The meeting concluded, and the Demon King collaborated with Eirene to draft the proclamation.
During the drafting process, the Demon King drank warm milk more than anything else.
As luxury items were eliminated, even the imperial family had to drink the same milk as the common people.
Fortunately, it seemed to suit the Demon King’s taste.
A few days later, a proclamation was issued by the Emperor, permitting the demons to freely move within a designated area near the dungeon.
The implementation date was three days after the proclamation was announced.
Public opinion, surprisingly, wasn’t bad.
Most of the citizens in the capital, who had directly encountered the Demon King, welcomed the measure.
Even vassals with pro-reconciliation sentiments, as well as those who were neutral, saw the decision as beneficial.
They preferred yielding a small portion of territory to avoid war, which would have led to the deaths of hundreds or even thousands in battles against the demons.
Considering the populace had barely begun recovering from plagues and heavy taxes, another significant loss of life would have been devastating.
Even if one intended to challenge the Emperor, he currently had the strong support of both the clergy and the majority of the people.
‘You might overthrow a tyrant in the name of establishing a new order, but how many vassals would dare plot against an emperor steadily gaining recognition as a virtuous ruler?’
***
However, the problem wasn’t the citizens of the capital, but those living near the dungeon’s entrance.
“Are we the ones who’ll have to endure the miasma now?”
“They promised it wouldn’t harm us if we avoided direct exposure. Besides, it seems like a matter of survival for them, and His Majesty is providing us with support.”
“I know that. It’s not like I’m opposing His Majesty’s will… It’s just, well… something about it feels…”
The people who had to interact directly with the demons found it hard to embrace this change.
The proclamation, jointly drafted by the Emperor and the Demon King, clarified that the miasma only caused minor discomfort and had no adverse effects on human health.
The demons, simply by existing, exuded miasma and couldn’t survive without sunlight.
While one could rationalize that accommodating them was a small price to pay for preserving lives, the reality left many with mixed emotions.
The Demon King had anticipated this reaction.
‘If we only extend generosity, humans may eventually grow weary. That’s why we must offer something in return,’ he argued, which became a pivotal point in his decision-making.
Yet, despite the abruptness of the proclamation, public sentiment among the border towns remained steady and even leaned positive.
“Don’t worry. It’s all part of Igogodon’s will.”
“Remember when the priests came here a while ago and rebuilt our village for free? Without that, we’d have starved to death already.”
“Yeah, there must be some wisdom in Igogodon’s straightforward facts.”
This support was largely due to the overwhelming faith in the deity Igogodon and the saint Erin, which had cemented the church’s popularity.
The countless charitable activities carried out under the slogan, ‘A plate of truth for every non-believer,’ had deeply resonated with the people.
***
Finally, the implementation date arrived, and humanity and demons began walking a path of coexistence that no one in history had ever traversed before.
Having finished reading the manga, I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.
[Igogodon: Hey, listen.]
[Igogodon: I didn’t really start donating out of some noble desire to spread love.]
[Igogodon: I just… did it because it was fun.]
At this point, I’d gotten used to the author glorifying me in the manga.
But being portrayed as such a benevolent and divine figure… It felt nice, but mostly embarrassing.
‘It’s not like I’m as great as the characters claim I am,’ I thought.
To be honest, the first time I decided to help Erin was simply because she looked cute.
And the ongoing donations? Those were just for the dopamine rush I got from being praised.
Still, the author was resolute in their stance.
[MoneyPlease: That’s not true.]
[MoneyPlease: The power of a god can do anything.]
[MoneyPlease: It can light up the world or destroy it entirely.]
[Igogodon: Haha, no, really, I just donate for fun…]
[MoneyPlease: Even so, our world has improved greatly thanks to your support.]
[MoneyPlease: The corrupt religious institutions have been reformed, and now they work harmoniously with the empire.]
[MoneyPlease: Many people are smiling because of you.]
[MoneyPlease: So, calling your actions an expression of love wouldn’t be an exaggeration.]
‘Is that… so?’
Being praised so openly made me feel shy.
‘Well, it’s just a manga, right? No need to overthink it. I should just enjoy the compliments.’
[Igogodon: Haha, fine. Be grateful you’ve met such a great god.]
[MoneyPlease: Of course. We are always grateful, Igogodon.]
Feeling flustered, I scrolled up to take a break from the conversation.
My eyes landed on a panel where Eirene, wearing an apron and holding a small bell, was offering a lap pillow.
***
Lately, I found myself re-reading old chapters of this manga whenever I got bored.
The main reason? Erin.
Her art style grew more stunning with each passing update, almost unbelievably so.
Even within the story, Erin was recognized as a great beauty.
Sure, most characters were drawn as beautiful anime girls, but Erin felt particularly special.
Perhaps that’s why re-watching Erin’s scenes before a new chapter was uploaded had become a hobby of mine.
Oh, and earlier, I mentioned there were two standout characters, didn’t I?
The other one was Eirene.
Every time she appeared, she stole the scene effortlessly.
And visually? She was a perfect strike right into my preferences.
Among all the characters in the story, Eirene was the one most closely connected to the “me” in reality.
Even now, I can’t quite wrap my head around the madness of an author who creates a self-insert character just because I donated money.
The fact that they had me fill out a questionnaire was proof enough.
It was probably to ensure that the personality and speech of the character wouldn’t deviate from how I might actually act.
It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but the way they portrayed not just my appearance but also my likely actions and speech in various situations made it so much easier to immerse myself in the story.
Anyway.
Now Eirene was suddenly playing the “Mommy” role?
Sure, the recipient was the Demon Queen, but some of the panels were drawn from her perspective, which made it all the more immersive.
That’s right. The Demon Queen.
