NOVEL WEB Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Crash!!
Dantalion unconsciously slammed the table. His vassals trembled in fear. No matter how much he wasn’t the martial arts Demon King, a Demon King was still a Demon King. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to take the heads of the vassals present.
“What… what on earth is going on? Why is such a rumor circulating among the merchants!!”
On the demon world newspaper that Dantalion slammed with his hand, it was written:
“[ Demon King Dantalion of the 69th floor, suspected of manipulating gross sales… rumors are spreading that items not distributed in the Demon King Castle’s underground warehouse are overflowing… ]”
If this were just a baseless rumor, Dantalion wouldn’t have been so enraged. He could have simply opened the warehouse transparently to the merchants.
“Why… why has such a rumor leaked…?!”
However, the problem was that this was true. Recently, the weapons with unusually high quality produced on the 70th floor had dealt a significant blow to Dantalion.
This was because one of Dantalion’s core businesses was indeed the weapon distribution business. He had taken weapons from blacksmiths of different floors and supplied them to the merchants gathered on the 69th floor as a sort of weapon wholesaler.
However, as the 70th floor started producing weapons of significantly superior quality compared to those made in the demon world, merchants naturally began to overlook the weapons sold by Dantalion.
Five years had passed, and Dantalion’s warehouse was filled with unsold inventory. The issue was that Dantalion had not reduced the supply of weapons to the blacksmiths he traded with.
Two years ago, a vassal advised reducing orders to the blacksmiths, but at that time, Dantalion had said:
“If we reduce the supply, both the blacksmiths and the merchants trading through us will notice the change. They will realize our products aren’t selling well. If that happens, it’s highly likely that even the remaining transactions will cease, and the credit we have carefully built will collapse as well.”
Because of Dantalion’s thoughts, they did not reduce the supply. Instead, they manipulated the accounts as if they sold all the items and placed new orders, ensuring that the merchants trading with them wouldn’t notice the change and stop their transactions.
As a result, Dantalion continued to suffer losses, but he believed that maintaining credit was more valuable, so he was biding his time.
“But if an article like this breaks out…!!”
Regardless of Dantalion’s intentions, it looked suspicious. It naturally appeared to be a kind of cooking the books, especially manipulating the accounts to create inflated sales.
To those unaware of the situation, it seemed that Dantalion was creating inflated sales, disposing of items for cash, and then planning to pull out of the business. Even if he did pull out, the blacksmiths would only have the means to protest to the Demon King, having no time to take action.
In truth, Dantalion had no intention of disposing of items or deliberately creating inflated sales…
“Who leaked this! Who is this loose-lipped person!!”
If Dantalion had indeed stacked up inventory to do this, he wouldn’t have felt wronged at all. He would have made the decision to abandon his credit in order to gain funds.
But he hadn’t made such a choice, yet the situation was heading that way. Now, Dantalion’s manipulation of sales to maintain transactions had backfired on him.
“Um… we don’t know either.”
“We haven’t identified any circumstances indicating an insider leak, Your Majesty.”
Dantalion said in utter fury.
“Then who found out this information! This is information that no one other than an insider could know….”
At that moment, the door to the conference room was cautiously knocked. Dantalion’s secretary entered the room.
“Your Majesty!”
“What is it?”
“The merchants we were trading with are demanding contract cancellation. And the blacksmiths are urging us to pay quickly!”
“Where am I supposed to get the money…!”
Dantalion frowned and addressed his vassals.
“Is there no way to get out of this situation?!?”
“Your Majesty, for now, you need to appease the merchants, and you should pay the blacksmiths. Surely you have a way to procure the funds, don’t you?”
“Are you suggesting we dispose of the inventory?”
“Yes.”
“Do you not understand that the losses we would incur from that would be enormous?!”
“But if this goes on, it will be too late. If we don’t show quick action, all transactions will cease.”
Dantalion’s private army was maintained by hiring mercenaries based on large funds. If trading completely ceases, maintaining these mercenaries would become impossible.
Then Dantalion would lose his support base, and even though he stayed quiet, Seere, who could strike at any time, would open her large mouth.
“… Contact Dekarabia.”
“Y-Yes!?”
“Do you intend to borrow funds from Dekarabia?”
“Indeed.”
“No, that won’t do. That malicious person will surely demand something in return…”
When Dantalion said he would borrow funds from Dekarabia, the vassals were vehemently opposed. Dantalion understood their reactions well, but there was no way out of the situation.
“Contact them. It’s an order.”
“… Yes.”
Dantalion had to solve this situation even if it meant borrowing Dekarabia’s hand.
#
“Indeed, he reached out to Dekarabia.”
Nahun smiled as he received the report. The report contained situational information sent by Bernet, who spread the rumors.
Seere, who was listening to the story, commented briefly.
“It’s a self-inflicted wound.”
“Indeed.”
Although Dekarabia and Dantalion were allied, Dekarabia’s personality meant he would likely squeeze the most out of his allies. It was as if he had created another hole to plug one that was leaking.
