A Warning in the Garden
After a short date, Nahen and Seere headed toward the hall where the general assembly would convene. Though the Demon Realm General Assembly's formal meetings would begin tomorrow morning, the banquet was starting today, so they had no choice but to go at once.
"It's a fine place."
"It is."
The two had arrived at the lodging Barbatos, host of the assembly, had prepared. As it was meant for Demon Kings, the residence was far too resplendent to be called mere lodging.
"Welcome, Your Majesty Seere von Devata. And you must be Lord Nahen, here as her aide?"
"Yes."
"This way, please."
Every convenience was available on the grounds, and servants stood ready to be commanded. The banquet hall and the conference chamber were both within the same compound, close enough to reach without difficulty.
"You've gone to considerable trouble. Was it the same last time?"
"The facilities differ slightly, but the basics are similar."
Nahen nodded. As they walked toward their rooms, he spoke to her.
"Seere."
"Yes?"
"I'll step out during the banquet to meet Paimon briefly."
"...Ah. Right."
They had already discussed it before departing, yet Seere's expression made her displeasure clear.
"But Teacher, are you truly not going to tell me either?"
"I already told you."
"What kind of secret is it that you can't even share with me?"
The secret Nahen knew about Paimon could never be revealed to Seere. It had nothing to do with her personally. The reason he could not speak of it was simply because Seere was a Demon King. If any other Demon King learned what Nahen knew, they would never tolerate Paimon. Only Nahen could hear the truth without losing composure, and only Nahen could make use of it. No Demon King, Seere included, must ever know.
"I'll tell you once it's finished. There's no need to be so curious."
"If you insist on meeting her yourself, of course I'm curious."
"...It's not a social call, so you needn't be jealous."
"I wasn't jealous."
If that wasn't jealousy, Nahen had no idea what it was. Seeing Seere feign ignorance, he gave up pressing the matter.
A short while later, a servant guided them to their rooms. Before entering, Nahen said,
"We'll leave thirty minutes before the banquet begins. Rest here until then."
"Teacher, I think I should start preparing now."
"Ah... I suppose so."
"It will probably take some time. So then..."
"Hm?"
Seere smiled sweetly.
"Help me choose a dress. You only need to tell me if it suits me."
"Hm? Sure. All right."
Nahen thought it a simple request. He was mistaken. Seere grinned. At that smile, Nahen felt a sudden foreboding and tried to take back his words. But at that exact moment—
"Seere, you're here early."
"Ah, Lady Gremory. Lady Sitri is here as well."
Gremory von Dieu and Sitri, Seere's allies, had spotted them and approached.
Sitri drew near with a sly smile and glanced at Nahen.
"Well, well. Look who it is. The great Royal Tutor who vanished for eight whole years."
"...Please refrain from sarcasm, Your Majesty Sitri."
"How could I not? Unless you've forgotten the contract you made with me, how dare you disappear for eight years!"
"......"
Nahen had nothing to say. After returning from Hell, he should have met Sitri at least once, but the workload had been too heavy.
"I'm sorry. From now on, I'll fulfill the contract faithfully."
He apologized without excuse. Though circumstances existed, he knew any explanation would sound like mere justification.
"...Well, fine."
"You understand?"
"Something must have happened. Even if it were anyone else, you wouldn't abandon your disciple... Seere and disappear somewhere. So I'll assume there were circumstances."
Nahen looked at Sitri with renewed surprise. Reading his thoughts from his openly emotional gaze, Sitri spoke incredulously.
"You... what exactly do you take me for—"
"Ah, this is the first time I've greeted Your Majesty Gremory directly. I am Nahen, Royal Tutor to Seere von Devata."
"Hey!"
Watching Nahen brush off Sitri's questioning by greeting Gremory instead, Gremory let out a light laugh.
"You're quite the interesting man."
"You may speak casually with me."
"No. I prefer to show respect to those whose abilities are proven."
"This is our first direct meeting."
"I've seen Seere often enough. From that alone, I could glimpse the skill of the one who taught her."
Nahen offered a brief word of thanks. At that moment, he recalled Seere's earlier request. There was a reason the thought surfaced now—he saw a way to use the situation.
"Your Majesties Gremory, Sitri."
"Yes?"
"Why?"
"Could you help Seere choose a dress for a moment?"
At Nahen's question, Seere flinched. The clever girl had already grasped his intention, yet there was nothing she could do. Gremory and Sitri tilted their heads.
"Huh? Us?"
"I must step away briefly, and Seere mentioned she was unsure which dress to wear. She asked me to choose, but Your Majesties' taste would surely surpass mine. May I ask for your assistance?"
He had neatly handed the suspicious Seere over to the two Demon Kings. Now Seere could not insist Nahen choose for her; doing so would imply she doubted the other two's judgment. Thus, Seere held no decision-making power. That power rested with Gremory and Sitri.
While the two could refuse, Nahen was certain they would not.
"Oh? Is that really all right?"
"If it isn't too much trouble, please do."
