My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's

My name is Noren Tio. I bear the name “Tio,” meaning ten, given to me by the Demon Clan’s king, Lord Nalsa Hermes, and I sit at the bottom rung of the ten demon lords' council.

To be honest, being a young nobody like me and yet one of the council members who decide the fate of the Volcano Continent is a heavy burden, but if the demon lord himself chose me, I intend to work myself to the bone.

That ten demon lords' council is, in fact, a rare sight when it’s all assembled—just the other day all ten of us, excluding the demon lord, gathered to decide the punishment for Lord Darion. Usually, we’re scattered across the ten towns in the Demon Clan territory, acting as the demon lord’s ears and mouth for smooth governance. Our rank is probably equivalent to provincial lords. Me, a provincial lord? It’s far beyond what I deserve. My stomach hurts just thinking about it…

Today I had come to the Royal Castle to bring the residents’ complaints from Morte to the demon lord and to await his instructions.

Even if Morte is the most depopulated area in the Demon Clan territory—the four races considered—it is still a town. I don’t know every face of its residents, and because an Adventurer Guild is nearby, people from distant places sometimes come to Morte and cause trouble. It’s the worst in terms of public order among the ten towns. But because its problems are visible and manageable if you look in the right places, the lowest-ranked tenth has traditionally been assigned to govern it. Its lawlessness means the third-ranked Aurum has often petitioned the demon lord for an exchange, but lord, I hope the demon lord never agrees—territories Aurum governed sound terrifying.

Anyway, normally I could just quash things by force without asking the demon lord’s opinion, but this time was irregular. My stomach already hurt.

When I entered the demon lord’s private office, where only a few are permitted, our shining Demon Clan king sat there with the sun at his back.

The only king we have in this world. His existence is more sacred than gods or the world itself.

Without resisting the atmosphere that naturally bowed my head, I dropped to my knees.

“Excuse me, Lord Nalsa. We have received multiple reports from Morte residents of a giant flying object visible off the coast. I’ve called Aurum and Ryune, who are available, for assembly as a precaution. How would you wish to proceed?”

“Ah, it’s probably related to Lattice Nail… What a troublesome child.”

Yes, truly.

I swallowed that remark at once, since the demon lord was my superior and, in a way, my father. The castle staff around us probably did the same.

Anyone who has worked at this Demon King's Castle has been the target of the demon lord’s daughter, Lady Lattice Nail’s pranks. I myself, being low-ranking and having reacted badly the first time, became a repeated target. She’s selective, too—she avoids Mahiro, who will lecture at length, and Cyrus, the fourth rank; instead she goes after those who react well like me, or those who join in the fun like Aurum. It’s infuriating. Only after Lattice Nail left the castle following a spat with the demon lord did my peace return.

“Hmm, maybe I pampered my only daughter a bit too much. But she resembles her mother; she suits freedom. If possible, I’d rather let her be.”

“Pampered?”

Mahiro, the second in power after the demon lord, was about to nod vehemently, but I forced myself to hold back. The serving boy in the corner, though, nodded like crazy. That spot was hidden from both the demon lord and Mahiro—unfair!

“…Well, I won’t interfere with your parenting policy. But that filly’s with the hero this time. The ignorant populace might mistake it for the daughter’s faction rebelling against you.”

When the previous demon king died without naming a successor, the ensuing power struggle between the demon lord and his elder brother threw the continent into chaos. Factions backing each brother formed, and the Demon Clan territory split—people even took up arms. I wasn’t born then, but my parents told me how terrible daily life became. It was this demon lord who united the continent again when it was on the verge of civil war.