SORRY FOR THE INCREDIBLY LATE CHAPTER. MY INTERNSHIP IS TAKING A LOT OUT OF ME!
[[XXX]]
Sally lay comfortably against the pillows while holding Kaede loosely against her chest beneath the dark blankets. One arm rested around Kaede's waist while silver strands of hair spilled lazily across the bed.
Honestly… It felt nice. Dangerously nice.
Kaede shifted slightly against her before tilting her head upward. "…Did I wake you?"
Sally looked down at her. "You know, since I'm an undead, I don't need to sleep. And yet, after last night, hehe, yeah, you did wake me."
Kaede laughed softly under her breath before relaxing again against Sally. "Sorry."
For a while, neither of them spoke. The atmosphere remained peaceful.
Eventually Kaede broke the silence first. "…Do you need help?"
Sally raised a brow slightly. "With what?"
"With all this." Kaede gestured vaguely toward the castle around them. "Territory stuff. Administration. Resources. Personnel."
She hesitated briefly before continuing.
"Maple Tree has a lot available now. Materials, connections, manpower…" Kaede looked up at her seriously. "I'm willing to share as much as you need. You're going to have to establish yourself quickly."
Sally stared at her quietly for a few moments. Then she shook her head slightly. "Other than wanting to hire one or two Dryads to help cleanse the nature around Dhistav, I don't need much help."
Sally's expression softened faintly as she adjusted her hold around Kaede slightly tighter.
"I'm fine like this honestly." she admitted quietly. "Holding you is enough."
Kaede froze slightly after hearing that. Then Sally noticed it immediately.
Sally's eyes narrowed faintly. "…What?"
Kaede looked away slightly. "…Nothing."
"Kaede."
Kaede winced a little. "…While I was away from you…" she started carefully. "I kinda… saw someone."
Silence.
Kaede immediately continued talking nervously. "We didn't go that far, really! Like seriously nothing happened! We didn't do anything weird or anything but she was nice and we spent time together we kissed, and then I started feeling guilty because I still liked you and..."
"Kaede."
"…Yeah?"
Sally stared directly into her eyes. Then very clearly said, "I don't fucking care."
Kaede blinked. "…Eh?"
"I said I don't care." Sally repeated flatly. "I haven't seen you in eight years. I've had like four exes."
"…Well yeah but..."
"You spent years alone too." Sally continued. "You were allowed to meet other people."
Kaede looked genuinely stunned now.
Sally sighed quietly before resting her forehead lightly against Kaede's. "The only thing that would've pissed me off is if you stopped loving me."
Kaede's brows twitched weakly. "…I didn't."
"I know."
"…I really didn't."
"I know, Kaede."
For several seconds, Kaede simply stared at her silently. Then she buried her face directly into Sally's chest.
"…You're unfair."
Sally blinked once. "How?"
"You keep saying insanely cool things when I'm emotionally vulnerable."
"…That sounds like a skill issue."
Kaede made an offended noise.
"I think I'd like to meet her someday, honestly." Sally chuckled softly.
"W-What?" Kaede looked up at her in surprise. "You don't have to…?"
"If she managed to capture your heart like that, then she must be someone special." Sally smiled faintly. "Of course she is. She clearly sees the same things I see in you."
Kaede's face grew warmer almost immediately.
"She's alright in my book," Sally continued casually. "As long as she understands that I saw you first."
"Sally!" Kaede exclaimed in embarrassment.
"I'm serious, Kaede." Sally laughed quietly before her expression softened again. "I don't care how many girls you end up falling in love with…"
She paused briefly, blinking once. "They are girls, right?"
Kaede nodded quickly.
"Alright then." Sally continued without missing a beat. "As I was saying, I don't care how many people you love, as long as I'm the one beside you at the end of the day."
Her arms tightened slightly around Kaede. "I love you, Kaede. And nothing is ever going to change that. Not even you."
Kaede stared at her quietly for a moment.
"…Really?" she asked softly.
Sally leaned forward and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Forever and ever."
Then her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. "...Wait."
Kaede immediately looked away.
Sally blinked once.
Then a slow, mischievous grin spread across her face. "Oh?" she asked. "Do you actually have a harem now?"
Kaede visibly panicked.
"It actually happened?" Sally burst out laughing. "Ha! Kasumi owes me ten thousand yen!"
"This is serious, Sally!" Kaede pouted immediately.
"I know, I know." Sally continued laughing for another moment before calming down slightly. Then she looked at Kaede again, much more gently this time.
"It's not really complicated though." she said softly. "Do you love them?"
Kaede paused, thinking visibly. "I... I think so? I mean, I don't think I can look at Kirara as just as a friend anymore. She wants more, and I think I do too."
"And Towa, oddly enough, has been getting in my mind lately. Sometimes when I'm quiet, it's like I came hear her in my head. Calling me, calling my name."
Sally raised a brow at that.
