Chapter 01『E-Rank Miner』「The Demon King of the East doesn't want to go back.」
History is not woven solely by the swords of a handful of heroes.
The moment a starving soldier on the front lines shared his last hardtack with a comrade.
The fatal delay when a supply wagon with a broken wheel failed to cross a single bridge.
Or the despairing words muttered by a foolish king on his throne: “We can still fight.”
It is precisely the chain of such mundane and trivial choices that have built nations and reduced countless empires to ash.
Human Calendar 1287 — Crossdia Continent.
This vast world was steadily advancing toward a quiet end with clear footsteps.
Northern Front. The proud legions of the Northern Empire clashed with the demon army in the icy wilderness‚ and in just a few days‚ an entire division vanished forever from the operational map.
Western Front. On the border with the long-lived elves‚ a barren war of attrition had already dragged on for a century‚ with no victor to be found in the bloody quagmire.
Eastern Front. Under the Dragon King seated upon the inviolable sacred peaks‚ flocks of wyverns flew in on a whim and mercilessly burned cities along the defensive lines with unrelenting flames.
However‚ the greatest threat humanity should fear‚ and the world’s strongest military organization — the ‘Demon King’s Army’.
Only on the southern front facing them was a strange and unnatural strategic equilibrium maintained.
The trigger was ten years ago.
The Eastern Demon King suddenly vanished from his throne.
Some whispered convincingly that he “fell to the hero’s blade‚” while mages speculated he “was blown away to another dimension by an unknown ritual.”
But no one knew the truth.
The one absolute fact was that‚ from that day onward‚ the Eastern Demon King’s Army halted all external invasions and shifted into a perfect defensive posture.
It was an eerie silence‚ as if they were fanatically and single-mindedly awaiting the return of their throne’s master.
However‚ another colossal force vying for hegemony would not overlook this power vacuum.
The Western Demon King.
That militaristic leader who worshipped strength and conflict mobilized his army and began a fierce invasion into the eastern territories.
A full-scale war between demon races that divided the world — its aftermath alone wore down humanity’s national strength‚ and the world’s delicate balance that had barely been maintained was now approaching a critical point of collapse.
Humanity no longer had any strength left to withstand the next move.
If one more piece fell on the board — the world would be swallowed by decisive flames of war.
◇
The Round Table Conference Room‚ the highest decision-making body of the Human Alliance.
It was dominated by thick‚ oppressive despair.
The heads of state‚ veteran generals‚ and high-ranking clergy surrounding the round table had their gazes fixed on the massive operational map covering one entire wall.
Countless red flags continued to multiply across it like spots of an incurable disease.
They represented nothing less than the number of cities humanity had lost.
“…The Northern Third Fortress has fallen.”
The reporting officer’s dry voice echoed‚ but no surprise appeared on anyone’s face inside the room. The time when the fall of a single fortress could cause alarm had long since passed.
“The Western Demon King’s Army continues its large-scale invasion toward the eastern border. In response‚ the Eastern Demon King’s Army remains committed to an ironclad defense.”
“…Why isn’t the East launching an offensive?”
“It is unclear. Their strategic intentions remain completely incomprehensible.”
Everyone in the conference room shared a suffocating sense of suspicion.
For ten years‚ the strongest army had not taken a single step beyond the border.
That answerless silence carried a far deeper and more unsettling eeriness than the approaching violence from the West.
Eventually‚ as if to cut through the heavy atmosphere‚ an elderly high priest quietly stood up.
“…The time left to us is equal to the last grain of sand in an hourglass.”
The old man gazed at the world map with his deeply wrinkled face and declared the cruel truth.
“We must accept it. It is impossible to reverse this hopeless war situation with the power of humanity alone.”
There was not a single person who denied those words.
“In that case — we have no choice but to summon new hope from beyond the dimensions.”
The assembled leaders jerked their heads up.
It was the forbidden art that had been strictly sealed since the catastrophe a century ago.
