Megumin, Darkness, and I were rudely awakened by the distant sounds of Jack's loud-ass heavy metal music. It was bad enough having my beauty sleep interrupted, but the fact we were forced to share a ratty mattress on the floor of his lair wasn't helping.
Plus, that weird tingling feeling on the side of my neck was back, almost as if some demonic creep was leeching off of my holiness while I was asleep…but that was ridiculous! Probably just the work of another pesky mosquito.
When we finally made it back home to the mansion after the trial, all of our furniture was gone. According to Darkness, the government must've decided to inconvenience me further by seizing all of our assets to chip away at the debt we'd been slapped with for blowing up the capital.
This included pretty much everything that wasn't nailed down - including my secret stash of booze! I was gonna crack one of those bad boys open to at least celebrate not going to jail!
The only area of the house that wasn't ransacked by the Royal Guard was, of course, Jack's little man cave. He actually had a bright idea for once and locked the door to his lair behind a keypad and hidden wall (something about people constantly breaking into his old home, I dunno, I wasn't really listening). Since we no longer had comfy beds to sleep in, Jack offered to let us bunk down here until we could figure out a way to replace our repossessed furnishings.
I couldn't decide which I disliked more: sleeping in smelly stables with horses, or sleeping in noisy cellars with robots.
"Mhm, Jack…? Turn your music down!" I shouted groggily down the metal labyrinth. "Some of us actually have a sleep schedule to maintain, thank you!"
I threw the spare blanket I was provided over my head as I waited for my request to be fulfilled. The music didn't turn down any. Could that boy even hear me? Probably not. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got his ears glued to the damn speakers.
And those lyrics…blegh! My English wasn't as great compared to my Japanese or Chinese, but I knew it well enough to understand the vulgar words blaring out of that audible trash. Why couldn't he have chosen an anime OP to listen to or something?
"Mhm…it might be best for us to make other arrangements…" Darkness suggested, her demeanor subdued much like my own. "We're not going to get much rest as long as Jack's off doing...whatever that is."
"Hey…what'z 'at sound…?" Megumin slurred, her eyes still closed as she slowly sat up. "I dunno what language that is but…I kinda like it~"
"That's Crimson Demons for you I guess," I mused with a slight glare, less angry and more jealous that the younger girl could tolerate Jack's music. "C'mon, let's just go upstairs for a while. I'm sure Jack will tire himself out eventually."
Nodding, my friends and I dragged ourselves out of "bed" and trudged through the lab. As we tried to find the stairs leading back up to the first floor, we passed by some of Jack's robots milling about, doing whatever it is robots do.
I'll admit, it was still a little jarring seeing so much sci-fi crap in what was supposed to be a high-fantasy, JRPG world. The bots admittedly did make my life down here in the mortal realm a little bit easier, but still, talk about a clash of genres…
As we moved towards the exit, we finally passed Jack, busy fiddling away with whatever was lying atop his workbench. Probably one of the robots that got destroyed by that damn demon. One of the functioning bots was hovering beside him, its chest having been converted into a…boombox? Of course…
The little guy swiveled his head at us and. I swear to Me, it actually almost looked spooked for a second. It used one of its claw hands to finally dial back on the volume, making Jack stop what he was doing to face it.
"Dude, what the hell!? My favorite part was coming up!" He whined at the machine before it kindly pointed him in our direction. "Oh. Hi guys! Morning already?"
"...no, Jack. It is not morning," I replied tiredly, rubbing my eyes as the exhaustion was already wearing me down. "Your stupid music woke us all up."
"I actually don't mind it," Megumin admitted with a weak but satisfied smirk. "Whatever it is, it appeals to my Crimson Demon sensibilities."
"Don't encourage him!"
"Ah, I see you have an ear for Dope as well!" Jack said with a finger gun snap her way. "American Apathy has always been my favorite album of theirs; the themes of anarchy and hedonism really speak to me. I had a hunch you'd like it~"
"Yeah, yeah, that's great. I'm really glad you two had this wonderful bonding moment. Now could you PLEASE let us go back to sleep!? Goddesses still need beauty sleep to look their best, you know!"
"Huh? Oh, sorry," Jack mumbled dejectedly once he realized why we were all up so early. "Music just helps me stay productive. Forgot you have to sleep down here for a while. But don't worry, I know how to solve both our problems! Just gimme a sec here…"
Walking over to his computer desk, Jack retrieved a pair of headphones and an aux cord, plugging one end into the port on the headphones and the other into the boombox robot.