"I also took Frey on a date, sort of, I don't know, it felt like one. I thought she was really pretty." Kaede blushed.
"The Sky Queen is quite beautiful isn't she? Very... Proportioned too." Sally wiggled her eyebrows teasingly, causing Kaede's blush to deepen. "But I'm not gonna let you go after every girl you think is pretty."
"You know that's not it." Kaede whined again.
"We'll see." Sally glanced at the curtains where light was starting to filter through as the sun came up. "I'll arrange a meeting for... the four of us then."
Kaede groaned into Sally's chest causing the undead girl to giggle.
[xxx]
Maribel frowned as she walked through the quiet hallway.
Things were spiraling completely out of control.
No… worse than that. They had gone entirely off-script. How in the world had the Ten Great Demon Lords become the Twelve Sovereigns?
And where had these three new Demon Lords suddenly appeared from?
One of them was even human.
That fact unsettled Maribel far more than she cared to admit, even knowing that her own potential far exceeded theirs.
Maribel the Greedy.
That was the name she used for herself.
To Granville Rozzo.
To Yuuki Kagurazaka.
Even in her own thoughts.
She wanted everything. Power. Wealth. Influence. Control.
Everything the world had to offer belonged to her eventually.
Ever since her rebirth into this world ten years ago, Maribel had been carefully laying foundations, manipulating events from the shadows, and positioning herself to one day stand at the very top of the world itself.
But now… all of that was beginning to shake.
If things continued like this, everything she had built could collapse.
Her grandfather, Granville Rozzo, stood at the head of the Five Elders. And as his chosen successor, Maribel herself held a seat amongst them.
The Five Elders were effectively the hidden authority behind the Council of the Western Nations.
And the Elders itself ultimately followed the will of the Rozzo family.
From the moment she was born, Maribel had already been destined for power.
However, unlike the others, she possessed knowledge from another world.
Knowledge capable of reshaping civilization itself.
Rather than allowing the western economy to continue relying on a rigid gold-standard system, Maribel intended to transition the world toward a paper-based currency economy controlled by individual nations.
On the surface, it would appear progressive.
But in reality, with the western nations already unknowingly dancing within the palm of the Rozzo family, it would give Maribel control over the value of everything.
Money.
Trade.
Resources.
Entire countries.
The groundwork for that plan had already been laid over the past several years.
Even Granville had praised her vision.
Everything had been proceeding smoothly.
There were still obstacles to eliminate, naturally, but Maribel's plan to economically dominate the Council of the West was steadily advancing toward completion.
And now, with these sudden rise of monster nations, it was all going haywire.
First of all, that damned slime had become a Demon Lord.
The declaration had been made only a few weeks ago following the conclusion of Walpurgis.
And the very first thing Rimuru Tempest did after evolving was turn his attention toward Falmuth.
Which honestly wasn't surprising.
After all, Falmuth had been responsible for the invasion of the Jura Forest, sending nearly half a million soldiers into Tempest's territory.
In short, the kingdom was doomed.
Even if Tempest chose to retaliate directly and invade Falmuth, the nation would receive absolutely no support from the surrounding countries.
If anything, Falmuth would simply be sacrificed as political propaganda against the growing threat of monster nations.
The kingdom had nothing left it could bargain with.
Rimuru Tempest clearly understood this. Which was precisely why he chose not to destroy Falmuth himself.
Instead, he handed the matter over to the Council of the Western Nations.
At first glance, it appeared merciful.
Diplomatic, even.
But Maribel could immediately see the true objective behind the move.
Rimuru was using the situation to integrate Tempest into the Council itself.
Apparently, the slime had openly declared his desire to maintain friendly relations with humanity, even going so far as to claim he wished to act as a bridge between humans and monsters.
Naturally, the logical course of action should have been to reject such a proposal outright.
However, Falmuth had handled the situation so catastrophically that refusing Tempest now would only damage the Council's reputation further.
And unfortunately… there were genuine advantages to accepting them.
Tempest controlled nearly half of the Jura Forest, acting as a massive territorial buffer between the western nations and the Eastern Empire.
Considering the Empire could launch an invasion at virtually any moment, it made strategic sense for one of the continent's primary defensive powers to hold membership within the Council.
Then there was Tempest's military strength.
Falmuth had invaded with nearly half a million troops.
And Tempest had annihilated the army while emerging almost entirely unharmed.
Even accounting for assistance from their allied nation, Maple Tree, the feat remained absurd.
Practically impossible.
Maribel struggled to imagine how even her own kingdom of Seltrozzo would survive against a force of that scale.
All of these factors, and many more, meant there was now an extremely high probability that Tempest would officially join the Council of the Western Nations.
Something Maribel absolutely could not allow.
Tempest was simply too dangerous to Maribel's ambitions.
The nation possessed far too much potential.
Road systems that drastically improved travel efficiency.
Exotic monster-made goods unavailable anywhere else in the west.
An overwhelming military force capable of altering continental power balances overnight.
