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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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I woke up the next morning.
Confused, I asked Camilla, who had brought water for washing, why she hadn’t woken me. She replied that I looked tired, so she let me sleep.
“What about my mission report?”
“The Demon Lord instructed me to let you rest and said you could report to him later.”
That was a relief. I had been worried I had inadvertently caused a problem.
I got out of bed to change clothes and then realized something.
“When did I take off my clothes?”
I had been so tired that I had collapsed onto the bed fully clothed. But now, my cloak and socks were gone.
I tilted my head in confusion, and Camilla explained,
“You seemed uncomfortable, so I removed them for you.”
As expected of the perfect maid.
She took care of me even while I was asleep.
After nearly a month of this, I had become accustomed to her attentiveness.
I washed my face and asked Camilla,
“What’s on the schedule today?”
“You’re free to do as you please after reporting to the Demon Lord. He’ll likely give you some time off after your long deployment.”
It was good to have a considerate boss.
While I hadn’t been overworked on the Eastern Front, it was always nice to have some time off.
“Is the Demon Lord busy this morning?”
Camilla glanced at the clock in the corner of the room.
“His official duties begin at 10 AM. Before that, he usually has breakfast with his family.”
“His family lives in the castle?”
“Yes. The Queen and Princess Ozma reside in the annex. The Demon Lord always has at least one meal a day with them.”
A perfect boss at work and a loving father at home. Just how perfect could this Demon Lord be?
I was both impressed and intrigued.
“Camilla, would it be alright if I joined them for breakfast?”
“What?”
“I have to eat breakfast anyway. I thought I’d take the opportunity to greet them.”
Winning over a superior’s family to gain their favor was a common tactic.
But my suggestion seemed to surprise Camilla. She blinked, then replied after a moment’s hesitation,
“I… I can ask, but please don’t be disappointed if he refuses. He values his family time.”
It was worth a shot. If he refused, I would find another way.
“Alright, I’ll take my chances. Just ask.”
“…I’ll be back shortly.”
Camilla picked up the bronze basin of water I had used for washing and left the room.
The castle was enormous, so it would probably take a while for her to return with an answer.
I decided to meditate while I waited.
While I usually meditated right after waking up, I could make an exception.
Whirrrr
I sat cross-legged on the floor and, using our school’s unique breathing technique, began to meditate. I felt the mana in the atmosphere flowing into my lungs, carried by my breath.
The mana and oxygen flowed through my carotid artery and into the virtual mana furnace located between my lungs and heart.
By the time I finished one cycle, about thirty minutes had passed.
Lately, I had been frequently depleting my mana reserves. This repeated exhaustion seemed to have slightly increased my mana capacity.
“Phew…”
I was pleased by this small improvement when Camilla returned.
She had a strange expression on her face. As our eyes met, she said awkwardly,
“The Demon Lord has granted your request. You may join them for breakfast.”
“Excellent.”
Things were going surprisingly well today.
I jumped up and opened the wardrobe to change out of my casual clothes.
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“It’s nothing fancy, but please, eat your fill.”
“Thank you.”
It seemed even Demon Lords didn’t eat steak for every meal.
I was speechless at the unexpectedly healthy breakfast spread.
Salad, salad, salad, salad.
A veritable feast of vegetables assaulted my senses, making me slightly dizzy.
With two women at the table, it was clear the Demon Lord had no say in the menu.
As I forced myself to eat the leafy greens, the Demon Lord’s wife, the Queen, unexpectedly initiated conversation.
“I hope you’re enjoying the meal.”
“Yes, it’s the best salad I’ve ever had. The yuzu dressing is especially delicious.”
I offered her a flattering compliment, and the Queen, smiling shyly, continued eating.
My stomach, normally content with a hearty meat-based breakfast, grumbled in protest, demanding something more substantial.
Quiet, you! Behave!
This was a valuable opportunity. I couldn’t waste it on small talk. I had to make a good impression.
I forced a smile and continued eating the salad. Ozma, the Demon Lord’s daughter, said in a blunt tone,
“You don’t have to pretend. Mother doesn’t care.”
“Ozma, that’s no way to speak to your mother.”
“Did I say anything untrue? I’m just telling him not to get any ideas.”
Ozma stuck her tongue out at her father and resumed eating.
The Demon Lord, looking at Ozma with a tired expression, turned to me with an awkward smile.
“Kaldrash, I heard you did an excellent job on the Eastern Front. Defeating the Ocean Mage, one of the two pillars of the kingdom’s magic community.”
“It was only possible thanks to Lady Dorothea’s cooperation. Even the most powerful mage can’t defeat two opponents of equal standing in a row.”
While magic was incredibly versatile, its users were still flesh and blood, with limitations.
I had exploited that weakness.
“But you were the one who delivered the final blow, weren’t you? Don’t underestimate yourself. Defeating him alone was a great service to the Demon Lord’s army. And you not only captured the Hamburg fortress, but you also assassinated the Margrave himself. Thanks to you, we can now plan our next invasion of the kingdom.”
“I’m glad I could be of assistance.”
“So, is there anything you desire? Any reward you would like? I’ll grant you anything within reason.”
He was offering me a reward.
Unlike Dorothea, who seemed to be trying to get away with giving me as little as possible, the Demon Lord’s offer was likely to be substantial. I couldn’t refuse.
I decided to ask for something I had been sorely lacking.
“I need a decent weapon. Casting magic barehanded is rather inconvenient.”
While I was a combat mage, a suitable medium could greatly enhance my magic.
Like Bettendorf’s short staff or Dorothea’s ruby shoes.
I had broken my staff a long time ago and couldn’t even remember the last time I had used one.
The Demon Lord, understanding my predicament, offered a solution.
“I’ll have Seneca inform the treasury. Visit the vault after breakfast. It contains artifacts collected by previous Demon Lords. You should be able to find something suitable there.”
“I am eternally grateful.”
“Haha, I never thought I’d hear such formal language from you. Live and learn.”
The Demon Lord chuckled, chewing on his bread.
I shrugged, understanding his sentiment.
I never thought I would be saying such things to the Demon Lord, my former enemy.
The court etiquette I had learned from my master, to deal with nobles and the king, was finally proving useful.
Not wanting to discuss work during a meal, I continued eating in silence.
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