The singularity that twisted the very laws of the world — ‘Otherworld Summoning.’
After a silence worth ten thousand deaths‚ the chairman‚ the King of the Southern Kingdom‚ nodded heavily as if shaving away his own lifespan.
“…We shall perform the Hero Summoning Ritual.”
Thus‚ a blood-curdling decision was made‚ staking the survival of humanity.
But none of those seated upon thrones and seats of power had any way of knowing.
That the being summoned across the sea of stars‚ bearing the collective wishes and despair of all humanity‚ was not a radiant ‘Hero’ who would save the world.
That it was the ultimate comedy (mismatch) — the very person who was once the ‘Eastern Demon King‚’ a man who loved punctual quitting time and peaceful daily life more than anything else in this world.
Fourth period Modern Literature.
Outside the window‚ a languid summer breeze quietly rustled the trees in the schoolyard.
The monotonous voice of the middle-aged teacher melted into the lukewarm classroom air along with the sound of chalk striking the blackboard.
“…This part will be on the final exam—”
No one was listening.
In the front rows‚ the girls whispered and giggled among themselves‚ while from behind came the sound of someone skillfully operating a smartphone under their desk.
A completely ordinary scene of second-year high school students in a typical regional city.
A peaceful‚ boring‚ harmless midday.
However‚ only in the best seat at the very back by the window sat one boy who was decisively ‘not ordinary.’
Shiki Takuto.
Even though it was early summer‚ he wore his hoodie pulled deep over his head‚ hunched his back as if avoiding the sunlight pouring in‚ and silently ran his pen across a thick university notebook.
On the well-worn cover‚ written boldly in black marker‚ were the words:
‘World Setting Ninth Edition’
“He’s writing again…”
“He really never gets tired of it‚ huh?”
The girls in front glanced back and giggled.
But Takuto paid them no mind. The surrounding noise no longer reached his ears. On the contrary‚ a satisfied smile even played on his lips at the beauty of the logic he had constructed.
‘Eastern Demon King Army – Logistics Organization’
‘Supply lines from the rear maintain a triple-layered structure’
‘The Demon King never moves his main camp as a non-combatant’
‘Complete autonomous organization through full authority delegation to the Acting Commander-in-Chief (CEO)’
“…Perfect.”
At the heartfelt murmur that slipped out‚ his friend next to him gave a wry‚ exasperated smile.
“Another isekai?”
“Yeah.”
“You really love this stuff.”
“Designing the world itself is way more fun than just writing a story.”
“So how many setting documents is that now?”
“I stopped counting after it passed a hundred.”
“Dude‚ are you making a huge RPG or something?”
Even in class‚ Takuto’s eccentric behavior was well-known.
He enjoyed manga and games like anyone else‚ but what he truly loved more than anything was ‘building settings.’
His own original magic theories‚ national tax systems‚ military logistics‚ the Demon King Army’s bureaucratic structure‚ politics‚ economics‚ geopolitics-based maps‚ and meticulously detailed historical timelines.
It had long surpassed the level of mere creative notes and was filled with an obsession to create an entire otherworld.
Therefore‚ his classmates’ unanimous evaluation was:
— ‘A hardcore setting otaku.’
He himself didn’t deny it at all. In fact‚ he even held the mysterious pride that “I can’t forgive fantasy with sloppy setting research.”
“If you’re going that far‚ why don’t you just post it on a novel site already?”
“It’s not time yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because the world’s setting isn’t fully complete.”
“That’s the kind of thing that’ll never be finished‚ like the Sagrada Familia.”
At his friend’s spot-on retort‚ small laughs leaked out from those around them.
Takuto couldn’t deny it either and shrugged with a resigned sigh.
“Well‚ even the Sagrada Familia will be finished if you wait a hundred years.”
It was a peaceful moment.
Throb—.
“…!”
Suddenly‚ a sharp pain pierced the back of his right eye.