Even simply offering military protection to smaller nations would inevitably place entire countries under Tempest's economic influence.
At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before Rimuru Tempest gained significant control over the western economy itself.
And Maribel absolutely refused to allow that.
As for the second new Demon Lord…
Kaede Honjou occupied Maribel's thoughts for entirely different reasons.
Unlike Tempest, Maple Tree was practically the complete opposite in terms of diplomacy.
In fact, calling them enemies of humanity would not have been entirely unreasonable.
During the two years since Maple Tree's establishment, the nation had almost completely avoided interactions with human countries, choosing instead to trade exclusively with demi-humans, monsters, spirits, and other non-human races.
And then, without warning, they had conquered six human kingdoms almost instantly.
Six nations had fallen directly beneath the Council's nose before anyone could properly react.
From Maribel's perspective, Maple Tree was perfect.
An ideal enemy.
A threat large enough to unite fearful nations beneath her influence.
A stepping stone she could eventually use to elevate herself toward absolute authority.
However…
There was one thing about Kaede Honjou that deeply irritated her.
Kaede was human.
A human.
Just like Maribel herself.
And somehow, despite that, Kaede had ascended to the status of Demon Lord, becoming one of the most powerful beings in the entire world.
That fact bothered Maribel far more than she liked admitting.
After all, despite her intelligence and ambitions, Maribel was still fundamentally human.
In this current life, she was only ten years old.
There were moments when she wondered how much stronger she might have become had she been born as an elf, a dwarf, or one of the superior majin races instead.
Even so, Maribel remained patient.
She firmly believed that as she matured and her abilities developed further, she would eventually stand amongst humanity's absolute strongest.
Alongside figures such as Hinata Sakaguchi.
No.
Above them.
That had always been the future she envisioned for herself.
But now there was already another human who had reached those heights first.
Someone who had become a Demon Lord before her.
Someone who was not Maribel Rozzo.
Yes, it was childish.
Petty, even.
But Maribel had always believed herself destined to become the greatest existence in the world.
Last, and frankly not least, was Demon Lord Sally.
The new ruler of Dhistav represented an entirely different category of problem.
And at the same time… An entirely different category of opportunity.
A former subordinate of Clayman had now inherited everything the former Demon Lord once possessed.
His territory. His military forces. His political leverage. And perhaps most importantly of all… His vast intelligence network.
That alone made Sally dangerous beyond measure.
Not to mention the fact that Clayman had maintained extensive trade relations with the Eastern Empire.
Maribel was aware of this largely through her connection with Yuuki Kagurazaka.
After all, the Rozzo family operated heavily behind the scenes of the Free Guild, acting as major sponsors of the Adventurer's Guild itself. Because of those connections, Maribel and Yuuki had become rather close associates over the years.
Close enough that Yuuki informed her of various ongoing operations and political developments.
Or at least… most of them.
Maribel's expression darkened slightly at the thought.
Clayman being directly tied to Yuuki had not been something she fully understood until recently.
Mostly because Yuuki had always insisted he operated independently.
Now however, with Clayman dead and Sally inheriting his position, the new Demon Lord had apparently begun investigating every single one of Clayman's former relationships and hidden dealings.
Which was precisely why Sally had approached the Rozzo family.
Honestly, Maribel didn't mind. If anything, the situation benefited her greatly.
Now she potentially had direct access to Clayman's intelligence network without needing Yuuki to act as an intermediary.
More importantly though…
This meeting allowed Maribel to finally satisfy the growing desire festering quietly within her heart.
Maribel slowed her steps slightly as she approached the large doors ahead.
Her expression gradually smoothed itself back into calm elegance.
Then, opening the doors with practiced grace, she stepped into the room. She did not immediately look toward the occupant waiting inside.
Instead, Maribel calmly crossed the chamber and seated herself first.
Only then did she finally raise her gaze toward her guest.
…Smaller. That was Maribel's first thought.
Sally was far shorter than she had imagined.
However, the aura surrounding the silver-haired Demon Lord more than compensated for it.
Maribel smiled pleasantly.
Another benefit introduced through Sally's rise to power was her inheritance of Clayman's eastern connections.
And if those connections could be redirected properly… The Rozzo family's influence might expand even further than originally planned.
"It is an honor to host such an esteemed Demon Lord such as yourself." Maribel said smoothly.
Her smile never faltered. But beneath that elegant composure… Her desire only intensified.
Sally smiled faintly in return.
"No, the honor is all mine." the Demon Lord replied calmly. "I find myself rather intrigued by what I've managed to uncover about your family."
Maribel's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
"Oh?" she asked lightly. "And what exactly might that be?"
Her desire deepened further.
To dominate.
To conquer.
To stand above even beings such as this.
To prove that humanity did not need monsters in order to reach the summit of the world.
To make even a Demon Lord kneel before her.
That…
Was the greed Maribel Rozzo carried within her soul.