Chapter 8: Soldier Taming-1

“Ah, seriously.”

A voice filled with annoyance could be heard from the training ground located to the north of the Demon King’s Castle, several days after Sitri visited the 72nd floor.

This was the training ground where the soldiers of the Demon King’s Castle trained, and among them, complaints were arising.

“Why do we have to be here?”

Specifically, it wasn’t Seere’s soldiers but those who had been recently transferred under Seere’s command by Sitri.

Though they were part of Sitri’s army, they had grievances about being placed under the command of a lower-ranking officer like Seere.

“If you’re so unhappy, why don’t you just return to your master, like a dog.”

“Who called me a dog…?”

The soldier, who had been complaining, shut his mouth at once.

The one who appeared before him was someone he couldn’t possibly overcome.

It was Varuna, the vice-commander of the 4th Legion, the only survivor from the army of the previous Demon King, Seir von Devata.

He smiled at the soldier.

“Why did you stop? Continue what you were saying.”

“N-no, it’s nothing.”

As expected from someone who had once led the legion of the previous Demon King, his strength was undeniable.

Though they had been ignoring him because his master was ranked lower than their own, the situation had now changed—he was now their superior, someone they couldn’t simply defeat with strength alone.

“If you want to remain as soldiers, pick up your swords and start training right away. Stop slacking off.”

“…Understood.”

As the soldiers grabbed their weapons and began training, Varuna crossed his arms and spoke.

“Are you really going to let them act like that, Commander?”

At the place Varuna was looking, there stood a woman with distinct cat ears.

Despite her delicate appearance and small stature, she was a remarkably skilled swordswoman.

It was Lin El Raja, the commander of the 4th Legion, who had survived the fall of the previous Demon King’s forces and was now considered the most powerful asset under Seere’s command.

“What can we do? We knew it would be noisy like this for a while.”

“Tsk…”

Varuna looked visibly displeased.

“This decision was made by that teacher, wasn’t it?”

“Watch your tone when speaking about His Majesty.”

“I don’t know how he managed to win over that woman Citri, but thanks to that, we’re stuck dealing with this mess.”

“Varuna, you shouldn’t complain. This is our job.”

While Varuna knew that Lin was right on a rational level, he still felt frustration.

At the very least, shouldn’t they have been informed about such decisions involving military matters, as they were leading the only army under Seere’s control?

Sigh.

Varuna let out a sigh and headed toward the training ground.

Lin watched his retreating back with a slightly sympathetic gaze.

Just then, someone approached her.

“Greetings, Commander El Raja.”

“…What brings you here, Royal Advisor?”

As the saying goes, speak of the devil and he will appear. Nahin had arrived at the training ground.

“So, you know who I am.”

Lin glanced at him, as if to say there was no way she wouldn’t know.

“Who else, besides the butler-in-chief Cain and the Royal Advisor, follows His Majesty so closely?”

“Haha, so you noticed, Seere?”

Peek.

Seere poked her head out from behind Nahin.

Her cute behavior almost made Lin want to pat her head, but as a servant, she barely managed to restrain herself.

“So, you’ve brought His Majesty to the training ground… What’s the reason?”

“We’ve come to check out a place for Seere to learn martial arts.”

Lin tilted her head in confusion.

“Martial arts? Already?”

“Already? Seere is seven years old. Isn’t that late compared to other Demon Kings?”

She wasn’t wrong. Some begin learning as early as five years old.

“Did His Majesty agree to this?”

“Of course.”

Lin glanced at Seere.

Even today, she was hugging her teddy bear, her eyes filled with curiosity as she stared at Lin.

Though she seemed interested enough…

“Your Majesty.”

“H-huh?”

Lin was slightly surprised.

For the first time, Seere, who usually spoke formally like a proper Demon King, had responded casually.

“Seems like she’s changed a bit.”

It was a satisfying change.

A Demon King was a ruler over their forces and had to know how to speak down to their subordinates.

“May I ask Your Majesty one thing?”

“Hmm?”

“Could you put down the teddy bear?”

Seere froze at Lin’s question.

Naturally, she had to put the bear down if she was going to wield a sword and train.

Knowing Seere’s attachment to it, Lin had reminded her of that.

Seere’s gaze wavered, and Lin sighed inwardly at the sight before turning to Nahin.

“Wouldn’t it be difficult?”

