Reunion! #2
"No way! It’s really Carti!!!"
Memories of the Demon World came flooding back. The long, agonizing days of persecution! I had even been used as a sacrificial offering for a descent ritual!
But!
Carti had helped me through it all, body and soul. She taught me black magic and showed me how to survive! If it weren't for her, I would have certainly ended up as a snack for the jungle monsters!
An overwhelming sense of joy surged within me, and my heart began to race. What was this? Was the Demon World finally going to provide some support? If so, that was fantastic news!
"Yeah! Oppa Culs! It’s me, Carti! So, please, calm down a little!"
"How am I supposed to stay calm?! It’s great to see you, Carti! *Sniff!*"
Even though it was just an Evil Eye with its grotesque lips pursed, in my eyes, it was the very image of Carti.
My chest felt tight with emotion. Everything I had achieved was because Carti had looked out for me. How could I not be happy to see her again?
"I’ve been working so hard! I’ve built a proper force using the black magic and knowledge you taught me!"
"Th... that’s fine, but!"
"Cartiiiiii!"
Surprise and joy mingled, and I felt like I might burst into tears. I wanted to show her exactly how much I had grown.
"Do you know how much I’ve accomplished...!?"
"I, I already know that, Oppa Culs!"
She knew?
"You know? How?"
"Huh?!"
The Evil Eye reacted as if startled.
"Well... it’s obvious that you’ve become quite strong!"
"Ah! It shows that much already?! Wow! I guess even through an Evil Eye, you can tell!"
This was long-distance communication.
Carti was a powerful demon, so it made sense that she could converse, observe, and feel everything through the Evil Eye. It was clear she had read my power levels.
"Yes! You’ve done well, Oppa Culs! I want to hear the whole story!"
"Then you should hear it properly! I’ll guide you into the dungeon!"
"Wait!"
"Anyway, how did you even find this place and send this? Did you send the Evil Eye through a descent ritual?"
"Wait! Oppa Culs! Just listen to me for a second!"
"Listen?"
We could talk leisurely once she was inside. Carti was a strong demon. Naturally, the maintenance time for her Evil Eye would be on a different level than mine.
"I barely managed to send this Evil Eye! We can’t talk for that long!"
"No way!"
"I found your location, so we can exchange proper greetings later. For now, just listen to what I’ve found out!"
"O, okay!"
It must have been more urgent than I thought! If she knew my location, we could greet each other properly later! It was a shame, but I had to prioritize the urgent matter!
"Can you communicate from inside the dungeon? I want to go somewhere a bit safer."
"Of course!"
"Then let’s go!"
—Whoosh!
I grabbed the Evil Eye and ran into the dungeon.
"My King! What’s going on!"
"I’ll explain everything later! It’s urgent right now! Cancel the combat readiness and get back to what you were doing! Dismissed!"
"U, understood! My King!"
As I ran to my room, the other dungeon members shouted questions about what was happening, but I just yelled that everything was fine and that I’d explain later as I retreated to my quarters.
—Thud!
"Alright, Carti! If you’re acting this desperate, it must mean you have something important to tell me! Start with the main point!"
"Hmm... as expected, your judgment is sharp, Oppa Culs. I’ll get straight to the point. It’s important, so remember it well!"
"Yes!"
I immediately placed the Evil Eye on the bed, pulled up a chair, sat down across from it, and listened intently to Carti.
"First, you know that angels are infiltrating the Middle Realm, right?"
"Yeah. I know everything."
I didn't know exactly where they had descended, but I was aware of the worst-case scenario: that angels had set foot in the human world and might have formed alliances with humans.
That was an extremely dangerous situation. That was why I had focused on growing my power and expanding my forces to prepare for it. Dominating women to grow my demonic power and increasing my subordinates was the method to do just that.
"Don't be surprised when you hear this. The angels who infiltrated the Middle Realm have succeeded in making contact with the power brokers of each human kingdom."
"What...!"
My worst prediction had become reality. As the threat I had been preparing for manifested into reality, my heart skipped a beat.
Whew... the pressure was no joke.
But I could handle it. If I couldn't, I’d die.
"Thanks for the important intel. The Demon World is really pulling its weight."
"That’s not all. The angels who made contact with the human power brokers have also succeeded in building their own forces. Even now, countless humans are showing their support for the angels."
"U, ugh..."
If things went south, I could always retreat deeper into the jungle. In the process, I could strike the Lamias and Dark Elves and devour them.
There were plenty of ways. Don't worry!
"So, does that mean the angels have completely formed an alliance with the humans?"
From what I’d heard from other women, the humans were fractured into many kingdoms, with kings and titled nobles reigning as monarchs. There were also heads of religious organizations, and it felt like, aside from alliances, the humans were deeply divided.