I asked for a design “that would be advantageous for persuasion,” but I didn’t expect her to be turned into a little girl.
I figured she’d take on a humanoid form—that much was within my expectations.
I had imagined she’d look like the typical succubus-style older sister Demon Queen.
To be honest, I’m not particularly into characters designed like young girls, but—
Regardless of preferences, a cute child doing cute things is undeniably charming.
The way she made little “boop-boop” noises as she walked was adorable.
Her tiny wings were so endearing that they made you want to pet her and protect her.
I did feel a bit guilty about turning her into a child, but—
Since even the villagers found her adorable, and she seemed to be healing from the attention, maybe this worked out for the best.
***
[Igogodon: Wow, this chapter really put a lot of effort into Eirene. Great work. It was super fun.]
[Igogodon: Now this is what I call a manga, haha. Mommy Empress content is just so good.]
[Igogodon: The god is extremely satisfied with this chapter.]
[MoneyPlease: It’s only natural for Lady Eirene to deeply follow the will of the divine.]
[MoneyPlease: I’m glad it brought you joy.]
[Igogodon: And seriously, why are her proportions so over-the-top? That imperial pocket is insane, lol.]
[Igogodon: Are we going to see her in nothing but an apron? I’m already excited!]
[MoneyPlease: Understood.]
[MoneyPlease: I will make an effort to allow such observations.]
Huh?
Their response seemed unusually subdued.
Normally, they’d reply with something like, “It’s fortunate that the overflowing imperial pocket pleases you, Igogodon-sama,” or, “Lady Eirene, as one who loves you, will surely respond with something even greater than a simple apron soon enough,” all while maintaining a brazen tone despite being the one who drew it.
‘Are they playing the shy type this time?’
Well, it wasn’t a big deal. I could let it slide.
What I really wanted to ask was something else entirely.
[Igogodon: By the way, the term “miasma” keeps popping up here.]
[Igogodon: Is it really that harmful to humans?]
[MoneyPlease: Rather than harmful… as the Demon Queen explained, it merely causes a fundamental feeling of discomfort.]
[MoneyPlease: It might make one feel nauseous or generally unwell, but that’s the extent of it.]
[Igogodon: So why doesn’t the Demon Queen emit miasma?]
[MoneyPlease: That’s simple. It’s the “divine power.” With divine power, the miasma emanating from the Demon Queen has been altered so that humans don’t feel discomfort.]
[MoneyPlease: Additionally, the world’s response also ensured that the Demon Queen wouldn’t mind being treated as a child, as it aids communication.]
[MoneyPlease: After all, if her highly persuasive appearance caused hostility, it would go against the divine will.]
I see.
So humanity’s instinctive wariness of demons wasn’t just because of their monstrous appearance or lack of communication, but also because of the miasma they emitted, which triggered a visceral aversion.
Given how much concern the Demon Queen expressed, it seemed likely this was one of the root causes.
From the demons’ perspective, the miasma was a necessity for survival.
Thus, it made sense for humans to tolerate it for the greater good.
‘But there are always people who bear the brunt of the loss in their own lives for the sake of a larger cause.’
Sure, the capital’s citizens could find the Demon Queen cute and live far from the dungeon entrance.
They could afford to speak lightly of coexistence.
But for those living near the dungeon, who had to coexist with demons directly, it was undoubtedly a tough pill to swallow.
The manga captured that nuance well.
No matter how righteous or virtuous compromise may be, it’s still not something that should be taken for granted.
That’s what I believed.
Compromise was a noble act.
After all, isn’t it about enduring financial, temporal, or emotional loss for the sake of others?
I wanted to acknowledge the nobility of “ordinary people.”
Even if no one else did—like how the world often relies on those who quietly dedicate their youth to a cause—their efforts deserved recognition.
Neglecting that would inevitably cause trouble.
Of course, the villagers were essentially extras.
Even the capital’s citizens were extras.
Spending money on a nameless background character who gets a single line in the manga?
It might seem a little silly—
But, ‘The author did say the world was improving because of me.’
Even extras understood me.
So.
Even if they were extras, I couldn’t just overlook them.
Maybe in the real world, acts of compromise often went unacknowledged, but—
At least in this world where I was a god, I wouldn’t let that happen.
A god should care for even the unseen.
And if that wasn’t reason enough—
‘I’m the one who ends up frustrated when another uncomfortable scene comes up about miasma or whatever, right?’
The Demon Queen, who booped around adorably in her human form, might feel helpless and sad.
To prevent such situations and ensure my enjoyment, I needed to act now.
[Igogodon: So.]
[Igogodon: If we just resolve the miasma issue, there won’t be any more problems, right?]
[MoneyPlease: That’s correct. However, altering the miasma itself would be a fundamental change, requiring considerable divine power.]
[Igogodon: No, I’m not saying to completely overhaul the miasma—that would just make it harder for demons to adapt.]
[Igogodon: Just remove the discomfort humans feel.]
[Igogodon: Keep everything else the same. How much divine power would that require?]
[MoneyPlease: For that adjustment, approximately 73,000 won’s worth of divine power would suffice.]
‘Wow, that’s a bargain.’
The thought popped into my head, and I chuckled at myself.
73,000 won. It was cheaper than I’d expected, though maybe I’d grown desensitized to spending money.
At first, I’d only thrown in a few 1,000-won punches, but still.
Compared to the value of having daily manga updates, it was a small price to pay.
Without hesitation, I placed my fingers on the number pad.
“There’s a reason behind Igogodon-sama’s simple truths.”
That’s right, nameless farmer.
There’s always a reason.
And this god won’t overlook you.
[Igogodon (Donation/80,000 won/rounded for neatness)]
[Igogodon: Let’s normalize the miasma, shall we?]
The god will take care of everything.