In a darkened office at the heart of the Capital of Rone, thin rays of sunlight filtered through a parted curtain. It wasn't nearly enough to illuminate the room, leaving the two figures inside draped in heavy shadow.
Behind a broad, polished desk, Morato sat perfectly still. He leaned forward, his crimson eyes gleaming with keen focus as he peered into the depths of a glowing scrying orb.
Across from him, the Administrator stood idly, his silhouette bleeding into the backdrop of the darkness. The only truly defining feature of his face was a pair of small, beaming, bead-like eyes.
"Hmph." Morato's eyes drifted disappointingly from the orb, and he leaned back into his chair. "A disappointing batch… We need better candidates."
"I have been searching," the Administrator replied, his voice causing the surrounding air to instantly chill. "But our pool of potential candidates is limited, and we do not have the luxury of time."
"Well…" Morato flashed his hand casually. "Searching outside the capital is always an option."
"Not a chance," the Administrator shot back sharply. "Our sphere of influence has been vastly reduced. Those outer provinces might still pledge nominal allegiance to the capital, but with Lucktan gone, there is no one they truly fear or obey. I am well aware of the kind of individuals our former lord kept by his side—they are not to be trusted."
"Then we keep searching. But speaking of our fallen lord…" Morato leaned in slightly, a spark of genuine interest igniting in his eyes. "That territory… what exactly got him so worked up about it? You were essentially his right hand, after all."
"Uncertain," the Administrator replied impassively. "Lord Lucktan was a secretive man. Only he knew his true ambitions. We were merely fed what he wanted us to believe, while he carried his real motives to the grave." The Administrator shifted slightly in the dark. "Regardless, that is none of our concern now. What has happened, has happened. We must look toward the future. We lost our leverage on the main stage; without a Demon King, our influence on this continent has diminished greatly. We need a replacement as soon as possible. Fortunately, Demon King Ukuter has yet to make a move on his brother's lost territories, so we still have time."
Morato scoffed unapologetically. "Ukuter? Don't you see? It's been years now. He doesn't want anything to do with what's left—especially that territory. But it does make me wonder… After the conflict between Uin and Lucktan, the Yellows were quick to release statements proclaiming Uin's victory. Yet, Uin hasn't been seen since, and they've already chosen a new heir to carry the Demon King title: the Seventh, Ukuter."
"Meaning?" the Administrator inquired.
"My theory?" Morato smirked, his devilish crimson eyes locking onto the Administrator's bead-like stare. "Let's not forget that the Yellows pride themselves on maintaining the image of humanity. They want 'curated' demons to present to the masses. Throughout their history, each generation of Demon King has maintained that exact look and approach… until now. Uin the Sixth refused to engage with the usual traditions, like being crowned in front of a vast sea of mortal onlookers. From the very start, he was a problem."
"Meaning they got rid of him?" the Administrator asked, his interest piqued.
"Eh. Or he simply left without a trace to be found." Morato shrugged, cupping his chin thoughtfully. "Among all the generations, this is the first time they've had someone so utterly unruly. I mean, look at Ukuter; the Seventh is practically obedient. He did the crowning ceremony and everything. After all that territorial bloodshed over that specific patch of land, it makes sense the Yellows want to completely separate themselves from it."
The Administrator pondered Morato's words for a few seconds, the pieces of a puzzle clicking together in his mind. "I see you are quite observant. On that matter, I can see your point. The Yellows wouldn't actively push for a conflict against Lucktan, even if it meant giving up a portion of their land. So, I can see Uin acting entirely on his ow—"
The Administrator abruptly cut himself off.
"Something the matter?" Morato inquired, curious as to why the man had gone so suddenly quiet.
"This territory… now that you have brought it to my attention," the Administrator murmured, a rare note of uncertainty creeping into his voice. "I traveled with Lord Lucktan once, to the very border of the land Uin claimed. Deep underground, I felt an incredibly powerful demonic presence. Lucktan acted mildly annoyed by Uin's presence back then… but now I see it was a mere façade."
Morato narrowed his eyes, the full picture finally coming into focus. "I see. I presume he had a great interest in whatever was buried down below." He smiled darkly. "In the coming future, once we find a worthy candidate, we should have someone take a closer look into that area. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I will not object," the Administrator said coldly. "But until then, keep your focus on the task at hand."
With those final words, the Administrator slipped out of Morato's office, taking the unnatural chill in the air along with him.
Left alone in the shadows, Morato stared back at the scrying orb.
"What an era to be summoned…"