Regular Report from the Demon Lord and the Administrator
Midnight on the first day of Shiro's divine manifestation
[Can you hear me?]
[Hmm? Blackie?]
[You seem to be hearing me. I'm still uneasy since we can't keep watch on that thing. I plan to contact you every day at this hour. Is that acceptable?]
[Yeah, sure. It'd probably be better if we kept in touch, right?]
[So, after you parted ways, nothing strange happened, right?]
[Hmm...]
[You didn't... do anything, did you?]
[Ah, well... I might've done something, kinda?]
[What did you do!? Tell me!]
[Ah, yeah. It'll take a while to explain, so just listen quietly, okay?]
Demon Lord explaining...
[In short, I protected a reincarnated soul who was being abducted—or possibly killed—by elves and followers of the Divine Word Sect.]
[That's about right.]
— Rather unexpected. I assumed that was a self-contained entity with no interest in anything other than itself.
— Shiro-chan is a good girl, isn't she? Her usual behavior is chaotic and hard to follow.
— It's precisely that usual behavior that's the problem.
— That's right.
— I understand the situation now. In fact, well done. I'll handle contacting the elves and the Divine Word Sect myself.
— Can I count on you?
— Yes. Though I doubt I'll receive a favorable reply.
— Yeah, that’s probably true.
— I’ll make sure to plant a warning, though I don’t expect it to change anything. Continue your vigilance on your end.
— Understood.
— Then, for today, that’s all. I’ll contact you again at the same time tomorrow.
— Yes, yes.
One year later, routine report for the day.
— Did she do it again? Drink and cause trouble?
— Yeah. The inn blew up.
— Honestly. How does this keep happening?
— I think Black also bears responsibility for letting White become accustomed to the taste of alcohol.
— Hmph. Then why not simply take the alcohol away?
— You expect me to do something so terrifying? White would choose to take it by force, without hesitation. What do you think?
— That’s true. She is that kind of person.
— Exactly. I have no choice but to keep supplying her for my own safety.
— At least try to limit the collateral damage.
— Well, I don’t want to draw attention, so I’ll do that much.
— I’m counting on you.
Two years later, routine report for the day.
— So, what became of that deck of cards?
— I’m holding it under my responsibility.
— Is that so. But if it’s genuine, then it must have reached D’s hands.
That’s likely. I’ve noticed him disappearing without warning before, but never thought he’d end up with D.
What’s he planning?
Nothing at all—count me in.
Possible. But it’s D he’s meeting. Can’t afford to be careless.
I’ve wondered about this before—how powerful is D, really?
He is. If I were to summarize the dynamic between D and me, I’ll say this: even if the heavens overturned, I’d have no chance of victory.
That much?
Yes. If he moves, no matter what I do, I cannot counter him. That’s the nature of his presence.
He’s frightening.
But he doesn’t move often. Only under specific conditions.
What conditions?
Harm to his subordinates.
Huh?
[D does not tolerate harm to subordinates or entities resembling them. Those who inflict such harm are always made to pay. D's declaration that he would make it a subordinate at that time carried strong implications of restraint directed at me. There is likely some genuine fondness for it as well.]
[Ah, I see.]
[I had no intention of interfering with it myself, but it was a precaution. Depending on the path it chooses in the future, confrontation with me is entirely possible.]
[What would you do then?]
[Naturally, I will follow my own path. Even if that means being erased by D afterward.]
[You stubborn fool.]
[I am aware.]
[For now, can you not join us here once? Perhaps Black might be able to lift the curse of the deck. Honestly, I don’t want to be carrying such a dangerous object. I’d prefer to hand it over to Black.]
Understood. Meet up when you’re free.
Three years later, routine report for the day.
Another facility has been found dead.
How many is that now?
Two living facilities. Seven dead.
Was our oversight total, or were the ones who concealed them exceptionally skilled?
Both, likely. The dead ones are manageable. But three living facilities— including the one in question. My failure is inexcusable.
This isn’t solely Black’s fault. After system activation, we destroyed such facilities ourselves.
Alternatively, perhaps the very existence of such operations prompted more thorough concealment.
You’re saying new facilities were created even after system activation?
A possibility. A highly plausible one.
Disheartening.
Yes.
[How long until your work over there is completed?]
[Ideally, I’d like to finish within three years, but since we need thorough investigation, rushing too much isn’t advisable.]
[True. Understood. This time, we’ll find every active facility—take as much time as needed.]
[Naturally, that’s the plan.]
[What about the cores we recovered?]
[We’re gradually returning their energy to the world. Restoring it too quickly would be dangerous.]
[Right. Someone once absorbed it all at once and became a god, though.]
[Only someone like that could do it. I couldn’t. If anyone could, at least three more gods would already exist in this world.]
[Yeah. If becoming a god were that easy, Potimas would’ve been one ages ago.]
[Actually, he's in this state precisely because he tried it and failed.]
[He should've just died then and there.]
[That's logical.]
[Still, how did Shiro manage such recklessness?]
[Hard to say. It's not something ordinary people can do. But given the circumstances, even I can't explain it. Only a handful of divine beings could perform such an act.]
[So Shiro's out of the norm?]
[Someone who reached divinity in just over a year and still fits within the standard?]
[Unlikely.]
[Perhaps that's why she was noticed by D.]
[Also, her personality. Never boring. A troublemaker, perhaps.]
[That too is possible.]
[We're about to enter the Demon Realm. I can only sense trouble ahead.]
[Keep a firm grip on the reins.]
[If it were possible, there would be no hardship.]
That is true.