A Demonic Covenant Reforged in the Ashes

Leaving the Prison

The Semi-Planar Prison is a special confinement within the Demon King’s Castle. Because it exists in a rift of the prime material plane, those without the proper semi-plane access cannot freely come and go. The demon lineage, however, is among those with the highest level of permission.

Even though, after extracting Satanleaf’s mana, Ira could use the power of the Crimson Dragon and his Rune Conduit to break through the semi-plane… no one can hold back a Chancellor who has an ample reserve of Wings. But since Satanleaf has opened the prison door, he naturally doesn’t have to bother breaking through it himself.

Ira strolled down the corridor as if he were in his own courtyard. At the end of the glowing prison hall stood the great door of the Semi-Planar Prison—though if the door remained closed, it would simply be a passage leading to the next corridor.

“Are you following me?” Ira asked, glancing back at Satanleaf who trailed behind him. Their ruby dragon eyes met briefly before he continued, “Are you here to supervise my exit from the Demon King’s Castle?”

“No, I just have no reason to stay in the prison,” she replied. Her answer made Ira raise an eyebrow in mild puzzlement; after all, she had come to the prison specifically to see him, so if she had let him out, what reason would she have to remain inside?

“Ah, that’s true…” Ira conceded. The little Demon King, Satanleaf, didn’t press further but simply followed him as he prepared to leave the Semi-Planar Prison. Then, as if suddenly recalling something, she asked, “What exactly were the circumstances that led to your conviction by the empire?”

Such a question was ultimately meaningless—at least, it was meaningless to Satanleaf. Whatever answer Ira might give would merely be ordinary gossip to her rather than valuable intelligence; in short, she was only asking out of curiosity. Before she became a Demon King, Satanleaf was just an ordinary loli.

Ira was somewhat gratified to see a “normal” loli at last; compared to the other loli Empress he was familiar with, Satanleaf appeared refreshingly ordinary—unlike a child who had once been an empress’s offspring.

“Well, it all goes back a long way…” Ira began, recounting the backstory. “It was on the first day of my leave that I proposed an idea to Izabella. I told her that…” As Ira recalled the events, Satanleaf interjected, “Wait, you said you were on leave? But aren’t you…? I’ve heard stories about you—everyone describes you as ‘tireless.’ Do you really need a break?”

What a peculiar description…

With a resigned sigh, Ira paused his story and then, turning his curiosity elsewhere, asked, “What exactly do the demons call me?” But as soon as the question left his lips, he decided he didn’t really want to know the answer.

“Never mind, I don’t want to know…”

“I told Izabella at the time, ‘To prepare food supplies for a two-front war against both the public kingdom and the demon horde, the nobles must donate grain. If they donate enough, there’s even a chance for elevation in rank—and if they’re unwilling to donate grain, they can offer land in its place.’”

Listening to his account, Satanleaf’s eyes widened. “So, the empire is about to go to war with the Hazard Public Kingdom? And you’re saying that the empire will cease its war with us?”

Ira nodded slightly. “Mm.”

“Hmm, okay. Then what happened next? And why did Empress Izabella end up arresting you?”

Even though Satanleaf pressed on with these questions, Ira himself didn’t fully understand. “Izabella told me to take a leave, so I didn’t pay much attention—I figured we’d discuss it after my break ended.”

“Then, during my leave, I began to notice a change in the atmosphere at the imperial capital… The subsequent events, you should have received some corresponding intelligence, I imagine.”

Ira knew very well that behind the scenes, it was the nobles fanning the flames. But if Izabella remained firm, then he wouldn’t need to worry about any noble’s opinion. In other words, Izabella intended to use this unexpected turn of events to set me free… She knew full well that while the empire needed me, I didn’t need to be shackled to it. True enough—but still…

“Let the nobles buy titles, using land as collateral for grain…”

Even Satanleaf, who didn’t hold nobles in high regard, sensed something in that suggestion. She realized the reason behind Ira’s advice and said, “You’re helping her, aren’t you?”

And that was essentially correct.

Though Satanleaf didn’t understand why Izabella would reject the land that rightfully belonged to her, Ira himself knew… Izabella didn’t truly refuse; she was probably just tired of his rambling. In other words, it was merely a case of “a light pat on the rear to express her displeasure,” whereas the nobles were “slipping a knife into the hand that Izabella couldn’t restrain”… But that needn’t be explained to the Demon King before him.

“The empire will become exactly as I envision… Equal, calm, eternal, and autocratic.”

With that, Ira was the first to step into the radiant light at the end of the corridor. He turned to the little Demon King and said, “If fate permits, we shall meet again… I believe that time won’t be far off.”

With those words, Ira left Satanleaf with his back immersed in light. It’s worth noting… Ira was very handsome, with a well-proportioned figure, so his back looked magnificent.

“Wait—” Satanleaf suddenly tried to call him back, but it was already too late. She widened her eyes and hurriedly followed him out of the light…

They emerged into the Demon King’s Castle on the prime material plane. Before Satanleaf’s eyes, there stood a figure of Ira—supported by several sword blades, weapons, and limbs arranged around him…

Completely disoriented, Satanleaf’s subordinates mistook Ira—who had just burst out of the Semi-Planar Prison—for an enemy. Although, in a sense, he was almost an enemy anyway.

“Ah, just in time… It appears that the moment of our reunion has arrived,” Ira said with a grin as he turned his head. And indeed, as he had predicted, our reunion wasn’t far off… barely ten seconds passed between then and now.

“Ira Elcaras?!”

“You rascal, what have you done with the Demon King… Oh, you’re out.”

“Chancellor… gulp~” “…”

It seemed that everyone in the grand hall of the Demon King’s Castle was quite enthusiastic about Ira, though he found their fervor a bit overwhelming. Interestingly, despite the level of resentment in the room, no one was the first to make a move against him.

“Mr. Elcaras! Please, calm down…” Even Satanleaf hoped that it was Ira who would settle down, not everyone else in the castle…

…What image do I really have in Demon King territory? Have I really come to the point of being known as “the one who silences the little demons’ nocturnal cries?”