Concern

“Lord Demon Lord, an envoy from the Molten Core Territory requests an audience.”

The next morning, head maid Aria reported.

“Gulaim’s man?”

Vivian looked up from her documents, crimson eyes narrowing slightly.

Her fingers unconsciously tapped the desk.

“He’s quick.”

She had expected this.

The energy surge from the mine’s core had not been violent, but any Demon Lord-level existence would have felt it.

The neighboring territories could not possibly have missed it.

And sending an envoy now, especially from old-school nobility, was clearly meant to probe.

“Let him in.”

Vivian leaned back in her chair, posture relaxed.

“Aria, stay.”

“Yes.”

Soon, a guard escorted the envoy inside.

The man was massively built, his skin a dark red like cooled lava, etched with faint cracks that glowed faintly from within.

Scorching heat and the stench of sulfur rolled off him.

Every step seemed to warm the polished stone floor beneath his feet.

He wore Molten Core’s distinctive armor studded with obsidian plates.

His expression was arrogant; he gave only the barest nod in greeting.

“Demon Lord of Evernight, Lady Vivian.”

His voice was rough as grinding stone.

“By order of my liege, the great Molten Lava Demon Lord Gulaim, I come to convey… congratulations.”

“Oh?”

The corner of Vivian’s mouth curved into a half-smile.

She leaned forward slightly, elbows on the armrests, fingers interlaced.

“And what, pray tell, is Lord Gulaim congratulating me for?”

“Naturally, for the flourishing of the Evernight Territory.”

The envoy bared a provocative grin, jealousy and curiosity blazing openly in his eyes.

“I hear your population has surpassed eighty thousand.”

“Not only have you rebuilt a grand city, you’ve established academies and even… toyed with some new army.”

“Tsk, tsk. Such speed is truly astonishing!”

“It must have cost you considerable effort, yes?”

Every word dripped with sarcasm.

Vivian rolled her eyes inwardly.

Congratulations my foot. He’s here to pick a fight.

“Thank you for Lord Gulaim’s kind concern.”

She replied evenly.

“Evernight is indeed recovering steadily, thanks to the hard work and hope of its people.”

“How fares Lord Gulaim’s own territory?”

“Steadily recovering…”

The envoy sneered.

“No need for false modesty, Demon Lord.”

“Some time ago, my liege clearly sensed a tremendous energy surge from your lands, shaking the very earth veins.”

“That was no ordinary recovery.”

“It felt more like… something earth-shattering had occurred.”

“Perhaps an ancient vein was fully awakened? Or some mighty artifact unearthed?”

There it is.

Vivian kept her expression neutral, searching for any crack in her composure.

“So that’s why you’re here.”

She chuckled lightly, as if only now realizing his intent, tone casual as discussing the weather.

“Just a minor energy tide deep in the mine during excavation. A small fluctuation, nothing more.”

“Was it truly loud enough to disturb Lord Gulaim?”

“A small fluctuation?”

The envoy’s tone was thick with disbelief.

“My liege says a surge of that magnitude would require Demon Lord-level power at the very least.”

“Lady Vivian, are you perhaps… hiding something?”

“When did the internal affairs of Evernight become something I must report in detail to Molten Core?”

Vivian’s voice cooled.

“If Lord Gulaim is so curious, he is welcome to visit personally and ask.”

“Sending a mere envoy to prattle on and fish for intelligence is both discourteous and cowardly.”

The envoy’s face darkened, yet he forced a smile.

“Lady Vivian misunderstands.”

“My liege means no offense, only neighborly concern.”

“An unknown, powerful energy source tends to make one uneasy, don’t you agree?”

“By the way.”

He changed tack abruptly.

“I hear you’ve recently abolished slavery?”

“Such a… novel policy.”

His tone overflowed with open scorn, as if speaking of a ridiculous joke.

“The internal governance of Evernight is none of Lord Gulaim’s concern.”

Vivian replied flatly.

“That’s not quite fair, Lady Vivian.”

The envoy adopted a lecturing tone, as though reasoning with a child.

“By opening your gates and freeing slaves, you create trouble for every neighboring territory!”

“Slaves from other lands will grow restless, desperate to flee here.”

“You are openly poaching from your fellow Demon Lords and destroying the stable order the demon race has maintained for a thousand years!”

“My liege worries that if Evernight continues down this path, it will threaten the traditional order of demon society.”

He stepped closer, voice lowering into a clear threat.

“My liege bade me tell you: if Evernight persists in these disruptive policies, you may become a target for all.”

