"Wh-Who exactly are you…?"

"Um, are we… saved?"

Still confused by the situation, they couldn’t grasp what was happening.

"I am the new Demon Lord. I negotiated a prisoner exchange with the people of that city. You’ll be sent to a demon settlement shortly. Wait here for now."

"The Demon Lord?!"

"And this gentleman is Lugaro, one of the Demon Lord’s Four Generals!"

"So, you’re the real Demon Lord… We’re actually saved!"

They didn’t seem to recognize me, but they were familiar with Lugaro, one of the Four Generals.

"Lugaro, I’ll leave these people in your care for the time being."

"Understood!"

"Lord Sandor, the prisoner exchange has been completed without issue. Might I have a word with you privately?"

Although the exchange was over, I wanted to talk further with Sandor, the lord of this city. He was different from the other humans I’d encountered so far.

He’d not only recognized that I wasn’t interested in perpetuating the conflict between demons and humans but had also negotiated and spoken with us on equal footing.

When I moved to a neutral position, midway between our forces, his soldiers tried to stop him. However, after some persuasion, he came to meet me alone, as I requested.

"Apologies for the delay. My men were concerned for my safety. Not that it matters; if you wanted to, you could’ve forced me here easily, Demon Lord."

"…The people in your manor seemed fond of you. You’re held in high regard by your citizens, it seems."

He’s a stark contrast to the brutish leaders among the demons, who rely on force to command loyalty. I wish I could lead with that kind of approach instead.

"I’ve done my best to care for my citizens. Many nobles criticize me for being too lenient, but I believe this is the right way. Speaking of which, I’ve heard you treated the human captives with great care."

"They said they were in terrible conditions in the demon villages, but yesterday they were relocated, given proper clothes and meals. I must admit, that’s unexpected."

"Even if we are enemies now, I hope for coexistence in the future. I’ve ordered all demon settlements to treat human captives respectfully and to continue doing so with any future captives or those needing protection."

"I see… Is this why you wanted to speak with me privately?"

"Sharp as always. I wanted to ask you to protect any demons captured in your city or sold as slaves. Naturally, I’ll compensate you appropriately."

"…Dealing with the Demon Lord, huh? If other nations found out, it could cause serious trouble."

"You’ll be compensated, whether through exchanges like this one or with rare goods from the demon territories. Exchanges have happened before, so this wouldn’t raise suspicion."

"…In that case, let’s stick to prisoner exchanges."

"I trust you’ll treat my people with care."

Just as I’d requested in other cities, I asked for demon captives to be treated well. It hadn’t been an issue elsewhere.

"Let’s work together in the future," I said, extending my hand.

"Indeed. I can’t openly support you, but I’ll ensure any demon captives are treated properly. Let’s keep this arrangement going."

Sandor shook my hand, fulfilling the condition for my telepathic skill to activate.

‘By the way, I’ve just connected us through my telepathic skill.’

"!"

Surprised by my voice in his head, Sandor flinched.

"W-What? You can use telepathy, Demon Lord? Wait… can you hear my thoughts too?"

"Indeed. This skill allows you to communicate with me by simply focusing your thoughts. Use it to inform me if you’ve protected any of my people."

"This is… remarkable. I’ve never experienced telepathy before. Even without combat abilities, this skill would be invaluable on the battlefield. Very well, I’ll contact you if I encounter any demons."

"Good. I look forward to it. And of course, feel free to share any other useful information with me."

"Other information? You’re suggesting I spy on humans for you?"

I smiled inwardly. He understood quickly. Yes, I wanted a collaborator within the human side.

"I’m not asking you to betray humanity. But if you want to stop the war between demons and humans, even just a little, I’d appreciate your cooperation."

"…"

"This telepathic connection is secure. No one else can eavesdrop. I have no intention of forcing you to divulge information. My only goal is to end this senseless war as soon as possible."

"…"

"I don’t expect an immediate answer. Just think about it for now."

Honestly, an instant agreement would make me suspicious of a trap.

"Well then, I’ll take my leave for today. I look forward to building a strong relationship with you in the future."