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The border of Aurol? The name stirred a vague memory, but I couldn\'t place it immediately. Sensing my confusion, Lucia elaborated, "The Western Border. We share it with the Kastoria Kingdom, separated only by a few mountain ranges."

"Antagonizing another kingdom besides the Empire of Light? That\'s quite the hindrance," I said, my irritation evident. I didn\'t care about the Kastoria Kingdom or its Heroes, but this added conflict was an unwelcome complication.

Nevertheless, I would handle it for Aphrodite. It was my way of thanking her, and reminding her that I was still present, ensuring she wouldn\'t try anything funny with Khione. Though I doubted she would, given the high regard she seemed to hold for me.

My harsh words made Azariah visibly upset. "They are the ones who antagonized us, and for nothing."

"Nothing? Didn\'t you initiate a genocide against all other races to expand your Kingdom?" I retorted, my voice cold and accusing.

"T-That was my fathe—the Demon King\'s doing! We don\'t deserve the consequences of his sins! All the Demons want is peace! Because of his tyranny, even some of our own had to flee to other Kingdoms, where they faced execution just for existing!" Azariah\'s anger was palpable.

Her words brought to mind Catnys and the villagers under her care. They were among those who had fled the Kingdom. I see.

"Where is the Demon King now?" I asked.

Azariah fell silent once more. Her reluctance to answer was telling. It confirmed my suspicion that the Demon King was still alive but in no condition to govern.

"As long as the Demon King is alive, the other Kingdoms will continue to antagonize you," I said coldly. "You know this, yet you keep him alive."

Khione was one of those who wanted the Demon King dead, but I suspected she knew he had already stopped governing and that his daughter had taken the reins.

Azariah bit her lip. "That doesn\'t concern you."

"It does, whether you want it to or not," I replied, pushing her against the wall.

"You!"

Kratos and Lucia tensed, ready to attack, but an ominous surge of darkness surrounded us, keeping them at bay.

"I am the Hero you summoned because you couldn\'t protect your Kingdom alone. Am I right?" I asked, my single golden eye glowing ominously, as if I were a predator eyeing its prey.

Azariah met my gaze, though she seemed frightened. No, she was truly terrified by my dark magic.

"Yes..." she nodded.

"Playing tough against me is useless, Azariah," I said, staring into her eyes. "I\'m stronger than all of you. Save your act for your sister or your other useless guards. If you need to show me something, show me your weakness. I\'ll accept it wholeheartedly and devour it."

"You really... have your words..." Azariah seemed dumbfounded, but her red eyes were expectant.

How many years had she been ruling while hiding her father\'s condition? It must have taken a toll on her to keep it together. Yet she couldn\'t do anything to save her people, who had no choice but to flee elsewhere. This was the state of the Kingdom left by her father.

She was strong, but she was barely older than me, and she clearly couldn\'t manage it alone. She might have dependable knights, maids, or advisers, but it was useless. No one could understand the feelings of a ruler and the daughter of the Demon King who had to bear the weight of her father\'s sins.

If I truly wanted to destroy the Divine Knights, I needed this Kingdom—but in a much better state. I would use this Kingdom as a weapon to annihilate the Divine Knights, and in return, they would use me to obliterate their enemies who had slaughtered countless of their kin. But first, I needed this Kingdom to be in a far stronger position.

For that, I needed a much stronger Azariah.

She needed a shoulder to lean on, and I would be that shoulder if she needed it. In exchange, she would become mine, and I would protect her Kingdom against the other races, including my own.

"Call all the Demon Generals," I commanded, dispelling the darkness around us.

"Princess!" Lucia rushed to Azariah\'s side, glaring at me with fierce protectiveness.

Kratos seemed poised to attack, but Cadell stopped him with a firm hand.

"Leave it, Kratos."

Cadell\'s eyes met mine, filled with a mix of suspicion and grudging respect.

"I don\'t trust you either, brat. But I\'ll trust your words," he said.

Had he overheard my conversation with Azariah?

"Think whatever you want, just get me an armor and a sword, old man," I retorted.

Cadell\'s expression flared with anger. "You! Respect your elders!"

Azariah\'s soft laughter echoed in the room as I turned to leave. "Let\'s call for a meeting after all this time."

°°°°°

The conference room of the Demon Castle was grand and imposing, dominated by a large rectangular table capable of seating a dozen people. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the air almost crackling with unspoken words and wary glances.

At the head of the table, where the ruler would typically sit, were two figures. Azariah sat in her usual place, her presence commanding respect. Beside her, however, was an unusual sight: a dark-haired, strikingly handsome human, one eye concealed by a black blindfold reminiscent of a pirate.

His legs were propped up disrespectfully on the table, the soles of his boots brazenly displayed for all to see. His arms were crossed, and his expression was inscrutable.

"Lower your legs," Kratos, seated next to the man, commanded with a cold stare.

The man, Samael, ignored him, maintaining his casual, defiant posture.

"Princess, why did you call us? Is he the Hero of Darkness?" asked a strikingly beautiful woman with long dark hair and piercing red eyes. Her prominent horns, both lengthy and exquisite, marked her as a powerful Demon.

"Yes, Semiramis. He is the Hero of Darkness, Samael," Azariah confirmed with a nod.

At the mention of Samael\'s name, the atmosphere shifted. All eyes turned serious, scrutinizing the dark-haired youth with a mix of curiosity and wariness.

"Before we start, I have something to announce," Azariah said, rising from her seat.

She glanced at Samael, her eyes betraying a hint of hesitation before she steeled herself and spoke.

"I have decided to appoint the Hero of Darkness, Samael, as the Lord Commander of all the Demon Armies of Tenebria."