LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 80
Chapter 80. The Future of the Kingdom
I opened my mouth after ensuring a soundproof barrier was in place.
“I want to talk about something specific—it’s about the hobgoblins.”
“…Hmph.”
Oh, the Demon Lord has tensed up.
His expression shifted from one of a listener to one of a demon lord, looking rather displeased that I was butting into this matter.
So, I stated clearly.
“Before anything else, I want to clarify that I don’t have a side when it comes to any species. However, observing the recent events, I have thoughts on the future of the Demon Lord Kingdom.”
“Hmm.”
That caught his interest, and he settled back comfortably in his chair.
“…While the Demon Lord Kingdom is technically a nation for us demons, it’s actually a multi-ethnic state, isn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
“A melting pot of diverse races. In such a nation, allowing the expulsion of races based on their species could negatively impact future governance, don’t you think?”
The Demon Lord nodded silently, urging me to continue.
“Recently, I came into acquaintance with Enma, the Undead King, by chance.”
“…You managed to get to know him well? He’s the kind of guy who isolates himself deep underground.”
“Well, I happened to bump into him sunbathing in the courtyard one afternoon.”
I shrugged playfully.
“He was supposedly conducting an experiment to gain resistance to sunlight…”
“Ha! What a strange fellow. Both you and Enma are.”
The Demon Lord chuckled lightly. It’s not every day you find a demon enjoying sunbathing. An undead diving into sunlight is rare indeed.
“And so… we developed a bit of camaraderie. For some reason, I seemed to have caught her fancy.”
“Hmm.”
“During our conversations, Enma expressed concern that the Undead were becoming too much like weapons, and once the war ends, they too might be discarded like the goblins and ogres.”
“……..”
The Demon Lord pressed his lips together, gazing slightly upward as if to say, “Please spare me.” Judging by his demeanor, it seemed he had no plans to deal with the Undead for now.
This “for now” was the crucial part.
As a hero, I believed Undead could be exterminated using holy attributes. Except in cases like Enma, I thought they could all be defeated with sufficient fighting power.
However, from the perspective of the dark beings, I realized just how troublesome they really are. The Undead have strong resistance to dark magic and curses, and the only effective means of harming them for the dark beings is through fire attributes.
Not all demon races can wield fire magic. Although the Demon Lord possesses both fire and darkness attributes, which serves as a deterrent.
Regardless, if the Undead were to reach a breaking point and raise a rebellion, it would obviously lead to tremendous trouble.
“If we allow expulsion based on species, it could sow unwarranted doubt and discontent among other races. That’s what you’re trying to say?”
The Demon Lord rubbed his temples and checked with me.
“Yes. I believe we should advance based on individual abilities and suitability, not species.”
The incompetent hobgoblins should be expelled while the capable ones can stay. Nonetheless, the Night Elves and demons will still raise their voices for their own advancement, yet they far outlive the hobgoblins.
Even without forcibly expelling based on species, if we fill the vacancies left by retiring hobgoblins with “truly capable individuals,” the transition would happen naturally—
“That process might take several decades, but it should quell the unrest among other races. The core issue should be the normalization of duties, not the expulsion of a single race. Furthermore, truly capable hobgoblins would still have opportunities to shine…”
I fixed my gaze on the Demon Lord, carefully continuing my words.
“As for how my father envisions the future of the Demon Lord Kingdom, I can only speculate. However, if we’re considering governance a hundred or two hundred years down the line, there might be merit in this approach. …Of course, should the lower classes rebel, the might of the Demon Lord could suppress them—perhaps that’s also a valid way for the Demon Lord Kingdom to exist…”
“…I understand your thoughts.”
With a small sigh, the Demon Lord leaned back in his chair.
“…It’s worth contemplating. Including the information from Enma, this was a good proposal.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed my head.
Alright, I’ve said my piece. The rest is up to fate.
If the Demon Lord reflects on my views, he might delay the expulsion of the hobgoblins by at least twenty or thirty years.
“—But is it alright? If the Demon Lord starts considering harmony with other races, might the kingdom become even more solid in the long run?”
Well, in reality, that’s not necessarily the case. No matter what, the current situation will remain where demons are dominating other races.
The dragon race is certainly eyeing opportunities for retaliation, and the Undead’s true intentions are anyone’s guess.
The Night Elves and Beastmen probably have no intention of opposing the Demon Lord, and demons are thriving side by side.
