“Ehhhhhhh?!”

  Almodea's jaw dropped as she reached her destination. What should have been a small goblin village with a few huts was instead a thriving town, complete with wooden houses and a town hall in the center, with a nearby well for water. Undead and golems could be seen in the distance, working in the fields.

  What happened here? Did I come to the wrong place?

  Almodea was losing her mind, and she understood even less when saw a cloud of dust rising in the distance; something was approaching at great speed. It was a tall, very robust, gray-haired goblin, who looked to be in his fifties. This goblin threw himself at her feet and immediately bowed, with an almost embarrassing curtsy.

  What the fu-

  "You must be Noble Almodea, right? The glorious daughter of Lord Almodeus! We've seen your divine beauty in what Lord Almodeus calls photo!"

  "Photos? What's a photo?"

  Ryu asked, visibly confused by the unfamiliar term. The Oni also asked themselves the same question, not knowing what a photo was. They likely knew very little about the technology of the Almodea’s world.

  "Um, yes? I'm Almodea. And who are you?"

  She was visibly embarrassed by the goblin's reverence, treating her like a goddess. It felt strange. Almodea began to feel uncomfortable, for some reason.

  "My name is Gurd! I'm the chief of the village saved by Lord Almodeus!"

  "Ehhhhhh?!"

  Almodea let out a second cry. Was this goblin Gurd? Her mother had told her that the chief of the village her father conquered was an old man. The goblin before her now looked like a middle-aged man who wore his years beautifully. What could have happened to make him change so much in just one day?

  "Is something wrong, Lady Almodea?"

  The goblin asked, noticing the demoness' thoughtful look.

  "Huh? No! No! It's all right!"

  She replied quickly, shaking her head.

  "I was just surprised by the...um... the state of the place! Yes! The state of the place!"

  She smiled awkwardly and pretended to look around. It would have been rude to ask the goblin directly how he had rejuvenated himself by a lifetime and a half in such a short time. Normally, she would have done so without a problem, but now she was in "mature girl mode" and couldn't risk losing face with the Oni she had just subdued with a fairy-tale speech. If she had more affinity with them, perhaps she could have acted more zealously and directly.

  "You know...Dad said it was just one small village."

  "It was until this morning! Your father summoned undead and builders who worked tirelessly! In less than a day, they've already rebuilt and expanded more than half of the village!"

  Gurd replied enthusiastically. Tears could even be seen falling from his eyes.

  "I never expected to see the village founded by my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather in such thriving shape! It's a true miracle! A divine one at that!"

  "Riiight..."

  Almodea managed to say. The man in front of her looked like a fanatic, and fanatics gave her the creeps. That said, Gurd didn't seem to be one of those overly clingy people, so they wouldn't have any problems if she stayed in that area for a while.

  "Not to mention that thanks to your father's presence, the magical energy of the place has increased immeasurably! We've all evolved as a result!"

  The girl's eyes widened as she looked past Gurd. The goblins, who had been described to her as childlike, now looked like true adults. The males had grown taller and more robust, and the same was true for the females, who no longer had anything to envy of human women; in fact, their green skin gave them a touch of class in that natural setting.

  Those girls are jaw-dropping!

  Almodea had to use every inky fiber in her body to keep herself from drooling over those beauties. They weren't as over-the-top as her reaction was making them seem, but no one could say that the female goblins in that village were ugly. To be honest, calling them still goblins wouldn't have been accurate: They had in fact evolved into hobgoblins, rising to approximately level 15. Gurd was the only exception, having instead risen to level 18.

  "Wow...things change quickly!"

  "Yes! I'm sorry I haven't prepared a ceremony in your honor, but I was only notified of your arrival a short while ago. Furthermore, we are still welcoming refugees from the other villages conquered by Lord Almodeus. All the Dark Jade goblins are now his servants and will therefore come to live here."

  "No need to apologize!"

  Almodea declared.

  "Rather, do you know where my father is, by any chance?"

  The goblin shook his head, embarrassed at not knowing how to answer.

  "No, unfortunately not. He had to leave for an engagement. I can't give you too many details, but some of his subordinates are in the town hall! Would you like me to announce you to them?"

  Almodea nodded and smiled at the proposal.

