While Marius was fighting Nyarlathotep in his dreams, preparations for reconstruction were underway.
It was fortunate that the people who could actually issue commands were still alive.
“It’s still just the beginning, though. Zofi and the others are working hard, but Auraniess and them are uncooperative…”
Lovisa paused for a moment, her eyes seeming to expect something.
Marius, noticing her gaze, spoke to Auraniess.
“Please cooperate.”
“Huh? I’m good at breaking things, but not at fixing them,” Auraniess said, puffing out her chest at this unpraiseworthy confession. Marius could only offer a wry smile, but he couldn’t afford to just laugh.
“Well, you know, you could break anything that hinders reconstruction.”
“We’re already doing that ourselves,” Zofi interjected from the side. Al and El nodded in agreement. Their tails wagged, as if seeking praise.
“I see. Thank you. Zofi, Al, and El are wonderful familiars.”
As Marius praised them, the three succubi’s ears and tails twitched with delight. It was important not to omit their names in times like these. Once, omitting a name had led to resentment and sulking over perceived unfairness.
(Women are so troublesome.)
This was Marius’s unspoken, inner thought.
“May I speak for a moment?”
Barra raised her hand, seeking permission to speak.
“What is it?”
“If Auraniess and them are going to help, I’d appreciate it if you could do something about the monsters. I don’t know if they’ve lost their habitats or their food sources, but monsters venturing into inhabited areas and causing trouble is ceaseless. Zofi and the others are driving them away, but it’s a major obstacle to reconstruction.”
Marius’s eyes widened, and he turned to Zofi.
“Are there that many?”
“Yes,” came the immediate reply. “They don’t approach the area where I am, but I can’t protect the entire autonomous region by myself…”
She explained with a apologetic expression. Her ears and tail drooped as if dejected. Marius looked at Auraniess.
“I’d like Auraniess to control the monsters. Tell them to get along with humans.”
“Hmm? They’re just trying to survive, aren’t they?” Auraniess’s response was indifferent. She harbored no intention of denying their struggle for survival.
“No, I’m not saying they should die, just that they should coexist with humans. Or are humans their food?”
“Hmm…” Auraniess pondered for a moment, then looked at Sophia.
“Are there any who absolutely need to eat humans to survive?”
“No. There are some who fancy humans, but there shouldn’t be any monsters that *only* eat humans.”
“Then it’s fine.”
To Auraniess, the act of attacking humans for survival was natural, and she didn’t feel particularly inclined to side with humans. However, if they could survive without attacking humans, it was a different story.
“I’ll give them a little scolding. And I’ll tell them not to attack humans, right?”
Auraniess cracked her knuckles with a grin.
“Yes.”
Marius nodded, and Auraniess left the room. Her appearance was suited more by the adjective “ferocious” than “beautiful,” and those who saw her couldn’t help but sympathize with the monsters.
“I’ll go monitor them so they don’t go too far,” Sophia said, excusing herself, and no one felt it was unreasonable.
“If you’re going to bother humans, I’ll deal with you!”
Auraniess’s declaration echoed across the eastern half of the Taliant Continent. It was famously known as the “Auraniess Declaration.” Upon hearing it, the monsters, realizing it was Auraniess who made it, fell into utter chaos.
“Wh-what do we do?”
“Should we attack them secretly?”
“If we get caught, she’ll kill us.”
Many monsters knew of Auraniess. They knew her as the strongest Demon Lord, an incomprehensible calamity. To them, there was no value in attacking humans when it meant facing Auraniess. However, not all monsters felt this way.
“Auraniess doesn’t bully the weak, does she? Is that right?”
Someone spoke up. It was a Demon who had managed to survive in hiding. Auraniess scoffed at the Demon’s words.
“It’s true I’ve never bullied the weak.”
She continued, “But I’ve never avoided stepping on insects either.” She declared that she would crush any insects that acted against her will.
“What’s Auraniess got to do with it?!”
One Demon shouted and leaped forward, followed by a few others. These were monsters who had migrated from other continents and had never seen Auraniess, hence their recklessness. Auraniess did not adopt a stance to counter them.
“Huh?”
She simply glared at them with killing intent.
“Hic!”
That alone stopped the Demons in their tracks, and their legs crumpled beneath them.
