“In the Demon King’s Castle, it seems that each of the Demon Nation’s executives has their own private office.
The room I was invited to had a calm atmosphere reminiscent of a dimly lit underwater scene, with a dark brown and turquoise blue color scheme. It suited the owner of the room, the blue-haired Emeralda, perfectly.
‘Kiwi, your office will be prepared in due time, but please wait a little longer.’
‘I see… That’s wonderful news, but I’m afraid it would end up being a waste on me.’
After all, my base of operations is the Alaya General Hospital. Staying in an office would mean no patients could come to me, and I wouldn’t have access to equipment for my research. Simply put, I wouldn’t have much use for a private office.
As Emeralda motioned toward the sofa seats, we graciously took the two seats directly across from her.
‘Lord Alaya … It’s really true that you’ve become an executive of the Demon Nation…’
Seated next to me, as always in her tight suit that looked strained around the chest, was my familiar—a succubus named Milphobia. When moving around within the Demon King’s Castle, she typically accompanied me, and today was no exception.
‘I hear of your exploits in Elden every day, but I never imagined there would come a time when the Demon Nation would appoint a new executive—and that it would be you, Lord Alaya .’
‘…I couldn’t agree more.’
That said, there’s no point in dwelling on it now. This situation was partly my fault. I couldn’t resist grabbing a chance to stand out when an opportunity for a major achievement presented itself. I should be more careful in the future.
Fortunately, being an executive of the Demon Nation not only comes with heavy responsibilities but also significant benefits. The nation appears to cover expenses related to my research on Dark Healing, so I’ll make sure to take full advantage of that.
‘Now, let’s get down to business. Kiwi, I’ll explain your first mission as an executive.’
‘…If I recall correctly, it has to do with training a versatile Dark Healer?’
‘Exactly.’
Emeralda nodded, then continued:
‘Currently, the Demon Nation’s army only has Dark Healers specialized for specific species. While this has sufficed until now, the emergence of modern warfare has changed things. Human firearms and the elves’ newly invented, powerful holy arts have become significant threats, leading to an explosion in the number of injured soldiers. Specialized Dark Healers can no longer keep up with the demand.’
‘So, the naturally robust bodies of demons are reaching their limits in this era?’
‘Exactly. However, our robust bodies remain our greatest strength, and we must continue to utilize them. Hence, we’ve decided to pursue the development of versatile Dark Healers who can operate effectively on the front lines.’
Emeralda fixed her gaze on me.
‘You demonstrated the value of such a Dark Healer during the recent Elden reclamation battle, Kiwi.’
‘I see.’
Indeed, in that battle, my role as a Dark Healer—keeping Agito, a major combat force, in peak condition—had been crucial. Toward the end, it had become a rather one-sided affair, leaving even our enemy, the Hero Ares, looking pitiable.
‘So, the goal is to replicate that success across multiple battlefields, correct?’
‘Precisely.’
The need for a training program for Dark Healers was clear. However, where would we find these Dark Healers to train? Just as I was about to ask, the office door was knocked on, as if answering my question.
‘──A pleasure to meet you, Kiwi Alaya -sama.’
Entering the room was a land-dwelling octopus-like demon called an Octoparcia. He was draped in a black robe that covered him from neck to foot.
‘I am Eisei, Surgeon General of the Demon Nation Army.’
Eisei spoke with a small, puckered mouth and bowed deeply, likely because of my rank as an executive. I returned the courtesy with a nod of my head.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you. Forgive my ignorance, but what does the Surgeon General do?’
‘I am responsible for managing and overseeing all Dark Healers within the Demon Nation Army.’
In other words, he was the top authority on Dark Healers in the Demon Army—a highly capable individual, no doubt. With eight arms, he could likely perform simultaneous Dark Healings or treat multiple injuries at once.
‘At Emeralda-sama’s request, I’ve prepared this list for you, Kiwi Alaya -sama.’
A long tentacle extended from his robe, handing me a document. It was a detailed list of nearly fifty military Dark Healers, including their names, species, and practical experience.
‘Let’s see…’
The list highlighted years of experience and areas of specialization:
- 18 years, specialized species: One
- 18 years, specialized species: One
- 20 years, specialized species: One
- 24 years, specialized species: Two
- …
- 127 years, specialized species: Three
- 162 years, specialized species: Two
- 189 years, specialized species: Two
‘…I see, I see…’
‘What do you think? We’ve included only the best Dark Healers who can be immediately reassigned from their current posts.’
The years of experience and qualifications were indeed impressive.
‘This one participated in the Demon Nation Unification War!’
‘And here’s a personal Dark Healer to one of the Demon Nobles. You’ve done an incredible job assembling such veterans, Eisei.’
Milphobia and Emeralda, glancing at the list with me, seemed equally astonished. Eisei, on the other hand, looked quite proud.
‘Of course! This is a rare opportunity for Dark Healers to take center stage, so I made sure to prepare the best team possible for you, Kiwi-sama.’
His pride was well-earned, considering the effort it must have taken.
‘Eisei-dono, compiling such a detailed list must have been a challenge. Thank you very much.’
‘Not at all! If it helps, then the effort was worthwhile. Have you found a suitable candidate?’
‘…Well…’
I spoke as respectfully as possible.
‘I’m terribly sorry, but I don’t think I can choose anyone from this list.’”
