Chapter 4: A Social Reform Instigated By This Prince!
Part 1
Komekko-chan was crying, both from the disappointment of the sword being limited to my bloodline, and the discipline Shanie oba-san gave her.
I looked at the scimitar that was in the box and held it.
"...What's this weapon called, anyway?"
"The first king called it by his native tongue. He called it the Musou scimitar. I believe it translates to 'Peerless'."
"P-Peerless, huh?! Does this mean this sword is really powerful?!"
"Not really? Among the many divine weapons, this one is about mid-tier. If S-rank is the highest, then this one would be C-rank."
"...I heard from somewhere that heroes can choose their divine weapons. Why did he choose this one, then?"
"He said he liked it because it looked cool."
That guy!
Is he really my ancestor?
"Ah, I see why he's Revi's ancestor, now."
Iris seemed to see the resemblance, though.
I put the scimitar back in the box and handed it to Shanie oba-san, but she shook her head.
"Take it with you, Revi. It is your birthright, after all. If nothing else, this can be the symbol of your bloodline."
"I'm not really a swordsman, though."
I trained with saber techniques and other fencing styles as part of my education, but I didn't really take those classes all that seriously.
"It's better in your hands than to have it here collecting dust. Or sand, I suppose."
Since she insisted, I went ahead and took the sword from her.
"I'll use it and bring honor to our clan!"
"Make our family proud, young Revi!"
Komekko-chan looked up from her sulking and said,
"...Good for you, Revi. At least one of us gets a magic sword."
"You heard what she said, right? It's not a powerful sword. By the way, what magical effect does this sword even have, oba-san?"
"...Don't call me oba-san. It makes me feel old! And Musou has two abilities, actually."
"Oh?! It has two?!"
Komekko-chan got even more depressed when she heard this.
"The first ability is that it's sharper than any conventional sword. The second ability is that it is highly magically conductive."
"...Aren't those the typical properties of a generic magic sword, though?"
"Pretty much!"
Komekko-chan started cheering up after she heard that the sword's abilities weren't all that exciting.
"I see! The Devil isn't missing out on much, then!"
For a moment, I thought that I'd have to do a class change if this sword was really powerful, but I was still stuck shooting with a crossbow from afar.
After the issue with the sword was dealt with, Shanie oba-san had her female servants come over to serve us food. Since we were hungry and thirsty from being in the desert heat for so long, the feast they gave us was very much welcome.
They served flatbread, many kinds of dip, and a meat paste of some kind.
I dipped the flatbread in the meat paste and tasted it.
"Oh, this is quite good. It has a mild flavor… What is it?"
"It's raw lamb meat."
"...Pfft!"
I spat out the meat paste when I heard what she said.
"R-Raw?! You gave me raw meat?!"
"Relax, it was handled skilfully. You just said it was good a few moments ago."
"Yeah, before I heard it was made out of raw meat!"
Komekko-chan didn't have any problems eating it. Rori-san tasted it curiously. Even if she didn't need to eat, she still liked to taste different food, since she liked trying out new recipes to cook for us.
"I like the mild flavor, and the olive oil goes well with it! Maybe I'll try this when it's my turn to cook…"
"I'll have my chefs teach you how to prepare the raw meat, Rorisa."
I had a bad premonition when Shanie oba-san promised to teach Rori-san how to prepare raw lamb meat.
After the meal, the servants brought out tea and honeyed date cakes. I relaxed when I saw that the dessert was much more normal than the meal.
While we were enjoying our dessert, Shanie oba-san requested the servants to start doing the Elroadian traditional belly dance.
"Ohhh!"
I enjoyed the sensuous and skillful dance.
I looked at Iris and the others.
"You girls should pay attention! Revi-sensei might quiz you on this later, hehe…"
Shanie oba-san chuckled.
"If you're willing to stay for a few more hours, I can have the servants teach you girls how to do this dance."
Iris rubbed her chin.
"Well, I guess it'd be pretty important if we knew the cultural dance of this country."
She was thinking about the diplomatic aspect of it, huh?
While the girls were receiving instruction, Shanie oba-san came up to me and said,
"As for you, Revi, I have a separate matter to discuss with you."
She led me to a different tent after saying something to a servant.
"...Um, oba-san, you're attractive and all, but doing it with my own ancestor is a bit…"
I said this, when she led me to a tent with a bed on it.
"I'm not putting the moves on you, brat. I mean, I admit, seeing as your face is very similar to my late husband, it's a bit tempting, but I don't feel anything more than some temptation."
The fact that the temptation exists in the first place is worrying.
Since I was dealing with a succubus, I tried not to read too much into it.
"I mean, if you're just using your hands, I guess it's fine."
"...It seems that you're the one who's tempted, Revi. Anyway, that's not why I called you here."
She snapped her fingers.
A bunch of black haired, tan skinned girls wearing belly dancer dresses came into the tent.
"Since you're here anyway, why don't you take a concubine from the native tribe? It will solidify our relationship."
"...Aren't these girls technically my cousins?"
"They're not my descendants! Do you think I sleep around with my tribesmen or what?!"
She got mad when I started assuming things.
"Ahem… Well, I'm not forcing you, but there's a war going on, so it would be prudent to take a wife or two."
