The Spoils of War
The 70th floor had once been Andromalius's domain. But after the allied forces of the 72nd and 71st floors eliminated him, ownership of the layer naturally changed hands. The new ruler was Sitri, the former Demon King of the 71st floor. Having seized the Demon King’s castle, she officially became the master of the 70th floor.
In the process, half the territory, treasures, and troops were awarded as spoils of war to Seere von Devata, the Demon King of the 72nd floor who had fought alongside them in the alliance. Today, Seere von Devata had come in person to the 70th floor to inspect those very spoils.
“Wow!”
While nestled securely in Nahen’s arms, of course. It went without saying that Seere had simply tagged along; this had been Nahen’s idea from the start.
The moment they arrived, a woman approached without hesitation and offered a respectful greeting.
“Welcome, Your Majesty.”
It was Rin El Laza, commander of the 4th Legion. After saluting Seere, she turned and bowed to Nahen as well. He returned the gesture with a slight nod and asked whether their objective had been met.
“Did you secure all the items I mentioned?”
“Yes. Her Majesty Sitri generously said we could take whatever we wanted, so it went smoothly.”
Apparently handing over the Demon King’s castle and Andromalius’s head had earned them considerable leniency in the division of spoils. Nahen nodded at Rin.
“Then let’s go check them right away.”
“Understood. This way, please.”
Rin led Nahen toward the warehouse where the treasures had been gathered. From the very entrance, legion soldiers stood in tight, disciplined guard.
“Welcome, Your Majesty!”
The loyal troops snapped to attention the instant they saw Seere, saluting sharply. Seere flinched in surprise, then seemed to remember something. She pulled out the Training Journal Nahen had given her and studied it for a moment. Straightening her posture, she placed her hands on her hips and spoke in the most dignified voice she could manage.
“Y-you’ve all worked hard!”
Of course, a seven-year-old trying her best to look imposing was simply adorable, though Seere herself remained blissfully unaware of that fact. The soldiers nearly forgot they were still saluting and almost smiled, but the presence of both Rin and Nahen helped them keep their composure.
This was one of the imperial education tasks Nahen had written in the Training Journal before they left the Demon King’s castle that morning.
‘You need to get used to being treated as a Demon King by your subordinates.’
She would command far more followers in the future. She couldn’t afford to keep acting like a child every time.
Nahen gave Seere an approving nod, then followed Rin into the warehouse.
“Whoaaa!!”
Seere’s eyes sparkled with delight the moment she saw the glittering hoard. Inside the warehouse lay half of all the treasures Andromalius had stockpiled. Even though it had been split evenly, the sheer volume was staggering.
“Sparkly, sparkly!!”
Seere wasn’t the only one impressed. Nahen wore an expression of pure satisfaction.
“Mmm, now this is what I’m talking about.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, never mind.”
The sight of the piled riches had made him realize they wouldn’t need to worry about money for quite some time, and the exclamation had slipped out on its own. Worried he might have sounded too greedy, Nahen cleared his throat awkwardly.
Rin gave him a brief, puzzled glance before looking away again.
“The item you specifically asked us to secure is right here.”
At her gesture, one of the soldiers organizing the warehouse snapped to attention and hurried off. He soon returned carrying a large wooden chest sealed with a sturdy lock.
When Nahen looked at Rin, she ordered the soldier, “Open it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The soldier unlocked the chest and lifted the lid for them to see. Inside lay a sword with a broken blade. A large groove had been carved into the hilt where a jewel had clearly once been set.
“Please confirm if this is what you described, Sir Nahen.”
“It’s exactly right. Well done.”
Nahen lifted the shattered sword from the chest. To any ordinary eye it looked completely useless—blade snapped, decorations missing—but he knew precisely what it was.
The Sword of Blood Tears.
The gem once embedded in the hilt had been blood-red, and when mana flowed through the blade, the weapon appeared to weep crimson tears. That was how it had earned its name. Though the edge was broken and the jewel gone, Nahen—who had been a veteran player of Evil Queen Maker—knew exactly where the missing fragments and gem belonged.
In the game, equipping it to Seere would multiply her growth efficiency by five times. Whether the same effect would appear in this real world remained to be seen.
Even without that effect, it’s still incredibly useful.
Beyond its growth bonus, the Sword of Blood Tears was an outstanding weapon on its own. It boasted the highest attack power among equipment obtainable in the early stages, and its wielder could learn unique magic.
“What is that, Teacher?” Seere asked curiously.
Nahen smiled gently. “A present for you.”
“Huh? But it’s broken?”
“That’s fine. I can fix it.”
Seere tilted her head, still looking doubtful. Nahen chuckled to himself, imagining the surprised face she would make later.
“First let’s check the inventory of everything we brought back. After that, we’ll go repair the sword.”
