Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 458

Most of the people had lost their families, and they had escaped from monsters that could leave lifelong trauma just from a single encounter. None of them were in a good mental state.

They had no time to entertain such thoughts while running for their lives, but once they arrived at the archipelago and the immediate threat to their lives was gone, the severe traumatic experiences began to get to them. In fact, many people ended up taking their own lives after arriving at the Edina Archipelago, overwhelmed by thoughts of what they had lost.

As Airi had said, providing them with a temporary escape from the hell of reality had a significant effect. The dreams that the succubi implanted were not lewd dreams, but dreams that brought a sense of peace.

Although one side effect was that some refugees became obsessed with the succubi and sought them out as if addicted, ultimately, giving those who had experienced hell a moment of peace was undoubtedly helpful.

Initially, the succubi had started with just that, but now the succubi were also counseling each refugee, listening to their stories, and adjusting their dreams to prevent nightmares if necessary.

Originally, Airi’s reputation and that of her succubi in the capital of the Edina Archipelago, Rajak, had been at rock bottom. In fact, public opinion of them took a dark turn once it was revealed that they were not even human, but succubi. However, the refugees who had come to the archipelago did not see them that way.

To the refugees, the succubi—who greeted them with kind smiles, listened to them, and comforted them upon their arrival in this terrifying land of demons—could only be seen as angels in the guise of demons.

Thus, the refugees honestly liked the succubi more than me, the Demon King, and they liked Airi, the leader of the succubi, even more.

What was in a dream?

Even knowing that the small solace found there could not change reality, people still wanted to dream happy dreams, and they loved the succubi who gave them those dreams.

One could dominate humans with dreams other than lewd ones.

During these times, not only the succubi but I also learned something new.

“Your Highness, all personnel have disembarked.”

The one who approached me was a pale-faced figure in a black robe.

“Well done,” I replied.

All ships that operated with sails had a set sailing speed. Because some of the ships had sank with refugees aboard due to storms, I had assigned a mage from the Vampire Lord’s clans to each ship to act as the overall person-in-charge.

With the help of these mages, it was easy to navigate through rough seas, and they could sail quickly across calm waters.

“Also, the Thunder Queen should be returning soon.”

“... Ah... I see.”

The fleet commander, having finished speaking, withdrew.

Harriet eyed the back of the retreating vampire, her lips twitching slightly.

“I wonder if Riana likes that nickname...?”

“Knowing her, she’d probably say she hates it, which means she likes it.”

“Is that so...?”

At some point, people had started calling Riana de Granz the Thunder Queen. And since she didn’t particularly object to it, it seemed she secretly liked the nickname.

Riana was in charge of the refugee rescue mission and the base defense at Port Mokna, the point on the continent that connected it to the Edina Archipelago. Therefore, Riana played a significant role in rescuing most of the refugees.

Riana was responsible for taking care of the refugees on the continent, while on the archipelago, that role fell to Airi. Each of them fulfilled their duties in their own way.

“It seems the disembarkation is complete,” I said.

“... Already?” Harriet tilted her head slightly, surprised that the disembarkation of the refugees was over so quickly. “It seems like the numbers are a bit low... Hmm... Or maybe not?”

“Either way it seems like nothing happened. Let’s go back.”

“Okay.”

This group of refugees had arrived without any disturbances or issues.

Thanks to thorough briefings and education on what to expect, the new arrivals did not cause any extreme problems, but in the beginning, there had been many serious issues.

It was considered lucky if all they did was try to run away in fear, since there had been quite a few who, upon their arrival, raged about wanting to kill all the filthy demons. They claimed that the Demon King was the cause of all the turmoil and questioned how they could live under the Demon King’s rule.

Strictly speaking, they weren’t entirely wrong. Many expressed themselves angrily, and I was well aware that such dissatisfaction and hatred lay dormant within some of the people.

***

Since it was known that the Demon King was the root cause of all this, there were those who would rather die than live under the Demon King’s protection. However, they could not express all their anger and hatred in front of me because they knew that there was no better alternative than me.

Unless someone was prepared to die, no one dared to try anything against me. Of course, that meant there were indeed such attempts.

I did not offer any defense or excuses for myself. I simply rescued them from the continent, provided them with shelter and food, and arranged for them to become part of the community in the archipelago.

After being housed at Rajak temporarily, they were sent to other settlements on Edina Island or other islands. Whether they liked it or not, they had to start a new life in the places we designated for them.

Providing them with free food and shelter was only a temporary measure; we couldn’t take responsibility for them forever.

Just as those who arrived at the archipelago had to get used to the sight of demons living among them, they also had to accept being under my rule, the root cause of all this. I was aware that this simmering anger and hatred might manifest as a knife at my throat, but those who lived here knew that such actions would leave them with no future. They understood that their sustenance came from the labor of demons, demons who provided this service basically voluntarily.

Of course, not everyone felt this way towards me.

—Wow... It’s His Majesty the Demon King...

—It seems he’s out on an inspection...