"That's true. With all the war stuff going on, I need some stress relief."
"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the war agreement between the tribe and the kingdom."
The native tribes have full independence from the kingdom.
Not only are they exempt from taxes and the kingdom's laws, they are also exempt from being conscripted to the royal army.
However, if the current king of Elroad has taken a wife from any of the tribes, those tribes are honor bound to send forces to fight with the kingdom, if war arises.
"...I'd rather not do any fighting if I can help it."
Our military in Elroad was the weakest in the continent. It was practically a joke. Their ego was bigger than their list of military accomplishments.
The fact that I cut off a lot of funding to them contributes to their incompetency, but that was only one of the factors that went into it.
"You're just like your great ancestor. Choosing a weapon because of its beauty instead of its combat power, ruling a country with diplomatic means instead of military might… Well, I don't think I would have fallen for him if he was the typical warmonger."
She chuckled while reminiscing about the past.
"How did oba-san hook up with the first king, anyway?"
A devil and a human relationship was rare, to say the least.
"Do you know what separates a greater succubus from a regular one?"
"What is it?"
"Ordinary succubi feed on ordinary men to gain sustenance. A greater succubus is an evolved form who has sinked their fangs into royalty, heroes, men of renown."
"...So you're telling me that you originally approached the first king in order to suck his life energy?"
"Indeed. I was giving him a good dream to paralyze him before I sucked his life energy."
"Ah, yes, the dream service. I'm familiar."
I had Rori-san give me many good dreams back when I was a virgin, after all.
"In order to keep a target asleep while sucking the energy from them, the dream needs to be perfectly tailored to their desires. Otherwise their body's instincts will alert them that their life is being sucked away."
I was curious to learn about how succubus feed on their target, so I eagerly listened.
"When I went to feed on the first king, I tried to guess what he might want in his dream. Since I had no idea, I disguised myself in a human form and got to know him, to do some recon."
"I guess if you don't know what the target likes to see in their dream, you have to do some investigating, right?"
I always told Rori-san what I wanted to see, so that was never an issue.
"That's right. I got to know him this way, in my disguised form. After some time, I realized that I got along with him. I almost forgot that I was trying to target him for his life energy. One day, I decided to ask him once and for all what his dream was. I didn't want to get distracted from my real purpose anymore. Well… He told me that his dream was to marry me."
Oba-san blushed while recalling the memory.
"So, I guess I made his dream come true in real life. Of course, I revealed to him that I was a succubus. I thought that he'd hate me for tricking him, but he got a nosebleed and started crying tears of joy and thanking me."
I understand, my ancestor!
"Sniff… What a touching story!"
"Indeed… Now, returning to the subject of concubines…
She brought the conversation back to the girls who were in the room.
"Oh, right. It's fine, you can bring all of them in whenever you want."
"...I was asking you to choose one or two."
I thought that she was giving me all fifteen of them.
"So stingy…"
"What are you planning to do with fifteen girls?! Choose one! Just one!"
She went ahead and limited me to just one.
I guess they have to leave some of them for the village's men.
I looked at the line of girls and saw a bubbly looking girl with pigtails.
She was the smallest one among the girls lined up and she was on her tiptoes, trying to make herself look taller.
"..."
I looked at her chest and saw that it was clearly stuffed with something.
I smacked the front of her dress and saw two fruits spilling out.
"Ah…!"
She went down and picked up the fruits and stuffed them back in.
Then she went back in line and pretended like nothing happened.
"..."
Why do I like weird girls so much?
"I pick her."
Part 2
Oba-san said that the girl I picked, Aisha, would follow us to the capital once she was ready.
A big ceremony will be held for her before she leaves the tribe.
After the girls were done with their lessons, it was time for us to go.
"It was nice to see my descendant. Come visit me anytime, Revi!"
"Sure thing, oba-san!"
"...I told you not to call me that."
I waved to oba-san as we headed out on our camels.
While we were heading out, Komekko-chan said,
"The traditional dance of your country is quite interesting, Revi."
I was wondering how much they actually learned just from one lesson. I suppose I just had to wait and see.
Iris started complaining again as we traveled through the desert. Thankfully, there were some clouds out now, and they were diminishing the heat of the sun.
Still, the air was shimmering with heat, and the winds were dry and hot.
As our camels trudged along, in that slow, disjointed gait they had that made it appear like they were about to die at any moment, I noticed that Iris kept taking out her doll.
"...Little Iris really likes to play with dollies, huh?"
"Idiot. I'm looking through the eyes of the doll to check up on our prisoner, Sonia."
"Sigh… Are you into voyeur now? Hoping to catch her changing?"
"Of course not! We need to keep an eye on her occasionally. I don't exactly trust your guards to do anything."
I couldn't really argue back, since I knew that my guards probably won't be able to do much if Sonia actually tries to escape.
The only reason she was behaving was due to the agreement we had, that we'd treat her well as a political prisoner if she behaved.
A comfy life in a mansion, being served by talented chefs, was the kind of treatment that an important political prisoner gets.
Compare that to the life of a runaway prisoner, and it's obvious why she didn't try to escape.
Iris checked her doll again 30 minutes after the last time she checked. This time, she let out a confused look.
"Huh? Revi, is Lord Rickford assigned to interrogate the prisoner today?"
