CHAPTER 45
The Ex–Demon Lord and the Past Demon Lord
It was early morning. The dewy mist had not yet dissipated, and we were heading in a carriage to the royal capital of Kingsglaive, which was in the heart of the Demon Lord’s domain and under his direct control.
“By the way, Sis, about the thing we talked about earlier—about that exercise that’ll help me get bigger in all the right places… Will it actually work?” asked Sylphy.
“…Don’t I always tell you? ‘Those who believe shall be saved.’ If they believe in a possibility and work hard, anyone can become anything…even the tiniest can become huge,” replied Lydia.
“Sis…! I’ll do my best!”
“Right. I’m looking forward to watching you develop.”
With smiles, the two stupidly carried on as they sat across from each other. From a picturesque standpoint, the scene looked like a beautiful elder sister encouraging the younger after a setback.
The reality was that a girl with washboard boobs wanted to get a bigger chest and a lustful pervert was pushing her on.
In other words, it wasn’t picturesque in the least.
…These two had been supreme commander and adjutant in the last battle, and thus, our great success would be bestowed on them. It just wouldn’t make sense according to military logic to leave them behind while we had an audience with the great Lord Varvatos.
And so, we traveled together with Lydia and Sylphy toward our destination.
But ever since we’d gotten in the carriage, the two sitting next to me—Ireena and Ginny—hadn’t said a word. They were trembling, and their faces had gone pale.
My guess was that they were nervous about our upcoming audience with the Demon Lord. Even in ancient times, the Demon Lord—my past self—was a figure of fear and awe. I was considered divine in the modern day, so you could say this reverence was even more heightened then than in the ancient past.
Remember, these two were from that very era.
An audience with the primary god of the world’s most powerful religion… I couldn’t even imagine the incredible fear and anxiety they must have been going through.
At any rate, our journey came to a stop as we reached the end of the quiet road to our destination.
The royal capital of the Vardia Empire, Kingsglaive.
As mentioned prior, my past self controlled these lands. Thus, any descriptions of the land would be singing my own praises, but…I had to admit it.
Kingsglaive was the most advanced city not only in the nation, but even in the ancient world. I had gone through hoops and hurdles to build and maintain this huge metropolis.
But it had all been worth it. The capital was a constant bustle of remarkable liveliness, and I could proudly declare we had grown into a marvelous city.
We continued down the wide avenues of Kingsglaive and arrived at my castle in the center of the city, where I had taken up residence… Castle Millennion.
It had been a while since I’d seen my own castle… And again, I hope you’ll forgive me for the self-praise.
It was outstanding.
In this era, all buildings were constructed with magic. It was a time when anyone could be an architect with the right technique and magical power.
That could have been the reason why almost no one could grasp the beauty of architectural construction. Or maybe ancient people just liked doing things without much thought.
In this world, the man called Varvatos must have looked like a real nonconformist.
“Wow…! Th-this must be Castle Millennion…!”
“I-it is magnificent! Fitting for his standing…!”
Ireena and Ginny seemed overwhelmed by my castle’s enchanting majesty.
Heh. Beautiful, gallant, and more than anything—cool as hell. That is my castle.
People in the future would regard Castle Millennion as the first and finest ancient wonder that sparked a universal pursuit for architectural beauty.
And the one who had constructed this castle was…me! From the basic layout to the smallest detail, I had built and devised it all on my own.
Obviously, it was the best castle for me to build and where I could live out my daily life. In terms of functionality, none in history could compare. Castle Millennion wasn’t just about looks.
It had about 103,000 techniques cast on it, as well as the ability to transform into an invincible stronghold in an emergency. I’d crafted all sorts of items since then…but I considered Castle Millennion to be my greatest weapon.
Heading inside my exquisite castle, Lydia entered with us in tow.
“I-its interior is just as amazing.”
“I have never seen a place that could be described as gorgeously resplendent…”
Heh-heh. It is, isn’t it?
I had refused to compromise and be satisfied with only the exterior. The design and utility of this castle was flawless inside and out.
…Well, when it came to interior practicality in its earliest stage, it would have been dishonest to call it “good,” even as a backhanded compliment.