Seere was beautiful. Even from an objective, same-gender perspective, she was doll-like in her loveliness. Face, figure—nothing was lacking. Her proportions were flawless as well. How entertaining would it be to dress such a perfect model in various outfits? At least for Demon Kings with aesthetic interests, it was an offer they could not refuse. Nahen had read the situation perfectly.
It was a meticulously calculated maneuver.
"W-wait a moment, Teacher?"
"Seere, this works out well."
Seere, given no time to devise a countermeasure, called out urgently, but the situation was already decided. Checkmate. The final whistle had sounded.
"Take their advice. Teacher has something to attend to."
"Ah, no—!"
The instant Seere tried to protest, Nahen quickly greeted the two Demon Kings and slipped away.
#
"Whew."
He was fortunate. Accepting the request without thinking had left him uneasy about Seere's suspicious gaze afterward.
'She must have been planning something troublesome.'
She would likely have tried the same sort of awkward maneuvers as when she asked him to zip her dress. That was why he fled. Still...
'Seere, I'll at least finish the real work properly before I go.'
It was no lie that he had business to handle. He was simply completing ahead of time what could be done even after the banquet began.
While walking over, he had already observed the layout of the Demon Realm General Assembly lodgings and discerned its underlying pattern.
'The building where Seere is staying houses only mid-tier Demon Kings.'
Upper-tier Demon Kings, ranks 31 through 13, and the highest ranks, 12 through 1, stayed in entirely separate buildings. Lower-tier Demon Kings were likewise housed elsewhere. The Demon King Nahen sought now was the formidable ninth-ranked Paimon von Vog. She resided in the most splendid and largest building on the grounds.
Nahen approached the building and addressed the guards at the entrance.
"Has Her Majesty Paimon von Vog arrived?"
"Yes, she has entered her lodging. Do you have business with her?"
"Please pass on a message. I have something to say. If she wishes to hear it, tell her to come over there."
Nahen pointed with his thumb toward a nearby garden.
"Ask her to come to the back of the garden."
"I'll deliver it."
"Thank you."
"Not at all, Lord Nahen."
Nahen blinked in mild surprise. This place had been prepared by Barbatos; its guards were naturally Barbatos's soldiers.
'She must have informed them about me beforehand.'
That explained why they listened so readily. Grateful for Barbatos's consideration, Nahen nodded and headed for the garden first. Not long after, a woman walked toward the rear of the garden where he waited.
"I didn't expect you to summon me. I was surprised. Weren't you supposed to side with the Equites Faction?"
"I had something to say to Your Majesty as well."
It was Paimon. She was accompanied by her most trusted subordinate. Nahen glanced at the man beside her.
'As expected, since this is before the full-scale Heavenly Demon War.'
Paimon's most outstanding subordinate was still alive.
'Sargatanas.'
Excluding Demon Kings, he ranked among the top five powerhouses in the Demon Realm. His loyalty to Paimon was genuine, which was why other Demon Kings who coveted him could do nothing about it.
Nahen addressed Paimon, who had brought the man along.
"With all due respect, this is a matter Your Majesty must hear alone."
"Oh my, what unnecessary consideration. The man who came with me is my most trusted subordinate. He may hear the story as well."
"...I hope you will not regret that choice."
"So what is it you wish to say? I have no intention of listening at length to someone who has already joined the opposition."
At Paimon's question, Nahen smiled faintly. Then he turned and walked toward her, step by step, stopping precisely at the line where Sargatanas silently warned him not to come closer.
"Paimon von Vog, Your Majesty."
"Yes?"
"With all due respect, the plan Your Majesty has in mind is completely mistaken."
A reaction followed. Though Paimon still appeared to be smiling, the moment Nahen spoke, her gaze turned ice-cold.
"...Sargatanas."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Stay nearby."
"Your Majesty?"
"It seems I need to speak with him alone."
Nahen smiled in satisfaction. Sargatanas looked back and forth between them with a bewildered expression. Loyal as ever, he obeyed despite his confusion, retreating to a distance where he could still see them. Once he had withdrawn, Paimon crossed her arms and released her mana. A barrier instantly formed, sealing off all sound from within. Nahen nodded.
"Didn't I tell you? This is a conversation only the two of us can have."
"You... where exactly did you hear that story?"
The honorifics had vanished. Paimon's smiling mask had slipped away completely, leaving only a fierce expression.
"It would be best to speak honestly."
"Does the source matter, Your Majesty? What matters is something else."
"I told you to speak plainly!"
Paimon poured out her mana, dominating the space. The power of a top-tier Demon King was immense; within the barrier she had created, she could control every inch. Enough to prevent an opponent from even breathing. Yet Nahen spoke with perfect composure.
"The truly important point is this: I also know the purpose behind the plan Your Majesty devised."
"You..."
"That is why I am telling you. It is a completely mistaken plan."
Nahen's voice grew grave. He spoke with a calm, resolute weight that brooked no argument.
"You cannot overthrow the Demon Realm by making use of the Heavenly Realm."