MADWD 63

Chapter 63

Months passed since half of the Ent tribe had migrated to Ludwig’s Demon King’s Domain.

“Today’s weather is beautiful.”

Ariella smiled as she stepped out of the Demon King’s Castle.

Not a single cloud was in the sky.

The magical sun connected to Demon King Ludwig shone brightly, spreading soft, golden light over the entire territory.

“It’s definitely getting bigger, little by little.”

These days, Ariella’s daily routine started with checking that sun.

It hadn’t been a habit at first.

When she first fell into the Demon Realm, she avoided looking at it because its stagnant size only made her anxious.

But now, there was change.

And change was always exciting.

“Yes… these days, I can see it growing.”

As the sun expanded, Ludwig’s magic power grew stronger—and Ariella’s own abilities improved dramatically as well.

The direct reason for this was simple:

Population growth in the Demon King’s Domain.

Something that had been unthinkable only months ago was now happening.

“Good morning, Contract Holder!”
“Good morning, Lady Ariella!”
“Are you heading out of the castle? Have a safe trip!”

As she passed through the front gates, the soldiers saluted her with booming voices.

After Ludwig had reorganized his forces, issuing strict orders and replacing unruly subordinates, the Demon King’s army’s attitude toward Ariella had completely changed.

But lately, their discipline seemed even sharper—especially when she was around.

Did Ludwig scold them again?

Her name was now well-known across the territory, and her growing reputation naturally inspired awe.

Even the soldiers couldn’t help but be influenced by the atmosphere.

“Let’s go to the market,” Ariella ordered.

Her guards wordlessly surrounded her and escorted her forward.

At least Ludwig isn’t tagging along today. I can actually take my time looking around.

He had declared he would follow her everywhere she went, but thankfully he showed some restraint within his own domain.

She chose to walk rather than ride a carriage.

She didn’t want to get in that gaudy carriage, and she preferred seeing the territory’s situation up close with her own eyes.

The noise of a bustling crowd reached her ears.

“Look! It’s the Contract Holder!”
“Lady Ariella is here!”

There was no one left in Ludwig’s Demon King’s Domain who didn’t know her name.

The young human girl with the striking red bob haircut was impossible to miss.

Many bowed deeply as soon as they saw her.

Some still looked fearful—memories of her burning a vampire alive had clearly stuck.

But most of them greeted her with genuine respect.

It made sense; they had lived through the transformation of this land firsthand.

And Ariella had always been at the center of it all.

“Step right up, everyone! Deals you won’t see every day!”
“Any Moonflower tea leaves? The stall next door is charging fifty sel!”
“Juicy Devil Rabbit hindquarters! One sel each! If it’s not delicious, I’ll refund you!”

The lively voices of vendors rang out across the street.

Ariella’s chest swelled with emotion at the vibrant scene.

A marketplace… there’s actually a market in Ludwig’s territory now!

It truly was like a miracle.

Much of this change was thanks to her and Geru’s efforts, but…

Without that little guy, none of this would have been possible.

The Gold Dragon.

Thanks to the hatchling’s daily bursts of magical metabolism, his divine blessing reached further and further beyond the castle walls.

The effects of his “Grace” spread across the entire domain, reaching even the farmlands where peasants lived.

Now, incredible things were happening everywhere.

“Look at this! The wheat we planted yesterday already sprouted this high!”
“Are you sure nobody dug it up and replanted it overnight?”
“Who would do that? And look at this soybean stalk! It’s thicker than my arm!”
“Wait… were our pumpkins always this big and round?”

The Gold Dragon’s blessing worked wonders on crops, just like it had in the Ents’ grove.

No matter what they planted, everything grew at incredible speed.

But it wasn’t just speed—the harvest itself had multiplied dramatically.

Even planting the same seeds, we’re getting two or three times the yield.

At this rate, they could harvest crops four times a year.

Thanks to this miracle, Ludwig’s territory had undergone a complete transformation.

A land once plagued by food shortages now had enough to feed everyone and still have surplus left over.

With these extra goods, villagers could finally save money.

Most of them were free farmers who worked their own fields, so after paying taxes and setting aside what they needed, they could sell the rest to the Demon King’s Castle.

For the first time, their pockets had coin—and the economy began to move.

This was exactly what Ariella had dreamed of.

Ariella kept walking, quietly observing the townsfolk.

As she moved away from the heart of the market, she noticed something different.

Instead of focusing on the products for sale, some people were more interested in the ground itself.

“Look at this soil! The color’s different, isn’t it?”
“Is this why their harvest is so good?”