"No? It's supposed to be another lord's job today."
"Then why is he here?"
"Scheduling mix up, I guess?"
"Maybe. Can't really blame the guy for working too hard."
She was about to set the doll down, but she noticed something else.
"...Revi, you might want to look at this."
She stopped her camel. I got worried and stopped mine beside hers.
"Put your hands on the doll."
I placed my hands on the doll and imagined myself looking through its eyes.
I found myself looking at Sonia's room. She was sitting on the bed, talking to Lord Rickford.
"...What did you say, milord?"
I saw Sonia glancing at the doll. It seemed like she was trying to see if we were listening.
"I said, I have a message from Maouko-sama."
"...?!"
What was this guy talking about?!
Is he actually a traitor?!
I mean, why am I surprised about that!
"From Maouko-sama, you say? Does that mean that you're a spy?"
"That implies that I work for her. No, no, I only made a deal with your boss."
This guy didn't even realize that he was being manipulated.
"What's this deal you made, exactly?"
"It's simple. I stir some disorder by resisting Prince Revi's succession of the throne. This makes Elroad without a leader for a while. I was also responsible for sinking King Elroad's ship."
"Hoh… You're quite capable, then."
"Indeed I am. If you're impressed by my skills, maybe we can…"
"Ah, maybe some other time…"
He was immediately shut down when he tried to make a move on Sonia.
"...I see. Well, Maouko-sama said that you will repay me for my services once you're free, so keep that in mind, hehe…"
"Is that so…"
"That's right. I'll leave the message she sent me now. She said that once you receive a signal, you should make your escape."
"And what will the signal be?"
"I'll come to get you out and we'll escape Elroad together. You can proceed to give me the reward I'm owed while we're on our way to Maouko-sama… Ehehe…"
This guy is really creepy?!
I was impressed that Sonia could keep a straight face while talking to him.
After he made some more creepy comments, he left the room.
Once the coast was clear, Sonia turned to the doll.
"...You guys get all that?"
Iris made the doll stand up and nod.
"Well, it's not like I can turn on you guys after you heard all of that. And it's not like I want to give that guy any 'favors'."
She shuddered at the thought.
It was discouraging to see that there were traitors among the nobility, but it was good to know that we had Sonia on our side.
We told Sonia to stay put and await further orders, before we cut the connection to the doll.
"Is this the society of true thinkers you were talking about, Revi? It seems like the nobility here only think with their lower parts…"
Iris said, with a smug smirk.
"I'd rather endure a traitorous noble than become a warmongering puppet for them."
"Heh, you still think of Belzerg as a country of nothing but barbarians, huh?"
Komekko-chan had her camel walk up to us and said,
"So what are we gonna do to that noble? Execute him?"
She didn't even hesitate to say that.
"I'd rather not."
"Why? This is a chance for you to show your strength as a leader, right?"
Since Komekko-chan had a straightforward way of thinking, she saw this as an opportunity for me to display my power.
"A lot of people rely on Lord Rickford. Along with taking care of the treasure room, he also has lots of other duties, and he even has land he maintains. He's actually a capable individual despite the flaws in his personality."
"He's a bad guy now, though. Are you saying you'll let him live even when he's betrayed you?"
"An asset is still an asset, especially if you have something you can hold over them. We can still make use of him instead of just killing him right away."
For example, we could make him sign a slave contract, and make him continue his work without pay.
"Nobility are more than just horny fat guys who take taxpayer money. They are highly trained individuals who have been bred from birth to become leaders when they grow up. It's always a blow to the country if one of them has to be removed from power."
"...If you let this one go, then all the others will come out and try to betray Revi. Showing your might and authority when it is possible will let everyone else know you're strong! If the Devil is ruler, she will rule with an iron fist!"
Komekko-chan said, raising her fist up to me with a grin.
Rori-san was giggling at Komekko-chan's assertions. She said,
"I believe that Komekko-san is speaking from the understanding of how Hell does things. She was trained by Vanir-sama, after all. In Hell, order and hierarchy are valued above all else. To maintain the hierarchy means that society is functioning as it is intended. Those who fail to perform their function or overstep their bounds are quickly disposed of."
"...That seems rather brutal. Are you saying that if Vanir fails to do his job, he will lose his Arch-Duke position?"
"It's because the rules are brutal and leave no room for loopholes that those who are put in power perform their duties without fail. If they know that they will receive a light punishment for breaking the rules, then they will continue to find ways to circumvent the laws of Hell."
I turned to Iris and said,
"And what would you do to Lord Fredrick?"
"Me? I'd assassinate him quietly. It'll be bad for morale if word gets out that there's a traitor among the ranks. Make a martyr out of him to use as inspiration for the troops against the enemy. If he's going to die, might as well make some use of him."
Between Rori-san and Komekko-chan's viewpoint that might rules all, my view that prioritizes asset management, and Iris's opinion that every sacrifice should increase a nation's military might in some way, I wondered which one was the correct way to go about the matter with Lord Fredrick.
I considered my options while we headed back, crossing the desert underneath the glare of the Elroadian sun.
Part 3
When we made it back to Elroad on our camels, the girls were eager to have a bath.
"...I'm never going through that desert even again."
Iris said, as we walked back to the palace.
