The two demon lords pledging their cooperation was already proof that this summit was a complete victory.
Which meant only one threat remained—the Empire.
We still had strategies to finalize after this meeting, so just as I was about to formally declare the session concluded—
"P-please wait! We have guests right now—they're in the middle of an important meeting!"
"Oh? You noticed me? I'm impressed. Atem himself agreed to let me drop by. And since I came all the way here, I may as well say hello."
A commotion echoed from the corridor.
That voice—arrogant, amused, dripping with smug confidence.
There was only one man it could belong to.
Guy Crimson.
«Report. No hostility detected.»
Solarys' calm declaration resonated in my mind.
…So even you noticed him?
This was not the moment to argue with my Ultimate Skill. I rose from my seat at once, cloak brushing behind me like a shadow. But before I could take a single step, Diablo, who'd been standing behind me, moved ahead with a frigid glare.
He reached the door—
"Yo!"
"Leave."
—And slammed it shut right in Guy's face.
The room froze.
Everyone witnessed it.
The King of Eterna's Right Hand had just slammed a door on Guy Crimson, the oldest demon lord.
Then—
The door flew back open.
Guy stormed inside, roaring, "Hey, hey, at least let me talk, Diablo!"
"You're disrupting an important meeting," Diablo replied coldly. "Atem has granted you permission to visit, but not today. I am unprepared for any conversation with you. I will speak with you at my own discretion. Do not enter until summoned."
Polite words.
Unmistakably insolent delivery.
Even Luminous and Leon, seated nearby, stared in disbelief.
"Impossible… He's not backing down from Guy at all. As expected of Noir."
"Noir?! That Noir? And he serves Atem of all people?!"
…What?
Why does everyone keep casually throwing around this "Noir" title?
Before I could question it, the room erupted again—more footsteps, more magic signatures rushing straight toward us.
Benimaru crashed through the door first, Souei right behind him. Carrera appeared next, her energy sharp like a blade—followed nearly instantly by Ultima, who kicked the door open with way too much enthusiasm.
"Pharaoh Atem! Are you unharmed?" Benimaru demanded. "My sister sensed—"
"Milord," Carrera said, her voice tense, "I detected the aura of Red!"
"Has the war begun?! If so, I'm ready to destroy everything!" Ultima declared.
Chaos.
Absolute chaos.
Given the situation, it was smarter to treat Guy as a guest than to throw him out.
Handling Guy is nothing I struggle with—not with my strength, not with Solarys guiding my judgment.
I will interrogate Diablo later… thoroughly.
But for now, priority one: restore order.
"Enough."
My voice boomed across the chamber, a king's command carrying the weight of the Shadow Realm itself.
Silence fell instantly.
"Diablo. Stand down."
The temperature in the room normalized as everyone—including Diablo—reset themselves.
Once calm returned, I continued:
"I permitted Guy to visit. And yes, Guy—we have matters to discuss. Since you're here, join the meeting. That is my decision."
Guy nodded, expression serious now.
"Good. I came here to talk with you anyway. Perfect timing."
Leon was supposed to explain everything to him, but clearly, the plan had shifted.
I turned to the assembled warriors, my tone firm yet steady.
"Return to your duties. If anything threatens Eterna, I will personally deal with it."
A visible wave of relief passed over the group.
Though… I did catch a few muttered lines on their way out, such as:
"Hah… Red really is on another level. I still can't compare to him…"
"Tch. I thought this was finally my chance to go all out…"
But at least the chaos had been contained.
For now.
Everyone who had rushed in earlier finally returned to their duties, leaving the chamber to those who actually belonged in the meeting. Shuna slipped out to prepare tea, moving with her usual elegance.
The door closed behind her.
Leon immediately spoke up.
"Explain yourself, Atem. Why is Jaune here?!"
Hm?
Luminous added sharply, "And that other one—Violet, isn't she? Or am I mistaken? I heard she is supposed to have a bleak, malicious personality… yet this one seems far too cheerful."
…Jaune? Violet?
What are these two rambling about?
Ah.
Maybe they meant—
"Carrera and Ultima? Diablo recruited them," I began. "I found their loyalty exceeds even my—"
I didn't even finish before Leon exploded out of his chair.
"CARRERA?! ULTIMA?! YOU—YOU NAMED THEM?!"
"I cannot believe it…" Luminous whispered. "You're telling us you have Diablo and two more primordials serving you willingly?!"
Their gazes stabbed at me like daggers.
Guy leaned back, arms behind his head, watching with amusement.
