The Paradox of Pollution
All of this stemmed from the Demon Lord’s grasp. The residents of Caboni Forest owed their gratitude to Neromeltia not merely because their rulers had signed a contract with her and her retainers. After the oath ceremony concluded, Neromeltia erected a vast purification magic circle to safeguard the entire Caboni Forest. Several mana stones harvested from the mines of Under Barkus were used for the circle. Unlike the carefully concealed circuits beneath the Demon Lord Castle, this one was hastily inscribed upon the surface for speed, allowing construction to finish in a single day.
Moreover, the Orc engineering corps led by Nella from Stony Fortress displayed an almost terrifying grasp of the magic circle’s design, accelerating the work to an astonishing pace. The raw strength of the Orcs and Ogres further hastened its completion.
“Gate.”
At the midpoint between Stony Fortress and the Ogre village, Neromeltia leveled the ground and cast the 8th Tier dimensional spell Gate, linking the two locations before returning to the Demon Lord Castle. Through the portal she soon summoned Crawford, Artis, and other key figures from the castle, arranging a gathering to foster cooperation and unity between the two groups. The Gate was to remain open indefinitely unless extraordinary circumstances arose.
Henceforth, the central Gate in Caboni Forest would serve as a vital artery, supplying materials for the reconstruction of the Demon Lord Castle while delivering necessities to the forest’s inhabitants. It was also intended to encourage lively exchange among Demanians, Goblins, Orcs, and Ogres, remaining open to all.
“Are you certain this is acceptable, my lord?”
“It is. This much poses no problem.”
“You are already operating two enormous purification circles while maintaining a constant dimensional spell. Are you truly all right?”
“I always keep a reserve of power in anticipation of surprise attacks. Should dragons or Humians strike, I will be the first to fight. This level of expenditure consumes less than a tenth of my mana. Pay it no mind.”
It had not been long since Neromeltia departed, yet her return with news of discovering a large group of survivors was genuinely surprising. What astonished Crawford even more was that she, who had previously avoided any magic requiring vast mana for fear of detection by dragons or the gods, had now employed the 8th Tier spell Gate. His surprise, however, quickly gave way to deep concern. The usually rigid and composed knight could no longer conceal his anxiety.
“There is something else I must tell you, since you seem worried. I have already activated two large-scale purification circles, yet there has been no reaction from hostile forces. From this I have formed a hypothesis.”
“My only concern is Your Lordship’s safety. I do not fear enemy attacks.”
“I know you are loyal and courageous. You are worried that my mana might be depleted and that an attack could occur while I am weakened, leading to my death once more. In truth, my mana has hardly been consumed at all. Avoiding enemy detection remains the wisest course… Now, will you hear me out?”
Though she held absolute authority and could impose her will without consequence, Neromeltia addressed her subordinate with respect so as not to wound his pride. The loyal knight felt only overwhelming gratitude for her gentle consideration.
“…I am listening.”
“To detect whether someone is using magic at a specific location through mana sensing, one must perceive not only the mana used in the spell but also the minute traces of mana that leak outside the formula. However, Terraris’s atmosphere is now blanketed by a thick layer of dust. You know that mana circuits are required to form magic circles because obstacles impede mana transmission. If even a single circle is affected this way, how much harder must it be to sense mana across such an overwhelming atmospheric dust layer?”
It was a paradoxical statement: the very pollution that was lethal to the residents of the Demon Lord Castle now served to protect them. Had she considered the conditions beforehand, the principle would have seemed simple, yet even Neromeltia, whose magical knowledge was virtually unmatched, had never before experienced a world so thoroughly polluted. In her memories Terraris had always possessed a clean atmosphere, so the phenomenon had escaped her notice until now.
“…Then the gods as well……”
“The faint traces of leaked mana would have to travel from Terraris’s surface all the way to the gods’ continent of Odvolis. That distance is far greater than the height of our own atmosphere, making detection even more difficult for them. The dragons residing on the Blue Moon would likely notice our mana before the gods do. Odvolis lies across the southern sea, beyond even Esteronan, the last Humian city at the southernmost tip of the Astaris continent.”
