V. War Prelude 1: Fredericus, Morgianna and the Conference Room

(Demon Capital, 96 years before the Great Human-Demon War)

During the earliest days of Frederie at the castle, he have been introduced of the duties and responsibilities of being a Maou. He should be playing outside with the other demon kids but his family chose for him to stay at the castle and learn the things he should be learning. Though it would seem like he was robbed of his freedom as a kid, it was not really the case.

It was because of a passive trait he obtained due to his calling as a Maou. It was a trait that lets to dedicate himself to what he gets his interest with. Also, he could not let his father’s high hopes for him down. One might think it was really due to his calling that forced him to devote himself to the duties and responsibilities of the Maou.

But even though that were the case, his young age still manifested within him. Frederie was still a normal young boy. He chose not to attend classes that not pique his interest and always try to sneak out with Morgianna.

Her mother could only sigh herself out after they apologize to his tutor.

One of the classes that he fully attended to was a history lesson with the previous Maou generation. Given a brief description by his tutor, he learnt that he is currently the eight generation Maou. Demon race live for about a range of hundred to hundred and fifty Mytherion years. Legends like the Maou lives for about two hundred to up until they decide to die of the Yuusha crusades himself towards the castle to kill him.

One of the oldest Maou that had been recorded was the fifth generation which lived for about five hundred years. He was a very clever individual that avoided as much large scale battles as possible. It had not been recorded how he died, but it was said that he died by old age. Seems like even the most legendary of the Mytherion beings except the gods could not avoid death by old age.

Not much was discussed about the other generations, it was really just an introduction of the names. An in depth studying should be done to research about each individual’s deeds and contributions to the current demon race.

“Listen, Frederie, this will be a very important part of the lesson today. This is about the second generation Maou which have established his own elite team of forces to battle with the Yuusha during his time. The human forces have been at their peak at those times, The Second Maou himself won’t be enough to battle with their elite forces. So, along with his right hand, he searched the vast Mytheron lands to gather a team of elite forces to rival the humans.

Along with them he delegated three main generals his right hand man included: General Orcas of the longest River, General Minos of the Talest Mountain, and General Iteria of the Blinding Mist.”

It had been a very long discussion. The tutor pointed out that after the second generation Maou, the proceeding generations carried the tradition and delegated the three generals with them too, to help them of the Maou duties.

It was a very important lesson that Frederie should learn as the current eight generation. Sooner or later he needed to start gathering the three greatest generals too.

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Fred opened his eyes.

“My master, have you already rested?” –Morgianna welcomed Fred’s waking up with a smile.

So much have happened within these past few days that Fred begged for his tutor to five him a day off. His tutor warned him about his father but he still pushed his luck and exploited his position as the Maou just to force his tutor approve of his day off. That leaded to Morgianna, again, being assigned on the lookout for him.

There really wasn’t much to look out for. Fred just wanted to sleep at the garden.

The place was cool, the shade of the tree didn’t fully block the snlight but it was enough to hve someone feel comfy and listless, resulting to a deep slumber.

Being attached to his master/brother too much, Morgianna moved Fred’s deep-sleeping body towards her and placed his head on her lap. She stroked his hair for a few times and also rested her back at the trunk of the tree. Not much time after that and she fell for a nap too.

It wasn’t that much time after that and Morgianna suddenly forced herself to wake up. She didn’t want her master/brother to wake up ahead of her. She realized she dose off and wiped her drool.

She continued observing the surrounding until Fred woke up.

“Tell me Morgianna if you are really fond of doing the elder sister type and do things like this to me.” –Fred asked Morgianna wondering how did his head ended up with Morgianna’s lap.

“My master what are you talking about? Of course you will be more comfortable resting your head at my lap” –Teased Morgianna.

Fred blushed. Even though he tried to max out his composure, being a boy, he still would get embarrassed at situations like this.

On the other hand, Morgianna seemed to have matured quite a bit. Her traits as a succubus started manifesting towards her. Fred could only try to guess whether this was due to their master-servant relationship, or whether Morgianna just grew fond of his spoiling, or whether this was due to her being a succubus that she started to see Fred as a prey more than a master. Which weighed more?

“O-o-of course… It is soft… your lap, I mean.”

Steam puffed out of Morgianna’s head. She dug her own grave.

“I-I-In any case, My Master, If you have already rested, It’s about time you meet up with your father.”

It was one of the things that Fred should have done immediately after he and his party arrived at the castle, but he kind of forgot due to the things that happened.

