The Land of the Demon King I-1

About three years had passed since Taro and the others set off on their journey to the large island.

What was once an uncharted land had gradually come to be known as Demon King Island, and now several villages and one large city had been established.

At the center of the city stood a grand castle known as the Demon King's Castle.

The lord of the castle had reportedly said he didn't need such a conspicuous fortress, but due to its necessity as a symbol of power, it had become an impressive stronghold.

As for the lord of the castle, he was busy caring for his children.

He had two wives.

Their relationship with each other was extremely harmonious, apparently getting along very well.

As a result, once life settled down after their move, things quickly progressed, and the two women gave birth to children in quick succession.

Taking care of the children is a shared effort centered around the wives. Right now, he was watching over the two children in his office.

For Taro, this was his first child. Naturally, he had no experience raising children, so everything was new.

He brought the two children to his office thinking he could manage work, but of course it didn’t go as planned, and he couldn’t focus on anything at all.

Both boys were over one year old. After playing and crying for a while, they finally quieted down—only to fall asleep, exhausted from crying.

At last, he returned to his desk and took a breath.

Even though he was utterly exhausted, strangely, when it came to his own child, tenderness welled up within him. Is this what being a parent feels like... truly an extraordinary thing.

Just as he was starting to work lightly, he heard a knock on the door.

It was Rina who entered.

Rina’s pregnancy was now clearly visible even through her clothes—she was carrying her second child.

“How are Riku and Eir?”

The children's names. The child Rina gave birth to is Riku, and the child Noël gave birth to is Eir. The two are raising both children together.

"They just fell asleep, I think."

Rina peered into the baby crib, checking on them.

After watching for a while, she settled back into her chair, visibly calmer.

"How did it go?"

"Everything's going smoothly. I think we'll make it on schedule."

"Is that so? Still, the Empire's moving fast. Suddenly scheduling a visit like this."

"Thanks to that, the town's buzzing with excitement. Though it's fun having that sense of something out of the ordinary..."

Lina is still young.

Perhaps a life with such strict constraints feels a bit lacking?

Lina frequently checks in on the situation in the frontier village she's leading, taking the initiative from the start.

Lina has been a tremendous help in political matters, so taking breaks is important. It's also crucial to travel to various locations and gain firsthand knowledge of the situation.

As they continue chatting, Lina's other wife returns.

"Back home. It was just like usual today. Ugh."

"You're still not fully recovered, so don't push yourself too hard."

"Ugh, I know."

Noel has recently revealed she's pregnant with her second child. Though there's no visible change yet, she seems to be struggling significantly with her health.

Just as things have become lively within the family again, a message arrived from the Empire: prepare yourself, as they'll be visiting your country one month from now.

It's utterly unfortunate.

Still, I understand why the Empire would want to come.

My country has actively invested in industry and maritime transport.

The island is surrounded by sea on all sides, making it inevitable that maritime transport would become a priority.

Fortunately, there were many skilled individuals on the island—such as those from the Fujiwara Trading Company and other talented people who had come to settle here—whose expertise in shipbuilding and navigation allowed us to develop our maritime capabilities with relatively little difficulty.

Initially, we only traded with the Empire, but now we trade with every nation except Nihon, facilitating the movement of both people and goods.

Another thing I put extra effort into was the industrial use of magic stones.

It was originally my strong suit.

If it were my own country, I would freely advance magic stone industry. But things don't just appear overnight.

Advancing industrialization with precise coordination.

A kingdom such as that of the demon lord.

A country with a name that may or may not be impressive, but one that has work and continues to develop rapidly.

People gather around young individuals, with frequent fights due to their youth, yet the economic situation remains favorable.

Countries want to ride on strong economies while also seeking stronger trading relationships.

Although these intentions from various nations are clear, there's little that can be done about it.

There are both positive and negative aspects.

There is a severe shortage of people, and food is also insufficient. This year will be tight once again.

The population cannot keep up with the rapid expansion of industry. Food production has struggled even more to catch up with population growth.

In the coming trade, food imports may become a key focus...

Living each day while worrying over the ever-growing problems.

Just one month passed, and several exceptionally luxurious ships arrived at the port.

"Come now, let's hurry and change our clothes."

Maid Anne gently spoke to the children as she helped them change their clothes.

The wives also changed into their new attire. Lina was accustomed to wearing a dress, but Noel seemed uneasy, clearly unfamiliar with such formal wear.

"Are you sure you're alright like this? Doesn't it look odd?"

"I'm fine. It suits me perfectly."

It seemed she might just manage.

William has been sent to greet the Empress.

He too has grown significantly over these past three years. It seemed he was going through a growth spurt, truly becoming much taller.

"Long time no see, Lady Veronica. It's been three years, hasn't it?"

"Yes, William, you haven't changed... though you've certainly grown."

"I'm truly honored you still remember me."

Over the past three years, the Empress had matured into a dignified, fully grown woman. She had accumulated ample experience as Empress and had become fearless.

There was just one thing to consider...

The Empress's gaze firmly locked onto William, assessing the people behind him...