"There! Now I can jam while I work, and you ladies can sleep in peace. Everybody wins! Now if you'll excuse me, these JackBots aren't gonna fix themselves."
And just like that, he slipped the headphones on and went right back to repairs, headbanging in his own little world. Weirdo.
We stared at the robot in…anticipation I guess before it looked back at us.
"It's a living."
"That's...certainly a way to describe it," Darkness replied with a curious look, fascinated by yet another of Jack's creations. Guess I wasn't the only one who felt this was all still a little alien. "Anyway, I don't suppose we all still need to go upstairs now?"
I groaned, glancing back at the direction of the mattress before relenting (but not without a pout to show how tired and frustrated I still was). "We're already up, might as well…"
With that, the three of us continued on our path, heading upstairs and making our way into the kitchen. At the very least, I could whip myself up a late night snack while chatting with my closest mortal friends. That wasn't so bad.
"You girls want something to eat? We've got -" I stopped myself when I looked over and realized the magic fridge was still gone. "Oh…right."
…
I couldn't hold it in anymore as I collapsed to the floor, kicking and screaming in righteous frustration.
"AAARRRGGGHHH! Why did they have to confiscate every little thing in the house!? What difference does it make if they sell off our fridge to cover the debt!? It's still gonna take us forever to pay off!"
"Maybe so, but at this point every little bit of money helps," Darkness admitted with a sigh, shaking her head as she leaned against the far wall. "Still, it certainly has made living rather difficult for us now."
"No kidding," Megumin grumbled ruefully as she rested her chin atop one of the countertops. A few seconds, however, and she lifted her head up slightly to eye Darkness. "Actually, wait, you're a noblewoman. Can't you just ask your parents to borrow some money? Surely you guys are loaded enough to spot us!"
"Hey, that's right! With someone as influential as Darkness on our side, our debt to the kingdom is a thing of the past!" I realized as I hopped up off the ground and cheered. "Hooray for privilege!"
Darkness lost whatever cool, stoic look she was trying to go for as she waved her hands frantically. "W-W-WAIT, STOP, PLEASE! This is exactly why I kept my true identity hidden from you all! I don't like having to rely on my heritage when things get tough; it's embarrassing!"
"I thought you liked embarrassment though?" I asked innocently.
"Not when it's linked to my family. That's a personal matter," Darkness replied firmly, her eyes now downcast. "I know my…habits may seem strange, but I do have limits for them. Namely when it comes to my background as a noble."
"Don't forget about your cutesy real name, Lalatina!" I added helpfully.
"And your rock-hard muscles you're so self-conscious about," Megumin said with a sage nod.
"Urk! Y…Yes, those too…" Lalatina admitted with tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "A-Anyway, I simply can't help myself when it comes to anything else that may 'set me off'. I just have to learn to deal with my urges should they flare up. I'm sorry for being a hopeless freak…"
Megumin and I shared a glance at one another, slightly caught off guard with such a confession. However, we both seemed to pull ourselves together and we nodded accordingly. When we turned back to our Crusader friend, Megumin spoke first.
"Well, just so you know, we don't care if you're nobility. To us, you'll always be Darkness the Crusader! And as for your 'habits', well...I might not be a fan of 'em, but they're what make you unique, y'know? Everyone's special like that; it's what makes us human."
"Yeah, it's just like what I told Jack: it doesn't matter who or what you are, we're in this together!" I added vibrantly. "So what if you're a devotee to my overrated, bra-stuffing junior? And who cares if you like getting hurt or humiliated while protecting others? If there's one thing the Axis Order has over the Eris Order, it's that we don't judge what gets your rocks off!"
Even though Darkness looked at me strangely for some reason, she ultimately ended up chuckling to herself, shaking her head in mirth before offering us a quiet extension of gratitude. Looks like friendship triumphs once again!
"Thank you, friends. I may be able to secure enough funds from father to at least get us back on our feet. We may not be as well-off as most noble houses, but setting some extra grocery money off to the side shouldn't be too much to ask."
"Is money that much of a concern for your family?" Megumin asked with a raised brow. "My clan isn't too knowledgeable on nobles - since we don't care what goes on with them - but you seemed pretty close with the princess. Surely your household must have some amount of political pull?"
"My father and I come from a long and proud lineage of knights that have defended this nation since its founding. 'The Shield Bearers of Belzerg' as we are often nicknamed. Our political standing is the result of our ancestors' diligent work rather than our wealth. We're not on the verge of bankruptcy, but we have to be more mindful of our spending habits than other nobles."
