## Chapter 1322 – Demon

“We demons can tell. That she is our princess.”
“Not your princess.”

ㅡThud.

I placed my hand on the head of the guy who was speaking so calmly.

“She’s my princess.”
“…”

How dare this bastard… our princess?

Did he think he could say something like that in front of me and live? I won’t tolerate this. I was about to blow his head off when Risha stopped me for a moment.

“This lady wants to hear something from him.”
“Alright.”

If Risha wants to hear something, I have to let him live.
It’s probably a question about this facility.

I immediately removed my hand from his head.

“Thank you.”

He thanked me in a nonchalant manner, showing no emotion. Even though the hairstyle I had created for him was ruined, he didn’t seem to care.

Come to think of it, this bastard doesn’t seem to have any fear of death. This guy is a psycho. Well, no crazy scientist would be normal. There’s no way someone who maintains such a crazy facility would be normal.

Even the executive officer who maintains a single company is far from normal, let alone a place like this.

“Hey. So. What is this place?”
“This is a demon hatchery.”
“Tell me more.”
“I cannot say more.”
“What did you say?”

His attitude was so confident that for a moment, I was mistaken into thinking I didn’t have the authority to hear the explanation. My power is my authority. If it weren’t for Risha’s request, I would have already torn off his limbs.

“…”

Instead of looking at me, he looked at Risha.

“Looks like he’ll only answer if you ask him, Risha.”
“…”

Risha was silent for a moment.

“What is this place for?”

She asked in a calm tone.

“Yes. This is a space to increase the number of us demons.”

Then, he bowed once and stretched out his arm, pointing to the glass tank. At the same time, the demon workers who had been diligently moving stopped and knelt down.

Is it because Risha is a princess that they’re reacting to her?

“Why do you talk when Risha asks?”
“It is only natural to introduce the facility to the princess who has come here for the first time.”

ㅡPat pat.

Anyway, he continued, tidying his hair.

“About 500 years ago, the Demon King’s army, defeated on this land, opened a dimensional gate and fled to another world. It was a truly fierce war.”

In an instant, his spiky hairstyle was restored.

Judging by his inhuman dexterity, he had done this crazy thing more than once or twice. It felt like watching a madman who had lost his humanity secretly holding onto a tiny fragment of humanity.

“At the time of the defeat, the number of demons had decreased significantly. Therefore, it was impossible to increase the number of demons by normal means. Because there wasn’t a very large scale left.”

That’s right.

The scale of the defeated expeditionary force doesn’t seem that large. In that situation, they increase their scale among themselves? Impossible. I don’t know how many children one woman would have to bear.

There’s no choice but to use another method.

“…”

Risha bit her lip.
She’s listening to the explanation with a very serious face.

“We had to increase the number of demons by any means.”

ㅡTap tap.

The guy who was lecturing like a professor tapped on the nearest glass tank.

“That method is this.”

Inside was a crouching demon.

It was an adult, and the gender was female. Her silver hair fluttered in the liquid, and she had her eyes closed as if she were in her mother’s womb.

“The demons born in this tank grow quickly, and when they complete their growth, they come out and are incorporated into the Demon King’s army.”
“So that’s how you increased the size of the army.”
“That’s right.”

Clone soldiers… this was too inhumane. The demons born like that would be incorporated into the Demon King’s army without knowing anything and live like that.

“Of course, basic education is required since they are newly shipped, but these days, such facilities are also fully equipped. It’s not a very difficult task.”

It seems they even do brainwashing education.

Is this Ireland?

“The number of demons… has increased in this way?”

Risha looked shocked. I went to her side and put my arm around her shoulder. She was trembling now. But I didn’t say anything right away. Because it was what Risha wanted to know.

“Most of them are. But a small number of demons are born in a more natural way. Of course, it’s only a very small number.”
“…”

Risha’s heart starts beating a little faster.

“Where did you bastards get this technology? There’s no way the guys who ran away to another world could have created such ridiculous technology in just a few hundred years.”

Modern Earth has not even properly completed artificial cultured meat, let alone clones. But with magical elements added, they’re making clones like this? I think that’s a bit much.

“I only maintain this facility, and I don’t know the origin of the facility and technology. I was also born in this glass tank.”
“Oh, shit. You were born in a glass tank too?”

Amazing!!

“That’s right.”
“Then.”

Then Risha said.

“Who has knowledge of it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Tell me.”
“…”

He was silent for a moment, then hesitated to ask for permission.

“If the princess allows it, I will tell you my guess.”

Risha nodded.

“I think the Demon King would know, of course. Also. The captains of the airships are also close to the Demon King, so I guess they would know as well.”
“I killed quite a few of those captains.”
“…”

Those bastards were close aides.

“Hey. How old are those captains?”
“The Demon King’s close aides are all those who fought in the war. But I don’t know their exact age. They have undergone long periods of sealing.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know the reason. I only know that.”
“Shit.”

Anyway, I’m not particularly interested in this part.

“Okay. Well. That’s enough. Where are the other demons?”
“…Where are they?”
“All the demons in the basement must have evacuated to the shelter. The alarm went off earlier. We don’t evacuate because we have to maintain the hatchery.”

This bastard only answered sensitive questions when Risha asked them. If Risha hadn’t been here, I would have beaten him up.

“Then where is the Demon King?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t know. This is the only place I manage.”
“This bastard is useless.”

