LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 83
Chapter 83: The Youngest Brother and the Aftermath
In a certain room of the residential area in the northwestern part of the Demon Lord Castle—
It was a calm room predominantly painted in blue.
The walls were adorned with a tapestry all in blue and a large map of the Demon Lord Kingdom. From the ceiling hung a (comparatively) luxurious chandelier crafted from the bones of a large carnivorous monster, embellished with blue gemstones. On the bookshelf, books on agriculture, livestock, and geopolitics were meticulously organized by genre and title.
Reflecting the thoughts of the room’s owner, every element, from the interior design to the placement of knickknacks, seemed to have been calculated, creating a space that combined functional beauty with practicality.
In such a private chamber, the first prince of the Demon Lord, Aiogias, was elegantly seated on a sofa, enjoying his tea time.
“Indeed, café is wonderful…”
A fragrant, jet-black brewed tea. Aiogias was the type who drank it black, without sugar or milk.
Having finished his evening routine and washed off the sweat from his rigorous training in the bath, this was a blissful moment to relax his mind and body before the upcoming self-study and duties—
This moment was accentuated by this café. Its unique aroma had become addictive, and he enjoyed the bitterness that sharpened his mind, having been a long-time fan.
While tilting his cup, he casually glanced out the window. The night scene of the castle town and the mountains towering at the horizon that seemed to reach for the sky were visible.
It was said that beyond those mountains lay the “Sanctuary,” the homeland of the demon race.
The ancestral spirits of the demon race also looked upon this place. As the de facto next Demon Lord, Aiogias felt a tightening in his heart every time he gazed at the scenery.
—He must ensure that the Demon Lord Kingdom flourishes even more during his reign.
The future Aiogias envisioned of himself was of a Demon Lord who enriches the nation. Further enhancing and strengthening the country established by the first Demon Lord and expanded under the current Demon Lord.
The Vernas clan that Aiogias hailed from had long produced excellent practitioners of water and ice magic, adept at supplying drinking water and preserving food using ice.
The first Demon Lord led the demon race out of the “Sanctuary” seeking rich lands.
The current Demon Lord expanded the kingdom, securing territory and defeating all external enemies.
Therefore, it was meaningless to have acquired land without putting it to effective use.
—However, it could hardly be said that this was currently being achieved in the Demon Lord Kingdom. Due to the first Demon Lord distributing land haphazardly as rewards, land management was fragmented among clans, lacking any form of control.
Some diligent clans were doing modest farming on wild lands, while others abandoned lucrative lands entirely.
When he became Demon Lord, he intended to unify land management. Currently, the food self-sufficiency rate was not an issue due to the low population relative to land area, but by having the state manage agriculture centrally, efficiency could be increased even more.
This would lead to further population growth—not just among demons, but also the beastmen and night elves who supported them. Great gluttons like goblins and ogres would be eliminated. The functionality of the Demon Lord Kingdom would be refined further. And thus, the status of the demon race on the continent would be solidified, laying the foundation for a millennial kingdom—!
“…Excuse me, Your Highness. I have something to report.”
As Aiogias was imagining the future of the Demon Lord Kingdom, a knock on the door interrupted him, and a subordinate entered the room.
“What is it?”
As Aiogias smoothed his damp blue hair post-bath, he asked with poise. This subordinate was responsible for information analysis regarding other factions within the Demon Lord Castle.
“Your younger brother, Zilbagias, has come into conflict with Baron Megalos of the Anoitus clan.”
“The Anoitus clan…”
Aiogias recalled the name but couldn’t quite place it.
“I have no memory of them.”
“They’re not worth remembering.”
A minor clan—Aiogias disliked unnecessary distractions, so he promptly decided to forget the name.
“So, my youngest brother got involved with an equal in rank as soon as he was knighted. Emelgias mentioned that he was growing well, but—what happened next?”
As he elegantly brought the café cup to his lips, Aiogias prompted his subordinate to continue.
“Yes. Apparently, Zilbagias managed to break the opponent’s horn with his bare hands…”
“Bwaf!”
Aiogias spat out the café through his nose.
†††
“—He broke a horn with his bare hands?!”
The second prince, Rubyphia, exclaimed in disbelief from her room.
Her chamber was extravagant. Understanding her father’s thoughts deeply, Rubyphia had no hesitation in placing cultural decorations. Still, she was also a top-class warrior and loved weaponry.
Thus, alongside the jewelry and artwork, a row of rugged spare spears were propped up—overall, it was a chaotic and heated space. Depending on the visitor, one might believe it was the lair of a red dragon—such was the disorderly treasure and weapon collection stuffed inside.
“Give me more details. What was the situation?”
Rubyphia shifted her legs on the sofa and asked her subordinate again.
“Yes! The purpose is unknown, but it seems Zilbagias soon entered the palace alone and visited His Majesty’s office. He left about an hour later, but it’s unclear what conversations took place there. Then he was confronted by Baron Megalos of the Anoitus clan in the ‘Gorgeous Hall’ after descending from the palace, which seems to be the origin of the incident.”
