The Monster King's Legacy-Chapter 167: A Formal Meeting

Just as stated, two days later, Varok returned, this time, with his liege.

The grand throne room was alight with tension and curiosity as the doors swung open, revealing a figure of undeniable presence. Lance, seated on his throne with his council standing nearby, watched as the demon strode confidently toward him.

The demon stood around 6'5 ft in height, but his body was hidden beneath thick layers of clothing, especially as he dressed in a fitting attire for the occasion. Unlike Varok who had red skin, this one had a more ashen shade of skin, his eyes purple, with a chiseled jaw and sharp features, almost resembling a man on diet to los weight.

A heavy silence fell as he bowed deeply, his voice carrying a tone of authority yet humility.

"I greet the Ruler of Monsters." He said as he held his posture, prompting Lance to give the permission for him to raise his head.

'This guy is so crafty. Why do I need to give you permission, am I your king?' Lance thought to himself, sighing internally.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Veyrath, the Demon Lord of the remaining demon race."

Lance nodded, his gaze fixed on Veyrath. "The Demon Lord… I am impressed that you would come personally." Lance said.

Veyrath straightened, his expression earnest. "Please, allow me to apologies for not showing up personally from the beginning. I believe that a plea for survival must come from the one who bears the responsibility of his people."

Lance acknowledged his words, allowing him to continue to the main subject.

Veyrath's expression darkened slightly, his gaze distant. "My predecessor left a legacy of pain and ruin, not just for the other races, but for my own people as well. The demon race is now ostracized, hunted, and reduced to mere remnants of what we once were. Our lands are barren, stripped of vitality by the corruption wrought during his reign."

Mira, standing beside Lance, frowned. "Why come to us? Surely there are other races—"

"Surely, you jest, miss. There are none," Veyrath interjected gently but firmly. "The humans, elves, and dwarves see us only as monsters, a stain on history they wish to erase. But your kingdom..." He looked directly at Lance, his gaze unwavering. "Your kingdom represents something different. A place where outcasts have found strength, unity, and purpose. A place where redemption is possible."

Lance leaned forward, his expression thoughtful. "You mentioned your predecessor. I have heard a thing or two… Tell me, how did things come to this?"

Veyrath sighed, his shoulders heavy with the burden of his people's past. "The former Demon Lord sought power above all else, even at the cost of our race's future. He wielded the blessing of the Demon God, a power he was never meant to possess. It corrupted him, twisting his mind and amplifying his cruelty. Under his rule, we waged war across the continent, leaving a trail of destruction and suffering. But such power comes with a price."

He paused, his gaze slightly somber. "The blessing drained our lands of their vitality, turning them into desolate wastelands. It corrupted not just him, but those under him, spreading like a plague which he commanded. The other races see his actions as a reflection of all demons, and perhaps, as you already know, it is due to the fact that this is not the first of such incident… And so, we have borne the weight of his and our predecessors' sins ever since."

The room grew silent as Veyrath's words sank in. Though his story was compelling, it didn't do much to change his perception in the eyes of those present, and it was evident in their gaze.

"And now?" Lance asked, his tone calm but probing. "What do you want from us?"

Veyrath met Lance's gaze, his voice steady. "I seek your alliance, Lord Lance. Not as equals, but as those who understand what it means to be cast aside. I offer the loyalty of the demon race in exchange for sanctuary, for the chance to rebuild. We have warriors, mages, craftsmen, all willing to serve under your rule. All I ask is that you give us a chance to survive."

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Lance remained silent, absorbing everything in before finally speaking. "Veyrath, your request is not a small one. If I accept, my kingdom risks alienating other nations. You leave me with a difficult choice." Lance said.

Veyrath inclined his head. "I understand, Lord Lance. And I do not expect an answer immediately."

Lance studied him for a long moment before nodding. "I will consider your request. But understand this; any alliance must be built on trust. If your people cannot uphold their end of the bargain, there will be consequences. We do not run a charity foundation here."

Veyrath bowed deeply. "I would expect nothing less."

Lance nodded, rising from his throne. "I wish to know more before we proceed, why don't we move to a separate room to discuss more?"

…

Lance brought the demon lord to a meeting room, a scaled down version of the grand chamber. Following Lance's question, he recounted the story of his reign as Demon Lord following the fall of the previous one. Lance sat at the head of the table, his expression one of calm focus, though the weight of Veyrath's words was beginning to settle over the room.

Aelyndra sat behind Lance, her golden gaze scrutinizing every shift in Veyrath's demeanor. Rynne leaned against the far wall, her arms crossed tightly, watching the Demon Lord with suspicion. The rest of Lance's council had dismissed themselves for the time being, while Varok followed behind Veyrath.

"When I took the mantle of Demon Lord, it was merely to save the remaining demons who had yet to be tainted the former Lord's corruption." Veyrath began, his voice steady but low, "I was lucky enough to get my hands on an old magic that allowed me to create a small-world, a subspace within our own reality, which is where have been hiding until recently."

He paused, glancing down at his hands. "The plan was to stay there, away from the world for some time, to recuperate and save ourselves. Of course, the plan worked flawlessly, but we soon started facing issues pertaining to food, and the small-world was slowly running out of power to remain active."

Veyrath's lips tightened into a thin line as he continued. "Though we could not cultivate field in the small-world, I had reserved seeds alongside various other things for when we resurfaced, but we soon faced a major problem after returning. Demons are not farmers or merchants by nature. We lack the skills to cultivate barren lands. There was also no way we would turned to trade, hoping that other nations might take pity on us, that they might see our efforts and offer a chance for redemption."

"Even if my people were to learn to till the fields, we won't survive, as the lands have gone bad and they reject our seeds. The only option was to move upwards, but that would be encroaching into your land, after all, you own these lands. That aside, we are still being hunted by humans, at least, the corrupted demons that survived are. If we linger about, we too will be haunted, and by then, we won't have the chance to explain ourselves… that would only lead to a dead end."

Lance rested his chin on his fist as he listened. The Demon Lord's story was one of tragedy and perseverance, a reflection of the very struggles his own people had faced not long ago. He couldn't ignore the parallels, nor the potential in offering the demons a chance at redemption. But the risks were great, and the cost of failure even greater.

'Then again, I've already made up my mind, I guess.' He thought to himself, thinking back on what Kaelthara had said to him when she visited.

"You've carried a heavy burden, Veyrath," Lance said finally, his tone quiet but firm. "It's clear that you care deeply for your people, and that you've done everything in your power to give them a future. That's not weakness. That's leadership."

Veyrath bowed his head slightly, a flicker of gratitude crossing his features. "Thank you, Lord Lance. That means more than you know."

"Very well. Swear fealty to me, luckily, we have someone who knows some binding magic in that regard. Your people shall come under me, and do my will. If you agree, say so, let us progress with it." Lance said.

Without hesitation, Veyrath agreed, and so, the binding process was conducted.

It was a shabby spell for the situation after Aelyndra explained to both parties how it worked, enough to make anybody shudder and think twice.

Apparently it was not a contract magic that allowed for much flexibility, as Aelyndra had created it for beasts and not intelligent species.

Nevertheless, Veyrath agreed to go on with it, surprising Lance even more.

"Understand that ocne this is done, you will be as good as a slave to Lance. On that note, he has full control over your life and actions, if he so wishes, any intention to harm or go against his will may even lead to death," Aelyndra warned.

Veyrath's face displayed seriousness as he closed his eyes. "I understand completely."

"Very well." Aelyndra said.

Without any time further wasted, and to the agape mouth of Rynne and Varok, Aelyndra conducted the process.