“Dragging the enemy of the Demon Realm here and just eating? How pathetic, Slein!”
“Grand Duke Gior has finally gone mad. Has he forgotten the truce?”
“What does signing some scrap of paper matter?”
“Your legion commander also agreed to it.”
“Hmph. If I kill you all here, He will be pleased.”
Slein stood up and approached Grand Duke Gior.
Slein, who had a build similar to an average man, and Grand Duke Gior, a 5-meter giant. Slein looked up at him blankly.
“There’s no way you, with demonic energy filling your brain, could have found this place. Who told you?”
Instead of answering, Grand Duke Gior gripped his axes with both hands.
“Must be the Chaos Legion’s doing. Excuse me for a moment.”
Demonic energy rose from Slein.
A lightning-like barrage of attacks rained down on him.
“Kyahahahaha!”
Grand Duke Gior sliced Slein dozens of times per second, and the interior of the mansion was destroyed as a result.
A bird ornament with spread wings was split, and magical lights cracked. Amidst it all, Slein wore a twisted smile.
Thud!
Grand Duke Gior was sent flying backwards.
Slein had simply raised his hand.
But then a sudden change occurred.
“A mere demon of greed like you!”
Kwoong! Kwoong! Kwoong!
Grand Duke Gior’s feet crushed the floor as he pushed his massive body forward forcefully.
A fierce charge.
Slein walked over calmly and raised his arm again.
Thud!
Grand Duke Gior flew through the air.
A long mark was left on the floor.
“They said you were Salika’s subordinate, but you’re no ordinary demon of greed.”
“Still, I’m a legion commander. If I lost to a grand duke, I’d lose face.”
“Dielka, I told you not to use such language.”
“We’re among ourselves, so what?”
The battle was simple.
Grand Duke Gior charged in, and Slein pushed him away.
That was all they did, yet the floor was full of bloodstains.
“To a mere demon of greed…!”
Blood dripped from Grand Duke Gior’s axes.
It wasn’t Slein’s blood, but Grand Duke Gior’s.
Slein looked exactly the same as when he was eating.
“Do you feel the difference in power?”
Slein twirled his hand.
Kwoong!
Grand Duke Gior knelt down.
Slein didn’t stop there.
Kwoong!
As he pressed harder, Grand Duke Gior was driven into the ground.
Slein looked down at Grand Duke Gior.
“Finally, we’re at the right eye level.”
Krrr…
“Will you do more?”
Grand Duke Gior’s demonic energy diminished.
He had lost his will to fight.
Slein turned around and walked away.
Grand Duke Gior pulled his body out of the ground and retreated the way he came.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Slein returned to his seat.
If not for the collapsed wall and the broken mansion entrance, it would seem as if no battle had occurred.
“Where were we?”
“Salika’s Executors.”
“Right. One of Salika’s Executors heading this way is Clytemnestra. A golem created by Salika.”
“How does it compare to the golem made by Crystal?”
“It surpasses any golem you’ve seen. Not even one made by a dragon can compare. Its entire body is made of mana stones, and its interior is packed with magic circuits, allowing it to freely cast countless spells.”
Slein took a sip of alcohol and paused.
“Clytemnestra’s golem legion doesn’t decrease no matter how many you destroy. She carries a golem production factory on her dimension ship. She dismantles entire dimensions to create a massive number of golems. That means a mostly inorganic army is continuously replenished.”
Slein said the last sentence while looking at Choi Kangjoong. His gaze seemed to ask if he could win.
“Who are the other Executors?”
Iselin asked.
Slein shook his head slowly.
“No can do. Trying to empty my pockets already? I’ll tell you in an hour.”
When Slein shut his mouth, Iselin asked about Salika. The talkative Slein even babbled about things Iselin hadn’t asked.
“It’s really rare to see him, but sometimes he comes out of his residence. I don’t know why. He takes a quick look around and then goes back in a flash.”
There was little useful information. In the first place, Salika didn’t share much information with Slein. Slein claimed to be Salika’s right hand, but in reality, he was just a member of the organization Salika commanded.
“By the way, why does our Queen live as a single?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“There must be plenty of men around. None to your liking?”
“What’s your purpose in asking that?”
“It’s a pity that a beautiful elf like you is alone. Enjoy life while you’re young and full of energy.”
“I’ll handle my life myself.”
An hour passed before they noticed.
When Iselin asked about the other Executor, Slein explained willingly.
“Spirit King Gunsmir. He’s an artificial spirit whose very nature is spirit itself. Gunsmir’s spirit swarm is a true battle machine. Very precise and reliable. Like Clytemnestra, he carries a dimension ship that produces artificial spirits. Above all, since he’s a spirit, he has no body that can be eaten.”
Slein gave a sly smile.
“A golem legion made of inorganic material and a spirit legion that can’t be eaten. As someone who controls a monster that consumes organic matter to proliferate, what do you think?”
Choi Kangjoong had no particular thoughts. A few special entities that might be useful came to mind. If it was an Apocalid from Dimension War, it would be the perfect counter. If he had to face golems and spirits at the same time, he would have to rack his brains and think of a way to win. But not for Choi Kangjoong’s Apocalid. Because All-Devouring had increased the digestion rate of inorganic matter, and Psionic Evolution allowed the digestion of mental bodies. Whether it was a golem made of mana stones or stone, or a spirit without a physical body, he just had to devour them.
“Hmph. Do you think the Lord Outer would lose to a lump of mana stone or a bunch of spirits?”