“Okay~”
“It’s going to be a truly magnificent blade, so look forward to it.”
“Magnificent?”
At the word “magnificent,” Seere’s eyes lit up. Nahen let out a soft laugh. It was the classic, adorable reaction of a child. He nodded, deliberately feeding her anticipation.
“Yes. It’s going to be very sparkly.”
“Sparkly!”
When Nahen mentioned repairing the sword, Rin spoke up.
“Shall I summon a blacksmith?”
“No need. This isn’t a sword that can be fixed that way.”
“Pardon?”
Rin looked confused, but Nahen changed the subject.
“Let’s confirm everything was brought over first.”
“Ah… understood.”
Nahen began meticulously cross-checking the report against the actual treasures stored in the warehouse. Meanwhile, Seere climbed down from his arms and toddled around the warehouse, exploring every corner. The legion soldiers guarding the area watched her closely.
At first their concern had been that the little Demon King might get lost, but their thoughts had quickly shifted in a different direction.
She’s so cute.
They wore the gentle smiles of proud fathers.
Seere wandered here and there, picking up jewels only to set them down again. When she found a necklace, she even tried it on her white choker, but she never took anything for herself. Given her age and love of shiny things, she must have wanted them. Yet the soldiers were touched to see her carefully return every item to its proper place.
She really is being raised properly.
A short while later, when Nahen finished inspecting the opposite side and returned, Seere was happily gazing at the jewels with sparkling eyes.
“Seere?”
“Eep!”
She fidgeted like a child caught doing something wrong. Had she been taught not to touch these treasures? Nahen smiled and gently stroked her hair.
“You can take whatever you like, Seere.”
“…Really?”
“Of course. All of this belongs to you anyway, Seere.”
“It’s mine?”
It was true. Everything here belonged to the 72nd floor that Seere ruled, so it was no exaggeration to say it was all hers.
“Pick out anything you want.”
“Umm…”
After a moment of careful thought, Seere timidly reached for one item. When Nahen saw what she had chosen, his eyes widened in surprise.
“You like that one?”
“Yes!”
He stared blankly at the object in her hands for a second, then chuckled inwardly.
Blood really doesn’t lie.
She looked and acted exactly like an ordinary little girl, but her instincts were impossible to hide. True to the bloodline of those who stood above all demonkind as Demon Kings, what she had chosen was none other than a crown.
She had picked the enormous crown Andromalius once wore. Lifting the piece of headwear that was nearly as big as her own head, Seere beamed brightly.
After finishing the inspection, Nahen took Seere and headed for a certain district on the 70th floor—the mining zone they had received in the division of territory with Sitri. This was where the final piece Nahen sought was hidden.
“Teacher, where are we going?”
“To the place that holds the last fragment needed to complete your sword.”
“Complete it?”
Nahen nodded. The broken blade fragment and the lost jewel were both somewhere in this mine.
“Do we have to search for them?”
“We’ll find them quickly. I already know exactly where they are.”
That was why he hadn’t brought any subordinates. Only he knew the precise locations, and there was no need for a wide search.
“Let’s head over there first.”
“Okay~!”
With Seere still in his arms, Nahen stepped into one of the many abandoned mines. The moment they entered the derelict shaft, Seere frowned.
“I can’t see anything.”
“I’ll brighten it up.”
Nahen snapped his fingers, and a bright orb of light floated into the air. It was artificial illumination created through mana. With a sudden flutter of wings—
“Whoa!”
A flock of bats that had been sleeping in the abandoned mine took flight above their heads, startled by the sudden glow. Seere watched them with a delighted smile, clearly fascinated by the way their wings flapped.
Don’t most children find bats creepy?
It seemed Demon Kings were different. Nahen smiled at the happy-looking girl and slowly made his way deeper into the mine.
The abandoned shaft had clearly been deserted for a long time. Decaying wooden carts and rusted rails lay forgotten, slowly rotting away. Seere stared at them with the same wonder one might show toward ancient antiques.
“There’s a fork in the path!”
“This way, dear.”
Even when they reached branching tunnels, there was no problem. Nahen knew the exact route. He was no clumsy player who would forget the location of a hidden piece he had only discovered after reaching the 40th ending.
After walking a short distance down the left path, they found what he was looking for. A piece of the broken blade had been carelessly tossed onto the ground. It was so heavily rusted that it was hard to tell whether it was a sword or just scrap, but Nahen was certain.
“Found it.”
“This is part of the sword?”
“That’s right. Now we just need one more piece.”
The remaining jewel was located farther inside. After collecting the blade fragment, they continued onward. After walking for quite some time, just as a suspicious-looking door came into view, something greeted them.
