191. Pandemonium (2)
191. Pandemonium (2)
- 1 -
As I had said, the first impression of the Demon Realm was vastly different from what one might expect.
When hearing 'Demon Realm' or 'War of Ten Thousand Demons', the image that typically came to mind was a hellscape of demonic beasts and warriors locked in endless struggle.
Of course, I had never once thought this place would look like that.
A world where people casually used terms like 'nobility' and 'refinement' could never possibly present such an apocalyptic scene.
'But I have to give credit where it's due. This is truly unexpected beauty.'
I looked around without breaking stride.
Beyond the monsters passing through the streets, distinctive buildings caught my eye.
The orderly sight of structures adorned with black crystals brought to mind a grand orchestra.
While they incorporated modern European architectural styles, they were pristine, having stripped away all the flaws of that era.
"Those crystals are refining mana."
Thus, the capital of the Demon Realm, 'Pandemonium', boasted an elegance that completely overturned my expectations.
"First-time visitors are often quite surprised."
Serica spoke with a subtle smile.
Her eyes held a look that seemed to find me endearing, but I chose not to point it out.
"Especially demons who come from the Human World."
"I can certainly see why."
I answered, turning my gaze back toward the buildings.
If not for the occasional horns or wings visible on the people glimpsed through the windows, I might have mistaken this place for a future Human World that had simply developed an advanced magical civilization.
'Perhaps the exchange of culture wasn't entirely one-sided after all.'
I continued walking the streets and observing my surroundings.
A demon and a monster who appeared to be nobles passed nearby, and their attire was also eye-catching.
It resembled the clothing of the Human World, yet the design harmonized with their physical traits.
For instance, the shoulders were emphasized so that their horns did not appear overly sharp.
"It doesn't look like traditional Demon Realm attire."
At my words, Mure gave a cool, refreshing smile and answered.
"It's based on Human World designs, but improved for monsters with wings or tails."
"Interesting."
In the past, I had predicted that human culture had seeped into the Demon Realm and created a noble culture.
But seeing this scene now made me think I had to revise that assessment.
'They didn't just simply copy things from the Human World.'
At the very least, they must have already possessed the foundations of a culture. They simply lacked a suitable form.
After all, in the 'Milden 1' that I knew, a noble system based on the Five Ranks of Nobility did not exist.
"And... all the mana within the city is refined. There's not a single natural, turbulent flow."
At this, Mure's eyes narrowed slightly. A strange light flickered in her gaze.
"That is why, it is said, some dungeon lords who come from the surface experience nausea when they first encounter this mana."
"Is it that severe?"
"Yes. Those with exceptionally keen mana sensitivity tend to struggle more. However, you, Lady..."
Seeing the admiration settled in her eyes, such cases must have been far more frequent than her words implied.
"In reality, the flow of mana inside my body did change a little."
"If you were to use magic in this state, the Security Force would detect the disturbance and deploy. That is the principle."
"Excessive."
Both beauty and practicality resided within this orderly structure of mana.
A renewed curiosity took hold. I stroked the ambient mana and arranged it into a fixed shape.
Hwareuk!
A flame kindled in the air. Yet, the ripple that spread through the calm ambient mana was barely perceptible.
"...Lady?"
"If one manipulates it in this state, it would be undetectable."
"You are remarkable."
Mure's praise held not a shred of falsehood. I nodded in acknowledgment of her genuine admiration, maintaining the flame for a moment before scattering it.
No matter how good a system was, there were always loopholes.
"Enough of the headache-inducing talk. This way. Rita!"
Serica's lively voice cut through my thoughts.
Her steps were light yet elegant. For a demeanor she had only recently perfected, she exuded the highly polished dignity of a noblewoman.
When I turned my head to follow her, the figure of the Alraune Queen caught my eye.
Nirvana was looking around with a deeply moved gaze.
"So this is the Demon Realm..."
She was a monster who had lived on the surface for a long time, and she had said this was her first visit to the Demon Realm.
Perhaps because of that, she was wrapping herself in her petals with a less free-spirited air than usual, yet still, a unique beauty and eros emanated from her even among the monsters walking the streets.
"The density of mana is different from the surface."
Kamaya's gaze, scanning a nearby building and the atmosphere, held the sharpness characteristic of a warrior.
Perhaps because she was younger than the other queens who had come along, I couldn't detect any longing for the Demon Realm in her eyes.
In fact, next to Nirvana, an Alraune, who wouldn't seem young? Fae-type monsters typically live especially long, even among the long-lived species.
"...Impressive."
"It's really different from what I imagined."
Artemis and Maria followed behind, quietly conversing between themselves.
Not everyone present here was on close enough terms to speak freely. Perhaps only Kamaya and I were.
"You're going to take care of the matter regarding those two first, right?"
"It seems I must."
"Then this way!"
My hand, entwined with Serica's, couldn't stay still for a moment, constantly moving up and down, left and right.
She seemed to still be in a very good mood.
"Air carriage! Come this way!"
Suddenly, her tone changed.
A refined and somewhat haughty tone, reminiscent of a high-ranking noble family's young lady. With that tone, she drew a fixed mana pattern with her fingertip.
"Air carriage?"
"It's a means of transportation used in Pandemonium. Just a moment."
After giving me a mischievous and cute smile, she immediately returned to her posture of an elegant noblewoman and raised her fingertip toward the carriage that had 'flown over' and stopped before her.
