CHAPTER 65: CH 65: THE START - PART 1

Lucian leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Belphegor.

"You said you wanted an alliance. But what exactly do you plan for the future?"

Lucian said.

Belphegor swirled the last of the wine in his cup before setting it down with a soft clink. His expression remained unreadable, though his strange eyes gleamed with amusement.

"For now, I plan to remain in this village of yours. I’ll observe the alliance I have chosen, see if it’s worth my time. And while I stay, you’re free to ask for my assistance in anything you desire."

The demon king replied.

Lucian nodded, thoughtful.

"Then, I do have a request."

"Oh? Finally. What is it? Strength? Power? Weapons? Or perhaps a way to control the humans under you?"

Belphegor arched a brow.

Lucian shook his head.

"Sanitation."

For the first time, Belphegor blinked.

"...What?"

"Sanitation. And facilities to support daily life. I want proper systems in place for my people. That’s what I want you to help us with."

There was a pause. Then Belphegor leaned back, his shoulders shaking before a rich laugh burst from him.

"You... might be the first human in existence who would use a demon’s favor like this. Sanitation? Out of all the things you could ask me for, this is what you choose?"

His laughter echoed through the wooden walls, sharp and deep.

Lucian didn’t falter. His voice was firm, his gaze steady.

"Power is useless to me if I don’t have strong people to exercise it on. If my village collapses from disease or weakness, what good would power be then?"

Belphegor’s laughter trailed into a smirk.

"You’re an odd one, human. Truly odd. Very well. I’ll send some of my followers to teach your kind the basics. How to dig, how to build, how to keep filth from poisoning your own wells. After that... it’s up to you whether your people thrive or fail."

Lucian bowed his head slightly.

"That’s enough. Thank you."

Belphegor studied him for a moment, then leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "And where, pray tell, will you house me while I remain here? A guest this important cannot be left to sleep on straw mats, surely."

Lucian hesitated only briefly before answering.

"We’ll build you a new residence. Until then, you’re free to use the guest house."

But Belphegor only chuckled, shaking his head.

"No need for that. I’ll just move in with you. After all, as the leader of this little settlement, I assume you keep the best residence for yourself. Why waste time elsewhere?"

Lucian exhaled softly, already knowing it wasn’t worth the argument.

"Fine. Do as you wish."

He stood and stepped outside. A small crowd of villagers had gathered, whispers flitting through them like restless birds.

They had all felt the suffocating weight of Belphegor’s presence the moment he arrived.

Lucian raised a hand, quieting them.

"There’s no need for panic. The man in white is dangerous, yes—but he has chosen to lend us his strength. Treat him with respect. He will help us, though do not cross him. Remember—he is not someone to anger."

He said firmly.

He did not mention that their new guest was a demon king. The people weren’t ready for that truth.

From the edge of the crowd, Berry pushed forward. His expression was hard, his voice low.

"Lucian... are you certain about this decision?"

Lucian met his gaze. For a moment, silence stretched between them, the murmurs of the villagers fading.

Then Lucian’s lips curved into a small, wry smile.

"Whether I’m certain or not doesn’t matter anymore. Belphegor is someone we’ll need sooner or later if we wish to progress. Making a connection early isn’t a bad choice. In fact, it may be our only choice."

Berry frowned, clearly displeased, but after a long pause, he exhaled heavily and nodded.

"Fine. But I’ll keep an eye on him. If danger stirs, I won’t hesitate to act."

Lucian didn’t argue. He only placed a hand briefly on Berry’s shoulder.

"Then I’ll leave it to you."

Time moved differently in the valley after that.

Belphegor stayed true to his word. His followers—mysterious, quiet figures cloaked in white—came to the village and began to teach.

The people learned to dig proper trenches, to build latrines away from their wells, to keep their refuse from tainting the land they lived on.

They learned how to channel water safely, how to keep their streets from flooding during storms.

It wasn’t easy. Humans resisted change. But under Lucian’s leadership and with the demon king’s silent presence looming over them, progress came steadily.

Belphegor himself proved... unpredictable.

At times, he was lazy, spending entire days reclining in Lucian’s residence, eyes half-lidded, speaking only when spoken to. At other times, he would appear in the fields, speaking cryptically to villagers, his words both terrifying and strangely motivating.

The people feared him, but they also respected him. Slowly, they began to understand—this dangerous guest was a shield as much as a blade.

Lucian never relaxed. He spent every day balancing between his people’s growth and the demon king’s whims. Every decision mattered. Every word carried weight.

And then, the years began to blur.

One year became two. Two became five. Five became ten.

Children who had once run barefoot in the mud now grew up in cleaner streets. Families who had once struggled for every scrap of food now stored grain for the winters.

Illnesses that once swept through the village now rarely struck.

The people adapted. They survived. They endured.

And through it all, Belphegor remained—watching, waiting, laughing in his lazy way whenever Lucian surprised him with another strange decision.

Then, after a decade of quiet progress, the air shifted. The weight of the world itself stirred, as though some great hand had nudged the wheel of destiny.

And the wheel of fate began to move once more.

Lonesome eyes looked at the winter sky that were beginning to recede.

The world, once covered in snow, was begging to flower once more.

"Ah, I see. Spring is about to come soon."