Most of these people had lost their families, and had escaped from the clutches of grotesque monsters whose mere appearance could inflict lifelong trauma.
Naturally, their mental states were far from stable.
They had fled for their lives, and while on the run, there was no time to dwell on such matters. But once they reached the Edina Archipelago and could live without the immediate threat to their lives, the people were hit hard by the aftermath.
In fact, countless people, after arriving at the Edina Archipelago, took their own lives, thinking about what they had lost.
As Airi had said, it was something that allowed them to escape from the hellish reality, if only for a moment.
The effect was greater than anyone could have imagined.
It gave them peaceful dreams to comfort their souls.
Although there was the side effect of refugees becoming addicted to the succubi as if they were drugs, in the end, it was clear that it provided them a brief moment of mental peace after experiencing hell.
Thus, it began with the succubi counseling each refugee individually, listening to their stories, and adjusting their dreams as needed to prevent nightmares.
Originally, the reputation of the succubi, including Airi, was at rock bottom in Lazak, the capital of the Edina Archipelago.
When it was revealed that they were not even human but succubi, public opinion turned hostile.
But not to the refugees.
To the refugees, the succubi who greeted them with gentle smiles, listened to their stories, and comforted them upon arriving in the terrifying land inhabited by demons could only be seen as angels in the form of demons.
As a result, the refugees liked the succubi more than the Demon King, and they loved Airi, the Succubus Queen, who led them even more.
What are dreams?
Despite knowing that the small respite found in dreams cannot change reality, people yearn for happy dreams and love the succubi who grant them.
Humans can be controlled by dreams other than nightmares.
During this time, both the succubi and I had learned something new.
"Your Majesty, all personnel have disembarked."
The one who came to me was a pale-faced individual in a black robe.
"Well done."
All ships operated by sails had a fixed sailing speed.
Since ships had started to sink with refugees in the turbulent seas, I had assigned one vampire mage from the Vampire Lord clan to each ship as a person in charge.
With the help of the mage, the ships could safely sail through rough seas and travel faster in calm waters.
"And they say that the Thunder King will soon return."
"…Ah. I see, alright."
With that, the convoy leader retreated.
Harriet watched the retreating figure of the vampire, her lips quivering.
"I wonder if Liana likes... that nickname...?"
"If she didn't like it, she'd definitely show her displeasure. She must like it."
"Maybe...?"
Despite the talk of the Four Heavenly Kings, people began calling Liana de Granz the Thunder King.
And seeing that she didn't object to it, it seemed like she secretly liked it.
Liana was responsible for rescuing refugees and defending the base at Port Mokna, the continent connection point to the Edina Archipelago.
Thus, the majority of the refugee rescues were actually Liana's responsibility.
On the continent, it was Liana.
Upon arrival at the archipelago, it was Airi.
Both of them took responsibility for the refugees in their own way.
"The disembarkation seems to be finished."
"…Already?"
Harriet had thought it would take quite some time, but the refugees had already completed the disembarkation process.
Harriet tilted her head slightly.
"It seems like there are fewer of them… Hmm... or not?"
"Nothing unusual happened. Let's go back."
"Okay."
This group of refugees had arrived safely without any particular issues or commotions.
Although there had been no extreme problems recently thanks to solid pre-arrival education, there had been many serious issues at the beginning.
Some were scared and tried to run away, while others rampaged, threatening to kill everyone upon arrival.
These people argued that they couldn't possibly live under the rule of the Demon King, who was the cause of all this.
Technically, it wasn't a wrong argument, and there were people who vented their anger with such reasoning.
And they knew that such discontent and hatred still lurked among the people.
Some people would rather die than live under the protection of the Demon King, knowing that he was the cause of all these problems.
However, their anger and hatred couldn't be expressed in front of me.
They knew that there was no alternative to me.
No one would try to do something on their own, unless they were prepared to die.
Of course, that's not to say there weren't any.
I never made any excuses or defenses for myself.
All I did was rescue them from the continent, provide them with shelter and food, and help them become part of the archipelago.
After taking care of them in temporary shelters for some time, they were sent to pioneering settlements on Edina Island or other islands.
Whether they liked it or not, they had to start a new life in the places we assigned.
Providing free food and accommodation was only temporary; we couldn't take responsibility for them for their entire lives.
Just as these people had to get used to the sight of demons living among them, they had to accept my rule, which was the root of all these problems.
I was aware that this intense anger and hatred could turn into a knife at my throat, but they knew that if they took that course, there would be no future for them.
They knew that their sustenance was maintained by the labor of demons, which was almost like voluntary service.
Of course, not everyone was like that.
"Oh, His Majesty the Demon King…"
"He must be out on inspection…"
A few of those who encountered me on the street bowed their heads deeply and did not raise them until I had passed by.
There were many who believed that the rumor of the Gate Incident being caused by me was a baseless lie spread by the empire.
After all, if I had caused it, there would be no reason for me to rescue and feed these humans.
