The Helldream Demon Realm is divided into seven grand duchies, much like how the Tumanist Empire is ruled by its high-ranking dukes.
At first glance, it might seem like the Seven Dukes are the highest authorities, but that’s only half-true.

Nominally, the 72 Lords reign supreme over all non-human races.
The origins of the Demon Realm trace back to the 72 Dungeons, a history spanning over a thousand years, making them a sacrosanct institution.
But that’s only on paper—after the Empire was established, the prestige of the 72 Lords waned significantly.
Now, even the Seven Dukes can look down on the lower-ranked Lords with a smug “What are you gonna do about it?” attitude.

‘Not that it matters to me.’

The authority of the Dukes only extends to bosses ranked below the 20th position.
As the boss of the Abyssal Seventh Palace, their authority doesn’t apply to me.

Not that it makes much of a difference.
The 72 Lords' Assembly, sacrosanct in itself, is a grand event, and hosting it in their domain is a symbolic honor for the Dukes.
For that reason, the assembly rotates through the seven duchies before being postponed indefinitely.

The 8th 72 Lords' Assembly, the first in a hundred years, was set to begin tomorrow.
With the merchant guild’s portal, we arrived in the Demon Realm a day early.
The venue for this assembly was Sañjīva, a grand duchy so massive it could be considered the Demon Realm’s capital.

We came early to explore the city, assess the surroundings, and relax a bit before the main event.

"Charlotte, are you breathing alright?"
"Yes, my lord. It seems I’m fine as a demonized being."

The air in the Demon Realm isn’t what humans think of as oxygen.
Instead of sustaining life, it saps it—a toxic gas for humans.
Luckily, Balutak was an insectoid, so he was unaffected.

When a human evolves into a demon, they develop a mana-breathing organ that replaces the need for oxygen.
Thanks to this, Charlotte could breathe using the mana stored within her body.

Even if her mana reserves ran out, Balutak’s backpack was stuffed with mana potions, so there wasn’t much to worry about.
Still, the harmful effects of the air couldn’t be entirely avoided. To mitigate this, Charlotte wore a gas mask that completely covered her nose and mouth.

"You look good."
"...Thank you."

With her gas mask and the hood of her robe pulled up, she looked like a heroine straight out of a post-apocalyptic movie.

"I do worry about whether the Merchant Guild will properly guard the dungeon," Charlotte said.
"Put your worries aside and enjoy. We’re here to relax, after all."

With the Dukes backing them up, I wasn’t too concerned about security.
The troops they’d deployed ranged from Level 50 to 70—reliable enough by any measure.

The city itself was a blend of light purple and black hues.
As an undead being, I found it cozy, much like the dungeon.

"Kirik. The Demon Realm, it’s so dark. Feels like a dungeon," Balutak muttered.

For someone used to the vibrant colors of the forest, the dim tones of the Demon Realm seemed more bothersome than the air itself.

Despite the dark palette, the city’s structure and layout were similar to the Empire’s.
There were restaurants, forges, and clothing shops scattered about, and in the central plaza stood a grand clock tower and a majestic fountain.

For a place called the Demon Realm, the visuals didn’t quite match the name.
It wasn’t barbaric; it was a sophisticated city, albeit with a somber tone. It had a romantic, post-apocalyptic charm.

"Sniff, sniff. Hey, isn’t that a human over there?"
"Huh? No way... But it does look like one. What’s a human doing in Sañjīva?"

So much for relaxing.
Despite our efforts to disguise Charlotte, the sharp noses of the non-human inhabitants caught on.
In a crowded plaza, their gazes were drawn to her.

Charlotte’s shoulders tensed under the scrutiny.
It was painful to watch her futilely pull her hood lower, trying to hide.

"You’ve done nothing wrong. Stand tall," I said, giving her shoulder a reassuring pat.

"You’re not here as an ordinary human. You’re here as the lieutenant of the Faithful Mausoleum. Walk with pride."
"...Thank you."

"And Balutak."
"Kirik?"
"Make the scariest face you can. Enough to stop anyone from even glancing this way."
"Kirik. Got it. Kiyeeeek!"

With a screech, his face twisted into a grotesque visage.
As expected of a DLC boss, his appearance alone was enough to terrify even demons.

"Whoa!"
"What’s with that insect? Why’s its face like that?"
"Hey, don’t look at it. You’ll get into trouble."

More than half the stares directed our way disappeared.
Puffed with pride, Balutak exhaled through his nose and contorted his face even further.

"Kiyeeeeeek!"
"Tone it down."
"Kirik..."

He may have been terrifying as a DLC boss, but now all I could think about was how to deal with this overenthusiastic minion.

I glanced at Charlotte.
Her gas mask made it impossible to read her expression, but she seemed visibly more relaxed.

"Thank you, my lord. And you too, Balutak."