  "Yes! I have things to discuss with those guys."

  "Certainly! Follow me, Lady Almodea!"

  Gurd declared, motioning for the others to follow him into the town hall erected in the center of the new town.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Almodea entered the small town hall, closely followed by Ryu and the Oni. Gurd seated them at a large rectangular table in the center of the main hall. They found three figures already waiting for them: the first was a humanoid figure, dressed in a brown suit; to his right sat a similar figure, a few centimeters taller and dressed in an all-white suit; the last individual at the table was a clown-like figure with a disturbing smile on his face.

  "Welcome, Lady Almodea! We've been waiting for you!"

  “What?! A jester?!”

  The redhead roared, gnashing his teeth in a fury that had just been reborn.

  Damn, I forgot! The guy who led the attack on their village was a jester!

  The Oni reached for the katana at his belt, but Almodea stopped him immediately.

  “Calm down! He is not an ally of your enemies. His name is Shaco, and serves my father!”

  “Exactly! Uh-Ah-Uh!”

  Shaco's irritating laughter filled the room.

  “Besides, I'm a clown, not a jester! There's a big difference!”

  Even though he didn't quite understand the demon's words, the redhead nodded and decided to trust him.

  “Okay. Excuse me, if you can…”

  “It's not a problem, we understand your situation.”

  The brown-robed figure announced, motioning for the Oni to sit with them at the table. The redhead nodded and took a seat with his companions. First, he introduced himself as Shen, the son of the former leader of the now-destroyed Oni village, then proceeded to introduce everyone else with him: The old man was Hattori Hanzo, a fencing master; the smaller female with white horns introduced herself as Huna and held the title of Sacred Priestess, the highest position in the temple where the Oni worshipped their patron deity—besides Verdugo—the Crimson Dragon, God of fire and the memory of the ancestors; the tallest female with a single black horn introduced herself as Shion, and while she had no specific role in society, she was an extremely powerful soldier, envied for her monstrous strength; The Oni who had guarded Huna during the fight against Almodea was called Zed and was Shen's right-hand man; finally, the last Oni, the tallest and most menacing-looking, was called Ghu and was the best blacksmith among them, so much so that he had earned the title of Master Blacksmith.

  Next, it was the others' turn to introduce themselves. The one who had greeted Almodea at the beginning introduced himself as Sergio, the city administrator; the figure who looked similar to him was called Morello, and served as head of security; the clown, mistaken by Shen as one of the jester demons who had attacked the Oni village, reintroduced himself as Shaco, the “King of All Pranks”.

  “Before we begin, I have a question, Sergio.”

  “Ask away, Lady Almodea.”

  "Hirashi hasn't come back yet? I find it strange that she’s taking so long..."

  "Not yet, she's finishing some things."

  Sergio replied with disarming calm.

  "Okay, where is Dad, though? Gurd said he was back in the Empire."

  "He had to return to the city of Arel. It seems the hero Amon's presence is required at the Guild."

  “What a boredom!”

  Almodea nodded and sighed, wanting to know what her father thought of her actions. She'd finally done something right, yet she couldn't boast about it to anyone. She had to restrain herself from puffing out her cheeks like a five-year-old who couldn't reach the candy on the top shelf.

  "With all due respect, Lady Almodea...But are all the Oni you subdued here?"

  Morello asked, raising a mechanical eyebrow. Almodea sighed, expecting that question sooner or later. Objectively speaking, it made sense for them to wonder why there were only six Oni in total; some might think she had caused the massacre in the first place. The girl took a deep breath and, with Ryu's help, explained what had happened in detail.

  "I understand. It was the trolls who caused all this."

  Morello nodded and turned to his brother, with a confused expression.

  “Do you think the Absolute foresaw all this? With his omniscience, I wouldn't rule out the possibility.”

  “Probably—indeed, is certainly! Our lord's cognitive supremacy is beyond even my comprehension!”

  Sergio declared, shifting his gaze towards the Oni leader.

  “However, the actions of those foolish trolls have given us the perfect excuse to invade them, not to mention that the deal Lady Almodea proposed to the Oni, and which they accepted, requires us to act. This is the will of the Absolute Princess.”