Although she was a woman of small stature, at that very moment, the aura of an accomplished noble lady radiated from her.
"You called, my lady."
The man who jumped down from the carriage and lifted his bowler hat was a lizardman with gray scales and a long snout.
But unlike the typical ones seen on the surface, he spoke with remarkably precise pronunciation.
The carriage he was holding the reins of was pulled by four winged beasts.
Two bore the shape of horses, and the other two were the shape of winged drakes.
It floated on a plate imbued with clear magical energy instead of wheels, making it evident that transportation in the Demon Realm was far more advanced than on the surface.
"Hmm. I wish to go to the administrative office of the Demon King Castle."
When Serica spoke with an elegant tilt of her head, the lizardman bowed, his posture dignified at a glance.
"I shall escort you. Are all the people behind you part of your party?"
"Two are escorts. The other four are my party."
"Understood."
The lizardman blinked once and snapped his fingers.
In response, the rear part of the carriage pulled by the four winged beasts extended slightly, creating additional space that looked like a cargo hold.
It was clearly space prepared for non-nobles, but I didn't care for the look of it at all.
"It seems rather cramped for me to ride in."
"Worry not. Even if Lady Harpy and Lady Alraune both ride, the interior will be spacious."
When Kamaya spoke while glancing at the front compartment of the carriage, the lizardman coachman answered confidently.
"Excessive. Is that so."
Indeed, when both Kamaya and Nirvana climbed aboard, the space inside the carriage expanded greatly, becoming large enough to accommodate even their wings and the black lotus blossoms.
It was an expansion feature that made it easy to guess why 'flying transportation' was essential in the Demon Realm.
"Over there is the street where the nobles live, and this side is the shopping district where the arena opens in the evening..."
"The magic workshop is that way, and the place where you can hire mercenaries is over there..."
Pandemonium was a city so vast it was difficult to take in at a single glance even from the sky.
On the way to the Demon King Castle, Serica explained passionately as if she wanted to introduce every single pleasure of Pandemonium, and Mure pointed out each of her favorite magic-related haunts one by one.
As I mentally noted places to visit one by one during the week I'd decided to stay in the Demon Realm, we found ourselves at the side gate of a tall castle that seemed visible from anywhere in Pandemonium.
"Then, have a pleasant day!"
"Farewell."
Leaving the coachman's send-off behind and looking up at the castle, Mure began her explanation as if she had been waiting.
"This is the Demon King Castle, 'Corona Tenebris'."
This citadel, whose name meant 'Radiance of Darkness', was more colossal than any castle I had seen so far.
Rather than a citadel where the representative of a nation resided, it seemed like a city in and of itself.
"It's like a fortress."
"You've grasped it at a glance. This Corona Tenebris..."
According to Mure's explanation, this citadel had been the current Demon King's castle since the days when he was a 'count'.
At the time, the Five Ranks of Nobility did not exist, so the title of office was different, but as his authority and military might grew, he expanded the castle until it reached this scale.
And naturally, the shantytown outside the citadel walls also grew, eventually becoming the present Pandemonium.
"A place steeped in history."
My admiration stopped there.
Guided by a soldier of the Demon King Castle, we entered the administrative office, and an unexpectedly quiet civil service room came into view.
"It's quiet. Though it doesn't seem to be empty."
Outside, only a few nobles who appeared to be petitioners and the castle clerks attending to them were visible.
But from within, I could feel countless presences coming and going.
Serica answered my question.
"Because everyone who comes here is a noble."
Indeed, it was the Demon King's castle.
Even the clerks visible to me right now all possessed power at an advanced level or higher.
It was a level of martial power that naturally made one think, 'As expected of the Demon King Castle.'
Ordinary nobles wouldn't even dream of coming here, and even if they did, they wouldn't be able to stand tall.
"Welcome, my lady. What business brings you here?"
The clerk who greeted us was a man who appeared to be of the same species as Mure.
However, he had no horns. Considering the racial traits of the Delph, who share some characteristics with demons, he was likely lacking in combat capability.
"I am Serica Baritra of the Baritra Marquis Household. Please convey that I have come to receive the results of what I previously requested."
"Please wait a moment."
The Delph raised his hand, pressed a spot beside his head, stared at the drawer for a moment, and instantly pulled out a single document.
Seeing the mana move, it was a type of clairvoyance magic.
"Serica Baritra. Business: Dungeon Lord promotion proxy. Then, the person beside you is..."
"I am Libertas. Serica has helped me greatly."
"Ah, yes. You may take this document and visit the Dungeon Lord department on the 5th floor."
"Thank you."
"It was an honor to meet you, Lady, and Lady Serica."
The Delph, who had been looking at me, rose from his seat and bowed deeply.
It was the etiquette for dealing with a high-ranking noble. One could say it was a moment that demonstrated the status a 'proper dungeon lord' held in the Demon Realm.
"It's here."
When we went up to the 5th floor, two people were already waiting for us there.
"You have arrived. I have been waiting. Lady Libertas."
"Indeed. This is unexpected, seeing you here."
One was the goblin who had been constantly doing me favors from the Mammon Trading Company, Viscount Grimm Du Rol.
"I had heard the rumors. It is an honor to meet you for the first time. Lady Libertas."
"And you are?"
"I am the deputy head in charge of the Dungeon Lord department at the administrative office. Count Ophilius del Fuwelyn."
The other was an incubus with an extremely delicate and pretty impression.