Became the Emperor of the Demon Realm Empire Chapter 25

Became the Emperor of the Demon Realm Empire

Chapter 25: Preparing for the Advance

All demons existing in the demon realm are connected through a single collective intelligence.

When I judged the bishop and part of my true form was revealed, the demon realm legions fell into an awakened state filled with unknown unease along with surging power.

At that moment, the emperor’s call reached every corner of the demon continent without exception, and the security bureau dispatched an executor to Rebellion within five minutes of the order.

Of course, for such an absurd deployment time to be possible, a great demon of the highest tier among high-ranking entities—one capable of passing through Garganta without difficulty—had to step forward personally.

“Your Majesty. The rescue of the twenty-one dream demons imprisoned underground has been completed without issue.”

The security bureau chief knelt on one knee and reported.

She who once assisted Hilde was a beastkin with wolf ears and ranked second strongest within the Territory of Destruction, but now, due to Hilde’s critical condition, she had abandoned her noble status to walk the path of a soldier.

“Despite being confined underground and subjected to humiliation for years, the rescued dream demons are in surprisingly good condition.”

“……”

“This too must be Your Majesty’s grace.”

“Their mouths must be kept thoroughly sealed.”

“Of course.”

While the security bureau chief was crossing over through Garganta, I had already taken measures to ensure the dream demons could lead normal lives.

Fortunately, life returned to their eyes once again, but in exchange, they paid the price of memory erasure.

Since they had been imprisoned for varying lengths of time, each individual’s duration differed. Even I found it impossible to selectively carve out only the rotten memories.

Soon the dream demons would be transported through Garganta and spend some time recovering in the imperial palace.

When the time came, whether they would continue to remain in the palace or start new lives in Sitri’s territory would be left to their autonomous choice.

“…Then the bishop’s punishment will be carried out as Your Majesty commanded.”

“You may exercise your discretion and authority.”

“Yes… I’m not sure if there could be a more terrible punishment than this, but I’ll give it a try.”

The security bureau chief smiled faintly, bowed lightly, and opened Garganta.

The high-ranking executors decided to place the half-mad bishop in a ‘Crown of Restraint’ and escort him so he could maintain his existence even within Garganta.

“Security Bureau Chief.”

I stopped her as she was about to leave.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Hilde is gradually regaining consciousness.”

“……”

“That’s simply how it is. Don’t get your hopes up.”

The security bureau chief seemed lost in thought, stroking her smooth chin before grinning.

“Yes… Since Your Majesty commands me not to get my hopes up, I’ll try my best at that too.”

The security bureau chief bowed with a much brighter expression before disappearing beyond Garganta.

[Lv.190 Security Bureau Chief Silverin]

Soon after, Garganta closed, and her status window also flickered and faded away.

“……”

With everyone gone and only the chill remaining in the desolate chapel, there was nothing left for me to do.

I looked up at the goddess statue with its back to the stained glass window.

After doing so for a while, distant old memories seemed to float up hazily.

‘In my past life, was I a theist who believed in God?’

Just as I was having such trivial thoughts, I heard signs of someone outside the door.

The being that snuck into the chapel suddenly embraced me from behind.

“WOH!”

“You’re late.”

She seemed to have intended to surprise me, but the scent of her perfume was one step faster than I could play along.

“You didn’t come back for so long, so I went to look around the city for a bit! From far away, it looked like the security bureau chief had been here…”

Security Bureau Chief Silverin was like Hilde’s shadow, so at least among the archduke-level demons, there was no one who didn’t know her.

Sitri quietly approached and sat next to me.

“Did the bishop commit a crime by any chance?”

“Yes.”

Sitri sat demurely without crossing her legs as usual.

Indeed, does the place make the person? Soon she moved her lips.

“…Has he received the price for his sins?”

“He suffered pain worse than death.”

In fact, the security bureau chief stepping forward personally was already a hopeless situation for the bishop.

I had carved out his reproductive functions at the scene. I breathed power into that weak mind so he could continue living while maintaining his sanity, and cursed him so he could never take his own life.

In that state, Bishop Lorimor would rot eternally in Tartarus.

Before long, all the prisoners would learn of the bishop’s crimes, and he would spend the rest of his natural life being gang-raped by demons, living in pain just short of death.

“If Your Majesty gave direct orders, the bishop must have committed a tremendously grave sin.”

“……”

“Is it okay to just arrest clergy members like that?”

“Whatever human laws may be, they cannot take precedence over Imperial Law. If I wish to do something, following without complaint is their position and role.”

