The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

#433 - I'm the prime minister of cattle and horses, I'm here at dawn!

Chapter 432: The Beast of Burden Prime Minister: I'm on the Early Shift!

"—The matter is already more than 30 years in the past. When this kingdom was recruiting civil officials, after applying several times, I finally got hired and have been working like a beast of burden ever since.

My colleagues are all addicted to gambling and don't work seriously at all. The royal family is gambling wildly in the casinos, and the nobles are just as fond of them. Do you know how much trouble these guys cause me by wasting money every day…?"

"I might as well abandon this kingdom. Maybe it would be better for the Demon King's army? I've thought so several times. Tell me, do you understand my hardship and helplessness?"

"I understand, I understand."

Zun Zun kept comforting the shapeshifting monster who was pouring out his grievances.

As for why he could say this so calmly, it was simply because the shapeshifting monster was no match for Zun Zun.

In addition, he seemed to have pent-up grievances that he had to vent, and he娓娓道出 (wěiwěi dàochū) recounted his hardships to this day.

The shapeshifting monster, who worked seriously and didn't gamble at all, quickly gained the trust of the royal family and smoothly became a trusted and capable minister.

So far, it was still relatively smooth.

However, after he climbed to a high position and took over the internal affairs, he realized the actual situation of this kingdom.

Severe financial deficits and gradually increasing debts, but the nobles and royal family were unwilling to face such reality, indulging in extravagant pleasures every day, immersed in false prosperity, doing nothing.

Then, this guy buried himself in hard work for this.

The initial purpose was espionage, but because he was naturally serious and excellent, he once forgot his identity as a spy and kept working for this kingdom, reversing the kingdom's losses.

And when he became the prime minister, he suddenly realized that he didn't actually need to go to such lengths.

"You really are a remarkable civil official."

"Thank you for the compliment. No, that's not it. In short, after climbing to this position, I finally took action. That's right, the time to work for His Majesty the Demon King has come. You seem to be working very hard to spread rumors about His Majesty the Demon King, but His Majesty is an enlightened ruler who is extremely worthy of serving…"

"I can't agree with that."

"What?"

The shapeshifting monster, who was suddenly interrupted, looked at him with some bewilderment.

Zun Zun sneered at this and said, "You say that the Demon King is an enlightened ruler worthy of serving, then please tell me, has the Demon King ever contacted you during these years that you have been working diligently in Laggklev?"

"…No." The shapeshifting monster shook his head, but then argued, "That's not important, right? As an intelligence agent, you can't casually contact the Demon King's army."

"But you said that the kingdom was immersed in extravagant pleasures at that time, so who would care about these things?"

"Ugh."

He seemed to be speechless.

"It seems that you are very unconvinced and feel that there is no need. But if the Demon King had contacted you at that time and secretly funded you and helped you eliminate political enemies, why would you have spent so long to become the prime minister?"

"Ah!"

The shapeshifting monster seemed to have just understood.

Although the Demon King's army couldn't attack, just like him, they could insert spies or helpers at any time, and the speed of controlling this kingdom from the inside out would definitely be very fast, and the current situation can only be said to be—

"That's right, the Demon King simply didn't care about you, or forgot about you."

"Impossible! Lord Demon King is an enlightened ruler!"

One has to admire his loyalty.

Or should it be said that the Demon King does have a personal charm?

"Let's just assume that the Demon King didn't contact you in order not to startle the snake, but in my opinion, he really can't be called an enlightened ruler. As for why, it's because you, Laggklev, are such an excellent civil official, but he doesn't know it at all."

"Well…"

To be able to turn a crumbling casino kingdom that was like a castle in the air into a powerful country that needs it to fund it when resisting the Demon King's army, one has to admire Laggklev's powerful ability.

Moreover, he actually had such a complacent idea, otherwise he wouldn't have become so angry because Zun Zun and the others had disrupted the plan.

"N-No, it's not like that… Lord Demon King is busy with a myriad of affairs every day. In order to deal with you, he must handle a lot of official duties every day. It's understandable that he would forget about me, so…"

"Hahaha——"

Zun Zun suddenly laughed out loud.

The shapeshifting monster subconsciously took a step back and asked, "Why are you laughing suddenly?"

"It's nothing, I just think your filter is too heavy." Zun Zun waved his hand casually and said, "The Demon King you mentioned who handles official duties every day actually sneaks out to enjoy himself. In fact, I've encountered him twice."

"Hey, don't talk nonsense!"

"Once was at the succubus shop, and the other time was at the hot spring and water capital. Oh, he seemed to be enjoying himself very much, and he even talked to me about his feelings."

"What! ?"

The shapeshifting monster opened his mouth wide, and only his mouth was in his facial features, so it was very conspicuous.

And Zun Zun secretly laughed.

It seems that he bluffed him.

He hasn't even seen the Demon King's appearance, how could he have met him twice, and still in the succubus shop and the hot spring and water capital? Saying that is completely spreading rumors, that's right, the same as the Axis Church's approach.

Anyway, there is no way to verify it, so what if you spread rumors?

He couldn't help but show a confident smile.

