.
In any case, there were already many Spada people who had desperately fled from the capital and surrounding areas, and with that, people were beginning to escape to Fahren.
Spada and Fahren had a history of fierce territorial disputes in the past, and Ischia Castle was a remnant from that period, but now, due to First Princess Shaldina marrying Fahren’s King Sandra, they managed to establish friendly relations. Thanks to that, refugees were being accepted almost unconditionally, without being roughly turned away at the border.
But a country can’t survive on charity alone. Fahren currently had the capacity to deal with them, but if it started affecting security and finances, that would no longer be the case. No matter how much of a queen the queen was, there are limits to how much she can protect.
To prevent that, it was quickly decided to provide aid supplies for the Spada refugees to Fahren and to begin the transfer of refugees to Pandemonium via the Monolith’s teleportation. This was what they called humanitarian aid, so it was mutually beneficial. There was hardly any resistance.
“As soon as the teleportation to the royal capital Nevan opens up, I will call for the relocation to Pandemonium.”
“Hehehe, are you sure sending them to this hell is okay?”
“I will undoubtedly become the worst king in Spada’s history. If I die, I’ll be guaranteed to go to hell… but I have made that resolve.”
“Lily, that’s a little too harsh even as a joke.”
Only Wil knew the secret of Pandemonium’s rule.
And that the mind control would also extend to the Spada people who sought refuge.
“That’s fine, Chrono. Lily has been given more than enough consideration. With her power, we can turn all of us into slaves.”
Currently, Spada had established an exiled government with Wil as its king.
In one corner of the First Layer, they named it the “Spada Special District,” and most of those who had worked in the royal castle or lived in the noble district, including Wil, were settled there. Officially, it was based on the notion that it would be problematic to have noble class members living amongst commoners, which is an ordinary class consciousness in this other world… but the true reason was to keep the country’s top leaders under mind control.
Thanks to the evacuation via teleportation, for better or worse, the Spada people arrived at Pandemonium unchanged.
So the noble class retained a certain amount of wealth, and the monarchy led by Wil functioned as an exiled government, meaning there were no significant changes in the social structure. The hierarchy among the Spada people who had sought refuge remained the same. In other words, the influence of the nobles still existed.
From Lily’s perspective, it would be easier to target a clearly understood top leader. Just like with Karamala, it would result in achieving obedient slaves.
“I’m sorry, for deceiving you and also making you betray.”
“No, rather, this is good…”
“It was impossible to unite as one without brainwashing, after all…”
Those who think they can repay their debt of gratitude by serving Pandemonium are not worthy of being nobles.
For the Spada people in the ruling class, it is only natural to act in order to gain influence even in exile. In fact, it wouldn’t be strange if they planned to take over Pandemonium themselves.
They accepted a large number of people so defenselessly. Moreover, Pandemonium is a newly established state that was just founded recently and possesses a rich economic power thanks to the Great Maze. If they know my reputation, they would understand that I am a good-natured person who supports Spada.
A country that seems so easy to take over is rare. It seems that the too-easy target may even provoke ambition instead.
“I will be accepting candidates until next week.”
“You must already have someone in mind… Even if it falls to me, I won’t complain. However, please use it in the most effective way at that time.”
“I won’t do anything so cruel. After all, you are a dear friend of Chrono.”
“You prioritize a man’s feelings over the fate of the nation. Being loved by a queen of a nation is a good thing, isn’t it, Chrono?”
“Wil, that’s too harsh even as a joke.”
I just said the same thing earlier.
I wish the two of them would stop pushing those tight boundaries. I’m not in a state where I can laugh it off.
“Feel free to laugh. After all, we are a people of a fallen nation. Until the day we reclaim Spada, we must endure the days of suffering.”
“Don’t worry, Pandemonium is an equal country where everyone can have warm meals and beds.”
I’m not lying. However, the fact that freedom is taken away to maintain equality is the reason why Pandemonium is a fitting place for hell.
