Chapter 17: The Demon King’s New Era

“How could a Human become the Demon King…”

Arya stared at Joey, who was sitting on top of her.

“What’s so impossible about it?”

Joey looked at Arya’s disbelieving face and rolled his eyes.

“Dwarves can be mixed-blood with Humans. What’s so strange about a Human Demon King…”

“Those two things don’t really have anything to do with each other…”

Arya looked helplessly at Joey in front of her.

“That’s not the point…”

Joey tilted his little head at Arya.

“Didn’t you want all races to coexist in harmony?”

“Let me show you…”

“Eh?”

“Uwaaahhhh!!!”

The next moment, Joey pulled Arya and her Grandma onto the back of a giant red dragon and flew toward the Demon World.

They flew for about an hour before landing at a certain place.

“How is it! Riding a dragon is cool, right!!”

Joey boasted to Arya, proud.

“I…yue!!! I’m afraid of heights…”

Arya vomited wildly with her Grandma supporting her.

“As a Demon King, you really do as you please…”

“I’m just eager for talented people…”

Joey scratched his head in embarrassment.

“Where is this…”

Arya only lifted her head after a while.

“This… looks like a small town from ten years ago…”

It was a town that looked very harmonious, but unlike a Human settlement…

Everyone around was Demon Race.

A Blood Clan member was buying tomatoes from a horse Beastman under an umbrella.

A Demon wife and a bull Beastman husband were strolling down the street.

A Werewolf child happily played with a sheep Beastman child.

“This is the Demon Race’s Trade City-State.”

Joey looked at the harmonious scene and smiled gently.

“It’s also the first thing I did after becoming Demon King.”

“All Demon Race, able to coexist in harmony.”

“All of them?”

Arya looked at the scene and felt her nerves relax.

Such a thing…

Is it really possible?

Humans fight over a few pieces of land, but the cute-looking Demon King before her…

Could actually gather all races to coexist in harmony…

“It’s really romantic…”

Arya shook her head at the sight.

“But…I won’t make weapons for you just because of one or two prosperous scenes.”

“And the Humans would consider me and Grandma traitors for it.”

“Make weapons?”

Joey tilted his head.

“No…”

“Weren’t you the one who wanted to build a beautiful city-state?”

“Eh?”

Arya looked at the Demon King in surprise.

“No one on the Human side supports you in building a city-state, but the Demon Race will…”

Joey looked at Arya.

“I… have a dream…”

Joey gazed at the peaceful scenery under the sunset, smiling softly.

“I want, one day, for the Demon Race and Humans to put aside their grudges and sit together peacefully under the same sky.”

“A bit foolish, right?”

Joey smiled innocently at Arya.

Arya looked at the boy before her and felt her heart skip.

“Not foolish at all…”

Arya raised her hand and walked up to Joey.

“But… how is that possible?”

“Nothing is impossible…”

Joey shook his head.

“After all, the war between Demons and Humans has already stopped for ten years…”

“So I think taking another step isn’t a problem…”

“Are you really that confident?”

Arya pressed on.

“I can’t do it alone…”

Joey’s gaze fell on Arya.

“So, Miss Arya, what do you think…”

“Will you return to your original life, let yourself be stained with your own people’s blood, and muddle through the rest of your days?”

“Or join us and realize your own dream?”

“I…I…”

“Arya…”

At that moment, Arya’s Grandma, the short Beastman, nodded.

“Do what you want to do…”

“I know too, that Demon King boy has done a lot of work, right…”

“He probably saw those City Blueprints on your desk.”

“Kuku…Grandma found out…”

Joey stuck out his tongue.

“Don’t let an old woman like me hold up your future.”

Ahhh… The plan worked…

A little devil in Joey’s heart leapt up.

That’s right… It was all my plan!

First seduction, then swearing loyalty, like Liu Bei visiting Zhuge Liang three times—I’m just…

Even the lines are from hot-blooded anime!

And the lighting! The most important part is the lighting.

Let my gaze look sultry and pure as moonlight in her eyes.

Finally…

Because of her admiration and ideals for me, she joins us.

I even deliberately mentioned dreams and future so her Grandma would help me persuade her…

A light hum…

“But Grandma!”

Arya was conflicted.

“You know, if we help the Demon Race, the Humans will hunt us down.”

“Isn’t that easy?”

Joey smiled.

“If it’s on the Human side…”

“I’ll just create an accident that makes you both die unexpectedly…”

***

Two days later…

The Weapon Shop of the Arya family in Entia Kingdom was reduced to rubble by a mysterious explosion.

Arya and her Grandma also vanished in that explosion, with only some scraps of their clothes found.

It was determined by Entia Kingdom to be an accidental death caused by an explosion from unstable weapons.

It was worth mentioning that aside from Arya and her Grandma, there were almost no other casualties in the explosion.

However, Arya’s City Blueprints and some equipment disappeared as well.

On the other side…

The first Steam Engine appeared in the Demon World.

And the ones who made it were Arya and her Grandma.

“Kuku… My personal charm is still this strong…”

Joey stood before Aiki, smug.

“Why did you have to tell Arya directly about your identity as Demon King, Young Master?”

Aiki asked doubtfully from the side.

“And I personally think intimidation and bribery would be more efficient.”

“That’s why you’re all idiots… I’m a genius…”

Joey rolled his eyes at Aiki.

“For idiots like you, violence is enough…”

“But someone like Arya won’t fall for that. Sincerity is the real trump card…”

“I shouldn’t be that stupid either…”

Aiki replied with a blank face, but a hint of resentment in her tone.

“You’re a little better than those big fools…”

Joey said, looking at Aiki.

“That’s already the highest praise from this Demon King. How about it…”

“You really don’t know how to compliment someone.”

“Tch… ungrateful…”

“That’s it, then. Let Arya work. You, me, and Chiyang, let’s go back to the Human side.”

Joey let out a sigh.

“Hmm? Is there something else?”

Aiki frowned.

“You finally came back, don’t you want to see the Demon King executives?”

At this, Joey shuddered all over.

He remembered those tall, beautiful Beastman executives always pestering him to spar.

“No way… Being with that bunch of idiots will just make me dumber.”

“Let’s go quickly. I still want to see what Human schools are like!!”

The shota tugged energetically at Aiki’s sleeve as he spoke.

“Slow down. We’re not going back on foot. Chiyang is waiting for you up ahead…”

School…

Aiki suddenly remembered something…

On the crystal ball…

Young Master seemed to lose his power wearing a certain school’s uniform…

Which meant…

Aiki stared at Joey’s back, the corners of her mouth finally curving into a sickly smile.

***

In the ruins of the Weapon Shop…

A figure stood up…

Rather than a person, it was more like a walking corpse.

The woman wore a thief’s night outfit and held the Magic Sword in her hand.

“Master… how ruthless you are…”

If Joey were here, he’d realize the woman’s voice was the same as the Magic Sword’s.

“Good thing this woman came to steal before the shop collapsed, giving me the chance to seize her body…”

“Lord Joey… It seems you really want to kill me…”

“Then… I won’t show you mercy anymore…”