  “There’s no point in calling me Princess, Sergio. That title means very little to me.”

  Sergio bowed slightly and nodded.

  “Certainly, Lady Almodea.”

  “Um, sorry if I interrupt-”

  Shen raised his hand, asking permission to speak. It was granted almost immediately, making him start talking.

  "Sir...Sergio, right? Can I ask you a question?"

  "Of course. Tell me, Sir Shen."

  The Oni was visibly surprised by the other's polite tone. Shen coughed a few times, then asked his question.

  "I know the deal Lady Almodea proposed wasn't the one your boss had envisioned. I don't question either you or Lady Almodea's words, but I'd like to know if that's a problem."

  The robot smiled and shook his head.

  "Usually it would be, but Lady Almodea has far more freedom of action than us subordinates, being the daughter of the Absolute. So fear not, as long as you are on Lady Almodea's side, your survival will be surrounded only by happiness. Even if we wanted to, none of us could harm you."

  “Thank you. Otherwise, may I know if there are any things you would like to discuss with me or my associates?”

  “Like your role in the city, for example?”

  "Exactly."

  “Well, I'd say Sir Hattori could help with the goblins training. Sir Ghu would be useful in the city's new forge, and Holy Priestess Huna could help with the city's morale. We worship the Absolute as a God, but we leave other religions free to be. However—”

  Sergio paused and looked at Almodea, who was lost in looking at Shion's hair, that was sitting next to her.

  “Speaking of roles, the Absolute Almodeus has a task for you, Lady Almodea.”

  "That would be?"

  “You will be charged with running this city as its rightful ruler while Lord Almodeus is away. You are his heir, after all.”

  “Ehhhhhhhhh!?”

  Almodea's jaw nearly dropped. She was supposed to govern a city directly? It was the first time she'd been asked to do something like that, especially since she had absolutely no experience in managing people.

  “B-But...It would be too much work! Besides, wouldn't Hirashi be better for the role? She's perfect at everything she does! I risk screwing up, and I'm not a genius at math like you!”

  “Calm down Miss, please.”

  Sergio let out a laugh, then continued his speech.

  “These are your father's orders. I know you don't have to follow them, but think about the motivation behind them. Perhaps Lord Almodeus wants you to gain experience. You'll never learn if you don't try.”

  “But if I screw up everyone ends up in the shit! What if I screw everything up and Dad gets mad at me?!”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Almodea had completely abandoned her serious, mature facade in favor of her true, more direct, and ditzy nature. For her, this was terrible news: if she did something wrong, everyone would suffer in some way. She would make everyone hate her and almost certainly earn her a good scolding from her mother. She had to avoid that at all costs.

  “Calm down, Lady Almodea.”

  Sergio reassured her, moving some cards he had in front of him.

  "Of course, you will be supervised. You won't be put in charge of this city without someone to lean on. I will lend you my support, especially in financial matters."

  “I don't have a choice, do I?”

  “Unfortunately not...I doubt the Absolute would put this idea aside, not to mention that your mother also seemed very interested in this plan.”

  Damn, Mom! I know this is all your conspiracy for making me work my ass off!

  Almodea sighed and dropped her head onto the table. She had finally resigned herself to being forced to run the city, even though she didn't want to in the slightest.

  “Okay, I accept. But I'll have to have a house built and have something brought from my room for my free time.”

  “Certainly! As you wish, Lady Almodea. I will immediately prepare a gigantic construction site for the edification of your glorious residence.”

  “Can I have a small house instead? Like one floor with three, maybe four rooms?”

  Sergio raised a doubtful eyebrow, as if he hadn't expected that clarification.

  “Small? May I ask why? I don’t think a house like that would be suitable for someone of your caliber.”

  “It’s my request. Can you accommodate my preference?”

  “Certainly! Your every wish is my command, Lady Almodea!”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  2nd of the month of the gray dragon (March) 20:25 PM

  In the evening, despite Hirashi's non-return, a feast was held in the village. Thanks to Almodeus's magic, the fields produced abundant food. Hunting, carried out primarily by undead, was particularly profitable.

  "Delightful!"