Takuto unconsciously grimaced and pressed hard on his eye with his right hand. It was a mysterious eye pain that had been happening frequently lately.
“Eye again?”
“Yeah… just a bit.”
“Dude‚ seriously go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine.”
To his worried friend‚ Takuto forced a light smile while enduring the pain.
“It’s happened occasionally since I was a kid.”
Ever since he could remember‚ his right eye would sometimes burn with heat.
It felt as if some ‘immense something’ sleeping inside him was trying to break its seal and rampage — a creepy‚ crawling sensation.
Of course‚ he had visited ophthalmologists and neurosurgeons‚ but no medical abnormalities were found.
That was why Takuto himself had calmly concluded the cause of this symptom.
(…It’s definitely phantom pain from severe chuunibyou — a placebo effect.)
He thought there was still hope since he was self-aware of being a cringy person.
While having such self-deprecating thoughts‚ the long-awaited end-of-fourth-period bell rang.
Lunch break had arrived.
The classroom air was instantly liberated from the drowsiness of class and became lively.
“Let’s dash to the school store!”
“Today’s the day for cutlet curry!”
“Hurry‚ hurry‚ it’ll sell out!”
The endlessly peaceful and noisy daily life of hungry high school students.
But no one in that space had any way of knowing that this precious peace would be lost forever in just a few seconds.
Suddenly‚ the floor began to glow faintly white while drawing intricate geometric patterns.
“…Eh?”
As if the dazed voice of the girl in the front row was the signal.
The next instant‚ a blinding flash that burned the eyes engulfed the entire classroom space violently.
“Wh-what is this!?”
“An earthquake!? No‚ the windows…!”
“No‚ the floor is glowing— Kyaaaaah!”
Screams. Chaos. The sound of countless chairs being knocked over.
As the sense of gravity vanished and their consciousness was swallowed into a torrent of white light.
The last thing reflected in Takuto’s fading vision was that notebook left wide open and defenseless on his desk.
‘World Setting Ninth Edition’
(…Crap. I should’ve at least hidden it inside the desk…!)
In the face of the world’s crisis of collapse‚ the utterly trivial ‘terror of his dark history being exposed’ was the final thought.
Takuto and the entire second-year class vanished from the classroom along with the light.
The flash that burned the vision white slowly cleared.
The first thing that tickled their nostrils was the cold scent of stone accumulated over centuries and the sweet‚ heavy aroma of beeswax.
“Where… are we…?”
When Takuto blinked and opened his eyes‚ the familiar classroom scenery was gone.
Instead‚ what spread out was a luxurious and solemn white temple.
Dozens of marble pillars supported a vaulted ceiling so high it seemed to pierce the heavens. Sunlight streaming through stained glass vividly illuminated the long‚ deep red carpet. Its glow led straight to a dazzling throne.
Lined up on both sides were royal guard knights clad in practical silver-white armor stripped of all decoration.
Beyond them were nobles wearing ceremonial robes with intricate embroidery.
And at the altar‚ an elderly high priest in heavy vestments offered prayers with trembling hands.
“Isekai…?”
One of the classmates muttered in a shaking voice.
That single word became the fuse. The taut atmosphere in the space exploded all at once.
“No way!?”
“Is this some kind of prank!? Where’s the camera!”
“My phone! It’s out of range! Wait‚ it’s powered off!?”
“Can we go home!? Hey‚ Mom…!”
Screams and confusion cruelly shattered the solemn silence of the grand hall.
But in the midst of that panic‚ there was one boy who was extremely calm — or rather‚ observing the surroundings from a completely sideways perspective.
(…No mortar joints in the stonework. Magical bonding?)
(That arch structure disperses the weight of this massive ceiling using only the pillar arrangement.)
(Is gravity calculation different from Earth? No‚ the architectural style is extremely refined… I need to add this to the setting notes.)
Shiki Takuto was completely escaping reality.
