Chapter 1: I’m Just an Ordinary Demon Lord Who Wants a Quiet Life
The Empire — Aurens Town
【Imperial Capital Daily: The subjugation squad led by the famed adventurer Weiss has been confirmed completely annihilated. Search teams have recovered the remnants of the expedition near a goblin tribe outside the Brook City-State.】
【Alliance Observer: The Demon Lord’s army has once again unleashed monsters in a sweeping assault. The capital has announced it will dispatch elite Armored Knights to provide targeted support to the northern provinces.】
【Voice of The Holy Church: The Pope has issued a declaration—another crusade will be assembled at once. The glory of Alicia, our god, shall forever shield her faithful.】
“So after all that bluster, the crusade still got wiped out, huh?”
“Does this new Pope really have what it takes? If things keep going like this, the Empire’s finished!”
Grumblings about the new Pope echoed through the Adventurers’ Guild. Lin Wei, waiting quietly in the corner to collect his commission, rested his cheek on one hand and nodded along in silent agreement.
Ever since the Empire, spurred on by public outrage, had declared all-out war against the demons, its war machine had thundered to life.
To fund their allies, forge weapons, and cover logistics—
—the Empire’s ever-pragmatic nobles soon turned their gaze on the very citizens who had clamored for war in the first place.
In plain terms: more taxes.
First came a 10% “war surcharge,” then a 20% “Holy Church Maintenance Levy,” and then a 25% “Hero’s Supplementary Tax.”
For the Empire’s people—who had been so fired up at the start, dreaming of storming the Demon Lord’s castle and lopping off his head—this was a rude awakening.
If the demon army hadn’t retreated two years ago, putting some distance between themselves and the Empire, the people probably wouldn’t even have enough left to buy weapons, let alone join the rebels.
“It’s all the Demon Lord’s fault!”
Thinking about how much their lives had worsened since the war began, one adventurer slammed the table in outrage, cursing the Demon Lord.
Oh, sure—of course, even the Empire starting the war is somehow the Demon Lord’s fault.
“The new Pope’s useless too.”
Another adventurer tossed out a reckless complaint.
Honestly, who could outdo the Pope when it came to being useless?
“If only the Pope and the Demon Lord would just take each other out…”
Lin Wei’s gaze turned cold as he glanced at the local who had said that.
If it ever came to that, trust me—your ashes would be the first I’d scatter.
【Name】: Lin Wei
【Race】: Human
【Level】: LV100
【Title】: Retired Demon Lord
【Skills】: (Supreme Magic MAX), (Demonic Intimidation MAX), (Elemental Affinity MAX), (Holy Light Mastery MAX), (Potion Crafting MAX), (Detection & Investigation MAX), ...
【Status Abnormality】: Title Sealed (While in demon territory, all Demon Lord-exclusive buffs are suspended)
“Can’t believe I’ve been retired for almost two years now…”
Staring at the glowing stats panel in his mind, Lin Wei sipped his hot tea, memories drifting back to the day he first arrived in this world.
The transmigration, the awakening… then suddenly gaining the title of Demon Lord and being venerated by countless high-ranking demons.
Faced with a fantasy world he’d only read about in stories, it had felt natural to ascend the throne and dream of uniting the demon, bringing lasting peace to the world.
The human legions stationed in demon territory had been utterly routed by his hand.
Even the elves, dwarves, and other races who had once stood as humanity’s staunchest allies had, lured by threats and bribes, withdrawn from the war.
After years of bloody conflict, the last of the Empire’s isolated forces were finally driven out of demon lands.
It should have been the perfect moment—just a bit more pressure, and they’d have had no choice but to sign a peace treaty. But right at the critical juncture, his own demon generals staged a coup.
On one side, the demon army roared for the extermination of all humans. On the other, the Empire’s champions glared murderously, vowing to take down the Demon Lord.
Faced with a tidal wave of demons shouting “Slaughter the humans!” and a wall of human elites snarling “Down with the Demon Lord!”—
Lin Wei made his decision in a heartbeat: he ran. He abandoned his grand plan to lead the demons and save the world, leaving it all behind.
“A bunch of lunatics, fighting for the sake of fighting,” he muttered, still grumbling to this day whenever he thought about it.
“Honestly, what was I thinking, trying to build a world where everyone could just get along?”
“If I’d hesitated even a moment longer, I’d have been strapped to the war machine and ended up as this world’s version of a tragic martyr—dead and broken for someone else’s cause!”