  Almodea commented, eating some delicious meat prepared by some female goblins, then offering a piece to Shion. The two were sitting together at one of the various tables, while some male goblins played drums in the background as background music. Huna stood in the center of the square, busy cooking for everyone. She seemed very happy to help the other girls.

  "Try this too, Shion! I think you'll like it!"

  The Oni nodded and ate, smiling happily as she savored the large piece of meat. The woman devoured it in seconds, slamming her fist on the table in appreciation.

  "It's delicious, Lady Almodea!"

  "That's nice! I hope you're hungry! We'll have plenty to last a while!"

  The girl smiled lightly at me, leaning closer to Shion and offering her more meat and drinks.

  “How about coming to my room later? I know it doesn't seem like it, but I can cook pretty well.”

  “Really? It would be a pleasure to eat your food!”

  Despite their short acquaintance, Shion had immediately become friendly with Almodea. She'd enjoyed their brief battle and recognized the demon girl as a powerful opponent, but also a kind mistress. They'd talked for a while, and Almodea had been showering her with compliments, one after another.

  She seems like a good girl. It's amazing how powerful a beauty like her can be.

  Shion took another bite of her meat. She regarded her new mistress with a curious look. The Oni had faced a thousand battles, but never before had she faced a being like Almodea. The demoness's bewitching beauty was a stark contrast to her fighting potential. She had to admit she had a great deal of respect for the winged female. Honestly, she reminded Shion a lot of herself.

  Shion had always been considered a highly beautiful woman among the Oni, on par with the Sacred Priestess, but she had never considered herself anything special in that particular category. When it came to strength, Shion certainly believed herself to be among the best, but when it came to beauty, she had no idea—fashion wasn't her strong suit. Even so, she enjoyed certain activities considered primarily feminine, such as cooking and music—especially a strange instrument called violin.

  “How about you tell me a little about yourself, Shion?”

  “About me? What do you want to know, mistress?”

  “Everything! Tell me what you like, what you don't like, and maybe even a little about your past.”

  Shion wasn't sure what to say to the demoness's urging. She had no idea what to tell her, so she began talking about some past battles. Weren't particularly interesting, but Almodea seemed genuinely interested. Honestly, Shion was happy that someone seemed so interested in her—it was rare for the Oni woman to be asked about anything other than battle-related stuff.

  "Speaking of which, what do you plan to call the city? After all, I think it's only fair that you decide on the name, mistress."

  "For now, I was thinking of Almy...Do you like it?"

  "Of course! It sounds great, Lady Almodea!"

  At her response, the demoness simply smiled, flapping her wings happily. She seemed to appreciate Shion's compliments. Then, a mischievous smile made its way onto the demon girl's face.

  “Hey, Shion...do you want to dance?”

  Almodea's question struck her like a bolt from the blue. It wasn't the first time she'd been asked to dance, but it had never been another girl who'd asked. For some reason, she was surprised, so much so that it took her a few minutes to respond.

  “Y-You...do you want to dance with me?”

  “Well...Yes? I wouldn't have asked if I hadn't wanted to. You don't want to, do you?”

  “I-It’s not that, Lady Almodea! It’s just that there are many other people you could ask that.”

  “Do you see any other beautiful, tall and strong women around here?”

  “Hem...No.”

  She couldn't lie. Looking around, Shion couldn't find any female who could be considered a warrior like herself. She was the only one. Shion began to wonder why her new mistress wanted her as a dance partner. Was it all a test?

  “If you don't want to dance, we can stay here and talk for a bit. That's fine by me, though.”

  “Don't worry about me, Lady Almodea. We can dance if you want, but I've almost never danced with anyone, so—”

  “It doesn't matter! I'm not one to dance often either! Let's just have fun, that's the point of the party! If you get bored dancing, just let me know and we'll do something else.”

  “All right, Lady Almodea!”

  Shion couldn't say no to such a friendly, smiling girl. Almodea took her hand and led her to the bonfire that lit the center of the camp.

  “Follow me, okay? You're taller, so forgive me if I touch you in uncomfortable places.”

  “Okay, mistress! Don't worry...I have no problem with touch.”

  Almodea placed a hand on her hip, while she intertwined the fingers of her other hand with Shion's. The two girls held each other and began dancing to the beat of the drums. It wasn't overly complex music to follow, but Shion let herself go. For the first time, she was enjoying doing something other than fighting.

