Crime in the Boardroom

The village of Rabbi continued to grow the already unprecedented disruption they were causing in the region; never before had such a large population congregated anywhere in the desolate lands of eastern Holylight. This rapid growth was thanks in part to small-time lords like Subwa donating their land to the village, as well as the arrival of former slaves rescued from Hellion territory. They seemed lost in the village at first, but coming out of their nightmarish experiences, they were quick to acclimate.

Meanwhile, the Demon Lord was leisurely leading Eagle through the crowded village.

“There are so many people here now...”

“I don’t mind the energy.”

Eagle was still astounded by the village’s constant evolution, while the Demon Lord remained unfazed; he couldn’t help but compare the place to the large cities in his previous life. When you think about Tokyo, New York, Shanghai, or London... He would not be impressed by anything less than a bona fide metropolis, with towering skyscrapers and a sleepless skyline.

As they noticed the pair pass, merchants and workers on the street all hurried to bow. Out of concern for Eagle struggling to adapt to village life, the Demon Lord had begun doing these daily strolls through the village with her. Much to Eagle’s discomfort, Tahara, Yu, Luna, or the Madam would accompany her in his stead at times.

“Um, like I’ve said before, I won’t be of any use to—”

“We’re just on a walk. Don’t worry about it.”

That was a tall order for Eagle, who felt more and more eyes looking her way.

The crowd murmured as they passed:

“The Demon Lord and an Anima...”

“I hear the demi-human is the Holy Maiden’s servant?”

“The Demon Lord’s concubine, according to what I heard... Doesn’t it look like it?”

“The girl’s sure pretty... Look at those shoulders.”

“Damn!”

The Demon Lord and Eagle continued with their peaceful stroll. He had the intention of wiping away the deep-rooted prejudice against Eagle by having her seen with the powerful leaders of the village. It was actually working too. Who would dare to pick a fight with someone always seen with those at the top?

“Some of the Bunnies have migrated back...”

“Thirty of them so far. All of them will return soon enough,” the Demon Lord declared without a shred of doubt. He seemed certain that nowhere but a world of his creation could be worth living in.

“You’re so confident all of the time. I envy you...”

“If one is to lead, he must not hesitate. Things work out better if I keep up the confident appearance, facade or not,” the Demon Lord brazenly confessed. He seemed more relaxed than he usually was with his advisors. “The Bunnies’ houses are rabbit shaped...? What’s the point of the ears?”

“I hear many species of Anima make particular types of shelter.”

“Those couldn’t even serve as lighting rods. I guess if it’s what they like...”

Construction had already started for the prodigal Bunnies, keeping the carpenters busy. In addition, temporary housing was popping up left and right to shelter the refugees who came from Hellion territory.

A man was clumsily carrying lumber through the construction site: Hummer, who had ended up enslaved in Hellion territory through a bizarre series of events. He carried his load even as his steps faltered while a spunky girl mocked him.

“Hey, old man! Why’re you all wobbling carrying a few sticks? How useless can you be?”

“I-I’m sorry! I haven’t worked in a while...”

“Ha! You a useless bum, old man?! A useless waste of space?!”

“I-I’m sorry... I’m ready to give it all I’ve got going forward...”

“There’s nowhere to go forward at your age! Piece. Of. Balding. Garbage!”

The combination of a submissive middle-aged man and an aggressive teen was a combination rife in fiction, but seeing it in person gave the Demon Lord a sick feeling in his stomach.

“Who does that brat think she is? Do I have to teach her a lesson?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re going to do,” Eagle interrupted, “but wait! That man brought me a letter from the paladin.”

“From Weeb?!”

The Demon Lord tore open the letter Eagle handed him. It contained an apology on behalf of the Tzardom, written with care. Of course, this wasn’t addressed to the Demon Lord, but to Eagle. Additionally, the letter included a simple but heartfelt offer for Eagle to contact him through “Mr. Daruma” if anything should arise.

He hasn’t changed... The Demon Lord thought. He’s ready to take on his own country. He felt genuine curiosity towards Weeb and a strong desire to have him on his side...and the Demon Lord wasn’t one to give up easily for anything he had interest in.