Only one who had actually ruled as Demon Lord could know just how much effort it took to weaken the Empire’s armies. Forcing them to the border and nearly making them accept humiliating peace terms had taken every ounce of cunning, luck, and micromanagement. If it had turned into all-out war, a total collapse on every front would have been the best-case scenario.
Fortunately, none of that had anything to do with him anymore.
“Your commission, Mr. Lin Wei.”
A guild clerk in a crisp uniform set his payment down on the table.
After all, now he was just an ordinary citizen living in a border town at the edge of the Empire, occasionally picking up odd jobs for the guild.
And if you asked him who the Demon Lord was? How would a regular guy like him know anything about that?
“Thank you, Miss Lilia.”
Lin Wei accepted the payment, waved goodbye, and headed outside.
Evening in Aurens Town carried an easy, unhurried charm. The distant sky was streaked with the blush of sunset, and even the bustling evening breeze seemed tinged with gentleness.
“Ah, Mr. Lin Wei! Thank you so much for treating my father the other day.”
“It was nothing, really. By the way, is Uncle Jack recovering well?”
“Lin Wei, take some fruit before you go! If you hadn’t come by earlier, those monsters would’ve ruined my whole stock!”
“That’s why you should remember to post a request at the Adventurers’ Guild next time…”
Along the way, familiar townsfolk greeted him with cheerful waves.
Lin Wei responded in kind, waving back at each of the faces he knew so well.
After two years in the town, thanks to his willingness to lend a hand and his easygoing nature, he’d built up quite a bit of goodwill. He wasn’t exactly the center of attention, but if he ever collapsed in the street, someone would rush him to the church without a second thought.
“And just by picking up odd jobs around town, I’ve somehow become a high-ranking adventurer… At this rate, my goal is getting closer and closer.”
He glanced at the adventurer card in his hand, his steps slow, thoughts drifting.
After giving up his Demon Lord identity and returning to the human world, he’d never planned to spend his whole life hiding out as an ordinary townsman in Aurens. He had a plan for his future.
First, he’d needed to sort out his residency papers as an Imperial citizen—which he’d already managed. Next would be moving deeper into the Empire, clearing away any lingering suspicions about his past as the Demon Lord.
After all, Lin Wei had always felt that some higher power had its eye on him.
He’d looked and acted no different from any human these past few years, but somehow, every time The Holy Church sent out a Demon Lord-slaying crusade, they always seemed to pass right by him before heading off on their mission.
That constant anxiety gnawed at him—what if those crusaders really did have some special way of sniffing him out? For safety’s sake, he’d been left with no choice but to quietly bury every last one of them.
“As soon as I’ve saved up enough, I’ll buy a plot of land in the Empire’s heartlands and become a minor noble.”
That way, he’d be safely out of the path of any crusading parties, and as a noble—a true son of the Empire—he’d finally belong.
Come on… Even if some god is really watching, there’s no way these crusaders will get cheat powers, right? It’s not like I’ll end up with some absurd ‘hero rises from the countryside’ storyline happening on my estate!
Make money, become a noble, fully blend into human society.
That was the grand plan for his future—smooth sailing, no surprises.
“Heh, can’t wait to see the brilliant new life I’ll lead once I’m a noble.”
It was like restarting a grand strategy game after a disastrous run—looking at a map full of colorful territories, Lin Wei felt a surge of excitement, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
“Maybe I should use my noble privileges to start a harem while I’m at it?”
“Definitely something to consider… Hm?”
A cool, clear voice suddenly shattered his nobleman’s daydream.
Lin Wei turned sharply. Standing by the roadside was a slender, elegant figure with a frosty expression.
The gentle evening breeze made the tips of her silver hair sway. Her exquisitely beautiful features were tinged with fatigue from a long day’s work.
She had golden, divinely radiant eyes—eyes that, even now, shone with solemn dignity. She was the kind of woman whose very presence on the street made her feel untouchable, almost sacred.
With a cold little smile, she strode up to him, slender pale fingers deftly straightening his collar.
At such close range, the air was filled with a subtle, captivating fragrance.
“Already thinking about a harem before we’re even divorced? Lost interest in me that quickly, have you?”
He hadn’t expected to run into her at a time like this.
Lin Wei stood there, stunned for a good few seconds before he finally managed to respond, his voice almost uncertain.
“Veya… You’re back early?”
TL Note:
Yes, it's Lin Wei, which is really weird—only the MC has an Eastern name, while the rest have Western names. Well, that's the author's choice.