Sky and Castle

"Big brother, I dug the hole and made the swamp, just like you said. I even scattered the poison properly."

"Father-sama, I’ve cleared the path leading down."

"Well done."

Rirya and Arisa returned at nearly the same time, both jogging back after finishing their assigned tasks.

They’d been given simple jobs. Arisa was told to clear a path down the slope of the hill. Rirya was told to create the poisonous swamp.

"I see the path, but what about the swamp? And why put poison in it? That doesn’t make sense."

"Because it’s the Demon King’s castle. Poison swamps are necessary."

"Really? That’s how it is?"

"Yeah. For a mid-tier Demon King, the throne room’s surrounded by a ring of poison swamp."

"Why go through all that trouble?"

"If the throne room’s surrounded by poison, no one can go anywhere else. That’s absurd."

"That’s just how a Demon King is."

The mother-and-daughter slaves tilted their heads in unison. Didn’t get it, but aesthetic form mattered, apparently.

“Now then, time for the real deal—let’s build the Demon King’s castle.”

“What do I even do?”

“Anything you command, my lady.”

“Hmm….”

Pulling out DORECA, she mentally sketched the castle she envisioned, then considered her next move.

“Um…”

From the side, the Goddess (temporary) spoke up timidly.

“What is it?”

“I’ve been wondering… you’re not actually the Demon King, are you?”

“No, not really.”

“But you keep talking about building a Demon King’s castle…”

“That’s a long story. Just accept it—I’m not the Demon King, but I’m building his castle. That’s all.”

“Uh… yes.”

The Goddess (temporary) seemed to accept it, even if she didn’t quite understand.

“Besides, isn’t that question kind of weird?”

“Huh?”

"Building a demon lord's castle? That's kind of funny. Don't you usually hear about the demon lord's underlings or lackeys doing the work?"

"But..."

"But?"

"Well... if someone can do something this incredible, they're not really just a lackey, are they?"

The Goddess (temporary) spoke, her eyes scanning the ground, the hills around her.

"Hmm."

"I actually thought they might be more like a god, to be honest."

Gods are you, and in a way, I'm just your lackey.

I thought it, but didn’t say it out loud.

"Anyway, Papa-sama..."

"What should we do next?"

While talking to the Goddess (temporary), the two of them started pestering me.

Or rather, there was nothing left for them to do. All that was left was for me to pop the castle into existence here.

I was about to open DORECA’s menu when—

"Ah."

"What’s wrong?"

"Actually... I’ve got something for the two of you to do."

"Really?!"

Rirya, eyes wide with hunger, Arisa, sparkling with excitement.

As soon as I said I had something for them to do, both of them perked up instantly.

"Let’s make it dinner."

☆

I set out a table and chairs at the site where the castle would be built, and sat down with the Goddess (temporary).

To the mother and daughter, who looked utterly confused, I said:

"Up until now, I’ve been quiet… but this person… uh, she’s important. Very important."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah. Really important."

"Really…?"

"...Important."

The way Rirya and Arisa looked at the Goddess (temporary) changed noticeably.

A guest I, their master, introduce as "quite important"—of course, that makes her someone special.

"So, from now on, I want you to treat her like royalty. Use magic freely—give it your all."

"Understood."

"Leave it to Arisa and me."

The mother and daughter slaves perked up and pulled out their slave cards.

She browsed through the menu, flipping through options, not this, not that—trying this, trying that.

"Um… what’s going on here? I mean, am I… like, a really important guest or something?"

"Sorry, but I need a little help. Just play along. You’ll be served, that’s all."

"Uh… I guess that’s fine…"

She gave me a confused look, eyebrows knitted.

I just smiled back, said nothing.

After a while, Rirya and Arisa began preparing the meal.

The dishes, hastily conjured from emergency slave card production, piled up on the table one after another. Not just a small course—no, this was full banquet territory.

If we tried to eat it all, with this many people, we’d probably still be chewing past midnight.

"Here we go."

"Please, enjoy."

That’s what it meant. Eat.

"Eh? But there’s so much…"

"Take just one bite of each dish."

"O-okay… I get it…"

The Goddess (temporary) touched the food. Too much to handle, really—so she followed my advice, taking just one bite of each dish, a luxury bordering on absurd.

“Never had a meal like this…”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah… feels like… I’m a queen.”

“Is that so.”

I’d drawn out the praise. I turned to Rirya and Arisa.

“Good job, you two.”

“……”

They stared, mouths agape, dazed. Then Rirya cracked a grin. Then Arisa.

“Being praised by my big brother… oh…”

“Arisa… you’re happy, aren’t you?”

“Rirya… Arisa…”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What’s the next order?”

They stared at me, eyes bright with excitement.

Confused. Smirking. Now glowing with anticipation.

Adorable. Unbelievably so—more than I’d expected from them.

So I said it. Not a word from my lips. From the very bottom of my heart.

"Damn good work, you two. I’m damn proud to have slaves like you."

"……"

——Magic power charged: 5,000,000.

Their eyes widened. Inside, though, they were bursting with joy—something rare, even for them.

☆

After the entertainment ended, I opened the menu again, holding DORECA.

Ten million magic points charged—now it was finally enough.

Making the hill took more magic than expected. The castle construction was short by a margin. So I quickly assigned the two extra work, praised them, and boosted their magic.

I only needed about a million after expenses—but they were just too damn cute. I couldn’t help but go overboard with the praise, and that overflowed into a massive magic surge.

Still, judging by the two of them now standing apart, smirking like fools, I’d say the words were worth it.

Anyway, that’s enough. Now just need to get to work.

"Right then, shall we?"

Straighten the Doreca, take a deep breath, choose what to make.

A magic circle spreads across the ground—massive, covering most of the hill.

"Brother!?"

"Father-sama!?"

Smiling at the two who stared in surprise, she gave the final touch.

Used nearly all her magic on emergency production.

She drew in the magic, the light of the rune circle narrowing, converging.

In that time—just a few seconds.

After the light faded, a castle of staggering presence emerged.

A castle worthy of its title—massive, dark, and imposing.

……

Before the castle, the Goddess—temporary, as it were—gaped her mouth open.

Speechless, that’s the look.

The massive castle, which had stolen even惊叹 from the Goddess—temporary, that is—

In the next instant, half of it was blasted through by a lightning strike from above.