“Hmph! This castle is big, but it has nothing else going for it! Sis’s castle is a million times more amazing!”
The one who had pushed me to reach this assessment was an idiot—I mean, Sylphy.
Back to the time when Castle Millennion had been completed for only a few days.
At the time, I had tried too hard to make a magnificent castle and ended up revealing my immature sensibilities.
In other words, I couldn’t help but attempt to show off my creation.
I made a huge event of it and summoned not only my big sister, Olivia, but even those weirdos—Verda and Alvarto—from their distant locations for a big reveal.
…Looking back on it, I was an embarrassment.
Even Verda and Alvarto commented: “W-well, everyone goes overboard once in a while,” and “Hmm, our master has a real eye for design… By the way, may I go home now?”
And the like.
As someone who knew those guys, I had to say they’d been unbelievably considerate.
At the same time, Lydia and Sylphy had stopped by to see the spectacle.
“Well, what do you think of my castle? Give your honest opinion.”
Internally dying for them to praise me, I fidgeted as I asked them this question. After planting her hands on her hips, Lydia looked upon the majesty of Castle Millennion.
“Hey, this is pretty good. Build one for me next time.”
“Yes, but of course. I don’t see why I would not build one for you, my dear friend.”
I never acted that way around her normally, so it low-key creeped her out.
On the other hand, Sylphy was annoyed by the fact that Lydia praised me and was apparently unable to keep herself from speaking up, especially since she had been burning with vehement antagonism toward me since the day we met.
“Th-this castle isn’t anything at all!”
“…What was that?”
“Hmph! What about this says that it’s the world’s most impregnable castle?! Don’t make me laugh! It wouldn’t even take me three days to bring this place to the ground!”
I responded to her challenge in a most unadult way. “Yeah? Well then, Stupid, I mean, Sylphy! Go ahead and try to subjugate this castle in three days! If you do, I’ll give you a single reward of your choosing! But if you fail, be prepared for the consequences! I’ll make you regret insulting my castle!”
Sylphy’s quest to capture Castle Millennion began directly afterward…or so I’d thought.
In reality, everything remained uneventful, and two days passed by. I’d made multiple preparations for Sylphy’s attack, but… It had been all for nothing.
After the idiot calmed down and reconsidered, she realized taking my castle was impossible. There was no doubt she was spending that time hard at work coming up with an excuse to reduce the punishment I had waiting for her.
That was what I’d thought…but it had been a fatal error.
Sylphy the Stupid caught me wildly off guard, always doing the inconceivable.
…By the third day, I’d already decided to pay her no mind. I enjoyed my nice castle and devoted myself to my kingly duties. I had been in the midst of carrying on with my productive day when something happened.
Beep, rang a strange sound out of nowhere…
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep…, it shrilled.
It can’t be, I thought.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A blazing tornado of light whipped around, and my Castle Millennion…my glorious masterpiece that I had poured my heart and soul into…a piece of work that anyone would want to show off…a work of art that I thought of as my own child…transformed into a mountain of rubble.
For a while, I stood there charred and in shock, but the moment I saw the culprit’s face, I cast teleportation magic on reflex. I went right for Sylphy.
“Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I guess it looks like I win!” Sylphy said as she wagged a finger at me and rolled about with raucous laughter. “You were so worried about the outside that you didn’t give a second thought about the inside! It doesn’t matter how strong you make it! The inside is still going to be weak! If you can’t even get that through your head, you’re nothing! Pffffft!”
Sylphy jumped around as she continued to make fun of me.
…While regrettable, I had no room to object. In fact, I was grateful. If an enemy had been the one to discover this instead of Sylphy, there probably would have been major casualties.
She had pointed out my castle’s vulnerabilities.
“As promised, Sylphy, I will offer you one reward.”
“Hmm, what do I want? I kinda wanna see you bow before me! Or maybe you could apologize while giving me a striptease! Or dance for three days and nights, repeating Great Sylphy, I was so foolish! I am but an incompetent piece of poop who cannot possibly compare! Hyah-ha-ha! Just thinking about it makes me laugh!”
