## Chapter 1388 – 천마신교 (Cheonma Shin-Gyo – Heavenly Demon Cult)

“Ahem… Ahem! Announcing from the control room. Yagada. Yagada. The Heavenly Demon-nim has summoned you. Please come to the control room immediately.”

A demon crewman, clutching the back of his head, made the announcement.

It was a truly satisfying broadcast. No matter how vast the fortress, this single announcement could gather personnel wherever they were needed.

“Kkeuek…!”

The demon, having finished the broadcast, clutched the back of his head again.

“Does it hurt?”
“N-No, sir!”

The demon crewman answered my question with vigor. It was an automatic reaction; my hand just went out whenever I saw these bastards.

These damn demon bastards.

I’d taken them as prisoners because they were useful right now, but the urge to kill them kept bubbling up. I needed to purge them as soon as possible, but if I showed my hand, they wouldn’t cooperate.

“How’s life these days?”
“Life… is perfect!”
“Right? It’s definitely perfect.”

Currently, all the demon crewmen and technicians held in the fortress were my prisoners, working in two shifts according to a set schedule.

Twelve hours of work followed by twelve hours of rest.

Of course, there were no holidays.

Thinking back to my time in prison, this level of treatment was truly exceptional. No lie, I missed my prison like crazy.

Anyway, they were deployed to work at the designated times and returned to their quarters at the designated times. They couldn’t move freely within the fortress, either. Everything required permission. But since the crewmen rarely had reason to move outside the designated routes, they were easy to manage.

The ones who moved around a bit more freely were the technicians, but since these guys were under the control of Yagada, whom I’d just summoned, I didn’t have to worry about them much.

If they did anything weird, Yagada would get his ass kicked by me.

ㅡTap, tap, tap!

Footsteps approached.

“You’re here?”
“Heeok…! You summoned me!”

ㅡCheoeok!

Yagada, standing at rigid attention, came before me. Just looking at this bastard’s face made my blood boil.

“You, you son of a bitch. Why so slow? Huh?”
“Ah! I’m sorry!”

As I raised my hand, he squeezed his eyes shut.

This guy used to be an engineer master with considerable authority in the Demon King’s army, but now that he was my prisoner, he was just a brain-dead moron whose name had been changed to Yagada.

Of course, he was currently showing his abilities in collaboration with our human architect guild members. According to them, he was extremely knowledgeable about architecture and technology. He was proving to be a great help, so physically beating him was a loss. Since the evaluation was good, I shouldn’t hit him for now.

“I hear you’re doing a good job these days?”
“I-I’m doing my best to help!”
“Yeah. Of course, you have to do your best. You’re sharing the demons’ technology well, right?”
“Of course!”

I had seen the ledger once, and the number of demon technologies Yagada had shared was quite large. I had passed it on to the architect guild in its entirety, which was a kind of technology investment.

As a result, a significant stake in the architect guild came to 천마신교 (Cheonma Shin-gyo – Heavenly Demon Cult).

Kardia had handled the negotiations for this deal.

“Anyway, that thing. The building’s going up now. Give me an easy-to-understand report.”

ㅡPaaat.

At my gesture, the outside scenery appeared in the center of the control room. The periphery of the fortress. The foundation work was in full swing. Numerous workers were on the job.

“Y-Yes, currently, there are no problems with the terrain, so construction has started smoothly… Funds are also continuing to come in, and materials and workers are constantly gathering… I-If there are enough funds, everything will just be a matter of time.”
“You brought the report?”
“Here it is.”

I was going to smash his head if he hadn’t brought it, but he brought it.

I took the report and read through it.

“Hmm.”

Everything from the funds to the construction workers, the labor costs, transportation costs, material costs, and a whole bunch of other things were neatly organized by item.

“Wow, but damn, there’s a lot.”

It was amazing that the funds were even sufficient.

Anyway, I was the kind of person who just looked and thought, “I guess that’s how it is.” I wasn’t a field worker, but the Heavenly Demon at the top. That was enough. If there were any problems, they would let me know from below.

“This is the power of the Heavenly Demon.”