“You will bring the fire upon yourself.”

Now Vivian understood perfectly.

Gulaim was accusing her of breaking “tradition” and harming the interests of other territories.

In short, he hated her reforms and wanted to pressure her into stopping.

“Tradition?”

Vivian laughed coldly.

“If tradition is rotten and backward, then it deserves to be shattered.”

“The policies of Evernight exist to give my people better lives, not to preserve some so-called order.”

“If Lord Gulaim disapproves, he is free to open his own gates and follow suit.”

“If he refuses to learn, then he should mind his own acre and stop gossiping about his neighbor’s household like a long-tongued shrew.”

The envoy’s face flushed crimson.

“Lady Vivian, that is too far!”

“My liege meant well—”

“Enough.”

Vivian cut him off.

“I know exactly what kind of ‘goodwill’ Lord Gulaim offers.”

“Go back and tell him Evernight’s affairs are my own business.”

“He should manage his territory and stay out of mine.”

“See the guest out.”

The envoy stood speechless, overwhelmed by her presence.

He gritted his teeth, bowed stiffly, and delivered a final line.

“My liege bade me convey one more thing: the tallest tree catches the first axe.”

“Take care of yourself.”

With that, he stormed out, fury and sulfur trailing behind him.

Silence returned to the hall, yet the air still carried an unpleasant heat and hostility.

Once the envoy was gone, Aria spoke.

“Lord Demon Lord, that was a threat.”

“I know.”

Vivian massaged her temples.

“Gulaim is warning me: if I keep developing like this, he will act.”

“Demon Lords are forbidden from fighting each other directly, but that doesn’t stop underhanded moves.”

“Border skirmishes, backing rebels, economic blockades—he won’t hold back.”

“…Shall I reinforce the border defenses?”

“Immediately.”

Vivian ordered decisively.

“Increase patrols, raise alert levels, set hidden sentries and warning arrays at key passes.”

“I know Gulaim well—jealous and ambitious.”

“He can’t sit still watching Evernight thrive. He’ll make small moves soon.”

“Also, inform Lucia to contact Catherine.”

“We need allies. We cannot let Gulaim think we stand alone.”

“Yes!”

Aria departed swiftly.

Once she left, Lucia emerged from the side.

“Lord Gulaim… is a troublesome enemy.”

She said softly.

“I can feel his hostility toward you is intense.”

“The key is preventing him from striking openly.”

“Internal discontent from the nobles, external pressure from Gulaim, and threats from the human side…”

“So many troubles.”

She exhaled heavily and walked to the window, gazing down at Evernight City beneath her.

“But.”

A confident smile curved her lips.

“We’ll meet every soldier with a general, every flood with a dam.”

“I rather look forward to seeing what tricks Gulaim has up his sleeve.”

****

The following evening, the envoy returned to the Molten Core Territory.

Gulaim sat upon a throne of solidified lava, his face terrifyingly dark after hearing the report.

His massive hand clenched the armrest of obsidian and cooled magma; the unyielding stone groaned and cracked beneath his grip.

“She refused?”

His voice rumbled low and dangerous.

“Yes, my lord.”

The envoy replied trembling.

“And she told you to have me come ask personally.”

“Insolent wench!”

Gulaim shot to his feet, his colossal frame like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

Scorching waves of heat swept the hall; the stench of sulfur choked the air.

“A mere slip of a girl dares to disrespect me!”

He paced the sweltering chamber, each step quaking the floor.

“That energy surge from a while back was no simple mining operation.”

He growled, eyes glinting coldly.

“Something major happened in Evernight, and Vivian is hiding it—meaning it’s important to her.”

“What shall we do, my lord?”

The envoy asked cautiously.

“If she won’t tell us, we’ll see for ourselves.”

Gulaim sneered.

“Order the border patrols to ‘accidentally’ stray into Evernight territory and test their response.”

“And inform the demon nobles friendly to us—it’s time to give Vivian a little pressure!”

“Let her learn the price of offending me, Gulaim.”

“Yes, my lord! At once!”

The envoy fled the suffocating hall as if pardoned.

Left alone, Gulaim strode to the castle’s high balcony and stared toward Evernight.

On the distant horizon, he could almost see the vitality and prosperity gathering there—infuriatingly bright.

“Vivian…”

He muttered, eyes burning with malice.

“The better you do, the less I can tolerate you.”

“Wait and see.”

“I’ll soon show you what true power looks like!”

His fist clenched; searing flames erupted around it.

“A flourishing territory…”

He sneered.

“Is often the easiest target for disaster—and envy!”