#1120 The Congress Dances in Ecstasy 

Right now, the Demon King’s council hall is awash in confusion and bewilderment. 

Out of nowhere, we find ourselves confronted with this being called the “Saint.” 
And apparently, said Saint has been secretly helping His Majesty behind the scenes, guiding him toward great achievements. 

How exactly are we supposed to react to that? 

Should we shower our mysterious benefactor who’s been aiding us from the shadows with boundless gratitude?  
Yet people’s hearts aren’t so straightforward. 
Among the long-standing nobles who’ve served the Demon King’s family for generations, many count themselves lucky to be alive in such miraculous times. 

After all, the Human-Demon War, which lasted for centuries, was finally ended by a hero.  
To serve none other than Demon King Zedan himself is the pinnacle of honor. 

Sure, part of it is the joy of working under a great ruler, but there’s also the hope that, if we play our cards right, we might go down in history alongside him. 
During this pivotal, brilliant era that future generations will celebrate in their stories, that is. 

And yet, we hear that this success we enjoy is courtesy of some enigmatic figure known as the Saint. 

So is the truly great one this Saint? 
Rather than us demons? 

That uneasy, half-formed mix of fear and resentment has begun drifting through the Demon Kingdom’s court like a silent fog. 

Meanwhile, the Demon King himself and the Saint don’t seem bothered by any of this vague tension. They’re chatting away happily, “It’s really no big deal,” “Don’t be so modest,” they exchange. 

In the midst of this, Prime Minister Lucif Focale, famed for his sharp political instincts, suddenly announces... 

“Question Tiiiime!!!” 

It’s so abrupt that both the Demon King and the rest of us jump in surprise, our eyes snapping to him.  
The Saint, in particular, nearly leaps out of his skin. 

“Your Majesty, we understand that today’s gathering is meant to introduce Lord Saint. But it’s all so sudden that we can’t fully process the facts. We’re confused, and that hinders us from grasping your true intentions.” 

His Majesty’s intentions…? 

“We need a proper meeting of minds between our Demon Kingdom’s leaders and Lord Saint. Only by building that rapport can the coming political strategies unfold smoothly...” 
“Coming political strategies…?” 
“One thing at a time. First, let’s give the loyal subjects who support this kingdom a chance to ask honest questions. By airing their doubts, they’ll come to understand. Even difficult truths can be swallowed once they’re out in the open. Don’t you all agree?” 

His sharp gaze lands on us.  
And he’s right. 
We’ve been blindsided and left clueless about how to react!!! 
On top of that, what we heard just upends everything we thought we knew. 

How could we possibly take that in so quickly? 

“Yes.” 
“Well then, Lord Dibrodence?” 

Oh, someone already raised their hand?  
What a sneaky, quick fellow, taking advantage of everyone else’s shock. 

“I have a question for His Majesty. So far, you seem to imply that our current prosperity wouldn’t exist without the Saint’s help. Is that correct?” 
“Indeed, that is so.” 

The Demon King nods proudly. 
Such regal bearing truly worthy of admiration. But… 

“Then why reveal this only now? It’s been nearly ten years since the war ended. Until today, the Saint’s existence was mere rumor. Wouldn’t it have been better to let him remain forever in obscurity?” 

Hmm, indeed.  
Then we wouldn’t have to deal with such an unsettling revelation. 

His Majesty replies... 

“Very well. Let’s start with why we kept Lord Saint’s existence hidden in the first place.” 

He takes the question head-on, patiently explaining, truly the mark of a just ruler... 

“Lord Saint desires a peaceful life. He wants to go about his days undisturbed by unsavory types. I’m greatly indebted to him, so of course I’d respect that wish.” 
“In that case, why the public reveal now?” 
“Because circumstances have changed.” 

The Demon King continues. 

“The wounds of conflict have healed since the war ended, our people have prospered, and relations between kingdoms have flourished. Now the world stands on the cusp of a new phase.” 
“A new phase, Your Majesty?” 
“One aspect of that is our frontier development project. Working alongside the New Human Kingdom, we’re carving out a fresh domain for all. We’re still in the process of clearing forests, tilling fields, and putting up humble roofs to keep out the rain, but one day, it will become a proper settlement where people can live in comfort.” 

I know about that.  
After all, the frontier expansion is a major policy led by our kingdom’s highest officials. 