It seemed like all he did was tinker with clones here. I want to kill him already.

But it seems like Risha still has something she wants to hear.

The two had some more conversation.
Meanwhile, I looked around the hatchery.

“Hmm.”

It’s an elaborate mechanical device. But at the same time, I feel a magical aura. Not only that, but I also feel the aura of the black magic that Risha has been using. Is it a technology combined with magic?

“Risha. Have you heard everything you wanted to hear?”
“I think I’ve heard… most of it.”

It seemed like the story was coming to an end.

“To think that such a shocking thing was being done… Even though I am this lady, I feel quite… not good.”
“Yeah.”

Just as I was about to comfort Risha.

“Ancient warrior… your body is quite interesting, but exploring it would be beyond my ability.”

Suddenly, he looked at me and said that.

“Of course it’s beyond your ability. I can kill you with just one finger.”
“That’s an amazing fact. Princess. If you allow it, I would like to receive your hair.”

At that moment, my fist shot out.

ㅡPow!

The guy who was hit in the abdomen flew all the way to the wall and slumped down.

“Get lost, you bastard.”

How dare he try to receive Risha’s precious hair?
I really need to kill him to come to his senses.

ㅡCrack!

I flick my finger to create a flame.

ㅡWhoosh!

With that, all of Risha’s hair that had fallen on the floor was burned. I can’t give her hair to such a crazy scientist.

“Uweck.”

Anyway, the guy leaning against the wall started vomiting blood.

ㅡShhh.
ㅡShhhhhhhhh.

Then, the demon workers wearing gas masks came and cleaned the blood on the floor with real mechanical movements. It seemed like those guys were workers who had undergone brain surgery.

“Risha. I think it would be better to kill that guy.”
“Then…”

ㅡCough!

Then the guy coughed and said something.

“Cough… If, if it’s okay… I would like to show the princess the educational facilities… Would you allow it?”
“Wow. This guy is really hard to figure out.”

He keeps insisting on showing Risha something. Risha is incredibly beautiful. And the demons must think the same way. Is that why?

“Risha?”
“I want to see it for now.”
“Okay, well. If Risha wants to see it.”

ㅡSwish.

As soon as permission was granted, he used magic like healing on himself and began to self-heal. I only hit him with the power to crush his internal organs, but it seems like he can recover from that much.

* * *

The educational facility was like something out of Brave New World.

ㅡ…
ㅡ…
ㅡ…

Demons in white clothes with blank eyes stare at the blackboard and sway like zombies. The teacher who teaches them also seemed to be a demon born in a glass tank.

“W, what is taught here is… basic common sense and… the injection of loyalty… and… facility management, cough! Combat skills and military knowledge…”

The pale doctor coughed and explained.

Of course, the students and teachers didn’t react to us at all. The doctor had ordered them not to pay attention as soon as he entered. He said that the students’ egos are unclear right now, and the teacher feels that way because he obeys orders.

“This is… the revival of the demon world, and also the future of the demons. If the aerial fortress achieves its purpose, the demons will rise again. And we will be able to return to the demon world.”
“Do you know the situation in the demon world?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even know if there’s a record of anyone going there.”

The situation in Mages’ world is unclear.

“I don’t know if such a miserable and bizarre thing can really be called the future.”
“This is not the future.”

I said to Risha, who looked troubled.

“These bastards have all gone crazy. They couldn’t overcome hundreds of years and went crazy. There may be side effects of technology or damage from dimensional travel, but being crazy is the same. Risha. This is not something you even need to understand.”
“…”
“All these bastards need is just rest in the name of death.”
“…That’s right.”

Thinking about Risha’s feelings after watching the stark end of the fallen demons… my heart felt like it was breaking.

“Princess. Don’t you believe in the revival of the demon world?”
“The demon world has already perished. Wouldn’t the demons be the same?”
“That’s wrong. Look at the technology we have now. The humans below can’t even imitate it…”

ㅡDing!

“Gheak!”

I hit the doctor on the back of the head.

“Shut up, you bastard. If Risha says it’s ruined, then it’s ruined.”
“Kehek…!”

How dare he talk back to Risha.

“Anyway, the facility is fine.”

With this, we’ve looked around the educational facilities.

“Even this lady thinks that this facility is very good. However, what is being done inside… seems too inhumane and bizarre.”
“That’s right.”

Whatever happens, if I kill the Demon King, all the bastards here will face a similar future.

“Then shall we go up now? It doesn’t seem like there’s anything in the basement.”
“…Let’s do that.”
“What about the doctor?”
“Isn’t it better to keep him alive? If we interrogate him in detail later, there may be technology we can obtain.”

It’s evil technology.

Still, I can’t deny that it’s useful. It’s not like this bastard doesn’t know anything. It has been proven that he has all sorts of useful knowledge. It might be good to tie him up later and use him to extract technology.

Not only that.

I’m worried about the demons in the glass tank. All the demons working in the fortress right now are enemies. But the guys who were just born in the glass tank aren’t my enemies. I should pick out a few of them and some useful guys and let them live, and kill the rest.

“Hey. I’ll let you live, so go do your job.”
“This is this lady’s order.”
“…I understand.”

At those words, the doctor began to trudge back.

“He listens so well. Aren’t all the other demons like this?”
“Hmm… Shall we try it?”
“Let’s try it on the way up.”