Neromeltia continued explaining her reasoning and predictions at length. The activation of the large purification circle in Caboni Forest and the use of dimensional magic had been bold actions born of confidence in her hypothesis, as well as an experimental test to verify its truth. Even if the hypothesis proved false and an attack occurred, she had prepared countermeasures. Most of Caboni Forest’s residents had already gathered for the oath ceremony, and the open Gate would allow swift evacuation to the Demon Lord Castle. Should an attack come, they could defend everyone in one place, and the hidden refuge of Under Barkus beneath the Demon Lord Castle offered further safety. Once the enemy was defeated, the people would likely remain secure.
“It is highly probable that neither the dragons nor the gods are yet aware of this phenomenon. Had they known, they would have taken measures at the temples of descent long ago. We might as well assign the task of researching the dust layer’s interference with mana transmission to the researchers we are currently training. It will serve as useful practice while providing us with concrete data. Once we know the exact figures, we can act freely within the guaranteed safe range.”
“So the research departments Your Lordship established will finally see the light of day!”
“Once the safe limits of mana emission are clearly defined, the Ego Dolls of the magical engineering research department will also come into their own. Until now I have personally handled all external activities to avoid detection, but with accurate range and numerical data, we can produce and deploy Ego Dolls free from pollution concerns, making searches across the Astaris continent far easier. Given precise information, they will not make mistakes.”
“……”
“Cardistella, whom I met before coming to the Decastras Mountains, also possesses considerable knowledge of magical engineering. We may seek her assistance. Even if we cannot reach Ronald Gutman’s level, her help should allow us to develop Ego Dolls of considerable quality.”
Crawford was so impressed by Neromeltia’s future plans that he found himself momentarily speechless. With Ronald’s research materials and his greatest creation, Beatrice, already in their possession, and with trained researchers plus Cardistella’s expertise joining the effort, the Demon Lord’s vision appeared highly promising.
“Searching the continent could be accomplished by summoning undead or lesser demons, or by developing purification equipment and dispatching search parties. I considered Ego Dolls partly for environmental reasons as well. Since we have already begun searching the Decastras Mountains region for construction materials, there is another group we should investigate while we are here.”
“…I am not sure.”
“The dwarves. If they are still living in the mining districts of the central Decastras Mountains—the largest mountain range on the Astaris continent—they possess advanced technology and are accustomed to underground life. The chances are high that they have remained undetected by the Humians and unexposed to pollution. Should they join us, they would greatly aid Ego Doll production and accelerate the reconstruction of the Demon Lord Castle. Compared to undead or lesser demons that act according to their own values, Ego Dolls that strictly follow input manuals make far fewer mistakes. Even if captured by the enemy, they cannot be brainwashed into leaking information. Though I dislike the idea… adding a self-destruct function for emergencies would make them even safer.”
Beatrice’s image flashed through her mind, making the words difficult to utter, yet Beatrice was Beatrice, and Ego Dolls were Ego Dolls. Beatrice possessed true awakened emotions, whereas most Ego Dolls, despite their name, were closer to golems that merely followed programmed behavior patterns. They were magical machines granted autonomous operation functions—soulless, emotionless devices that analyzed given options and selected the most appropriate action. Provided production volume and a certain level of task performance could be guaranteed, Ego Dolls represented an ideal tool with limitless applications: minimal risk and substantial guaranteed benefits.
Moreover, the dwarves’ participation would be an invaluable asset in rebuilding Hemonigent from nothing into a large nation. Even if they possessed no special abilities, Neromeltia would have guaranteed their safety upon meeting them. Given their considerable skills, allying with the dwarves was the highest priority.
“Fifteen Humian soldiers who came to kill me and died at Lusteria’s hands. Their appearances can be sufficiently replicated by summoning their souls through necromancy. If they fail to return to Esteronan, the Humians will assume an unexpected incident occurred and grow wary, eventually reporting to the gods. However, if we send Ego Dolls disguised as them to Esteronan, we may delay news of my resurrection.”
“…Even if the replicas are made with extreme precision, they will have none of the dead soldiers’ memories. Will they not be discovered?”
“A Humian who barely survived countless brushes with death while traveling to the northernmost reaches of the Astaris continent returns having gone mad and lost all memory—save for the recollection of successfully slaying the resurrecting Demon Lord as per his original mission. Then these deranged soldiers drink once and burn themselves to death. Does that not sound like a story anyone would accept?”