Dielka shot back. Unlike Iselin, she didn’t hide her displeasure toward Slein.
“I give you such useful information, and you still look at me like I’m a bug. Was this not enough?”
At Slein’s gesture, servants brought a large box.
Thud.
The heavy box was set down on the floor, and the lid was opened.
On one side, gold bars were neatly stacked, and on the other, it was full of dazzling jewels.
“With mere things like this…”
Thud.
Another box appeared.
Dielka’s lips trembled slightly.
“I have spare dimension ships, so take a few.”
Slein drove the nail in.
Dielka forced a smile.
If it were a battle situation, no matter how much money he offered, she would have taken his life, but now money was important.
Slein, as promised, even told them internal information about the Demon Realm. That he had no intention of keeping the truce period and that he was plundering colonized worlds to increase his magic beasts.
“A demon who keeps a promise is rarer than a fat knight.”
Iselin sneered.
The meal and drinking session ended before long.
Slein left the mansion, telling them to enjoy themselves among themselves.
He left cleanly without lingering, which even surprised Iselin.
“I can’t figure out his intentions.”
“What does it matter if he has ulterior motives? Let’s just enjoy ourselves now!”
“You’re not thinking of having more fun here, are you?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Dielka.”
“Aw, why are you like that? Think about it—having fun right in the middle of enemy territory. It’s thrilling, full of excitement.”
“We don’t know when the Destruction Legion will barge in.”
“Lord Outer will just devour them all!”
Iselin let out a small sigh. She envied Dielka’s carefree personality that didn’t think about consequences, but it was also hard to deal with.
Iselin glanced at Choi Kangjoong. He had an expression that was fine with it.
“See? Even Lord Outer likes it.”
It wasn’t so much that he liked it as that he didn’t care, but Iselin decided to stay a bit longer.
Dielka ate and drank extravagantly. It was enough to make one wonder how all that food could fit into her slender waist.
Lutal ate whatever Arthil gave him. Later, even Sierra joined in, bringing food as if trying to test how much little Lutal could eat.
“We need to plan how to deal with the golems and spirits once we return.”
Even though the night was deep, Iselin’s mind was clear. She wasn’t careless enough to get drunk in the middle of the Demon Realm.
“We also need to prepare for war with the Demon Realm.”
“Slein said he’d hand over information on the grand dukes.”
“What exactly is his goal? It’s like he wants the Demon Realm to fall.”
“Maybe he thinks the Demon Realm won’t fall just because he gives some information, given the huge difference in scale with the Union.”
“That could be.”
Iselin’s expression as she watched Dielka having fun was peculiar. Worry and joy coexisted. She wondered if that Dielka could lead the Nachromel family well, and at the same time, she felt that Dielka could play like that thanks to the fence she and Choi Kangjoong had built together.
“Does Lord Outer have no intention of dating?”
“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“I’m curious.”
“Aren’t you more important than me? You’re the queen.”
“I do have to produce an heir, after all.”
“When do you plan to?”
“I have no plans right now. It will probably be a long time from now. High elves have long lifespans.”
“I see.”
Silence fell between them.
“If I ever get married, I want to marry someone comfortable. Someone I can say anything to and not feel uncomfortable being with all day.”
“Same here. I like comfortable people. The problem is finding them.”
“You should go out sometimes. You’re always at home.”
“I love my home too much. If I go out, there are kids like that everywhere.”
Choi Kangjoong pointed at Dielka.
She was singing and dancing by herself, completely ecstatic.
“Dielka would have done well as an entertainer.”
“I bet she’ll release a song she sang herself.”
“Did you find out by eavesdropping?”
“Even without that, she brags about it herself, so I couldn’t not know.”
Only after 12 hours in the mansion did Dielka collapse into sleep on the sofa.
Only then did Sierra feel relieved. He moved Dielka to the bedroom and stayed by her side.
The Central Stealth Scout was probably watching, but this put his mind at ease.
Squeak.
The door creaked open, and Arthil entered.
They had grown close after insulting the elf noble together, and now they spent a lot of time talking alone.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Arthil said.
Even though the room reeked of alcohol, her expression didn’t change at all.
“You too. The two of them?”
“They’re asleep.”
Arthil and Sierra spoke quietly. Even if they spoke loudly, there was no fear of Dielka waking, but it was because of the servants all around.
“It doesn’t seem like the humans or elves here are here because they want to be, right?”
“In the Demon Realm, their race is treated worse than magic beasts. Of course they wouldn’t want to be here.”
“Ah, they were probably dragged here from somewhere by demons.”
“Hmm…”
Sierra wanted to help them. His personality, as a revolutionary who couldn’t stand by while pirates oppressed others, made it hard for him to stay still.
“Why not ask Lord Outer?”
“He must be busy…”
“He’ll be free.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’m the one who summarizes how he spends his time and reports it to the Queen.”
Arthil added an explanation that Choi Kangjoong sometimes doesn’t even go out for an hour in a week.
“Is that so?”
Sierra found it hard to believe. He doesn’t even go out for an hour a week. If it were him, he would have been so restless he’d die.
“He can observe everything from inside, so it’s the same as being outside. Still, since he’s like having multiple bodies, he’ll probably grant your request.”
Arthil, who observed Choi Kangjoong more frequently and closely, knew much more about him than Sierra.
“First, we need to find out why the humans and elves here are here.”
Arthil nodded.
Sierra entrusted Dielka to her and approached a woman who was alone. It was Bersha, who was in charge of Choi Kangjoong.