Easier Than Expected
‘It resolved more smoothly than I thought.’ In truth, the only thing Nahen had known through the game was that ‘an event where Sitri comes to visit will occur.’ Because even in Evil Queen Maker, Sitri becomes an ally after her visit and solves their financial problems, yet the game never described exactly how she was persuaded.
That was why Nahen had been pondering ever since receiving the letter yesterday. How should he convince Sitri? Clearly, as the game had shown, Sitri was someone he absolutely needed to bring to his side early on—for both economic and military support. To achieve that, he had to win her over during this visit.
The first thing Nahen thought of was his own power. Drawing on the memories that had surfaced after possessing this body, he gauged his strength and felt certain. With this, he could persuade Sitri. He could offer her the sweet temptation she desperately needed for conquering the upper floors. Fortunately, he also held financial authority, so the conditions for a private meeting with Sitri were already in place.
And so he put it into action. The result was the current situation. Sitri was personally drawing blood and writing something on a sheet of paper.
“I’ve finished the contract.”
“Let me check it.”
The paper contained the agreement between Sitri and Nahen.
Article 1 — Demon King Sitri shall transfer all forces deployed within Seere von Devata’s domain to Seere von Devata.
Article 2 — Demon King Sitri shall provide military operating funds to Seere von Devata.
Article 3 — Nahen promises Seere von Devata every possible form of support without restriction to any specific field.
Article 4 — Demon King Sitri shall never become hostile toward Seere von Devata’s forces. Seere von Devata shall likewise never become hostile toward Demon King Sitri’s forces.
Article 5 — Should any of the above articles be violated, the penalty for breach shall be paid with the lives of the contracting parties.
It was a short contract consisting of only five clauses, yet every single point contained exactly what Nahen wanted. Through Articles 1 and 2, he could fill the impoverished Demon King’s castle treasury. Article 1 might seem like it would only increase the number of people to manage and therefore raise expenses, but that was not the case. The costs and compensation that Sitri’s surplus troops had been extracting from Seere would disappear. Moreover, because those surplus troops would be absorbed into the 72nd Floor’s regular army under Article 1, taxes could now be collected from them as residents of the 72nd Floor. It was actually a gain.
Furthermore, the operating costs for these troops would be covered by the support stipulated in Article 2, so it was a deal that yielded nothing but profit. It was enough to satisfy the Demon King’s castle’s currently dire finances. On top of that, Article 4 guaranteed safety against their closest and most immediate threat. What better contract could there be?
Nahen himself thought it was perfect—no losses, only gains. Sitri was not unaware of this either. The sole reason she had accepted the proposal was Article 3 alone: ‘Nahen will support Sitri in every way, both materially and spiritually.’
‘That power from earlier…’
As someone who had once held the high rank of 12th, Sitri understood it better than anyone. If that power was only a ‘portion,’ then even compared to her former self, she would not be inferior. Nahen might even overwhelm her. After all, she had no idea what fraction “a portion” represented—half, a quarter…
‘What if it’s only one-tenth or one-hundredth of his true strength?’
It was a gamble worth taking. Sitri demanded of Nahen,
“You stamp your blood seal too!”
“Of course.”
Nahen picked up a dagger and lightly cut his thumb. Then he boldly pressed his thumbprint onto the contract with a firm thud. Once both Sitri’s and Nahen’s blood seals were imprinted, the ordinary-looking paper began to glow. The paper transformed into light, split into two streams, and wrapped around each of their wrists like bracelets. This was the proof of their contract.
Nahen smiled faintly. He had worried things might go wrong from the start, but everything had gone so well that he could smile with satisfaction.
“Then I look forward to working with you from now on, Your Majesty Sitri.”
“So, how do you plan to fulfill the contract terms? You know that if you don’t help me somehow, the contract will be immediately voided, right?”
“I know. I’ve already thought of a brilliant method.”
Sitri’s ears perked up.
“What is it?”
“Your Majesty Sitri will become my disciple.”
A brief silence fell. Sitri stared at Nahen in disbelief, but he simply looked back as if there was nothing strange about it. At that shameless attitude, Sitri slammed the table and shouted,
“What kind of nonsense is that…!”
Creak.
At that moment, the reception room door opened. Nahen and Sitri both turned their heads at the same time and saw a lovely child. Nahen’s expression melted softly as a bonus.
“Teacher!”
“Yes, Seere. You’re here.”
Tap-tap-tap.
Seere, who had come carrying Baengi as usual today, ran straight to Nahen. Then she glanced warily at Sitri.
“Seere, you should greet her. You already know, but this is Her Majesty Sitri, the ruler of the 71st Floor.”
Seeing Seere hesitate, Nahen whispered,
“If you greet her properly and clearly, I’ll give you a pudding.”
“…Pudding!”
With Nahen’s support, Seere gathered her courage and stood hesitantly before Sitri. Clutching Baengi tightly, she bowed deeply at the waist.
