Chapter 268 - [16th Round] Behind the Scenes
I set my sights on the primary education course.
It might seem the MAX-Class Righteous Demon Lord was mocking and oppressing the weak, but those were nothing but mere delusions of narrow-minded people.
When the heroes were summoned to elementary school, some of their belongings fell into this world with them.
Every time a newcomer regressed, his items would return with him.
Before graduating from primary education, I constantly started in a school uniform with a sharp 0.3 mm pencil in my pocket.
After I fell into the trap of my demented senior, I was reborn as the sweet emperor of Fantasy’s Northern Continent, which was why I would always be naked upon regression. However, after I switched to secondary education, I was finally able to get rid of the free strip show.
“Your Majesty Parmamon! Everyone has gathered!”
Demon royals had rallied in my throne room, responding to my call.
Sitting on my throne, I examined everyone, leading me to a question I couldn’t help but ask Grand Duke B about.
“These are all of them?”
There were only eight before me.
“Yes, unfortunately. Over the past two millennia, due to the emergence of flush toilets, the Demon Lord’s army lost almost all of its lands and people. More demons are hiding all over the world with their followers, but they regrettably don’t have the strength to heed your beckoning.”
“Damn…”
They were strong demons, considering they managed to hold out for this long, but among them all, only Grand Duke B could engage in combat against powerful opponents.
The rest were women who were aristocrats only in status, not strength.
“They’re the survivors of high-ranking families. After all the men were killed on the battlefield, they succeeded them. They’re also my spouses, but if you want, I can—”
“Don’t.”
I wasn’t as omnivorous as my malevolent senior, and I was a married man with a child myself. I didn’t need married ladies.
My cowardly wife was enough for me.
“The capital has been in the humans’ encirclement for about 500 years now. Thanks to some of the demon followers scattered all over the world, we’re still somehow holding on, but enemy strongholds are surrounding us on all fronts.”
“I see.”
The fact that we hadn’t lost yet in my absence was amazing.
“Furthermore, humanity’s population has dramatically grown due to the great achievements Your Majesty made before your slumber. Since their lifespan is short, many of them have already forgotten all about it, but dragons and elves still remember your greatest accomplishments.
“In other words, we’re locked up in here.”
“Exactly.”
Our situation proved stressful.
The humanity I raised was now threatening me.
From now on, I would have to deal with everything in order.
“How interesting.”
I had no intention of starting a war.
I couldn’t easily win a war right now anyway. Since my copies were passive, I couldn’t just throw them into battle. The power of my demons was also absolutely terrible.
My only target was the heroes’ smartphones.
I had no intention of destroying Fantasy, which I supplied with flush toilets.
Only the demon followers were available for me to use, so I’d have to be content with them and the strong ally at my disposal.
“Grand Duke B.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Give this letter to Alex.”
“Are you talking about Sword God Alex, known as the Invincible Hero and the Snow Woman’s Protector?”
“Yes.”
My clones made many identical letters, making them look like photocopiers. They then repeated my order to Grand Duke B.
“What were the letter’s contents, cowardly husband?”
“You’ll see soon enough.”
“Hmm… Some dastardly plan again?”
Ignoring Ssosia’s provocations, I commanded Grand Duke B.
“Send this to Giant King Phoenix of the Southern Continent. He’s not dead yet, is he?”
The King of Giants gained eternal youth when he swallowed the First Elf.
But that was about 2,000 years ago.
A lot had happened during those millenniums. I had to clarify his existence.
“The Giant King is in good health. He has been ruling the most powerful empire in all of the continents for the past 2,000 years. Even the Sword God cannot compete against Phoenix, who can cause a typhoon with just a whistle.”
“Ah. He succeeded.”
It was as if it was just yesterday that Captain Fantasy’s soft booty crushed him.
“Are you certain you want this letter delivered to the Giant King?”
“Yes.”
That marked the completion of my plan’s first phase.
Now, I needed to observe the heroes’ actions and make plans according to them.
“Ssosia, follow me.”
“Sieg again?” She asked discontentedly, even though she just recently felt sorry for him due to his lack of friends. That assured me her pity for him was hallow.
“Yes. I know his smartphone’s password, after all.”
“Isn’t that too trifling of a reason, useless hubby? Are you not at all ashamed to stand in front of him?”
“No.”
No complaints allowed!
Sieg’s phone had died, so knowing his password meant nothing in the current situation.
I had to charge it first.