“So he’s got something to do with the paladin...” he muttered and strode over to Hummer.

The girl that had been harassing Hummer couldn’t believe her eyes; the most powerful person in the village was now approaching her with a stern look on his face.

“B-Bye, little trash man! B-Be careful out there! If you’re going to screw up, make sure I’m watching!” She fled the scene with the color drained from her cheeks.

Hummer was left to cower before the Demon Lord, who seemed a more terrifying being than any he had faced in Hellion Territory.

“What’s your name? Why did you bring the paladin’s letter? How do you know him?” The Demon Lord asked questions in a rapid-fire tone like he was accusing a spouse of cheating.

“M-M-My name... Is H-H-H-Hummer...” Hummer squeezed out, his voice dry and shaking, completely not expecting that his reply would trigger further chaos.

“The letter says Daruma. You dare try to give me a fake name?”

“I-I would never! Lady Akane mistook my name...!”

“Akane...? What do you mean?”

The shift in the Demon Lord’s expression made Hummer regret saying anything. He desperately tried to explain, but the Demon Lord appeared sterner with every sentence.

“What are you saying?” The Demon Lord asked. “Akane found you in Hellion territory?”

“U-Uh, she saved me...” Hummer muttered, unsure of what to do as he, for some reason, sank to both knees, his head lowering towards the ground.

Finally, Eagle interfered out of pity, “I don’t think he’s a bad person.”

“I know that,” the Demon Lord answered. “I have a different theory about him.”

“A theory?”

“If Akane went through the trouble of picking him up, he could be a treasure.”

The bizarre comment made Eagle and Hummer exchange a look. Akane was equipped with many skills relating to treasure, like Collector, Lucky Star, Treasure Hunter, and Mint Master. Of course, she had never found and brought back a person in the Arena, but the effects of skills were greatly amplified in this world.

Him bumping into Akane and Mynk is one thing. But that led him to meeting the paladin, and now he’s sitting in front of me... Was it all really just a coincidence? Whether it was good or bad fortune that put Hummer in this situation, he had the very rare trait of having a personal relationship with Weeb.

“What else did you and he talk about?”

“H-He asked me to...write to him about the village.”

“As cautious as always. It shows how often he’s been betrayed.”

Hummer kept his head low, unable to say anything.

The Demon Lord had always felt that the paladin thought rather too cautiously for his age. If one still chose to carry on after numerous betrayals and overcome that crushing loss of hope, they had to protect their heart with layers of defenses, learn to doubt people, and second guess intentions. The Demon Lord assumed the paladin had gone through this.

“Write honestly about what you see in the village. Hold nothing back.”

“I-I don’t think I could undertake such an important—”

“He considers you an honest person. You’re evidently good enough for him to trust you with the task.”

“I-I’m really not worthy... I just kept running away from responsibilities all these years...”

“Running away, huh...? Then let’s hear a bit about your life,” the Demon Lord encouraged him, lighting his cigarette. He suspected that he could learn something new about the paladin through Hummer.

Hummer silently opened and closed his mouth for a while before quietly telling his tale. He came from an impoverished village where there was no work. He made it out to the city and tried various lines of work, but kept losing his job for not learning the skills quickly enough. After he had enough of that, he aspired to become an adventurer, only to injure his knee when a monster attacked him. He stuck to being a porter after that, even when it meant that adventurers younger than him would boss him around. Feeling like he had nowhere else to go on land, he made it out to sea, only to be captured and enslaved in Hellion territory. His whole life story was as unfortunate and pathetic as he looked, as if he was born under a miserable alignment of stars.

“I never took ownership of my life,” Hummer concluded. “I refused to work for my future, resigning myself to this miserable life of an errand boy, day after day. Before I knew it, I’m forty-eight... I’m useless, really.”

The Demon Lord listened to his story without expression, but Eagle showed genuine interest; perhaps she felt sympathy for him as someone who lived a similar life of drifting from place to place, unable to fit in.

“No wonder that brat was berating you,” the Demon Lord said. “And you’ve got that Toshiyuki Nishida look. Of course, he’s a nationally renowned actor...”

“T-Toshi...?”

“That being said, not many men can be so open about their flaws...” The Demon Lord slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke. “I wonder if I should live as simply as you sometimes...”

