I am the Great Satanic King Baal.

I've been called the biggest idiot of the demon tribe.

　When I was the leader of the demon tribe, I encouraged the demons to spread their culture in preference to wars with their rivals.

　The war had gone on for too long, and the demon tribe's mind was in turmoil. They had become too poor.

　If the war was to be fought with all one's might and it was still uncertain whether it would end or not, shouldn't the entire demon tribe's culture be cultivated and their hearts enriched instead of being absorbed in it?

　With that in mind, he adopted a policy that favored each artisan guild and encouraged their culture.
　I went around buying antiques that had previously been worth only two or three pounds, at a high price, to show that even old things have their own value.

　However, my thoughts did not reach the people.

　At some point in time, my reputation as an eagle had been firmly established as a "fool who ignores his enemies and goes around playing around," and I had even lost the support of the senior demon tribe.

　My youngest son, Zedan, who had no expectations for me, was brought into power before I knew it, and he took control of the government.
　I was forced to 'retire or be imprisoned'.
　My resignation from the throne was truly a disgrace.

　That's why people call me the greatest demon fool in the world.

　Was it wrong for me to do what I did?
　Was it a foolish desire to enrich the minds of the people?

　Well, in order to establish a civilized life for the demon tribe, I took the initiative to play around and throw money around.
　I had a lot of mistresses and had a lot of children, which made the issue of succession even more complicated.

　But it's no use.
　I stood at the top of the demon kingdom, and I wanted to take the lead in playing with them, so that the people below me could have an open mind!

　.........
　Well, it's a pity that my eldest and second son, who I had taken a liking to because of my influence, has grown up to be a foolish son who is only interested in fashion.

　But if he were to become the next Demon King, the anxiety would explode and a coup d'etat would happen.

　Zedan, the youngest son, was the only one to grow up to be a decent son who wasn't neglected by me because of the death of his mother, would be the only one who would get everyone's attention.

　When the coup d'état forced me to retire, all of my many daughters and their entourages were gone.
　They either returned to their parents' homes or followed their fallen sons to the capital, leaving me to fend for myself.

　Well, it would happen.
　There is nothing to be gained by standing by the side of an eagle that has been driven out of the Demon King's throne and has no power at all.

　I'm left all alone with no one to look after me, so I have no choice but to continue collecting antiques and artifacts, wasting my retirement money.
　Even if I am reduced to the level of an individual, I will still follow my own policies.

　Call me an idiot if you want, but keep calling me that!

　　　　* * *

　Today, Zedan's guy came to my retirement home again.

　He's a disciplined, or rather vindictive guy.
　It's probably because he wants to mend his relationship with me after I forced him to retire and make his administration more solid, but he still comes to visit me regularly.

　But he still comes to visit me regularly, even though he's just a pain in the ass.

"Father, would you like to hear this now?
Hmm, I don't know.

　He must have come today to beg for the same thing.

'I want you to meet the child who was born,' he said.

　From my point of view, she is my grandson. The two consorts he took to wife, the Demon Queen and the Demon Queen, gave birth to both of them.

　I don't need your help.
　He must be smitten by the baby's loveliness and think that I'm going to get along with his family.
　This Daimyo is not so cheap.

　Since he was forced to overthrow the regime, Zedan and I are enemies for life.
　Until the end of my life, I'm going to be a superior to Zedan as the Great Satanic King, complaining about everything he does.

　And I will buy all the artifacts I can find!
　With the retirement money that this guy contributes out of his own pocket!

I knew it was a bad idea.
A demon king would be a fool to waste his time on something so obvious.

　Now, when you're done, go home.
　I'm busy tasting the new sausage that's so popular in the Demon City right now.

By the way....
Oh?

　What's 'by the way'?
　Don't use a cutout phrase that you're willing to overstay your welcome.

"This statue of the god is a wonderfully good piece of work.

　Oh.

Can you understand how good it is, even if you're a Park Nenin?
It's already done. It's our demon guardian, Hades. Very similar.

"Looks a lot like"?
　What a peculiarly worded assessment, but oh well.