  Honestly, the Oni wasn't the best at dancing, but she still managed to do it skillfully. It was only when a particularly difficult step came along that Shion tripped on her boots and fell toward Almodea. Due to the height difference, her large chest landed squarely in the young demoness's face.

  “Oh God! Are you okay, Lady Almodea?”

  Shion began to panic, clutching the other girl to keep her weight from knocking her to the ground, while Almodea’s head was buried in the Oni's chest. She was truly worried that the demon girl was angry with her for the incident.

  Great way to make a good impression on the new Boss...

  Shion mentally scolded herself for showing her awkward side to a girl who was supposedly her new superior, despite the woman warrior's loyalty remaining to her now decimated tribe. However, contrary to Shion's expectations, Almodea said nothing, simply smiled and flapped her wings slightly, as if she was happy. Despite this display of lack of resentment, the Oni felt compelled to apologize; she had still made a mistake.

  “Apologies, Lady Almodea.”

  “Never mind! It was... pleasant.”

  Shion raised a confused eyebrow. Why had Almodea responded that way? Didn't it bother her, having all that weight on her shoulders? She had no idea, but she was relieved she hadn't received a reprimand. Awkward moments aside, she had to admit she was thoroughly enjoying dancing with Almodea. Shion never imagined she'd have so much fun dancing with a girl younger than herself.

  “Are you having fun?”

  “A lot! Thank you, Lady Almodea!”

  “There’s no need to thank me. I haven’t danced with such a beautiful woman in a long time.”

  Shion blushed at yet another compliment. She didn't understand what Almodea saw so magnificently in her. The Oni was used to receiving praise for her strength, not for her looks; not so often at least, and not from the same person either. Besides, the demoness she was dancing with was a female like her—and according to their traditions- Almodea should have given those compliments to a man she found attractive and was attracted to, certainly not to another woman like Shion. Why was she wasting those comments on her?

  “You're just saying that, Lady Almodea.”

  “No! Absolutely not! I really think so!”

  Almodea's gaze confirmed her stubborn response. The shorter girl's eyes showed only genuine interest. Even her wings were fluttering slightly, as if she were a little puppy waiting for cuddles.

  “Do...Do you really think so?”

  “Yes! I’m honest! Really!”

  Shion blushed even more at that statement. Honestly, she was loving this moment. It was rare for her to have that kind of conversation with anyone. She felt truly appreciated, and not just because of her strength. Even though Almodea's hands were pressing her hips insistently, it wasn't annoying—in fact, it was quite a pleasant sensation.

  “Hey! Do you want to read manga with me?”

  “What are manga?”

  “I have a lot to explain to you, my dear Shion.”

  Almodea licked her lips as she resumed dancing with Shion.

  “I was thinking about what to do with you here in town. What are you best at?”

  Shion hung her head at the question, embarrassed. Honestly, she knew little beyond fighting. She enjoyed cooking, but no one had ever considered her to be a skilled cook as Huna. She was quite good at hunting, though she had often been criticized for using excessive force to kill her prey, which ended up causing trouble for those who were supposed to skin them and obtain their hides.

  “Hem...I don't know much beyond wrestling. I cook as a hobby, but I'm particularly focused on throwing punches!”

  Shion flexed her biceps slightly, as if to show off her strength to her new mistress. In reality, she was trying to put on a tough facade to avoid being seen as inferior if compared to her comrades. She was the physically strongest of the surviving Oni, but brawn wasn't everything in war: You also needed to know how to use your brains, something Shion wasn't particularly good at.

  “Wow! You’re so strong! I like that!”

  To her utter surprise, Almodea seemed extremely pleased with her—albeit miniscule—display of strength. Almodea was literally devouring her with the eyes of a hungry predator. Shion smiled at her excitement, finding it cute how the demoness's wings were flapping repeatedly. It was irrefutable proof that she had won over her new boss.

  “I have to think about what to do with you... Tough choice. You could do a lot, given your strength.”

  “Maybe... I could be your bodyguard?”

  Shion immediately regretted her proposal. Almodea had defeated her and all her companions with ease. Despite the small size of the other girl, she must not forget that the demoness before her was far stronger than how she appeared.