“Well, it’s definitely a challenge, but…”

Nahin gently placed a hand on Seere’s head and softly stroked it.

As Seere felt his touch, her tense expression softened.

“I believe in Seere. She’ll do well.”

“So, you don’t plan to start training today?”

“Today, we’re just here to check the condition of the training ground. And to take care of a few other things.”

Lin had a vague idea of what Nahin was planning.

It seemed he was here to quell the discontent of the soldiers who had been integrated into Seere’s forces through his deal with Sitri.

“It would’ve been nice if you had at least given me a heads-up about such decisions.”

“I apologize for that. We didn’t have much time. That’s why I’m here now, handling the aftermath.”

“And how exactly do you plan to resolve this, Royal Advisor?”

“Let me take a look around the training grounds first. And no need for the formal titles—just use my name.”

Lin nodded in acknowledgment.

She still had questions, but if this was the man who had won over Citri, he probably had a plan.

“I suppose he has something in mind.”

Nahin smiled, seemingly satisfied with Lin’s attitude of not pressing further.

Then, he held out his hand to Seere.

“There are a lot of people here in the training ground, so stay close.”

“Yes, teacher.”

Her small hand grasped Nahin’s tightly.

Though tiny, there was a definite strength in her grip, which made Nahin smile inwardly.

“This little girl might one day become the most powerful Demon King…”

Though it was hard to imagine now, Nahin was certain it would happen, because he was the one raising her.

He spoke to Lin.

“We’ll be off to take a look around.”

“Please, take your time.”

Nahin began walking through the training ground with Seere by his side, her presence drawing the attention of the soldiers.

“Huh?”

“Isn’t that His Majesty?”

“Why is she here? And who’s that with her?”

It wasn’t just the soldiers who noticed them.

Varuna, who had been overseeing the elite training of the 4th Legion, furrowed his brow slightly.

“Is that the man?”

The man known as Seere’s new teacher, who had managed to win over Demon King Sitri.

Recognizing him, Varuna paused his training and approached them.

“Your Majesty.”

“Hello… or rather, um, hi…”

Just like Lin, Varuna was briefly taken aback by Seere’s awkward, casual greeting.

However, he quickly dismissed it and continued speaking.

“What brings you here? And who might this be?”

“This is my teacher.”

“I see. Royal Advisor, what brings you to the training ground?”

“Oh, there’s no need to worry about us. Please, continue your training, Deputy Commander Varuna.”

“…Understood.”

To Varuna, Nahin’s words seemed to imply that he should just mind his own business.

He frowned slightly.

“I was asking why you brought His Majesty to the training ground, Royal Advisor.”

“Is there any reason why His Majesty shouldn’t be here?”

“Not exactly, but it could be dangerous. As you know, someone recklessly integrated soldiers from the 71st floor, and the command structure is still unstable.”

Though his words were veiled, Varuna was essentially blaming Nahin for the situation.

Why didn’t he consult with them before making such decisions?

Nahin mulled over his words and nodded.

“That’s true. But it’s fine.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m here, after all. Besides, the reason we came today is to resolve that very issue.”

“…I see.”

Varuna couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea that Nahin, of all people, was going to solve a problem that had been giving him and the commander such headaches.

“Have you ever led an army, Royal Advisor?”

“No, I haven’t.”

Though Nahin didn’t need to, Varuna was unaware of that fact.

“I don’t mean to belittle you, but integrating soldiers from different factions is no simple task. How exactly do you plan to resolve this?”

“Would you like to see?”

“Sure.”

Nahin smiled confidently.

“You’re curious to see how I’ll handle this, aren’t you?”

***

Nahin led Seere and Varuna to the third training ground, where Sitri’s former soldiers were training.

“Everything is going according to plan.”

In truth, Nahin could have gone directly to the third training ground without stopping at the second.

Yet he had made a point of passing through the second training ground to draw Varuna along.

While Varuna was undeniably skilled and loyal, that loyalty only extended to his master—the former Demon King, Seir, and the current Demon King, Seere.

“That won’t work.”

If Nahin was to carry out his plans in the Demon King’s Castle, he needed to secure the support of people like Varuna, who could become obstacles.

There was nothing more troublesome than internal conflicts.

Lin El Raja was another such person, but she was more flexible than Varuna, so she could be dealt with later.

“So, I’ll show him clearly.”

