Chapter 57: Declaration
Chapter 57: Declaration
Sheryl. As the Three-Eyed Tribe’s candidate for Demon Lord, she had been proactive about the position from the start. For generations, the Three-Eyed Tribe favored professions and combat styles that could maximize their Mind’s Eye.
Able to see further and deeper than any other race, they were perfectly suited to be sailors; their superior vision made them exceptional marksmen; and their ability to instantly perceive even the slightest physical fluctuations made them natural martial artists.
Thus, born with the true bloodline of the Three-Eyed Tribe, Sheryl had naturally become the navigator of the Northern Fleet, its most brilliant Marksman of the Magic Bullet, and a master of unarmed combat through countless hours of training.
Then, just under three weeks before the Council began, she returned early to the capital, Verita, to meet her friend Lena.
It was to keep a promise the two had made as children—a promise made to the friend who had looked after her when she was nothing but a crybaby.
Having built up her strength to fulfill that vow—to become the Demon Lord in place of her blonde Lust Demon friend who was born with incomplete power—she sought Lena out, only to witness a certain sight.
Her precious friend and older sister figure, completely naked, entwined with a man. A black-haired beast from another world, the likes of which she had never seen before.
Faced with that incomprehensible scene, she chose denial. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing, sobbing uncontrollably.
Looking back now, it was an embarrassing memory that made her want to kick her blankets every time she went to bed, but at the time, she couldn't help it.
She couldn't endure the thought that her lifelong goal had been defiled in an instant. In that situation, she could only assume that Lena, unable to embrace men, had committed such an act out of desperation.
After all, Lena was a Lust Demon who couldn't take a man, and she hadn't told Sheryl that she’d found a man who made it possible... It was only natural for Sheryl to misunderstand.
In the end, it was only after the two met later and Sheryl heard the full story that the misunderstanding was cleared up. The reason and cause for the incomplete power Lena inherited, and the measures taken to address it.
And even the fact that the Lust Demon Race had suddenly emerged as a powerful contender for the Demon Lord. By the time the explanation reached that point, Sheryl had lost her goal.
It was hollow to realize that all the effort she had put in to keep the promise made with her precious childhood friend had been rendered moot by a single rolling stone that had tumbled into their lives.
Of course, the fruits of her training remained in Sheryl's body, but it wasn't enough to fill the sense of loss that came from losing her purpose.
Though they would remain close friends for the rest of their lives, she couldn't forgive the man who had wedged himself between them. Or so she had resolved...
Sheryl felt the eyes of the entire assembly on her as she glanced at Cuthbert. Even though he was tasked with strictly maintaining neutrality, she couldn't easily go against the wishes of her tribal elder.
"Since things have turned out this way, there's no reason not to raise my hand, right? Grandfather."
"Ahem, we are on official business, so call me by my name. And, as a Demon Lord candidate has the right to judge freely, please act as you see fit, Miss Sheryl."
Cuthbert, who had maintained a solemn expression throughout, softened significantly the moment he heard the word 'Grandfather.'
However, contrary to his words, it was difficult to openly defy the will of her great-grandfather, the highest-ranking member of her race. Until now, Sheryl had felt compelled to maintain a neutral stance.
But this is as far as it goes. Now that the result is already decided, there's no need to hide it, right?
With five out of the seven candidates already casting their votes for Jaejin, she finally found the justification she needed to stop hesitating. There was nothing to be gained by lingering in neutrality.
"Sheryl, thank you for having the courage."
"No, it's nothing... It's already over anyway."
It was extremely rare for a Demon Lord to be decided halfway through the First Council, let alone before the Second Council even began.
Unlike previous instances where the Council was split and extended to allow everyone to showcase their capabilities to the end, this time, it had concluded before they could even show half of what they had.
The fact that Jaejin had persuaded the Snow Noble Tribe and the Red Oni Tribe all at once over two days had brought the Council to an end before they could even properly clash.
While Jaejin and Lena of the Lust Demon Race were more than satisfied with this overachievement of their plan, those who couldn't accept it were Veled—the other leading candidate—and Cuthbert, who was supposed to preside over the proceedings according to the full rules.
"First, I congratulate you. Ginger and Lena Iglesias of the Lust Demon Race. I wish to declare... that you have become the 72nd Demon Lord of the Demon Race. However, unfortunately, procedures must be followed."
Clap, clap, clap. Cuthbert stood up, applauding as he looked at the two. Unlike Jaejin, who glared back with effort against the heavy, stifling gaze, Lena looked perfectly composed.
"Are you referring to the ritual in the Throne Room for the Second Council, Lord Cuthbert?"
"Indeed. While the Demon Lord Council has no fixed formal rules, it is custom to begin sitting in a circle in this Room of the Round Table and to conclude in the Throne Room before the elders, nobles, and warriors of the races."
It was true that, however loose, the beginning and end were set by custom, but that wasn't what Cuthbert was really trying to say.
He was glaring at Jaejin. A Majin who lacked qualifications, possessing only special abilities and a strong backing. If he had shown potential through to the Second Council, Cuthbert would have acknowledged him.
But this was too hasty. Valuing autonomy was one thing; accepting disorder was another.
"May I understand that what you just said is the will of the Council of Elders?"