***
“Welcome, Sir Hero!”
“To think I’d die from having a meteorite suddenly fall on my head…”
Charging completed!
“Have you come to your senses?”
“Ha! That’s crazy!”
“Sir Hero, please pull yourself together.”
Sieg looked at Lanuvel with a confused expression as she greeted him.
He went to the Holy Kingdom to take Saintess A as a companion, but after a meteorite fell on his head, he died at level 64, causing him to regress.
I was just a casual witness of that scene.
It was nothing but an accident.
“Where’s your conscience, cowardly husband?”
“Shh. Shut up.”
He began a new journey.
We were no longer his companions this time but mere observers. We needed to be careful not to get caught.
Sieg himself wouldn’t be able to detect us, but practicing caution wouldn’t hurt.
Confused, he found himself in the Dumpling Kingdom.
He had already spent about 88 years in Fantasy, yet he still didn’t know basic etiquettes, causing aristocrats to laugh at him. After a thirty-second conversation with the haughty Dumpling King, he was granted volunteer status.
His adventure’s second day came in no time at all.
Waking up in a shabby little room that even the maids didn’t use, Sieg prepared to hunt for hares, needing to earn enough money to buy a rusty dagger again.
However, on the way out of the palace, Elf Princess Sylvia blocked his way.
“Hello, Sir Hero. I—”
“Sylvia!”
“How ill-mannered. From our very first meeting, you immediately treat me with so much familiarity.”
“Oh! Please excuse my rudeness, Princess Sylvia. I just couldn’t help but feel pleased to meet such a beautiful princess. You are like an oasis in a desert…”
“I apologize for being this way.”
“Oh, no! I didn’t mean any harm! I just wanted to say that you comfort my heart like an oasis…”
“There’s no need for you to explain further.”
“Oh…”
Sieg looked desperate, but Sylvia’s appearance was an impetus for him.
He no longer paid attention to Lanuvel, who was trying to please him.
That was how interested he was in her.
I was certain of it.
Even though I had become the MAX-Class Demon Lord, thanks to my contract with Shadow A, I was still able to take advantage of the privileges of an honorary teacher.
Through it, I could calmly read Sieg’s thoughts.
“Why did Sylvia appear now?!”
‘Hey, friend. It’s easier to just give up. You won’t be able to do anything beneficial for your relationship with her using your stupid head anyway.’
My copies had already written and sent a letter to Alex, who gave Sylvia an order as soon as he read it to lead the Hero to him.
“The glorious Sword God of Fantasy, Sir Alex, wishes to meet you, Sir Hero.”
“Thanks, but…”
“I apologize, but if you refuse, I will have to bring you by force.”
“Oh!”
Hearing Sylvia’s words, he jumped from his seat.
The reason was simple.
“If I meet with him, that demonic couple will try to get into the group again! I will never allow that to happen again!”
‘Don’t worry, Sieg. That scenario has already been canceled.’
He, of course, wasn’t aware of such a change, which was why he refused. However, upon doing so, Sylvia, a level 425 Elf, forcibly dragged the level 1 Hero to Alex’s abode.
Together with Lanuvel.
“Welcome, Hero,” Alex greeted him happily, as per my instructions.
“Kh… Alex… Why…”
“The Demon Lord is incredibly powerful and also cunning beyond comparison. The Snow Woman and I have known him for a long time, so we know very well about it. If you plan to confront the Demon Lord with reckless courage and ignorant hope in your heart, then only trials and adversities await you.”
‘Hey, Alex. Where are those empty threats coming from? I’m but a well-mannered MAX-Class Demon Lord.’
I would support the spines of all my juniors without any discrimination.
“Alex is right, Sir Hero! Oh! Hello! I am the Snow Woman! My full name is White Chicken. I like the name my previous owner gave me, but Alex doesn’t like it, so please call me Snow Woman. Since I have no hands, he takes care of me.”
“Nice to meet you, Snow—Kh?!”
“Don’t stare at my wife, whom I have taken care of for the past two millenniums, Hero, unless you want me to rip out your shameless eyes.”
Alex grabbed Sieg by the throat again as he greeted the Snow Woman.
He seemed unable to correct his bad habits even after several regressions.
***
After receiving my letter from my clone, every Alex of the primary education course’s dimensions began to train the heroes.
Of course, it all started with beatings under the guise of training.
“Alex, I’m hungry,” said the armless Snow Woman, who was always interfering with training.
