That Time I Got Reincarnated as an Underground Labyrinth Manager

At the same time.

Demon Lord's Castle

In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, a man in a white suit sat at a grand piano. His fingers danced lightly across the keys, casting out a cascade of elegant notes.

"Demon Lord Clayman, you seem to be in quite the mood."

On the sofa nearby, a red-nosed clown in a blue-and-white striped suit spoke lazily.

The melody drifted through the air.

Clayman eventually stopped playing, rose with grace, and took a sip from the wine glass in his hand.

"Subarashi~"

"Subarashi~"

"The chaos caused by the Orc Lord is far greater than I imagined."

"Whether it's the Orc Tribe or Demon Lord Milim…"

"They're all just pawns in my grand plan."

"This feeling—of manipulating everything from the shadows—is simply exquisite. Kukuku... HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

On the sofa, Laplace crossed his legs.

"Hey, Clayman, don't get too smug. You're not immune to getting wrecked."

Clayman smiled, turning his eyes toward the window.

"Laplace, I have a higher purpose."

"For the sake of Demon Lord Kazaream, I won't fail."

"Fine, fine…"

Laplace raised his hands with a shrug.

"Since you're that confident, I'll stay out of it."

"But I do suggest you take a look at what's going on over there."

"Demon Lord Clayman."

And with that.

Laplace bowed and vanished in a puff of white smoke.

"Heh…"

Clayman swirled the wine in his glass, lips curving up slightly.

"Relax."

"I've got everything under control…"

Bang—!

Just then, the door slammed open.

"Claymaaan!!"

"I came to check on my toys!"

A pink-haired girl with twin tails barged in, followed by a muscular blond man and a calm, white-haired woman with wings.

Clayman turned with a smirk.

"Milim, Carrion, Frey. Let's begin."

"Let's admire our masterpiece together."

"Uh-huh!!" Milim nodded enthusiastically, eyes sparkling like stars.

Frey and Carrion, by contrast, looked bored.

After all, this whole scheme was Clayman's idea. They were just along for the ride.

They had countries to manage. Unlike some people…

They side-eyed Milim, who looked like she was at an amusement park.

Clayman pulled out a crystal ball, smiling confidently.

"Let us bear witness!"

"To the birth of a new Demon Lord—the Orc Demon Lord, Geld!"

The moment he spoke.

A black-haired boy appeared on screen.

Clayman blinked. "Who's that?"

Then—

A vivid splash of blood filled the crystal ball.

"Hm?"

Other than Milim, all the Demon Lords present had the same reaction.

Their pupils narrowed.

Something... strong had entered the scene.

Clayman's eyelid twitched.

Gelmud was killed?

He might've been disposable, but he was still a high-ranking demon.

That human…

"Hey! Clayman! Where are my toys?!"

Milim slammed her hand on the table.

"That human looks fun and all, but I was promised a Demon Lord! Where's my Demon Lord?!"

An oppressive wave of magic power surged off her tiny frame.

Clayman quickly recovered.

"Milim, be patient."

He adjusted the crystal ball's angle.

His anticipation was building to a peak.

The Orc Lord—the very being he engineered with his own hands to bring disaster to this world.

Clayman smiled.

So this is what it feels like to be a creator.

"Everyone, feast your eyes!!!"

He pointed dramatically at the crystal ball.

Milim clenched her fists. "Waku-waku!"

Frey and Carrion gave him a token glance.

But after a few seconds…

Still nothing.

Just darkness and gray fog.

"…?"

Clayman's smile froze. "What's this?"

"Where is he?"

"Where's the Orc Demon Lord?!"

Milim frowned.

"Oi! Clayman! Did you call me here for this?!"

"Where's the good part?!"

The air around her started to tremble with power.

Clayman tapped the crystal ball, now sweating.

What the hell's going on?

Is it broken?

It shouldn't be…

Suddenly, the screen changed.

Benimaru and the others appeared on screen.

Clayman stared.

"Horns…? Are these Ogres?"

"No…"

Carrion's eyes sharpened.

"…They're Oni."

He narrowed his gaze.

There was something off…

These guys weren't weaker than him.

Especially the red-haired one…

He might be a Demon Lord even more terrifying than Carrion himself.

When did someone like that show up in Jura Forest?!

"Oni?!" Clayman stammered, eyes locked on the screen.

And then it happened.

The crystal ball showed the Orc Lord being consumed in black flame, reduced to nothing but ashes.

"W-WHAT?!"

Clayman let out a strangled yell.

That pile of ash... was the Orc Lord?!

All that effort… and that was it?!

What kind of twisted joke is this?!

"Ohhh!"

"Interesting, interesting!!"

Milim leapt to her feet, eyes gleaming.

"These guys are strong!"

"They've all evolved into Demon Lord species!"

But it didn't stop there.

Onscreen, in the stunned silence of everyone watching.

Benimaru and the others dropped to one knee in front of the black-haired boy.

Carrion's jaw dropped. Frey stared wide-eyed.

Carrion muttered, "That human… he's their leader?"

That wasn't even the crazy part.

The insane part was—

A human was commanding subordinates on Demon Lord level.

And not just one.

Four.

That kind of power could flip the entire world.

With enough intent, he could topple any nation.

Clayman's face darkened.

"This human… where the hell did he come from?!"

Milim stared into the crystal ball.

Her unique skill, Dragon Eye, lit up, seeing through the truth.

A human, giving names to monsters?

Sharing his own power with them?

Why would anyone do something so one-sided?

But…

To defeat Gelmud like that—he must already be at the level of a high-ranking demon.

Wait…

Could it be…?

He already possesses the power of a Demon Lord?!

Milim's eyes widened.

She made up her mind.

"INTERESTING—!!!"

"Clayman! I didn't get to see a Demon Lord evolve, but what you showed me might be even better!"

She cracked her knuckles.

"Alright, I've decided!"

"I'm going to check out this 'toy' myself!"

Clayman blinked.

Milim's actually getting involved?!

But then… his expression changed.

A grin tugged at his lips.

Milim stood up.

"But listen up, Clayman, Carrion, Frey."

"No one gets in my way."

"That human… is mine."

With that, she jumped out the window and flew off.

Clayman stayed quiet for a beat.

That human… is already dead.

He looked up, lips curling again.

That was Milim Nava.

The only Dragonoid Demon Lord in existence.

The oldest among them.

Her power was in another realm entirely.

No human could ever match her.

That was the bottom line.

Anyone who dares defy the Moderate Harlequin Alliance…

Will be erased.

(To be continued.)

***

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