Episode 119
Had the testing already been finished?
Even Ariella hadn’t expected that Demon King Schwartz might have tried the product himself.
Still, the fact that he acknowledged dragon musk as a luxury item had meaning.
He was even suggesting an exclusive deal.
‘But I can’t grab at it so quickly.’
Dragon musk from a sea serpent—a Demon King–class monster—wasn’t something she could secure regularly.
Once the current stock was gone, the chances of getting more were slim.
It was too early to tie down all sales channels.
“Your head seems busy.”
Schwartz looked down at Ariella with an expression that almost looked gentle.
But the words leaving his mouth held no trace of concession.
“I believe it’s a reasonable offer. Haven’t I shown enough sincerity already?”
He added, as if proud of himself:
“Look around this hall. I’ve set the stage for you, haven’t I? Your drink has been advertised thoroughly. Think of it as a welcome gift for guests who traveled so far.”
Schwartz’s eyes curved pleasantly.
“The price of the liquor will need negotiation too, of course. But in the end, won’t you just subtract that from the payment for the black iron?”
“That’s true.”
“Your side doesn’t exactly have an endless supply of funds. Thanks to me, you’ll be able to breathe easier.”
The tone sounded like thoughtful advice, but at its core it was cornering her.
‘Annoying… but he’s not wrong.’
It was frustrating precisely because he was right.
Could he possibly have figured out Ludwig’s treasury of gold?
‘No, that’s overthinking it.’
He was probably just making predictions based on the size of the delegation and rumors he’d gathered.
“I can’t give you an answer right here and now.”
Ariella kept her smile.
“I’ll discuss it with my Demon King and then…”
“That young Demon King is just a puppet anyway, isn’t he?”
That was a direct provocation.
“You’re questioning the legitimacy of our Demon King.”
Still smiling, Ariella’s voice carried barbs.
“A Demon King whose soul is bound to the Sun… a puppet? How absurd.”
“Stop the play you don’t even believe yourself. The one truly running Ludwig’s economy from behind the scenes… is you.”
It had only been a little over a day, but Schwartz had already dug into Ludwig’s Demon Kingdom.
The distance was far too great to learn every detail.
Still, since land trade wasn’t entirely cut off, he’d managed to gather rumors, piece them together, and complete the puzzle.
Some sources were unclear, some unverified—but they all pointed in the same direction.
The human woman before him.
‘She’s the one who saved Ludwig’s failing kingdom.’
Schwartz twirled gracefully as he moved his steps.
“I told you. We may be ignorant of southern news, but that doesn’t mean we’re deaf.”
Ariella followed his lead while frantically drawing mental balance sheets.
Her mind was tangled, but her body moved fluidly.
Even while concentrating so hard, her steps flowed without stumbling.
A moment later—
‘Hmm, I’ve got the rough calculations.’
That didn’t mean she had to answer now.
It would make her look desperate.
“Please allow me some more time. I’ll give you an official answer after careful thought.”
“Take as much time as you need.”
Schwartz smiled, as if saying, I already know what you’re thinking.
Their conversation hadn’t even lasted a few minutes.
Music was still playing, and they remained the only pair dancing in the hall.
The other northern demons whispered over their wine glasses.
“Those two… they look rather close, don’t they?”
“Look at Lord Schwartz’s face. To see him smiling so brightly, chatting nonstop while dancing… it’s been ages.”
“Yes, not since Lady Marianne, I think.”
They never imagined it.
The words exchanged between the two weren’t small talk, but the most important issues between their Demon Kingdoms.
Then, in a voice only Ariella could hear, Schwartz spoke again.
“By the way.”
“Yes?”
“You are Demon King Ludwig’s first contractor, aren’t you?”
It seemed he was now shifting the mood for genuine “small talk.”
‘Well, there are still a few minutes until the song ends.’
Ariella was just as comfortable with hollow social chatter as with sharp diplomatic discussions.
“That’s right. I summoned him from the human world and made the contract.”
“In that case…”
Schwartz’s tone remained calm and even.
As if he were asking about the weather.
“Have you ever heard of contract annulment?”
—Thud.
Ariella’s steps stopped.
