NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 2
Chapter 2
‘What should I do?’
I couldn’t stand outside any longer, so I followed Cain into the Demon King Castle, but at this rate, I would really have to teach the Demon King. If this were a game, I could manage it without much difficulty. After all, I’ve seen all the endings of ‘Ebel Queen Maker.’
But the problem was that this wasn’t a game; it had become reality. In reality, leveling up doesn’t happen just by clicking a button. Ultimately, it meant I had to teach him directly.
What do I know to teach the Demon King?
“That doesn’t make sense…”
“Nahun, what did you say?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Cain ignored me and resumed showing me around.
“This is the room where you will be staying, Nahun. We should go see the Demon King now, so let’s look around a bit later.”
“Yes…”
After passing the room I would be staying in, Cain led me into a very large room. Having played the game countless times, I recognized where we were.
“The audience chamber is quite grand.”
“Yes, the previous Demon King often said that the audience chamber reflects the dignity of the Demon King. That’s why it was built to be so enormous.”
I knew this fact. This was the policy of the previous owner of the Demon King Castle, Demon King ‘Seir.’ He was an individual who had established a very large power structure among the Demon Kings. He was one of the so-called ‘High Demon Kings’…
“Ugh.”
“Nahun?”
Suddenly, a headache hit me. Memories that were not mine surged into my mind like a flood. They were jumbled memories, but it wasn’t difficult to infer what these suddenly emerging memories were.
‘Cliché…’
I was possessed by the character Nahun, and his memories were mixing in with mine.
“Ugh…!”
The memories flooding my mind were mostly shocking. It felt like I was catching a glimpse of the settings of a playable character that had not been revealed in the game.
‘…So that’s what this was about?’
Nahun. This name was a pseudonym, and there was a real name separate from it; he was a higher being of the demon race, specifically the mightiest ‘Archdemon.’
No wonder the character seemed to be an all-powerful tutor in the game; such a setting must have been hidden.
I didn’t quite understand why an Archdemon would take on the role of a teacher for a low-ranking Demon King like Seere. I had a memory of accepting the commission, but I could not recall the feelings that accompanied it.
‘But why can’t I remember my real name?’
I could overlook emotions, but the real name I should obviously know was slipping my mind.
What on earth was this…
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell…?”
“Oh, no. I’m fine.”
Upon seeing my relaxed expression, Cain seemed relieved.
“The Demon King is waiting. Let’s go in.”
He kindly opened the door for me.
…Couldn’t you open it a little slower?
“Um, what should I call you?”
“Address me however you feel comfortable, Teacher.”
Contrary to my wishes, Cain’s approach was straightforward. The door swung open smoothly, and I let out a sigh as I glanced at the red carpet laid out on the floor.
‘I’ve really become the protagonist’s teacher.’
Now, there was no turning back. The audience chamber I had seen countless times in the prologue was right in front of me. At the end of the long red carpet on the floor were high steps, and at the top of the steps was a podium.
Cain bowed toward the podium and said, “Seere, the one who will be your teacher has arrived.”
And there, on the enormous throne, sat a child who seemed oddly out of place.
‘Wow…’
I couldn’t help but admire. It was a beauty that transcended description. Although I thought I was familiar with her looks from the illustrations, seeing her in person was a different experience altogether.
With hair as white and sparkling as a sunlit snowfield, cutely braided into pigtails, and deep blue gem-like eyes, she truly looked like a doll.
Even though I didn’t usually have a preference for these kinds of appearances, I thought this is what one might imagine if the concept of beauty were personified. Although, it was somewhat awkward that she was sitting on a throne hugging a teddy bear.
‘So that’s why the illustrations always look good.’
Both in the game illustrations and in the descriptions, her beauty is frequently mentioned. Despite still having a juvenile appearance, one could easily imagine how beautiful she would become with proper growth.
The deep blue round eyes looked at me. Her gaze, filled with a pure innocence that knew nothing, stared right at me.
After a moment of looking at me, the child jumped down from the throne. She hurried down the steps and stood in front of me, bowing her waist in greeting.
“Hello.”
“Oh, hi.”
She was the low-ranking Demon King I had to teach and raise, the weakest of all 72 Demon Kings.
The protagonist and heroine of the game whom I had elevated to the highest position countless times.
Seere von Debata.
—
Seere von Debata.
She was the only offspring of the former rank 2 Demon King Seir von Debata, inheriting the position of the Demon King after his death.
However, Seir von Debata had died very suddenly, and Seere was only five years old at the time. Could a Demon King of such young age maintain the extensive power her predecessor had built?
Moreover, most of the former Demon King’s closest aides had died with him, making it nearly impossible to maintain the power structure. Seere’s rank had fallen to the very bottom, 72nd, in just two years, and her subordinates had nearly all disappeared.
The biggest problem was that there was no one left to guide and teach the young Seere.
Cain was also lacking in many aspects to teach the young Demon King. In particular, he had a significant lack of talent in teaching, which was the biggest concern.
So, there was a need for someone who could teach Seere in various areas. More than just restoring the past glory, it was necessary for her to live as a Demon King.
However, talented individuals willing to invest time in a young and new Demon King who had already lost everything and fallen into despair were scarce. After much searching, they finally found one person. After several rejections, that person was Nahun.
Seere had been filled with anticipation at the news that a teacher would come to guide her. Thus, she had been waiting on her throne since morning for this day when Nahun would arrive.
Politely greeting Nahun, Seere hugged her teddy bear tightly and said, “I… I’ve heard from Cain.”
“Hmm?”
“That you would be my teacher.”
