I will be a demon in this life!

Several days passed, and on a clear day, a demon woman with beautiful reddish hair, wrapped in white sheets made of demonic materials, was groaning and occasionally screaming.

Outside that room, Mart Sevec waited in silence; near him stood a demon woman with red eyes and black hair streaked with red.

The demon woman, dressed in an elegant black-and-red gown, looked at Mart with a certain wariness.

She was Erilca, Selenia’s mother, and for that very reason she knew that, not too long ago, it had been Mart Sevec himself who had hurt her daughter. Even though there had been a wedding, bad memories are always hard to forget.

Despite the surroundings, Mart maintained a calm demeanor and used his Perception to make sure everything was all right.

Minutes turned into hours, and with only two hours left before nightfall,

under a sky tinged with orange,

in the room where Selenia had given birth, the cry of a demon baby could be heard.

The midwife informed Mart.

"You may come in if you’d like," Mart said to Selenia’s mother.

Erilca nodded respectfully and went in to see her daughter.

The midwife brought a baby, wrapped in blue sheets, to his father.

Mart looked at the cute little boy who had two red horns, reddish hair, and skin that was slightly pink at the moment.

The baby babbled as he squirmed among the sheets.

"Stanlor Sevec—that will be your name, my beloved son."

The baby continued to move, opened his eyes as if looking at his father, and then fell asleep.

Stanlor Sevec had been born a demon with Third-Rank (Maximum Point) power.

Erilca noticed the look on her daughter’s face.

Selenia seemed tired but happy, especially upon hearing the name Mart had given their son.

Selenia’s mother sighed to herself, but seeing how Mart looked at and carefully held little Stanlor, she had no doubt that at least this demon loved his children.

...

A few days later.

On the Alderian continent, there was activity in both human and demonic territories.

On the borders of the territory known as the State of Alfaer (formerly the Duchy of Ertrael), which belonged to the Argariz Republic, an army was being organized to deter any possible attack by the Venrac Empire.

The Venrac Empire had set up a military camp near the borders with the Argariz Republic.

The imperial army was commanded by Senior Commander Olbert Venzick.

Although the empire’s action was merely a deterrent, it caused chaos and fear among the demons living in the Argariz Republic.

To calm the population, the Republican Council sent five commanders from the powerful Baratrense army to the borders.

Each Baratrense commander was in charge of 5,000 mid- and high-ranking demons.

The Republican Council’s action was intended solely to protect the borders while they sought a peaceful way to resolve the conflict.

In Marquis Sevec’s study.

"Marquis, there are many demons eager to enter the marquisate or the allied territories. It’s chaos."

Selenia’s uncle had obvious dark circles under his eyes due to the grueling work of administering the territory to increase the marquisate’s treasury.

Mart Sevec seemed to be pondering the Treasurer’s words.

But he was also cautious, because he realized that the Republican Council had sent three "Baratrense Commanders" to set up camp in the border zone of the neighboring demonic territories that adjoined the Sevec Marquisate.

"Grandson, you must make a decision. It’s clear that they won’t let you achieve what you desire. War or peace depends on your decision."

Balac Sevec was pouring himself a little of the golden liquor he always drank.

Mart’s gaze grew steely; he knew that such a move by the Republican Council was due to pressure from the Human Empire and the machinations of the Conspiring Demons.

The Conspiring Demons were the remnants of the Cudernic kingdom, which had been defeated and destroyed in the past by the first emperor, Acad I.

"It’s not easy to rule a territory," Mart Sevec muttered.

[Anger Trait activated]

[Anger Trait deactivated]

Mart resented the fact that he still had to deal with demons who betrayed their own kind by allying themselves with humans.

Mart looked at the drawer in his desk, opened it, and took out four letters with different seals.

Then he took out another twenty letters.

"These are the nobles who didn’t hesitate to support my decision."

In the study were Balac Sevec, Selenia’s uncle (Treasurer), Er Sefcar, and Moraf Arcaris.

At that moment, Teraz Sevec, Mart’s father, was monitoring the movements of the Baratrense commanders. Under Teraz Sevec’s command were 10,000 demons, including five deputy commanders.

