Solid Performance

The desperate cries of the high-ranking demons drifted in from outside the window. "Your Majesty! Please reconsider, just one more time!" "We were wrong! Please come back!" They had spent the entire day shouting themselves hoarse, repeatedly slamming their foreheads to the ground. The sight was so wretched it bordered on tragic.

Of course, as demons—a combat race—and high-ranking ones at that, their bodies showed no signs of exhaustion. But the mental fatigue had to be crushing. Especially after spending all day and into the moonlit night bowing their heads since broad daylight. At this point, any dignity they once possessed had been ground into the dirt.

Watching these creatures—who normally strutted around with their chins held high—crawling on the floor at the slightest push filled my heart with deep, vicious satisfaction.

As expected of the classic K-politics show. The performance is definitely solid.

There were many ways for those in power to establish dominance and enforce discipline. From relatively mild large-scale events like oaths of allegiance to outright purges involving blades. The method I had chosen for this particular situation was an ancient, time-honored tradition dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. The so-called "abdication show."

It was the king's declaration of abdication, often depicted in historical dramas. On the surface, it seemed like a simple retirement signal—"I'm stepping down, so handle the rest yourselves"—but in reality, it was a razor-sharp power play, a dance with the throne itself as the stakes. Anyone foolish enough to agree to the abdication would be branded a traitor for trying to overthrow the monarch and plummet straight into ruin.

This was exactly why, in those dramas, the ministers would drop to their knees and desperately beg, "We beg Your Majesty to reconsider." Of course there were some differences between then and now, but the underlying principle remained identical. Especially in a situation like this, where Sena acted as one of the pillars maintaining the balance of power in the region, just as she had in the original story.

With this, I should be able to solidify Sena's authority in the northern territories beyond any doubt.

There was one more calculated move I had in mind, but that would have to wait a little longer.

After observing how perfectly the situation was ripening, I turned my gaze to Sena, who was staring straight at me.

"Mom, did I do well?"

She looked exactly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like a puppy waiting for praise. As her "mother," I gave her a warm, satisfied smile.

"Yes, you did wonderfully, my dear daughter."

"Hehe..."

I stroked Sena's head and gladly offered the words of praise. Even though I was using her as a tool, I was fully prepared to give her anything she wanted. If a small gesture like this was enough to make the strongest force in this world move exactly as I desired—if it meant I could seize the power to bend the entire realm to my will—then I could display as much maternal affection as needed. Even if it didn't truly exist.

"Then... give me milk."

"...Huh?"

"Can't I?"

"Ah... um... O-of course you can..."

That's right. For the sake of my ambitions, I could endure breastfeeding even if it was never part of my fate...

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

*

Though she never expressed it directly, Sena carried a deep-seated fear of the high-ranking demons in one corner of her heart. The trauma of losing her mother as a child, combined with the fact that these were the "adults" who had always cleaned up the "accidents" she caused, meant that despite holding a higher position and greater power than them, she couldn't help but feel mentally dragged along by their influence.

But at this moment, the long-standing fear that had lingered in Sena's heart had completely vanished. Those beings she once dared not touch were now prostrating themselves before her, begging desperately. All because of a single phrase she had uttered—or more precisely, a single phrase her "mother" had taught her.

And the "mother" who had brought them to their knees was currently offering Sena "praise" for a job well done. In exactly the way Sena desired.

"Mmm... does it... taste good?"

"Slurp... Mmm... Mommy's milk... tastes good..."

"Th-that's good... Don't drink too fast or you'll upset your stomach."

"Okay, Mommy. Slurp..."

Sena suckled at the warm milk while feeling her mother's gentle hand stroking her head. Naturally, the milk flowing from a mother who had never been pregnant was the result of magic. In truth, only the appearance resembled breast milk—the contents were no different from regular cow's milk. But for Sena, the very act of being able to drink while feeling her mother's touch and warm body heat was pure happiness, joy, and the greatest reward imaginable.

As she indulged freely in her mother's breast, a question suddenly rose in Sena's mind.

"By the way, Mom, what should we do after this? This is fun and all, but we can't just leave them like that forever, right?"

"Of course not. I was thinking it was about time to make a move anyway."

"Oh... what should I do?"

"Hehe..."

Mother let out a light laugh and gently caressed Sena's hair in response to her question. Then, in a calm yet somehow chilling voice, she spoke.

"If a pigeon has already fallen to the ground, naturally you must break its wings, don't you think? So it can never crawl back up again."

"...Gulp."

Her tone was perfectly serene, yet it made even Sena swallow dryly for a moment. Following that came her second piece of advice. Upon hearing it, Sena nodded with a dark smile.

"Got it. I'll do a good job this time too."

"Hehe, that's my girl. As I told you before, my daughter already possesses more than enough power. You simply didn't know how to use it properly."

With those words, Mother pulled Sena's head deeper into her chest. As the cozy, warm sensation grew even clearer, Mother whispered softly into Sena's ear.

"So from now on... Mommy will teach you everything, one by one. Okay?"

"...Yes, Mommy."

The voice carried serious affection and an even stickier trust. Hearing it, Sena realized one clear truth. Though she didn't remember much from her early childhood... her mother was far more extraordinary than she had imagined.

Well, even I myself am no ordinary person. If it's my mom, then something like this is only natural...

Although she had zero talent for politics, Sena had a fairly accurate grasp of her own objective capabilities. Having risen from a human mage all the way to becoming a demon lord, it would have been stranger if she didn't understand her own strength. So it only made sense that the mother who had given birth to her would possess exceptional abilities, even if their directions differed.