  “F-Forget it, Lady Almodea.”

  “Hmm? But why? It’s a great idea!”

  “Y-You think?”

  “Of course! You're amazing! You're perfect for this job!”

  “So…you agree?”

  “Of course! From now on, you're my personal bodyguard! Of course, I'll have you move into my house once the construction is finished. You can visit me in my temporary room, if you want.”

  Almodea nodded toward the construction site where the zombie trolls were still working. The approved project was modest enough, so it would only take a few days to complete.

  “As you wish, Lady Almodea.”

  “Yay! I can't wait! You and I are going to have so much fun partying! I can already picture the two of us watching TV until late!”

  “What is a TV?”

  “I really have a lot to teach you, my dear Shion.”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  While some were celebrating, others were keeping to themselves. Shen was hiding among the trees near the town, leaning against one. His eyes were closed, his arms folded. His body was there, but his mind was elsewhere.

  “Hmm? Who’s there?”

  He asked aloud, without opening his eyes. The Oni sensed a presence, but he highly doubted it was hostile.

  "It's me."

  “Zed? What are you doing here?”

  “I noticed that our leader was not enjoying the celebration of the new alliance and I came to talk to him.”

  "I understand..."

  The Oni nodded, maintaining his stoic pose.

  "What do you think, Shen? Can we trust them?"

  Zed asked, approaching his best friend, sitting down next to him.

  "Honestly speaking, I'm not convinced by that Segio. However, my sister says we can trust Almodea. I think Shion thinks the same. Ghu and master Hattori are neutral..."

  The Oni leader's words made it clear that he wanted to know his friend's location.

  "I go where you go."

  "It's not that easy. For now, we have no choice but to accept their help. If we were hostile to them, we'd already be dead. That Almodea has absurd power... is this the strength of a demon with a name?"

  “Honestly, I don't think comparing her to other demons is the wisest choice. She's very different.”

  Zed replied, before crossing his arms and continuing with his speech.

  “I don't know about you, but that clown sitting at the table with Sergio gave me the creeps. His face- his smile- was so...forced. Not to mention his strength—he exuded an aura comparable to an Archdemon.”

  "I can understand what you're thinking. Who knows where all these powerful beings came from? In any case, for now we're forced to bow our heads and do as they say."

  Shen stood up and surveyed the party. Huna was making friends with some goblin girls, while Shion was dancing with Almodea to the sound of rudimentary music. They seemed genuinely enjoying themselves. What surprised him most was that their blacksmith—Ghu—was sitting at a table with Ryu, intent on studying the troll's sword. Hattori was nearby, presumably engrossed in the two's conversation.

  "They're talking friendly to a troll after what happened? Unbelievable..."

  He didn't know whether to be angry or charmed by that subtle moment of friendship.

  "I believe that is what Lady Almodea meant."

  Zed's comment greatly confused Shen, especially the fact that he'd used an honorific for the girl who would now be their new leader. It was just the two of them, why use a title with her? Perhaps it was out of respect, or fear of being spied on.

  "What do you mean?"

  "The glory shared by all. You know...that part of her speech. Looking at her, she doesn't seem suited to be a commander, but I'm sure she's truly skilled at understanding others."

  The Oni approached his friend and patted him on the shoulder.

  "She has reached out to us, now it's up to us to decide whether to accept it or not..."

  Zed let go of Shen's shoulder and began walking toward the village, disappearing into the crowd.

  "Abandoned by my best friend..."

  Shen's words contradicted the smile on his face. He hadn't been abandoned; he was the one who was isolating himself, and Zed was trying to shake him to the core to prevent him from doing something crazy, or going against their new mistress wishes.

  "Maybe celebrating won't be so bad."

  He declared, starting to move towards the celebrating village.

  I don't mind this news, but we must never forget who we are! We are...the last of the Oni tribe.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Deep within the infernal manor, a melody of violins, basses, light trumpets, and piano resounded through the throne room, as a black-haired figure walked along the red carpet leading to the stained-glass window where the large throne sat. There was also an expert choir, occasionally performing solos, as if everything were conducted by a great professional conductor. However, in that room or in the castle, there were no instruments, much less a professional choir. The only living soul was the man himself, now sitting on his throne, as the melody in the background came to an end.

