Chapter 39: The Tyrant’s Decree and the Cracks Within the Demon Army

“Has…has…Joey energy…I have to make up for all the scent I haven’t inhaled for so long…”

Veiweiya buried her face in Joey’s body, sniffing wildly like a spoiled cat.

“That’s why I didn’t want to come back…”

Joey looked at Aiki beside him and spoke.

“Just thinking about this guy being in the Demon World gives me a headache…”

“To defeat her, I have to go all out. It’s exhausting…”

“I should’ve just thrown her into the Dungeon back then…”

“Don’t even think about it…”

Veiweiya rubbed her cheek fiercely against Joey’s face.

“Joey couldn’t bear to throw me into the Dungeon anyway…”

“Then you really underestimate me…”

Joey pushed Veiweiya aside.

“Enough! Stop bothering me, I’m eating…”

But the moment he pushed Veiweiya away, a huge sword was pressed against his nose.

“What do you want now…”

Joey frowned at the blonde woman in front of him.

The golden-haired woman’s eyes were sharp, a red cloak draped over her shoulders, and she gripped a massive silver-blue sword.

“Joey! You’ve been away from the Demon World for so long, what exactly are you doing?”

She lifted Joey’s chin with her sword.

“You haven’t even returned to the Demon King’s Castle. Lady Veiweiya weeps every day because of you—such dereliction! What a disgrace!”

“Huh?”

Joey pinched the greatsword with his fingers, moved it aside, then walked up to the blonde, tilting his head.

“So you do worry about me…how thoughtful…Leona.”

“I…I didn’t mean it that way!”

The blonde beauty shook her head in a panic.

“If that’s so, why not just abdicate and make Lady Veiweiya the Demon King.”

“And you, you’re only fit to be…be…her consort…”

The more she spoke, the more she stuttered, her gaze growing evasive.

Joey sensed something from the blonde beauty before him.

On the side, Veiweiya chimed in.

“What are you talking about, Leona? Though I’m well matched with Joey, you can’t go saying things about usurping the throne…”

She pulled Joey into her embrace as she spoke.

“I’ll just barely manage as his Queen.”

“I…is that so…then I agree for the two of you to…to…”

Leona’s voice weakened until finally she covered her face with both hands and collapsed to the ground in despair.

“Leona…what’s wrong?”

Veiweiya hurried over to Leona’s side.

Leona looked at Veiweiya, her eyes red.

“Ugh…no…I can’t! Lady Veiweiya…I really can’t say it…I…I don’t know why…my heart feels so heavy…”

Leona…

One of the four Demon King Cadres, and a former subordinate of Demon King Successor Veiweiya…

Though she seems a bit off in the head, Joey thought she was interesting, so he dragged her in as a Cadre to see how she’d boss Veiweiya around…

So…

From Joey’s perspective, all these restless folks are trying to usurp the throne…

A former Demon King Successor, a subordinate of the Demon King Successor, a Vampire Queen, and a Necromancer he dragged in…

But Joey actually found this fun…

After all, with his stats, he could easily deal with these people…

“Ha? Didn’t we rehearse this so many times?”

Veiweiya patted Leona’s shoulder, as if encouraging her.

“Come on…”

“Take a deep breath…”

“Just like I taught you before…”

“Say it with me…”

“I…agree…for you two…to become husband and wife!”

“Say it! Say it!”

Veiweiya shook Leona’s head madly.

“Hey…stop bullying Leona…”

Joey frowned at the two troublemakers.

“Even if she says it, I’m not marrying you…”

“You two really did rehearse lines in private, didn’t you?”

“No way, no way…”

Veiweiya waved her hands frantically.

“It’s just the will of the people, the will of the people…”

“She doesn’t represent any public opinion, Veiweiya.”

The shota shook his head.

“But since all of you are here, I’ll say something…”

“Zixuan, for disobeying my orders and enacting private punishment on my mission target, was thrown into the Dungeon by me.”

“So what I want to say is…”

“Usually I don’t mind if you goof off, even if you fail a mission I won’t punish you…”

“But…”

“If someone inserts their own agenda into the missions I assign…”

“Especially if it threatens my life or the interests of the Demon World…”

“I’ll show no mercy and punish you according to the Law of the Demon Realm.”

“So, you idiots, behave yourselves…”

Joey’s words made everyone present serious.

Except for Chiyang, who had just swallowed an entire roast suckling pig and was now picking up a roast chicken to tear off the drumstick.

Seeing everyone’s expressions, Joey felt his speech was a huge success.

But behind him, Aiki thought in her heart…

Young master’s serious face is so cute too…

So fierce and adorable…

I want to rub my face against his tummy like Miss Veiweiya…

Meanwhile, Veiweiya thought…

Now this is more like a Demon King…

I’ve been fed up with Zixuan for a while…

As soon as anyone mentioned Joey, she’d bristle…

A Demon King should be a tyrant! Do whatever he wants! If he’s annoyed, lock her in the Dungeon.

Veiweiya narrowed her eyes, looking at Joey with doting affection.

And beside Veiweiya, Leona was thinking…

I should’ve been more assertive when saying ‘husband and wife’ just now…

Why…

Just thinking about Lady Veiweiya marrying Lord Joey…

Why does my heart ache so much…

Just imagining it feels like I’m being sliced into pieces…

No one was intimidated by Joey’s speech, but since he couldn’t read minds, he felt pleased with himself.

“Oh…one more thing…”

Joey suddenly remembered, pointing to Chiyang, who was about to devour a whole roast chicken.

“She’ll be replacing Zixuan as the new Cadre.”

“Huh? What?”

Chiyang, hearing her name, lifted her oily face and frowned at Joey.

“Any objections?”

Joey looked at the surrounding Cadres.

Veiweiya shook her head. No matter what Joey decided, she would always support him.

Aiki shook her head too, expressing no objection.

Only Leona slammed the table and stood up.

“Outrageous!”

“Joey! Such a decision is absurd…”

“First you recruit a Human-Dwarf hybrid, filling the place with garbage every day!”

“And now some useless person of unknown origin is made a Cadre!”

“Then let me ask…”

Joey interrupted, looking at Leona.

“Miss Leona, as a Cadre under me for ten years, what achievements do you have?”

The shota looked at Leona playfully.

“…”

Leona’s face darkened, then she rushed at Joey.

“My situation today is all because of your laziness!!”

“No world conquest! No dispatching of troops! My forces haven’t been deployed in ages!!”

Joey’s face turned cold, and with a flick of Magic, Leona was forced to her knees instantly.

“Ugh!!!”

Leona grunted in defiance, but couldn’t withstand Joey’s power and collapsed.

“So what you meant is…having troops is only for war?”

Joey’s expression grew colder.

Flashes of his parents perishing in the flames of war in his previous life crossed his mind.

“Of course…”

Even on her knees, Leona’s golden eyes blazed.

“If you don’t use soldiers for war, what’s the point of an army???”

Just as Leona was about to keep ranting, Joey stepped on her face with his foot.

“Leona, I’ve said it before. I hate war, and things like world conquest disgust me…”

“Your soldiers, to me, are just walls to protect the people…”

“And to me, you’re just another soldier…”

“If I want Chiyang to be a Cadre today, she is. If I don’t want you, I’ll replace you with a dog tomorrow…”

“Also…”

The shota looked at the Cadres with disdain, crossing his legs and resting Leona like a rug beneath his feet, his head propped in his hand.

“Which of you became a Cadre because of any real achievements?”

“Is there anyone I can’t live without?”

“Don’t forget…you trash! Scum! Rabble!!!”

“The only reason I made you Cadres was because I thought it would be fun to mess with you…”