However, the shapeshifting monster stared at him carefully, and then took out a magical tool in the shape of black and white wings with a bell from his arms—from the shadows. Although he didn't have any expression, he still made a clearly confused expression.

—What! ?

Seeing this magical tool, Zun Zun panicked all of a sudden.

Isn't this a lie detector magic tool! ?

A magical tool that will jingle as long as you lie, why would the shapeshifting monster have this magical tool?

Perhaps sensing Zun Zun's confusion, the Doppelganger explained, "This was prepared on purpose to test where you spend the money, but I didn't expect to find out about this instead. It seems you weren't lying to me."

Hoo—

Zun Zun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn't know how he had evaded the lie-detecting magical tool, but the only possibility was his divine body.

Aqua can also evade lie-detecting magical tools because her own divinity can erase the slight evil aura produced when lying, so it doesn't matter if she tells small lies. (Not a fan theory, Volume 10, Chapter 5)

It seems my divine body is having an effect too, I'm so lucky!

While Zun Zun was secretly rejoicing, the Doppelganger remained silent. With his mouth closed, his dark face, lacking any facial features, made it impossible to read his expression, so it was impossible to know what he was feeling.

But it must be dejection or loss.

After all, having one's rose-tinted glasses shattered and losing one's past beliefs and support, such a reaction was understandable.

So, under these circumstances.

"—Kill me."

"What?"

"Please kill me."

The Doppelganger said this very calmly.

Although he couldn't do anything to Zun Zun and the hope of escape was slim, he should at least try, but now he didn't even have the thought of trying, having lost the will to live and actively seeking death.

And facing the Doppelganger's request, Zun Zun of course—

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"I refuse."

"Hmm?"

"I don't have any intention of killing you, Ragukleif. Rather, I very much want to recruit you."

That's right, this was the reason Zun Zun didn't expose the Doppelganger's true identity from the start, which was to recruit this very capable internal affairs officer for his own use.

Wouldn't it be a waste to casually kill such a talented person?

For the sake of his grand ambition, Zun Zun wanted to recruit him.

However, the Doppelganger had no such thoughts at all. He shook his head and said, "No thanks, I only pledge my loyalty to the Demon King."

"You too!?!"

Such a statement reminded him of a certain headless knight.

"Then there's no problem."

"… … Hmm?"

"Let me reintroduce myself. I am Zun Zun, one of the top arch-mages of the Crimson Demons, the strongest Crimson Demon who will eventually become the most benevolent, most virtuous, most supreme, and most powerful Demon King!"

"Impossible, there is only one Demon King!"

Seemingly unable to accept such a statement, the Doppelganger retorted unwillingly.

"Who says there can only be one Demon King?" Zun Zun spread his hands nonchalantly and said, "Just like the Belzerg Kingdom and the Elroad Kingdom, just like there are actually eight Demon King Army executives, just like there's a whole bunch of heroes, who says there can only be one Demon King?"

"What?"

The Doppelganger seemed not to expect Zun Zun to say such sophistry.

But that was the reality.

Who stipulated that there can only be one Demon King? It's just that the current Demon King doesn't allow other Demon Kings to exist, so he subdues or eliminates those Demon Kings. Just like the kingdoms on the human side, if they have the ability to annex another kingdom, they definitely won't be polite.

"I will become the new Demon King! If the current Demon King feels that I am a threat, then he will definitely come and attack me."

Zun Zun looked at the Doppelganger again.

"Ragukleif, don't you think this is an opportunity?"

"… … Opportunity? What opportunity?"

"An opportunity to prove yourself. Let that Demon King who ignored you and didn't discover your talent know how amazing you are, and then see his expression of beating his chest and regretting it, wouldn't that be the best reward?"

"… … Hehe… … Hehehe… …"

Not knowing if Zun Zun's bewitchment had succeeded, the Doppelganger let out a strange giggle, but he still had some resistance.

"But a human becoming a Demon King… …"

"Wait a moment, strictly speaking, I'm not a human, I'm a Crimson Demon."

"Ugh!"

The Crimson Demons are modified humans, so if you want to be precise, they're not really pure humans.

"Then, I accept."

Zun Zun took the initiative to grasp the Doppelganger's hesitant hand, forcibly pulling him over. Seeing this, the Doppelganger also seemed to finally put down the heavy burden in his heart and became Zun Zun's subordinate.

"But I still need you to make an exit here… … I say, do you have the ability to split into clones?"

Following Zun Zun's question, the Doppelganger split in half.

Then the door opened.

Zun Zun walked out, and after a while, another Zun Zun walked out.

Originally, I thought the Doppelganger would go directly to Alice's room, but unexpectedly—

"What!? Zun, Zun Zun, what are you saying, telling me to take off my clothes and crawl around the castle wearing a collar!? I, I didn't expect you to be such a scumbag, I really misjudged you!"

"Th, that… … N, no, it's not… …"

"I would be happy to!"

"… … Ah?"

"I said, I would be happy to! Come, let's start now! It would be best to use a more humiliating binding method!"

A burst of noisy sounds came from Darkness's room. After a while, the Doppelganger walked out of the room in a somewhat collapsed state. Through the door that was about to close, one could vaguely see the red-faced Darkness bound tightly.

I didn't expect this guy to actually come seeking authenticity!