It had been about two months since I became Guy's subordinate and started living in the Central World, on the continent of frozen earth.
...And there wasn't a single day that wasn't busy!!
These damned demons—even if I am one too—seriously, are they geniuses at causing incidents, or natural disasters in human form?
"Haa..."
Since my current race ranked even higher than a [Demon Lord], I was able to issue orders to demons up to and including duke-class [Arch Demon]s.
Because of that, Guy had appointed me, from the very first day, as one of his top executives, ranking just below himself, Velzard, and then Rain [Blue] and Misery [Bail]...
Thanks to that, until I got used to this place, I had to deal with every demon who doubted my strength and came at me. All while receiving training from Guy to become a Hero!
'No matter if I'm a demon, fighting nonstop gets old...!'
"Adelio, are you all right?"
The only person who ever worried about me was Miss Misery.
The maid known as the Primordial Demon [Bail (green)], Miss Misery.
She told me to address her however I felt comfortable regardless of rank, and she always worked diligently, even pulling what felt like all-nighters. Sometimes I seriously wondered if she should have been born on the angel side instead of as a demon.
She even carved time out of her personal schedule to teach me work, cooking, and combat methods, so that really said it all.
"...Ah, yes. I'm fine. Is something the matter?"
"Well... actually, it seems Rain has caused trouble again together with Lady Milim and Lady Ramiris."
Rain.
Like Misery, she was a demon king known as the Primordial Demon [Blue (blue)].
Just like in the novel, and just like I'd thought from the moment I first saw her, she had that air of someone a little incompetent—and she really was an incompetent superior.
When she got serious, she seemed capable of handling almost anything well. The problem was that she never actually got serious, so there was always one mess after another.
'Guy chewed her out recently, and she still hasn't given up...'
A few weeks ago, two ancient Demon Lords had suddenly come to visit: [Destroyer] Milim Nava and [Labyrinth] Ramiris.
Those two Demon Lords were so full of mischief that even calling them the world's greatest troublemakers felt insufficient, and at some point they had joined forces with Rain to turn Guy's castle into their personal playground.
Guy obviously already knew all about it, but maybe because they were old friends, he was letting it slide for the time being.
"I'd like to go deal with it myself, but unfortunately I have to handle even the work she failed to do, so I don't have the time. So if you would help..."
"Understood. I'll go take a look."
The demons who had been trying to pick fights with me had finally calmed down, so I supposed it was time to challenge Rain to a rankless duel... ahem, persuade her.
**
The outer grounds of the frozen castle.
The outer area of this castle, which stood alone on a continent lashed year-round by snowstorms, had been transformed into a playground by two Demon Lords and one demon.
'They really made it flashy...'
What made it even more absurd was that, unexpectedly, it actually looked pretty well made.
"Lady Ramiris! Please put that over there! And Lady Milim, break that ice and then..."
Rain's voice sounded cold at a glance, so hearing her shout so energetically like this created a strange sense of dissonance.
Just looking at her face, she always seemed like a calm, elite professional, but in reality she was practically the biggest problem child here.
"Break what? Do you want to get scolded by Guy again?"
"Ugh...?! Adelio!"
"...Why are you making that 'I've been caught' face? If you've got time for that, hurry up and clean this up."
Adelio rebuked Rain with a look of pure exasperation. This already made the tenth time.
"Isn't it about time you stopped? You keep fooling around like this, so of course Guy gets angry."
"Ughhh......"
Maybe my blunt truth, combined with the thought of Guy scolding her, had finally sunk in, because Rain's complexion turned as blue as her hair.
And on either side of her were—
"Oh! It's Rio! Did you come to play with us too?!"
Milim, smiling brightly because she thought I'd come to join in, and—
"Rio? ...Wait, you didn't bring Guy with you, did you?!"
Ramiris, who always went on about being the strongest, yet still clearly feared Guy.
For the record, Rio was my nickname. Apparently my full name was too long and hard to remember.
"Good grief... If you don't want Guy to scold you, then put everything back the way it was right now. I'll put in a good word for you."
"R-really?!"
As if she'd seen a glimmer of hope in my words, Rain clasped her hands like a praying nun.
No, you're a demon king. What is a demon king doing praying like a nun?
And I never said I'd let you off the hook too.
"Except for Rain."
"...Wh-why?! Why am I the only exception?! I even gave you permission not to speak formally to me!"
"That was just because you wanted to act like a generous superior like Misery..."
Whenever something involved Misery, Rain turned into an idiot who burned with a bizarre competitive spirit first and thought later.
Though she was an idiot to begin with.
"Hey! Rio! You're playing with us too! Come on already!"
Milim, flying around with her glossy pink twin tails streaming behind her, looked at me with sparkling sapphire eyes full of anticipation.
"Yeah! Just play with us! We won't get many chances to hang out like this!"
At the same time, Ramiris—a yellow little bug, no, fairy, with butterfly-like brilliant wings and only about thirty centimeters tall—grabbed my arm and started whining just like Milim, her eyes shining too.
"...Didn't you hear what I just said? Guy's going to get angry."
As if it were perfectly normal, Adelio spoke casually to the two Demon Lords, but the two in question didn't seem to mind at all.
Or maybe they just weren't thinking.
"That's future me's problem, so it doesn't matter!"
"Yeah! Exactly!"
"......"
...Seriously, Demon Lords never think about consequences.
'I was going to be nice and let them off. But if they're determined to drink the punishment wine...'
"You heard them, didn't you? Guy."
"!!!!!!"
"Yeah... I heard everything."
The moment I finished speaking, Guy came dropping down at high speed from the storm-filled sky, arms crossed and glaring.
Soon, an atmosphere thick with anger rippled from his entire body.
'Thought so. He'd been listening from the start.'
Both Guy and I had been willing to let things slide once if they admitted their mistake, but those three had turned that chance down themselves.
So even if they got punished, that was on them.
"Milim, Ramiris—come with me while I'm still asking nicely. And Adelio, you take Rain."
"Ugh......" "What?! Why me..."
Looking thoroughly irritated, like a parent dragging off misbehaving children, Guy grabbed Milim and Ramiris one-handed each and hauled them away.
And as for Rain...
"Well then—shall we have a perfectly legal sparring match... ahem, training session?"
"......N-nooooo!!"
What's there to hate? Come on, let's go.
...
......
.........
She might have been a demon king, but Rain was always lazy, and in the end she was dragged off by newly evolved me and planted in the sparring grounds.
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