"You might have to get used to it. What will we do if the Demon King army expands their reach to Elroad? We'll have to ask the desert tribes to protect us. Meaning we'll live there."
"What?! Are you insane?! I'll die if I have to live in that stupid desert!"
"It's the only defensible territory we have in Elroad. The Demon King army will have a hard time beating the desert tribes, who are used to the extreme temperature. Not to mention, they've been in that land for generations."
"...I don't care what you say. I'd rather surrender to the Demon King army than live there."
Typical Belzergian. For all their talk about war, they can't handle the heat.
"...The Devil doesn't mind the desert too much, but it's not the ideal temperature."
Komekko-chan said, as she wiped the sweat off her face.
"I'm not affected at all, so I don't mind!"
Iris glared at Rori-san, who didn't even break a sweat.
When we made it back to the palace, we saw Fredrick waiting for us.
"Ah, hello, your highness and company! How was your trip to the desert?"
Komekko-chan was glaring at him, but I gave a disarming smile, hiding the fact that I knew about his treachery.
"Unfortunately, we couldn't find a magic weapon for Lady Komekko."
"That's too bad! By the way, your highness, I have some free time now, so I'll be in charge of the prisoner's interrogation from now on…"
If I didn't know that he was planning to betray me, I would have thought that he was a hard working guy.
"Ah, is that so! I'll leave you to it, then."
"Thank you, your highness…"
When he left us alone, Komekko-chan sighed and said,
"Revi is letting him go? The Devil was ready to punch him right in the babymaker…"
Komekko-chan was pretty crude sometimes.
"I told you, he still has his uses. Instead of that, let's focus on the work we need to do."
Maouko was planning to make her move to let Sonia escape. This could mean an assault on the capital, or a covert operation meant to retrieve Sonia.
It was unlikely that she would divert her resources to attack us, when she needed her forces to keep watch over Belzerg.
However, there were other means to increase one's fighting power, such as hiring mercenaries or bandits.
Even if Elroad's military was incompetent, I doubted that a bunch of mercenaries could take us down, but they could raise enough chaos to allow Sonia to escape.
Sonia said that she would rather work with us, but there was also the possibility that she would escape if she saw the chance.
In order to prevent that, I wanted to ensure that we could handle whatever Maouko threw at us.
There was also the chance that she'd take the risk and send her army to take over Elroad.
"Iris, you go ahead and train the troops in Belzergian tactics and fighting style."
"Hah?! Teaching our secret techniques to a foreign kingdom?! What makes you think I'll do that?!"
"Because you're mine now."
I made her blush when I held her chin and came close.
"A-Alright…"
"So easy…"
Komekko-chan said, when she saw Iris quickly agreeing to my demands.
"Komekko-chan, I also want you to do something for me. The R&D department is developing mass produced copies of your dad's invention, the magic core that can absorb magical energies. I want you to pour your devil energy into them, so we can make weapons that have some of your energy."
"Hah?! You think I'll give away my Devil energy just like that?!"
"Please, Komekko-chan?"
"A-Alright…"
Komekko-chan succumbed when I put the charms on her as well.
Rori-san giggled as she watched Iris and Komekko-chan do my bidding. She said,
"I see you've realized what you're capable of once you learned about your devil lineage."
"...Don't tell me you somehow saw this coming, Rori-san?"
She shook her head.
"Of course not, but it makes sense why I found you so interesting at the start. Your devil blood probably resonated with mine."
"Ah, and I thought it was my boyish charm and wit that made you interested in helping me…"
"That played a major part in it!"
I giggled as I talked with the girl that helped me achieve my harem dream.
This envious lifestyle I had couldn't be possible without this succubus!
"Say, Rori-san, is there any way I can pay you back?"
She gave me a seductive smile.
"Well… Don't you think I should have my turn, now?"
I gulped and she giggled while watching my reactions.
"What's wrong? You've been with many girls until now, right? Why are you acting so shy now?"
"Well… I mean it's Rori-san…"
The girl I owed a lot to… Of course I'll feel embarrassed if she starts hitting on me.
Nonetheless, I owed Rori-san a lot, and she was telling me that she wanted me to reward her.
I took her to the Harem Quarters and started on the process of paying her back.
Part 4
I checked up on the Crimson Demon district after paying back my debt to Rori-san.
Since she was a Devil herself, and a succubus at that, she didn't have any problems keeping up with me.
She didn't end up as a vegetable unlike Regina-sama.
Speaking of whom, she was able to walk around and go back to her research, with Serena-san aiding her.
I promised to help her out once I finished my work.
Since I was the one who let the Crimson Demons in, I was responsible for keeping watch over them.
I went over to the district and saw that some of the locals were arguing with the chief.
"You're not allowed to sell your magic items! You're completely ruining our business!"
"...But how are we supposed to make money?"
When I came in, the locals saw me and bowed. The chief bowed as well, although he didn't seem used to doing it.
"What's the problem here?"
"Your highness… We are not arguing that the Crimson Demons should be driven out. We recognize that they provide a lot of value to our kingdom… However, what are we magic item artisans supposed to do about their overpowered magic items?!"
Since Crimson Demons were all Arch-Wizards, their magic item creation skills were leagues above what an ordinary Mage was capable of.
