The night of Pandemonium ended with the beginning of a new phase for demons. Nothing would have been this simple without the outer gods and Framtida who could see more into the future than I could have guessed.
To be able to see far ahead and see multiple futures as well. It was definitely unsettling. Especially the words where he said that I was the one who destroys and saves this world.
In a way I was saving it right now. No, not in a way. I was pretty much quite seriously saving this world. But that mattered little to me.
I wasn't, of course, the only who could use spirits. The older angels, gods and demons were quite proficient with it and could open enough doors for people to start moving in and out.
We had planned to stay in heaven and attack the dungeon as soon as we could, but preparing for it would be for the best.
And with preparation also came time to manage stuff.
And so.
"Back to Apollon," I stretched my hands above my head as the scent of the Ediab forest filled my nose. The breezy forest was quite homely, as always.
As soon as I stepped out of the portal with everyone else one of Bathym's demons that we had left here came running toward me.
"L-liege—"
I flipped him on his back and pushed him ahead. Spinning my fingers, I gestured at him to gather everyone as I slowly started turning my stride out of the forest.
The others except Bathym decided to stop and watch while the demons started gathering together.
"The liege has called!"
"Gather all of you!!!"
Like ants out of an anthill, all the demons started gathering around me. Their eyes a mix of nervousness and fear, I could tell. I simply continued walking ahead and they all had no choice but to follow behind me.
The passageway that separated the rest of Apollon from the Ediab Forest's place for demons turned pitch black as soon as I stepped inside.
The shadow hound was instructed to avoid letting any human in or any demon out. It glared at me when a small hand started patting at it.
At once, the darkness disappeared and instead the shadow hound turned into a small puppy in Nina's arms.
"Big bro, you're here! You're back."
The demons following behind me stopped in their tracks and looked at Nina. I could sense their hesitation and fear.
Amusing. How amusing.
She started grinning instead of waiting for me to acknowledge her.
"Before you ask, of course I knew it all. This fifteen year old Nina knows everything, almost like a sage—"
I patted her head and nudged her to follow along. Nina shrugged, the shadow hound… meowed… and then those joined us too.
The demons had stopped walking at Nina's sight. They were all in their demon forms.
Nina turned back and scowled.
"What? Are you all not coming?"
"Girl…"
"You…"
"Come on. Big bro is like the big boss here, if you don't follow his orders then he'll raise taxes!"
Was that why this girl followed what I said? I would have to have a talk with her mother later.
The demons hesitated yet more but eventually caved in and started following behind me. My senses extended all over the city as we stepped out of the lane that went into the forest and stepped into the city of Apollon.
This half of the city was usually empty, but with the nobles kicked out from the forest, there were surprisingly a few of them here.
The demons stopped once more in the shade of the passageway. Afraid to take that step. Even Bathym was stopped in front of them all.
The nobles and their servants around looked at me and then dropped on their backs.
"H-ho-horns… L-lord Eugene! Those people have horns!"
Bathym took a step back.
I glared at the nobles on the ground.
"And?"
They sealed their lips in surprise at my nonchalance.
I only glanced at the demons behind me once.
The chains tying them, I offered to break it.
All the remained was them stepping forward.
The whole world, no, the entire universe can band together in an attempt to help someone, but even that wouldn't be enough if the person didn't want to help themselves.
People could clear all your paths, but you were the one who had to walk.
Perhaps egged on by my gaze, Bathym took in a deep breath.
His eyes glistened with tears, I could tell.
He raised his foot.
That was more than enough.
I turned away and started walking again.
Straight to the center of the city.
A grand commotion broke out as the people of the city all moved away in fear and shock. The knights and the guards, the mayor and the citizens, everyone started gathering around.
The same word on all their lips.
Demons.
Demons.
Without turning back even once, I found myself near the fountain at the center of the city. All the demons circled around me in a barricade of sorts, their horns showing.
While the people of the city maintained a great distance. Many of them with utensils in hand and pots on heads, ready to go to war at any moment.
I jumped up the sides of the fountain, my sight above, my position the highest. All the people of the city trembled around me.
A voice rang.
"Young master! I-if you're being threatened, just say it!"
"We'll give our life to save you, young master!"
Like dominoes falling, slowly, all the people started screaming similar words one after another. The demons looked on in shock while the people of the city all offered to lay their lives on the line for me.
ƥandasnovel·ƈom Hah.
Being an exploitative ruler truly wasn't easy. Not when you actually weren't exploitative.
I raised my hand and urged them to quieten down. My gaze fell on my demon comrades, and those of the citizens' followed.
I had been thinking of a speech, a long winded, heartfelt address to make them change their minds.
But I had faith in the people of my city.
"Accept them," I said.
The citizens all quietened down.
As if none of them could understand, they only looked at each other and then at me.
"You mean…" the mayor spoke up. "The demons… are going to live here?"
I nodded.
The others had a hard time understanding it.
One of them let out a derisive chuckle.
"B-but they are demons…"
I nodded once more. At that time, the spirits hiding my appearance left and my horns and eyes became visible too.
The black horns I had hidden with white hair, the purple eyes I had tainted crimson red, both of them were revealed to the world.
Gasps after gasps rang out.
Some more tumbled and fell backward while others watched on.
"Young master too…"
"Then, all this time?"
"W-wait, he's still the young master…"
"He's actually the count now…"
They handled it much better than I expected. There wasn't much need to hide.
But the people.
All hesitated anyway.
Their eyes on the demons were full of doubt.
The demons noticed and lowered their head.
It was then, in the midst of all the silence, a girl snatched out a stick of meat skewers from a shop and dashed ahead.
"Nina—"
The girl's mother called, but the girl ignored her and walked closer to Bathym. Ahead of all the others, she stretched her hand out toward Bathym.
"Y-you hungry, mister? We got good skewers."
Her gaze turned toward me.
"She's winking, Eugy."
I could tell.
The main actor of Apollon's theatre was the perfect image of a young child, slightly scared.
Bathym slowly accepted the skewer from her hand and patted her head.
"Is it good?" Nina asked, her voice slightly trembling.
Bathym sniffed. He wasn't acting like her. Tears dripped from his eyes as he bit into the meat and nodded.
"Hah… i-it's the best I've had."
Nina flashed him a bright smile and ran back.
"Mom!" She screamed before diving into her mother's arms. I didn't miss the smugness in her air though.
The other people looked around in hesitation.
And then.
The old lady running the shop spoke up.
"T-there's more, if you want."
One of the adventurer's started speaking. "Don't worry about the money, the young master will cash it all for you."
I grinned.
"Of course," I said, and the other citizens started walking closer to the demons and pulling them along. A smile tugged at my lips.
"I have more labour to exploit now."
"Hah!" The mayor scoffed at my words. "You come along too, young master. You're new too—"
"Don't act out."
"Yup, sorry."
The mayor lowered his head and laughed while walking away.
The people of Apollon, now had demons living with them.
It seemed all was going to be good.
As for what wasn't.
Dressed as an employee of the city hall, Miss Glasses of Dark Moon walked over to me.
"Get rid of any insurrection."
"Understood, my lord."
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