After the meeting when Jircniv was sent back, the guardians gathered in Aurelius’s office—Albedo, Demiurge, Aura, Mare, Cocytus, Shalltear, Gabriel, and Luminous.
All eyes turned toward Gabriel. She was relatively unknown to most, and only rumors were heard about her.
Taking this moment, Aurelius decided to introduce her to the rest.
“Yes, this is probably the first time you’ve all met Gabriel. She is from the 8th Floor Hierarchy. Gabriel manages the God Domain. She's known as 'Rookie L' on the 8th floor."
Gabriel, with an elegant smile, bowed deeply.
“It’s an honor to meet you all. I am Gabriel, a fallen angel created by Aurelius-Sama himself.”
She bowed at a perfect 90 degrees gracefully as she introduced herself to the other Guardians.
After her introduction, a man with black hair and dark eyes, Rasiel, also stepped forward.
“Greetings, Guardians. I am Rasiel, also a fallen angel under Lady Gabriel’s command. I serve as a special area manager of the 8th floor.”
Next, a man with blue hair and piercing blue eyes, Luciel, introduced himself with a slight bow.
“Likewise, I am Luciel. I serve the same role as Rasiel.”
Once the introductions were completed, Aurelius motioned for them to rise and shifted the conversation.
“Now that everyone has been introduced, let’s move on.”
He rested his elbow on the desk, his chin in his hand, as he looked at everyone.
“I’ve granted these three permissions to serve outside the 8th floor for the time being. Gabriel is as powerful as a Floor Guardian, while Rasiel and Luciel are only second to Floor Guardians in terms of strength. So you can keep that in mind when considering them in future operations.”
The other Guardians nodded in understanding, and upon seeing this, Aurelius declared his intentions.
“With this, the establishment of our own Beastmen Country in this world is only a matter of time.”
“Yes, Aurelius-sama. However, there’s one issue that requires your attention.” Demiurge then asked a question with a sly smile.
“What is it, Demiurge?”
“My Lord, you rule over us as a God. Titles like 'king' would be unworthy of you, more appropriate for insects than for someone of your caliber. Therefore, I believe we should devise a title befitting your Supreme Majesty.”
The Guardians all voiced their agreement with Demiurge’s suggestion.
“What do you think of my humble suggestion, Aurelius-sama?”
“I have no objections. Do as you see fit.”
Aurelius was also curious to see what the Guardians would come up with.
He knew of their questionable naming sense from the original anime, but despite his mild skepticism, he held onto a sliver of hope that they would exceed his expectations this time.
Unfortunately, it was only seconds later that he regretted his decision.
God of Beauty, God of Kindness, God of Mercy, God of Sex... Well, the last one from Luminous wasn't that bad, but it was too vulgar.
Aurelius’s head began to ache from the sheer variety of ideas being thrown around, and so, before these Floor Guardian’s suggestions got even weirder, Aurelius immediately waved his hand.
“Alright, alright, stop you all... Aren't I the ultimate god who rules over both dragons and demons? What would you think of simply using my old title, Dragon Demon God?”
“Ohhhh!!”
All Guardians exclaimed, and some lamented forgetting this.
“Very well, since everyone agrees, I’ll adopt this.”
Then, after a round of congratulations, he straightened his posture, and the room fell silent as he spoke authoritatively.
“On the day of the founding of the new kingdom, I will declare myself the Dragon Demon God Aurelius Nova Lucifer!”
The Guardians erupted in praise but gestured for them to quiet down.
“Good! Now, I will announce the name of the country we shall forge—”
The Guardians leaned in; all of their eyes were bright with anticipation.
“Nazarick, the Kingdom of the Dragon Demon God.”
It was the dawn of an unshakable legend.
……
Dragon Kingdom.
Located to the southeast of the Katze Plains, this kingdom was founded by the Brightness Dragon Lord. Taking a human as a mate, the Dragon Lord created the royal family line of their Beastmen Country. By doing so, the dragon granted all its descendants access to the long-forgotten power of Wild Magic.
The current queen, the great-granddaughter of the Brightness Dragon Lord, carried about one-eighth of that dragon blood. However, the majority of the kingdom’s population was human. This made the Dragon Kingdom a prime target for the neighboring Beastman Country, where humans were regarded as nothing more than prey.
Each year, the Beastmen would ruthlessly invade the area.
In the past, the Slane Theocracy had unofficially provided reinforcements during these invasions. But this aid, which had been critical in holding off the Beastmen, suddenly stopped without warning not long ago.