Explaining something about fencing, the Sword God replied without a shadow of irritation on his face. “Oh! So much time has passed already, huh? Hero, take this stone and bring it to the top of that mountain. I’ll be checking this task’s completion after I’ve fed my wife, so it’s better for your bones if you don’t cheat.”
“How can you expect me to lift such a huge rock all the way to that place at level 1, Alex?”
“I despise being interrupted while looking after the Snow Woman. No one has the right to take away the precious time that I get to spend with her from me.”
“…”
“Sylvia, Miss Lanuvel, make sure the Hero does not shirk.”
All the heroes from the primary education course, including Sieg, grabbed the object and began to carry them up the mountain.
At this time, Demon A, who received my order, entered Alex’s house and picked up the heroes’ belongings.
I could’ve just taken their smartphone, but that would make them question why I focused solely on a single item when the demons and the rest of this world’s natives didn’t even know what a phone was.
Hence, I ended up having to issue a command to steal all of their items instead.
Everything was simple after that.
“Sir Demon, please tell my owner I said hi!”
After stuffing her stomach with the food Alex had prepared, the Snow Woman transported Demon A to the Demon Lord’s castle.
If the heroes got their hands on her feathers, they’d be able to invade my fortress without needing to pass through my security system, much less travel to my territory.
But they didn’t know about this.
***
Thanks to Alex, I was able to gather the heroes’ smartphones in no time.
Due to the weak signal, their battery quickly ran out, but there was no need to worry about that.
I had the world on a string, as an old saying went.
I could change smartphones from copy to copy, providing me with infinite battery life.
There was just one problem.
“I forgot that smartphones have passwords!”
I know Sieg’s password, so I could easily use it, but I didn’t know the other heroes’ passwords.
That was a huge mistake on my part! I couldn’t use any of them even if they still had a charge!
Even Master Mollan laughed as he passed by.
“Mollan-Mollan!”
‘Hmm! Greatest Being, how can you do this to your disciple…’
? Regret: I’m sorry, cadet Kang Han Soo. The rules prohibit communication, so I can’t help you…
‘It’s okay, smart and beautiful Trainee Teacher!’
The faculty members and their malevolence were to blame, considering they provided access to the Internet but not a smartphone. All they did was add more problems to my list.
Regardless, I had a solution.
“Time to use the power of beauty!”
I just had to send spies to approach the heroes and ask, seduce, deceive, or observe them for their passwords.
“Send beauties to the male heroes and handsome men to female heroes!”
I also made sure they wouldn’t be as stupid as the Snow Woman despite their striking looks.
They had to be capable of understanding and imagining what a smartphone looked like just from a simple description in a letter. They also had to know the very concept of a password and Arabic numerals.
They should be from the Central Continent as well.
After all, even if the phones were turned off, they were still gradually losing their charge. I needed them to get close to the heroes and find out their passwords within the shortest time possible while, under the pretext of training, they were locked in Alex’s house.
If so, then they had to be sociable too.
“Aren’t you demanding too many requirements?” Ssosia looked at the situation pessimistically, but I didn’t.
I had about 100 years of experience as a hero.
During that time, I made a lot of connections. Most of them had unpleasant personalities like Lanuvel, but not all.
“Saintess A and Tomato are perfect.”
“Hmm? Tomato? Since when did you start using your vegetables as your companions?”
How could she say that! He wasn’t a vegetable! I couldn’t believe she’d make fun of the name his parents gave him after they thought so hard about it!
The most powerful hero of the Holy Kingdom and the head of the Holy Knights.
He also had good looks and a friendly relationship with Saintess A.
His only flaw was his name!
? Confusion: He isn’t a tomato, cadet Kang Han Soo. He’s Thomas. In the Holy Kingdom, he is also called the Knight of Light.
Was that so? Apparently, with all the changes that happened to the curriculum, even his name changed.
“Ha… Apparently so, cowardly husband.”
I, the MAX-Class Demon Lord, corrected all of my plans and focused solely on gathering the passwords I needed.
It didn’t last long, however.
“Demon Lord Parmamon! Accept your death by my sword that contains the hope of all mankind!”
One of my copies was attacked.
Transferring my mind to the clone in question, I responded to the instigations of a girl surrounded by handsome men:
“Welcome, Hero with a narrow pelvis.”
She was the first guest to show up in the past ten days after I inherited the family business from my father-in-law. She came early in the morning, too.