Or rather‚ in his own mind‚ this was serious fieldwork. When thrown into an unknown environment‚ the first thing to do was to inspect the infrastructure and architecture to gauge the civilization level. That was the sad nature of a “setting otaku.”
Eventually‚ a middle-aged man stood up from the throne.
The intimidating presence of the man wearing a crown made even the panicking students involuntarily hold their breath.
“Heroes summoned from another world‚ the hope we have called forth.”
Everyone fell silent as if water had been poured over them.
“Please forgive the abrupt summoning. But our world now stands on the brink of destruction.”
With a grave expression‚ the king began to speak heavily.
The endless war with the demon race. The merciless trampling of territory by the dragon race. The exhaustion of each nation due to prolonged conflict.
And the final hope the Human Alliance clung to — ‘Hero Summoning.’
As the despairing situation was explained like a history book being read aloud‚ the color rapidly drained from the classmates’ faces.
But as if forcefully cutting through that heavy air‚ the elderly high priest stepped forward in front of the altar.
“From here‚ everyone will receive the *Heavenly Bestowal Ritual*.”
At the priest’s signal‚ a huge transparent crystal mounted on a pedestal was brought in.
“This is a ritual to measure the ‘power’ — the blessings this world has bestowed upon you all. Now‚ please place your hands.”
The first boy fearfully placed his hand on the crystal.
Immediately‚ a dazzling blue light overflowed from within.
‘B-Rank’
“Ohh!”
A murmur of relief and praise rose from the watching knights.
Starting with that‚ the measurements continued one after another.
‘A-Rank’
‘C-Rank’
‘S-Rank’
Each time a high rank appeared‚ the atmosphere in the temple grew more fervent.
Even the modern Japanese high school students forgot their initial fear and were wrapped in a sense of exhilaration as if they had become the protagonists of a game.
“Amazing…! I might be able to become a mage!”
“This is totally fantasy!”
“S-Rank is insane‚ right!?”
Takuto watched that excitement blankly from the very back.
(So these kinds of template worlds really do exist…)
Strangely‚ he felt no fear. Rather‚ his curiosity to compare the differences with the setting notes he had thought up was stronger.
“Next‚ Shiki Takuto-dono.”
His name was finally called.
“Yes.”
Without any tension‚ Takuto stepped forward and placed his right hand on the cold sphere’s surface.
For an instant.
Truly just an instant.
He thought he saw an ‘iridescent jet-black’ that swallowed everything pulse with a thump in the depths of the crystal.
— But the next moment.
All light vanished as if the power had been cut.
On the smooth surface‚ only a merciless text appeared.
‘E-Rank’
The grand hall froze.
“…E?”
“Never seen such a low number before.”
“Does that mean his magic power is… almost nonexistent?”
The knights whispered in bewilderment‚ and the elderly high priest deeply furrowed his brow.
In the awkward atmosphere‚ the ‘Skill Name’ then appeared.
‘Unique Skill: 《Clairvoyance》’
“…………”
Three seconds of complete silence.
And then.
“Eh.”
“Gross.”
The female students all at once averted their gazes from Takuto.
“Clairvoyance!? No way!”
“The worst!”
“Ugh… definitely don’t look this way.”
“It’s not—!”
Takuto frantically waved his hands in denial.
“It’s a misunderstanding! I just learned about it now too! Besides‚ I haven’t used it!”
Despite his desperate cry‚ the girls blatantly took three steps back.
The priests and knights also wore subtle expressions mixed with sympathy and contempt.
“…It can’t be helped. With no magic and that skill‚ we cannot expect him for frontline combat duties.”
“Rear support duties would be appropriate.”
The king stroked his chin and thought for a moment before quietly announcing his decision like a verdict.
“Shiki Takuto.”
“…Yes.”
“You will be assigned to mining duties at the mine north of the royal capital.”
“Mining‚ sir?”
“Indeed. Magic ore is a vital resource supporting our nation’s military. That too is a noble form of battle.”