While Fred and Dax were busy doing the operation to save Mae, his father had been attending to the elitists of the demi-human convoy who were left and originally followers of Mae, The Diplomat. He had been running around here and there for paper works, accommodations, meetings and even food the guests eat. He had been a busybody and never got the chance to meet up with Fred too. Who knows if he didn’t even knew his son already arrived from a long journey.

“Gah. I really forgot about him.” –Fred scratched his head as he just remembered he have a father.

“Fufufu… looks like your day off will come to a closure.”

“Aaaahg… and here I am wanting to take a few more time to rest.”

Fred’s day off was over.

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It was a long hallway. It was the only path towards the audience room at the innermost room of the demon castle. It had been constructed that way for as long as Fred could remember and he had been in there for a few times since. He was seldom brought by his father during his meetings with the highest executives. He thought it was just not the right time yet.

The times he was brought inside were if he’s needed to be introduced towards the guests and appointments that needed his audience.

There were thick pillars with artistic carvings supporting the heavy marble ceiling. A huge one every ten mytherion meters of interval. These pillars are lined up on a straight path which led towards a huge door with several guards awaiting outside.

There must have been VIPs already inside –Fred thought.

“My master, we should pick up the pace.” –Morgianna broke his train of thought as he walks absentmindedly.

A part of Fred was still enjoying his day off. If he wished, he could cancel this meeting asap. But he assumed it was something urgent so he pushed himself to attend somehow. He never wanted to be branded as the ‘Irresponsible Maou’ amongst the eight generations.

“Morgianna why are you tormenting me.”

“My master, I believe I’ve done no such things.”

The two argued as they walk towards the audience room.

By the time they arrived at the front of the door, the guards bowed down at the sight of the ‘horribly irresponsible but needed to do so will do’ Maou in front of them to show their loyalty.

The door was opened.

In front of the two, not as much as far as they could perceive, a huge rectangular table spanned across the room. There were a lot of seats but not even half was seated with. It seemed that his father gathered as few of the most trusted demi-human VIPs to join the conference. They were gathered at the rightmost side of the wide table.

The visitors stood. Mixed emotions are being shown right before Fred. Some were confused, some were amazed. But those who were certain already that Fred really was the Maou were not concerned anymore. With all due respect, they bowed in the sight of the most important person at that moment amongst the whole demon race.

Fred raised his hand in response, it was to ask them to stop being so formal. It was just a gesture but it conveyed most of what he tried to convey them.

After the audience rised, Fred approached the vacant and lone seat at the left side which proved to be the center of where the audience gathered. He believed it was a seat especially for him. He could never be wrong about that.

Morgianna, who was now his personal assistant/guard/maid/little sister, stood beside him without taking a seat. She was still a servant so she needed to act like one.

Fred patted his lap while looking at Morgianna. His father sighed.

“My Master?” –Morgianna asked in confusion.

“This is your master ordering you to sit at his lap.”

“Excuse me—what?”

“HA HA HA HA!!” –Fred laughed at Morgianna’s perplexed face.

Dax and Mae were making a “Are you serious?” faces with them while looking at Fred.

SLAM!

He was hit by his father’s fist at his forehead. Being a normal demon his skull should have been bashed and broken but he was a literally thick-headed brat due to his physical resistances. It should be one of the traits he acquired.

“First of all you entered here, walked towards your seat without even greeting anybody, especially me, your father a hello after the long time you’ve been away from home. Then suddenly you started flirting your slave in front of VIPs and guests. How unsightly of you. I believe I’ve taught you proper manners before.”

“Ouch Ouch ouch. Learm some restraint. What if you suddenly kill me. Tch! And here I am just lightening up the mood. Let’s drop our formalities and be friends here. Besides, why so serious right off the bat? Can’t we have our pleasantries first?”

“Pft!—HAHAHAHA!!” –Dax bursted out laughing. He supported Fred with a “Guys he’s right.”

Fred had a point. After all that has happened these past few weeks. Even the VIPs who were just hiding at a safe place and was just protected by the guards and the fighters at the convoy could feel stress building up within them too.

Fred knew that this will be a long and serious talk so he tried to lighten up the mood first. Even though they have already rested at the castle and one could say that they have already rested and cleared themselves from exhaustion, being in front of the highest executives, discussing the urgent and pressing concerns, started bringing up their stress back. Stress clouds judgment, one’s decision making and being rational.