Demons visiting from other territories knelt and scooped up the rich earth with their hands, staring at the golden-tinted soil in awe.

No wonder we caught soil thieves last time.

The land’s fertility was so obvious that it tempted outsiders.

Some even tried to smuggle large amounts of soil back to their own lands.

But they had been caught and arrested.

The Demon King’s army, now disciplined and alert, didn’t let such schemes slide.

These days, some travelers might sneak away with a handful as a “souvenir,” but Ariella didn’t mind.

They won’t be able to grow a single stalk of rye with just a handful anyway.

She glanced down at the road she walked on.

Even I have to admit—it really does look different.

The richness of the soil stood out clearly.

It felt like a World Tree could spring up at any moment here.

Thinking of the World Tree made her thoughts spiral deeper.

I searched the castle library, but I couldn’t find a clear answer.

Why hadn’t a new World Tree sprouted in the Demon Realm for so long?

The Ents said this had been the case for “hundreds” of years, but historical records suggested it had actually been a full thousand years.

No one knew why.

It was one of the great mysteries of demon history.

Why exactly a thousand years ago? How strange.

That was also around the time the Gold Dragons mysteriously vanished from the Demon Realm.

Coincidence? Or was there a connection?

Ariella’s steps slowed, and she stopped in the street, lost in thought.

“Are you alright, Contract Holder?”
“Do you need anything, Lady Ariella?”

Her guards looked at her with concern.

She didn’t answer. Instead, her sharp gaze turned toward an alleyway.

I knew I felt a strange stare…

She narrowed her eyes.

“Who’s there?”

Every villager they passed greeted her—whether in awe or fear.

But that figure…

Someone was watching from the shadows of a dark alley.

The moment she spotted them, they slipped out of sight.

“Not a familiar face,” one soldier muttered.
“They’re not a resident of this domain. Definitely an outsider,” another said.

Ariella tilted her head.

“But… I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before.”

“Shall we chase them down?” a guard asked.

She nodded.

But it was no use.

In the blink of an eye, the stranger vanished without a trace.

They hadn’t used magic; instead, they had simply blended into the crowd with practiced skill.

If they’d used invisibility magic, I could’ve tracked them…

Frustration lingered in her mind as she returned to the castle.

That afternoon, in the castle conference room—

“What? An envoy from Delrak’s territory? To us?” Ariella asked.

“Yes,” replied Gruve, the head butler, handing her a letter.

It had arrived earlier that morning while Ariella was out.

“They’ll be departing next week.”

An envoy from another Demon King.

This was the first time something like this had happened since Ariella came to the Demon Realm.

“I guess this means our domain’s reputation has grown… But still,” she hesitated.

“Do we even have a reception hall for envoys?”

Silence filled the room.

“I thought so.”

In her home kingdom of Oinos, the throne room served that purpose. But she wasn’t asking for something so grand—just a formal meeting room.

Apparently, they didn’t even have that.

Gruve spoke apologetically.

“It hasn’t been used in decades… and it’s been turned into a storage room.”

“…We’d better clean it up quickly, then.”

At least they’d recently hired more servants.

“Thank goodness it’s just storage. If it had turned into Richmond’s zombie lab or Ulken’s bedroom, that would’ve been a nightmare.”

“How dare you compare my pristine research lab to that filthy den of shed fur!” Richmond huffed.

“Ha! I’d take my smelly den of corpses over your filthy room any day!” Ulken shot back.

Ariella ignored them and turned to Gruve.

“I’m counting on you.”

“I’ll make sure it’s ready to welcome any guest with honor,” he promised.

Ariella’s feelings were mixed. On one hand, it was exciting that another Demon King was reaching out. On the other, she couldn’t help but be suspicious.

Every powerful person moved for their own gain.

That was one thing she’d learned for sure while serving in the human kingdom.

Are they just hoping to profit from an alliance with us? Or… is there something else at play?

Her calm gaze sharpened as Ludwig slammed his arms across his chest.

“Stop overthinking! An envoy from Delrak? It’s OBVIOUS! This is a plot!”

“Oh? You’ve already reached a conclusion?” Ariella said dryly.

She was still carefully weighing the possibilities, but Ludwig had already decided.

Call it simple, call it straightforward—that was just how he was.

“Must be nice,” she muttered. “Life’s never stressful when you don’t bother thinking too hard.”

Ludwig scowled. He hated getting involved in complicated matters.

“Tell them not to come! I don’t want to get dragged into anything!”

Gruve, who had received the letter personally, spoke in a cautious tone.