Megumin crossed her arms and glared off to the side while grumbling, "Yeah, well, at least your family has the luxury of actually buying food on a regular basis. I bet that's how you even gained your Levels: eating high-end cuisines chock-full of XP."
Darkness kept starting and stopping her sentences as she tried to refute the claims. But ultimately she deflated in shame and defeat. Whether said emotions were turning her on or not was up to interpretation.
"Sorry…" Darkness apologized while rubbing her arm.
"For what? It is what it is, don't worry about it," Megumin said with a sigh. "But I guess that was a little harsh of me. I'm just pissed about 'high society' footing us with a massive bill again…"
"Don't worry, girls! In this party, your financial background doesn't matter!" I said to try and cheer everyone up again. "Rich, poor, or somewhere in between, we'll get out of this debt somehow! The one positive to Jack's machines is how they make daily life easier on us! We've got this in the bag~"
When I glanced back at Megumin, however, I noticed that the little girl actually looked somewhat troubled all of a sudden. Before I could ask her what was up, she put it into words.
"Speaking of Jack...is anyone else worried about him? Like seriously worried this time?"
Our eyes widened a little at her question, but we understood all the same.
"Uh…you mean aside from his lack of a consistent sleep schedule?" I joked lightly.
"Y-Yeah, more than that," Megumin replied, not really rising to meet my joke as the worried frown remained on her lips. "His evil shtick can be fun, I admit, but it's starting to cause problems. I'm not the only one who thinks that, right?"
"You're not, I do too," Darkness sighed wearily, her own face scrunching up into worry. "It didn't concern me nearly as much prior to the incident with the Destroyer. Like everyone else, I had assumed it was nothing more than a sadistically charming but otherwise harmless game he was playing with himself. I'd go along with it, get reprimanded in an 'evil' manner once or twice, and he'd eventually move on. But after what he told us back at the dungeon…"
"Yeah. Guess things feel a bit more real now, huh?" I agreed, recalling Jack's emotional meltdown back at the tomb. He may be a complete tool sometimes, but I did sorta like the guy. It wasn't particularly fun to see him in such a miserable state.
"Say, Aqua, you used to preside over his world, right?" Megumin raised her head to ask me. "How much of what he screamed back there was true? The neglect, the falling in with the wrong crowd...the beatings? Didn't you mention gods having files on the lives of all humans?"
I paused for a moment, considering the question. Unfortunately, this was one of those moments where I wished I hadn't skimmed over Jack's life story like it was a movie synopsis. I didn't think he'd lie to us about it, but that didn't mean I could prove it was all true either.
"We do, but…when his file mentioned he was the loner-type, I kinda glossed the rest from there. My motto back then was, 'you've seen one hikikomori, you've seen 'em all'. Starting to regret that now. Plus…I have this sinking feeling I got sent somebody else's file by mistake. Jack's been giving me so much conflicting information on his life that it has to be the case."
Seems we'd all finally stopped and taken a second to dwell on everything that's happened these past few days. It was kinda sobering, in a scary way, but I did recognize one good thing to come out of this talk: we all recognized there was a serious problem here.
"Our leader has suffered a great deal in his past, that much is obvious. If I could take all that suffering on his behalf, I'd do it in a heartbeat," Darkness stated firmly, a determined twinkle in her eyes despite the small blush that was forming from her M side. "I believe it is imperative that we give him the love and support he was deprived of back home. To show him that he does, in fact, have a place within our group."
Megumin and I nodded without missing a beat, already having agreed upon that by ourselves. Darkness then held out a finger to signal us to wait.
"That being said, however, if he truly is hell-bent on taking over the world…we cannot, in good conscience, allow that. Jack may be our friend but his delusions could turn into something dangerous if left unchecked."
"Yeah, if Jack's serious about his whole villain thing, we need to convince him otherwise. Even I recognize that's not healthy," Megumin chimed in. "I'm almost ashamed I didn't notice it sooner. As a Crimson Demon, I should know when theatrics go too far."
Darkness and I stared blankly at the little girl.
"Oi, what's with that look you're all giving me!? If you have something to say, say it!"
"Hey, that reminds me," I started, bluntly dodging Megumin's question. "Remember when Vanir claimed he would go on to kill adventurers, or when we asked him if he was really okay with letting people die back in the Destroyer? Didn't he seem unsettled when those topics were brought up? That must mean he's not a complete psychopath after all!"