An item that would cost a small fortune in an ordinary magic store would be at the same level as the cheapest item in a Crimson Demon's store.
Belzerg didn't really have this problem since the Crimson Demon village was isolated away from the rest of the kingdom. Perhaps there was a reason for that…
"...In terms of the good of the kingdom, wouldn't you agree that we should embrace the new influx of high quality goods, even if we have to sacrifice the magic item stores that can't keep up?"
I said, raising my brow.
"Urk…"
Since this was a country where money was valued over everything, they couldn't argue with basic economics.
"Even so, your highness, our families have been running these stores for centuries. Our legacy is intertwined with this kingdom's legacy. Are you saying that all that history will go to waste just because we can't compete with these refugees?! What will you do once the refugees go away?!"
I held up a hand.
"Now, now. Let's not lose our composure. We're talking business, right?"
"...Right. Forgive me."
He took a deep breath. Once he calmed down, I turned to the chief and said,
"Chief, can we go to your house and conduct a meeting?"
"Eh? Ah, sure…"
He seemed to be asking me with his eyes why I chose his house, and why I didn't invite them to the palace.
That was because I wanted to bring some legitimacy to the chief's house as a place to conduct business.
I already figured out a solution for the magic item stores' complaints, even before I witnessed their argument with the chief.
But I wanted to make the most out of this situation.
A way to give the Crimson Demons legitimacy, a way to appease the local businesses who are suffering from having superior competition, and a way to reap all the benefits that come out of the result.
That's the way an Elroadian king runs his kingdom!
After letting them argue a bit in the chief's office, I said,
"I have an idea. How about I restrict the Crimson Demons, so that they can only conduct business with the kingdom itself? I will have them develop magical weapons and items for the military. If the Crimson Demons focus their efforts as a private business with an exclusive contract with the kingdom, then the local businesses will not be affected, right?"
"That's…"
Since it was unheard of for a company to produce magic weapons for a large group of people like the army, there weren't any established companies that had that function yet.
After all, magic weapons were reserved for wealthy adventurers and collectors. The most expensive army was Belzerg's and the most they gave their knights were adamantite armor, not magic weapons.
If the Crimson Demons were tasked with only making magical weapons, they wouldn't have any competitors.
Since it was in the heat of the moment, the representative of the magic item shops was more than happy to agree with my solution.
He completely overlooked the fact that I now contracted the Crimson Demons to only make items for me.
This way, if they wanted to make use of their services, they'd have to pay me to outsource the Crimson Demons.
I tried not to cackle as the magic item shop representative took the contract and had his colleagues happily sign it.
Once he was gone, I started laughing.
"What an idiot! Hahaha!"
"Eh? W-Why are you laughing like that?"
The chief gave me a worried look.
"Think about it. Why didn't that idiot just offer to hire you guys to work for their stores?"
"Um… Well, I'm not sure…"
"It's because people resist changes and let irrational fear take over. If they objectively looked at the cards they were given, they could have hired the Crimson Demons and kept all the profits for themselves."
"...Then why didn't you tell them that?"
"Hah? Why would I? I mean, normally, they'd be pissed if the kingdom took such a lucrative source of income from them, but now they can't complain since I'm 'helping' them. Of course, they'll realize that they made a mistake later, but they'd look like idiots if they blamed me."
I showed him the signatures on the documents.
"They signed this themselves, after all."
"...You're really scary, you know?"
"It's not my fault they let their fear of the unknown influence their business decisions."
I said, shrugging and giving the contract to the chief.
"So yeah, you guys are my private military enterprise now. I have some projects I want you to work on."
I took out a folder and handed him the blueprints for the wearable Moguninin armor, as well as the magic absorbing cores.
"Gather all those who need work and bring them to the factory owned by my R&D department! The project head is waiting for you."
"...You were already expecting us, huh?"
He sighed and accepted the blueprints.
I could have sent them to work the first day they got here, but I wanted to make sure the local businesses couldn't complain about me monopolizing the Crimson Demons.
It worked out just how I planned. Good job, me!
Part 5
After talking to the chief, I went over to Haruharu-sensei.
She and Arue-sensei were the only teachers present, but they didn't have that many students.
I waited for the lesson to stop, before I approached Haru-sensei.
I tossed her an apple.
"Good work, sensei."
"...An apple? What's this for?"
"Oh, it's an Elroadian custom. You give an apple to the teacher."
"Well, thanks."
She smiled and took a bite.
"So, how's the teaching?"
"...I haven't taught a class for a few years now, so I'm a bit rusty. I'm sure Arue-sensei is doing better than me."
"I just visited her. She said that you're probably doing better than her. I didn't know Crimson Demons were this modest."
She sighed and took another bite.
"...You're too young to be teasing me."
I chuckled, then took out something from my folder.
"What's this?"
"Read it."
She read through the contents of the document.
"...A Royal Academy?"
"That's right. I think that what the Crimson Demons are doing is revolutionary. Normally, only nobles have any kind of education. Why not make it public? Nobles are valuable because they're capable and talented, but is there any reason why the common folk can't reach their level of competence through hard work and study?"
"...I thought that nobles were born to be more competent than the average person?"