Now, the Dragon Kingdom was in an increasingly dire situation, almost on the brink of destruction under the relentless attacks of the Beastman forces.
Even with the past support from the Slane Theocracy, they had barely managed to repel the invader, but now, with no aid in sight, their downfall seemed imminent.
…..
"Your Majesty, you've worked hard today."
A callous man's voice could be heard from the luxurious but not very spacious room. That voice pointed to the only chair in the room—a little girl sitting on that throne.
Despite her young, adorable appearance, her attitude was that of a woman who had long since grown exhausted of the world’s burdens.
"Hard work? I was nearly bored to death."
Her girlish face had a dark expression, her eyes were cloudy with weariness, her lips curled into a bitter frown, and her shoulders slouched in fatigue.
"I feel like my whole body aches." She muttered, then waved her hand. "Well, see you tomorrow."
"Rest well, Your Majesty," the man replied and turned to leave the room. He was the prime minister of the Dragon Kingdom, a callous man who spoke only when necessary.
The girl's eyes followed him as he exited, and the door closed behind him.
An oppressive silence shrouded the room.
Loneliness settled in the girl's heart.
She exhaled softly, and with a slow, deliberate motion, she lifted the hem of her dress and muttered in dissatisfaction.
"Why do these clothes always reveal so much of my legs?"
It was a daily complaint, but nothing ever changed. With a sigh, she rose from the throne.
"Ugh... I need to sleep soon. I'm exhausted," she groaned, stretching lazily.
This girl was Draudillon Oriculus, the Black Scale Dragon Lord and Queen of the Dragon Kingdom.
Despite the grand title of Dragon Lord, Draudillon’s combat abilities were little more than those of a normal human. She was regarded as a True Dragon Lord only due to her lineage and that she could use Wild Magic at a great cost.
That was also the reason she was called the only True and False Dragon Lord.
Draudillon, currently in the form of a young girl, left her room and headed for her bedroom. Though she was illuminated by [Continual Light], her tired eyes made her world seem dim.
The magic light formed above her head, casting a glow on her surroundings. However, it failed to provide her any warmth—Draudillon herself was cold as ice.
Lately, she'd been suffering from severe headaches. The lack of reinforcements from the Slane Theocracy and the increased aggression from the Beastmen Country had made her workload heavier each day. She wished someone would appear and take care of the problem. But she knew that wasn’t going to happen—still, she couldn't help but hope.
"Haa~ What will become of the Dragon Kingdom? The Beastmen's invasion is only going to get worse… I gave the Slane Theocracy so much money, and now they suddenly can't send reinforcements? This is ridiculous!"
Draudillon squinted, frowning deeply. She sighed, her face etched with frustration and anger.
Before long, she reached the entrance to her room. She turned the doorknob and stepped inside.
"Even if I think about it now, no solution comes to mind. I guess I have no choice but to sleep."
She dragged her exhausted body toward the bed, overwhelmed by the desire to sleep. She lifted the covers, ready to crawl into them. But just as she was about to lie down...
— A rustling sound reached her ears. Draudillon hesitated for a moment, quickly turning her gaze toward the source of the noise.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Draudillon grabbed the dagger she'd left at the head of the bed and strode toward the sound.
"Kyahhh!!"
"Shhh..."
Before she could react, the quiet breathing that followed instantly stifled Draudillon's scream. A soft, unfamiliar voice whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. She could feel someone's presence right behind her, close and unsettling.
"Don't scream. Someone might come."
The voice was neither deep nor high-pitched. If anything, it sounded more like a man's voice.
Draudillon froze, her head stiff, her mouth tightly shut. After a moment, she managed to speak.
"Who... who are you? Who are you?"
"Curious, aren't you, Draudillon Oriculus?"
"Stop playing around! Who... who are you?!"
Her voice wavered as she stuttered. The sudden appearance of this unidentified man left her frozen in shock, unable to move. The man laughed softly. His footsteps echoed as he walked forward, making his way into Draudillon's view without hesitation.
The shadowy figure now stood before her.
"W-wow..."
He was a man of transcendent beauty.
Just a look at him left her speechless, with her jaw hanging slightly open. His white hair gleamed even in the dim light, flowing down to his shoulders. His eyes, as if carved from blood, pierced her gaze. Within his pupils, sharp vertical slits resembled those of a predator.
His beauty was breathtaking—an angular jawline, a sharp nose, and pointed ears, adding a certain magnificence to his already sharp visage.
"Nice to meet you, Queen of the Dragon Kingdom. I am Aurelius Nova Lucifer, the Dragon Demon God from Nazarick, the Dragon Demon Kingdom."