The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 273: The Demon King (3)

0% Building the altar was basically heavy labor.

The process of assembling rebar and welding them. Building iron barriers and placing the throne on top.

From the process of placing the four Lodestones on a vanadium drum to drawing a magic circle. Despite it being difficult work, all members of the Demon Army completed the altar without a single complaint.

Before the ritual began, one of the subordinates asked.

“My lord, what kind of person is the Demon King?”

“You’ll know when you see.”

Gilach gave a normal smile for the first time in a while.

Even an arrogant person like him couldn’t dare smile nastily before the Demon King.

“The King is the hope of us Golden-Eyed.”

Pasmo answered instead for their puzzled successors.

“His Majesty held out to us a golden lifeline when we were suffering from discrimination and hunger. Even those who’ve never seen him should honor him.”

At that, the fledglings all nodded.

The Demon Army was largely divided into two generations.

The seniors who’d seen the Demon King’s face, and the fledglings who hadn’t.

The reason why the fledglings were following the Demon King who they had never seen was because as Golden-Eyeds, the Demon Castle was the only place they could live freely.

“Let’s begin.”

Tap.

Having finished constructing the magic circle, Jǫrmungandr moved away.

She stepped aside, and Pasmo stepped up to the altar.

Pasmo infused mana into each Lodestone and began the keynote speech.

“At a time when we didn’t know anything about electricity, the Goddess made a single design mistake and made our whole race defective.”

Everyone’s ears tuned in to one place.

Pasmo walked about the altar with a pensive look.

“The arrogant humans and elves abused and persecuted us. They enslaved many of our kind and used us like toys.”

What was seen on his face was a hint of sorrow, and anger.

“Then when they were no longer useful, they were buried in the ground along with the beastkin.”

No one could refute it. An anguish that any Golden-Eyed could relate to. Even Gilach was nodding.

“Comrades, this was how we suffered. We were treated like lowlifes and servants for being weak.”

Humans, elves, beastkin, dwarves.

One’s race wasn’t important; they were discriminated against simply because they were born with gold eyes.

“However.”

Pasmo continued.

“Since the moment our King called us the Golden-Eyed, everything changed. We were no longer lowly, and have risen to supremacy within the continent. Behold, what those arrogant humans and elves now call us and fear!”

Beasts.

The Golden-Eyeds who hid their identities began being called by that name.

They were called that out of negative association because when they had just learned Elec Magic, the weapons of war they created were grotesque beyond imagination.

It was to the point that the doomsayers who saw the horde of machines would say that the Dark Ages had come upon them.

“We will now get to meet and see for ourselves the creator of the Elec Realm, our deliverer, and the savior who will bring utopia.”

Vwooooom.

The seal stones started vibrating as soon as the speech finished.

“Ooooh.”

The four Lodestones in the barrel began resonating, and emitted powerful and vigorous energy as they glowed brilliantly.

And that sight was so divine–

Some lay prostrate on the spot, others even wiped tears from their eyes. The scene was like a cult.

Feeling the powerful energy, the Heavens all knelt down.

And at last.

“......He has come.”

Their lord had appeared.

As everyone held their breath, a darkly glowing form descended on the chair provided on the altar.

It was twilight.

Was it the spider at sunrise, or a shadow at sunset?

It was the manifestation of the former to the Demon Army, and the latter to other races.

“Your Majesty.”

Pasmo lowered his head even more.

“We hail the rightful leader of the Golden-Eyed.”

“.......”

The man on the throne nodded.

He was wearing a plum-colored robe that covered his whole body, and dozens of yellow beams were shining from his dark face.

His appearance was more monster than human.

“......As it has been 1069 years since I have been asleep.”

The man spoke heavily.

“Having awoken today, it is truly an opportune time for a revolution.”

The deep and heavy voice had the power to captivate the crowd.

The Heavens bowed even further.

Demon King Parcelsus.

This man had such power and authority. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Taking a slow look around, the Demon King spoke with leisure.

“Spring, you’ve become more crafty than meets the eye, Summer seems to take pleasure in Elementals as usual, and Autumn, you look as if you’ve lost family.”

At his words, each of the Heavens’ shoulders flinched.

“But, where is Winter?”

Drrrrrr.

The entire Demon Castle shook side to side.

“Tell me, Spring.”

“Yes, my lord. Winter has allied with the Elementals and betrayed us while you were asleep.”

Pasmo cautiously waited for a response.

He couldn’t see the King’s face, but was able to guess what he was feeling.

“Keep going.”

“And so she slaughtered Autumn’s cousin and handed over our allies to the elves.”

Having been given the opportunity, Pasmo began spilling everything.

There was no one to stop him.

Gilach didn’t care what happened to Winter Heaven, and Jǫrmungandr was still shaken up by what happened to Sea Dragon.

It was the same for the rest of the Beasts. The ones that had followed Aether had already been ousted or left the castle.

“Aha, I see.”