Hummer finally looked up after hearing that, and Eagle too wore an expression of surprise. For someone who lied and deceived as much as the Demon Lord did, Hummer was almost his polar opposite; perhaps the Demon Lord even felt jealous for his ability to be so vulnerable and honest.

“I won’t help you in any way,” the Demon Lord added, “but I won’t get in your way either. Write to him whatever you want as you live in this village.”

“Y-Yes, sir...”

“And you were ashamed that you’ve been running away... But everyone tries to avoid and run from suffering. It’s only natural.” The Demon Lord turned his back and continued to speak from his heart, without knowing why he was being so honest with this miserable man. “It doesn’t matter how much you suffer along the way or how many times you fall down, as long as you stand as the victor in the end. You can always try again, as long as you have the will for it.”

The Demon Lord walked away, leaving Hummer standing there dumbfounded as Eagle hurried after him. Her expression had shifted from concern to surprise. “I, well...didn’t expect you to say something like that.”

“I don’t know why I did either... He’s a strange man, indeed.”

They continued walking until they reached a group of workers clad in peculiar clothes: people from the Island Legion where Eagle formerly resided. As they approached the group, evidently on their break, all stood to greet them.

“Mister Demon Lord...! And Eagle...”

“How are you faring here? Getting used to the village?”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

“I know your environment is far from ideal. I’ll soon have comfortable lodgings ready for you.”

“Th-That’s too kind...!”

Actually, the workers were treated better than they had ever even dreamed. The village had plenty of food and water, steady work that paid daily, and even access to the heavenly amenities of the public bath for a mere three bronze coins. This was all the bare minimum for the Demon Lord, but it was paradise compared to the Island Legion and the threat of the Tzardom. In fact, they could hardly believe that people could live such comfortable lives.

“It’s about time I get back to work,” the Demon Lord said. “Eagle, take your time.”

“Okay...”

After the Demon Lord left, the tension lifted and the group let out a sigh of relief.

“E-Eagle, are you, well, all right...?”

“What?”

“I mean... Has anything bad happened to you here?”

“N-No! I’m treated so well here.”

Those from the Island Legion seemed concerned about Eagle, worried she might have been taken hostage or made a concubine by the godfather, further reinforced by the quiet and delicate air about her.

“That’s good to hear... This place is incredible. I’d believe it if they told me this was heaven.”

“Yes, it really is...”

The Island Legion was an archipelago that thrived on the fishing industry, which meant that the sea decided who lived and died. With the Tzardom rapidly invading, citizens of the Legion lived day by day, not knowing if they would make it to see the next.

“If only the folks from the other islands could join us here...”

“How can they when we’re so far away?”

“I know, but at this rate, the Tzardom’s going to enslave them all...”

Listening to their conversation, Eagle gazed in the direction the Demon Lord had gone off to with a new expression of anticipation.

The Demon Lord returned to the casino and entered the meeting room on the thirteenth floor where his advisors awaited him.

Ugh... Another meeting. It’s more than I can take!

Without anyone to commend him on his honesty, the Demon Lord took his seat with a solemn expression.

Another cruel meeting for the Demon Lord’s army commenced as Tahara and Yu spread various documents on the long table. Cruel, at least, to the Demon Lord, who already looked visibly pained.

Kondo alone kept a small gaming device palmed under the desk, giving it quick glances here and there: a game titled Sumogotchi, the object of which was to raise a chick into a big and healthy sumo wrestler. As Kondo lovingly raised the chick by potty training it, teaching it sumo squats, and feeding it chankonabe, the meeting carried on with gravitas.

The first topic on the agenda was Holy Maiden White. “She and I now have an understanding,” the Demon Lord started. “Keep that in mind moving forward.”

Tahara and Yu made note of this as Kondo’s chick earned a new mawashi.

White... The Demon Lord recalled his grand performance, complete with a full costume. He had intended to take advantage of her misunderstanding by contacting her under the guise of the Fallen Angel, thinking that it would lessen her resistance towards their acquisition of the entire eastern Holylight. What happened on the rooftop was another big mess... A tableau flashed in his mind, the two of them locked in what could only be interpreted as a lovers’ embrace... A powerful, completely unforeseen chemical reaction had occurred, overpowering the Demon Lord’s petty, con artist mindset. Now her beauty had stuck a sharp impression in his mind. She’s a good girl, but I’m worried that some guy’s going to come along and... Am I that guy?!