Many people believed that the rumors about the Demon King were all false, and that the true Demon King was a benevolent being.
In reality, I was the one who quelled all of the Gate Incidents that occurred in this land and the archipelago on the first day, thus saving the entire archipelago.
I didn't speak of the truth or the lies.
From the beginning, I didn't become their king by gaining their support.
I ruled them with my power and maintained my throne with that power.
If the opposing forces grew too strong, I had the power to suppress them.
So whether the citizens hated or revered me, it didn't matter to me.
Some people hated me, while others revered me.
In truth, this has always happened in every nation throughout history.
After returning to the royal palace, in the main hall.
"Your Majesty, a murder has occurred in the southern district of the refugee camp."
"…Really?"
The fact that public order was unstable inevitably led to news of such crimes reaching me.
A murder case.
But upon hearing those words, I didn't feel shocked. Instead, I furrowed my brows, wondering what troublesome news it would be this time, and somehow, it no longer felt strange.
"Last night, two adult men got into an argument, resulting in one stabbing the other to death with a dagger. The perpetrator is currently in custody with the camp's security forces."
"…Investigate and if the crime is heinous, kill him. If not, send him to the labor camp."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
It wasn't surprising that the refugees' violent tendencies would suddenly surface.
They had come this far in dire straits, and their circumstances wouldn't allow for much generosity. Petty theft was uncountable, and extreme cases like this appeared frequently.
The important thing was that we couldn't establish a large-scale prison to accommodate them.
"Your Majesty, an officer in charge of the farmland beyond the eastern district of the refugee camp was caught stealing crops…"
"Send him to the labor camp."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
With the shortage of prisons to detain criminals, they inevitably received worse treatment than refugees.
Most of the prisoners were not held in prisons, but in large-scale isolation facilities, forced to perform labor. It was better to use them as laborers than to kill them and silence them.
At some point, everything started to seem like mere numbers.
"Your Majesty, last night…"
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty…"
"Your Majesty."
Literally.
I thought I would go insane.
After the administrative report was over, and as we walked down the hallway, Harriet cautiously asked.
"Why not take a few days off? I can handle the administration for a few days."
"I can't because you'll do better than me."
At my words, Harriet narrowed her eyes.
"Why? Isn't it good to do well?"
"Well, if you're faster at processing tasks and making wise decisions than me, what do you think those below us would think?"
"Ah…"
If the secretary below the king does a better job at ruling than the king himself, then naturally, distrust towards me would arise.
Of course, Harriet would make better decisions and process matters more swiftly than me in dealing with these headache-inducing issues.
"If you were to do this for the rest of your life, I would have nothing to say. But if it's just for a few days, it's better not to do it at all. For both your sake and mine."
It wasn't just out of a desire for power, but if I were to hand over the throne to Harriet completely, she would have to do this for the rest of her life.
If people were to witness Harriet's exceptional abilities while she filled in for me for a few days, they couldn't help but think of the moments when she had been in charge.
I mustn't let someone so outstanding take my place unless I intend to give it to them entirely.
"You're right. I hadn't considered that. I just thought you looked really tired..."
Harriet gently placed her hand on my forehead. Her slightly cold hand touched my skin.
Did I have a fever?
I wasn't sure.
"Hey, you cunning kid. How many times have I told you not to use your position to bother our majesty?"
Harriet's expression soured at the words that came from the end of the hallway.
It was Olivia Lanze, wearing a gray priest's robe.
"Ah, that sister is here again..."
"What, am I not allowed to come here?"
"Why does someone who should be at the substitution temple keep hanging around the royal palace?"
"You think I'm just going to let you lock me away in the substitution temple and have a good time with our majesty? You think I wouldn't know that you're dying to do that?"
"What are you even saying? You're despicable."
I watched blankly as the approaching Olivia and Harriet locked eyes in a heated stare.
Liana was a key combatant on the front lines.
Airi tended to the trauma of the refugees.
Harriet was my advisor and secretary, always at my side offering opinions.
"I have to give a sermon to the refugees who arrived today. I just came by to see our majesty's face before that."
Olivia Lanze was in charge of the Unified Holy Church.
So, in other words:
A religion similar to Protestantism was the mainstream faith on the Edina Archipelago, and Olivia Lanze was the leader of that church.
—---
The Demon God Cult forces that had been hiding in the Gelkorgis Desert.
According to Olivia's information, the Lord of Friday, Gallarush, had led them from the desert to the southern part of the continent.
The Demon King had created a country in the distant southern seas and had welcomed the Demon God Cult followers as citizens.
He had been able to organize a large fleet and bring tens of thousands of Demon God Cult followers to the archipelago.
However, of course, there were bound to be complications.
Their way of worship seemed bizarre even to me.
Primitive or cruel, perhaps?
From cannibalism to human sacrifices, they did all sorts of strange things in the name of pleasing the Demon God.
Naturally, this bred resentment, especially since they were not ordinary worshippers of the Five Great Gods but Demon God Cult followers engaging in such activities on a daily basis. They could never integrate with the general public.