He needed to demonstrate his abilities, to engrave them in Varuna’s mind, ensuring that whatever decisions he made in the future, Varuna would understand.

“Hey, look… Isn’t that Lady Seere?”

“And who’s that next to her?”

The soldiers began murmuring as they noticed Nahin, Seere, and Varuna approaching the training ground.

One of the men leading the soldiers approached them.

“What brings you here, Lady Seere?”

“Nice to meet you, Sir Epsilon.”

The man was Epsilon, the one leading Sitri’s former soldiers.

Seeing Naheen answer on Seere’s behalf, Epsilon furrowed his brow slightly, but Naheen either didn’t notice or chose to ignore it.

He extended his hand.

“I’m Nahin. You’ve probably heard that Seere has a new teacher.”

“…Yes, I have.”

Epsilon forced a smile as he shook Naheen’s hand.

“Aren’t you the one responsible for separating us from Lady Sitri?”

The implication in his tone was clear—why had he caused such unnecessary trouble? But Nahin, still smiling, nodded.

“Exactly. That was me.”

“…Yes.”

“That’s right. It was me. And I think I did a fantastic job.”

Epsilon almost let out a laugh, but managed to hold it back.

He could barely contain himself as he looked at Nahin’s smug smile.

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do I mean? Sir Epsilon, are you… not understanding what I’m saying?”

Epsilon’s expression darkened, and Nahin poured fuel on the fire.

“I took in you lost soldiers, didn’t I? What a great thing I’ve done.”

“…What did you just say?”

It was no longer just fuel—Nahin was practically lighting a fire under him.

Epsilon glared at him, gripping his hand tighter without realizing it.

But…

“Ugh.”

“Sir Epsilon, your handshake is a bit rough.”

It was Epsilon who ended up letting go first.

Nahin had momentarily overwhelmed him with his strength. Epsilon looked at Nahin in shock, as if to ask, “What the hell are you?”

“Epsilon.”

Nahin dropped the formalities. The shift in his tone startled not only Epsilon but also Varuna, who stiffened at the sudden change in atmosphere.

“What the…”

What was this?

Even though Nahin had entered as the Demon King’s teacher, this overwhelming presence couldn’t be explained by that alone.

Nahin openly bared his emotions, growling at Epsilon.

“Know your place. The master you must now serve is right here. Are you trying to stand against me, your master’s teacher?”

“…”

“And your first words to your new master are to question his purpose? Is that what Sitri taught you?”

At the mention of Sitri’s name, Epsilon gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Mind your words, Royal Advisor! How dare you insult Lady Sitri!”

“You still think your master is Sitri, don’t you?”

Nahin sighed and then suddenly let go of Seere’s hand. He lifted her up with both hands.

“Whoa!”

He brought the cute, chubby-faced Seere right in front of Epsilon.

Her sudden closeness left him flustered.

“Look closely. Your master is not Sitri, but this Seere right here. She may look small and cute, but she is undoubtedly your master.”

“…My master has always been Lady Sitri.”

“Are you saying you refuse to serve her?”

“If that’s the case, then…”

At that moment, something strange happened across the entire third training ground.

The soldiers suddenly found it hard to breathe, while both Epsilon and Varuna were crushed by an immense pressure, rendering them immobile.

Varuna managed to remain standing, but Epsilon collapsed onto the ground.

Realizing what was happening, he was horrified.

“M-magic power…”

A tremendous force of magical energy had filled the training ground, oppressing everyone there.

The only one unaffected by the pressure was Seere.

Nahin lowered Seere and knelt down to meet Epsilon’s gaze.

“A dog that refuses to serve isn’t needed. It’ll just be dealt with.”

“…”

“This is your last chance.”

The oppressive magic that had filled the training ground disappeared.

Some of the soldiers had already fainted, but those still conscious were too busy gasping for air to care about their fallen comrades.

Epsilon, too, was struggling to catch his breath as he looked up at Nahin.

His eyes, however, were different now.

Fear and awe had replaced his previous defiance.

“Will you continue to deny reality and be disposed of like a useless dog? Or…”

Nahin picked up Seere once more.

“Eek…”

Still clutching her teddy bear, Seere once again made eye contact with Epsilon.

The situation felt almost surreal, like something out of a dream.

Nahin asked his final question, holding Seere in front of him.

“Will you place your hopes in a new future?”