>> “All hail the new King!”

Everyone praises me as they yell those words. Uproar passion and exhilarating feelings succumbs this room at this moment.

However, the addled thoughts remain in me. What does these people expected to me? A mere mortal that suddenly summoned from another world...

“Uh... you guys...?” I called out. The entire crowd snuffed their clamor and look at me.

Even Astarte looks at me with quizzical on her eyes. “What is it, my King?”

“Huh? No, I’m a King to no one here. You all know that...”

I stated. Silence reigns after my thoughts. Their eyebrows fuzzed, heeding my words out from this moment.

“We can’t believe, either... a mortal will be the one who is betrothed to the Queen herself.” From the crowd, a man in his late 50’s abruptly answered.

His beard and mustache dyed in crimson, tainted with whiteness through. His eyes, glowing in yellow amber gazes at me with scrutiny as his body bulked with thick muscles.

His hair is a bit scruffy in style; wrinkles carved, showing the longevity of his living years. “I am Ifrit, one of the confidants of the Queen, and from the Council of Elders...”

“I am, too... got surprised as the Queen announced that you becoming our Demon King of this realm...”

A woman in her early 40’s speaks. Though, I said that she’s kind of middle aged, but her appearance seemed to be like she’s in early 30’s.

Wearing Fuchsia Tudor dress and hair ornament on her head, a beauty in the peak of everything stands before me. She’s standing right beside Ifrit.

“Mashtema, one of the chief confidants of Queen Astarte, and member of Council of Elders... am here to speak with you.”

Though her words are firm and show deep respect, I can sense that there’s a little doubt and abhorrence on it.

“If you are in doubt that this man isn’t for the Queen to take as her husband,” in a sudden, Botis interject in. “I can prove to you that he is the one fated for her...”

His voice gives full confidence. “Mr. Botis—-“

“—-Your Highness... we are assured that you are the one who is for the Queen...”

I fret from what he has said. How will he do that? “I am a thousand-year Lich, Botis.” He stated.

“For the years I’ve spent in learning magic and spells, there has been a lot of circumstances to me that finding way to die would be the easiest thing to do.”

Everyone got silent from his statement, all ears heeding to his words. “But the door to the afterlife has been forsaken for me. I’ve done a taboo that our god would never be forgiven. But a voice speaks to me, that this day will come...”

Adding it out, he then turns to look at me and shows a gentle smile. “The red string attaching to his pinky finger is the sign that he is the one fated for the Queen.”

Botis then grabbed my right hand and shows it to everyone. The string that has vanished suddenly appeared, luring to the eyes of the crowd.

The Queen also raises her hand, showing the attachment at the end of her pinky finger. “This has been decided since the day, our dear Queen was born.”

His words are firm and solitude; no one ever dares to give any comply. Even I got shunned from it. “And that’s why; we need to accept him as ours now. This is the right time we, the Demon race, must find compromise with humans...”

“That’s absurd; we can’t find any common ground with humans. We have been in conflict with them since the beginning...”

One from the crowd, I believe his name is Ziminiar strongly dejected out. He moves a step forward, passing the crowd.

“Paladin Ziminiar,” Botis grunted. “I can’t find any reason to bow over a human as our next Demon King. He will never be suited to be one... he has no power, not even a skill to use in annihilating mankind.”

What...? What is this supposed to mean?! I got summoned here to kill mankind? Huh?

The entire crowd looks at each other as they clamor from what Ziminiar said. Everyone seemed frustrated and addled from what they heard.

“That’s right; we’ve been in war with mortals. If they learn that there’s a human residing in our realm, there’s no way they won’t rescue him...”

At the crowd, another one stepped forward. “Dutch Valak...” Mammon utters. “In our entire history, mortals has been in abhor to us Demons. We’re different from them in any aspects.” She added.

“And to that’s why we should eradicate this mortal here! He must be exiled in our realm to avoid arising of conflict to our race!”

