Lady Demon Lord, We Bring Good News and Bad News

She released her mana to soothe the wounded soldiers’ pain.

After making a round to see if anything else was needed and confirming their needs, Vivian left the makeshift hospital for the wounded and continued to supervise the construction and other projects.

Although it was difficult, a rudimentary pottery kiln had been set up, and the progress on the fungus cellar was exceptionally smooth.

Using the fragments and wreckage of the Demon Lord’s Castle, simple sheds and shelters were built one by one.

Seeing the settlement gradually taking shape, Vivian couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy in her heart.

Although five thousand people was a heavy burden, they were all professional soldiers.

Obeying the Demon Lord’s orders was their duty, and when faced with difficulties, they would find ways to solve them—this, at least, saved Vivian a lot of worry.

On the third day of the reconstruction, Asi and his wolf pack returned to Vivian, bringing heartening intelligence.

“Lady Demon Lord, the number of remaining residents is much larger than expected.”

“Oh? That’s really good news.”

Looking at the data and report Asi brought back, Vivian couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

According to Asi’s reconnaissance report, there were two more villages and towns in the direction they had explored, as well as several demon tribes living in the wild, including goblins and kobolds.

The total population was around twenty thousand, but they were a bit far from the Demon Lord’s Castle and away from the main road, so they hadn’t encountered any of them on their way back.

In fact, most of the people near the main road and the core area had already evacuated.

After all, these places were the most likely to suffer.

“However, Lady Demon Lord, the situation in those villages, towns, and tribes doesn’t seem to be very good either. I’m afraid they can’t directly support us…”

“With the trade routes cut off, and with other surrounding residents having fled, their own survival pressure has left them with no surplus food, and they can’t support too large a population. They even have to face infiltration from adventurers and mercenaries, so their defensive pressure is also considerable…”

Asi responded with some worry.

“The most crucial thing is that they are skeptical about the news of your return, Lady Demon Lord, so this time we could only bring back some urgently needed medicinal herbs…”

“It’s alright, Asi.”

After hearing Asi’s report, the Demon Lord pondered for a moment.

“After all, the news of my defeat by the strongest Hero is known to everyone.

If I didn’t appear in person, I’m afraid not many would believe that I’m still alive, let alone that I’ve returned to my own territory.”

Vivian let out a turbid breath.

“But as long as the people are still there, that’s what matters.

As long as the people are there, there will always be other ways—if worst comes to worst, I’ll make a trip myself after things here are on the right track.”

“Yes, Lady Demon Lord.”

Asi respectfully bowed his wolf head in response.

In reality, the Demon Clan still had its own communication system.

Each town and village had a magical communicator responsible for transmitting messages.

But due to Vivian’s defeat and the scattering of her army, the original “communication network” had collapsed.

The residents of the villages and towns would naturally not be so naive as to believe Asi’s one-sided account and accept the return of their Demon Lord.

They would only see them as a relatively well-equipped band of “routed soldiers” turned bandits.

It was a good thing a direct conflict hadn’t broken out.

As time went on, the “exploration” teams sent out also returned with corresponding intelligence and information.

Overall, the situation was more or less the same as what Asi had encountered.

There were still people, but their individual situations were not optimistic.

The harassment from adventurers and mercenaries over the past two months had left the settled demons terrified, and many of the crops they had painstakingly cultivated had been destroyed.

Moreover, they generally held a skeptical attitude toward the news of “the Lady Demon Lord’s return.”

This was normal, and Vivian didn’t plan to blame them.

She would have to make a trip herself sooner or later to prove her genuine return.

But regardless, having spent the time of several teams to travel around and confirm the situation had given Vivian a better understanding of things.

At least it wasn’t a completely disastrous start…

Time flew by, and ten days passed in a flurry of busy reconstruction work and intelligence gathering.

And Vivian also saw the mycelia beginning to form and spread in the fungus kiln.

“Lady Demon Lord, in ten days, the first batch of mushrooms will mature successfully!”

“Good, good, very good.”

Looking at the soon-to-be-harvested mushrooms, Vivian nodded in satisfaction.

To be honest, although the moonbeans tasted okay, eating them for three meals a day was quite tiresome after a while.

Now everyone was eagerly watching for the mushrooms to mature to improve their meals.

But at that moment.

“Lady Demon Lord! We have visitors!”

“Hm?”

When Luna appeared by Vivian’s side and announced that there were visitors, Vivian couldn’t help but be taken aback.

“Who?”

“It’s-it’s a delegation of envoys from the 【Winter Demon Lord】! They say they’ve come specifically to meet with you, Lady Demon Lord!”

“…”

Vivian couldn’t help but be a little dazed.

The Winter Demon Lord was also one of the few female Demon Lords among the demons in the game.

And from her name, one could tell that she was a Demon Lord specializing in ice abilities, the special boss of the snow mountain and ice region on the game map.

Although the game didn’t explicitly state the relationships between the Demon Lords, based on her residual memories, she knew that the other party had a pretty good relationship with her, the Demon Lord of Evernight.

They even had some trade relations.

Mainly because their two territories were quite close.

Separated by a mountain range, their two territories were high-altitude, cold plateaus and snow-capped mountains.

“…Let them come over. To my tent.”

“Okay, Lady Demon Lord!”

Vivian took a deep breath and said slowly.

Luna then disappeared with a “pop” and went to call the envoys in.

After a short while, a squad composed entirely of white-haired female Frost Banshees appeared before Vivian, with faint smiles and graceful steps.

“Greetings, Lady Vivian, the 【Demon Lord of Evernight】. I am Lorlu, the Winter Messenger, and I bring you greetings from Lady Catherine, the 【Winter Demon Lord】.”

The leading Frost Banshee gave a slight curtsy, performing a standard curtsey for Vivian.

“Hello.”

Vivian sat in her seat and nodded at the other party.

“The Territory of Evernight is currently under reconstruction, so the conditions are limited.

Please excuse the mess.”

“It is of no matter.

We are well aware of your situation, Lady Demon Lord.

However, we have come this time to bring you two pieces of news.”

“…Two pieces of news?

Don’t tell me one is good news and the other is bad news.”

“…That’s right.

You are truly as sharp as a tack, Lady Demon Lord.”

Upon hearing the other’s words, Vivian couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows and blurt it out.

The other party didn’t expect Vivian to be so perceptive and was also taken aback for a moment.