Interesting and Boring

Facing the Demon Emperor, who seemed somewhat curious, Vivian briefly explained her thoughts.

The Demon Emperor merely watched with a half-smile, letting Vivian finish her ideas.

After all, the Evernight Territory was already in shambles due to Vivian’s prior defeat.

Starting reforms from this mess, even if they failed, would be better than letting a fully functioning territory fall into chaos because of reckless changes.

This was why Vivian dared to push forward with her plans.

Using magic to aid production would temporarily free the lower classes from inefficient manual labor.

They could then take on more common tasks, like building houses, repaving roads, or transporting supplies.

Her speech was slow but clear, and she soon laid out her core ideas.

The tower fell silent again, save for the faint hum of the mage tower’s core crystal.

The Demon Emperor maintained her languid posture, sitting cross-legged on the control panel, one hand propping up her chin.

Her half-smile remained unchanged, her brilliant golden eyes reflecting Vivian’s figure, calm and devoid of any emotional ripple.

“Done talking?”

The Demon Emperor’s voice was soft, carrying a trace of casual inquiry, breaking the silence.

“Done.”

Vivian’s reply was equally concise and firm.

The space sank back into silence.

“…Interesting.”

After a long pause, the Demon Emperor spoke again.

She lifted the hand propping her chin, gently touching her elegantly curved jaw.

A glint of pure, childlike curiosity flickered in her eyes, as if she’d discovered something novel.

“Your Majesty?”

Vivian’s heart skipped a beat; the Demon Emperor’s comment felt vaguely unsettling.

“It’s nothing,” the Demon Emperor said, her lips curving into a more pronounced smile, tinged with an almost indulgent air.

“Go ahead and do it. I have no objections.”

Her tone was so light it was as if she were discussing dinner plans, not the fundamental reform of a Demon Lord’s territory.

Then, her grin widened, revealing a sharper, more playful smile.

“Besides, the Demon Lord territories have always been managed by their respective lords. That’s an ancient rule. Whether your domain prospers or turns to ash, as long as it doesn’t threaten the Demon

Clan’s foundation, I’ve never interfered.”

She stated it as a simple fact.

“Yes.”

Vivian let out a quiet breath of relief at the response.

She couldn’t help but wonder: with power enough to upend the world, why did the Demon Emperor choose to remain confined in the imperial capital for centuries, even millennia?

“You seem to have more to say.”

The Demon Emperor seemed to sense Vivian’s thoughts, her faint smile dimming slightly.

“Forgive my bluntness, Your Majesty—what’s the real reason for your visit? Surely a matter this small didn’t warrant you expending mana to project yourself here. And… you haven’t left the imperial capital

in years.”

Vivian hesitated but ultimately voiced her doubts.

“Because it’s interesting.”

The Demon Emperor broke into a grin, not the ambiguous half-smile from before, but a genuine, hearty laugh.

“No Demon Lord in our history has ever been captured, let alone returned alive after being taken.”

Vivian pursed her lips.

The incident was far from glorious. She knew her survival had left a stain on the Demon Lords’ reputation.

“Of course, I’m not mocking you or calling you a disgrace. After all, any Demon Lord would have struggled against Lucia.”

She brushed off Vivian’s embarrassment with a casual wave, then shifted her tone, her eyes gleaming with growing intrigue.

“But I think you’re different from those other Demon Lords, whose minds are filled only with conquest, destruction, or pleasure.”

Her gaze slowly swept over Vivian’s body, lingering on her abdomen, her lips curling into a meaningful arc.

“So, even if you knew about Lucia’s plan and she offered you no reward, you’d probably have volunteered to help, wouldn’t you?”

Vivian’s expression didn’t change.

Her tone remained even as she countered, “Why not? The reward she gave me was more than generous. A reward none of your Demon Lords could have imagined.”

“Oh?” The Demon Emperor raised an eyebrow. “What reward?”

Vivian smiled faintly and turned the question back.

“Why don’t you guess, Your Majesty? A Demon Lord like me, who stayed in the imperial capital so long yet never visited that Demon Lord—what reward do you think would compel me to assist her?”

The Demon Emperor gave a slight smile.

“I’m curious why you think I couldn’t guess your reward.”

“With your understanding of Lucia, guessing her plan wouldn’t be hard. But her plan and her reward are two different things, aren’t they?”

The Demon Emperor’s smile deepened.

She spoke slowly, “Indeed, Lucia’s reward was as unexpected as she was.”

“So you’ve guessed it?”

“Yes, I have.”

The Demon Emperor nodded slightly, her lips curving into a knowing smile.

“With Lucia’s personality, the only thing that could make you help her so wholeheartedly… it’s that, isn’t it?”

She pointed at Vivian’s abdomen.

Vivian’s expression remained steady, and she smiled lightly.

“You’re quite perceptive.”

The Demon Emperor’s smile grew more enigmatic.

She said softly to Vivian, “I never would’ve thought Lucia would pull such a move. And even less that she’d succeed.”

Vivian’s expression barely shifted, though her lips curved slightly.

She said nothing.

The Demon Emperor continued, unprompted.

“A Demon Clan member capable of birthing a new Demon Lord is a boon beyond measure for our kind. Even if Lucia forbade us from touching her child, we’d still find ways to ensure that child is raised

well.”