A massive statue opened its eyes. Its pupils glowed with an ominous red light. The statue spread its folded wings, gripped a spear in its powerful arms, and—
“A gargoyle?”
It was not an inanimate statue. It was a living gargoyle, one of the many races that made up demonkind. As far as Nahen knew, by the timeline of Evil Queen Maker, only a handful of them still survived.
“Intruders. You may not pass beyond this point.”
Judging by its enormous size, this gargoyle had lived for a very long time. A creature that had survived so many years would possess tremendous power. It was more than qualified to serve as the gatekeeper protecting the jewel.
“So there was a gargoyle guarding the Sword of Blood Tears jewel.”
It seemed to be a detail that hadn’t been revealed in the game. Nahen asked the giant gargoyle,
“Gargoyle, who is your master?”
“My master is the great Demon King Andromalius. There is only him.”
“Andromalius is dead.”
“…What did you say?”
Nahen pointed at Seere, who was still nestled in his arms.
“Andromalius is dead. We have also conquered the 70th floor. The lord you must serve from now on is Seere von Devata, standing right here.”
“Devata…?”
The gargoyle seemed startled to hear the name Devata. Given how ancient it looked, Nahen was certain it was remembering the previous generation—Seir.
“How could a Devata conquer a lower floor like this?”
“You don’t need to know that. The only thing you need to understand is that your master has changed.”
Nahen’s demeanor grew serious. In a low, commanding voice, he ordered the gargoyle,
“We have business beyond that door. Step aside and do not interfere.”
“I cannot!”
The gargoyle leveled its massive spear at Nahen.
“My only lord is His Majesty Andromalius…!”
“…What a foolish creature.”
Nahen took a step forward. The gargoyle thrust its spear with a speed that belied its enormous bulk.
Clang!
“Wha… what…?”
But the spear was caught firmly in Nahen’s grip. The gargoyle could neither pull it back nor push it forward. With monstrous strength, Nahen held the weapon immobile, rendering the gargoyle completely helpless.
“Stop bothering me.”
Crack!
He snapped the spear in half with his bare hands. The gargoyle stared dumbfounded at its broken weapon, then looked at Nahen.
“H-hurk!!”
What the gargoyle saw behind Nahen was a colossal white whale with its maw opened wide. It was a demonic beast so enormous it could swallow not only the gargoyle but the entire abandoned mine and the whole 70th floor besides.
The gargoyle hurriedly folded its wings and prostrated itself on the ground, bowing its head low.
“I shall serve you as my new lord!”
Nahen looked at the gargoyle, whose attitude had flipped 180 degrees, with a slightly dumbfounded expression and let out a sigh.
Should I accept…?
A gargoyle this ancient and this large was a rare find. It would undoubtedly be useful if kept. Nahen spoke clearly to the creature.
“…The lord you will serve is not me.”
He pointed at Seere, who was watching the gargoyle with wide, sparkling eyes from within his arms.
“This child here is your master.”
“Understood… I will remember it well!”
“We’ll be going inside for a moment. Wait here.”
“Yes!”
Nahen stepped through the suspicious door the gargoyle had been guarding. And at last, he found the most valuable reason for conquering the 70th floor. It might even be worth more than the Demon King’s castle itself.
“Whoaaa!”
Seere loved it too. Because it was sparkling brilliantly. Unlike the rusted sword fragments, the Sword of Blood Tears jewel still radiated a beautiful yet eerie glow.
“Now then…”
Nahen set Seere down for a moment. She immediately grabbed the hem of his clothes and clung tightly to him. He took out the broken sword, placed it on the pedestal in front of the jewel, then carefully aligned the fragment he had just found. Finally—
Click.
He picked up the Sword of Blood Tears jewel and fitted it into the groove on the sword’s hilt. The size and shape matched the empty slot perfectly. The moment the jewel was set, the broken sword began emitting a brilliant light. The fragment that had merely been placed against it fused seamlessly back into the blade.
“Whoaaaa…”
As the light gradually faded, the crude, rusted, broken sword had completely vanished. In its place stood a magnificent blade embedded with a vivid red jewel that truly deserved the name Sword of Blood Tears.
Nahen smiled with satisfaction, picked up the sword, and held it out to Seere, who had been watching the miraculous sight with shining eyes.
“Here’s your present.”
“…Can I really have it?”
“Of course. It would be meaningless if you didn’t take it.”
It still looked a little large for her small hands, but Seere gripped the sword firmly. Staring at the sparkling red jewel, she broke into a bright smile.
Nahen had worried she might prefer dolls and dislike swords, but it seemed that concern had been unnecessary. Seeing how much she clearly loved it, he smiled as well.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes!”
Seere bowed deeply at the waist alongside her white choker in a polite curtsy.
“Thank you very much, Teacher!”