Megumin paused before hesitantly agreeing, her enthusiasm slowly catching up. "I...uh, yeah, I-I guess you're right, Aqua! He isn't comfortable with the thought of killing people! That's already a huge step in the right direction!"
"Not only that, but there's the lie-detector too," Darkness added proudly. "Sena asked him if he was merely in it for fame and wealth, and when he answered yes, the bell didn't ring. Those two things may fall under the category of world domination, but they don't necessarily have to either! His want for recognition isn't a lie -"
"Which means he's not totally far gone!" Megumin finished excitedly. "Maybe there's something else he can do in life that will give a similar sense of satisfaction then; something that doesn't involve more tyranny. We just gotta help him realize that!"
"Nice thinking, Darkness! It's not usually like you to put two and two together like that."
"Where did this perception of me being a meathead come from…?"
"We just gotta focus on the positives. Sooner or later, we'll be able to steer him on the right track!" Megumin declared while pounding a fist into her hand. "We'll just have to be subtle about it. A direct approach won't get us anywhere when he'll just deny it till he's blue in the face."
It was reassuring to see the wave of optimism pass over all of us, knowing that we'd all do whatever we could to help out Jack in his time of need. We may have missed the early warning signs, sure, but from this point on we were gonna work together in his best interest! Slowly but surely, we were going to steer him off the path of evil!
I stuck my hand out in between Darkness and Megumin to encourage them to join in. "Right! From this point forward, let's all work together to help our friend! He's been patient with us, it's only fair that we return the favor. Who's with me?"
"I'm in!" Darkness replied, placing her hand over my own and offering a firm look of support. "I am more than happy to join you in helping our dear friend!"
"Crimson Demons never forsake their comrades!" Megumin declared triumphantly, slapping her hand down hard on top of Dark's, inadvertently making the crusader bite her lip from the pain/pleasure. "And Jack's been the only outsider who truly gets our culture. Plus, he appreciates my Explosions! No way I'm letting him go anytime soon."
I couldn't help but snort at the sentiment, even if I agreed with it. As strange as Jack was, he was also someone you could depend on when the cards are down. There wasn't anyone else I'd want by my side...okay, well, maybe one of my fellow gods. But that wasn't an option for me at the moment. So Jack will have to make do for now!
Speaking of which, we were pulled out of a group huddle by the sounds of footsteps fast approaching. We turned around in time to find Jack barging in through the doorway, tears threatening to spill from his eyes as he clutched his…absurdly red and swollen thumb.
"Uh…someone broke into my lab and…a-attacked me with one of my hammers, yeah..." He lied through his teeth before putting on a fake display of confidence. "They got my thumb - but don't worry! I still laid the smackdown on the intruder and sent them home crying! But, uh, I could still go for a medic?"
"Ugh...one healing spell, coming up," I groaned with an eyeroll, though I did smile internally. It was nice to be needed for a change. Even if it was over silly things like this.
It was a bad day to have run out of headache herbs.
As I kept up appearances with the demon soldiers that saluted me, I dread having to make my way to the war room. My beloved daughter had called for an emergency meeting with me and all available Demon Generals at the castle. This alone was cause for concern, but what really had me anxious was the thought of spending any more time than I'd like with my…"eccentric" subordinates.
I'll admit, it's not easy getting unruly demons and undead to join a unified cause, even as a Devil King with a high Charisma stat. "Beggars can't be choosers," to borrow a common human saying. That said…I sure picked a strange bunch of weirdos to command my army, didn't I? They're certainly powerful, which is what ultimately matters, but I still wish I had the foresight to conduct personality checks before promoting them to Demon Generals.
Beldia the Dullahan, whom I sent on a mission to investigate a strange light that appeared in Axel, is an unabashed sexual harasser. The pervert frequently gives me headaches by rolling his head under maidens' skirts or hiding it in the women's showers. He was at least wise enough to leave my daughter alone after she reported him peeping on her to me. No one messes with my little devil and gets away from it without bodily harm…
Vanir the All-Seeing Archdemon is arguably my strongest general, possibly even stronger than me. But he has such a laissez-faire attitude regarding his job, and would rather give me headaches by pranking my soldiers to feed off of their negative emotions. It also took an embarrassing amount of begging on my part to convince the Duke of Hell to even join my army at all. He naturally hasn't let me live that down since.
