Start the Operation, Deogandai!

“......Kukuku...... Kukakaka...... Kukakakakakakaka!”

Gazing out the window at the thunder-wracked wasteland of the “Dark Continent” Sardisann that spread beyond the Demon Lord's Castle, the Demon Lord's Army's middle-ranked commander Deogandai was basking in delight as he recalled how haggard Caro had looked once her demotion was decided.

“Ahh...... Kukuku! Serves her right! That incompetent little girl with nothing but high stats!”

“Stats.” One's specs, as an individual.

It was an absolute upper limit, set in advance according to one's role when a demon was born.

An absolute gap that could never be overturned, however hard one might strive.

Something given in abundance to the elite Caro, but only moderately to Deogandai.

Hidden deep in Deogandai's heart...... the very root of his complex.

“Just you watch, you executives......! In the end, what the Demon Lord's Army needs is not some incompetent who rests on their innate stats!”

Ranks in the Demon Lord's Army were decided by how high or low one's stats were.

It was a system of stats supremacy.

In the midst of all that, Deogandai prided himself on having made the most of his own specs, which were not low but could by no means be called high, and on having achieved results beyond his stats until now.

“One who has the talent to make full use of his own stats, his aptitude...... in other words, I, and no other, am the one the Demon Lord's Army truly needs!”

He had to make them understand that.

By results, greater than ever before.

By the success, of this operation!

Dan!!

Still all worked up, Deogandai twirled around as if dancing and jabbed the call buzzer on his desk as if punching it!

Buuuuu......

Through the wall, he could faintly hear the low, trumpet-like sound ringing in the next room.

A few dozen seconds later, a short demon woman entered Deogandai's office.

“Excuse me. Did you call for me, Deogandai-sama?”

“You're late, Longinus! Just how many minutes do you intend to keep me waiting!”

“My apologies.”

This woman, called Longinus, was a low-ranked assistant, and her job was to give clerical support to Deogandai, a middle-ranked commander.

With low stats and no combat power, low-ranked assistants were held in relatively low regard in the Demon Lord's Army.

Even this time, Longinus had cut her work short and come as quickly as possible, and yet this was the treatment she received.

“Listen! Unlike you, I am busy! Do you have any idea how much it costs the Demon Lord's Army when you dawdle along like a sluggard and keep me waiting! Get that through your head, once and for all!”

“My apologies.”

......Deogandai hated stats supremacy.

And yet, even he unreasonably oppressed Longinus, a low-ranked assistant.

No, worse than that: compared to other superiors, Deogandai treated his subordinates exceptionally badly.

Regardless of his ideology or beliefs, he was, quite simply, a man with a bad personality.

He directed jealousy toward those of higher status than himself, and used his own rank as a shield to lash out at those below him.

Deogandai was that kind of man.

Longinus, on the other hand, was a woman with rather steely nerves.

Even now, while letting Deogandai's needling remarks slide, she was wondering what to eat for lunch.

“Hmph...... well, fine. Now, the reason I called you here is to confirm the progress of the next operation.”

The nagging finally ended.

This time he had wrapped it up in about 1 minute, so it was on the shorter side for Deogandai.

The shorter the nagging, the more work she could get done, so as far as Longinus was concerned, it was a delight.

“I gave you several instructions earlier, did I not? Report how far along the preparations for each one are!”

“Yes. The necessary materials and monsters have already been prepared. The request to use teleportation magic has also been submitted, and approval should come down tomorrow.”

“Good...... very well. For a slowpoke, I shall grant that you did well.”

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

Flicking back the bangs that hid the left half of his face, Deogandai smirked.

(Seriously, what is with that hairstyle. It doesn't suit him, it's gross.)

Or so Longinus thought.

“Kukuku...... In one week, another of those humans' towns will vanish without a trace. And one more of my great feats will be carved into the history of the Demon Lord's Army!”

A particularly loud clap of thunder echoed.

The lightning flashing outside the window behind Deogandai cast a deep shadow over his smirk.

“Feel honored to be destroyed by me! ......Fortress city of Liheid!!”

Yes, and so, this arc's lead is the Demon Lord's Army's middle-ranked commander who popped up out of nowhere, Deogandai the Puppeteer.

Will this nasty guy's operation actually succeed!?

Stay tuned!