* * *
Meanwhile, the orcs at the banquet were having a confusing time.
Their orders from their captain, Ariella, had been simple: eat and drink to their heart’s content.
“Look at that! This food could fill our whole tribe’s cave and more.”
“Quick, eat before someone else takes it!”
“Whoa, that dragon already swallowed an entire pig!”
They rushed at the feast, their eyes gleaming, and quickly began emptying the tables.
The rumors were true—supplies were abundant in the north. Whenever the tables ran low, the servants hurried to bring out more.
But as time passed, sweat beaded on the servants’ foreheads and their breath grew rough, while the orcs kept on feasting without a care.
Until someone came over to them.
“Excuse me, friends.”
The very situation the young orcs had dreaded had arrived.
‘This is bad!’
The orc youths tensed up and turned their heads, remembering Ariella’s advice.
‘If someone speaks to you in a way you don’t understand, just smile and nod.’
They prepared to do exactly that.
“…Huh?”
But then they froze.
The one approaching them—
He was an orc.
He wore northern formal attire, his hair neatly combed back, and a pair of spectacles perched on his nose.
“I heard there were fellow orcs among the guests, so I wanted to greet you. My name is Gulatz.”
The orc youths were dumbfounded.
The face was familiar, but his demeanor, speech, and air were completely different.
“An orc? At a demon banquet?”
“That’s an odd thing to say. Aren’t you here as well?”
“W-well, that’s true, but…”
Their heads spun in confusion.
In Ludwig’s Demon Kingdom, orcs had only just recently started coexisting with demons.
Nowhere else in the south had that ever happened.
And yet here? At a grand banquet for high-ranking northern demons?
They themselves were here only because they were part of the southern delegation…
“Lord Gulatz, are you also a delegate from another Demon Kingdom?”
“No, I work here.”
“You… build things?”
“…Pardon?”
“This Demon Kingdom is also building a new village? Or maybe a shipyard?”
The youths assumed he was some kind of laborer.
But his next words defied their expectations.
“Not construction—more like development and management. I belong to the Demon Castle’s Department of Technology, Division Three. I’m in charge of facilities and security.”
“…Department of Technology?”
The young orcs repeated the unfamiliar term several times. Gulatz kindly explained further.
In short, he researched new technologies and developed products needed for the Demon Castle.
“An orc… doing research? Isn’t that against our nature?”
Despite the blunt question, Gulatz answered politely.
“Not for me. It suits me well.”
“But orcs are supposed to fight, raid, and live off plunder. It’s our nature!”
“Yes, orcs are children of the mountains!”
The northern orc set down his glass with a smile.
“Just because our ancestors raided from the mountains… must we live exactly the same way?”
One youth opened his mouth, struggling.
“But we carry orc blood…!”
“I’m not denying that. But no matter what race we’re born as, how we live—that’s for us to decide.”
Silence fell.
The young orcs had thought advanced technology belonged only to demons.
Yet here was an orc, not just equal but pioneering it, radiating a quiet dignity even stronger than the demons around him.
One muttered in denial:
“This isn’t… very orc-like.”
“‘Orc-like,’ you say?”
He touched the tip of his protruding tusk.
“Isn’t that also just a shackle we put on ourselves?”
“A shackle?”
“Yes. ‘Orcs are a mountain race.’ ‘Orcs must fight.’ Fixed ideas like that.”
It was a bit much for them, but they frowned and tried to grasp it.
“If we cling only to that, will we not miss the chance to find new ways of living a truly ‘orc-like’ life?”
Their heads swam, almost understanding yet not quite.
They were about to reply when—
“Wait a second. Did I hear you say you work in the Department of Technology?”
“Yes, I do, but…”
“Perfect! I’ve been dying to ask someone about this!”
“…Pardon?”
Caught off guard, Gulatz blinked as a woman suddenly butted in.
“None of the soldiers or servants here could explain the mechanical details properly. To think an expert would show up! Come with me, somewhere quiet!”
“W-wait a moment!”
Before the stunned orcs could react, Cecile swept in like a whirlwind, all but dragging the orc technician away.
The orc youths just stood there, staring blankly.