Wiz the Lich was only a Demon General in name, maintaining my castle's barrier from afar and little else. Like with Vanir, I had to swallow my pride and beg the woman to join after she single-handedly stormed my domain and defeated several generals just to force Beldia to lift a death curse he put on her friends. At least she was kind enough to accept on the condition that my troops didn't attack noncombatants. Although her making off with heirlooms from my treasury to sell in her shop gave me such a headache…
Hans the Deadly Poison Slime, while patient for a being whose lifespan lasted longer than most humans, has a bad habit of raiding our stockpile of rations. I understand Slimes are essentially slaves to their own instinct to constantly consume, but he could've had the decency to at least ask first! And any food that does survive his hunger becomes too toxic for anyone else to eat! What a headache…
Sylvia the Growth Chimera took her duties well as the director of the Monster Enhancement Division. Perhaps a little too well even; she could never stop badgering me about absorbing anything at every given chance. There is certainly something to be said about excelling at what you're good at…but she gives me a headache by being so damn annoying about it.
Serena is a Dark Priest, and the only human in my army (which also made her the weakest Demon General as a result). If her vindictive personality or worship of the Dark God of Revenge wasn't enough to give you a headache, it would be her constant begging for donations in the castle grounds. I get times are tough when you're the only living member of your patron deity, but still, nobody likes having others' religion shoved down their throats. We're not like the Axis cult.
The only two tolerable Demon Generals were my wonderful daughter, Homare, and a living Dark God, Wolbach. I naturally put the former in charge of the others while the latter was simply sensible enough to not give me any headaches. I'm honestly still impressed with myself for recruiting an exiled god like Wolbach to my cause! Though she always has this sense of longing in her eyes, like she isn't fully complete in some way. I only wish her the best in whatever it is she's looking for in this wretched world.
As I took my time walking down the last hall that led to the war room, my mind also wandered to the Demon General Candidates: soldiers strong enough to have a chance at becoming Demon Generals should something happen to one of the main eight.
They…weren't much better either, to be honest.
Daniel the Troll Lord was an unreliable minion more interested in human dancers than actually doing his job. Vanir is rather spontaneous himself, but he is still a Duke of Hell. I'd essentially be putting in charge a less powerful and more distractible version of him. Not that it matters since I fired that slacker a while ago along with his advisor, Charlie (he goes wherever Daniel goes).
Duke the Fallen Angel is far too obsessed with stealing Wiz's spot to be worth consideration. The Lich may not be an active member of my army, but she is powerful and willing to at least maintain the barrier. Duke can be jealous of her all he likes as far as I care.
Perrier is an immensely strong devil, but her low Intelligence stat and inability to grasp complicated orders holds her back from a promotion. I almost feel sorry for the poor thing as it's obvious she's trying her best. I'm thinking of maybe putting her on my daughter's personal team simply as extra muscle.
The only promising Demon General Candidate on the list is Rouzelli, an Elder Dragon. She really only enlisted because it was the most convenient option for her since losing her nest long ago. Dragons (especially older ones intelligent enough to speak) are only willing to listen to those they deem stronger than them. So my daughter and I still have to work on her some more.
"Your Majesty?"
"Hmm?"
Oh, shoot. I was so deep in thought, I failed to register the fact I had already made it to the doors leading into the war room. Mammon, the Goatfolk in charge of the Royal Guard, was the one who spoke as he and his platoon stared at me, awaiting orders.
I cleared my throat, putting on my regal voice to cover up the awkwardness. "Forgive me, I was simply going over today's debriefing in my head."
"You have nothing to apologize for, my Lord," Mammon said with a respectful nod of his goat head. "But if I may ask…how is that possible when your generals are still waiting for you to begin said debriefing?"
…fuck.
"You ask too many questions, Mammon. It would be wise of you not to pry into other people's business, least of all your king's…" I warned with a demonic growl fit for unholy royalty. When in doubt, intimidate those that dare to undermine you, even if it was unintentional on their part.
"Y-Yes, o-of course! Please, forgive me, Master!" Mammon nearly cried while prostrating himself before me along with his men.
"I am willing to overlook this transgression, seeing as how your past loyalty speaks for itself. Rise," I commanded with a near bored tone as the beastly creature and his underlings straightened themselves back up. "Now, do not allow anyone else in the war room once I set foot in it. You may let yourself in only if it is an absolute emergency that requires my immediate attention."
"Yes, your Majesty," Mammon said with a salute before opening the doors for me. Truth be told, he might not make for a bad Demon General in the future. And he hasn't given me any headaches like the others. I may consider him for a candidate whenever I have the time.