“The Anoitus clan—those fools.”
With a pained expression, Rubyphia’s wild beauty twisted, as if recalling some unpleasant memories.
“Hahaha! The princess has her troubles as well.”
The jester-like subordinate responded, but Rubyphia’s face grew even more grim.
“They may be fearless on the battlefield, making them somewhat useful as ‘spears.’ The problem is that they sometimes misjudge where to stab.”
She sighed and rested her chin on the armrest of the sofa.
“So what happened next?”
“Yes! Baron Megalos accused Zilbagias of being arrogant and lacking the ability to match his rank, also claiming his accomplishments were fabricated. Zilbagias countered, arguing his position was legitimate, and then he demanded that he prove his ability.”
The subordinate tapped the tip of his nose.
“It is said he kicked him right in the snout.”
“Ouch, that sounds painful.”
Rubyphia placed her hand on her cheek in a feigned act of sympathy, but she knew Zilbagias was undergoing severe training even at his young age—he was not the kind to back down even from such a minor injury.
“After some back-and-forth of arguments and provocations, Zilbagias retaliated. He grabbed Baron Megalos—and then…”
He drew his hand down in a karate chop motion.
“In a single strike, he crushed the left horn.”
—Unconsciously, Rubyphia reached for her own horn.
For demons, the loss of a horn held great significance.
It not only served as a sensory organ for their magical power but also symbolized their identity and dignity. Even a small chip could cause issues comparable to losing sight in an eye, let alone a break affecting their magical potency.
What would happen if it were to break—
“Just to confirm, it was with bare hands, right?”
“According to reports, yes. Testimonies from multiple sources confirmed that no magic, curses, or equipment were used.”
“Oh, the Anoitus clan must be in an uproar.”
“Yes, they immediately sent messengers to the Reiju clan to protest and request treatment.”
The subordinate shrugged, a mix of sympathy and mockery in his tone.
“And what about the side of my youngest brother?”
“It seems he said, ‘I merely bumped it a bit, and it broke. I sincerely regret not foreseeing its fragility. Treatment is possible, but it would surely break again soon. For his own sake, why not pull back from his spear work?’…”
At the merciless wording, Rubyphia couldn’t help but laugh.
“What a dismissive response. Of all things, the Reiju clan.”
While the wound from losing a horn could be treated via teleportation spell, it required transferring the ‘broken state’ onto someone else—with a demon possessing a healthy horn. The target must be of the same rank or lower than the caster, making it more challenging for higher-ranked demons.
And this treatment meant that someone else would lose their horn as a substitute. Unless one was a particularly popular demon, it was common for them to be left abandoned. Unless they were a criminal punished with ‘horn breaking’—
For that sort of thing, the Reiju clan took care of the process. Baron Megalos likely never thought he’d lose a horn in a fight, but he couldn’t have picked a worse opponent.
Rubyphia refrained from saying that it was their own fault, out of at least some sympathy.
“…Still, with bare hands, huh?”
While one could hear tales of warriors breaking horns during clan conflicts or of those punished, this was unprecedented in fights between demons.
Moreover, it was accomplished by—
“If my memory serves correctly, isn’t that child only five years old?”
“If my memory is correct, yes.”
The subordinate replied with a chuckle while stroking his goatee.
—The horns of demons are not so easily damaged. Being a source of magical energy, their strength is considerable.
It’s not even enough to simply clash with a human soldier’s sword; one would break the opposing blade instead.
If Rubyphia, a Duke, were commanded to break someone’s horn with just her hands, it would certainly be a daunting task.
“I think I vaguely remember a record of a warrior who faced the Beastman Sword Saint and broke their horn with a punch.”
Thinking back, she visualized her youngest brother, Zilbagias.
…Is he really that strong? I heard he’s shown some growth after facing Faravgi, but I find it hard to believe he could deliver a blow equal to the Sword Saint’s.
“Maybe Megalos’s horn was unexpectedly weak.”
“Honestly, I agree.”
Rubyphia and her subordinate shared a quiet chuckle.
The Anoitus clan must be furious right now. They would most certainly be ridiculed as the “Clan of Fragile Horns” from now on—whoever incited this must have stirred up quite the hornet’s nest.
“Who could it be behind this?”
“Certainly, it’s not from your faction, at least.”
“Well, that’s true. If they acted without my orders, I would give them a good scolding.”
Rubyphia snorted.
For her faction, they were currently observing Zilbagias. The young youngest brother, quickly making a name for himself, had yet to declare his position and could potentially be allied with them.
…However, as for Rubyphia’s subordinates, Diagias and Topazia, as well as their followers, it was still unclear.
At this point, it didn’t seem beneficial to eliminate Zilbagias…
“In any case, I look forward to that child’s future.”
Despite being a fragile opponent, he possessed the strength and spirit to break horns with his bare hands at only five years old—unbelievable.
“I hope he falls under my faction…”
—But what surfaced in her mind was the expression of that day when they first met, those eyes.
Chill-inducing—so unlike those of a blood brother—
Rubyphia licked her lips.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Like a hunger-driven carnivore.