With strong suggestion, Ziminiar shouts. “I agree to him. Your Highness, we can’t start war against humans now that we’re recuperating from the Great War of your father...”

These two are really in cahoots to eradicate me. I do feel same way; staying here would be a bad idea at all. I want to escape to this place and live somewhere far away.

The clamor and bustle goes louder after Valak speaks. “Your Highness...” Ziminiar called.

Astarte show grimace on her face after heeding the thoughts of the two. Mashtema and Ifrit remain standing as they look also on the Queen.

Their loud clamor rises further; I don’t even know what to say to them. What should I do...?

“... The mortal will stay here.”

In the bustle of everyone, a firm and loud voice, filled with conviction halted them. Valak and Ziminiar got petrified from what they heard.

“I made a decision. If I want to achieve the goal in uniting the race and avoid conflict, there is something I must prove.”

Her hand gripped the scepter tightly. Astarte stepped down on the throne and faces everyone. “This realm will be united with other Kingdoms and Empires.”

Abigor didn’t rebut, but her eyes focuses on the Queen. “Throughout in our history, an endless war has been connected with our lives.”

Astarte’s eyes give off a solitary grit as she looks at everyone. “We’ve been in chaos; sacrificing many lives over the conflict on our brethren. I am standing here as your Queen, to be the one who governs this Kingdom.”

Mashtema and Ifrit grit their jaws as they heed to the message of the Queen, all while standing firm.

“All this time, we have been letting the soldiers confront the Heroes. Dying to serve this country, to carve their names in the list of ones who gallantly fought for their freedom; that has been continuously happening...”

Valak and Ziminiar had their looks turn grim after. Botis firmly holds on his staff as the mages beside him listens.

Even I couldn’t rebut anything from this moment. I just stand at the side while looking at her. “.... And, and I’ve had enough of that. I want to end conflicts between us Demon race and the mortals. Enough with bloodshed, but instead, let us find ways to have a peaceful life...”

Her voice becomes soft and vivid. Astarte then faces me and smiles. “My overall goal to this Kingdom is to see each and every one of you smiling. To see you all getting along; to share what we have and to find a common ground; all that will happen if everyone here trust me.”

A pacifist ruler, huh...? And that means taking me here, a human to this place to show how lenient their race is.

“I want a peaceful world for everyone: humans and demons, demi-humans and fairies, and other creatures living out there.”

It is such a fantasy thing she has been asking. Not everyone could take it, though. It’s a make-believe scenario, by deceiving themselves to find common thing.

“And thus, by having this mortal here... we can prove to them that there’s nothing they can be afraid of.”

“Her Highness has a point. Though, quite naïve and too risk, but I want to believe in her...”

Mashtema stepped in as she speaks. “I’m in doubt of the mortal to be the one who betrothed to our Queen, but to doubt Her Highness is something I least want to do...”

Ifrit added as he stepped in as well. The remaining people on the crowd had their thoughts shown on their faces. “I do also believe in our Queen!”

With standard voice, Beelzebub stepped in and stand before me. “I’m the one responsible in summoning this mortal here, and I’m taking the responsibility.”

The other mages followed Beelzebub, and Botis nod while holding his staff. “And so, everything has been settled.” Prida suggested and look at me.

“Eh?” I asked. “Welcome to the Kingdom, Mr. Justine...” with smile on her lips, she said full of confidence. Everyone turns their eyes on me and nods.

“What?” I asked.

“Our Queen suggested you stay here. From today onwards, you’re a citizen of this Kingdom.”

Botis smug at me as he said it as Aeshma bows together with the other servants behind her.

As everyone heard that, they give a round of applause. “Wait—-“

“As a candidate for the position of our future Demon King, we will abide by your request. Welcome to our realm, mortal...”

The demons named Ifrit and Mashtema bow before me. Now this is haywire; I never did agree to this, but seems there’s no way I can turn back now.