As the Demon Lord was approaching this self-realization, Tahara had posted a map on the whiteboard showing how their land acquisition (under the guise of “donations”) was accelerating fast. The neighboring lords seemed to take after Subwa, not wanting to miss the opportunity to offer their land early on when they could still make a good impression on the Demon Lord, rather than later, when their land would inevitably be taken from them regardless. There were competent and incompetent nobles alike, but they all shared a keen sense of self-preservation.

“When we take the Holy City, Tahara, encourage them to donate it to the Holy Church and its control. I have no need for that dusty old place.”

“Hm?” Tahara contemplated the comment for a few moments before reaching a conclusion.

The Demon Lord had intended to give White more power while making the transaction more convincing to the populace, but Tahara naturally reached a different conclusion. “Gotcha, gotcha. There’s been one blurry spot in this big picture of yours, Mister Secretary, that I couldn’t make out. It’s starting to clear up now.”

“You’ll see...” The Demon Lord stood from his seat and walked to the window to gaze down upon the village in an important-looking manner.

The advisors saw incredible gravity and significance in his silhouette, as if their dear leader could see everything from Rabbi to the four corners of the continent.

Of course, the Demon Lord had no such foresight or cunning; he merely turned his back to the room in order to conceal his expression. I’ve got a bad feeling about this... Where is this going?! The Demon Lord, having apparently developed a more acute sense of detecting dangerous situations, felt his heart rate accelerate as the conversation continued behind him.

“Hey, Tahara,” Yu joined in. “Do you mean...”

“Straight up. We gotta keep our guests wealthy, don’t we?”

“So the Secretary already envisions how to rule this world after the war...”

“Ha ha ha! ‘Rule of three’? More like rule of five! With a solid foundation like this, we could duke it out with any country out there for a decade at a time.”

The Demon Lord grew more and more uneasy; he could hardly turn around and ask “What the hell are you two talking about?” Meanwhile, Kondo’s digital chick had just sumo-slapped an egg. A new chicklet emerged, but Kondo muttered some curses followed by “Another fricken common...”

Tahara pulled the red pencil from on top of his ear and slid it across the map. “The Holy Church might have their share of influence, but they’ll stop breathing down our necks when we toss them everything we make from that capital.”

“Yes, and we can transfer nobles that have bent their knee to the affluent Central...” Yu stood, running a marker across the whiteboard to write ominous terms like customers and fertilizer and circling them.

“Up north’s next on the docket, but the front line’ll be right here for a while. Let’s have Grandpa Harts keep taking charge.” Tahara, too, inscribed scary thoughts like capital influx and bolster army to 10,000 on the northern section of the map.

All of this was completely flying over the Demon Lord’s head, but he made sure to send the advisors an interested look as he lit a cigarette. Whatever they’re doing, I have to keep up an air of fostering the discourse of my employees. He shrewdly kept his mouth shut and listened; the advisors took the cue and continued their conversation.

“With their track record, it’d be easiest to let the Butterfly family rule the entire south.”

“No objections there.”

The tags women’s paradise, spa, and hot springs were added to the southern locales on the map. Apparently, they were already mapping out the new Holylight.

“As for the troublesome west...” said Yu.

“Let’s have the almighty Dona round up the opposition. Might get some international guests too, but I’d take care of them in a day.”

“Not a chance! If I let you handle the subjects, you’ll turn them into Swiss cheese!”

“It’d be a better death for them; put them out of their misery.”

“It’s more important to acquire a large number of samples. Besides, there’s no need to be concerned with the quality of their deaths when it comes to the enemies of the Secretary. They deserve torment.”

Kondo listened to all of this and thought to himself, Great. I don’t have to do anything.

The Demon Lord listened to all of this and thought to himself, Maybe I’m the one who’s on a wagon bound for market...

“In any case, I hear pockets are lined thick in the west. Too much wealth to measure after two thousand years of oppression and exploitation.”