To be blunt, the royalty and nobility of Spada are nothing but a hindrance. There is nothing good that can come from giving them a voice. In Pandemonium, or rather, the Elroad Empire, the only ruler should be the Demon King.
That’s why it is best to quickly put a ring on them before they gain unnecessary power.
Wil was being forced to choose who to put the ring on from among his vassals. It was a cruel choice, but at least having a choice is a sign of mercy.
Whether Wil chooses or not, Lily has already been monitoring and has finished listing them. It’s been over a week since they fled here. It’s a sufficient amount of time to gauge their inner thoughts.
Above all, even if they escape the ring, living on the first layer where the brainwashing broadcasts are pouring out, they cannot escape Lily. Before long, like the first Karamala people, the Spada people will likely start doing calisthenics in front of the vision with smiles on their faces every day.
“They were once royalty and nobles who thought they were the rulers. If the nation has fallen, they must bear that responsibility first. Thus, even if we become slaves of hell, we will gladly dedicate our bodies for the liberation of our homeland.”
“It wouldn’t be bearable without such thoughts about this situation.”
“What’s the matter? Most are living outside. I really appreciate the generous treatment.”
There is a special district for managing the Spada exile government, but the majority of the refugees who couldn’t enter there made a living area on the outskirts. Should we call it the Spada people’s town? Since the numbers exceed ten thousand, they ended up spreading across multiple locations.
The largest area is the north, which was under the territory of that Silvarian Family. Many residents, who were presumably believers of the Cross Religion to begin with, have escaped along with the destruction of their group. Thanks to that, the population there has significantly decreased, making empty houses and vacant lots conspicuous. It was a perfect place to introduce new people.
“The Spada people are resilient. They have already started their own businesses and are fitting in.”
“If they can be independent, that would be even better.”
I wonder if it will eventually develop into something like Yokohama’s Chinatown or Little Tokyo. For now, they may still feel like people from a distant foreign land, but it would be nice if they could integrate over time.
Thus, the large number of Spada refugees accepted due to my declaration as a Demon King is currently settled with the nobility being strictly managed in the special district, while the majority live in the outskirts with lesser effects of brainwashing.
“And how about Lily? Did it settle … gently?”
“Of course! Everyone was crying tears of joy at Chrono’s generous treatment!”
Weren’t they crying out of fear? If the queen feels like it, they must think their land could be devastated.
That said, the response to the surrounding countries that formed the Atlas Alliance Fleet was not decided solely based on such sympathy.
To avoid chaos, we set a tax as low as possible and called for volunteer soldiers. Both of these were the result of me asserting my opinions. Lily was saying that she could tighten the tax even more and that soldiers could be conscripted, but I put a stop to that this time.
“But was this really okay? In the end, they haven’t lost soldiers, ships, or land, so everyone has leeway.”
The Atlas Alliance Fleet surrendered without a single casualty. There were no ships sunk, nor were there any dead from battle. If they were to be dissolved and sent back to their homeland as they are, each country’s military strength would essentially return to normal. If their strength returns, they will become aggressive again. Even so, I don’t intend to simply let the fleet go back.
“As long as we hold the Earth veins of the Great Desert, we can do as we please with the surrounding countries. However, for nations beyond that, we need to establish a precedent that assures them they will have a life unchanged even if they belong to the Empire; without that, it will be hard to draw them in.”
“That’s right; it seems that only Atlas can control the land so powerfully.”
It’s unlikely that with the other original monoliths, there is a possibility to manipulate earth veins to the extent that they can affect the land like this. They cannot cause natural disasters like desiccating the forests of Fahren or erupting a volcano in Adamantoria.
It seems the Atlas Desert with its ability to control quicksand is special, possibly due to the influence of the demon god Karamala over many years.