Every step of the journey—from first setting foot in the Demon Lord Castle to arriving at the Decastras Mountains—had connected seamlessly. The discovery of Ronald Gutman’s research materials and Beatrice. The foundation of magical engineering laid by training researchers in advance. Cardistella’s profound knowledge joining them. The search for the dwarves’ hideout made possible by the expedition to the Decastras Mountains. The various stones, ores, and advanced crafting techniques the dwarves would bring. The safe exploration methods and concealment of the Demon Lord’s resurrection that would come with completed Ego Doll development. Like the gears of a precise clock meshing without error, everything was falling perfectly into place.
“To have considered all of this in advance and acted accordingly—Your Lordship’s brilliant wisdom is something no one could ever hope to surpass. Everything is proceeding exactly as you intended!”
“…Hmm… Well… You flatter me……”
Crawford, usually the picture of solemn composure, now gazed at her with shining eyes, visibly excited. While Neromeltia had indeed made optimal choices, many elements had also been the result of fortunate coincidences. She felt the situation owed more to luck than to her own stratagems, yet Crawford regarded every development as the inevitable outcome of his lord’s incomparable brilliance. She had merely analyzed events as they unfolded and voiced what seemed like a reasonable course of action, but his worshipful gaze made it difficult to correct his misconception. She wanted to tell him it was all a misunderstanding, yet she could not bring herself to shatter the illusion of the knight who looked at her with such radiant joy. Neromeltia was not so heartless as to crush his happiness with cruel honesty. Even though Crawford’s excessive reverence now bordered on worship, she saw no need to disillusion him. In her position, striving to embody the image of an ideal and absolute ruler, allowing the current impression to stand was ultimately beneficial. She simply felt burdened and somewhat guilty about the situation.
To change the atmosphere and shift the topic, Neromeltia quickly moved to another subject.
“By the way, why wasn’t Artis summoned to such an important meeting? If he is occupied with urgent matters, that cannot be helped, but you must properly explain our discussion to him later.”
A shadow fell across Crawford’s previously glowing face. Neromeltia grew uneasy, wondering if she had made some verbal misstep. Crawford remained silent for a long moment, heightening her anxiety. Finally, as though having made a decision, he raised his head and spoke with a resolute gleam in his eyes.
“Although I believe it is disloyal for a mere subordinate to voice suspicions based on circumstantial evidence regarding someone personally appointed by Your Lordship… I once failed to detect the seeds of betrayal and lost you because of it. I have no desire to repeat that mistake.”
“…Betrayal…?”
Crawford’s words carried a heavy weight from the very beginning. A strong sense of unease washed over Neromeltia, accompanied by a chilling premonition of an unforeseen crisis.
“Evidence has emerged that Artis has secretly formed a private organization.”
“…What!? Secret!? An organization!?”
Startled beyond measure, Neromeltia momentarily forgot the dignified bearing she usually maintained as Demon Lord and raised her voice several times in succession. Her mind raced, frantically considering every possible scenario. Why would Artis, a wise but powerless Goblin, establish a secret organization? Even if he did, its members could only be recruited from Demanians or Goblins. Such a group would pose no threat to Neromeltia, an absolute being who could stand against the gods themselves, nor to her retainers Crawford, Lusteria, or Beatrice. It was doubtful they could even defeat Oun, the Ogre chief. Given Artis’s wisdom and extensive knowledge, it seemed unlikely he would do something so foolish, making it difficult to interpret the organization as outright rebellion against her. Still, the lack of information left her uneasy, and she even wondered whether he might have received some holy relic from the gods to launch a surprise attack. Even so, the fundamental reality remained unchanged: he lacked the strength to overthrow the Demon Lord Castle.
Neromeltia set her worries aside for the moment and resolved to maintain the most dignified demeanor possible.
“I see. That is unexpected. And intriguing. So, have you learned anything more about them?”
Crawford looked at his lord with his characteristic solemn expression, his eyes filled with reverence for a ruler who remained unshaken even in crisis and an unwavering belief that all things would unfold according to her will. It was almost burdensome to witness. When his lord gave the order, he would rise at once to accomplish any task. Answering her question with utmost loyalty, he replied:
“According to our intelligence, they call themselves the secret society Utopia.”