Some of the people I encountered on the street bowed deeply upon seeing me and did not raise their heads until I had passed by.

There were those who believed that the notion of me causing the Gate Incident was a misunderstanding or a rumor spread by the empire. They reasoned that if I had been responsible, there would be no reason for me to rescue and give sustenance to humans.

A significant number of people believed that all the rumors about the Demon King were false and that the Demon King was actually a benevolent being. In fact, I had indeed saved the entire archipelago by suppressing all the gates on the archipelago on the first day.

I said nothing about the truth or the lies. I had not become king by gaining their support. I ruled them with power, and I had the strength to maintain my grip on the throne. If the opposition grew too large, I had the power to purge them. Therefore, whether the citizens hated me or worshipped me was of no concern to me.

Some hated me, and some worshipped me. That was true of any king in any era of any country.

***

I returned to the palace. In the audience chamber...

“Your Majesty, a murder has occurred in the southern district of the refugee camp.”

“... Is that so?”

The truth was that the security situation was unstable, so I would hear of such crimes.

A murder...

However, upon hearing those words, instead of being shocked, I found myself frowning, wondering what troublesome issue it might be this time. This reaction had become familiar to me at some point.

“Last night, two men got into an argument, and one stabbed the other with a dagger, killing him. The perpetrator is currently being detained by the refugee camp guards.”

“Investigate, and if the crime is malicious, execute him. If it seems justified, send him to the labor camp.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

This sudden outburst of violence among the refugees was nothing new. These people had survived in this harsh reality for this long with barely anything, and so petty theft was rampant, and other extreme crimes happened frequently.

Although there was crime, we did not have the capability to create and maintain large-scale prisons to detain them.

“Your Majesty, the field manager beyond the eastern district of the refugee camp was caught stealing crops...”

“Send him to the labor camp.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Since there were no prisons to hold these criminals, they were treated worse than refugees. Most criminals were not sent to prisons, but were mobilized for forced labor in large-scale isolation facilities.

It was better to use them as labor rather than silencing them through death.

At some point, everything turned into numbers for me.

“Your Majesty, last night...”

.

.

“Your Majesty.”

.

.

“Your Majesty...”

.

.

“Your Majesty.”

.

.

It literally felt like I was going insane.

* * *

After I was finished with the administrative reports, and while walking down the corridor...

“How about taking a few days off? I can handle the affairs for a few days,” Harriet suggested cautiously.

“No, because you’d do things better than me,” I replied.

Harriet furrowed her brow at my words. “Why? Isn’t it good if things are done well?”

“Well, if you handle things faster and make wiser decisions than I do, what do you think the people below me will think?”

“Ah...”

If the secretary beneath the king performed better than the king, distrust towards me would inevitably arise. Harriet would naturally make better decisions and handle these troublesome issues faster than I would.

“Unless you’re planning to do this for life, it’s better not to take my place even for a few days. For both your sake and mine,” I said.

It wasn’t simply out of a desire for control; if I were to hand over the throne to Harriet entirely, she would have to do this for life. If she took my place for a few days and people experienced her exceptional abilities, they would constantly think about the time Harriet acted as steward.

There was no point letting someone too competent take my place unless I was going to give them the position completely.

“... I see. I hadn’t thought that far. I just thought you looked too tired...”

Harriet cautiously placed her slightly cool hand on my forehead.

Did I have a fever? I wasn’t sure.

“Hey, you cheeky brat. How many times do I have to tell you not to take advantage of your position and flirt with Our Majesty?”

That voice came from the end of the corridor, and Harriet’s expression soured.

It was Olivia Lanche, wearing a gray priest’s robe.

“... Ah, she’s here again....”

“Why, am I not allowed to come here?”

“Why do you keep coming to the palace when you should be in the cathedral?”

“Do you think I don’t know you’re trying to keep me stuck in the cathedral while you cozy up to our majesty?”

“What are you even talking about? That’s disgusting.”

I watched blankly as Olivia and Harriet engaged in a staring contest.

Riana was a key combatant holding the front lines, and Airi was caring for the refugees’ trauma.

Harriet was always by my side, offering advice and serving as my secretary.

“In a while, I have to go give a sermon to the refugees who arrived today. I just came to see Our Majesty’s face before that.”

Olivia Lanche was serving as the leader of the Unified Holy Order.

In other words, in the Edina Archipelago, a religion similar to Protestantism had become the mainstream faith, and Olivia Lanche was the leader of that order.

***

With the information Olivia provided, Galarsh, the head of the Golden Dawn, had led the demon god cultists who had been hiding in the Gelkorgis Desert from the desert to the southern continent.

It was put to them that the Demon King had established a nation in the distant southern seas and would make the demon god cultists its citizens, and a large fleet had been organized to bring tens of thousands of demon god cultists to the archipelago.

However, there was bound to be friction.

Their religious practices seemed bizarre, even to me. Primitive or cruel might be the words to describe it. They claimed that their actions were the will of the Demon Gods, and included cannibalism and human sacrifices, which naturally drew resentment from most people.