Mart looked at Er Sefcar.

"Mr. Sefcar, write letters summoning these 24 Lords. The text must make it clear that they must report to our territory within 40 days; the Great Ceremony will take place during that time."

"As you command, Marquis."

"It seems you’ve already made a decision."

Mart looked at Balac Sevec and nodded.

"Yes, because if I back down now, nothing I’ve done will make sense. And if humans decide to intervene—no matter the reason—I’ll show no mercy if I see a hostile human setting foot on my territory."

At that moment, Balac Sevec smiled. Unlike his son, who had ruled by strengthening the marquisate’s economy, Balac Sevec had made the marquisate known to all through war; for that reason, Balac felt proud as he looked at his grandson.

After the meeting, Mart watched as Moraf left the study.

The young demon with bluish-black hair had a determined look on his face.

Moraf had decided to become strong through his own effort and discipline, and Mart Sevec respected his decision.

"Grandfather, summon the three commanders you trust the most."

"I’ll send the three most reliable and talented ones."

Balac Sevec stood up and left the study.

At that moment, Mart opened another drawer in his desk and caused dozens and dozens of letters to fly out; each letter bore a different seal.

"Those who rejected or failed to support my decision will have to negotiate under new terms if they want my backing in the future."

With that thought, Marquis Mart Sevec snapped his fingers, and all the letters were engulfed in a dark fire that left not even a few ashes behind.

...

The cards had been laid on the table; each of the most powerful factions on the Alderian continent would have to face the consequences of their decisions.

There was uncertainty among both the demonic and human populations.

Although the Alderian continent had always been a region where armed conflicts broke out from time to time, it had been centuries since a conflict had completely shaken the entire Alderian continent.

The last time there had been such chaos was during the period when Emperor Densar I had ruled the Argariz Empire.

During that period, Densar I organized three military campaigns with disastrous results. But from Mart’s perspective, these defeats were due to the fact that the Conspiring Demons must have already infiltrated the imperial ministers, making it highly likely that information about the war strategies would be leaked to the forces of the human territory.

Even so, at that time, there was much death and instability on the continent, particularly to the detriment of the demons.

And at present, the winds signaled to those who used their reason that a great period of instability was about to begin.

In both the human and demonic territories, nobles were stockpiling food, while government officials and the militia were in charge of recruiting soldiers throughout the territories under their jurisdiction.

...

In a small human town.

"Mom, will Dad and my brother come back?" A five-year-old girl had just watched her father and brother leave home.

Her brother was a warrior in the Third Spiritual Core (Lower Level); he was 17 years old and a promising talent at the Alexandrian Academy, but due to the unstable situation, he was conscripted by government officials.

From the age of 17 onward, anyone capable of manipulating mana or other forms of energy would be conscripted as soldiers in the imperial army.

The girl’s father, a 48-year-old man, was a squadron captain with power at the Fourth Spiritual Core (Advanced Level). It was a heavy burden for that father to have to send his talented son off to war.

...

In some taverns, both in human territory and in demon territory, mercenaries drank merrily, because for them, war meant work and money.

..

In other impoverished areas, the poor suffered because of the cost of food.

Some people sold their children, and others turned to prostitution—and all of this was happening even though the war itself had not yet begun.

...

The onset of such instability on the Alderian Continent benefited some slave traders, who also lined their pockets by selling slaves.

...

All the situations humans were experiencing were also playing out across much of the demonic realm.

The Marquisate of Sevec continued to prosper thanks to the preparations made by Selenia’s uncle.

As treasurer, Selenia’s uncle did not hesitate to fill the granaries with food and used demonic spells to preserve it.

For someone who understood how the economy worked, it was no problem to foresee the chaos that political instability on the continent would cause.

In the past, before going into hibernation after utilizing the capital trait of Sloth, Mart ordered letters to be sent to all the nobles of the neighboring territories and to the most powerful demons holding the title of Duke; at that time, Arqueriom (Selenia’s uncle) ordered food to be stockpiled. By the time Mart ordered Er Sefcar to send the summons letters to the nobles who had responded favorably, the marquisate’s warehouses were already overflowing with food, and new warehouses were built.

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