I put on my usual kingly passive face and silently stepped into the war room. It wasn't as grand as the throne room, primarily housing a circular meeting table and a large map of the known world displayed on the far back wall. But it was secure, being located deep in the sublevels in the middle of my castle, directly below my throne room in fact. Plus, the dim lighting from the torches created its own sinister ambiance, partially hiding my Demon Generals in the shadows.
With how quiet but patient they were waiting for me to be seated, it almost makes you forget they can be quite the peanut gallery.
I calmly made my way over to the head seat of the table. The Power Boost skill passed down through generations of my tribe temporarily gave everyone a tremendous boost to their stats. The range has sadly been limited to allies within my immediate presence since transferring most of my skills over to my daughter when she inevitably takes the throne. Still, it is a coveted ability all the same, able to turn even a goblin into a Demon General in their own right.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Homare said, professional as always even with her daddy dearest in the room. "Before we begin, does anyone know what the current status is with Beldia or Vanir? I would like to have all my peers present if possible."
"Uh…to be honest, we thought you or your pops would know," Hans admitted while forgoing the formalities. We've long since excused it as part of his nature as a Slime. "Haven't heard a peep from either in a while now. I've come to expect that from Mask-Face, but Beldia's usually on top of his weekly reports."
"Perhaps the pig finally angered the wrong female adventurer and silenced him for good…" Sylvia suggested with an unamused grumble.
Hans raised a brow courtesy of his human form. "You sure you're not still mad he was too scared to peep on your, and I quote, 'freakshow of a bod'? His words, not mine."
"Your lack of tact is going to be the end of you one day, Hans," Sylvia warned with a snarl before quietly resigning herself back to her seat. "But yes, I am still sore about that, obviously…"
"I understand Beldia is not exactly our most favored peer. I too have had to put the lecher in his place on more than one occasion," Wolbach addressed calmly. "But regardless of our personal feelings towards him, he is still a fellow general, and him going silent on us for months is concerning."
"Indeed, and if our sources are accurate, then we may be in possession of physical evidence of what befell him," Homare stated firmly yet grimly before nodding to the Dark Priest beside her. "Show them."
Serena held a small burlap sack and carefully pulled something out that visibly made her anxious despite her best efforts. It…vaguely resembled a head, and appeared to be made up entirely of a metal alloy of some kind.
With a smack courtesy of Serena, the head partially sprang to life (if you could even call it that). The odd, colorful strings dangling beneath what would be its neck sparked with tiny electrical magic. Its blood-red "eyes" flickered as it attempted to speak in a distorted, monotone voice.
"E-E-E-Error: emotion chip still not found. P-P-P-Please turn this mindless drone into a real booooyyyy…"
"...okay, what the fuck?" Hans blurted, staring at the head with wide eyes while leaning back ever so slightly in his seat. "How did...why does it...the hell am I lookin' at here!?"
"According to our human spy, the creator of this thing calls it a 'bot'," Homare explained while Serena dropped the accursed head onto the table, clearly upset with even holding it. "The closest thing he could compare it to was a metallic golem construct. However, whatever makes this thing tick is not magical in nature, at least not any type of magic I'm familiar with."
"Perhaps I could attempt to assist in that department?" Wolbach asked calmly, maintaining her composure better than Hans or Sylvia.
"By all means," Homare said while gesturing to the dismembered contraption.
Wolbach nodded diligently, leaning over the table and holding out her hand as a light-red glow accompanied the motion. After a few seconds, her calculated expression morphed into a confused scowl as her eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head in annoyance.
"This can't be right…" she muttered to herself in confusion.
"Nothing about this thing is right," Serena huffed impatiently. "Now what's the real verdict?"
"While I can detect faint traces of magical origination on the materials making up this...thing, I haven't a clue on how it's all been assembled," Wolbach admitted, retracting her hand and leaning back with a disturbed frown. "What did you say this was exactly? I've never seen or felt anything like it before."
"Its inventor refers to it and others like it as a bot," Homare answered pointedly. "As for the young man behind its creation, he goes by Jack Spicer: a self-proclaimed genius currently residing in Axel Town. The freelancer Serena and I hired to infiltrate the town reported that he had a hand in defending his home from the Mobile Fortress Destroyer itself. He used flying bots, of which the head was a part of, to weaken its defenses while he operated a, quote, '50 foot tall metal statue of himself'."
The room became deadly quiet after that.