"This one was brought in by that Leviathan guy you recently selected as the Four Heavenly Kings. Isn't it a good statue?　It seems to be alive with a soul.
You're right.
''Don't you think the demon tribe of the future should spend money on these things?　In my day, people used to say, 'If you have the money to pay for this, spend it on the war effort,' but ironically, you ended the war yourself.
"I'm not the only one who could have done this. I'm just putting the finishing touches on the achievements accumulated by my father and the previous demon kings before him.

　A sycophant.
　The magicians of the past, including me, never thought that any of them would be able to end the Human Demon War.
　It's like a natural disaster, and it will go on forever.
　That's what everyone thought.
　Zedan, who ended the war, deserves to be called the greatest demon king of all time, but it would be too upsetting for me to admit that.

　But it would be too irksome for me to admit that.
　Now I'm talking about this magnificent statue of the god.

The future of the demon kingdom will have more and more artisans to create such things and develop their eyes to appreciate such masterpieces. The people. Now that the war is over, the demon race will finally need culture.
You're right.

　Hmph.
　I don't know if he's just making conversation, but he's pretending to be an honest, filial son.

I don't know what you're talking about, but you're pretending to be an honest and devoted son. The next step for those in power is to become the patron of many talented artisans and protect them, providing them with food, clothing, and shelter so they can devote themselves to their work.
So the creator of this statue of the god is now under the patronage of his father?
"Ugh...?

　!" It's a good way to hit a sore spot.
　It is true that the genius who could create such a masterpiece, I would love to keep it with me, but I can't.
　I don't know who the author is, or even what his name is.
　I have asked many times to Leviatha, the person who brought this statue to me, but she has not told me anything.

The only thing I can think is that the creator himself is stubbornly refusing to let the world know about it...?
Good news for such a giant demon king.
'Ugh!'

　What the hell?
　A new third person suddenly appears in our private meeting with Zedan!

　Are you Belfegamilia, one of the Four Heavenly Kings in the Demon King's Army?

"Great Demon Lord, may I show you something?
What?　This?

　A letter?
　And isn't the quality of the paper absurdly good?　You can't compare it to parchment.

The invitation.
The invitation?　From who?
From the people who built this statue?
"What's wrong with you?

　I hurriedly opened the invitation and read it.
　I hurriedly opened the invitation and read it, summarizing it as follows: "We would very much like to invite anyone with a good eye for detail like you to come and take a look at the exhibition.
　It was a fortuitous thing!

Go!　I'll be there in a minute!　Get the carriage ready!
'Wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait. We'll read everything that's been written.
What?
Who is this letter to?

　That's for me, the Great Satan, right?
　As I read on, I was astonished by the name on it.

''This is aaaaaaah!

''To the Demon King's Family.''

　It wasn't addressed to me. It wasn't addressed to me personally.
　But...?

"When you say the Demon King's family, don't you include yourself in that?　After all, you're the Demon King's father....
Muu Muu Muu Muu...?
But if you accept the invitation, you'll have to visit the family as addressed, won't you?　First of all, with the Demon King himself, his wives, and the son he had in between...


　Then I must go with the Zedans, who have stubbornly kept their distance from me until now....

It's a good thing that you're not the only one.　Isn't it Leviatha's role to come and deliver the invitation...?
I asked her to take his place for the sake of the Four Heavenly Kings. It's just a bother.

　Zedan and Belfegamilia are talking beside me, but I don't have time to worry about them.

　I definitely want to meet the genius who made this statue. But for that, I'll have to go with Zedan and the others...?
　What am I going to do, Master Zedan?

"Maimaima-sama.
"Whoa!

　Belfegamilia?
　What?

Your Majesty wants to mend the bond with you, don't you think? Don't you think that's a waste of sympathy for a scum like you, who has no qualifications to be a father?
Ugh...!

　That may be so.
　I have something to prove.

I didn't think you had any intentions, so I didn't say a word, but the demon king was so considerate of you that he prepared a roundabout way to get you to do it. You don't mind if I make a few concessions, do you?
That may be true, but...!
Go.
Yes...!

　For some reason, I can't go against Belfegamilia.
　This was the last straw that made me go with Zedan and his family to the place.