Everything was going smoothly. Kardia was selling the pre-sale rights at high prices, and merchants were supplying goods to this area. Since no one could dream of scamming a demigod, it was literally perfect.

If anyone got caught scamming, all their assets would be confiscated, and they’d be sent to the slaughterhouse. Fusion Confucianism doesn’t forgive scammers.

“I-It will take several years for the city to be completed… But even for me, this is the first time I’ve carried out such a large-scale construction all at once… I’m not sure if it will go well…”

Looking at the financial situation, it didn’t seem like there were any problems.

“Are you ready to build the canal?”
“The plan is complete, but we’re currently focused on the city… If more funds and workers are recruited, we may be able to proceed simultaneously.”
“Is that so?”

I’d have to talk to the architect guild leader about this.

By now, this architect guild had become a literal construction conglomerate. And a conglomerate in which I held a huge stake. In fact, I was probably the first to carry out such a large-scale construction in this world.

What is the first?

First mover advantage.

I now had plans to completely make the construction industry my own based on this. In other words, I was raising one of my own conglomerates from now on. It was truly the birth of a modern corporation.

I planned to monopolize industries in that way, and when the canals and road networks were completed, I would also monopolize the distribution network. That was roughly how I intended to run the country.

After bringing everything under my control in that way, I would truly make the world a better place.

Where else would there be a land flowing with milk and honey? It was the 천마신국 (Cheonma Shin-guk – Heavenly Demon Theocracy) ruled by this Heavenly Demon. The absolute being who could easily destroy even mountains possessed great capital and had formed a strange collusive relationship with the existing power holders. With modern knowledge and insight on top of that, there was no way this could fail.

* * *

Those days passed.

One day, I found 리샤 (Risha) in the basement of the fortress.

“Ah, have you come?”
“Yeah. Risha. Are these all of them?”
“That is so.”

There were demon production facilities in the basement of the fortress.

Even the cursed facilities that produced demons in test tubes. Of course, this crazy laboratory was currently 폐기 (paegi – discarded). Would I leave such a crazy thing alone? Producing demons? That’s bullshit. I could never let it slide.

Of course, it was 폐기 (paegi – discarded) as soon as the `last produced` baby demons came out of the test tubes. The related demon scientists were locked up in the fortress prison.

ㅡ…
ㅡ…
ㅡ…

And currently.

Those newborn baby demons were staring at me with empty eyes. There were a total of one hundred, thirty percent male and seventy percent female. Of course, they were not all born at once. There were originally baby demons who were being educated.

They hadn’t really committed any crimes, so they were being re-educated, mixed with the newly born ones.

“What’s the status of their education?”
“Currently, we are following the curriculum that the demons used to use.”
“As is?”

At those words, Risha shook her head.

“Didn’t you say you were going to entrust the management and maintenance of the fortress to these children? Only that part is being taught as it was originally. The rest… the basic common sense and history are being overhauled, so it will take a little longer to teach them.”
“Good. That part needs to be thoroughly overhauled and taught. I think it would be good to teach them Fusion Confucianism too.”
“Hehehe, I think you’ll have to do that part yourself.”
“I’ll take a look once the curriculum is properly set up.”

Anyway, Risha had decided to take charge of educating these innocent baby demons.

Risha explained that it was her duty.

She was, after all, a demon princess.
Of course, Risha had no choice but to take on the role.

“As you said, these pitiful ones are innocent, aren’t they?”
“That’s right.”
“Nevertheless, these children… will probably not be able to live normal lives.”

Risha called them children, but they all looked like adults.
They came out of the test tubes fully grown.

“Knowing that, you also said you would use them as workers in the fortress, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”

So, at least.

She would educate them well so that they could fulfill this role.

“But it’s going to be difficult to just focus on magic. Are you going to be okay, Risha?”
“This is nothing to worry about.”

Risha said that and smiled.

Whatever it was, there was no problem if Risha did it herself.

“Okay. You guys. Listen to Risha.”

I looked around at the baby demons who were looking at this place with empty eyes and encouraged them.

“…”
“…”
“…”

But why the hell aren’t they reacting?