“They will offer up everything to the Secretary: their lives, dignity, wealth, down to their last drop of blood.”

These two are freaking me out! the Demon Lord silently shouted under his solemn facade. They’re really gunning to start a war...! In a desperate attempt to change the subject, he decided to finally speak up in the most serious tone he could muster. “It is fine to set our sights on the future, but we must attend to the matter at hand.” The arrival of the two messengers was the perfect distraction. “Your meeting with those foreign dignitaries, Tahara?” the Demon Lord asked, rather nervous of the answer. He was particularly concerned with Suneo, who could have very well demanded restitution.

“I was going to make a report once it was all official,” Tahara answered, “but I settled things with Suneo for a million gold medallions ready to show, a branch in our town, and their surplus tea leaves.”

The Demon Lord was shaken by this answer. I don’t understand a thing he said! Are we still speaking the same language?! Unwilling to show his ignorance, the Demon Lord simply closed his eyes and waited, as if to contemplate the information; in reality, he was looking for a plausible answer. “I see... Interesting.” The Demon Lord curled his lips while his brain short-circuited.

“Soft? Maybe. I thought the best way to keep workers around was to set up work for their families too.”

“Hm...”

“Women can process the tea leaves. We won’t be paying for materials, so that’d be a sweet gig. Kids can use fountain water and soap to start a laundry service or something.”

Water was precious on this continent, so no one washed their clothes frequently, let alone workers. Most of them wore one outfit and never washed it. The public bath had allowed them to bathe as often as they wanted, but their clothes were another matter. Yu seemed agreeable to this suggestion that would make the village more hygienic. Kondo seemed confident that no one was paying him any mind, as he brazenly power-leveled his characters in Fake/smut night.

“Well done. Even better than I had expected,” the Demon Lord said, quietly relieved that he didn’t owe any restitution.

Tahara, however, had more to discuss. “And it looks like your trap sprung perfectly, Mister Secretary.”

“Oh...? Splendid,” the Demon Lord smirked with a shrug of his shoulders, panicking internally. Tahara seemed to be speaking an alien language.

“Gotta laugh at how many simple-minded jack offs we’re dealing with, huh?”

I gotta laugh because you won’t explain a single thing to me!

As the Demon Lord’s confusion was peaking, unexpected aid came from Yu. “Mister Secretary, that drug called Krack is extremely dangerous. It could melt the user down to their bones.”

“Drugs... Reprehensible,” the Demon Lord managed to react but still failed to grasp the meaning of their conversation.

Tahara jumped on this comment. “Reprehensible, indeed. This Jack of All Trades from Euritheis is apparently an old group of friends of the dear bishop.”

“The Tzardom is going to feign ignorance all the way,” Yu chimed in. “And the claim to the cargo?”

“Checked with the minister of Suneo, just in case. The stolen goods are ours for the taking.”

“Stealing the Secretary’s cargo... They must have a horrible death wish.”

“Hah ha ha! They’re pure masochists, for sure!”

Tahara and Yu laughed away as color drained from the Demon Lord’s face. His advisors were acting like he had planned this.

It sounds like we’re getting these crazy narcotics?! I don’t want that stuff! The Demon Lord nearly protested out loud, but now that he managed to get a grasp of the conversation topic, he tried to gently stir the conversation away from such a perilous topic. “And the Republic...?”

“First off, I got them to hand over the city of Rookie you were after.”

“Hand over, you say...?” the Demon Lord repeated in an implicit way, as he once again failed to understand.

Tahara seemed to infer discontentment in the Demon Lord’s tone, so he began explaining, “That’s my bad... I wanted them to bring it to us on a silver platter, but I went for expediency over presentation. If you’d let me make an excuse, though, I barely keep up with your plans.”

You’re the one I can’t keep up with! I just drank and loafed around! the Demon Lord almost confessed but managed to keep his mouth shut, furthering the now-customary misunderstanding between him and his admiring advisors. As usual, his aimless shenanigans were given meaning by Tahara, who took care of every aspect perfectly with his cunning genius and thorough consideration for keeping things calm in the village.