"Oh, please. That's just propaganda to maintain power. Anyone is capable of learning how to be competent. This whole country was founded by merchants who had to learn how to rule. If you look at the first ruler of anything, they started off as a commoner. Or worse."
Belzerg was actually founded by a barbarian tribe leader. Of course, they don't mention that in their history books.
"So you want to adapt the Crimson Demon's idea of a public school to teach young people, huh?"
"Yep, and I want you to be in charge."
"M-Me?!"
She was surprised by my declaration. I looked around the room.
"Um, hello? Miss Haru, I just told you that your clan is the only one around here doing this, right? Who else am I supposed to ask?"
"O-Oh, right…"
I chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You'll be fine. Of course, the idea of a school that educates peasants won't be received well, so we'll start it off as a school where nobles from all over can attend. Then, we'll slowly let commoners trickle in."
"...Did you say nobles from all over? Not just Elroad?"
"Of course. The easiest way to maintain peace in the continent is to educate its new generation of leaders, teach them that there are other ways to make money and gain influence, rather than just fighting all the time."
"...Your highness, you are aware that we are in the middle of a war, right?"
"Just call me Revi. And Haru-sensei, I'm surprised that you're not already thinking ten steps ahead! You need to be thinking about ten years, twenty years into the future, you know?!"
She just stared at me blankly.
"...I've met a lot of oddballs in my clan, but I think you're the weirdest person I've met."
She just roasted me?!
She chuckled when she saw my shocked face.
"Alright, count me in."
"Great! Alright, bring them in."
I went out the window and called out to my servants.
They nodded and ushered in a bunch of noble children to come in the Crimson Demon district.
"They're already here?! And you brought them in without even knowing if I'll agree or not?"
"...? What do you mean? I already predicted that you'd agree before you and the Crimson Demons even got here. Keep up, Haru-sensei!"
I shook my head and sighed, as Haru-sensei started preparing to greet her new students.
Why isn't everyone on the same page as me?
Since the amount of students pouring in was about the same size as the class Komekko-chan and I attended, Haru-sensei stopped panicking and divided the class between herself and Arue-sensei.
Of course, I wouldn't bring in an amount of students beyond what they could handle.
I left the school and let them handle the classes. I checked the pool next.
The swimming pool in the Crimson Demon district became a popular dating spot among the youth.
There were Crimson Demon beauties in bikinis flirting with the Elroadian bachelors. There were also beauties from Elroad flirting with the Crimson Demon bachelors.
"Hm… There seems to be less people here than before…"
I said, looking at the youth in attendance.
I went up to a group of Elroadian nobles and said,
"Hello fellow kids!"
"Um, hi…?"
Even though I was their age, I started acting like an adult trying to fit in.
I should talk more like a kid…!
"How come there aren't more of you hip, hoppity youngsters hanging out and getting funky in this joint?"
"Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you, man?"
Not caring that I was a prince, they started getting creeped out.
Since I wasn't used to socializing with my peers, I started behaving awkwardly.
"...I was just joking, haha. So, why aren't there more of you here?"
I thought that this pool would be filled with genetic material by now.
"Don't get me wrong, this is a cool hang out spot, but our parents don't want us hanging around in this district."
"Yeah, they consider this place as the slums."
So that was what the nobles were telling their kids.
I snapped my fingers. A servant approached.
"Bring the press here. Also bring the goods…"
"Yes, your highness."
A half-hour later, the press arrived.
They were confused as they came in with their magic cameras.
"...Um, what's the big story here…?!"
"Wattup biiiiiitches!"
The reporters' jaws dropped when they saw me decked out in jewelry and gold chains, while surrounded by Crimson Demon beauties in bikinis.
"Ya'll think is the slums?! Does this look like the slums to you?! Look at my girls! Look at my drip!"
I started flexing while the other nobles came in, decked out in gold and gems.
The press started hurriedly taking pictures. I decided to go on full model mode, showing them my abs as the girls posed with me.
"Can we get a quote for the headline, your highness?!"
The press said, hurriedly writing down notes and calling their associates to come over.
"If you're not partying in the Crimson Demon district right now, you're a loser! This place is the hottest place in the capital! Look at all these girls! Look at all these nobles here! If you're in some boring ballroom party right now and not in this swimming pool, you're a big nerd!"
After spreading my propaganda around, and posing for more pictures, I left the pool.
"We can keep the jewelry, right?"
One of the noble youth said, as he smiled while wearing a gold chain.
I snapped my fingers and the servants took the goods back.
"Just be lucky I'm letting you keep the girls."
"Y-Yes, sir."
I left the pool and let the hip youngsters party.
Part 6
"...Revi, what in the world did I just wake up to?"
Iris said during breakfast. She held out the newspaper to me.
The headline read, "If you're not here, you're a loser". Prince Elroad Partying in the Crimson Demon District!
"So you mean to tell me that while we were doing your work for you, you were partying it up?!"
"...That's not true, Iris. I was working, too."
"You call this working?!"
She flipped the page and showed a picture of a Crimson Demon girl shaking her butt in front of me, while I drank beer and flexed my chains and rings.
"...You know what, I just realized that there's no way I can explain this, so I'll just endure your nagging."
"Huh?! Alright, if you're gonna be that way, then let's start!"
She proceeded to nag me for an hour.
After I managed to get out of that, I went to my office and looked at the proposals I needed to approve.
