My Uncle is the Strongest Dark Mage

Chapter 34

Will you accept the terms we've offered?

Or will you reject them?

A deal that is clearly advantageous for our side.

However, the arrogance displayed by the one making the request made it difficult for King Raymond to make a quick decision.

'They completely underestimate this country.'

What hurt his pride even more was the fact that everything was going exactly as he had anticipated.

The negotiations felt futile, as if he was being led around despite the meetings with his ministers.

'There's no reason to refuse.'

But there was no need to shake hands just because of pride.

As King Raymond thought this and looked at the Demon Lord, the latter seemed to share the same thought and nodded.

"Your Majesty, may I ask the man a question?"

And before King Raymond could say anything, he spoke first.

"I grant permission."

"Thank you."

With the king's permission, the Demon Lord turned to Oman.

"What is it that you're curious about?"

Was there something problematic in what he had said?

Oman furrowed his brows slightly as he tried to recall.

Nothing particularly stood out to him.

So what could the Demon Lord be trying to ask?

'Is he perhaps trying to pick a needless fight?'

Maybe he was trying to salvage his pride this way.

Well, I'll let this slide generously.

Though he thought this, the next moment, Oman's face visibly contorted at the words that came out of the Demon Lord's mouth.

"Certainly, the terms you've offered are good. No, they're overflowing to the point where 'good' doesn't even begin to cover it."

However, that was under the assumption that the other side would fully and perfectly fulfill those terms.

"What assurance do you have that you will properly fulfill these terms?"

The Elemental Kingdom and the Dark District.

A relationship far too inadequate to build trust.

For instance, if they promised to defeat the Twin Ghosts Guardians on our behalf, but then collaborated with them to help them defect to our side, what would happen?

The Elemental Kingdom, which had trusted the Dark District, would inevitably suffer greater damage.

In other words, before concluding the deal, this was a matter of trust.

"...Are you saying you don't trust the words of the Master?"

From one perspective, it was a valid point.

But it was also natural that Oman hadn't considered this issue.

For him, the Death King was a unique object of reverence in this world, and his words were law and truth.

To doubt and deny him was a sin in itself.

The Demon Lord's words could only be heard as a refusal to trust the Death King's words.

"No, that's not it."

The Demon Lord shook his head as if to correct the misunderstanding.

"Someone of the Death King's stature wouldn't lie about something like this."

This was evident from his past actions.

He was not the type to avoid a situation with lies; he would confront it head-on.

"Moreover, with his abilities, stopping the Twin Ghosts Guardians would be an easy task."

Even if he didn't personally intervene.

Judging by the abilities Oman had shown, it was clear he had the confidence to handle the Twin Ghosts Guardians.

"That's a separate matter. What I don't trust is you. After all, all we've heard are the words that came out of your mouth."

Can you truly fulfill everything you've promised?

What responsibility will you take if you fail?

Is everything you've said in line with the Death King's intentions?

As Oman had expected, this question was just a baseless accusation the Demon Lord had seized upon to restore their pride.

Yet, Oman's expression relaxed at those words.

'His loyalty is impressive.'

When the Death King was directly criticized, Oman openly showed hostility, ready to fight the Demon Lord.

So much so that even his guards were on high alert due to his aura.

But what about now?

As soon as he realized the criticism was directed at him, the earlier aura vanished without a trace.

Though his eyes twitched slightly as if he was displeased, that was all.

For someone of Oman's caliber, he must have a considerable amount of pride in his own abilities.

"What can I do to gain your trust?"

You don't trust me.

Then, what action must I take to earn that trust?

In response to this question, the Demon Lord answered with a smile.

"The answer is simple. I want to speak directly with the Death King and get a confirmation from him."

"......."

The situation had turned around.

Oman's face, which had been filled with composure until a moment ago, now showed signs of deep contemplation, while the Demon Lord's face, in contrast, exuded the composure that had vanished from Oman's.

"That might be difficult."

"There's no need to meet in person. A phone call would suffice."

"......."

"Or what? Are you admitting that what you said until just now wasn't the Death King's intention?"

This old man, who only looks young on the outside...!

To pick a fight over something so ridiculous.

He was so taken aback that he couldn't even speak properly.

His eyes twitched even more than before.

His fists, hidden under his sleeves, clenched and trembled.

'I can't just let this go.'

