Not a single one was below level 50. Some were as high as level 90. The people back in the royal capital paled in comparison. Any one of these demonkin would knock an adventurer down with a mere flick to the forehead. And the ones with skills ready to be awakened left the room even stronger than when they came in.
Still, none of them were as high-level as Graun, the first person she’d examined here. He must have been special somehow.
After Mil was done examining the final orc, she was left alone in the throne room.
“Whew,” she sighed.
“Good work. Return to your room and rest.”
“Oh! It’s you, Alvin.”
Mil was surprised to realize Alvin was standing beside her while she slumped on the throne. He had to have entered through the large doors, but she hadn’t even noticed them open.
“You’ll be seeing just as many tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow too?”
“Is it hard work?” Alvin asked with indifference.
Mil shook her head vigorously. “Not at all! What types of demonkin will I meet tomorrow?!”
“I thought you might say that... Well, that’s fine. But go rest so you don’t collapse from exhaustion.”
Mil took Alvin’s advice and left the throne room.
As she was walking along the corridor, she thought about home. I wonder what father’s doing right now.
Her attendant had seen the Demon King kidnapping her, so news of it was sure to have reached her father. She imagined how he’d panic and wondered whether he was putting a search party together that very second.
She was being treated well despite technically being a prisoner. She’d eaten a good meal that day, and the bed they’d given her was soft and fluffy. She just wished she could tell her father there was no need to worry.
“Lady Mil.”
Mil made it back to her room with her home still in mind, and was greeted by an unfamiliar woman standing by the door. The curved horns on her head and black wings on her back marked her as a demon. She had a beautiful face and stood about a head taller than Mil with strikingly straight posture. Her hair was a sleek black and fell to her waist.
Her clothing was the same type of black-and-white maid outfit that Mil was used to seeing her own servants wear. Although it hid the shape of the wearer’s body, Mil couldn’t help but notice the demon woman’s narrow waist and large breasts. She had a good figure and there was no hiding it.
“Who are you?” Mil asked. “If you don’t mind me asking.”
The woman bowed her head low. “I’ll be attending to you from today onward, Lady Mil. My name is Crowell Newman.”
Newman...? “Do you have a brother, perhaps?”
“Ah, yes. My younger brother serves in the royal guard. Have you met him already?”
“I used my Goddess Eye on him. I couldn’t believe how strong he was!” His name was Graun, wasn’t it?
“I’m sure it would please my brother to hear that. If you are ever in need of anything, please call upon me. His Majesty said that you should be allowed to roam freely within his castle.”
Mil was glad about that. She’d been hoping to explore the place as soon as she got a spare moment.
Crowell bowed her head once more. “I will leave you now, but I will only be in the next room, so I will hear if you call for me.”
Crowell resumed her straight posture and then retired to her own room.
She’s like a refined lady, but really strong at the same time. If she’s anything like her little brother, I’ll bet she’s really powerful. I wonder what level she is. She might be the most powerful demonkin I saw today.
Mil entered her room, closed the door softly behind her, then rested her back against it.
Power...
After seeing nothing but impressive stats all day, she couldn’t help but feel a little down about her own. She checked and, to no surprise, found she was still level 2.
Could I get as strong as they are if I really worked at it?
After failing to level up much in the royal capital, she’d given up hope of ever being strong, but seeing the people here made her wish she could improve herself just a little.
✧✧✧
The next day was more of the same.
“Please take a look at me today, Lady Mil.”
“Me next.”
“Could ya awaken a skill for me, maybe?”
Almost thirty orcs were packed into the throne room for Mil to look at. She used Goddess Eye on each one, followed by Blessings of the Goddess to awaken any skills she could. Along with a few breaks here and there, it took her the whole day.
Fun as it all was, this same pattern then repeated for the rest of the week, and Mil’s days grew boring and repetitive.
Before long, Mil found there was barely anyone left in the castle with skills for her to awaken. As the number of demonkin seeking her Blessings of the Goddess dwindled, she had increasing amounts of free time to do as she pleased.
On an otherwise uneventful afternoon, Mil decided to go exploring the treasure vaults, library, and training hall within the castle. This became a new source of enjoyment.
Mil was excited to find a treasure vault full of magic swords, enchanted items, and cursed armor like nothing she’d ever seen. Likewise, the library was filled with spell books far superior to anything in the royal capital’s library. Sadly, Mil’s level was too low for her to actually use any of the weapons or learn any of the spells.
After another week passed, she could no longer find anything new within the castle grounds. She’d explored almost everything there was to explore.
Each morning she’d awaken skills for a few demonkin in the throne room, then she’d go sightseeing in the castle to kill time for the rest of the day. It was quickly turning into a dull routine. The excitement of new discoveries was fading, and each day was much like the last.
By the time she finally got fed up with it, a month had passed.
“I’m so booored!” Mil yelled out the window from her room in the Demon King’s Castle one night. She followed it up with a heavy sigh.
In the sky outside, the moon was a great circle accompanied by an abundance of stars. It was the exact same sky she’d seen above the royal capital.