In that pile of papers, I saw a familiar name.
"...Hm? Dustiness Ford Sylphina?"
The negotiator I met at the Crimson Demon village was requesting an ambassador position in Elroad.
"...Trying to escape, huh?"
Since I knew how crafty she was, I figured out her plan. She was trying to leave Belzerg during the war.
Would I really take on someone who was disloyal to their kingdom?
I stamped my approval on the paper.
All I want are useful assets!
I laughed as I saw more cowardly nobles and merchants seeking asylum in Elroad.
I approved all of them, even the ones with a shady history.
The good thing about bad guys is that they can't help but do bad things. That makes it easier to expose and extort them later on.
After letting in all these shady people, and assigning my spies to constantly watch them once they arrived, I took a break from my work.
I received a knock on my door.
"...Come to nag me even more, Iris?"
"Thank you for approving my role as ambassador!"
"Huh?!"
I didn't expect Sylphina to already be there.
"...Don't tell me…"
"I already knew you'd approve!"
Finally! Someone on the same page as me!
I stood up and shook her hand.
"Welcome, Miss Sylphina! Do you already have accommodations?"
"Yes, I do! I bought a house and thoroughly cleaned it!"
Damn, I guess I can't put any bugs in her house now.
"I see! Then, I'll send one of my servants to assist you…"
"Ah, I don't need any of your spies, I mean, servants!"
She really was on the same page!
"Alright, but just remember…"
"I know! Any wrong move and you'll blackmail and extort me, right?"
I smiled and said,
"Alright, get out of here you sneaky fox!"
"Maybe we can have a lunch date some time?"
"Sure thing!"
She smiled, waved, and walked away.
I guess I'll have to keep a close eye on her myself.
I thought, as I watched her bottom sway as she walked out.
Once I was done with the paperwork, I went to the R&D factory to check out on the progress of the Crimson Demons.
My researchers were stunned by the Crimson Demon clan's abilities.
"T-This is amazing?! How come Belzerg never thought to do this?!"
They said, as they watched the Crimson Demons work and produce magic items at an insane speed.
They even had golems working for them. The golem relay was the closest thing to an automated assembly line I had seen. I thought that such a concept was only theoretical.
"Sigh… Let's not make fun of our mentally challenged neighbors. I'm marrying their queen, you know?"
"...It seems like you're the one making fun of them, your highness."
They said, looking at me disapprovingly.
"Please don't tell Iris I said that."
"...Why are you talking like you're the one in charge of the relationship, when it's clear you're whipped…"
"I don't remember you guys being this sassy?!"
I ignored the chuckling researchers and went down to the chief, who was instructing the Crimson Demon workers.
"...Why are you down here, chief?"
I said, going up to him and pulling him aside.
"Eh? Well, I thought they'd need my help here…"
"As much as I want the leader of an entire clan to be some foreman, I'd rather have you stay in the village and lead…"
"A-Alright…"
Since they weren't used to living anywhere else outside of the village, the chief didn't realize that a leader needed to be present in case of any unforeseeable problems.
"After all, what if some cocky rascal went into your pool and started flirting with your girls in an obnoxious way?"
"...Weren't you the one doing that yesterday?"
I followed him to the Crimson Demon district, since I was headed there anyway.
I checked on the school and saw that Arue-sensei was teaching the noble students, while Haru-sensei was teaching the Crimson Demon students.
I didn't feel right about segregating the two classes, but it was a necessary evil for now.
You can't possibly expect to do any social reforms in just a day. That will just ruffle the feathers of those who are used to doing things a certain way
Once the classes were over, I had my servants bring out food and snacks in a common hall.
I let the noble kids and the Crimson Demon kids interact and get used to each other.
You can't convince their stupid parents to get along, but you can teach their kids a lesson in tolerance.
Kids like to rebel against their parents, anyway.
After doing my thing in the academy, I had my ever-present servants follow me to the pool.
The pool had now become the hottest social spot in the city after my stunt.
A bunch of young nobles were hanging out there, going against their parents' wishes.
After doing my share of socializing with the youth, letting the press take pictures of me, since they had become regular fixtures there, I let the young socialites be and went back to the palace.
Part 7
After a busy day, I went out to the balcony of the main lounge area.
The others had been relaxing in the longue with me, but many of them retired to their rooms.
I stayed behind to look at the stars in the sky and the lights in the city that never sleeps.
The casinos, bars, red light district, places that encapsulated the night life of the capital, kept the heart of the city beating even throughout the ungodly hours of night. Elroad's capital is nocturnal, but the hard work of the day was what made its exorbitant nightlife expenditures feasible.
Komekko-chan slipped into the balcony. She was wearing her bat print pajamas and was working on a late-nite snack, a ham sandwich with melted cheese.
"...Still up?"
She said, chewing while crumbs were stuck to her cheeks.
"...Still eating?"
"The Devil could keep eating for the entire day if I'm able. The only thing that stops the Devil from doing that is the judgemental stares of others…"
Since she never gained weight due to her insane workouts and superior genetics, I took her claims seriously.
"Why do you like eating so much, anyway?"
"Why not? Food tastes good, gives us energy, sustains us… One of the reasons we were put in this world is to eat!"