Yu, however, had no intention of letting this mishap slide. “You’re pathetic. You’re suggesting that our position is so weak as to need the city handed over?”

“I told you, the Secretary’s way too fast for me. He foresaw what went down today and made connections with higher-ups in Animania, smashed a chunk of Hellion territory, and came back with Suneo owing us a favor. The best I can do is catch up!”

“Is that supposed to be an excuse? I might modify you so you can work 365 without rest or sleep.”

“Like hell you will! What am I, a robot?!”

As the terrifying exchange of his advisors carried on, the Demon Lord felt a mild dizzy spell come on. Trying to make it out of the room as quickly as possible, he barely managed to say, “Our time is precious. What is my next move, Tahara?” As he did, the Demon Lord patted himself on the back for his choice of words; this allowed him to finally get a straight answer while still playing the part of an encouraging boss.

“The Republic’s terrified of an Anima invasion,” Tahara answered. “The fort on their border is only for show.”

“I see. I’ll make sure they don’t tread too close to that fort, then.”

“Right... Thanks, chief.”

With that, the Demon Lord hurried to leave the meeting room when Yu called to him.

“Mister Secretary, Harts has requested to return to his home base.”

“Very well. I’m on my way out, so I’ll take him. Come with me, Kondo.”

“Wha-Wha-What?! I have to go outside?! Where there’s nothing of value whatsoever?!”

“That’s for me to decide. Let’s go.”

With the befuddled Kondo in tow, the Demon Lord left the meeting room.

The two remaining advisors maintained a meaningful silence before Tahara muttered. “To that fort, huh...?” This could be interpreted as the Demon Lord giving them permission to attack any other tactical location in the Republic. In fact, Tahara was confident of the Demon Lord’s intentions.

“The Secretary intends to put pressure on the Republic using the Anima.”

“You betcha. They’d eventually let go of that land on the border.”

Tahara foresaw the Republic to voluntarily relinquish the fortress on the border and its surrounding area once the Anima became more active.

If one falls, the rest will follow... This was almost a rerun of the land donation craze currently occurring in eastern Holylight. Tahara felt a chill at how the Demon Lord constantly sowed seeds in thorough preparation, then struck like lightning as soon as an opportunity presented itself. Yu appeared infatuated by the same idea.

“The world’s full of problems, but he’s dead last on my list of people I’d want to make an enemy of.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Your minuscule brain wouldn’t last three days against the Secretary.”

“Yeesh... It’s scary having your boss see through everything,” Tahara shrugged without denying Yu’s assessment.

In truth, Tahara would demolish the Demon Lord in any sort of battle of wit. In a battle of chess, for instance, the Demon Lord would be stripped of every single one of his pieces as well as his entire wardrobe, kicked to the curb in the middle of winter.

Meanwhile, the two advisors continued their overestimating (or rather, overthinking) regarding the Demon Lord.

“I mentioned it earlier, but the Secretary’s big picture’s been on my mind. From what we talked about today, I’m guessing it’s that.”

“Oh? An interesting theory.”

“Take a look at this map. Rabbi’s a bit too far east for us to take over the entirety of Holylight.”

As Tahara had pointed out, the village of Rabbi was indeed located in eastern Holylight, not to mention in the middle of nowhere. If they were to take control of the entire country, the Holy City in the center did seem like the most strategic target.

“But the Secretary said he had no use for the Holy City...” Yu muttered.

“No wonder there. Look at Holylight and Animania as one big country.”

“Oh!” Yu exclaimed. When looking at the map that way, once the border between Holylight and Animania was taken away, dead center was the village of Rabbi. Chills ran down the spines of the two advisors at the realization that they were already stationed in the center of it all.

“He saw this coming from the very beginning,” said Tahara. “Us mere mortals can only hope to catch up to him.”

In reality, things were working out for the Demon Lord and his advisors exactly according to Tahara’s misguided vision. At this rate, his misunderstandings and overthinking would not cease until they took control of the entire continent.

“The Secretary’s after Euritheis, he said?”

“Yeah, looks like we’re in for another mind-blowing magic trick.”

The pair shared a laugh at this, but the Demon Lord was indeed about to show them a trick. Not exactly a cunning one, but more of con artist trickery.