In the magnificent restaurant.
All kinds of delicious food emitted enticing aromas.
Looking into the distance, one could see a streak of fresh red flowing from a medium-rare steak.
Colorful dishes were laid out on the table, perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
Linde, who had just eaten his fill, also found his appetite stimulated.
He savored the ocean of delicacies, the flavors lingering in his mouth.
The chewy texture of the food made Linde's eyes light up.
In an instant, the food on the table was swept away like a whirlwind.
But not long after.
Meyn was already full, clutching her stomach with a satisfied expression.
Sheele was still in a daze when Linde pulled her over.
"Don't just stand there watching."
As he spoke, Linde patted her on the head.
"Oh."
Sheele blinked and began to imitate Meyn, starting to enjoy the food.
Linde stroked her hair and brought over another plate of food.
"Come, try this. The taste is very good, and it helps improve your strength."
"No, Master, I've already eaten..."
Sheele, whose toes were constantly curling inside her shoes, clutched her little belly and almost fainted.
The expression on her face was so rich that her usual impassive demeanor was completely gone.
Her appetite was small, and facing her Master's feeding, she was on the verge of collapsing.
Everyone present, watching this scene, instinctively swallowed.
They couldn't help but recall the fear of being continuously fed dishes even when they were already full.
"This is no place to linger."
Eriri's eyes darted around, and just as she was about to sneak away, a light appeared at her feet.
The next moment.
Those handsome eyes were already close at hand.
"Eriri..."
Seeing her savior arrive, Sheele mustered a breath, bent at the waist, and fled in a panic.
Watching this scene, Eriri's mouth twitched, and she quickly shook her head.
"Master, don't be like this, at... at least, let me..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Linde slapped her.
Slap!
The palm print, neither too light nor too deep, was completely covered by the lingering blush.
"Don't overthink it. However, everyone else has things to do, so how can you stand idly by?"
"Next, you need to assist your other companions."
This Retainer/Subordinate should have been desensitized by now.
He didn't expect her to still be so inexperienced.
It seemed he had to use a strong medicine.
Of course.
Linde had plenty of patience, so he didn't mind waiting a little longer.
Eriri: "..."
She looked at her companions who had already gathered around her.
Her mouth twitched slightly.
In the end, she could only sigh helplessly.
Oh well.
This was the best outcome.
Although she came from a wealthy family and had basically never done any rough work.
But assisting with cleaning was something she could do.
The originally chaotic restaurant became orderly with her help.
Unknowingly, it was already deep into the night.
"Phew!"
Eriri walked out of the restaurant, kneading her arms.
The amount of labor was terrifying.
Her hands were soft from pushing the mop.
But... she looked back, her expression becoming somewhat complex.
Dear Mother.
What your lovely daughter would eventually become was something she completely dared not imagine.
Noon the next day!
The warm sunlight was exceptionally dazzling.
During this time.
The Retainers/Subordinates had all gone about their respective tasks.
He, on the other hand, had a rare period of leisure.
Linde looked at the documents in his hand and began to read them.
These were all research materials on Imperial Arms.
Although he could use cheats, he would also try his best to enrich himself.
Who knew, he might be able to use them someday.
Time passed.
The sunlight gradually shifted.
Da da da.
At this moment, familiar footsteps approached.
"What's wrong, Esdeath?"
Linde put down the materials and asked.
"Nothing, it's just that the Revolutionary Army is preparing to launch a general offensive."
Esdeath said casually, "They are going all in this time."
"According to intelligence, there should be a million of them."
"And then?"
Linde's expression remained unchanged, and he said playfully, "This should be intentional on your part, right?"
What if there were a million soldiers?
Although it was true that many ants could kill an elephant, it depended on what kind of ants they were.
The Revolutionary Army's rabble.
Let alone him, even Esdeath could easily deal with them.
To put it bluntly.
The reason the other side was able to gather such a large army in the Imperial Capital.
Was definitely the doing of Esdeath and Najenda.
It was all to wipe out the entire Revolutionary Army in one fell swoop and completely eliminate all hidden dangers.
"I looked around, and many of our Retainer/Subordinate companions are still very weak, so I think this is a good opportunity."
"Hmm, that makes sense."
Linde's eyes lit up, and he nodded thoughtfully.
A million small monsters gathered.
Even if only a portion of their strength could allow the Retainers/Subordinates to gain experience, it would still be a considerable harvest.
That day.
The night was like water.
Outside the Imperial Capital, it was pitch black, like a monster devouring everything.
Miyano Shiho and Eriri watched this scene, an unspeakable sense of oppression rising in their hearts.
Compared to everyone else,
before reincarnating as demons, they had never experienced any combat.
Now, coming to this true battlefield,
although the great war hadn't yet begun, they instinctively felt a sense of dread.
Linali and the others, however, looked as usual.
This kind of scene was really nothing.
Even Vermouth and Miyano Akemi, who were ordinary people before, quickly adjusted their mindsets.
"Everyone, get ready, it's coming."