Since they were not followers of the Church of the Five Great Gods but rather demon god cultists who engaged in such practices regularly, they could never integrate into and live with the general populace. Therefore, under my directive, Olivia Lanche had conducted a large-scale reformation of the demon god cultists.

They regarded me, the Demon King, as the representative of the Demon Gods. They believed that my selection by the two holy relics was because the Great Gods and the Demon Gods were essentially the same entities.

The common belief that demons did not believe in the Demon Gods was an old misunderstanding. Demons simply believed in the Five Great Gods. Due to human misunderstandings, though, the peculiar Demon God Cult had emerged, although they essentially worshipped the same gods.

Thus, this was not so much a religious reformation as it was an effort to resolve the long-standing misunderstandings between humans and demons. Naturally, neither the existing followers of the Five Great Gods nor the demon god cultists were enthusiastic about the religious reformation.

However, the fact that I, who should have been the representative of the Demon Gods, had been chosen by two of these Great Gods, served as evidence, as did Olivia Lanche, who could use the divine powers of both Ouen and Kaier.

The followers of the Church of the Five Great Gods had to accept the Demon God Cult, and the demon god cultists had to understand that the Five Great Gods were, in fact, their true gods. Therefore, they needed to understand that there was no need for cannibalism, human sacrifices, torture, or painful penance.

The process of merging the Church of the Five Great Gods and the Demon God Cult was underway. The process was far from smooth, and there was fierce opposition from extremists, both among the priests of the Edina Archipelago and the demon god cultists.

Those who had been taught to hate each other had to acknowledge that the basis of their faith was the same. As a result, extremists from both the Demon God Cult and the Church of the Five Great Gods claimed that Olivia Lanche and I were false prophets.

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But the power was with us. I suppressed the extremists. Those who insisted on adhering to the nonsensical traditions of the Demon God Cult were made into the human sacrifices that they so desired.

Priests who evangelized in the streets that the people had to break free from the Demon King’s schemes were captured and tortured until they admitted I was right. They were made to stand in the square and preach that my words were true, and that the Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same entities.

While no extreme massacres were carried out, many still had to die. The religious reformation led by Olivia and I was resolved once people, including the priests of both faiths, grew to accept the evidence that the Demon God Cult and the Church of the Five Great Gods shared the same roots. When they believed and understood this, then some of the priests of the Church began to gain access to the powers of the Demon Gods.

Just like Olivia Lanche, priests of the Great Gods who could use the power of the Demon Gods emerged, as did priests of the Demon God Cult could use the power of the Great Gods. This was clear and undeniable evidence, which led the believers of both faiths to a more concrete understanding.

The Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same entity. It was their belief in one manifestation or the other that granted them different powers.

Priests who reached this new understanding founded a new religious movement called the Unified Holy Order, with Olivia Lanche as its leader.

In the Edina Archipelago, it became common knowledge that the Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same.

Olivia’s role was to spread this truth and provide people with a new sanctuary of faith, while Airi took care of their extreme short-term trauma.

This Unified Holy Order provided the people with a long-term sanctuary for their hearts. In extreme situations, ideological changes were more easily pushed through, and over the course of two years, the Unified Holy Order had become the mainstream faith in the Edina Archipelago.

While those who used to be demon god cultists occasionally caused problems, they no longer engaged in absurd practices like cannibalism and human sacrifices as they did before.

If I gave the command, these cultists generally complied, since I had become the representative of the Great Gods, who were also the Demon Gods.

In the end, these demon god cultists were still human, so integrating them into civilian society wasn’t particularly difficult. However, they were an army, while the priests of the Edina Archipelago and the forces under them were never that large to begin with.

The priests of the demon god cult, who were now mostly able to wield the divine power of the Great Gods, became my personal army.

A significant number of these demon cult priests were dispatched to Port Mokna. Even to me, the priests of the Demon God Cult, who wielded both the powers of healing and the power to curse, seemed less like holy knights fighting for the gods and more like some incomprehensible form of terror.

I wondered if this was really okay.

In the end, everyone was busy with their own tasks. I remembered what Riana said, and seeing these four take on significant roles in this land made me wonder how they were any different from the Four Demon Lords.

Three of the Four Demon Lords were human... Was this really okay?

But then again, the previous First Demon Lord, Larken Simmernstait, had also been human, so perhaps it wasn’t such an unusual thing.

“Anyway, I’ll be going. Don’t overdo it, Our Majesty,” Olivia said as we wrapped up our conversation, and she quickly left the palace to give her sermon.

Though she was called the leader of the Holy Order, Olivia was still a crucial part of my military power. She also handled affairs related to the civilian populace.

She was a religious leader, the Minister of Defense, and responsible for public projects.

Without Olivia, my regime would probably not collapse, but I might die from overwork.

Harriet glared at Olivia’s retreating back and sighed deeply.

“The Senate meeting will begin soon,” Harriet mentioned, and I nodded.

The Senate was another name for the Vampire Council.