Unlike before, he couldn't resort to drastic measures like breaking off the negotiations.

The negotiations fell apart because he couldn't earn the other side's trust.

If that happened, the fault would clearly lie with us, and in other words, it would mean Oman failed to carry out the Death King's will due to his own shortcomings.

It was a completely different case from when he boldly refused to properly negotiate with Great Nature Yggdrasil.

"...You're using quite a petty tactic, unbecoming of your reputation as the Demon Lord."

And the other side knew this well.

Just as Oman had led the negotiations with the backing of the Death King from start to finish.

No, rather, by accurately understanding Oman's character and behavior.

The Demon Lord was certain that Oman wouldn't break off the negotiations over such a provocation.

'He's certainly a smart man.'

At the same time, he admired the Demon Lord's shifted demeanor once again.

On the surface, the Demon Lord's words were just picking a fight, but looking deeper, they were an attempt to remove the Death King from Oman's back.

I trust the Death King, but I don't trust you.

Can you really represent the Death King?

And he quickly changed his attitude upon realizing this.

This was an indication that he was well aware of his own abilities.

Without the Death King, he wouldn't have been able to negotiate on equal terms with the Elemental Kingdom.

"So, you want to find a clue about the Master?"

And one more thing.

Oman immediately discerned the Demon Lord's hidden motive.

Yes, there's a big difference between having no clue at all and having exchanged words once.

Tone, atmosphere, choice of words and phrases.

Even the timing of his speech, the pace of his breathing, and the speed of his delivery.

Even a single word could provide numerous clues, and the Demon Lord intended to use this to understand the nature of the Death King.

Zero and one might seem like a small difference, but the gap between having nothing and having something, no matter how small, is truly significant.

"I have lost."

The Demon Lord could not help but acknowledge this.

Oman shook his head in defeat, admitting that no matter how hard he tried, there was no solution.

There was nothing more foolish than wasting time on something that wouldn't yield a solution.

"Please wait a moment."

Saying this, Oman pulled out his smartphone from his pocket.

And Oman, shielding the screen with his body, tapped on it at an angle where no one could see.

While he was at it, he wondered if he could get the Death King's number, but the Demon Lord, knowing his cautious nature, leaned back against the chair, smacking his lips.

"......."

Instead, he focused his hearing.

Even if the volume was turned down to the minimum, there was a limit to how low a smartphone's sound could go.

No matter how careful Oman was, this was something he couldn't help.

As if everyone was aware of this, a heavy silence fell over the entire audience chamber, with people even mindful of the sound of swallowing.

"Ah......!"

-Shut up.

In the middle of the silent audience chamber, a curse erupted towards Oman, who seemed about to greet the person on the other end of the call.

One word that reached the Demon Lord's ears clearly, enhanced by his magical hearing.

-If you yell and hurt my ears again, I'll really kill you.

Indifferent, or perhaps annoyed.

A voice that casually, almost lazily, tossed out words.

A young voice, sounding like someone in their 20s or 30s.

But like the Demon Lord, age was merely a number to an absolute being, so it didn't provide significant information.

-So, what's the matter?

However, the personality revealed through his tone was certainly informative.

The Demon Lord pieced together a picture of the Death King in his mind, eavesdropping on every word he spoke.

-Hmm.

While the Demon Lord gathered information about him, Oman finished his explanation.

He had come to the Elemental Royal Palace to carry out the tasks assigned to him, and during the negotiation process, this issue arose, prompting him to make the call.

"I am deeply sorry. To have inconvenienced the Master because of my incompetence. I will prepare for seppuku as soon as things are settled."

-At this point, do you really want to commit seppuku? Never mind, switch to speakerphone quickly. Let the king hear my voice, not just the Demon Lord.

He already knew someone was eavesdropping.

No, he couldn't help but know.

Yet, he didn't seem to care much about it.

This was indifference, or perhaps boldness.

"Understood, Master."

At the Death King's command, Oman switched the call to speakerphone without delay.

-You guys sure know how to wear someone out.

As soon as the call switched to speakerphone, the Death King spoke with a voice heavy with annoyance and irritation.

His personality was tyrannical.

A personality that didn't care about others' opinions.

A demeanor of supreme self-importance, different from other absolutes like the Twin Ghosts or the Empress.

If one were to compare, it would be similar to the Ice Queen, perhaps.