As Sylphy roared loudly and slapped her knee, I gave a bright smile.
“Hmm, yes. Your reward is A FIST! TAKE THIS, DUMB-ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”
I violently slammed my clenched knuckles into her head with everything in me.
Had I been grateful? Sure. But this and that were two separate things. I’d given the moron none other than a fistful of hatred for destroying the manifestation of my sweat, tears, and love.
“…What’s up, newbie? Is there something on my face?” Sylphy asked in real time.
“…It’s nothing.”
I couldn’t say it. Remembering it had pissed me off, and I wanted to sock her another good one.
Anyway, guided by Lydia, we moved farther into the castle. Ireena and Ginny were honestly at their wit’s end with their nerves.
“A-any minute now…!”
“Y-yes… To think we would have the honor…o-of gazing upon his countenance.”
The two were sweating buckets, so I thought I’d try and reach out to them—
But just before I could, a murderous vibe nearly pierced through us.
In an instant, I instinctively cast defense magic—a high-level Giga Field. A semitransparent wall covered not only myself, but everyone around me.
Moments later, a red-hot wave crashed against it. A thunderous roar echoed around us, and the shock wave interrupted all conversation.
It seemed like my defense magic had somehow been able to halt my opponent’s onslaught. However, my shield was moments from being pulverized…
Our attacker’s power was obvious.
“Heh-heh-heh. Not bad, not bad at all, I say. To think you would fend off that blow just now,” called out our assailant across from us.
Accompanying the shock wave was a smokescreen of destruction that hid them from our sight.
From that theatrical tone and androgynous voice, I could guess our opponent’s identity.
“…I have heard tales of you. However…”
The smoke finally cleared, and the foe came into view. Before the figure was revealed completely, I narrowed my eyes and spoke.
“This is a radical method of welcoming new recruits…Sir Alvarto,” I said, and the wind blew between us, sweeping away the veil of smoke.
“The extremity of my actions is a symbol of my deep love and desire for you to accept those feelings. In any case, this is the only method where I can express my affection… Gazing upon a soldier such as yourself, who is too wonderful for words, I feel the sudden urge to kill you.”
A man stood in the middle of the now clear hallway, speaking mad words. His name was Alvarto—Alvarto Egzex. The man who was the strongest of the Four Heavenly Kings…and a battle fiend who was touched in the head.
He could be described as a savage beauty. His slender body was dressed in basic tones of black and gold. One might think of him as a beautiful woman at first glance, and the sweet smile on his red lips dripped with sex appeal. The man was our army’s hidden ace and the thorn in our side.
He continued speaking in his dramatic tone. “But that was unexpected. The more I see, the more I grow enamored. I thought I might contain myself by sampling your abilities, but…it seems I may grow serious.”
The bloodlust emanating from his entire body became palpable.
“Eek…!” As if unable to endure it any longer, Ireena and Ginny fell behind.
“Sheesh… You’re the same as ever,” Lydia mumbled quietly with complete composure.
A second later, she vanished. She had moved with lightning speed. With a swiftness even I couldn’t register, Lydia appeared right before Alvarto.
…No, she hadn’t just approached him. Before I knew it, she had her beloved sword, Vald-Galgulus, gripped in her right hand, its silvery-white tip pushed against the back of Alvarto’s neck.
“If you wanna fight…I’d be happy to take you on.”
It was a bone-chilling voice. But it had the opposite effect on Alvarto—far from being terrified, his desire for battle seemed to grow stronger. He widened his mad smile.
“If the great Champion is my opponent, I have no complaints. But…rather than a familiar flavor, I wish to taste the unknown.”
“…And you think I’d allow that?”
The two glared at each other with smiles on their faces, ready for battle.
We were in a volatile situation. It’d be no surprise if a battle broke out at any second, and the air was tense.
“Why are you two causing a ruckus?” commanded a beautiful voice, cutting through the tension like a gust of wind. Everyone took notice and faced it. This third party had a presence so immense that no one had a choice.
Accompanied by a few muscular soldiers, the figure’s name was—
“Well, if it isn’t my old buddy, Var.”
“Hee-hee. You’re looking as lovely as ever, Master.”
