A Thousand Years of Waiting
The campfire crackled softly, fed by the driftwood Lusteria had gathered piece by piece. Above them stretched a pitch-black sky, utterly devoid of stars or even moonlight. Layers of dust not only swallowed every trace of light but also erased the faintest night-time landmarks, leaving nothing but absence. The only illumination they had was the single flame before them—a light that would vanish the moment the wood ran out. Yet neither of the two seated around it seemed concerned.
A gentle veil of radiance surrounded them, perfectly repelling the toxins of the polluted air and the rotting stench drifting in from the coast. With the thick dust blocking sunlight from Terraris, the world had grown bitterly cold, and the temperature plummeted further at night. Inside the radiant barrier, however, the air remained warm and comfortable. Neromeltia’s light gesture had woven a magical ward that made the harsh environment feel irrelevant.
They were sheltering in a cave along the coastal cliffs of Barkus Volcano. The ceiling was high enough for an adult man to stand without touching it, yet the space was shallow enough that ten people would fill it completely. Still, the interior was dry, clean, and free of insects or puddles—perfect conditions for a single night’s rest.
“Breathing feels easier now.”
“It’s all thanks to you, my lord. If I’d known you would create such a warm, clean space, I wouldn’t have bothered collecting the driftwood… It would only make unnecessary smoke and trouble you.”
“Not at all. Atmosphere matters. We mustn’t neglect mental comfort either.”
“Mental… comfort?”
“Yes. It’s something I pursued endlessly in the Underworld. That place has no hunger or need for sleep. Thanks to that, this feels almost like a pleasant little camping trip—just the two of us.”
“Hmm… I don’t really understand, but if it helps you, I’m happy!”
Neromeltia smiled fondly at Lusteria’s bright, innocent expression.
After Neromeltia’s death as her contractor, Lusteria had gone a thousand years without receiving any mana. Her ability to maintain a physical form had gradually run dry. She had endured by shrinking her body little by little, but she could never have cast or sustained a purification barrier like the one the Demon Lord had just created. She had simply endured the suffering, wandering the area around the Resurrection Temple for a thousand years with nothing but empty hope.
She could have abandoned her crumbling body and returned to the Underworld, yet she never did. Seeing Lusteria’s precious affection and loyalty stirred Neromeltia’s heart with pity, guilt, and deepening love.
“I’m sorry I made you endure such a painful thousand years. I won’t let anything so cruel happen to you again.”
Neromeltia’s calm voice was soft as her hand gently brushed through Lusteria’s hair, caressed her cheek, and stroked her head. Lusteria’s face flushed red, her eyes narrowing in pleasure. While basking in her master’s touch, she finally voiced the words she had kept buried in her heart.
“…Please don’t say that… After I lost you, I felt powerless and waited those thousand years… I studied and practiced magic endlessly so I could become a useful servant by the time you returned… I never had enough mana to actually use it until I attacked those humans recently, but still… I think I’ve finally become someone worthwhile!”
“Lusteria…”
“So please don’t apologize! And don’t say you’ll protect me either! I want to protect you, my lord… I don’t want to lose you again and be left alone…”
Two thousand two hundred years ago, Neromeltia had summoned a demon from the Underworld for the first and last time. Summoning a demon always required a great sacrifice—souls, body parts, or the blood and flesh of others—and the price was always steep. Yet Neromeltia had offered only a light contract: she would supply mana during her time in the mortal world and guarantee a comfortable life, with no reward to take back to the Underworld. She had even added the strict condition that the demon must be a succubus or a beautiful female demon.
Every other demon had shaken their head and refused the ritual. Only Lusteria, a succubus who had lived barely ten years, accepted—drawn by curiosity and fascination with the mortal world. The young demon was appointed Neromeltia’s sole secretary. Her duties were simply to attend her master and stay by her side; she was even told she could wander or play as she pleased if she felt like it.
Neromeltia had wanted nothing from the demon. With powerful retainers and soldiers already guarding the realm, and with her own strength as the strongest Demon Lord in history, no enemy could threaten them. Though Hemonigent was harsh due to Luina, the demonkin and monsters had already found ways to overcome the environmental difficulties, leaving the kingdom with no shortages of food, supplies, or wealth. There had been no need to summon a demon at all. Neromeltia had done it purely for amusement.
She had wanted to see what a succubus—the queen of lust demons—looked like, how beautiful and alluring her body would be. She had performed the ritual simply to enjoy feminine beauty. But the summoned Lusteria was far too young; she had never received the succubus education from Lilith, the mother of all succubi. Her personality was gentle and pure. She knew nothing of seduction or bedroom arts. Even Neromeltia, who loved women, had no interest in touching a child, so she had given Lusteria permission to play freely.
She had planned to raise the girl carefully until she grew into a beautiful woman, then savor her then. That was why she had created the high-ranking position of secretary and intended to cherish her. Part of it was simply Neromeltia’s naturally warm nature toward children.
Children should play to their heart’s content, eat until they’re full, and sleep as much as they like while they grow!
That was the entirety of Neromeltia’s child-rearing philosophy.
Yet Lusteria had watched her master and the people around her. The massive ogre became the Demon Lord’s strength. The knight of black iron became her shield. The kind and beautiful witch became her wisdom. The vampire who soared through the night sky became her strategy. There were those who drank and sang with the Demon Lord, those who shared worries, those whose reliable work put her mind at ease. Each shone with their own color at Neromeltia’s side.
Lusteria, who had only ever been protected, began to yearn for that light she lacked. She resolved to become her master’s strength as well and worked hard to become a capable aide.
“Yes. You’ve always been a hardworking child. You are my one and only secretary, after all.”
Neromeltia reached out and gently touched Lusteria’s tear-filled eyes. The succubus’s glistening tears sparkled like jewels in the firelight.
Because the purpose of the summoning had been different, Neromeltia had never relied on Lusteria for work or combat power the way she did her other subordinates. She had been content simply having her nearby. She had never realized how deeply that had pained Lusteria during her thousand-year wait.
“All I ever wanted from you was to stay by my side, attend to me, manage a few records, and keep me from feeling lonely.”
“I can fight like the others now! I’ve memorized so many high-tier spells!”
“I see. Then I’ll rely on you more from now on. All right?”
Lusteria’s face lit up with a bright smile, as if her heart had finally been set at ease. The tears in her eyes were no longer those of loss, but of joy.
“Yes! Please take good care of me, my lord!”