It was obvious to everyone that he had been politely gotten rid of.
The surrounding classmates looked at him with pitying gazes from afar.
“So pitiful…”
“Forced labor all alone…”
“Being the weakest sucks…”
In that atmosphere filled with tragic pathos.
Only Takuto’s eyes were secretly sparkling.
“Um… is there a private room?”
“…Huh?”
“Even a shared dorm room like an octopus trap is fine‚ but if I could get a single room‚ it would be a huge help.”
For a moment‚ the king on the throne‚ the royal guard knights‚ and the students all lost their words.
“Th… three meals included?”
“…Y-yes. They are provided to workers.”
“Days off?”
“One day a week‚ but…”
“So I don’t have to participate in invasions of other countries or life-risking battles against demons‚ and I just need to mine ore until quitting time‚ right?”
“…Th-that is the plan.”
Takuto quietly but powerfully clenched a fist in a guts pose in front of his chest.
(This is the best…!)
War. Politics. The responsibilities of a hero. Mortal combat with the Demon King.
Completely unrelated to such pitch-black‚ stomach-ulcer-inducing work!
Mindlessly digging stones from morning till evening‚ then at night writing his beloved world settings in his room undisturbed by anyone.
To him‚ this was the first step toward the perfect‚ ideal ‘white workplace (※with one day off per week)’ that he had desperately longed for in modern Japan.
Therefore‚ with the brightest‚ most heartfelt smile of the day‚ he bowed deeply to the king.
“Understood! I humbly accept. Thank you very much!”
The solemn white temple was enveloped in an indescribably strange silence.
At the same time.
The farthest end of the continent where no human had set foot since the dawn of history — the Eastern Absolute Death Zone.
Obsidian castle walls piercing through thick sea of clouds‚ and invisible magical barriers covering the sky in multiple layers.
The impregnable fortress that served as the headquarters of the Eastern Demon King’s Army — Demon King Castle 《Nemesis》.
The core of the military organization hailed as the world’s strongest‚ which had plunged humanity into despair for a long time‚ was there.
The vast audience chamber was dominated by a leaden‚ heavy silence.
Gathered around the war council table were the highest executives leading the Eastern Army.
Dragonkin‚ majin‚ ogres‚ vampires‚ and beast demons.
Renowned legion commanders who could each destroy a country single-handedly were all assembled.
But even these battle-hardened warriors never directed their gazes toward the ‘Supreme Seat’ at the very back.
For ten years.
The throne that had lost its master and remained empty.
“…The Western Demon King Army has begun its second invasion.”
One of the intelligence staff read the war situation in an emotionless voice.
“Total enemy advancing force approximately 280‚000. Five days until they reach the Fifth Defensive Line.”
Silence.
No one showed any agitation. No‚ there was no need for agitation whatsoever.
Right beside the throne‚ at the adjutant’s seat‚ a girl quietly looked through a mountain of approval documents.
Silver long hair like melted starlight‚ a coldly refined beauty reminiscent of ice sculptures. She wore a well-tailored deep crimson military uniform.
Judging by appearance alone‚ she was a lovely girl not even twenty years old.
But not a single person in this place underestimated her.
Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Demon King’s Army — Flute.
“What about the Western Army’s supply routes?”
“As predicted‚ they are being maintained.”
“Advancement speed of the enemy’s right wing?”
“They are rushing ahead hot-bloodedly and are protruding three days ahead of the main force.”
Flute put down her fountain pen and ran a sharp gaze across the huge operational map spread on the table.
“Then we will cut off that right wing from the root.”
That single statement was an absolute military order.
The staff officers moved in unison like machines.
“Transmit to the Sixth Legion! Begin guerrilla maneuvers!”
“Third Wyvern Squadron‚ prepare for night raid!”
“Logistics disruption operation‚ proceed to Phase 2!”
There was no room for anyone to object. The tactics she declared as ‘winnable’ always brought victory.