The old me.
In other words—Varvatos the Demon Lord.
“Th-that’s…!”
“Asdfghjkl…!”
When my past self filled her vision, Ireena widened her eyes, and her face turned as red as an apple… Ginny foamed at the mouth before fainting.
The following were a few of the many statements about the Demon Lord’s appearance that had been passed down to future generations:
“Bouquets of flowers bloom from the ground he treads.”
“His mere presence purifies all impurities in the air.”
“Lowlifes immediately vow to change their ways upon seeing his countenance.”
“Young or old, male or female, all are enchanted by him.”
“None in history can compare with his beauty.”
It was passed down in legend that many of those who did look upon the Demon Lord swooned at the sight.
…When it came to the ancient world, the history books were wrong in a lot of ways—except their descriptions of my appearance in that era. Those were actually spot-on.
The past me wore sublime, black clothes that indicated my status as king. This flashy outfit wouldn’t have fit any ordinary person, but…even they seemed plain compared with the fine features of the Demon Lord.
Nothing about his appearance screamed man. He was about a head shorter than I was now, with a frame small for a man. His pale face held a trace of childhood. It was so pretty that illusionary flowers could be seen blooming behind his facade. Silky, white hair flowed down to his waist, cascading down like a smooth river.
Beautiful seemed to be the only word that could describe him.
The Demon Lord scowled at Alvarto and opened his peachy lips. “I don’t remember summoning you.”
“Yes, it is true. I have never, ever been invited by you. This must be why I feel dissatisfied by you, Your Majesty. You’ve been nothing but cold to me lately and no longer entrust me with the preparation of human resources. Honestly, I have felt absolutely wretched.”
“…How many of our resources have you crushed in this way? This is why I intentionally tried to have an audience behind your back. When it comes to this sort of thing, you have as keen a nose as ever.”
“I am most delighted by your praise.”
“No one’s praising you, idiot.” With a weariness that came from the bottom of his heart, the Demon King let out a heavy sigh. Since we were the exact same person, I knew his feelings inside and out. In fact, it was almost painful. This battle nut was a serious pain in the ass.
“…Anyway, go home already. If you don’t…”
“If I don’t…?”
“I’ll completely ignore you next time. I won’t give a damn. It won’t matter what you do. If you’re okay with that, then proceed.”
Taking this in, Alvarto seemed to be at a complete loss. Despite this, his smile said he was enjoying himself.
“So that’s how it is. You know exactly what words to say. Even though you hardly pay me mind now, any more than this…and I may die of loneliness.”
“Please, be my guest… So what’s your answer?” The Demon Lord narrowed his eyes, and Alvarto raised his hands as if in surrender.
“I understand you. I shall take my leave. Farewell, my beloved master.”
Alvarto dropped this poor attempt at seduction and instantly vanished. He must have used teleportation magic. It wasn’t all that uncommon in this era.
“…Well then.”
With the twisted storm—Alvarto—gone, my past self looked over at us.
“Ha-uh?!” When their eyes met, Ireena let out the strangest voice, and her face flushed.
…I’d lived a long time, but it was the very first time I’d ever been jealous of myself.
As I thoroughly took in this odd feeling, I met the gaze of my past self.
“…So you’re Ard Meteor?”
“…Indeed, Your Majesty.” I was trying to process these very complex feelings.
With this, I knew our time travel adventure would come to an end.
It was impossible to discuss everything while standing around, so the Demon Lord guided us down the hallway.
“Long time no see, eh?”
“…You’re as overly familiar as ever.”
My past self flashed an annoyed look as Lydia slung her arm around his shoulder. This didn’t bother her at all, though, and she flashed a smile back.
“You were just starting to miss me, huh. Why, I’m the only friend you’ve got!”
“…Since when were we friends? You’re no more than my guest commander.”
“Here we go again. You’ve gotta be more honest with yourself.”
Lydia rubbed her fist into his cheek, and my past self gave another irritated glare. Out of jealousy over the scene, Sylphy spat, while Ireena and Ginny silently watched the two with fascination.
On the other hand, I sorrowfully watched what could be considered the final moments of happiness in my past life before me.