“Hmm.”

Sitri just nodded while listening, then stood up from her seat.

Dusk was already creeping in outside the window. She stretched and loosened her languid body.

“I’ll be heading back now.”

“Yes. Submit your report first when you return.”

“Ah, suddenly I don’t want to go…”

Sitri muttered what might have been a complaint and grudgingly opened Garganta.

This time I thought she would meekly resign herself and go back. As soon as that thought occurred to me, a kiss suddenly flew to my cheek. This time she was one step faster than her perfume.

“What insolent behavior is this?”

“Hehe, will you punish me too?”

Sitri, who had already crossed the threshold of Garganta, shrugged her shoulders and smiled shyly.

‘Thank you.’

Leaving only that brief greeting, Sitri closed Garganta and disappeared.

Eventually, silence permeated the chapel where I was left alone. As the sunset tilted, light began entering through the windows. I let out a short sigh.

“I should have corrected her manners from the very beginning.”

“Ah, you can leave that to me.”

“……?”

Just then, a refined young lady appeared in the chapel, dragging a menacing club.

Looking again, it wasn’t a club but one leg torn off from a guardian saint’s stone statue. Her darkly sunken dead-fish eyes looked ominously threatening.

“Since ancient times, Sitri has always needed the rod.”

Cecilia swung the stone statue leg several times larger than herself WHOOSH WHOOSH.

“Ah, don’t worry. I’ll discipline her just short of death.”

“……”

“They say having just one breast doesn’t threaten one’s life.”

I thought that statement was quite frightening. It seemed no different from saying having just one testicle doesn’t interfere with living.

“That aside, this time the humans have really pulled off something proper.”

“Your news travels fast.”

“I’m always watching. Now all the shadows of Rebellion are the girl’s eyes.”

That meant Cecilia’s darkness had succeeded in taking root throughout all of Rebellion.

Indeed, she handles work swiftly even without being told.

With this, Lord Angela’s safety was secured. No matter what route they used to infiltrate, assassins would be detected by Cecilia’s surveillance network.

“Cecilia.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I will issue a ban on religion  in Rebellion.”

Cecilia, who had still been emanating killing intent toward Sitri, asked back with slightly surprised eyes.

“……Is that Your Majesty’s will?”

“No. It must become not my will, but Lord Angela’s will. You meet with her and persuade her. Give her everything she asks for in return.”

The moment the ban is issued by the Emperor’s authority, the meaning of diplomatic relations disappears. Then she would truly become the puppet Lord Angela spoke of.

However, I cannot just stand by and watch this matter.

From now on, diplomatic relations with the Demon Empire will also include the condition that human kingdoms issue prohibition decrees.

At first glance it seems like an absurd unequal treaty, but conversely, diplomatic relations that can’t even guarantee the minor safety of demons are equally absurd.

‘I absolutely must establish diplomatic relations, but to do so, the Holy See is an obstacle.’

“Your Majesty. Lord Angela issuing a ban would be Rebellion publicly declaring severance of ties with the Holy See. Even if you gave her countless riches, would she truly accept Your Majesty’s will?”

As she said, that wouldn’t be easy.

Not only establishing diplomatic relations with the demon realm but also cutting ties with the Holy See would leave Rebellion unable to survive without the Empire’s help going forward.

However…

If the Kingdom of Lodeland issued the prohibition decree first, the story could change.

“If the Holy See’s assassins attack Lord Angela, I will take that corpse and personally visit the King of Lodeland.”

Cecilia’s eyes gradually widened. A sticky smile spread across her lips as she pondered the meaning of those words.

“The King of Lodeland will have to answer for the crime of daring to collude with the Holy See to harm me.”

In short, it’s a script.

The Kingdom of Lodeland declared war on the Demon Empire. Why? Because assassins rushed in where the Demon Emperor was present.

Of course, words alone wouldn’t be properly accepted, so appropriate saber-rattling to create a sense of crisis would be necessary.

“I will deploy the Hercules Titan Corps.”

The masterpiece of the demon legions.

Superior entities reborn through Echidna’s research and repeated experiments—upgraded versions of the Behemoth Titans.

I would advance those giants of hell toward the Kingdom of Lodeland.

Thereby pressuring the Kingdom of Lodeland, which would become a war criminal nation, and demonstrating power so the Holy See wouldn’t dare interfere.

“Since ancient times, humans have always needed the rod.”

This time it wouldn’t stop at a mere five like in Rebellion.