ALL NOVEL Chapter 26
Chapter 26. How to Walk Around the Demon Lord Castle
I woke up to the sunlight streaming through the window.
“You’re awake, huh?”
Antendeixis peered into my face. I noticed that the pillow I was resting on was different, softer and warmer than usual.
You’ve been giving me a knee pillow all this time?
“Thanks to me, you slept well, didn’t you?”
The Demon God chuckled mischievously. …Well, yeah, I guess so. Thanks.
After sleeping soundly, I felt quite refreshed.
Rest is important for humans…though I’m not human. Given the height of the sun, it must be just before noon. For the demon race, it’s the middle of the night.
As I left the room, I spotted a head of white fur next to the door.
“Mmm…yawn…”
A white tiger tribe maid—Garunya—was dozing off on a small chair. A nearby little devil servant shrugged his shoulders.
Ah, she must have been waiting for me…
“Hey.”
“……Yes!”
Garunya jumped up with a high-pitched voice.
“Ah, Master! Good morning! Oh, no, I wasn’t sleeping or anything!”
“You can sleep, you know.”
I was in a deep sleep myself…and for the residents of the Demon Lord Castle, it’s the middle of the night.
I lightly ordered some snacks and drinks from the servant for a wake-up meal. …It’s been a while since I had a “lunch.” These days I’ve been living entirely on demon race time.
To demons, the sunlight is too bright. However, I definitely don’t dislike it. The warm autumn sunshine is lovely. Even if I were to be reborn, or if my race were to change.
Speaking of which, Antendeixis mentioned wanting to explore the Demon Lord Castle.
“Master, are you going out?”
I thought I might take a light stroll.
“I’ll accompany you!”
With that, I decided to walk around the Demon Lord Castle during the day with Antendeixis and Garunya.
I’ve explored the Demon Lord Castle countless times since childhood, but this might be my first time walking around in broad daylight.
“Hmm. Quite a tastefully designed structure.”
Antendeixis tapped the marble walls with a light pat.
The outer edges of the Demon Lord Castle are designed with huge arched windows that invite ample light, creating a spacious atmosphere.
There aren’t any fine decorations, but in exchange, it gives off a bold and grand presence—reminiscent of an ancient ruin. The use of pure white marble further makes it hard to believe this is a stronghold for the dark race.
An obsidian castle might suit the image better, but white stone stands out in the dark…
“It was originally a mountain that served as a dragon’s dwelling. The first Demon Lord and the Korvto Tribe, skilled in stone processing, carved it out.”
A construction using magical force that’s unseen in the human cultural sphere. Compared to the castle’s massive size, the pillars and arches seem thin and unreliable, but thanks to the magic of the Korvto Tribe, they are strong enough.
“And there’s a dragon hatchery down below. How ruthless.”
“Absolutely. It wouldn’t be surprising if they rebelled at any moment.”
Taking advantage of the lack of people, I engaged in questionable conversation with Antendeixis. Garunya, who initially followed us cheerfully, was showing a distressed expression.
The Demon Lord Castle during the day is incredibly quiet.
Aside from a few sleepy guards, there are no signs of the demon race. The night elves seem to be sleeping too. The only ones moving about in the hallways are beastman servants and little devils.
“Devils can handle the sun, right?”
In the Demon Lord Kingdom, they certainly appear to have the faces of “the dark gang,” but the devils suffer no damage from sunlight. Well, demons merely find it blinding, and night elves are just sensitive to light; the only ones truly affected would be the undead…
“What could they possibly do to us?”
Gazing up at the sky, Antendeixis said with exasperation.
“And you too, weren’t you fine under the sun of the Demon World?”
I recalled the celestial body emitting dark light from another realm.
“…Indeed, compared to that, this sun is a cute little thing.”
Cute or straightforward. The beastman servants, burdened with mountains of laundry, passed us by, bowing their heads in respect.
They may call themselves the dark army, but laundry has to be dried in the daytime to actually dry. Then, after putting on clothes dried in sunlight, the night elves complain about hating the sun. What a joke.
“Well then, Antendeixis. We’ve gone around the outer edges; is there anything you’d like to see?”
“That said, I don’t even know what’s here…is there nothing like the heart of the Demon Lord Castle?”
Antendeixis had a mischievous look on his face. What are you planning to do? I’d like to show you something if I could…
“I can’t take you to the palace yet, and the central area is the domain of the undead.”
The Demon Lord’s palace—the highest point of the airy castle. It’s probably the most luxurious residence in the Demon Lord Kingdom, filled with treasures from conquered lands. I recalled how I failed to infiltrate it well due to lack of information during a surprise assault.
If the entire assault team had made it directly into the palace, would it have turned out differently…?