But what if angels, who were divine beings themselves, had descended?
It was possible they had all gathered as one.
"Half correct."
"Half?"
"Some angels succeeded in forming an alliance. They’ve established something called the Divine Union and have formed a pact."
"Wait. Some?"
"Yes! Some! This is actually good news!"
Good news?
"Initially, the Demon World expected that if angels descended to the Middle Realm, they would devour all the humans. But that’s not the case. We overestimated the human power brokers."
"Hurry! Explain it properly!"
"Okay!"
Carti’s explanation continued!
"When the angels tried to expand their influence too aggressively, a huge backlash occurred among the human power brokers. While the common folk felt awe at the sight of the angels, the power brokers felt immense wariness. If power concentrated in the angels, they would..."
"Be finished?"
"Finished?"
"Ah. It means being pushed out of power."
"That’s exactly it, Oppa Culs! A significant number of human power brokers are opposing the angels to protect their own power!"
My god, this was incredible!
This was such good news! I had also thought that if angels and humans teamed up, they would be of one mind and form a happy alliance! But that wasn't the case! The human power brokers were afraid of losing their power, so they were keeping the growing angel forces in check! It was only natural! From the human power brokers' perspective, angels would look like nothing more than another political faction from the outside!
"That’s it! Carti! Actually, I captured an angel!"
Liliel was a dangerous creature harboring ideologies like militarism, fascism, imperialism, and racial supremacy. If the human power brokers had grasped that nature of the angels, they would naturally reject them!
I had been underestimating the humans!
"You captured an angel?"
"Yeah! But that angel wasn't normal!"
I briefly explained it to Carti, who expressed doubt. She understood after my explanation and continued the story.
"Anyway, a war has broken out between the Angel faction and the Anti-Angel faction. The monarchs belonging to the Anti-Angel faction are suppressing the Angel Church and even persecuting the commoners who speak well of the angels."
"And the angels are saying they have to fight even harder to save those people, right?"
It was a series of battles.
In other words, a fight for their rice bowls.
"What? Oppa Culs, how do you know so much?!"
She sounded genuinely surprised.
"It’s a simple prediction."
Listening to her, the outline became clear. These were things I could know without even being told. Because that’s what humans are.
"You’re smart! I thought you were a fool, Oppa Culs!"
"What do you take me for? Wow, but the situation is really favorable, isn't it?"
The humans were divided. Not only were they divided, but they were fighting because of the angels. This had caused huge chaos, and a war was erupting.
"Isn't this the perfect condition for a Demon King to rise?"
"But if you appear openly here, Oppa Culs, the divided humans might unite again."
"That’s true, too."
Anyway, the Angel faction and the Anti-Angel faction. Both humans and angels were my enemies. If they were fighting each other, I could reap the benefits. Good. Now that I knew the international situation, I could set a policy for how to operate.
"Oppa Culs. Right now, the Demon World is doing various things to monitor the situation in the Middle Realm. Among them is a plan to support you, Oppa Culs. But since the angels made the first move... it’s difficult in many ways. This communication is also being done in secret, so I can’t guarantee when I’ll be able to appear again. So, please be careful about that."
"Yeah. I will. Anyway, thank you, Carti. I’ll work even harder. Thank you for taking the time to come."
Carti said it was fine and continued.
"Mother, the Duchess, is also very happy to see your performance, Oppa Culs. I want you to know that."
The Duchess.
"..."
She was absurdly beautiful but cold-hearted inside. To think that such a woman was pinning her hopes on me.
"Not just me, Carti, but Mother, the Duchess, also hopes you succeed, Oppa Culs. Grow your power and expand your forces. If there’s an opportunity, I’ll come to give you information like this again."
Carti said in a calm voice.
"The Demon World’s goal is to dominate part or all of the Middle Realm."
Coincidentally, that was my ultimate goal as well.
"Yeah. I’ll strive for it endlessly."
"And... Oppa Culs. Se..."
"Hmm?"
"Se... ah, no! Keep the playing around to a minimum! It’s an urgent situation! You have to take advantage of this opportunity to win!"
"I haven't been playing around?"
Well, I had been indulging in sex, but that was essential work.
"Ah! It’s almost over!"
"No! I wanted to talk more!"
But there would be another chance!
"Oppa Culs! It’s the last piece of information, so listen well!"
"Yeah!"
"Among the human religious organizations, the largest one! The place called the Goddess Church has collapsed! The angels have completely seized the organization and are tracking down and murdering the priests who rebelled and fled!"
If it was the Goddess Church, that was the religion that Reika and the other nuns believed in.
The angels had seized that place?
"We’ve confirmed that a saintess of high repute by human standards is fleeing this way!"
"What!!!"