"See? They're shocked too. This is also why I came here—to ask you what your true motive is, Atem."
The air dropped to freezing.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
My aura reacted before I even needed to speak.
Even Chronoa—who had known Rimuru—flinched.
This version of me is nothing like the previous one she remembered.
I remained seated. I simply looked at them.
My voice came cold, quiet, and absolute.
"Listen carefully. I will say this once."
Everyone stiffened instinctively.
"Do not raise your voice in my presence."
"Do not question my decisions."
"I act according to my will—and I will do as I please."
My gaze swept across the room like a blade.
"If any of you have a problem with that… then be ready to face the consequences."
Fear.
Genuine, primal fear rippled across the table.
Even Guy momentarily stopped smirking.
Chronoa's hands trembled. Atem… the Atem she remembered was firm, noble, but gentle.
This version of me—Solarys-enhanced, ascended, resolute—was far stronger. And I did not conceal it.
When everyone finally lowered their heads, acknowledging my authority, I relaxed my aura.
The temperature returned to normal.
Just in time, Shuna returned pushing a tea cart. Everyone instantly went silent so they wouldn't disturb her. A warm aroma filled the room, calming frayed nerves.
As the tension eased, I pieced together what they had said before the commotion.
"Primordial." Luminous emphasized that word.
Solarys answered smoothly within my mind:
«Answer. A classification referring to the original demon lineages.»
Right, I remembered this.
The original demons—the oldest, the strongest, the first-born.
Wait.
The original demons…?!
I turned to Diablo.
"Diablo. Are you… by any chance… one of the original demons?"
He bowed with casual elegance.
"Yes. I am one of the Seven Primordial Progenitors, the ancestor of an original lineage of demons born into this world."
My eye twitched.
No wonder everyone looked like they were watching a god descend.
Leon muttered, "Unbelievable… you seriously didn't know?"
"At the same time," Luminous sighed, "only someone like you could do something like this accidentally."
Their baffled stares were painful.
Diablo continued cheerfully, as if unveiling a pleasant story.
"A lesser demon from my lineage stole the summoning opportunity meant for me. It was the lowest point of my existence. But I endured. I waited. Eventually, the stars aligned—and I was able to answer Atem-sama's call personally!"
He grinned like this was the climax of a heroic tale.
So Diablo's summoning… wasn't luck.
He was aiming for it from the start.
My head throbbed.
Then he revealed something else.
He had apparently been jealous of Beretta and tried to purge him behind my back—
but couldn't, because damaging the body I crafted for Beretta would be sacrilege.
"This form was crafted by Lord Atem," Beretta had warned him. "If you damage even a fragment, you will incur his wrath."
I was speechless.
But Diablo wasn't finished.
Not even close.
His story dragged on and on, spiraling into a dramatic retelling of loyalties, missed opportunities, frustrations, rivalries—
I finally raised a hand.
"Diablo. That's enough."
He paused mid-sentence.
"The meeting must continue."
Guy followed up immediately, pointing at Diablo.
"You're satisfied, right? Enough bragging."
"But I haven't even reached the best part," Diablo protested.
No one humored him.
If he spoke another five minutes, he'd probably tell us something that would traumatize the entire continent. For my sanity—and everyone else's—he needed to stop.
Guy's seat was brought in by Leon's knights, Alrose and Claude. They wheeled in a guest armchair from the waiting room, placing it neatly beside the table.
"Oh? How considerate," Guy chuckled.
The knights bowed respectfully. They were clearly familiar with Guy—otherwise, no one in their right mind would casually serve that demon lord.
Technically, I should have prepared his seat as the host.
But after all that chaos?
I simply hadn't had the time.
"Apologies for the inconvenience," I said.
"No need," Claude assured me.
"We understand Your Majesty Atem's circumstances. Clearing the area for this meeting alone shows you intended to make us comfortable."
These two were competent.
Diablo and Shion could learn from them.
"You see," I told my so-called subordinates, "this is what attentiveness looks like."
"Kufufufu, I may have been slightly overzealous," Diablo said, although he tried subtly blaming Guy for dropping in unannounced.
"Yes, it was very educational!" Shion chimed in proudly.
The girl could talk, but the lesson clearly didn't sink in.
I silently hoped this experience would mature them, even a little.
Guy finally dropped himself onto the armchair with casual arrogance. Ramiris drifted into the room as well—because of course she would—ready to observe the proceedings.
With that, ignoring every bit of the insanity that had just occurred…
the meeting resumed.