This…was not good. Could this be a sign of that prophecy Vanir cryptically teased me about while I was getting hammered that one night? No, no, no - this cannot be happening! It's my destiny to be vanquished by the Hero, only for my lovely daughter to take my place and start the war against humanity anew! Total subjugation and/or annihilation of both sides isn't in the script!
"Father?"
"Eh!?"
Oh, great, my paranoia got the better of me and now I look like a fool in front of my awaiting generals. I'm getting far too old for this Devil King business…
"Sylvia was asking when was the last time you've heard from Vanir. You told me you tasked him with checking in on Beldia after he stopped giving updates, yes?"
I sighed tiredly, but still kept up the regal voice. "That would be correct. I had sensed a holy disturbance descending from Axel a while back and sent Beldia to occupy a nearby castle to gather intel. Last update I received from him consisted mainly of angry rants involving 'crazy little wizard girls' blowing up his territory. When weeks dragged on to months, I sent Vanir to check up on him, against my better judgment. Either the Archdemon blew us off again…or whatever happened to Beldia happened to him too."
More unnerving silence fell upon the war room. It was no secret Vanir could more than likely beat us all in a fight. If he wasn't so interested in pranking us for his own amusement and nourishment, he could've taken my throne a long time ago. So the mere prospect of him being bested at all…
And yet…I could feel the mana of the castle's barrier wane ever so. It wasn't anywhere near to falling - as long as one Demon General lives, it would still take nothing short of a BOMBARDMENT of Explosion spells to break it. But it did represent a grave omen of things to come…
"What else have you learned about Jack Spicer?" I asked my daughter. "If he really is the one responsible for the creation of these so-called 'bots', then we should know what we're going up against. What did the third party have to say about him?"
"Truthfully, the intel wasn't as all-encompassing as I was hoping. He has a mixed reputation with the people of Axel due to him being noted as an eccentric with a smart mouth. We also have his appearance down: red hair, eyes like a Crimson Demon, unhealthy pale skin - likely an albino. But outside of that, we don't have much else to work off of."
I exhaled heavily through my nose as I ran a hand through my aging, gray hair. Before saying anything else, I stood up from my seat and faced my back to my subjects as I studied the world map on the wall in front of us.
"Alright. I didn't want to bring this up with you all seeing as how it came from Vanir of all demons. However, given these concerning developments and disturbing coincidences…I believe it's prudent I let you all in on a little prophecy he shared with me and my daughter."
I sighed somberly before reciting what had to be the world's worst nursery rhyme.
"In a land of wingless dragons, a child walks.
Knows not his legacy for all that he talks.
Seeks world conquest, but halted time and time again.
Seeks to control ours with armies of metal men.
Passion was his downfall, but also his strength.
Influence capable of spreading to many a great length.
Whether you are man, king, god or devil…
Beware the forgotten Dragon of Metal."
I dared myself to glance back at my Demon Generals. Most were too stunned to make a comment. But within that suffocating sea of tension, there was the unanimous understanding that we may have just stepped into an entirely new war altogether. One that we were woefully unprepared for.
"So…what are we to do?" Sylvia hesitantly asked first. "Should this Spicer child truly be prophesied to bring us all to ruin, how do we stop him? I-I mean, assuming this is the same force that took out Beldia and Vanir - !"
Homare cut the increasingly panicky Chimera off. "Perhaps there is another avenue, one that represents the path of least resistance…Recruitment."
…
I love my daughter to pieces, but even I wasn't sold.
"You can't be serious! After all that cryptic rhyming shit, you really think it's a good idea to recruit this maniac!?" Hans sputtered in disbelief. "No – no way in hell! That's a terrible idea!"
"STILL YOUR TONGUE, SLIME!" Homare snapped, her golden eyes turning into literal hell flames as she put her lower-ranking peer in his place. "Wait until I am finished to voice your opinion. Then, if you have a better idea in mind, feel free to share it. Otherwise, sit down, shut up and allow me to propose a possible solution to our problem. Understood?"
Hans shrank back into his seat and acted in compliance after that.
"Thank you," Homare sighed. "Now, as I was about to say, the absurdity of my own proposition is not lost on me. I have equal amounts of worry and uncertainty like the rest of you. However, this otherworldly interloper is still young, malleable…impressionable. If we gather more intelligence on him, we could exploit his insecurities and recruit him to our side. With his powers, not only could we finally end this miserable war, but we could learn to harness it for ourselves…or at least contain it."