“Hello, Lady Sitri.”
“…Yeah, kid. It’s been a while. You even know how to greet people now—you’ve grown a bit.”
At Sitri’s reply, Nahen shot her a sharp look.
“What? Why are you glaring at me like that?”
“Calling a fellow Demon King you’re now allied with ‘kid’? Your Majesty Sitri, it seems you need to relearn basic etiquette.”
“Ah, fine! Seere, it’s been a while!”
While Nahen wore a satisfied smile and Seere looked bewildered, Sitri thought to herself,
‘What am I even doing…’
If she hadn’t heard that she could regain her real power, she never would have gotten involved with these people. Sitri lamented her situation inwardly.
Nahen spoke again to Seere, who had trotted back to his side.
“Seere, Her Majesty Sitri here is going to help us from now on.”
“Really?”
“Hold on, help with what? It’s just financial support…!”
“Isn’t that helping?”
At Nahen’s words, Sitri rolled her eyes. The word “support” already implied assistance. When Sitri offered no further rebuttal, Seere bowed once more.
“Thank you, Lady Sitri.”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing…”
Scratching her head, Sitri let out a sigh and sat back down.
“So, tell me again exactly how you’re going to help me.”
She added “clearly!” for emphasis. Nahen answered flatly,
“Didn’t I already tell you?”
“You’re saying that seriously right now?”
“Then what else can I do? Even if Your Majesty Sitri was once a powerful Demon King, you aren’t anymore. You’re simply…”
Nahen deliberately paused between each phrase, speaking clearly and distinctly.
“…a Demon King stuck at the very bottom of the rankings.”
“Th-that’s…”
“With mediocre power and mediocre influence.”
“Kuh!”
“Just an ordinary, unremarkable Demon King.”
“You don’t have to go that far!!”
In the end, Sitri exploded with a tearful expression. Yet even as he watched her reaction, Nahen continued mercilessly with the facts.
“It’s the truth, isn’t it?”
“……”
“That’s why, at a time when you can’t regain your full strength, you should at least cultivate what power you do have, shouldn’t you?”
“How is that even possible?”
Sitri sighed.
“My growth is already finished. My power was only sealed temporarily—it wasn’t completely lost.”
What Sitri meant was this: even though she could currently only use the power of the lowest-ranking Demon Kings, her original strength was that of the highest-ranking ones. Therefore, for Sitri to become stronger than she was now, she would have to surpass even her prime.
“It’s a bit awkward to say this myself, but I was pretty strong, you know?”
“That’s true.”
“Y-you’re admitting it so readily. Yeah, so becoming stronger is difficult for me.”
“That’s not the case.”
“What?”
Nahen spoke with complete confidence.
“Your Majesty can become even stronger.”
“That’s nonsense.”
Sitri dismissed it as absurd. Then, after staring at Nahen for a moment, she flinched. She had expected him to say it was a joke, but Nahen’s expression remained completely serious.
“…You’re not lying.”
“If you think it’s a lie, there’s nothing I can do, but I’m serious.”
Sitri couldn’t believe it, yet at the same time she recalled the power she had witnessed from Nahen moments ago and felt there might be credibility to his words. And Nahen was confident—because Sitri was a character who, after the early-game event, became a reliable supporter of the protagonist’s faction throughout the entire game. There were routes where she died midway, but in most routes she stayed until the end, helping both Seere and the player while gradually growing stronger herself and eventually regaining her sealed power. Since Nahen knew all of this, his confidence was overflowing.
‘She’ll grow stronger no matter what she does.’
With that thought, Nahen said to Sitri,
“For now, since you need to fulfill the contract terms, please return to the 71st Floor today. Once you’re back, faithfully follow the contract’s contents, and come find me again when you have time.”
“What? I have to come?”
“Then should I go instead?”
It was absurd. Who was he to order a Demon King around? Sitri grew annoyed and snapped,
“Of course you should come!!”
“If I had nothing else to do, I might have, but I’m Seere’s teacher.”
Nahen turned to Seere with a smile.
“Seere, would it be all right if I went to visit Her Majesty Sitri?”
“Huh?”
Seere had finally gotten a proper teacher in Nahen and wanted him to stay by her side. Besides, Nahen was a very, very kind person who often gave her pudding and gifted her dolls. Combined with a child’s unique stubbornness, Seere absolutely did not want to hand Nahen over. She grabbed Nahen’s hand with her tiny hands.
“No! Teacher is my teacher!”
She shook her head firmly, cheeks puffed out in protest. At her adorable tantrum, Nahen chuckled and looked back at Sitri.
“That’s what she says. I suppose it can’t be helped.”
“…Haa, fine. Once a week is enough?”
“If that satisfies you, then let’s do that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sitri let out a dry laugh.
“Are you saying I’m desperate to see you or something?”
“Who knows.”
Nahen reached out and gently patted Seere’s head. Then he wore his signature confident smile.
“You’ll find out if you stick around and see.”