“What… what just happened…?”
“I thought I saw a flash, and then… the mansion is…”

Thanks to my barrier magic, the servants seem to be unharmed. From the remnants of the shattered mansion, several humans peeked out cautiously.

“This must be it.”

I stepped into the rubble of the destroyed mansion, pinpointing the spot where I sensed a demonic presence using my detection skill. It appeared that there was a basement beneath this area.

“Hah!”

Thanks to the destruction caused by my Black Lightning, the hidden entrance to the basement became visible.

Forcing the basement door open with raw strength, I descended into the dark chamber.

“W-who’s there…?”
“You’re safe now. I’m here to rescue you.”

Inside a cell in the basement was a teenage demon girl, with cat-like ears and a tail. It seems that in this world, beastfolk are also categorized as demons.

Her body bore numerous bruises, likely from being beaten, and she wasn’t even wearing proper clothing. Poor thing… she had clearly suffered terribly.

I twisted the iron bars of the cage apart and helped her out. Wrapping her in clothing I had purchased for myself back in the human city, I ensured she was covered.

“Take care of her.”
“Yes, my lord!”

I entrusted the injured girl to a demon woman who had accompanied me and was skilled in healing magic. Although battered, the girl’s life was not in danger.

Libera, meanwhile, was stationed with the recently rescued demons, ready to respond if anything happened.

“Now then… care to explain what’s going on here?”

“M-my deepest apologies! It seems that an unscrupulous individual was unlawfully keeping a demon as a slave! Arrest that man immediately!”

“Ahhh!”

A fat nobleman was promptly seized by the lord’s guards, trembling in fear. He was undoubtedly the one who had mistreated the girl, and now he was reaping what he had sown.

“D-Demon Lord-sama! P-please, show mercy!”

The city lord, who had previously tried to speak as my equal, now bowed deeply after witnessing the destructive power of my Black Lightning, which had obliterated an enormous mansion.

Well, his reaction made sense. Not even that Jilbe fellow could demolish a structure of that magnitude in a single strike.

“…Very well, I shall forgive you. It seems you were unaware of this situation.”
“Th-thank you for your magnanimity!”

…His demeanor had changed drastically, but this made negotiations smoother, so I wouldn’t complain.

“Now then, there is one more place where our comrades are held. You will accompany me there.”
“Yes, of course!”

Following the same procedure, I arrived at another location where my detection skill indicated demon presence.

“This must be it.”

It was a large building that appeared to be a slave trading establishment, filled with numerous presences.

Accompanying me were the city lord, his aide, and about ten guards, along with three demons from my forces, including the girl we had just rescued.

With my imposing, cursed armor, I led the group into the building. Needless to say, I was attracting a lot of attention.

“Now then, let us avoid making this harder than necessary.”
“Yes! Please wait here for a moment!”

The lord scrambled to negotiate with the traders. Perhaps understanding the consequences of defiance, he returned shortly with three demon captives. With this, all the demons in this city had been rescued.

It became clear that, moving forward, I would need to thoroughly investigate every city. It was now evident that shady individuals were illegally enslaving demons.

“As promised, I will now release the human captives here.”

In total, 25 demons had been rescued from this city. Many of them bore severe injuries, from bruises to burns and scars. While it was troubling, I had to accept that the same treatment was likely being inflicted on human captives held by the demons.

“The remaining captives will also be released shortly.”
“W-we are deeply grateful!”

Reuniting with Libera, I released the remaining 10 hostages, including the lord’s son. The final step was to free the humans confined in the earthen walls I had created at the battlefield.

“Before that, I have one more warning for you.”
“A w-warning?”

“This time, I am forgiving the conflict because you were unaware of my presence. But there will not be a next time. If you invade another demon settlement, I will not hesitate to obliterate this city.”
“Obliterate!?”

The lord’s terror was palpable, as he had likely realized that my threat was not an exaggeration. …Though, in truth, it was a bluff.

“And one more thing—this is not a warning, but a deal. If you find any of my people, I expect you to protect them.”
“P-protect them!?”

“Yes, protect. If you come across wandering demons or those being sold as slaves, I expect you to secure them and treat them well. In return, you will be compensated.”
“C-compensated, you say…”

“My ultimate goal is coexistence between humans and demons. Eventually, I hope to build a positive relationship with this city. If you secretly protect my people, I will ensure you are rewarded—perhaps with valuable goods exclusive to the demon realm.”
“O-oh!”

The lord’s eyes gleamed with interest. This was an opportunity for him as well. During the ongoing war, trade between humans and demons was nonexistent.

If the demons and humans reached a stalemate due to my presence, trade would inevitably resume. Establishing connections with the demons now would provide him with a significant advantage.

This strategy wasn’t just about fear—it involved offering incentives as well.

“As long as you refrain from hostile actions, I assure you that we will not attack your city. Furthermore, if we rescue human captives, we will gradually return them to your city.”
“I-I understand! Protection, of course!”

“Good. I am counting on you.”