That was the blood-stained achievement that had allowed her to defend the undefeated record for ten years without her master.
However.
One veteran old general opened his mouth with a bitter expression.
“…Acting Commander-in-Chief.”
“What is it?”
“How long do you intend for us to continue this fruitless exclusive defense?”
The air in the audience chamber grew tense. The old demon paid no heed to the restraining gazes around him and continued.
“We have protected it. Our territory and our oath to that person… It has been ten years. Isn’t that enough? Why not strike out and eradicate those fools in the West—”
“Rejected.”
Flute’s voice carried no emotion whatsoever.
It was cold and unwavering like an absolute-zero blizzard.
She slowly turned her head and looked up at the solitary throne where no one sat.
“Demon King-sama will definitely return.”
It was not a wish‚ but a declaration backed by iron will.
The old general let out a short sigh.
“…On what basis?”
“None.”
Even as she answered immediately‚ not a shred of doubt appeared in Flute’s eyes.
“However‚ Demon King-sama is not one to go against reason. He is not the kind of irresponsible person who would abandon a once-laid perfect system.”
Faced with that intense trust‚ the legion commanders could only fall silent.
Because they too knew‚ with hair-raising reverence‚ the back of that unfathomable ruler who had coldly overlooked the war situation more than anyone‚ rationally weighed lives on the scales more than anyone‚ and foresaw the distant future more than anyone.
— It was then.
Clink.
The small black crystal placed on Flute’s table trembled faintly.
There was no wind‚ and no one had touched it. Yet from the depths of the jet-black crystal‚ a faint‚ divine golden light began to overflow like a pulse.
“…!”
Flute stood up as if she had been flicked.
The ice mask peeled away‚ and for the first time‚ intense agitation ran across her beautiful face.
“The wavelength… matches…?”
For ten years‚ the silent stone that had never once shone.
It was the proof of a master-servant contract that synchronized magical wavelengths‚ the only super-domain magical device that directly connected the absolute ruler Demon King with her alone.
The golden light gradually intensified.
As if rejoicing at awakening from a long sleep and announcing its return to the world.
Flute placed her trembling hands gently upon that radiance as if in prayer.
And then.
With a smile of bliss that looked like she was about to cry — one she had never shown her subordinates — as if everything had been rewarded‚ she softly whispered.
“…Welcome back.”
Leaving only that affectionate whisper in the audience chamber.
The figure of the loyal Acting Commander-in-Chief quietly vanished along with the light of teleportation.
Northern mine‚ far from the royal capital’s bustle. On his first day of assignment.
Under an evening sky dyed in a poisonous crimson‚ the miners who had finished a day’s labor wiped their soot- and sweat-covered faces and returned to the lodging with heavy steps.
“This is your room starting today.”
The elderly guide pushed open the creaking wooden door.
“…It’s small‚ but it’s a private room at least.”
“It’s more than enough.”
The interior was so plain that even the word ‘austere’ felt too generous.
A scarred wooden desk. A wobbly chair. A hard bed with only a thin blanket. And a small empty bookshelf. Through the window‚ only barren rock faces and mountain ridges were visible.
But Takuto trembled with joy and nodded deeply.
(…Not bad. No‚ this is the best.)
It was quiet. No one would interfere or disturb him.
At night‚ he could immerse himself in writing his setting notes (notebook) as much as he wanted in this space.
“Dinner is from six in the cafeteria. Don’t be late.”
“Thank you.”
After the old man left‚ solitude arrived.
Takuto placed his luggage on the desk and‚ first of all‚ took out that notebook.
‘World Setting Ninth Edition’
He gently stroked the well-worn cover with affection.
“…Isekai‚ huh.”
He never thought the day would come when he would truly be thrown into a fantasy world like the one he had been building in his delusions.
Still‚ panicking now wouldn’t accomplish anything.
First‚ secure a living base‚ gather information‚ work seriously‚ and simply live quietly.