“B-b-blgh…”
Furthermore, they trembled all over, dribbling tears and excrement, and fainted. The other monsters watching did not laugh at the Demons’ pathetic display. As more and more succumbed to Auraniess’s killing intent and fainted, laughter was out of the question.
“You insects dare to oppose me? You’re fifty million years too early.”
“Y-yes!”
The few who hadn’t fainted desperately nodded. Tears streamed down their faces, and they were likewise soiling themselves, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was appeasing Auraniess’s wrath.
“Tell the others. Anyone who doesn’t listen to me, I’ll come and kill myself.”
“Y-yes!”
Thus, the tragedy was narrowly averted. However, another tragedy occurred: a foul stench permeated the entire area.
“Given that Auraniess was angry, it’s fortunate it only amounted to an odor,” Marius said, and no one could refute him. Everyone understood that a misstep could have endangered the entire continent. It was true, however, that a flood of petitions arrived for Marius, imploring him to “please keep Auraniess on a leash properly.”
“Isn’t it progress just that she stopped rampaging? Right?” Marius’s words were met with nods from Sophia and Iris.
“In the past, several parts of the continent would have been blown away.”
“Lady Auraniess has learned patience.”
“I’m not satisfied with that!” Auraniess pouted, having expected praise and not receiving the kind she anticipated. Marius approached Auraniess and gently stroked her hair.
“No, thank you for being patient. I’m saved because of you.” He smiled at her.
“O-oh. As long as you understand, that’s all that matters.” Auraniess blushed and mumbled her reply softly.
“Marius, you’re quite the womanizer.”
“That’s right. That’s probably why I manage my harem so well.”
“How did it become that!?” Marius shouted. Of course, they were teasing him, and Marius knew it.
With Marius awake, the reconstruction of the Taliant Continent began to accelerate. The reason for this was the master of the Tuban Autonomous Region, who declared, “Well, after defeating the Evil God, it seems I’ve acquired the Evil God’s power.” While still unaccustomed and difficult to control, this divine power could bring positive effects to the entire continent.
“So this is divine power…” He could understand why the impact vanished all at once when Tindalos was destroyed. It was a feeling, not a logical deduction. When humans learned that Marius had acquired divine power, they responded with expressions of weary resignation. There was, however, an exception.
“You can fight gods! That sounds like fun!” Someone exclaimed, their eyes sparkling with joy. It was likely obvious to all humankind that this was Auraniess. Known by the epithets “strongest and worst,” and “calamitous Demon Lord,” Auraniess’s legend, steeped in fear, met its end upon her acquaintance with Marius.
“She’s surprisingly reasonable.”
“She seems satisfied as long as she can fight strong opponents.”
“She’s actually quite tidy and cleans diligently.” Such pieces of information began to circulate. Although many voices questioned whether this was propaganda from the Tuban Autonomous Region, Auraniess herself would prove it to be true.
“It seems she’s satisfied if there’s an interesting opponent to fight,” became a common assessment. Auraniess’s battle alongside Marius against the Evil God Tindalos was significant. It helped refute her being a vanguard of the Evil God. Moreover, at Marius’s request, she exerted control over demons and forced their coexistence with humanity. Of course, coexistence based solely on fear of Auraniess presented numerous challenges. Yet, the world, freed from divine curses, began to move towards coexistence.
Two years after the defeat of the Evil God, the Tuban Autonomous Region was renamed the Kingdom of Tubant. Marius was then enthroned as its first King. This marked the birth of the strongest nation in human history, boasting Marius, the “Emperor who defeated the Evil God” and the strongest human king; Auraniess, the strongest Demon Lord; and Sophia and Zofi, who rivaled a Demon Lord. However, perhaps reflecting the character of its first King, the Kingdom of Tubant never engaged in acts of aggression. It became a symbol of peace, having banished war from the Taliant Continent.
“King!” As Marius walked outside, children waved with smiles, and adults bowed with joy. Under the clear blue sky, the red sun shone brightly upon the land. Nyarlathotep’s power had not vanished, yet the blue sun did not rise. There was now only one moon, shaped as Marius had grown accustomed to. Though initially fearful, the people had now found their peace. Marius recognized this as proof of their trust and felt the weight of responsibility.
(I have to keep going.)
Marius resolved himself with his characteristic nonchalance. This era, which would later be known as the era of human-demon coexistence, was just beginning.