And so, while basking in her mother's warmth, a deep sense of "relief" took root in Sena's heart once more. The relief that came from finally having someone she could completely rely on after being alone for so long...

"Haa..."

"Mmm..."

Groans mixed with slight relief and discomfort filled the room. In an atmosphere that could hardly be called comfortable, Leona and the other high-ranking demons sat with anxious expressions.

After staying up all night, they had finally secured this audience with their lord, Sena. Physically, they were still holding up. The real problem was that the mental damage from the recent events had left their minds in tatters.

Honestly, if their lives hadn't been on the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠line, they would have wanted to throw everything away and just go home. With that thought in mind—whatever this damned lord might say, they would have to listen as patiently as possible—they waited for the words to come from the woman who was silently observing them with a cold gaze, suppressing their growing irritation.

"So, what exactly are you doing by holding onto someone who says she wants to step down?"

"Well, that is..."

"Your Majesty."

Leona cut off another high-ranking demon who was about to speak. Suppressing her emotions as much as possible, she spoke in the most careful voice she could manage.

"As we have been saying outside all this time, this incident was entirely our fault. Please accept our apology and return to your rightful position as lord."

"...Y-yes. It was all our oversight."

They knew that their usual nagging and threats would only worsen the situation now. When the other party was this furious, they had to soothe and coax her first. Even if it meant later reversing the momentum and paying them back double.

"If you step down, Lady Sena, this land will fall into great chaos. Before long, the other lords and those damned elves will begin their invasions from all sides."

"That would put not only us, but your own safety at risk as well. Please, we beg you to reconsider with a cool head just one more time."

If it were the simple-minded Sena of the past, this much would have been enough to pacify her. She might have acted on a sudden burst of temper, but upon calm reflection, the only thing waiting for her afterward would be mutual destruction.

Just as they were trying to placate Sena and smooth things over—

"So this is all your fault... is that what you're saying?"

"...?... Ah... Yes. Th-that's correct."

"It is because we have failed to serve you properly, Your Majesty. Please forgive us. We will ensure this never happens again."

The atmosphere had grown slightly strange, but Leona and the other high-ranking demons continued trying to coax her, agreeing with Sena's words. However—

"...I see. In that case, we must thoroughly prepare measures so that this never happens again."

Thud!

With those words, Sena placed something before the demon lords. The moment they saw it, Leona and the others' faces stiffened like stone.

"...Wh-what... is this?"

"What else? It's a preventive measure to ensure this never happens again, just as you all kept repeating."

"!"

What lay before them was a massive sheet of parchment covered in vivid magical circles. Leona and the other high-ranking demons who were well-versed in magic immediately recognized what it was.

Th-the Geumje?

N-no way...

It was a high-level soul-binding magic. Violating it meant death. That alone was enough to send cold sweat down their backs, but what was even more terrifying was the content written within it.

Absolute obedience. A complete declaration of loyalty that would not tolerate any betrayal or opposition toward Lord Sena.

"Y-Your Majesty... No matter what, this is..."

"I already told you. This situation arose because you failed to serve me properly. So isn't it only natural that I drive in a nail to make sure you never act as you please again? Consider it a display of the loyalty you've always claimed to have."

"B-but this is too extreme..."

"What is? Isn't this what you all kept saying? You talked endlessly about staking your lives for me, but it was all lies?"

"Ugh..."

At Sena's words, Leona tried to find some way to argue back, but at this point she could find no suitable response. She had never imagined their "customary expressions of loyalty" would come back to strangle them like this. Moreover, they had just been on their knees begging for forgiveness moments ago. Even if it had been a performative act forced by the opponent's coercion, the fact that they had bowed their heads before Sena in front of all the territory's residents was undeniable.

They were already mentally broken once. The anxiety that refusing now might send them into true and complete ruin prevented them from firmly rejecting this absurd contract. There was also the possibility that she might use this as an excuse to purge them entirely. On top of that, the mental exhaustion from staying up all night made them reluctant to engage in another tedious power struggle.

But... no matter what, this is poison... The moment we drink it, we'll have an unbreakable leash around our necks forever in that bitch's hands. There's no way we can drink this...

At that moment...

"...Hmm... Well... A-anyway, aren't we Lord Sena's loyal subjects?"

"R-right? It's a pledge of loyalty to our liege. What is there to hesitate about?"

!... These foolish bastards...!

A few of the high-ranking demons, who had been subtly reading the room, quickly began signing. Seeing that those who usually moved one step behind everyone else were the first to act, Leona felt both betrayal and a profound sense of crisis.

Once a dam began to break, it collapsed in an instant. The first step was the hardest; the rest came easily. Even if that person was Leona, the leader of the high-ranking demons... And Leona was someone who knew better than anyone how to quickly shift her stance in such situations.

"M-me too! I'll do it too!"

Leona signed with even more enthusiasm than the humans she had been cursing in her head just a second ago. And so, in a single day, the high-ranking demons found themselves collared by the lord before them.

As she looked down at them, a dark smile spread across Sena's lips—a smile that went beyond joy and approached ecstasy.

Heheung... As expected... Mom is amazing...

"...What did you say? Sena announced she was abandoning her position as lord?"

"That is correct. It is confirmed information delivered via magic by our spies."

The woman asked with a bright expression at her subordinate's report. She wore clothing made from dragon and beast hides. With skin as white as snow, silver hair, blue eyes, and the long ears characteristic of elves, a dark smile began to form on her lips in real time. A smile filled with intense anticipation and unwavering determination.

"This is an opportunity... Immediately gather every available soldier that can be mobilized."

"As you command, Khan!"

The subordinate bowed his head and immediately left the room. As she watched his retreating figure, a dark smile spread across the lips of the elf known as Khan.