Chapter 538: Compassionate Tyrant

Damian crossed his feet and rested his chin against his left palm, his expression calm as his gaze slowly swept across the court. He could see the lingering excitement on the faces of the ministers and officials, but beneath it were other emotions that they tried desperately to hide.

Some were relieved to see him alive. Others were still trying to comprehend how he had survived his battle with Duke Dantalion. There were also those who had quietly hoped that the battle would be the end of him.

Damian’s gaze eventually settled on the Kitsune, Negan, and Succubus officials, and the faint smile on his lips widened.

"I’m sure so many of you were hoping Dantalion would be my last day. I can see how disappointed you all are." Damian said, his tone carrying a trace of amusement.

The three groups immediately lowered their heads, refusing to meet his eyes. None of them dared to respond, knowing that any careless word could easily turn the attention of the Prince of Lust toward their clans.

"Unfortunately, I am not dead, and just like everyone I have conquered, what belongs to Duke Dantalion is mine now."

As soon as the words left his mouth, several miniature heads suddenly emerged from around Damian’s body, each one belonging to a different race. Kitsune, Dreg, Ifrit, Damika, Blood Demon, Lycan, Kasok, and countless others manifested around him, their strange faces staring silently into the court. The sight alone caused the entire room to shudder.

Several ministers sucked in cold breaths while others exchanged horrified glances, their expressions revealing the realization that Damian had not merely defeated Dantalion. He had inherited everything that made the ancient Duke such a terrifying existence.

"You..." A Kitsune clan official muttered, but the word died in his throat before he could complete the sentence.

Even Lucy, who stood at the corner of the room, and William, who stood beside Damian’s throne, stared at the display with horror written across their faces. Only Fulgur and Loyd remained relatively calm, though even they watched the manifestations carefully. Damian noticed their reactions but seemed almost amused by them.

"Bachi and Muddhibb lost their inheritance to me... Bathin was no different. What made you think Duke Dantalion would be an exception?" Damian chuckled lightly.

Cold sweat immediately formed across the backs of several officials. Despite standing on the same side as Damian, despite being his servants and allies, they could not stop themselves from fearing the monster sitting before them.

Not even Lin Qui, during his time as a God Realm existence, had made them feel this nervous. Damian’s calmness was almost worse than his rage because it made it impossible to tell what he would do next.

"Now, tell me everything I missed while I was resting." Damian leaned back against his throne as all hundred miniature heads slowly flowed back into his body, disappearing into his flesh until there was no trace of them left.

Fulgur turned toward the throne and respectfully cupped his fists. "While you were resting from your great victory, Lord, we followed your directives and slaughtered every enemy within the city, numbering about 50,000... Not even one was spared." Fulgur reported, his expression remaining solemn despite the brutality of the order.

Damian nodded with a faint smile. "And the ones beyond our gates?"

Before Fulgur could answer, Minister Talos stepped forward, and a familiar figure followed behind him. Damian’s eyes widened the instant he saw the demon. Long hair completely covered the creature’s face, while its unusually long limbs moved awkwardly beneath the official clothing it wore. Damian recognized him immediately.

"Sire, as the 250,000 forces of the Order retreated, this lesser demon led twenty three demon legions and blocked their escape route, buying enough time for us to gather our forces and strike them from behind. Attacked on two fronts, their forces crumbled immediately. We have accounted for over 230,000 deaths, but the remaining 20,000 managed to flee in all directions. Our soldiers are in hot pursuit of them, however. As you ordered, not even one will make it out of Velmora alive!" Minister Talos reported with his head lowered.

He waited for a response, but none came.

When Talos finally raised his head, his expression changed immediately. Damian was no longer sitting upon the throne. He was standing directly before Jota, staring at the lesser demon with the most genuine smile anyone in the court had seen from him since his arrival in Velmora.

"Jota... You have returned." Damian’s voice was soft, and the sudden warmth in it left the ministers and officials staring in disbelief.

Who the hell was this lesser demon who could gain Damian’s affection when so many of them had struggled to earn even the smallest measure of his trust?

Jota kept his hands lowered and his face bowed, refusing to meet Damian’s gaze. "Yes, Sire... I have returned with your twenty three legions as you commanded. I just happened to have arrived at your time of peril, so I acted to protect your throne."

Damian laughed and reached out to pat his shoulder. "You have done well... I didn’t expect you to gather them that fast."