Tap, tap, tap.

The Demon King tapped the throne with wire-like nails and snorted.

“Not some other person–”

Fwoosh.

“But Winter?”

The Demon King’s tone was cold.

But everyone knew.

That he was about to explode.

“Not someone else but that black-haired brat who claimed to adore me... I appointed her as my right-hand and she dares to surrender?”

“Yes, sire.”

“I have just returned and the plan has fallen apart.”

The Demon King cracked his neck, then pounded his chest like he was pained.

“Without Winter, this war is as good as lost.”

“......?”

At the unexpected attitude of the Demon King, Pasmo and Gilach became puzzled.

Craaack!

In the meantime, the Demon King picked up the throne and smashed it.

The large iron chair folded like origami, and the followers who witnessed this cowered back in fear.

But the shocking part didn’t end there.

Crunch.

The Demon King began stuffing the scrunched up throne into his mouth.

“......!”

The strange phenomenon that defied the laws of physics had all the Beasts except for the Heavens closing their mouths in shock.

Pasmo could tell what this was under the circumstances.

He’s doing it on purpose.

The King was pretending to be angry.

He had just been revived so he was probably trying to make an impact on the newer Beasts.

How strong, and how strange and twisted a being he was. It was a move to strengthen his kingship by showing off his ability.

Yet even Pasmo’s hands were shaking despite knowing that.

Gulp.

Having literally ‘inihaled’ the throne, the Demon King seemed to have grown a bit in size compared to a moment ago.

Pasmo went through of a series of calculations, and in the process he attempted to suggest what the Demon King would want most.

“My lord, Winter is an ungrateful bitch. How would you feel about soon invading elf country and taking her head?”

“Hm.”

As expected, the response was good.

“What do the others think?”

“Of course I will follow what you will.”

“.......”

Gilach gave his best answer, and Jǫrmungandr was silent.

“Autumn. If you do not give your opinion, you will only have less of a voice.”

“...I have no objections.”

Whether her voice amongst the troops diminished or not–

It probably wouldn’t matter, as Jǫrmungandr would be too busy pulling herself together.

“Alright, then. Anger is the most useless emotion. Being angered by the news of Winter’s betrayal will not change anything.”

And as if he read her mind, the King gave Jǫrmungandr relatively helpful advice.

“The important thing is to understand the future by reflecting on the past. Yes, let’s start with commendations. Who contributed to my revival?”

It was finally time.

Pasmo raised his hand first and expressed his loyalty.

“I was the one who brought the Lodestone of Air that had been sleeping within the World Tree.”

“Excellent. And the rest?”

Gilach watched and waited, then cautiously took his opportunity to speak.

“The Lodestone of Earth is my doing.”

“Oho, that, too, is commendable.”

“Yes, and also....”

Gilach diligently executed Entero’s suggestion from a little while ago.

And he didn’t forget to flesh it out a bit.

“I see.”

At Gilach’s poetic words, the Demon King looked around pleased.

“Tell me who brought the Fire and Water stones. I will personally reward them along with the two Heavens.”

“.......”

But there was no one who could speak up about the two Lodestones.

First, it was neither Pasmo nor Gilach, as they had been sealed in each the Fire and Water Lodestones respectively.

- That’s true.

Who brought them?

Autumn Heaven?

The Beasts whispered.

“Tell me quickly. Who is it?”

Neither Pasmo nor Gilach could say.

The answer came from somewhere else.

“It was Rosemary Tarkenil.”

Autumn Heaven Jǫrmungandr.

Jǫrmungandr, who had been passive until now, spoke up for the first time.

“Rosemary? I’ve not heard of her.”

“She was the last princess of the Kingdom of Tarkenil, to whom Your Majesty showed mercy along the way....”

“Hm.”

The Demon King rubbed his fingers as if he had no idea.

“And where is this Rosemary?”

“She is a servant of Winter Heaven; she is not currently present.”

“You mean she surrendered with Winter.”

“.......”

“......Which means that in the end Autumn and Winter haven’t done anything, and I am to reward only Spring and Summer.”

Letting out a great sigh, the Demon King raised two fingers.

“First, I will reward the two of you. And second, I will get rid of the traitor before I do.”

“Then....”

“I will reestablish discipline in the army.”

Anticipation bled into Pasmo and Gilach’s eyes.

“Spring.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I appoint you as the general of the army. You will go beyond the Elankayas with me and destroy the nations in order.”

“Understood.”

Finally.

It was finally an all-out war.

“Autumn.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I appoint you as the general of the air forces. Rally the beastkin and take over first the stretch from the west of Pitchblende to the Thyrims River in the south. Afterwards, you will join Spring and pressure the elves from the northwest of Kaurelia.”

“I will do as you command.”

Gilach awaited orders while trying not to show his impatience as best as he could.

He had to be next.

“Summer.”

It was just as Gilach, expectant, snapped open his eyes.

“Step forward.”