Linde sat on his throne, looking down from the city wall.
The dim night couldn't prevent his prying eyes.
Under his gaze, countless troops had already begun to gather like a tide.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Who knows how long passed.
In the pitch-black mountain forest, it was as if thousands of thunderous roars echoed.
A vast army galloped forth, as if the earth itself was turning over.
Faintly,
endless dust billowed, like rolling waves, one stronger than the last, one higher than the next.
Throughout the entire Imperial Capital, the ground trembled madly.
Looking into the distance,
one could only see countless figures, hooves pounding the ground, and the incessant sound of swords being drawn.
The soaring killing intent already assailed them.
"Is this... true war?"
Miyano Shiho and Eriri, seeing such a scene for the first time, were utterly shocked.
Even Miyano Akemi and Vermouth's beautiful eyes widened.
"experience, these are all experience."
Levia looked at all this, her eyes filled with excitement.
"Master, can we act now?"
"Whatever."
As soon as Linde's words left his mouth, Levia's figure already descended from the sky.
Seeing this,
one by one, the Retainers/Subordinates leaped off the city wall.
Even Miyano Shiho was no exception.
Although the sheer number of soldiers was indeed a bit intimidating,
she was now a demon!
Most importantly,
as Linde's second Retainer/Subordinate, she absolutely couldn't be outdone.
Only Eriri shivered, occasionally glancing down.
It was truly, so terrifying.
"Are you scared?"
"Mhm mhm."
Eriri nodded repeatedly: "Master, can I not participate in this battle?"
"Of course..."
Eriri immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but she clearly relaxed too soon.
"You can't."
Linde smiled kindly at her, then mercilessly gave her a hard push.
"Remember to spread your wings, otherwise, it will hurt a lot if you hit the ground."
Eriri's eyes widened, a flash of confusion and disbelief in them.
This Master...
He actually made her participate in the battle this way?
Was he really her Retainer/Subordinate?
Or was it that...
He treated her differently because she hadn't been 'eaten' by him yet?
Oh right.
Wings.
Otherwise, it would hurt a lot.
Linde's words echoed in her mind.
Almost subconsciously, her dark wings unfurled, preventing her from making intimate contact with the ground.
"Kill!"
A terrifying roar of battle assailed her.
The bloody killing intent made her mind almost blank.
"Damn it, don't look down on me!"
Eriri's twin tails whipped wildly as she instinctively began to unleash her abilities.
Boom!
A terrifying explosion erupted.
It destroyed the surrounding ground like a high-explosive grenade.
"Ah ah ah ah..."
Shrill wails resounded incessantly.
The Revolutionary Army soldiers from all directions only had time to let out a scream before their bodies were torn to pieces.
Eriri landed on the ground, looking at the surrounding corpses, feeling a wave of nausea.
"After this, you should get used to it."
Miyano Shiho came to her side, her eyelids twitching reflexively.
This scene...
The sense of déjà vu was too strong.
"..."
Eriri was stunned.
This tone...
Why did it feel like it was full of stories?
Miyano Shiho reminded her: "You are only a Lower-level Demon now, just stay at the edge of the battlefield. Try not to get caught in an encirclement."
"Thank you for the reminder."
For the first time in her life, Eriri had a change of heart towards these senior Retainers/Subordinates.
Indeed.
As long as they didn't climb into the Master's bed, they were all still normal people, right?
On the other side,
Linde instructed: "Esdeath, I'll leave the Retainer/Subordinate companions to your care."
Esdeath nodded: "Understood, Master."
She didn't hesitate, directly leaping down.
Whoosh!
Her demon wings spread, and she began to soar across the entire battlefield.
From this perspective,
no matter what unexpected events occurred, she could react immediately.
Time gradually passed.
A rich smell of blood permeated the air.
Boom!
Eriri waved her hand, and with a burst of magic power, she tore apart several more bodies.
She looked at everything before her, slightly silent.
Heaven knows,
not long ago she was just an ordinary schoolgirl.
Now she had not only become a demon but also had to fight in Another World.
It was truly outrageous.
However... looking at the Revolutionary Army, which was already retreating steadily around her,
it seemed...
they were going to win.
From beginning to end, the Imperial side's battle was only fought by a few of their Retainers/Subordinates.
All of this was too surreal.
For the first time,
she had a deep understanding of the power of demons.
Their dozen-odd people...
had routed an army of a million.
Then...
how great must the Master's power be?
For a moment,
she developed a different kind of feeling for that Master whose mind was full of lewd thoughts.
Becoming the woman of such a great person seemed not bad either.
Linde sat on his throne, occasionally taking a sip of fruit wine and looking at the system panel in front of him.
[experience 1]
[experience 5]
[experience 10]
"Not bad, truly not bad."
"Letting my dependents do all the hard work while I just lie back and collect experience points."
At that moment, a soldier was rapidly approaching him.
He had dark skin and a full beard.
He seemed no different from the other soldiers coming and going.
However...
In his perception, this was a woman.
And an Imperial Arm user at that...