But more than sorrow, I was remembering a strong sense of dread.
The reason for this was…my robust crew of soldier attendants.
They were all strong, muscular, handsome men, including Rivelg, the knight of roses. They were all staring fixated at Lydia with eyes of consummate murderous intent. As to why…
It was because they were all after my ass as well.
At this point in time, I was so beautiful that women wouldn’t even approach me. This was because they couldn’t see me as a man. In fact, they couldn’t see me as a fellow human. You know. That sort of thing.
Furthermore, every single guy who hoped to scheme a political marriage would take one look at me and forget about proposing any deal. It was if they thought No way my daughter is good enough and decided to just give up.
And thus, I lacked any luck with the ladies in my past life. And those guys made sure the space around me was impenetrable.
At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it. But now that I knew their true characters, I couldn’t help but be concerned by their every move. Meaning I had been absentminded at the simple medal ceremony.
Afterward, the Demon Lord led us to a reception room. Showing us hospitality in the style of this era, we decided to have a pleasant chat first. We each reclined on a bed in the manner of our choosing. My past self lay on his stomach and gave a relieved sigh.
…One of his subordinates (who was a meaty hunk) spoke to him.
“Your Majesty, what may I offer you to drink?”
“Fruit juice mixed with water, please.”
“Understood.”
The dialogue alone wasn’t worthy of much note. However…that meathead had eyes only for my ass. As always, it left my spine tingling.
“Your Majesty. I have brought some light refreshments.”
“Great, good work.”
Way too close for comfort. Your face is too close. There’s no need for you to be right next to me.
My other subordinates were just as bad.
Get that jealous look off your face. You over there, standing to the right. You tried to touch my ass, didn’t you?
But my old self was most at fault.
What the hell is with you? Be tougher on them.
Quit happily drinking water while lying on your stomach.
Stop kickin’ your legs back and forth. What are you, some cute girl?
That attitude of his only aroused his subordinates’ desire to a fever pitch.
“Y-Your Majesty…! W-would you like a massage?!”
“What?! A massage?!”
“Stay back, servant! No one must touch His Majesty’s as…I mean, his person!”
Squabbling broke out among those guys for those sorta reasons. From my current self’s point of view, it really was a sickening scene.
“Wh-what are you all so upset over?”
But my past self still had no clue and only stared at them blankly.
I could hardly stand to watch. I should tell him the truth in private later… No, I couldn’t bear the idea that I would be the only one to suffer. That would piss me off. I would keep silent.
You’re gonna share the pain with me.
I could feel these dark sentiments boiling within me. Beside me, Ireena and Ginny were whispering quietly to each other.
“Th-the Demon Lord is completely different from my imagination. He’s much, much…prettier.”
“What are you saying, Miss Ireena? ‘Pretty’? To use a clichéd word to describe the Demon Lord is a crime worthy of certain death.”
“Well, how am I supposed to describe him, then?”
“Yes, let’s see… What expression would suit the unparalleled beauty of the Demon Lord? How about The Demon Lord is truly Demon-esque?”
“I don’t get the difference…”
The topic of their conversation was forever about the Demon Lord. To me, it was super unpleasant to have another man steal their hearts, particularly Ireena’s.
…Well, to be more precise, by “another man,” I meant myself. Even though we were one and the same.
“…‘Demon Lord’?”
My past self seemed to have picked up on their conversation. A puzzled look colored his beautiful facade.
“You ladies there. What do you mean by ‘Demon Lord’?”
““Huh?””
They apparently hadn’t been expecting him to address them directly. They stood frozen and unable to say a word. I answered in their stead.
“It is just another name for you, Your Majesty. That is how you are referenced in the public sphere. Were you unaware?”
“…I’m the Demon Lord, you say?” His confusion deepened.
Weird. Why was he acting this way? From what I could tell, he should have already been established as the Demon Lord by this era. Yet, my past self was acting like this was the first time he’d ever heard of it.
What was going—
“That’s how I’m referred to by the public sphere? …If that’s true, it’s very strange.”
His clarification shocked me.
“There’s someone else called the Demon Lord. Why would people call me by that name?”
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