Peace and safety — that was the supreme ideal.
“Yeah‚ an ideal start.”
He nodded deeply.
At least in his own perception‚ this was a more-than-perfect first step.
◇
Midnight.
The mine lodging was wrapped in a death-like silence.
The only sound from outside the window was the dry wingbeats of nameless night insects.
Takuto lay spread-eagled on the hard bed and let out a deep sigh of genuine relief.
“Today was tiring…”
Forced summoning to another world. Despairing ability measurement. The lowest E-Rank. And mining labor in the frontier.
Objectively‚ it would be a tragic first day thrown into the depths of life.
But his impression was different.
(Not bad‚ surprisingly.)
It was far better than being sent to the front lines‚ which would be nothing short of madness.
He didn’t have to get involved in the bloody power struggles or human relationships in the royal castle either.
If he could casually dig stones every day and then refine his settings undisturbed in this quiet space at night‚ it might even be more enjoyable than when he was in modern Japan.
“Good night…”
That gentle invitation to sleep was suddenly cut off.
Throb.
“…!?”
The back of his right eye burned fiercely as if a red-hot poker had been thrust into it.
At the same time‚ an intense heat like boiling magma flowing backward ran through the blood vessels of his right arm.
“What… is this…!”
A voice filled with agony leaked out. From the cuff of the right arm he held‚ along with pitch-black miasma‚ a ‘pattern’ slowly rose to the surface of his skin.
It was a beautiful yet blasphemous crest where multiple ominous dragons intricately intertwined.
He himself had no way of knowing.
That it was the mark of the absolute ruler — the 《Eastern Demon King》 — who had once plunged all humanity in this world into the depths of despair.
Suddenly‚ a faint black-purple flash ran across the crude plank floor.
Geometric formulas overlapped in layers‚ forming a complex magic circle that began to rotate quietly.
“Eh…?”
The glow gradually increased in intensity‚ and the space itself began to resonate and tremble faintly.
The entire room fell silent as if holding its breath before an overwhelming ‘mass.’
(What… is this? It’s the same as the summoning technique during the day‚ but the presence is far denser and more dangerous—)
And then.
From the center of the magic circle‚ a woman silently manifested.
Silver hair as if spun from moonlight.
A luxurious military uniform based on jet-black and deep crimson with no waste whatsoever.
An unparalleled beauty that was cold as ice and dignified.
There was not a single gap the size of a needle’s eye in her bearing.
After descending into the room‚ she glanced around vigilantly.
The crude wooden walls where drafts blew through. The scarred small desk. The plain bed. A frontier mine lodging.
After instantly processing all of it as information.
Without the slightest hesitation‚ she quietly knelt on one knee before Takuto‚ who was sitting dumbfounded on the bed.
Placing her right hand on her chest‚ she bowed her head deeply‚ deeply.
It was the highest salute of a vassal offered to the one and only absolute ‘King.’
The silver-haired girl opened her trembling lips‚ and with a dignified voice tinged with the burning passion she had suppressed for ten years in the depths of her frozen heart‚ she spoke.
“…Welcome back.”
Pouring all her emotions into it‚ after one beat.
“—My lord‚ Demon King-sama.”
An overwhelmingly emotional reunion. A profound drama of master and servant.
However‚ Takuto simply kept blinking with his mouth open in a dumbfounded expression.
“…………”
After a few seconds of deflating silence.
Eventually‚ he scratched his cheek awkwardly with a troubled look and said with a strained‚ polite smile.
“Um… this is probably a case of mistaken identity‚ right?”
The moment that completely out-of-place and anticlimactic remark echoed.
Flute’s perfect icy beauty froze with a audible *crack*.
“…Eh?”
The Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Demon King’s Army‚ who led the world’s strongest army and was feared for her cold ruthlessness.
That genius’s mind completely froze for the first time in her life.
End of Chapter 01 ‘E-Rank Miner’
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