"That's certainly an option to keep in mind, Devil Princess, but it's a big IF," Wolbach commented, obviously not keen over the idea of working with an agent of Armageddon. "There's a lot that could go wrong with a gamble like that. But I agree that more intelligence should be gathered on this young man. We should learn more before we do anything rash."
"Of course, just trying to lay out some options," Homare nodded before turning to me. "But Father has the final say as usual. What are your orders?"
By the Devil Realm, why do I always get stuck with the hardest decisions…?
"For now, I believe the best course of action is passive observation. We need to know as much as we can on Spicer before making a proper assessment. That said, we mustn't let Belzerg know something far greater has us spooked. We are still at war with them and that cannot be ignored."
Hans sighed, "Great, as if waging war with a kingdom of barbarians wasn't bad enough, now we got ourselves a doomsday child to deal with. I guess that means we still have our usual duties to attend to?"
"Until such a move is made that I feel it is necessary to disengage, yes, your duties are still the same," I confirmed with a short nod. "We will continue the fight as long as we must. As for you, Wolbach, I'd like you to take the head of this 'bot' to your study for further testing. See if you can learn more about the magic you detected from the materials used in its construction. Perhaps that will be a clue to better understanding our foe. Dismissed."
With that, Hans and Sylvia stood up to walk out, Wolbach lagging behind after carefully (and perhaps apprehensively) cradling the bot's head in her cloak. Serena and Homare began to file out as well.
"Daughter, if you may stay behind for a moment?"
Homare stopped herself just before she went out the door. She nodded to Serena, who left without a world of protest. As soon as she shut the door behind her, I moved closer beside me, comfortable doing so now that it was just between family.
"Yes, Father?"
I finally allowed myself a great big sigh and let my upper body fall face-first onto the table. "Am I a good Devil King, sweetie pumpkin…?" I weakly asked despite the wood muffling my words.
"I…think you're doing the best you can, given the circumstances," Homare answered awkwardly yet honestly as she gently patted my back.
"All I wanted was to get back at those Crimson Demons for peeping on you with their magic telescope," I admitted for the umpteenth time. "And those Axis cultists for the nasty rumors they started about me. But then it all snowballed and just…I'm in way over my head…"
"I imagine every ruler is in over their head to some degree. Some are just better at hiding it than others," Homare suggested kindly before allowing herself to smirk. "You're one of the better ones, by the way. Six-hundred-ninety-nine years old and still pulling off the demonic ruler role~"
I chuckled softly in spite of myself. "I suppose your old man hasn't lost his touch. But you'll make for a better demonic ruler someday."
Whatever small amount of levity Homare allowed herself to have disappeared when I said. "Ugh, Father, please, not this again. Not while we have a literal doomsday prophecy to contend with."
"A Hero is destined to slay the Devil King and bring peace to the world before another one inevitably rises to take his place," I reiterated calmly yet firmly, going into father mode for this. "That is simply how it must be."
"Oh yeah, says who? The humans that want our kind dead? Some fairy tale meant to put children to sleep? Nothing about willingly letting yourself be a pawn to a never-ending cycle makes any sense! We are masters of our own destiny! When we come out on top of this war and Metal Dragon prophecy, I will break the cycle."
"Young lady, don't be absurd!"
"...really? I'm the one being absurd here?"
I sighed in frustration as I rubbed my aching temples. Even my own daughter wasn't immune to giving me headaches, primarily whenever we have this discussion…along with half-demon puberty.
"It just pains me to see you so ready to die, Dad…" Homare admitted sorrowfully with her head hung low. "Is this because our ancestor was a Hero once? Do you just have familial guilt or something? Is that why you also expect me to be slain one day too!?"
Ah, yes, my great ancestor. The ex-Hero from the mystical world known only as "Japan". A human who slew the Devil King of his time, then fancied himself the throne. Intermingled with the demons that would eventually form my tribe centuries after his passing. Was I just saying I had to be defeated by a Hero because it was my destiny? Hell, was I even ready to die?
"I…I…"
Homare stared at me, waiting for me to finish.
I rested my head back into my arms.
"Could you please let Logia know to pick up more headache herbs?
I'm such a coward…
"Very well, 'Your Majesty'," Homare said in a disappointedly sarcastic manner, lazily bowing before trudging out of the war room.
In my pocket, I clung onto the special handkerchief my daughter crafted for me when she was so little.
I called out to her, "I love you."
She stopped at the threshold of the door.
"I love you too, Dad."
Then she stepped out. Leaving me all alone in an empty room.
I think I was developing a migraine…