Fred wanted to clear that up first before they start so he did what he thought was the best course of action. He just felt bad for using Morgianna again as his Guinea pig.

“Well, my bad for setting up a bad example for you guys. Also, esteemed father. It’s been a while.”

“Hmp. As long as you’ve learnt something.” –answered his father, finding out how sly his son had become.

“Okay. So going back, as you’ve already know, I’m the eight generation Maou, Fredericus Corralton Spence de Augustus. Please to meet you all. I believe most of us have already met back at the Gargantua Forest.”

The air surrounding Fred have changed.

---

It have been a scene full of murmuring since their meeting started.

What were their agendas? One of the demi-human VIPs pressed the concern about the attack that the humans have staged up against the diplomatic faction. It was not an issue both sides could agree to pass. There weren’t any casualties. The attacker’s aim was to assassinate only Mae Militum Thelesmata. If it was not planned carefully they could have the whole area exploded, considering the number of attackers. A part of the opposing demi-human faction must have still hoped for the remaining diplomatic believers would flip their sides and join them. They were still fellow demi-humans after all.

“This is a carefully plotted scheme. I suppose their original plan was to stage the assassination and make it look like us, Demon race, was the one to set it up.” –Fred deduced

“How could you confirm that my Lord?” –questioned one of the VIPs. They had a point. Fred was away during those times.

“Allow me to speak, My Lord.”

The one to step up was Morgianna. She was one of the core defenders during that attack.

“I confirm that the magicians that suddenly appeared were humans.”

The VIPs were puzzled. Of course it was her that had most of the close encounters with the attacking individuals besides the elite guards that sided with Irish. She might have the advantage to confirm it with her own eyes but how could she be so sure? She might have been ordered to keep silent about the issue and press the attack towards the human’s side. It could be that the demons staged all of these up. Irish could have been assisting them all the time for her and her followers to be granted special treatment once the demons fully gained control of the demi-human nation.

“How could you be so sure? How could you prove that you are not conspiring to conquer our nation?” –one of them spoke up.

“Such insolence!!—”

Fred stopped Morgianna. He was still calm at situations like that.

“Calm down. Explain further.”

“I’m sorry my master… As I would further explain. Indeed the attack force were full of magicians as the elite fighters following Irish acted as vanguards. There would be lots of skilled magicians here at the demon capital but the magic affinity would be different. These attackers specialized light-element magic and the piercing spell they have used was an unknown one for us too. It was a hybrid of light and poison-inflicting trait that scattered mana debris that flowed inside Lady Mae. It was contrary to the magic affinity and specialization of the demon-race who used pure power and destructive force. If a skilled demon magician would be in their party, not to brag but, all of us would be annihilated in an instant.”

The VIPs shrieked due to Morgianna’s explanation. For a slave, she’s quite knowledgeable of magic terminologies and theories too. She would be on par with Fred’s, because she also attends the tutorials he had been attending too.

“You missed one thing Morgianna, but I shall praise you for that good observation. If us Demons have staged the attack then Morgianna wouldn’t be bothered to defend you lot. She could switch anytime and be the one to execute the assassination.”

Morgianna was a Succubus. It was a miss on her explanation that Demons are all using destructive and forceful magic as their specialization. She might not be aware of abilities yet, but she specialize on mind manipulation.

“A huge number of attackers wouldn’t be needed if they were to stage an assassination. Morgianna here could just manipulate the guards and kill Mae herself. That I could assure. Still, she tried her best to defend everyone and successfully driven away the attackers, for the bargain of her left arm. Besides, even if the attack have failed, there would be multiple ways we could still assassinate Mae.”

Fred looked down. It still bothered him. Morgianna won’t tell him how and what ability she used. For a bargain that huge, it must be an ability even he could not find any counter, not at his level yet.

“Again, she’s just a slave. You could always force her to give up any part of her body if needed be. You could also force her to shield you if you just ordered her.”

“Just a slave, you say?”

While still looking at the table Fred let out a cold-blooded voice. His father chuckled his way out, not even he could stop Fred at that point.

“When did you ever saw me treated Morgianna as a slave?”

The long table began to tremble. The VIPs panicked in fear. It was the same as that night when Fred let out a sinister aura at the forest. The only difference now is he didn’t shown any signs or activating an ability, nor chanting. He was on a whole different level. Dax could only thought of himself that time.