Someday, that region will be vital for our economy, trade, and national defense. 
All for the brighter future of the Demon Kingdom.  
Sure, we had major clashes with the faction pushing to move the capital, but eventually, we convinced them of the plan’s value and put it into action. 

“Once that settlement reaches a certain scale, enough to be called a town, perhaps even a country. I intend to grant it independence.” 

Huh?  
Wh-What? 

“I’d like Lord Saint to serve as that new nation’s leader.” 

Whaaaaaaaaaat?! 

All of us cry out, myself included. 

“Y-Your Majesty! Isn’t the frontier supposed to become part of our Demon Kingdom eventually?” 
“Who said that? This entire endeavor is a joint operation with humans. I assumed it was obvious we can’t claim all benefits as ours alone.” 
“But the Human Kingdom is practically a vassal now…” 
“Is there truly someone who still believes that nonsense?” 

His Majesty’s piercing glare makes everyone hold their breath. 
A tense silence settles in. 

“Calm down, Demon King...” 
“R-Right.” 

It's the Saint. 
The Demon King’s got an aura so intense, it feels like he could scorch us retainers with a single glare. 
They say that when the he is truly enraged, he’s more terrifying than Cerberus, the watchdog of the underworld. 

The only ones who can usually keep him in check are his two queens, Astres or Glasya, or Belphgamilia, the demon army’s commander. 
But to think this smooth-looking fellow could pull off something that only the Demon King’s consorts or the fiercest warrior in his army were ever capable of…! 

“Forgive me, I got carried away... Now, back to the matter at hand, the frontier. I’ve kept some details vague, waiting for the project to stabilize, but I think it’s time to share.” 

What details, Your Majesty? 

“Our plan is for the new settlement to become a hub linking our Demon Kingdom, the Human Kingdom, and the Mermaid Kingdom, the three great powers. Beyond that, we’ll bring in smaller races like elves and dwarves, and unite the world as one.” 

His Majesty harbors such a vast ambition!  
As expected of the Demon King! Truly the rightful ruler of the world. 

“That’s why the new nation born on this land must not belong to any single power. It must stand completely independent, so it can remain a neutral bridge for all.” 
“And no one is more suitable to lead a neutral kingdom than Lord Saint,” adds Prime Minister Lucif Focale, who’d been keeping silent until now. “He isn’t a demon, a human, or a merfolk, yet he’s allied with all three races. For a figure meant to stand at the center of the world, you couldn’t ask for a better candidate. We demons can leave it in his hands with confidence!” 
“This is outrageous!”  

Another minister screeches. 

“If we’re talking about the center of the world, shouldn’t that be us demons? We are the ones who conquered it! We triumphed over the humans. No one stands against us! If we just subjugate every inch of land, wouldn’t that unite the world even faster?” 
“That is the arrogance of the victor. And it leads only to destruction,” says the Demon King somberly. “As I mentioned, our victory was only possible thanks to the Saint. Without him, we’d still be stuck in a pointless war against the old human royalty. That victory was never ours alone.” 
“Grnnngh…!” 

The Demon King’s forthright words leave them simmering with resentment. 

“LordS aint was the true key to victory. Ignoring that and declaring ourselves sole conquerors would be the height of ingratitude. And ingratitude leads only to ruin. Besides, do you truly believe we’ve conquered the entire surface?” 
“Huh…?” “What? But we definitely subdued the Human Kingdom and...!” 

The Demon King cracks a dry, ironic smile at our bewildered mumbling. 

“Don’t be ridiculous. Did you think our only enemy was the old Human Kingdom? What about the monsters that pour endlessly from dungeons, or the ones even above them, the true tyrants of this world? The Lifeless Kings and the Dragons, those two great calamities?” 
“Guh…!” 
“If one of those beings so much as gets bored and decides to raze us, the Demon Kingdom would vanish in an instant. We’re fragile things. Who can dare call themselves the rulers of the earth? We overcame fellow weaklings, that’s all. In the end, it’s just empty bragging.” 

W-Well, when His Majesty puts it that way, it’s a bit final, isn’t it? 
Dragons and Lifeless King are basically unstoppable forces, like natural disasters. We’d never dream of fighting a hurricane, so if the Demon King’s comparing them to that, what can we say? 

“However, Lord Saint right here counts both Dragons and a Lifeless King among his allies.” 

Huh? 

“And if anyone were to stand against Lord Saint, they’d automatically incur the wrath of such living disasters. Would you still challenge him, in pursuit of your grand title as conquerors of the earth?”