“By the way, Teacher, how did you know Dantalion was hoarding inventory in the warehouse?”
“I had someone check it. You know I have quite a useful person among those I’ve raised, right?”
“Ah… that human?”
Nahun was referring to the two humans captured five years ago and raised as his subordinates. The ones named Dein and Eri. Among them, Dein had been an adventurer of the Shif class from the beginning and had been recognized as useful by Nahun after honing his skills to the limit over the past five years.
Of course, this information wasn’t brought by Dein. It was just knowledge that Nahun, a veteran player, had, but he made an excuse not to seem weird.
“Seems more useful than I expected?”
“They are the ones I picked. You don’t trust this teacher’s eyes?”
“Th-That’s not what I meant.”
Seere pouted her lips slightly.
“Because you keep taking an interest in others….”
“… Haha.”
Nahun chuckled. He wasn’t small-minded enough to be unable to accept a child’s cute jealousy. He lightly patted Seere on the head.
“I am your teacher, no matter what anyone says. No one is more interested in you than I am.”
“… Really?”
“Of course.”
Seere smiled brightly.
Similar to humans, the demon race also tends to have their secondary sexual characteristics appear earlier in females than in males. Moreover, they grew faster compared to humans.
Perhaps because of that, Seere, who had turned twelve, was gradually shedding the signs of childhood. Though she still had some childish aspects, she was becoming more and more like a young woman.
Her smile had become beautiful enough to not merely be seen as that of a child, yet in Nahun’s eyes, she still appeared as a cute student.
“You still smile well, so it’s nice to see.”
Saying that, Nahun pulled away his hand. Not noticing Seere’s disappointed expression, he resumed looking at the documents.
“Seere, command Lin Daejeong.”
“Excuse me? What do you mean?”
“Tell them to eliminate the messengers Dekarabia sends to the 69th floor.”
“… Ah.”
Understanding Nahun’s intent, Seere nodded.
“I will tell Lin to come to the meeting room.”
“Right, I leave it to you.”
She was asked to do so. Seere had recently come to love these words. It was a joy that Nahun trusted her enough to give her responsibilities. Feeling good about herself, she smiled brightly.
“Yes, Teacher.”
#
The head of the 4th Legion, the most powerful military group on the 72nd floor, Lin El Lazine was heading to the meeting room, impeccably dressed.
As she approached, the butler Cain stood in front of her. He bowed slightly upon seeing Lin, and Lin returned the greeting.
“You may enter right away, Daejeong.”
“Thank you.”
As soon as Lin entered the meeting room, she saw a child sitting on a throne. It was hard to consider her just a child at first glance, although there was still a hint of youth displayed on her face.
Wearing a large crown, with a gaze that clearly exhibited the demeanor of a ruler, she looked toward Lin who had entered. Observing her made Lin feel a sense of déjà vu resembling a previous generation.
Lin smiled subtly at the pleasant feeling of familiarity and knelt before her.
“Did you call for me, Your Majesty?”
“Welcome, Daejeong Lin.”
Now, it was no longer awkward to talk down to her subordinates. Except for her slightly younger appearance, Seere now undeniably resembled the true essence of a Demon King.
“I have a command for you.”
“Please command me.”
“I will soon be sending an envoy from the 68th floor to the 69th floor. Dantalion has requested help from Dekarabia.”
“Should I prevent the envoy from meeting Dantalion?”
“Exactly. It must be handled quietly. And…”
Seere received a sword from Cecili, who was waiting beside her.
“Be sure to use this sword.”
“What is this…?”
“Do you understand?”
It was a sword produced on the 69th floor. Lin gazed at the sword handed by Seere and recalled a certain person who was not currently present.
This must surely be Nahun’s scheme. Nodding her head, Lin stood up and accepted the sword handed to her.
“I will carry out the command bestowed upon me by Your Majesty.”
“I trust you, Daejeong.”
As Lin left the meeting room, Seere, rising from the throne, turned to look back.
“Teacher, I did well, right?”
Then, from behind the throne, Nahun revealed himself. He smiled contentedly and said,
“Yes, well done. You can continue issuing commands like that in the future.”
“Then give me a reward!”
“A reward?”
Nahun pondered lightly. Was she referring to a doll?
Seere still loved dolls. While she was no longer the level of not separating from stuffed bears, her room was filled with various dolls, including the white bear and others Nahun bought occasionally.
“Alright, what kind of doll would you like this time?”
“… Not a doll.”
“Huh?”
Nahun tilted his head as if to ask what she meant.
Seere’s blue eyes, resembling the demon world’s moon, narrowed, and she pouted her lips. Then, she quickly turned her body away and left the throne without saying a word.
“Se-Seere?”
Nahun called out in confusion, but Seere left the meeting room as is. Cecili bowed and greeted Nahun before hastily following Seere.
Left alone, Nahun muttered in frustration.
“… Is she in her rebellious phase?”