In short, what happens here cannot be replicated in other regions. Even if Shangri-La can be an exception, it would reach its limits quickly trying to conquer other nations with only standard military power. Unless they have an inexhaustible supply of soldiers like the Crusaders, that is.
Even if we secure the territory up to Spada and defend it from the Crusaders, if internal strife forces a retreat to Atlas and then we are invaded by the Crusaders again, it would be counterproductive.
To prevent that, we need a system that can maintain and protect the expanding Empire from the Crusaders. In fact, if we can deal with the Crusaders, there’s no need to incorporate it into the Empire; forming an alliance like the other three countries would suffice. I certainly do not wish for continental unification.
“But you know, Chrono, some have already appeared who turned down joining the Empire, taking advantage of the fact that I cannot reach them.”
As Lily lightly waved her hand, a map of the entire Atlas region appeared and a region on the western edge of the Great Desert glowed red.
That place was labeled as Beldoria.
“I see, even if they’re cut off from trade with the Great Desert, they can be aggressive because of their location connecting to other countries.”
Wil pointed out the areas further west and north of Beldoria. Beyond there were major roads extending toward the central and western parts of the continent.
“If the quicksand trade is lost, they will suffer economically, but it won’t come to the point of handing over the entire country.”
Well, that seems to be a natural judgment. Unless there is a threat that would lead to the complete destruction of a nation, there’s no reason to give up the throne, and they definitely shouldn’t do so.
“They’re looking down on us, a little country at the edge of the desert, aren’t they, Demon King?”
With Lily showing a provocative smile, I sighed. Am I being tested here?
“Stop it, Lily. Even if it’s a little country, we should avoid unnecessary battles for now.”
“It’s urgent to organize the Demon Army, or rather, the Elroad Empire Army.”
Right, the most necessary thing is to cultivate a powerful army.
The reason I traveled through the three countries and Lily subdued the surrounding nations was all to set a foundation for building the Empire Army.
The residents of Pandemonium, who are under deep brainwashing, are conscripted soldiers, and there are many volunteers from the Grand Duchy of the outskirts. Additionally, recruitment has also started from the Spada refugees, and soon, volunteers from the surrounding nations will gather.
We must organize these numbers as the Elroad Empire Army.
“Beldoria is just the right place for the first target for the Empire Army, isn’t it?”
Lily is fully intent on invading.
However, I don’t intend to keep my hands clean. I understand that there will also be times when it will become necessary for us to strike first.
“Lily, what is the demographic composition of Beldoria?”
“Eighty percent are humans.”
“The Silvarians who escaped also headed there, right?”
“Yes.”
“There’s a high chance they are under the influence of the Cross Religion. Beldoria has the potential to serve as a foothold for the invasion of the Great Desert. We cannot leave it be. As soon as our military forces are prepared, let’s move to suppress them.”
May 28, 2021
It goes without saying that my work is greatly influenced by “Berserk.” Especially the “Black Demon King” has many elements that are too direct to be called mere influence.
The protagonist is a black berserker swinging a large sword, his partner is a fairy, and all the companions perish…
In any case, it is a widely known masterpiece that had an enormously large impact on my creativity.
I think I may have mentioned it in a past activity report, but I originally didn’t consciously write “Black Demon King” as dark fantasy. The absence of the tag is evidence of that. However, due to numerous feedback calling it that, I boldly came to identify it as dark fantasy during the publication process.
The reason my awareness of the dark was weak was that my standard for dark fantasy was “Berserk.” I thought that unless it was that hard, it couldn’t be called dark fantasy, which was my own rather high standard.
But when I think about it, there aren’t many works with content as hard as Berserk… so I finally recognized that my bar for dark was too high.
Since I can’t go into too much detail, I will leave it at that.
If there is anyone who hasn’t read “Berserk,” I highly recommend it at this opportunity. It’s a legendary manga, and one cannot speak of fantasy without reading this.
Lastly, I pray for the repose of Kentaro Miura’s soul.