Charlotte’s steps grew more confident.
Good. We came here to relax—feeling uncomfortable defeats the purpose.

"Kirik. Balutak doesn’t like the Demon Realm. Wants to go home. Misses Buraltak."
"...It’s Keltotak."
"Kirik? Right. Buraltak is now Keltotak. Great Chief gave her the name."

Apparently, Keltotak was female, and Balutak had some sort of thing going on with her.

"Balutak is a deer. Keltotak is a clean river. She quenches Balutak’s thirst. That’s why Balutak cherishes Keltotak."

Having spent his whole life in the forest, Balutak often used nature metaphors in his dialogue.
Still, couldn’t he stop calling her Buraltak?

Lost in thought, I barely noticed when Charlotte pointed to a large building ahead.

"My lord, it seems to be a Beast Shop."
"A Beast Shop?"
"Yes. A store frequented by dungeon bosses. They sell beasts that the Merchant Guild doesn’t usually handle. It might be worth a look."

Her eyes gleamed with subtle anticipation.

We were still short on dungeon defenses, even with Rozesha’s promised reinforcements.
The shop might have something affordable and useful.

"How much budget do we have left?"
"We currently have 2.023 million cell."

It wasn’t much.
Our dungeon was still new, barely established, so funds were tight.
High-level beasts could cost up to 10 million cell, making window-shopping our most likely activity.

Ding!

The doorbell rang as we entered.

"Welcome," grumbled the shopkeeper—a feline beastkin with a monocle.
His voice was unexpectedly gruff.

He glanced at us briefly before his gaze fixed on Charlotte.

"Half-demon? Or human?"
"Demonized human," she replied.
"Still a human, huh? Sorry, humans aren’t allowed. Please leave."

Barely three seconds in, and we were already being kicked out.
I could reveal my identity as an Abyssal Lord, but it didn’t seem worth the hassle.

As we were about to leave, Charlotte stepped out first.

"Take your time browsing, my lord. I’ll wait outside."

I hesitated. I had been looking forward to checking out the beasts myself.
Her expression seemed genuinely fine, though.

"Understood. Balutak, stay with Charlotte. A human alone in the Demon Realm is asking for trouble."
"Kirik. Got it."

Time for some solo beast shopping. Honestly? Not bad.

***

"Kirik. The Demon Realm hates humans. Why's that?"
"That’s just how it is. You wouldn’t understand, even if I explained."
"Kirik. Balutak is smart. But Lieutenant, smarter. I’ll stay quiet."

Charlotte sighed deeply. She had anticipated it, but the discrimination against humans here was as pervasive as ever.
Given the tangled history between humans and the Demon Realm, it wasn’t something she could call unfair. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.

A knot of worry and unease coiled in Charlotte’s chest.
If the city plaza was this hostile, what could she expect at the assembly?

‘Am I just going to be a burden?’

She had followed the boss’s decision, but that didn’t mean her anxiety had disappeared.
Dwelling on it further would only darken her mood. Deciding to clear her mind, Charlotte resolved to pass the time until the boss returned.

"Kirik. Lieutenant wants to go in but can’t. Then why stay here? Why not go somewhere else?"
"It’s a Beast Shop. Only the boss needs to go inside."

Charlotte understood the boss’s capabilities.
His sharp eye for spotting a beast’s potential and his ability to evolve them.
Balutak, standing right beside her, was living proof of that talent.
Sure, Balutak wasn’t the brightest, but his abilities were undeniable.

"He might just browse and leave. But I have full faith in the boss’s discerning judgment."
"Kirik. Hope it’s a female insect beast."
"That won’t happen. And you—"

Charlotte stopped mid-sentence, her expression freezing.
A passing werewolf had approached her for no apparent reason.

Balutak tilted his head, glancing between the two of them, sensing an odd tension in the air.

After a moment of staring up at the werewolf, Charlotte finally forced herself to speak.

"I hope you’ve been well."

Spit.
The werewolf’s response was not words but a wad of saliva, which landed on her brow.
Charlotte reflexively closed her eyes as the sticky mess clung to her lashes.

Before she could wipe it away, a rough hand yanked her hood off, exposing her face entirely.
The werewolf’s menacing visage loomed over her.

"Still got that irritating face, huh?"
"...."
"What’s a human wench doing in the Demon Realm? You got a death wish?"
"Kieeeek!"
"Stand down. Don’t provoke him."

Charlotte quickly stopped Balutak, who had been about to leap at the werewolf.
Even the slightest misstep here could mean death—or worse.

"This is the 21st-ranked boss, Lord Gergore," Charlotte explained with a strained voice.

Balutak glanced at the werewolf with renewed caution, his instincts picking up on the dangerous aura surrounding him.

Charlotte, on the other hand, recognized him all too well.
Her hesitation wasn’t just fear—it was the weight of memories she’d rather forget.

"...He was my former boss."