-If you're going to talk like that, just drop it. The negotiation.

But the Demon Lord's eyes widened at the unexpected words that followed.

-I clearly gave this guy full authority. I know his abilities better than anyone. In other words, he's my proxy right now.

Everything Oman says is the same as what I would say.

Yet, you don't trust him?

-Unnecessary nitpicking, ego battles, wasting time. I hate all of it. Oman offered generous terms because of my personality, aiming to resolve things quickly.

He wants to resolve matters he's set his mind on as quickly as possible.

He absolutely detests delays due to unnecessary issues.

-If you insist, I'll say it plainly. Everything this guy says is the same as if it came out of my mouth. We'll provide as much convenience as possible from our side, and we'll make sure no harm comes to you.

So, if you don't like it, just say no outright.

To avoid any complaints later.

"I understand your intentions, Death King."

He was straightforward.

Confident in his actions.

In some ways, even more arrogant and presumptuous than Oman.

One could believe these were lines spoken by someone who didn't understand the basics of negotiation.

Yet, no one in this room could belittle him.

Even though it was just a voice coming from a phone, the irritation mixed in his words seemed to grip their spirits tightly.

One could kill someone with the distortion of emotions alone.

The pinnacle of black magic, polluting the world with his own rules to create his own world.

That alone was enough.

To understand what kind of person he was.

"Your Majesty."

And the Demon Lord turned to King Raymond and spoke.

"I believe accepting the deal proposed by the Dark District is appropriate."

"I think so too."

King Raymond nodded in agreement with the Demon Lord's words.

"Listen. Secretary, document the entire conversation we've had so far, immediately."

And like drafting a contract, he began to record the terms they had discussed on a paper infused with magic.

-Is it all done?

"Yes, I deeply apologize for causing you trouble, Master."

-Then, let me handle one personal matter.

"What?"

Just as the negotiation was about to conclude, the Death King's words from the smartphone froze everyone in their tracks.

-Oh, it's nothing serious. I just have a personal question for the Demon Lord.

"What is it?"

A sense of tension gripped them.

This was the being who had dominated the room with his presence alone until a moment ago.

A personality like a bouncy ball, unpredictable in its movements.

In response to the Demon Lord's question about what he was curious about, Cain casually began to speak.

-If a magician who first learned magic has too high a magic affinity, making it hard to improve their mana manipulation, what kind of training would be good?

"...Hmm?"

And at the completely unexpected question, the Demon Lord's expression momentarily crumbled.

'What's the purpose of this question?'

Is the Death King learning magic anew?

No, even if he were, someone of his caliber shouldn't struggle with mana manipulation.

Has he taken on a new disciple?

No, that can't be it either.

If he had taken a disciple, why would he teach them magic instead of black magic?

I don't understand the meaning of this question.

-So, do you know? Or don't you?

The Demon Lord's mind raced for a moment.

But soon, spurred by Cain's impatient urging, he snapped back to attention.

Come to think of it, didn't he say he hates wasting time?

"I don't know why you're asking, but if I were in that situation, I would use a magic restraint for training."

While increasing magic affinity is currently impossible, the opposite—reducing it—is feasible.

To be more precise, it completely blocks the user's magic power.

This refers to magic restraints typically used on supernatural power criminals or out-of-control ability users.

If set too strongly like those used on criminals, it wouldn't be useful for training, but if set weakly, it might help with practice.

-Indeed, was there such a method?

Cain, having calculated the feasibility of the Demon Lord's suggestion, nodded in agreement, thinking it made sense.

-As expected of a fellow magician, what a clever idea. Then, when you go, take a few magic restraints with you for Oman.

Magic restraints are, after all, hard for ordinary people to obtain.

It's not impossible to get them if you set your mind to it, but with a straightforward method right in front of us, is there really a need to go through all that trouble?

With no time for the Demon Lord to be surprised, Cain ended the call after those words.

"What are you doing? Didn't you hear the Master's order? Bring the magic restraints immediately!"

And in that situation, as Oman loudly began to carry out Cain's order without any questions, King Raymond and the Demon Lord simultaneously met each other's eyes.

The absolute ruler of the continent, who had never taken orders from anyone except King Raymond until now, the Demon Lord.

'Was it really okay to accept this negotiation?'

It was the moment when he fell to becoming a mere puppet, moving at the command of the Death King in an instant.