“Risha? They’re not reacting?”
“I heard that at this stage, their emotions and ego are very faint… It will get better over time.”
“Is that so? Then whatever.”

Okay.

After confirming that, I went back upstairs.

This is my daily routine these days. Checking to see if the ongoing work is going well. Encouraging the employees. Showing my face to the believers in the capital. Stamping the final approval items that have been reviewed.

“I’m a complete chairman.”

That’s when it happened.

ㅡKatteu-nim! Katteuniiiiiim! Please come to the control room quickly!!! Important matter! Important matter!

Suddenly, 힐데 (Hilde)’s voice echoed.

“What is it.”

Hilde broadcasting from the control room?

I went straight to the control room.

“Ah, Katteu-nim!”

Hilde greeted me as I entered.

“Katteu-nim!!!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I think it’s here now!”
“Ah, that?”
“Yes! Look!”

A procession was projected on the screen in the center of the control room. It was none other than a procession of elves. A group of elves pulling several wagons.

That was it.

A kind of tribute that 샤흐란 (Shahran) had promised to send. Items sent to support me, the warrior of the World Tree. They had already passed through the capital, so they knew the news, and I had already greeted them roughly.

But since the purpose was to greet me in person, I only greeted them roughly there.

“As expected, it takes some time to come by land.”
“It can’t be helped. It’s the limitation of those who don’t have gates.”
“Hehehe, we’ve only had one recently, though.”
“Unspeakable comfort! I’m already addicted to it! Anyway, go!”
“Go where? I should send some subordinates to bring them here.”
“Then I’ll tell 아리 (Ari)!”

Let’s send the dryads to bring them.

“Hmm… Ah, but. I need something like a chief maid for external use.”
“A chief maid?”
“Like now, when those kids come, we have to send people. Should we go ourselves with our seniority, no. Our position?”
“Absolutely not. We have to send subordinates!”
“But right now, there aren’t any guys who can be called direct subordinates.”
“Ah.”

Ari’s dryads are there, but they’re monsters, so they can’t be used as subordinates to send for such external purposes.

“Well, I’ll think about it later. Then I’ll go tell Ari!”
“Thank you.”

With that, Hilde went to find Ari, and I headed to my audience chamber. The very room where the Demon King’s throne was. I’ll be there, so let’s wait.

* * *

“Nice to see you again.”
“Yeah. How have you been?”
“Of course. Ah, should I show respect since you’re a king?”
“No. No need.”
“What a strange attitude.”

The representative of the procession was 세인텔 (Seintel).

Since I had some acquaintance with him, it seemed that Seintel was always included in these kinds of positions. Whatever the case, there was no need to be formal with this bastard who had come to visit.

“But really… what an amazing fortress. Is this the aerial fortress that the demons used to use?”
“It’s amazing, right?”
“It’s beyond amazing… Not only that, but you also command dryads. How on earth? Did another elf tell you how?”

Ah, right.

Let’s just skip over this.

“No. I just happened to be able to do it. I’m so damn strong. Even the monsters are overwhelmed. They’re useful, aren’t they? The dryads.”
“That’s certainly true.”

Anyway, gold, silver, and various books that Shahran sent directly began to pile up on the carpet. Not only that. Shahran had also sent 30 of her maids.

“…”
“…”
“…”

Those silent maids.

“Anyway… these maids know well. They are beings sent directly by our queen. They are originally beings who manage the sacred realm of the World Tree and serve the queen, but.”
“If you’re a warrior of the World Tree.”
“Of course, you can serve… That’s what I heard. They are capable maids, so please treat them well.”
“Yeah, well. Of course, I have to.”

I should treat the elf maids well, since they’re neither demons nor dryads.

Ah, but. Really.

“…”

Looking at the number of gold, silver, and maids piling up like that, I wondered if I had done something a little too harsh to Shahran. It never ends if I think like this. Was it a bit too much to abuse her 보지 (boji – pussy)? I’m so soft-hearted.

“Now, let me introduce you. Chief Maid 아타니엘 (Ataniel). She’s the representative of the maids, so it would be good to talk to her.”

One of the elf maids walked next to Seintel.