"That's a rather simple outlook on life…"
"But it's true, isn't it? We consume food and even consume others, all for the purpose of becoming the best versions of ourselves."
"Consume others?"
She finished up her sandwich and joined me in leaning against the balcony rails.
"Yeah. It's a fact of life that if you want to be the best, if you want to be strong, you have to beat everyone who gets in your way. You can't get anywhere in life without trampling others along the way. So, if you don't want to be weak, if you want to be one of the strong ones, you have to consume everyone who opposes you!"
Since Komekko-chan had been partially raised by Hoost and Vanir since she was a child, I wasn't too surprised that she thought more like a devil than a human.
Even the environment she was raised in, as a child in a poor family, in a village surrounded by high-level monsters, it wasn't too surprising that she developed this worldview that prioritized might and power.
Not to mention that she was born as a genius. From the very start, she had to defend her place at the top, as an apex predator, while others tried their whole lives to rise to her league.
"I think there's more to life than just proving you're the best all the time."
"If the Devil didn't have this kind of mindset, would I be in this castle right now, talking to a future king like you?"
She smirked and placed an arm around my shoulder in a tomboyish way.
Komekko-chan probably thought that I wouldn't have fallen for her if she wasn't as strong and capable as she was.
I couldn't deny that was part of her appeal. If she didn't train her body to its physical peak, if she wasn't as powerful and reliable in a fight as she was, then she wouldn't be Komekko-chan.
But there were other aspects to her as a person that attracted me to her.
Her kindness, her honesty, those moments of vulnerability that she allowed only me, and a select few, to see, they were all pieces of the puzzle that made up the image of her in my mind.
"If life is all about just being strong and being above other people, then do you think that there's no place at the top for those who are weak?"
"That's right! The strong rules over all! History is written by the victors!"
"Yeah, but not everyone is a good writer."
She tilted her head. I elaborated,
"Even strong people have weaknesses. Komekko-chan, do you expect me to forget how poor you were in your studies?"
"Urk…!"
She blushed and glanced away. I chuckled at her reaction.
"Would Komekko-chan say that the ideal kingdom is one with the most powerful king, one that is only filled with strong people and not weak people?"
"Yeah! A kingdom like that would be the best!"
"Alright, let's say that this kingdom rules over the world. The world is dyed in their colors. Many weak people were sacrificed along the way, consumed for the purpose of conquest."
"Then the world would be a better place! There won't be any weak, cowardly traitors like that Rickford guy who betrayed Revi!"
"Then, what comes after? Now that this powerful nation has trampled all the weaker nations in its path to glory, what will they do?"
"...What do you mean?"
I gestured to the city at night, at the faint outlines of the buildings illuminated by magical light.
"Can those strong people recreate the beauty of this city? Soldiers didn't build this city, you know? In times of peace, artists flourish. The people you consider weak in combat are strong in other areas. There are thinkers, creators, builders among them. They developed these skills because they lacked the traditional form of strength that you value above all."
"...Strength isn't only limited to fighting power. Those who are strong in other areas can stay. Especially those who are good at cooking! Their purpose will be to serve the strong! After all, it's not much of a victory if there isn't a feast!"
"Alright, this nation will spare the artists, the cooks and those who are strong in fields aside from fighting, is that right?"
"Yeah, of course!"
"What about the people who aren't strong in military or creative fields, but have important jobs? I'm talking about the farmers, the miners, the people who provide the materials in order for a nation to thrive. What do we do with them?"
"Of course, they can stay, too!"
"But I thought that the strong only trample over the weak? Will these people be purged? Or perhaps they will be enslaved? Or will you give them the rights of an ordinary citizen?"
"...I guess I'll just give them ordinary rights. But they won't be as important as the strong people!"
"Komekko-chan, what you just described is how an ordinary kingdom operates."
She blinked and glared at me.
"Stop teasing the Devil!"
"I'm not teasing you! I'm just showing you that your ideal nation isn't all that different from how we do things! Even that hypothetical nation of yours, that only values strength, will end up developing the same social policies as the weaker nations it trampled along the way! Most nations start in the same manner, as barbarian tribes who only take from the weaker groups around it. However, once they started developing a larger community, the people they considered weak became more valuable. Farmers started becoming more valuable than warriors, philosophers started becoming more prominent than generals."
"...In times of peace, the weak will overwrite the strong? Then the strong should rise up and conquer the weak again! Weakness corrupts people and makes them petty, cowardly traitors! Weak people should never rule over the strong!"
"And that's how war starts, doesn't it? If nations aren't fighting for resources, then they're fighting for the right to be strong, but it all ends up the same way. It ends up with a beautiful view of the city like this, a city constructed by artists and thinkers enjoying a golden age of peace and prosperity. Even if someday, the desire for power will turn those lights into flames of conquest, a period of social reform will still follow after it, and the weak will rise again."
"Then, if the strong people made sure that the weak ones will never attain power…"
"Then you'll end up as the Queen of ruins and the bones of society. Congratulations."
Komekko-chan was quiet after that, thinking about what I said. I smiled, happy that I was able to get her to expand her horizons a little. There was nothing wrong about her worldview, but it's always good to develop as many perspectives as possible.
We stayed there for a while, admiring the city lights that burned brighter than the stars above.