He turned toward Talos, who was still visibly taken aback by the interaction between Damian and Jota. "He is one of my earliest followers and supporters... You did well to bring him under your fold. Treat him well." Damian tapped Talos lightly on the shoulder before walking past him.

"Ye... Yes, Sire!" Talos immediately bowed.

Damian returned to the throne and sat down while Talos and Jota stepped aside. The court remained unusually quiet for several moments, many of the officials still trying to process what they had just witnessed.

Jugo eventually stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Sire, my clan has taken it upon themselves to handle and take care of all the injured from the war. Several people, like Lord Kor, who suffered grievous wounds while serving you, have been pulled back from the brink and are currently in stabilized conditions." Jugo reported.

Damian’s expression became slightly more serious. "How many casualties did we suffer?"

"Approximately ten thousand dead and another thirty thousand injured." Jugo responded immediately.

Damian nodded slowly, his fingers tapping once against the armrest of his throne. "I would personally love to thank your family for their contribution once this is over. Until then, we should make time to pay condolence visits. The proceeds from all the equipment we gained from this battle should be paid to the families who lost people and properties to the war."

Buzz!

The court immediately fell silent again as everyone’s eyes widened with surprise. None of them had expected Damian to respond with such consideration. The same man who had ordered tens of thousands of enemies slaughtered without hesitation was now discussing compensation for the families who had suffered because of the battle.

The contradiction was difficult for many of them to understand. Damian could be terrifying enough to make entire clans tremble, yet he could also show unexpected concern for those who served him.

Jota used the opportunity to step forward, drawing the attention of the court once more.

He bowed respectfully before speaking. "Sire, I believe this is the best time to leave the palace walls and inspect the city yourself. There are many people who suffered from yesterday’s fight, and there are rumors circulating that you were heavily damaged. Showing yourself to them will dispel these rumors and also uplift the spirits of your people."

’It’s a good idea... Let the spies see you in top condition and it will dissuade your enemies from striking.’ Rin agreed telepathically.

Damian considered the suggestion for several seconds before nodding. He saw no reason to reject it. Appearing before the people would allow him to control the narrative surrounding his condition while reassuring the city that their ruler had survived the battle.

"Very well, but I also have one last announcement to make." Damian said, causing everyone to glance at him with renewed attention.

"This will be the last time I will be appearing before the court in person. From now on, I will be sending a clone to handle all the court proceedings while I stay at home and prepare for my coronation. It’s in my best interest to be in the best possible condition for when the Prince of Greed comes for my throne..." Damian revealed with a sinister grin that sent shivers down everyone’s spines.

The words immediately reminded everyone of what was coming. Dantalion was dead, the Order of Demons was crushed, and yet Damian was already preparing for another battle. There would be no opportunity to rest for long. The next enemy waiting for him was not some disgraced Duke or military commander. It was one of the seven Princes of Hell.

Damian rose to his feet and walked out of the court with Fulgur, Lucy, and William flanking his sides. Only after he had exited the building did the other ministers begin following behind, speaking among themselves in subdued voices.

Damian entered the royal carriage, with Fulgur seated beside him while Lucy and William sat at the opposite end. The moment the carriage began moving, Damian’s posture weakened slightly.

"Cough! Cough!"

A violent cough suddenly tore through his chest. Damian quickly pressed his handkerchief against his mouth, and when he pulled it away, fresh blood stained the fabric. Everyone inside the carriage stared at him with twisted expressions, their earlier confidence immediately replaced by concern.

"Sire..." Fulgur muttered.

Damian raised his hand, cutting him off before he could continue. "Don’t bother about me... I’ll handle my own affairs. As for you, you need to prepare yourself for an influx of new allies. Astaroth will leverage his influence to pull people over to our side, so I’ll leave the appointment of these demon nobles to you." Damian sat upright while wiping the edges of his lips with the handkerchief.

"As you wish... Sire." Fulgur bowed.

"And you... You will serve as my temporary head of my royal guard until Kor fully recovers from his injuries." Damian turned his attention toward Lucy.

"Yes... Yes, Your Highness!" Lucy immediately bowed.

Damian leaned back into his chair and shut his eyes, slowly regulating his breathing as the carriage continued toward the palace. The celebration outside was already beginning, but he could barely hear it through the walls of the carriage.

His body felt heavier with every passing moment, yet beneath the exhaustion was a strange sense of relief. His struggles had nearly come to an end. One more battle, and he could finally claim Velmora without opposition.