  -Magic can really do anything, after all.

  The hand of the man, who was actually a demon, moved toward the crystal ball resting on a nearby pedestal. Various images materialized on it, and he smiled in amusement, revealing his sharp, vampire-like canines.

  “She subdued those Oni like it was nothing. Almodea never ceases to amaze me…”

  Black licked his lips, watching the scene again, where the flame dragon hovered behind the girl. Even though it was only a magical recording, he could sense the enormous energy released by that single action.

  “Phenomenal! Truly phenomenal! All that power just for a demonstration! How I wish she'd gone all out for once.”

  Black's grip on the poor sphere grew tighter and tighter, and it threatened to crack at any moment.

  “I'm really curious to see the extent of this girl's true power. I'm sure she won't disappoint, as usual. And she's very young—who knows what she'll become when she evolves further? Who knows what she'll turn into! I doubt she'll become a Primordial, and that's what excites me! I have no idea what creature she'll become... I'm so curious to know! I can't hold back my curiosity!”

  The crystal ball shattered in the demon's hands, sending debris crashing to the ground. However, his white gloves were not cut or damaged in any way. Black was so excited that he only noticed what had happened later. When the fact of the ball's shattering dawned on him, he simply raised an annoyed eyebrow.

  “Always the same problem. They don't make crystal balls like they used to anymore...”

  With a snap of his fingers, the demon summoned one of his few subordinates. He was a large, sturdy red devil, with two black horns and a flat face, resembling a bulldog. His arms were thick and sturdy, disproportionate to the rest of his body, especially compared to his hoofed legs, which appeared smaller and lankier even than human ones.

  “Did you call me, Lord Black?”

  The colossus bowed his head before his master, who regarded him with an almost entirely uninterested look. Despite the difference in size, it was the colossus who was breaking out in a cold sweat, frequently licking his nose with his tongue, as if it were a way to calm himself in the situation.

  “Panic, take this garbage off my carpet and bring me another crystal ball.”

  “As you wish, master!”

  The colossus let out a sigh of relief at the simple request and bent down to pick up the shards on the floor, holding them in his strong hands, avoiding that the small pieces falling under his sharp black nails. It was clear he wasn't the best suited for such delicate work, but Black didn't care.

  “Let's hope that idiot hurry up.”

  The demon snorted, smoothing his black hair. The only reason he kept Panic in his service was because he needed a guard dog to keep troublemakers away—he hated doing it himself. The only real thing that made Panic interesting was that he specialized in physical attacks rather than magic. This was rare among demons, who specialized in casting spells rather than using brute force.

  Black's mind quickly returned to Almodea, making him smile again. He was so curious to know what the demoness would do next, and he longed for the moment they would meet. He could introduce himself to her whenever he wanted, but it would probably be the easiest way to get on the demoness's blacklist. Black was sure Almodea would find out that he had sent Grim and Gram, whose foolish behavior had undoubtedly put him in an awkward position from the start.

  A battle against her might indeed be interesting, but it wouldn't yield a satisfactory outcome for me. What do I gain by making an enemy of the one who could reveal the truth behind this world, behind the voice of the universe?

  It would only be an interesting idea in the short term. He needed to establish friendly relations to ensure Almodea wouldn't reveal the world's secrets to him. She was different from all the other beings summoned by the voice—he found something in her that no he had ever been able to perceive in anyone else.

  “Yes! I’m so curious to see what I’ll discover thanks to her! Finally, I—?”

  It was then that he heard an annoying noise, like glass breaking. It was clear that Panic was having some technical difficulty bringing him a new sphere. Indeed, it hadn't been a very smart idea to entrust such a fine job to a giant with ridiculously large arms. It would have been like letting a bull into a china shop. Still, Black didn't care much about losing a few spheres—he had plenty of them.

  That idiot can't do anything...Oh well, now I have other things to think about.

  Black smiled and rose from his throne, making his way along the red carpet to another room. The music resumed as soon as the demon left the throne, as if following the directions of a conductor, who obviously wasn't present. The castle's rooms fell prey to the melody, not that anyone was cultured enough to understand its intricacies.