It had been about two months since I became Guy’s subordinate and began living in the material world, on the frozen continent.
...There wasn’t a single day when I wasn’t busy!!
These damn demons—even though I’m one too—are they geniuses at causing disasters or what?
"Haa..."
Since I was now of a race higher than a [Demon Lord], I could issue orders to demons ranked [Arch Demon] and below.
Because of that, Guy had appointed me as one of his highest-ranking executives from the very first day, beneath only himself, Velzard, Rain [Blue], and Misery [Vert]...
As a result, until I got used to this place, I had to deal with every demon that challenged me out of doubt over my strength. All while receiving training from Guy to become a Hero!
Even for a demon, I’m sick of doing nothing but fighting...!
"Adelio, are you all right?"
Misery was the only person who worried about me.
Misery, the maid known as the Primordial Demon [Vert (Green)].
She told people to address her however they pleased regardless of rank, and she was always diligently working overtime—or something like it. Sometimes I thought she should have been born on the angels’ side rather than as a demon.
She even carved out time from her personal schedule to teach me work, cooking, and combat techniques. That said it all.
"...Ah, yes. I’m fine. Is there something you need?"
"Well... it seems Rain has gotten into trouble again with Lady Milim and Lady Ramiris."
Rain.
Like Misery, she was a Devil Lord known as the Primordial Demon [Blue].
Both in the novel and from the moment I first saw her, she had given off the impression of being a little airheaded. As it turned out, she really was an airheaded superior.
When she seriously put her mind to it, she seemed capable of handling most things well. But since she never did, problems kept cropping up one after another.
Guy scolded her only recently, and she still hasn’t given up...?
The two Demon Lords who had suddenly visited a few weeks ago were Milim Nava, the original Demon Lord [Destroyer], and Ramiris, [Labyrinth].
These two Demon Lords were so mischievous that even calling them the world’s greatest troublemakers felt insufficient. At some point, they had joined forces with Rain and begun plotting to turn Guy’s castle into their personal playground.
Guy naturally seemed to know all about it already, but perhaps because they were old friends, he had simply let them be for the time being.
"I would like to go deal with it myself, but unfortunately, I have to handle even the work she has neglected, so I don’t have the time. I would appreciate your help..."
"Understood. I’ll go take a look."
The demons who had been trying to fight me had settled down just in time, so I supposed I would have to strip Rain of her rank and challenge her to a duel... ahem, persuade her.
**
The outskirts of the frozen castle.
The outskirts of this castle, which stood alone on a continent swept by blizzards year-round, had been turned into a playground by two Demon Lords and one demon.
They really went all out making this flashy...
What made it even more absurd was that, despite everything, it actually looked surprisingly well made.
"Lady Ramiris! Put that over here! And Lady Milim, break that ice—"
Hearing Rain’s normally cool-sounding voice call out so energetically felt strangely dissonant.
Judging only by her face, she looked like a calm, competent elite at all times, but in reality, she was practically the biggest troublemaker around here...
"What do you mean, break it? Do you want Guy to scold you again?"
"Ghk...?! Adelio!"
"...What’s with that expression like you’ve been caught? Instead of making that face, hurry up and clean this up."
Adelio rebuked Rain with a look of utter disapproval. This already made ten times.
"Isn’t it about time you stopped? Guy keeps scolding you because you do nothing but play around like this."
"Ugh..."
Perhaps my blunt truth, along with the thought of Guy scolding her, finally hit home. Rain’s face turned as blue as her hair.
At either side of her stood—
"Oh! It’s Rio! Did you come to play with us too?!"
Milim, beaming because she thought I had come to play,
"Rio? ...You didn’t bring Guy with you, did you?!"
and Ramiris, who apparently feared Guy despite always going on about how she was the strongest.
For the record, Rio was my nickname. Apparently, my name was too long and difficult to remember.
"Sheesh... If you don’t want Guy to scold you, restore everything to how it was right now. I’ll put in a good word for you."
"R-Really?!"
Seeing hope in my words, Rain clasped her hands in prayer like a nun.
No, you’re a Devil Lord. What are you doing praying like a nun?
And I never said I would let you off too, did I?
"Rain is the exception, though."
"...W-Why?! Why am I the exception?! I even gave you permission not to speak formally to me!"
"That’s only because you wanted to act like a broad-minded superior, like Misery..."
Whenever anything involved Misery, Rain turned into an idiot who would burn with competitive spirit first.
Not that she wasn’t already an idiot.
"Hey! Rio! You’re playing with us too! Come on!"
Milim, who had been flying around with her glossy pink twin tails fluttering behind her, fixed her sparkling sapphire eyes on me with an expectant gaze.
"Yeah! Just play with us! We won’t have many chances to play together like this!"
At the same time, Ramiris—a yellow gnat about thirty centimeters tall—no, a fairy with splendid butterfly-like wings, grabbed my arm and began whining while her eyes shone just like Milim’s.
"...Didn’t you hear what I just said? Guy is going to scold you."
As though it were perfectly natural, Adelio spoke casually to the two Demon Lords, but neither of them seemed to particularly care.
Or maybe they simply didn’t have the brains to care.
"Future me will deal with that somehow, so it doesn’t matter!"
"Yeah! That’s right!"
"..."
...These Demon Lords really never think about the consequences.
I was going to be generous and let them off. But if they insist on drinking the penalty cup...
"That’s what they say, Guy."
"!!!"
"Yeah... I heard you loud and clear."
The instant I finished speaking, Guy descended at high speed from the blizzard-filled sky, crossed his arms, and glared at them.
Before long, an aura filled with fury surged from his entire body.
Just as I thought, he’d been listening from the start.
Both Guy and I had intended to let it go once if they acknowledged their mistake, but those three had thrown that chance away.
So even if they were punished, it couldn’t be helped.
"Milim, Ramiris. Come with me while I’m still asking nicely. And Adelio, you handle Rain."
"Ugh..." "What?! Why me...?"
Like a parent dragging off misbehaving children, an utterly irritated-looking Guy grabbed Milim and Ramiris in one hand each and hauled them away.
And as for Rain...
"Well then—shall we have a perfectly legal du—ahem, sparring match now?"
"...N-Nooooo!!"
What do you mean, no? Get over here already.
...
......
.........
Though she was a Devil Lord, Rain had always been lazy. In the end, she was dragged into the training ground by me, now newly evolved.
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