The VIP crossed the line. If Fred was an oppressive master he could let that pass or just laugh at it, but he was not. Never did he treat Morgianna that was, and never won’t be.

“My son you must calm down. This is very unsightly. You won’t want to add up to the problems we already have.” –Igor asked the enraged Fred.

Fred closed his eyes and tried to regain composure, but he could not. Aside from losing an arm to protect these elites, he didn’t even knew if they even tried to thank her for betting her life to protect them.

“Should I kill him?” –Offered Dax.

“Iiiiieeee!! Lord Dax! No, please! I deeply apologize for my wordings. Please forgieve me.” –Shrieked the VIP.

“Boy, you’re not helping, not at all.” –Igor stopped Dax from saying any more words.

Morgianna just closed her eyes and was hoping for Fred to be brought back too. She just let the most gentle Fred slept at her lap a while ago at the garden. This Fred was far too cruel from that one.

For who knows what Fred might release that time, Mae stood up from her seat, breaking the current situation with pure will and courage alone. She walked up a few distance from the table where she was visible to everyone and groveled.

“Lord Maou, no, Lord Frederie, I deeply apologize for my follower’s insolence. I really hope you could forgive him.”

Mae was shaking. Dax was too surprised that he could not stand up. The VIPs who were focused on Fred was now focused on her too. She was resolved. She was ready to accept any punishment on her follower’s stead.

Fred took a deep breath and finally realized the trouble he caused again. He stood up and approached Mae. He bowed down too.

“I apologize on losing my control too. But I really won’t tolerate anyone of the slave treatment anymore. Could you please keep that in mind and have your subordinates under your control?” –He was apologizing, but not for his sake, but for Morgianna’s.

“Indeed.” Mae’s speech shifted to the VIPs. “My people, if any of you will still act inappropriately you may leave now.”

Everybody went silent, then apologized to Fred too afterwards.

Seeing their leader begged for mercy in front of the Maou had shocked the VIPs to realization. Nothing more can change their mind than see Mae accepting the alibi presented by the demon race with regards to the assassination attempt. Coming to a realization, the group of VIPs, ashamed of themselves, asked for forgiveness from the Demon race too. Not only because they have suspected them of the assassination plot, but also for their treatment towards Morgianna.

They also started to show gratitude towards the brave little girl who have defended them from the human magicians. It was quite a bit late, but still pulled out the thorn of regret within her.

The one who initially offended Fred was so ashamed of himself upon realization and volunteered to exit the room. He still asked for their mercy which they accepted. Nothing good will come from prolonging the situation anymore.

“Okay, so I guess we’re clear at that part.” –Dax told them as he looked onto Fred, assisting Mae to stand up.

“Yes, I’m sorry I nearly burst out too.”

After Fred sat at his original seat, his father gave him another chop that nearly shattered his skull inside.

“You fool, what are you even doing? Losing yourself in front of our precious guests. You really have a little sister complex.”

“Wha—Hmp!” –Little boy Fred blushed on from his shyness.

Morgianna giggled beside him.

They were about to resume their conference when suddenly:

A light appeared at the middle of the desk. It was quite enough to light up a few portion of the huge room but not enough to fully blind everybody inside. Almost everybody except Igor and Mae were surprised by the sudden appearance of the light. They were feared that there might be another attempt for attack. From the human’s side.

Even Fred started to look anxious. Will this be recorded as another incident from their history books?, was all he could think of.

“Calm down, everybody.” –Igor’s deep loud voice echoed through the halls. “This is, but a mere communication spell.”

This was knowledge, new to Fred, for he have not encountered this kind of ability before.

After a few seconds the light from the place eventually vanished, leaving a holographic crystal-like mirror which hovered above the marble table. The edges of the crystal gave a luminous glow which produces bits of light which one could perceive glittery or sparkling. The flat surface of the crystal, which spanned several inches length and width forming a portrait mode, picture-frame like material, suddenly went static.

A faint voice could be heard. It was like a voice from a radio channel which one tried to adjust until they got a clear reception. Same goes for the image being projected by the portrait.

“Well, let us hear you talk. I suppose from the appearances you are the other Thelesmata twin.” –Igor spoke.

“Hello, everyone. Good to see you guys still alive. I presume you have been treated well there at the Demon Capital, especially you, my dear beloved sister.”

A twisted and afraid expression could be seen at Mae’s face.

Along with the fear on her face came with an even deeper anger that Dax have expressed.

The one at the other end of the communication was none other than Irish Dux Thelesmata.

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