Became the Emperor of the Demon Realm Empire Chapter 24

Became the Emperor of the Demon Realm Empire

Chapter 24: Despair

While ruling the empire, religion has never been a problem.

This is because there is no concept of religion in the Demon Realm.

For demons, strength is faith, and rebellion is heresy.

Therefore, I am infinitely tolerant of human religion.

Whether humans conduct witch hunts, wage wars between nations, or devour wealth under the guise of indulgences, let them do as they please.

It’s just that when that madness extends to the Demon Empire, they will pay a severe price.

“Honorary Monk Ron! Please come in!”

“Am I allowed to enter such a place?”

The temple that Bishop Lorimor guided me to was more splendid than the lord’s audience chamber.

Gothic-style architecture built of stone with stained glass carved with the image of the goddess. In addition to handwritten copies of scriptures and delicate crafts…

‘They’ve wasted money on useless things.’

The Demon Empire prohibits extravagances above a certain amount.

Instead, I instructed that the money be used to expand military power, even if it meant providing a spark for rebellion.

‘I’d rather use this money to make even one more piece of equipment for the Hercules Titan.’

Of course, even if extravagances are prohibited, this kind of temple is easily tolerated even in the Empire.

If I had to compare it, it would be about the level of a baron’s bathroom. In the end, the standard of luxury is also relative.

However, thinking that such a temple was built in such a poor and underdeveloped country like the Human Kingdom, I began to doubt their mental state anew.

“Think of it as your own home and sit comfortably! Should I bring that pretty young lady a cup of holy water? Usually I should charge one silver coin for it.”

“I don’t drink water unless it’s from a golden cup decorated with jewels.”

“Hahaha! Gospel of Ragsha, Chapter 26, Verse 29. Are you referring to the cup that the goddess shared with the apostles at the Last Supper?”

“…?”

“Sorry, but the holy grail is an important sacred object used in communion, so I can’t show it to you!”

Sitri, startled by the bishop’s madness, looked at me with a pale expression.

‘I want to get out of here!’

…That’s exactly what her eyes seemed to say.

“Phew… You don’t know how worried I was that those wretches who don’t even donate would sneak in when security was lax and steal the sacred objects.”

“……”

“But now I feel relieved. If it weren’t for you, an honorary monk, this temple would have been defiled by ruffians. I, Lorimor, express my gratitude to you on behalf of the goddess!”

The bishop extended a water cup with a complacent smile.

I just looked at him silently.

Just when the bishop felt the silence was getting long, Sitri couldn’t hold back her laughter and burst out.

“I never said I would help.”

“…What?”

Lorimor looked dumbfounded, unable to understand my words at all.

“Why should I do the bishop’s dirty work when I have nothing to gain?”

“You, how dare you speak such rude words in front of me, a bishop…!”

“I had some expectations when you invited me to the temple, but it’s less impressive than I thought. At best, it feels like being in a cheap museum.”

“What did you say…?”

I turned around and headed for the exit.

As soon as color returned to Sitri’s face, Lorimor rushed over in panic and blocked my path.

“Where are you trying to go! You can enter as you please, but leaving is different!”

“If you block my path, you’ll suffer a terrible fate.”

“KUK…! Then I’ll make a request! The paladins received orders to withdraw from the Holy See even before the Orc invasion and all left! Honorary Monk Ron! If not you, there’s no one to protect me!!”

“……”

“So tell me. What do you want? Money? Honor? Women? Just say anything!!”

The bishop stamped his feet as if throwing a tantrum.

As he kept acting like a monkey promising to grant wishes, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“KUK KUK, right. Of course!”

Lorimor brightened his expression, thinking his sweet offer had worked.

“Of course, with one letter of recommendation from me, you can quit being an adventurer and become a paladin! Once you become a paladin, even if you extort money from the people, the soldiers won’t dare say a word!”

“……”

“And there are women in this city who regularly come to me to offer sexual tribute! If you want…”

“Ah! Boring! Show me something fun instead of that stuff! You idiot!”

“Wha, what…?”

Sitri, who stuck out her tongue mockingly, hugged my arm. She seemed to be enjoying this situation. I have no idea what’s so fun about it.

“KUK, how did I, a high-ranking clergyman, end up in such a state…”

Lorimor, who frowned and clenched his fists, then displayed his competitive spirit with a placating smile.

“Good! You just said it felt like being in a cheap museum, right? Unfortunately, you’re wrong. This temple has tremendous treasures sleeping within!”

Lorimor arrogantly lifted his chin and went off somewhere by himself.

While he was away, Sitri smiled stickily.

“Your Majesty, can’t you buy that human too?”

“What would I do with something like that?”

“It’s fun! I want to raise him as a pet at home!”

“No, because it’s dirty.”

“HMPH…”

Eventually, Lorimor returned carrying an armful of shiny sacred objects.

Among them was a golden cup that looked similar to what Sitri had mentioned.

As Sitri’s eyes sparkled, a fishy smile spread across Lorimor’s lips.

