When the Black Death swept across the continent, the rulers of every nation mustered their armies.
Before the plague could shake the people's resolve, they turned the point of their swords toward the Demon Lords. The armies of twelve nations marched forth, crying out for the downfall of the Demon Lords. In response, the Demon Lord ranked forty-ninth, Crocell, was slain in battle. The Demon Lords, now keenly alarmed, declared a massive counteroffensive. They resolved to form an alliance.
The Demon Lord army shattered the human forces with overwhelming momentum. The army of Bretagne, led by Queen Henrietta, was annihilated to the last soldier, while the Habsburg army under Princess Elisabeth was forced to retreat all the way back to the capital…
"Fine. If that's what you people want so badly, I'll put off the conquest of the continent! Before that, though, I'll clean up every last piece of trash existing in this world."
The leader of the Plains Faction, who had volunteered to serve at the vanguard of the Demon Lord army — the Demon Lord ranked eighth, Barbatos — overextended her pursuit of the enemy and was routed in retreat. Following Barbatos's defeat, the Plains Faction effectively broke away from the Crescent Alliance Army.
Year 1507 of the Continental Calendar.
The Plains Faction seized control of the central and northern regions of the Habsburg Empire.
Barbatos was clever enough not to rule the territory as a Demon Lord in person. Instead, she had already dead Crown Prince Rudolf's corpse animated through dark magic and paraded him forward.
Crown Prince Rudolf declared:
"Elisabeth von Habsburg is, first, an unparalleled villain who murdered her own father and brother; second, a tyrant who abandoned the capital and her subjects; and third, a traitor who brought about the destruction of the Empire itself. Let an eternal curse befall this witch who has committed three great crimes!"
Thousands of humans held their breath and watched.
The burned-out imperial palace.
There, reduced to nothing but a skeletal frame, Crown Prince Rudolf stood wearing a splendid, ornate uniform. It was a dazzling crimson attire. In the ruined palace of a fallen empire, the clothes worn by the crown prince glowed with an eerie brilliance.
"I, Rudolf von Habsburg, hereby decree as the Empire's rightful heir and guardian. I alone am qualified to rule the Empire, yet I regrettably lack the strength to quell the rebellion that has overrun the land. Therefore, I shall—"
The crown prince lifted the silver crown with both hands.
"—hereby entrust my duty as guardian, my duty to vanquish the rebels, and furthermore the duty of Habsburg Regent — to Barbatos."
The beautiful white-haired girl received the silver crown. She carelessly strapped it onto her left forearm, roughly and without ceremony. It was a violent breach of etiquette, yet no one dared stop her. The girl grinned as she gazed down from the palace walls.
She threw both arms wide open.
— GROOOOAAAAAR!
─ KERRGH, KIRIRIRGH!
─ KHWULA KRRR HUP! KHUUHUP!
Tens of thousands of monsters roared in unison. The humans surrounded by them trembled in terror. They had been dragged out by force to bear witness to this moment. Only a small handful, those who grasped that an era was changing, shouted along with the monsters: "Long live His Highness the Regent!"
Barbatos.
The immortal Demon Lord, ranked eighth among the Demon Lord's forces and chief of the Plains Faction — she was inaugurated as Margrave of Brandenburg, Duke of Austerlitz, and finally Regent of the Habsburg Empire.
On this very same day.
"All human beings are born free!"
Elisabeth von Habsburg, Third Imperial Princess of the Habsburg Empire, declared before the tens of thousands of citizens and soldiers assembled before her.
"The gods have granted us rights that cannot be surrendered to another. We defend our own lives. We pursue our own liberty, and we pursue our own happiness. This is the golden rule among golden rules — one that can never be broken."
Behind Elisabeth stood generals in black military dress, rising to their feet. Over the past several dozen days, they had executed the court nobles. The executions had been carried out before the eyes of all the people. Each time, the masses had cheered with wild enthusiasm.
"It was solely to protect these rights that humanity created government. Where does the power of this government derive? That is right — it derives from the consent of you, the people. Should any government in all the world dare infringe upon the rights of the people, we have the power to overthrow it — and we shall willingly do so!"
People shouted "Yes!" and "Hear, hear!" Tens of thousands of yeses and hear-hears rang out over the city like the fireworks of a grand festival, resplendent against the sky.
"Proud citizens of the Habsburg Empire — I ask you: did the Empire protect your lives?"
— No! No! No!
The people chanted in a single voice. They hoisted up long pikes. From the tips of the pikes hung severed heads. They were the heads of the court nobles and their families. The city was drenched in blood.
Elisabeth thrust out her arms and cried out:
"Did the Empire protect your freedom?"
— No! No! No!
"Did the Empire — did the nobles — protect your happiness?"
— No! No! No!
"That is right! The Empire has failed to protect your lives, your freedom, your happiness—everything! It is for this reason that we stand here today, to tear down a government that is no government at all. To fulfill an ancient promise. The promise that we ourselves—humanity—would realize the rights the gods pledged to us!"
Elisabeth drew the sword at her waist.
Behind her, the generals standing in formation drew their blades in unison. The sun blazed brilliantly as dozens of longswords thrust high into the air.
"I, Elisabeth, do hereby cast off the name of Habsburg, becoming one of you—commoners. For the commoners, and on behalf of the commoners, I declare the destruction of the Habsburg Empire—and proclaim the founding of the new Habsburg Republic!"
Tens of thousands of voices shook the city to its foundations.
Elisabeth.