She paused, her tone softening further.

“After all, that child is the hope of our Demon Clan.”

Vivian remained silent, merely watching the Demon Emperor, waiting for her to continue.

“In that case, you and the child should come live in my Demon Lord Palace.”

The Demon Emperor gestured toward the palace in the distance.

“Lucia’s busy right now, and with you pregnant, you can’t handle those affairs anymore. Why not rest properly in my palace?”

Vivian froze, glancing at the Demon Emperor, then at the Demon Lord Palace.

In her current state, managing affairs was indeed difficult.

Though she didn’t want to leave Lucia, she couldn’t easily refuse the Demon Emperor’s kindness.

“…In that case, thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty.”

Vivian ultimately accepted, bowing slightly to the Demon Emperor.

“Lucia is waiting for me to return, so I won’t take up more of Your Majesty’s time.”

“Go ahead.”

The Demon Emperor waved her hand dismissively.

“I’ll inform the other Demon Lords to assist Lucia with preparations for that plan.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Vivian bowed again, then turned and left without looking back.

The Demon Emperor watched Vivian’s retreating figure, her lips curving upward.

She spoke softly to the maid beside her.

“Pass down the order: have all the maids in the Demon Lord Palace prepare the finest accommodations for Vivian. Ensure the best ingredients and tonics are provided. Until she gives birth, no one—not

even the other Demon Lords—is to disturb her.”

‘I just came for a quick look… but I stumbled upon something extraordinary. Heh, the offspring of a Hero and a Demon Lord? How fascinating.’

The Demon Emperor’s toes swayed lightly at the edge of the control panel, her posture relaxed.

Her eyes remained fixed on Vivian’s face.

“As for why I stay in the imperial capital… it’s because this world is just too dull.”

Vivian froze.

She hadn’t expected the Demon Emperor to address her earlier question, nor had she anticipated the answer: “dull.”

“Yes, dull.”

The Demon Emperor lowered her head, idly examining her perfectly manicured nails, her tone tinged with ennui.

“Even Lucia, the legendary Hero of Light, the Daughter of Light, fell under a meticulously planned trap and the combined assault of four Demon Lords.”

She didn’t look up, her voice flat as if stating an objective fact, laced with bone-deep weariness.

She raised a hand, blowing lightly on her fingertips as if brushing away nonexistent dust.

“If even she couldn’t change this predetermined world, what’s left to look forward to? Leaving the imperial capital to ‘play’ out there—wouldn’t that be even more boring?”

She lifted her head, meeting Vivian’s gaze.

The aloofness in her eyes, as if looking down on all creation, made even Vivian feel uneasy.

“Watching you all down there, moving like pieces on a chessboard, following set rules to clash, kill, and struggle… occasionally making a splash that’s slightly different—that’s where the fun lies.”

“Is that really all? You’ve trapped yourself in the imperial capital for centuries, even millennia, just for that?”

Vivian fell silent for a moment before pressing further.

She didn’t believe the Demon Emperor was merely a thrill-seeker.

With such immense power, akin to facing the cosmos itself, staying holed up in the capital for centuries just for amusement seemed implausible.

Everyone knew a true thrill-seeker wouldn’t sit idly by—they’d dive into the action themselves.

The Demon Emperor met her gaze, her smile unchanged, still languid and playful.

“Believe what you want.”

She deftly sidestepped Vivian’s question, her tone light.

“Watching the demon nobles in the capital scramble for power, resources, and empty titles, putting on endless displays of revelry and political scheming—it’s quite entertaining, don’t you think?”

Her words carried a faint mocking edge.

With a laugh, she hopped off the control panel, her form beginning to dissolve into motes of mana.

“Do your best, Vivian. I hope you’ll bring me a little surprise.”

“This game of Heroes and Demon Lords is getting a bit stale.”

“I’m looking forward to your reforms and the birth of that child in your womb. I hope you’ll add a spark of excitement to this dull world.”

With that, the Demon Emperor’s mana projection collapsed, dispersing into basic mana particles and vanishing before Vivian’s eyes.

The communication ended, and the pulsing mana in the leyline gradually stilled.

The overwhelming presence of the Demon Emperor fully withdrew from the Evernight Territory.

Only when the instruments and surroundings had completely calmed did Vivian realize—the Demon Emperor was truly gone.

Just like that, she’d left.

“…”

Vivian stood rooted in place, her mind blank for a few minutes before she took a deep breath and regained her composure.

Whatever the Demon Emperor’s true intentions—whether she was a mere thrill-seeker or hiding deeper plans—at least Vivian’s superior hadn’t opposed her reforms.

She’d even expressed a degree of “anticipation.”

This meant no one could block her plans under the pretext of “the old ways must not change.”

What remained was navigating the open and covert negotiations, alliances, and rivalries with her fellow Demon Lords.

And then… accelerating her pregnancy.

Taking another deep breath, Vivian turned and left the mage tower.

The captains waiting outside tactfully refrained from asking questions, dispersing to their tasks when they saw nothing amiss.

Vivian, meanwhile, was about to enter the phase of accelerated pregnancy.

Before that, she needed to ensure Aria and Lucia’s work meshed even more seamlessly.