—Thus, whether or not a policy of harmony is implemented, there will be barely any impact on the structure of the Demon Lord Kingdom. It’s merely a question of whether hobgoblins gain a slight advantage.
“…That was a good proposal, but…”
The Demon Lord displayed a slightly bitter expression.
“Don’t let that thought leak to the outside.”
“? Understood.”
I guess taking a stance that peeks at the other races’ reactions could be seen as weak?
“You might have vaguely realized, but such considerations could invite scorn from others.”
The Demon Lord’s tone was somewhat begrudging. So I wasn’t wrong about that.
“I’m fine. I have the strength to overpower others. However, you have yet to reach that point. There are many out there who can’t distinguish between caution and cowardice.”
“I will be careful.”
“But I feel reassured having a son with such an outlook. …So, would you like to help your father with his work? It’s not too late to start now.”
“No, …I’m still too young…”
“Kuha ha! A mere child wouldn’t suggest such proposals!”
The Demon Lord slammed the armrest of his chair and broke into a wide grin.
“Honestly, even after spending so long in the Demon World, I can’t believe you’re only five years old. What kind of education is Platy giving you?”
“Well… nothing particularly unusual… if I had to say, perhaps it’s because my tutor is a devil of knowledge, and I’ve absorbed his teachings.”
“Hmm… we might need to appoint that devil as the Minister of Education in our kingdom…”
The Demon Lord muttered seriously while crossing his arms.
Stop it! If all the demons start embracing civilization, the already thin chances of winning against the alliance will disappear completely!
“…There are still many things to learn, so for the time being, I’ll need you to stay my student.”
“Ha ha ha, I was just kidding. Don’t worry about it.”
The Demon Lord laughed amicably at my dejected expression, but suddenly displayed an exhausted look.
“No matter how excellent a teacher you have, if the students aren’t interested…”
…Though I was definitely not a serious student myself.
Like Sophia said, perhaps because I’m young and my mind is flexible, I could remember things with ease and unintentionally absorbed a bunch of knowledge…
“Let me tell you, there aren’t many adults who can communicate as well as you do. Especially those who can separate emotions from reasoning.”
The Demon Lord said with a serious face.
“Is that so?”
“Even warriors over a hundred years old may not reason half as well as you do. Before becoming the Demon Lord, I can’t count how many times I was unjustly reprimanded with comments like ‘Stop using logical fallacies!’”
The Demon Lord snorted in displeasure. Those guys are probably long gone by now…
“Thus, Zilbagias, I can anticipate the struggles you’ll face from now on. Always remember, others may not be as astute as you.”
“Thank you for your advice.”
Platy also mentioned to beat those kinds of people down if I ran into them.
“—Your Majesty, the tea is ready.”
The butler, a goat-headed devil, returned.
“…Oh, were you in the middle of something?”
Upon entering and noticing my soundproof barrier, the butler halted in his tracks.
“No, it’s fine. We just finished.”
The Demon Lord casually infused magic to try to break my barrier but paused his hand.
“Zilbagias, it’s alright now.”
“Understood.”
I released the soundproof barrier. —Breaking the barrier without the caster’s consent would be disrespectful. The Demon Lord let me save face.
That’s the least kind of respect I expect from the mighty Demon Lord—even towards a five-year-old.
“…Speaking of which, it may be late, but congratulations on your promotion to Viscount.”
While dumping a load of sugar into his teacup, the Demon Lord remembered and said.
By the way, the power of peerage in the Demon Lord Kingdom lies with the Demon Lord himself. That’s one of the powers of being a Demon Lord. He’s the one who granted me my title and signed the paperwork.
“Thank you. …Was it lucky or unlucky…”
“No mistake about it.”
He must have heard about the document mix-up; the Demon Lord smirked wryly.
“How’s it going lately? I heard you had interactions with the Dark Dragon King regarding that recent incident, but I had no idea you were deepening your friendship with Enma as well.”
While enjoying a sugar-laden milk tea, the Demon Lord shifted the conversation toward me.
“Yeah, well…”
I nodded ambiguously, but suddenly a surge of curiosity struck. How would the Demon Lord react if I mentioned necromancy?
…I hadn’t kept it a secret, and I told Platy, and there’s a chance it might come up in a council meeting when Enma mentions it, so he’ll find out sooner or later.
Let’s say it.
“Recently, I’ve been learning necromancy from Enma.”
“Bwah!”
The Demon Lord spat out his milk tea through his nose.