‘To think that you'll care for a mere slave like me, Your Majesty...’ Metatron was deeply moved by Siegfried’s kindness. He expected that Siegfried would not allow him to take time off and visit the Demon Realm. Contrary to his expectations, Siegfried had gone so far as to prepare a gift for his father, something he had never even dreamed of. “Sniff...! Your Majesty...!” “Huh? Hey, why are you crying?” Siegfried tilted his head in confusion as Metatron wiped away his tears. “Hey, what’s wrong with you?” Siegfried asked. Metatron immediately prostrated and cried out, “Your Majesty...! Thank you! I have been worried sick every day because of my father’s deteriorating health!” “And yet... you gave me such a precious gift... Sniff!” “Eh? Come on, this is nothing. We have this tradition where I’m from. Bosses give their subordinates gifts when they return to their hometowns. So, no need to get so emotional over it.” “N-No, Your Majesty... Sniff! Sniff! This means so much to me...!” “My father will surely regain his strength with his Mana Poppy that Your Majesty bestowed upon me. Sniff! Thank you so much, sire!” “Haha...” Siegfried laughed awkwardly, feeling embarrassed by the overwhelming gratitude he was receiving. ‘This guy... He seems way too filial for a demon. Seriously, how can the son of a demon lord be such a softie?’ Siegfried wondered. He couldn’t help but think that Metatron was far too kind, and he was right. For a demon, Metatron was exceptionally devoted to his father. Not only that, but he also treated his subordinate, Chaos, with a generosity that was quite unusual for a demon. Rather than an evil demon, he was more like a gullible gangster. This was the precise reason why Siegfried, despite keeping him as a slave, had always treated him humanely. “Anyway, go visit your father and be a good son,” Siegfried said, waving his hand. “Yes! Your Majesty!” Metatron replied in a booming voice. “Oh, right,” Siegfried added, suddenly remembering something. “A gift is a gift, but I can’t send you off without some travel funds, right?” “Pardon me, sire...?” “You deserve a special bonus. You’ve been with me for nearly two years now. After everything you’ve been through, it’s only fair you get some extra pay when you go home.” “What do you mean, sire...?” “Here,” Siegfried said, opening his inventory and pulling out a large pouch. He put the large pouch on the table. “What is this, Your Majesty...?” “Open it and see for yourself.” “As you command, sire.” Metatron opened the large pouch— “T-These are...! These are Soul Coins, sire!” The special bonus Siegfried gave him was none other than Soul Coins, which was the currency used in the Demon Realm. These Soul Coins could be exchanged for demonic power at the Demon Bank, the financial institution of the demons. In other words, they were coins that could be converted into raw magical energy, which meant they were essential for demons. “H-How do you have Soul Coins, sire?” “Ah, that?” Siegfried casually explained how he obtained them. These coins were from that time he infiltrated the prison to rescue Quandt, where he not only thwarted Dantalion’s scheme but also stopped the demon invasion of the world. Back then, Ninetail had infiltrated the Demon Bank and made off with an astronomical amount of Soul Coins. The ones Siegfried now had in his possession were just a fraction of the stolen coins. “There’s a ton left. I think I have at least hundreds of millions left.” “A-Are you serious, sire?” Metatron was completely stunned after hearing how many Soul Coins Siegfried had on hand. ‘That’s more than enough to buy... an unfathomable amount of power...’ As a demon, Metatron knew exactly what kind of power Siegfried could purchase with the coins in his possession, so he couldn’t help but be stunned. ‘Could it be... Does His Majesty plan on becoming the Demon King?’ The thought crossed his mind for a brief moment, but he quickly decided to shut his mouth for now. If Siegfried truly set his mind to it, the fourteenth Demon Lord could actually be born. The thought of his current liege, Siegfried van Proa, becoming a demon lord and fighting for supremacy over the Demon Realm sent chills down the demon’s spine. “Anyway, have a safe trip home.” “Thank you, Your Majesty! Truly, thank you!” “Come on, man. I already told you it’s nothing.” “Oh, right. I will be leaving the Avenger behind, sire.” “Huh? Why not just take it with you?” “I have my circumstances, and... there are people who would try to steal it from me. It would be better for me to leave it behind. Besides, the Seventh Domain of the Demon Realm is my home, so I will not be needing it there.” “Also, I will feel more at ease if Your Majesty held onto it.” “Hmm... right then, suit yourself.” “Thank you, sire. I will return as soon as possible and resume my duties.” With that, Metatron left Siegfried’s office after receiving his gifts and entrusting the Avenger to Siegfried for safekeeping. To Metatron’s surprise, Siegfried was not the only one who moved him to tears. “Chief Chamberlain! Here, a gift for you!” “Please have a safe trip, Chief Chamberlain!” The maids and servants who worked alongside Metatron in the royal palace had pooled their money together to buy various gifts for him. But that was not all... “Have a safe journey, Metatron. I prepared this gift for your father. I hope he will like it.” Even Brunhilde presented him with a luxurious robe woven from the finest fabric. But the parade of gifts showed no signs of ending... “Hey, I heard you’re heading back home? This is a fan imbued with magical energy. Waving it improves the health of demons, so give it to your father.” “This is a bottle of my finest liquor. Go have a drink with your old man.” Even Daode Tianzun and Betelgeuse had prepared presents for him. But the true pinnacle of all gifts came