Nahun momentarily paused before looking at Seere’s face. The tension was clearly evident. Although he didn’t need to ask why, Nahun, possessing background knowledge, understood.
She was nervous at the thought of being rejected like her previous teachers. Such an expression was not typical for a child her age.
After observing Seere’s expression for a moment, Nahun pondered.
‘It might be possible.’
He had conquered the game. He had raised Seere von Debata to the highest rank of Demon King countless times. He was familiar with all the major events as well as minor ones in the game.
This might not be enough, but he also had memories that he had gained additionally. Nahun recognized the memories surfacing in his mind as his own. He believed he could utilize both the memories from reality and those of the body he was currently possessed in.
Since he had possessed this body, it was evident he had to live in this place. In order to return to reality, he had to see the ending, so he had to teach and raise this young Demon King somehow.
He had always liked teaching someone and had even decided on it as a career path for college. So…
‘Let’s consider it as if I skipped the teaching certification exam.’
Nahun placed his hand lightly on top of Seere’s head.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
Then, he gently ruffled her soft, fluffy hair.
“From now on, call me Teacher.”
—
Nahun, who had become Seere von Debata’s teacher.
As soon as he became the teacher of the Demon King, he confirmed one thing with Cain.
“Cain.”
“Please call me Cain. You can speak comfortably.”
“Then, Cain, I have one request.”
“What is it?”
Nahun requested a certain item from Cain.
What he requested was a Training Journal, a convenient tool for players that had to appear in the game.
This magical tool could confirm whether the subject had properly completed the daily assigned tasks by recording it with magic.
When he asked if they had one in this place, Cain nodded.
“I will have it ready by tomorrow’s class.”
“Thank you.”
Nahun thought that he would feel more at ease. With the Training Journal, he could write down the training or homework to be done each day and simply check if Seere had completed them.
“Seere.”
Holding her teddy bear, Seere looked up at Nahun. Her adorable lips parted as she replied.
“Yes, Teacher.”
“The full-fledged lessons will start tomorrow. Before that, I’d like to get to know you a bit today.”
Seere hugged her teddy bear tightly and asked, “Me…?”
“Yes. I need to know about you to understand what to teach you.”
Nahun knew the character Seere von Debata very well. However, there was a reason he needed to ask such questions. This was not a game; in reality, it was necessary to get to know each other through conversation.
Hearing Nahun’s request, Seere shifted her body slightly. She seemed shy. Although she might be a low-ranking Demon King, it was hard to think of her as one because of how she looked.
That simply meant the educational environment was lacking. If the previous Demon King had lived even a little longer, Seere would have had the chance to learn the attitudes and approaches required as a Demon King, including the study of leadership. If she had been properly educated, she would have displayed far more maturity than her age.
“You don’t have to be too shy. Just think of it as introducing yourself and answer.”
“Yes…”
“First… um, would you like to introduce yourself?”
“I am Seere von Debata, the 72nd Demon King.”
“How old are you?”
Seere replied.
“I’m s-seven years old.”
“What do you like?”
“Dolls…”
Seere trailed off as she hugged the teddy bear even tighter. Nahun spoke to her.
“Does it have a name?”
“Yes?”
“I mean the teddy bear.”
“…It’s Whinko.”
Whinko. It seemed like a name made by attaching “i” to the name of the white bear, similar to how people name each other.
With her cute naming sense, Nahun chuckled and said to Seere.
“Do you have more than just Whinko?”
Shake shake.
The unexpected answer was a shake of the head. Nahun found it surprising and asked.
“Why don’t you have many?”
Seere hugged her teddy bear tightly and replied.
“Because I don’t have money to buy dolls…”
In ‘Ebel Queen Maker,’ the most crucial aspect was the growth of the protagonist Seere, but managing the Demon King Castle and the associated territories to expand her power was also very important. The element of territory management was what differentiated ‘Ebel Queen Maker’ from a simple growth simulation.
Nahun pondered for a moment. Would the tasks he had repeated countless times in the game work in this reality as well? If the choices he made in the game reflected the same results in this world, he could easily make this Demon King Castle, which currently had no extra money to buy dolls, prosperous once again.
After some contemplation, Nahun spoke.
“Well then…”
“Yes?”
“If you follow my teachings well from now on, I will reward you by buying you a doll.”
“A doll… you’ll buy me one?”
“Yes. But if you neglect your studies or cannot meet the training amount I assign for the day, I won’t buy you one.”
At Nahun’s suggestion, Cain frowned slightly. It seemed Seere noticed his expression and shook her head again.
“It’s okay…”
“You don’t need to refuse. I won’t push you to overspend the castle’s budget.”
“Yes?”
The latter part of his statement wasn’t a response from Seere but from Cain, who was listening in.
“What do you mean?”
“Cain, who holds the financial authority of the Demon King Castle right now?”
“I’m temporarily in charge. There’s no one else to take responsibility…”
“Originally, it should be Seere’s authority, right?”
“That’s correct. It’s just that I’m managing it because Seere is still young.”
Nahun nodded at Cain’s response and turned to Seere.
“Seere?”
“Yes.”
“Is it okay if I manage the budget for the castle?”
“Teacher?”
Seere blinked her wide eyes. As she heard Nahun’s words, Cain answered in her stead.
“Are you saying that you wish to hold the financial authority?”
“Meaning I would borrow it.”
“So then, what do you plan to do with the financial authority?”
“What do you mean?”
Nahun replied as if it were a very simple task — as if he would easily resolve the struggles Cain had endured for the past two years by reducing the workforce and stretching the budget.
“I’ll need to earn some money.”