“Wow! Ron-nim, look at this! This water cup that looks like something our house floor would use is a sacred object!”

“You insolent…! Just look with your eyes, don’t touch! Stop picking it up and throwing it around like that! If you drop it… Huh? What are you doing now…?”

Sitri innocently clasped her hands together and began to squeeze the holy grail with force.

Soon the holy grail was crushed and deformed as if compressed. The part where lips touch became crimped, taking on exactly the shape of a dumpling.

“Wow! Ron-nim! This is real gold!”

When I remained silent, Sitri quickly lost interest. She threw the crumpled holy grail to the bishop as if giving charity.

“Oh, the holy grail…”

Lorimor, who quickly caught it, was speechless for a moment. After standing dazed for a while, his eyes bulged out.

“Wha, what have you done──!!”

“……Are you angry at me right now?”

“What? No, it’s not that…!”

“Sorry. I didn’t know it was really gold!”

“……”

As Sitri smiled brazenly, the bishop caught his breath while managing his blood pressure.

Even such a reaction seemed to amuse Sitri, but I still couldn’t understand what was so fun about it.

“How boring.”

“What, boring?! Your liver has jumped out of your body! That holy grail just now was so sacred and expensive…!”

“It seems like I’ve just wasted time for nothing.”

“Phew… You. You don’t want money or honor. Then what on earth do you want!”

The bishop, who had been acting as if he would burst with anger at any moment, suddenly blinked his eyes.

He seemed to have thought of something good, but also seemed hesitant about it.

“Your effort is commendable, so I’ll give you one more chance.”

“……”

“If you satisfy me, I might protect your safety.”

“……Fine. A man doesn’t go back on his word.”

When I nodded, Lorimor fumbled with the key ring hanging from his pants and guided us underground.

Since I never thought there would be a basement in the temple, Sitri had an expectant expression.

“Kyaaa! A date with Your Majesty in such a gloomy place!”

The basement was dark and deep.

Lorimor picked up a torch hanging on the wall and proceeded familiarly. He inserted keys into iron doors installed at each floor and continued going down the stairs.

“……”

About four floors down, I had an intuition that something was wrong.

Very faintly, I began to sense the magic power of multiple succubi from beneath my feet.

It’s easy to imagine why they’re trapped underground.

Whether she knew this or not, Sitri was still humming with a lively expression.

“Sitri.”

“Yes?”

I stopped walking and grabbed Sitri’s shoulder.

It didn’t seem too late yet. Sitri looked at me with an unknowing face.

However, if we went further underground, Sitri would surely sense something strange…

“You should go back now.”

“Huh…? Why?”

When I spoke firmly, Sitri didn’t throw a tantrum as usual. She just blinked her innocent eyes and asked for a reason.

“Well, it might be a somewhat unpleasant scene for the young lady.”

Lorimor smiled, revealing his yellow teeth.

It was a disgusting, nauseating smile. Enough to make me want to smash that face right now.

“Sorry for enjoying it alone.”

“……”

“Go back first.”

“I will.”

Surprisingly, Sitri smiled lightly and turned back the way we came.

I confirmed Sitri’s departure and then stepped underground again.

After going down a few more floors, Lorimor finally inserted a key into the last iron door.

“Tsk, this isn’t something I show to just anyone…”

CLICK─!

Lorimor, who muttered complainingly, opened the iron door wide and stepped aside.

Beyond the iron door was darkness, but my eyes could see clearly inside.

At that ugliness, my brow furrowed.

“Ahem, it’s a bit embarrassing, but welcome to my playground!!”

Shapes writhed beyond the darkness that Lorimor pointed to. The sound of chains clanking could be heard from all directions.

……I walked through the underground prison.

Dozens of pairs of glowing eyes in the darkness turned toward me. In a sealed room without a single ray of light, dream demons bound in chains were looking at me with dead eyes.

“Hehe, you must have heard about succubi?”

“……”

“Their tightness is amazing. I’m specially giving you, an honorary monk, a chance to experience it.”

Traces of torture everywhere. Filthy contaminated food bowls and rotten water. Dream demons covered in wounds from being scratched by whips.

As the scene of breeding worse than dogs flooded my vision, anger that I had forgotten for a long time began to writhe from deep in my chest.

“Were those who believe in God this ugly….”

“You, you. Why is your arm……”

A left hand emerged from the sleeve that had been fluttering weakly.

Were the hundreds of firmly placed restraints so soft that they could crumble with just one act of will?

“Ah, ahhh, demon…!”

Finally, when sinister horns and wings sprouted, the bishop fell on his bottom.

How dare a human face the despair that drives one mad just by encountering it, Bishop Lorimor captured it with his wide-open pupils.

“Go, God. God──!!”

Suddenly the bishop screamed and had a seizure.

I used telekinesis to seize him as he tried to crawl out of the prison on his knees and placed him before me.

“Hi, HIIK…!”

The bishop tried to squeeze his eyes shut, but I didn’t allow it.

I blocked the bishop’s mouth as he tried to cry out the name of God once more and spoke.

“There is no God here.”