So, under my orders, Olivia Lanze conducted a large-scale reformation of the Demon God Cult.
They saw me, the Demon King, as the representative of the Demon God.
They believed that I had been chosen by the two holy relics because the Gods and Demon Gods were, in fact, the same beings.
A long-standing misunderstanding.
Demons did not believe in demon-gods.
Believers of the Five Great Gods simply believed, but within the misunderstanding of humans, the peculiar faith of the Demon God was born. Nevertheless, the origin of their beliefs was fundamentally the same.
Hence, this was not a religious reformation, but rather an endeavor to unravel the age-old misunderstanding between humans and demons.
Naturally, neither the existing followers of the Five Great Gods nor the followers of the Demon God eagerly welcomed the idea of religious reformation.
Yet, I was chosen as the representative of the Demon God by the Great Gods themselves.
Furthermore, the fact that Olivia Lanze could use the divine powers of both Tu’an and Kier simultaneously served as evidence.
The followers of the Five Great Gods had to accept the Demon God.
The Demon God's followers had to understand that the Five Great Gods were, in fact, their true gods.
Therefore, they had to realize there was no need for cannibalism, human sacrifice, torture, or asceticism.
In this manner, we proceeded to unify the religions of the Five Great Gods and the Demon God.
The process was far from smooth.
There was fierce resistance from extremists, both among the priests of the Five Great Gods in the Edina Archipelago and among the followers of the Demon God.
These people, who had been taught to hate one another, had to accept that their roots were the same.
Consequently, many extremists from both the Demon God's followers and the Five Great Gods' followers claimed that Olivia Lanze and I were false prophets.
However, power was on our side.
I suppressed the extremists.
Those who insisted on adhering to absurd traditions were turned into the human sacrifices they so desperately desired.
Priests who shouted for heretical inquisitions were captured and tortured until they admitted the truth. They were made to preach in the public square, acknowledging the correctness of my words and that the Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same entity.
Although there was no extreme massacre, many people had to die.
The religious reformation of Olivia and me was concluded as evidence emerged.
Among them were those who accepted that the roots of the Demon Gods and the Five Great Gods were the same, including priests from both religions.
As a result of sincerely believing and understanding this, priests who could wield the power of the Demon God emerged, just like Olivia Lanze.
Priests of the Five Great Gods could now use the power of the Demon Gods, and those of the Demon God could use the power of the Great Gods.
This was evidence in itself.
The priests had to understand that these phenomena were undeniable evidence and proof of the truth.
The Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same entity.
Different beliefs about the same entity generated different powers.
Within this new understanding, the priests established a new religious concept called the Unified Holy Church, and Olivia Lanze became its leader.
In the Edina Archipelago, it was now common knowledge that the Great Gods and the Demon Gods were the same.
And spreading this truth and providing people with a new sanctuary of faith was the mission entrusted to Olivia.
Airi took care of short-term and extreme traumas.
The new faith, the Unified Holy Church, provided long-term solace for the heart.
Ideological changes occur easily in extreme situations, and within two years, the mainstream faith in the Edina Archipelago had become the Unified Holy Church.
The followers of the Demon God occasionally posed problems, but they no longer engaged in acts like cannibalism or human sacrifice. As the representative of the Great Gods, my command was obeyed by the followers of the Demon God.
In the end, the Demon God's followers were also human, and their integration was not overly difficult.
However, they were an army.
The priests of the Edina Archipelago and the power of the Five Great Gods' religious order were not that great to begin with.
The majority of the Demon God's priests now made up my own army, capable of using the divine power of the Great Gods.
It was true that a considerable number of the Demon God's priests had been dispatched to Fort Mokna.
Even from my perspective, the Demon God's priests, who could simultaneously use the powers of healing and curses, appeared as if they were the embodiment of some indescribable horror.
Watching them, I couldn't help but wonder if this was really okay.
In the end, everyone was busy living their own lives.
As Liana had said, looking at everyone taking on significant roles, it seemed there was hardly any difference between us and the Four Heavenly Kings.
Three of the Four Heavenly Kings in the demon realm were humans, after all.
Was this really alright?
Considering that, among the previous Heavenly Kings, Larken Simonstite was also human, it didn't seem like such a strange occurrence.
"Anyway, I'll be going. Your Majesty, don't overdo it yourself."
Olivia and I exchanged a few words, and she quickly left the palace due to a sermon schedule.
Although she was the leader of the Unified Holy Church, Olivia was, in effect, the person responsible for a very important aspect of the military power I possessed. On top of that, she was in charge of civilian political projects.
She was a religious leader, the Minister of Defense, and the person responsible for public projects all at once.
Without Olivia, my regime wouldn't collapse, but I would likely die from overwork.
With a sigh, Harriet watched Olivia's departing figure and narrowed her eyes.
"There will be an Elder Council meeting soon."
At Harriet's words, I nodded.
The Elder Council.
It had now become another name for the Vampire Council.
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