And the center of the castle, or rather, the heart of the mountain, is an area with terrible air quality and high humidity, making it an uncomfortable space for living beings.
“If you use fire in a stagnant air zone, it can become toxic. The place is the stronghold of the undead, who don’t mind moisture or darkness.”
“You’re saying that none of you can use lighting magic. It must be uncomfortable for the living.”
And in the underground caves, there are only the dragons who are on edge for many reasons.
“…Let’s go to the courtyard.”
In the end, it turned out to be a safe choice.
As I walked, I felt that a few years ago, my perspective was very narrow.
I couldn’t simply enter the palace, and exploring just the outer edges of the castle didn’t really mean much.
Perhaps it would have been more beneficial to casually read reports and documents from the Demon Army from the start, focusing on gathering information.
Back then, all I could think about was defeating the Demon Lord. And it was the little devil, my tutor, who endowed me with wisdom—how ironic.
“This is the courtyard. Aside from the palace, it’s the sunniest place in the Demon Lord Castle.”
A space filled with a riot of colorful flowers and grasses. It feels like they planted everything they could to maximize the use of the land!
“And it’s also a medicinal herb garden.”
“Practically speaking, it’s clearly oriented towards functionality. It’s far from glamorous.”
“Absolutely. Ah, be careful over there; that’s a poisonous plant. Not that it’d affect you, of course.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t do me any good.”
Seemingly quite interested in the plants, Antendeixis was observing them closely.
“Oh, this one’s a component for a truth serum. This one here is a paralysis toxin. How nostalgic.”
What could possibly be nostalgic about those? By the way, the night elves manage this garden.
If demons were to use poison, they would be criticized for weakness, and they don’t have much interest in medicine. If anyone falls ill, the Reiju Tribe will cure them.
“This one’s a narcotic, and this one’s a painkiller. Oh, this is Akabane grass. If boiled, it makes a potent hair removal agent. Quite a variety for such a small space.”
He seems to be having a great time. Somehow, I feel an inexplicable sense of nostalgia. Why is that…?
I sat down on a bench in the courtyard. Even though I just woke up, the sunny spot is making me feel all warm and sleepy.
“…Master, are you okay with the sunlight?”
Garunya hesitantly asked.
“I don’t dislike it. It’s just a bit blinding.”
If I looked up too carelessly, I’d probably go blind.
“How about you, Garunya? Aren’t you sleepy?”
“I’m fine! I’m naturally diurnal!”
She huffed in response, but…doesn’t that mean she’s forcing herself to live a nocturnal life to keep up with the demons? Is she really okay?
“In my homeland, a life of waking up in the morning and sleeping at night?”
“That’s right, with farming and all…Before becoming a servant, I used to alternate between daytime and nighttime shifts in the Demon Lord Castle.”
Garunya explained that cleaning and laundry would be finished during the day when the demons were resting.
“I see…it’s like the soldiers’ night watch.”
However, looking at it now, I realize I hardly know anything about the beastman tribe. I should ask Sophia for some recommended books next time.
Even if we call them beastmen, there’s a huge difference depending on “which” beastman we’re talking about. And it changes how we approach them based on whether they’re hostile or not.
The white tiger tribe, once hunted for their fur by humans, is completely hostile. Although their standing isn’t great in the Demon Lord Kingdom, they probably think it’s better than being hunted by humans.
For better or worse, the beastmen are integrated into the Demon Lord Kingdom. It may be difficult to incite a rebellion…
As I was thinking this, a figure appeared across the bench in the corridor.
Dressed in a robe and wearing a hood pulled low, they looked suspicious. They didn’t seem like a servant or a devil. What race were they from? The sickly skin looked somewhat like a night elf, but—
Standing right on the edge of the sunlight, that person suddenly shoved their hand into the light. Sunlight drenched their wax-like skin—
“Ah!”
Garunya let out a shriek.
The suspicious person’s hand was engulfed in flames.
“Ah, looks like it doesn’t work after all.”
A androgynous voice revealed a tinge of disappointment. Despite their hand being on fire, they didn’t show the slightest bit of panic.
Soon enough, their hand burned away, leaving behind only a shower of ash.
That burning style — I’ve seen it many times before.
Back in my hero days.
“It stinks.”
Antendeixis, who had returned to my side without me realizing, placed a hand on my shoulder.
“That one’s magical energy—it’s quite polluted. It smells like rotting meat.”
The suspicious figure stepped back into the shadows and suddenly ripped off their hood.
“Hello there. Did I startle you?”
A cheerful voice. A fixed smile. Glassy grey eyes like marbles.
There’s no doubt about it. This guy is—
“The Undead King.”
What is the undead overlord doing here?