The third imperial princess of the Habsburg Empire, who had served as Minister of Military Affairs, Chief of the General Staff, and Supreme Commander, now ascended to the seats of representative of the twelve-member National Assembly, Grand General of the Revolutionary Volunteer Army, and finally, Consul for Life of the new Habsburg Republic.
Barbatos, the Empire's Regent, who rules the north.
Elisabeth, the Republic's Consul, who rules the south.
The Habsburg Empire splits in two, and the continent plunges into a scenario no one could have predicted.
"That little bitch... She thinks she's going to hog the entire Human Realm all by herself? Not happening."
"If you get too greedy, your belly's gonna burst. Hehe, it'd be a problem if you forgot the favor Paimon did for you."
The majority of Demon Lords rage at the Plains Faction's monopoly over the continent's interests. Each leads their own forces and seizes portions of Habsburg's northern territory by force.
The monarchs of the Human Realm conclude they have no choice but to support the Republic over the two Habsburgs. They send aid to the Republic on the condition that it holds back the Demon Lord armies.
However, the monarchs are shaken by the revelation that a Demon Lord—one they assumed was bent solely on the destruction of the Human Realm—had declared himself Regent of the Empire. Seeing that Demon Lords are far more political than they ever imagined, they begin to wonder if perhaps the Demon Lords could be used to their advantage……
Epidemics and famine. War and pillage. Alliance and schism.
As the continent hurtles into unprecedented chaos,
The mastermind behind it all—Demon Lord Dantalion—quietly raised his cup and drank.
The procedure to brand Daisy with the Slave Brand had begun.
Fortunately, there happened to be someone by my side who was a complete expert on the Slave Brand. It was Jeremy, the leader of the assassination squad. She had undergone the procedure herself as a child and had since carried out dozens of the brandings. According to her, the surgery was excruciatingly painful.
The Slave Brand was carved directly into the heart.
The heart was the center of mana. Once it was taken, a slave could never defy their master's orders. As she said this, Jeremy let out a soft laugh.
"A slave cannot raise a hand against their master, and if they so much as think about killing their master, they are wracked with excruciating pain. Fufu."
Jeremy plunged a blade into boiling water. She was preparing for the surgery.
"Almost every slave is rebellious at first. They'll kill their master, they won't just sit there and take it—night after night, they pile grudge upon grudge like dream upon dream. But every time, they suffer that agony of their heart being torn apart, and soon enough… fufu, their defiance simply vanishes."
"……."
Daisy didn't answer. She pressed her lips shut.
The ten-year-old girl lay naked on a wooden bed.
Her arms and legs were bound tight. Her neck, her waist, and even her thighs were locked in chains—the slightest chance that the anesthetic might wear off mid-surgery meant she would thrash about in unbearable agony.
The method of engraving the brand on the heart was as simple as it was brutal. The surgeon cut through flesh until the heart was exposed, pouring potions ceaselessly into the patient to keep them from dying. Dozens of potion bottles were already lined up on the table.
Jeremy smiled.
"Consider it an honor. You're receiving surgery worth a mountain of gold coins. Master has acknowledged that you are worth that much. As a slave, there is no greater joy than this. Wouldn't you agree?"
"……."
Daisy remained silent. She merely stared at Jeremy with emotionless eyes. Not once did she flinch or shudder at the fact that her heart was about to be cut open. Apparently pleased by this, Jeremy kept laughing.
"My, your reaction is exactly the same as mine when I was little."
"……."
"Now, open your mouth. You'll need to drink a great deal of potion."
Daisy parted her small lips. Jeremy lifted a potion bottle and pressed it to the girl's mouth. The red liquid flowed into the child in an instant.
"Another bottle."
Jeremy set aside the empty vial and picked up a fresh one. Daisy's throat bobbed as she swallowed. One bottle emptied. Jeremy picked up another.
"Another bottle."
Five bottles were emptied in the blink of an eye. When she drank the sixth potion, Daisy's eyebrows twitched. The speed at which she downed the potions had noticeably slowed. The girl let out a low, pained groan.
"Mmph… mmph…"
Jeremy spoke.
"If you take too long, the potion's effects will wear off. If you keep drinking like a sloth, you could die in the middle of the surgery. Another bottle."
"Mmph, mmmph…! Haa, hhh…"
"Shut up and drink."
One bottle, then another, and another still.
"…Mmph, mmmph! Haa! Mmmph…"
Once the bottles passed ten, Daisy's face was clearly wracked with agony. She was barely holding back the urge to retch. Unused potion dribbled from the corners of her mouth. But Jeremy paid no mind and produced yet another bottle.
"Don't throw it up. That's all gold."
"Haa, hh…"
"It's far more expensive than anything your body is worth. Open your mouth. Quickly."
In the end, it wasn't over until she had drained all twelve bottles.
Daisy's face was twisted as though she might vomit at any moment. But her gaze remained cold. Even with her features contorted and her lips trembling, Daisy stared at her counterpart with an utterly expressionless look.
I sat in one corner of the room, watching the scene unfold.
"I'll ask you one last time. Are you truly confident you won't regret this?"
I spoke.
"You will become a doll that obeys only my commands for the rest of your life. Your body, and even your mind, will be bound to me. A life without even a shred of freedom is what awaits you. Will you truly not regret it?"
"…"
There was no reply.
I wasn't sure if she might vomit right then if she tried to speak. But through Daisy's eyes, I knew she had answered sufficiently. I nodded, then turned to Jeremy.
"Jeremy. Proceed."