Loki's smile widened, warmer and more genuine this time.

"Oh, I like you. You're clever," he said, setting down his teacup and leaning back casually. "Alright, here's the catch. If you accept the alliance and eventually claim the seventh seat or lower, I'll want your support in the Demon Lord Council. There are… reforms I've been meaning to implement. Changes to the way we operate. Most of the other demon lords are stuck in their old ways, but with a fresh perspective, yours, I might finally push through plans I've been plotting for decades."

"What kind of changes?" Satou asked.

"The kind that upset the status quo," Loki said simply. "The kind that make the strong uncomfortable because they threaten traditional power structures. I won't lie to you—aligning with me will make you enemies among both demons and humans. But it will also make you powerful allies and give you resources to protect what you're building."

He extended his hand across the table. "So. What do you say? Alliance? I help you build and protect your settlement, provide resources and skilled workers, guard against immediate threats. You provide me with support when you eventually take your seat, and we both benefit from having an ally we can actually trust to keep their word."

Satou looked at the extended hand. Every instinct he had screamed that this was dangerous, that making deals with demon lords never ended well. But he'd learned in his short life that survival sometimes meant taking calculated risks.

And Loki, for all his cunning, had spent two weeks helping the settlement without asking for anything in return. Had provided real, tangible aid when they desperately needed it. Actions spoke louder than words.

"One condition," Satou said. "No secrets between us regarding this alliance. If you need something from me, you ask directly. If I need information from you, you provide it honestly. We might not tell each other everything, but what we do say has to be truth."

Loki's expression shifted, surprise flashing across his features before settling into what looked like genuine respect. "No secrets regarding the alliance itself. I can work with that. You're more interesting than I thought."

"Do we have a deal?" Satou asked.

"We have a deal."

Satou reached out and clasped Loki's hand. The demon lord's grip was firm but not crushing, and there was a brief flicker of something magic, maybe, sealing the agreement.

Loki stood, his smile now bright and genuine. "Excellent! Let me formalize this properly." He turned toward a shadowed corner of the room. "You can come out now."

A figure emerged from the shadows—a vampire Satou recognized from outside. Tall, pale, with red eyes and elegant features. He wore dark clothing that seemed to absorb light, and moved with predatory grace.

"This is Cassius," Loki introduced. "One of my oldest and most trusted subordinates. Cassius, I'm officially assigning you to protect this settlement. Follow Satou's orders as if they were mine, defend this place and its people with your life if necessary."

Cassius knelt on one knee, his head bowed. "As you command, Lord Loki. I will guard this place with my existence."

"Excellent. Rise." Loki turned back to Satou. "He's strong—not demon lord strong, but strong enough to handle most threats. And he's unwaveringly loyal. Treat him well, and he'll die before he lets harm come to you or yours."

"Thank you," Satou said, meaning it despite his lingering suspicions.

"Now then," Loki said, gesturing to another shadowed area. "Morgana, if you would."

Another figure emerged, this one female and also clearly a vampire. She was smaller than Cassius, hooded and robed, with only her pale chin visible beneath the covering. But Satou could feel power radiating from her—magical power, vast and controlled.

"Morgana is my court mage," Loki explained. "She'll be opening a portal for my return. But before I go..." He pulled a small crystal from his coat and placed it on the table. "This is a communication crystal. If you need to reach me, channel a bit of mana into it. I'll respond as soon as I can. Use it wisely—it only works a limited number of times."

"Understood," Satou said.

Morgana began chanting, her voice soft but steady. Magic gathered in the air, visible as shimmering distortions. A magic circle formed on the ground, intricate and beautiful, pulsing with purple light.

Loki stepped into the circle, then turned back to Satou. "Oh, one more thing. The dwarves and elves will stay until the reconstruction is complete—probably a month. After that, some might choose to remain permanently. They've grown quite fond of this place." He smiled. "Who knew that goblins and orcs could win over elves and dwarves? You're full of surprises."

The portal began to open, reality tearing to reveal what looked like a throne room on the other side.

"Till we meet again, Satou," Loki said, his tone light but his eyes serious. "I look forward to seeing what you build here. And to working together when you claim your seat."

"If I claim it," Satou corrected.

"When," Loki insisted. "I have a good feeling about you."

He stepped through the portal, Morgana following closely behind. The magic circle flared once, brilliantly bright, then collapsed on itself with a soft pop.

And just like that, Demon Lord Loki was gone.

The room was silent for a long moment.

"Did that really just happen?" Kelvin asked finally. "Did you just make an alliance with a demon lord?"

"I think I did," Satou said, staring at the spot where the portal had been.

"Satou," Lyra said carefully. "Are you sure this was wise? Demon lords aren't known for keeping their word. And Loki specifically is famous for twisting deals to his advantage."

"I know," Satou replied. "But look at what we gained. Cassius for protection. Resources and skilled workers. A communication line to one of the demon lords. And all he asked for in return was support in some future council votes that I don't even have access to yet."

He turned to look at Lyra. "Either he's playing a game so complex I can't see it yet, or he genuinely believes I have value as an ally. Either way, we benefit in the short term. And we desperately needed help."

"That's very pragmatic of you," a new voice said from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see Cassius standing there, his red eyes fixed on Satou. "Lord Loki was correct. You are interesting. I look forward to serving as your guard."

"Just one question," Satou said. "Why does a demon lord need a goblin ally? What is Loki really planning?"

Cassius smiled, showing a hint of fang. "That, I cannot say. My loyalty is to Lord Loki first. But I will tell you this—he does not lie in his deals. He may omit information, he may phrase things carefully, but he does not speak falsehoods. If he says you have value to him, you do. The question you should ask is: what kind of value?"

The vampire bowed and left, presumably to return to his guard duties.

"Well," Grimnir said, having entered the hall at some point during the exchange. "That was the strangest thing I've ever witnessed. And I once saw a goblin kill a hero."

"He's talking about you," Lyra said to Satou.

"I know."

Satou stood slowly, pain shooting through his body but manageable now. "We've got a month of reconstruction ahead. A demon lord's subordinate guarding us. Elves and dwarves teaching our people. And apparently, I'm supposed to become a demon lord eventually."

He looked around at the others—Lyra, Jessica, Kelvin, Grimnir. His family, strange as they were.

"But first, I need to recover. Then we rebuild. Then we figure out what comes next."

"Agreed," Lyra said. "But for now, back to bed. You're about to collapse."

She was right. The adrenaline of meeting Loki had faded, and exhaustion crashed over Satou like a wave. His legs trembled, and Lyra quickly moved to support him again.

"Two weeks of being unconscious, and 10 minutes is enough for you to make a deal with a demon lord and gain a vampire bodyguard," Kelvin said, shaking his head. "You really don't do things halfway, do you?"

"Apparently not," Satou replied with a weak smile.

As Lyra helped him back toward his room, Satou's mind raced despite his exhaustion. A demon lord ally. A potential seat among the thirteen most powerful demons in the world. Enemies in both the human and demon realms.

And a settlement to rebuild and protect.

It was insane. All of it.

But somehow, it felt right.

One step at a time, Satou thought as darkness claimed him once more. Recover. Rebuild. Then we'll see about this demon lord business.

Behind them, standing on a rooftop and hidden from sight, Cassius watched the group return to their building.

"Master was right," the vampire murmured to himself. "This one is special. And if anyone can shake up the established order, it might just be a goblin who killed a hero."

He smiled, his fangs glinting in the moonlight.

Things were about to get very interesting.

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