from none other than Deus... “A-Ah! Greetings, Elder!” Metatron was on his way out of the royal palace when he happened to run into Deus, and it went without saying that he ran forward and bowed deeply. “Where are you off to?” “I have some business to attend to in the Demon Realm, sir.” “Oh? So you’re heading home?” “Come here for a moment.” “It’s already been about four hundred fifty years since your father was bedridden after I gave him the best beating of his life,” Deus said, closing his eyes and reminiscing about the distant past. The way he stood there, smiling with his eyes closed, made him look as if he was savoring the memory of beating a demon lord with his fists. The sight sent chills down Metatron’s spine. “Ah... your father could really take a hit. He was a pleasure to punch... My fists loved the feeling of punching him.” “Is he still suffering?” “I think it’s about time he stopped suffering.” “Here you go. That should solve all his health problems and let him live out his natural lifespan with ease,” Deus said, reaching into his robes and pulling out a strange black root of a plant. “What is this, sir...?” “A hundred-thousand-year-old Dark Ginseng.” “I was saving it for myself, but since you’re heading home, I figured I’d be generous this time. Anyway, take it and give it to your father.” This was the very definition of giving both the disease and the cure. It was all because the very reason Vernas was in such a state was none other than Deus himself. Well, the cure had come a good four hundred fifty years after the disease was given, but it was still something. “E-Elder!” Metatron prostrated himself before Deus. Then, he cried out, “Thank you! Thank you, sir!” “Bah! It’s nothing. If you’re that grateful, then make sure you bring me some of the finest drinks the Demon Realm has to offer.” And with those words, Deus turned around and disappeared... Standing all alone, he broke down in tears. “E-Everyone...! Thank you all so much... Sniff! Sni—waaaah!” His arms were overflowing with gifts from everyone, causing him to be overwhelmed by emotions and sob uncontrollably. He was a demon. Not just any demon, but the son of a demon lord himself. To think that he, of all people, would be on the receiving end of such warmth from humans... He had never imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that this was possible, and yet it was happening to him right now. Thus, even the son of a demon lord couldn’t hold back his emotions. Metatron was not the only one who was leaving the Proatine Kingdom. “Are you in here, Siegfried?” While Siegfried was busy working in his office, he received an unexpected visit from Daode Tianzun and Betelgeuse. Siegfried immediately stood up and bowed. Then, he personally served tea to the two Grandmasters. “What brings you here?” It was rare for the two to visit him first. After all, both spent a long time recovering from the wounds they suffered in the final battle against the Church of Osric. Besides, they did not really have much reason to come see him first to begin with. “We’ve decided it’s time for us to leave this place.” “Now that we’ve fully recovered, we’re starting to get restless here.” “But I thought you intended to retire and live out your days in peace...?” Daode Tianzun smiled and replied, “That was the plan. But I hear that an otherworldly civilization called the Coral Race has started invading our world.” “Neither of us possesses divine power, so we won’t be much help against the angels. But if our enemy is the Coral Race, then that’s a different story. With our abilities, we can be of great help in defending this world from the invaders.” Siegfried finally understood why they were leaving. For the sake of safeguarding the peace of this world, these two Grandmasters had decided to postpone their retirement to fulfill their duty as warriors and fight for their world. “Elders...” Siegfried muttered, looking at them with newfound admiration and respect. No one would blame them for choosing to spend their remaining years in peace, as they had already done more than enough for this world. Yet here they were, standing up once more for the world. “Elders! I have nothing but the utmost respect for you! Please, let me offer you a bow!”[1] Deeply moved, Siegfried dropped to his knees and bowed before them. “Hahaha! Look at this kid! No need to make such a fuss now!” “Young Master, please get up. We are merely two old men looking for something to do to pass the time.” From their faces, it was clear that they were pleased by Siegfried’s sincere show of respect and understanding. “Siegfried,” Daode Tianzun said, his voice sounding gentle. “We will be joining the Marchioni Empire in their campaign against the Coral Race. In the meantime, your task is to defend our world from the angels. Do you understand?” “Yes, sir!” Siegfried answered loudly and confidently. Then, he thought, ‘Yes, everyone has their own role to play.’ Every meeting eventually led to a farewell. He was reluctant to part ways with these two Grandmasters, but he respected their decision and saw them off. Now, Siegfried sat alone in his office. “How am I supposed to stop the angels...?” he pondered about the battle ahead. However, there was no time to dwell on it for too long. Michele suddenly burst into the office, shouting in urgency. “We have an emergency!” “What is it this time?” “Some of the great powers have begun a sweeping crackdown on the existing religious orders! High-ranking clergy members are being arrested en masse!” “Ah...” Siegfried muttered in despair and covered his face. The Illuminati had put their plans into motion. They were trying to overturn the entire landscape of religion on the continent using the kings, who were members of their secret organization. 1. Offering a bow is a big deal in East Asian cultures. ☜