At Lena's remark, Cuthbert's brow furrowed. A level of wrath far beyond what he had shown before shot out like an arrow, piercing toward Lena's face.
"Do you take me for a mere husk who cannot even maintain neutrality!"
"Ugh... I... apologize. Please forgive me for failing to recognize your desire to uphold the rules."
She took a step back, caught her breath, and then expressed her apologies. Even Jaejin, a novice in combat, could tell. The pressure Cuthbert just exerted far exceeded that of Veled when she had drawn her sword in anger.
This was the greatest obstacle the two had to face, just as Lena had said.
"Your words were rude, but they had merit, so I shall let it pass. As you said, if we decide on the Demon Lord like this, it will invite strong backlash from the Council of Elders. Not only is the process problematic, but the result will be in a direction they do not desire."
In a place where races lived for hundreds of years, it was no coincidence that the Demon Lord candidates were of a similar age. One of the conditions for a Demon Lord candidate: they must be composed of those born within a century of the Council.
This was the will of the First Demon Lord, intended to ensure that fair opportunities were given regardless of a race's life expectancy, allowing the community of the Demon Race to circulate rather than stagnate.
This meant that the elders, nobles, and great warriors who had already lived for centuries were often stronger than the Demon Lord. They were the established generation that could not be easily ignored, even if the hierarchy shifted and power concentrated due to the Blood Throne.
At the pinnacle of this stood the Council of Elders. It was the decision-making body where the elders of each race gathered to determine the major affairs of the Demon Race. While the Demon Council led by the Demon Lord set the general laws, the Council of Elders adjusted the invisible interests between the races.
"Most of the old people there are just fossils who fear the winds of change."
"Watch your words. I, too, belong to that body."
When Cuthbert issued another warning at Lena's unfiltered remark, she responded lightly.
"You are different, Lord Cuthbert. I've heard much about you from Sheryl. She called you a kind and righteous grandfather."
"Ahem... That girl, really, saying unnecessary things."
Despite his words, the way he struggled to keep his face from breaking into a grin made him look like a total doting grandfather. Quickly fixing his expression as the matter was serious, Cuthbert listened as Lena continued.
"They hate letting go of the vested interests they've built up until now. Vested interests are the same in any society, but when those who live for hundreds or even over a thousand years act that way, things are bound to rot."
As emotion began to seep into Lena's voice, the looks in the eyes of those watching began to change. In particular, the gaze of Veled, who had been looking for any chance to flip the round table, changed the most.
"During the last war, I was a non-combatant, but I know very well why it ended that way. It was because that war was a war without 'humanity'—without the spirit of our people."
The Demon Lord who had minimized casualties, narrowed the defensive lines, and fought a single decisive battle before the massive Allied Forces. Why did he make such a choice?
"Do you realize what you're saying right now?"
Veled asked Lena. Her tone was no longer one of mockery or contempt, but the voice of someone who had seen something unbelievable—someone who had seen a glimmer of hope.
Lena nodded with a mischievous smile. She exuded a confidence that seemed to say, I can do what you couldn't.
"What should we call those who were busy looking after their own interests even in the face of a racial crisis? Traitors? Insects? Trash? It's hard to put into words, but what's certain is that they abandoned their nation."
Reactions to that statement were split: some felt a rush of dopamine and excitement, some covered their ears with leaves claiming it was nonsense, some lamented that they might have picked the wrong side, and some simply didn't understand.
Cuthbert let out a hollow laugh. The slip of the tongue she made earlier wasn't a mistake; it was a roundabout way of telling him to remain neutral regarding what was to come.
Jaejin took Lena's hand. Lena had chosen this thorny path largely because the responsibility lay with him.
For a Jaejin who failed to become the Demon Lord, the only future was being tossed around by the powerful due to his excessive abilities. To become the Demon Lord, they needed to overcome the condition of him being a human male rather than a mature Lust Demon.
Therefore, the only path for the two of them was to end the Council abruptly, like a bolt from the blue. And walking that path would inevitably incur the wrath of the Council of Elders.
So, they would persuade everyone here, align their stories, and gather their strength. That was the purpose of the First Council. Failure meant death or fleeing from everything.
"Lord Cuthbert, please use your authority to postpone the Second Council by six months. I—we—will establish a new Demon Race on this land. A clean Demon Race, purged of filthy politicians."
In the silence following the bombshell declaration that made everyone want to squeeze their eyes shut, the first to respond was Veled. Thud! She slammed her hand down on the round table and stood up.
"Good. That was incredibly refreshing. I acknowledge you, our Demon Lord. If that intent is firm, I will follow you to the ends of hell."
"Was it to your satisfaction? I suppose it would be. We are comrades who have suffered the same pain, after all."
Veled walked around the round table and approached Lena, offering a handshake. It was her own way of showing goodwill to Lena, who had not yet sat upon the throne.
Then, she suddenly scooped up Jaejin, who had been sitting in his chair, and hoisted him over her shoulder. Jaejin, suddenly airborne and perched on her shoulder, couldn't pull himself together.
"Anyway, the talk is over. Just give them some plausible reason and postpone it. I'm borrowing this guy for a bit, okay?"
Carrying him like a piece of luggage, Veled waved her hand and walked out of the Room of the Round Table. From within the receding assembly hall, Lena waved back.
"Good luck, Jaejin-nim! ♡"