The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

"Damn it, why am I being made to do this kind of thing?"

A man walked into the dungeon, cursing and swearing, carrying a candle in his hand.

The dungeon was very dark, with only a few candles placed near the cells to provide dim lighting.

The man patrolled, carrying a candle lantern and looking furious.

People outside are drinking and having fun, so why should he be in charge of watching over them in this dark place?

A girl who couldn't even kill a chicken, and a group of women with dull eyes, were provided with food that even livestock wouldn't dare to touch. How could they escape?

"If you ask me, there's absolutely no need to guard it!"

Hearing the man's angry voice, the girl was clearly frightened and slowly moved to a dark corner of the cell, praying that the man would not notice her.

But the dungeon was silent at this moment, and the women around him were all unconscious, seemingly with little time left to live.

In this state of the dungeon, you could probably hear a pin drop.

The man clearly noticed the slight friction sound caused by the movement and turned his gaze to the girl.

it's over...

The girl's fear and pitiful appearance did not evoke the man's pity; instead, it fueled his destructive urges.

When you're in a bad mood, throwing things or hitting people are good ways to vent.

If you break things, you'll get scolded if the leader finds out, but hitting someone is fine as long as you don't kill them.

Now, everyone except the girl is in a half-dead state, so the man naturally focuses his attention on the girl.

"don't want……"

The girl's hoarse and weak voice, like the insignificant buzzing of a mosquito, could not stop the man in front of her in the slightest.

The man pinned the girl down, giving her no chance to resist, and slapped her face repeatedly with his rough hands.

The girl felt a burning pain on her face and gradually became delirious.

It's unclear how long the beating lasted, but the man had vented his anger and was tired. Just as he was about to stop, he felt a murderous intent coming from behind him, as if he were being stared at by a ferocious beast.

Before the man could react, he was struck on the head and fell to the ground unconscious.

"What a bunch of beasts! How could they do that?"

In a daze, the girl seemed to hear such a voice, and then felt a warm current circulating throughout her body, and her consciousness gradually returned.

As her vision cleared, the figure of the man in black robes came into the girl's view.

Seeing that his healing had worked, Gray slowly withdrew his magic.

Noticing the lingering fear on the girl's face, Gray gently comforted her.

"Don't be afraid, I'm not a bad person, everything is alright now."

Then, gently embrace the girl, the magic circulating throughout his body, transmitting warmth to the girl in front of him through his embrace.

So warm...

So comfortable…

The warmth reminded her of her mother's embrace, and the girl's eyes welled up with tears. She buried her head in Gray's shoulder and wept bitterly.

Gray gently stroked the girl's head, indulging her in expressing her emotions.

Only when the girl was too tired to cry anymore did she raise her head and ask in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Excuse me... who are you?"

"My name is Hidden, Hidden by Shadow, Hunter by Shadow." (My name is Demon Shadow, a person who lurks in the darkness and hunts shadows)

At that moment, Gray's black cloak seemed to move without wind in the girl's eyes, as if a filter had been applied naturally, stirring her heartstrings.

A hint of rosy color appeared on her pale, sickly face.

Where do you live? Shall I take you home?

Gray noticed the other unconscious women in the dungeon; it seemed he would have to spend some time moving them.

Hearing Gray's words, a hint of sadness appeared in the girl's eyes.

“I…I have no home anymore,” she answered haltingly.

Gray was somewhat at a loss after touching the girl's sensitive spot, but he didn't show it.

Suddenly, as if she had mustered up her courage, the girl asked.

"Can you take me with you?"

After saying that, the girl lowered her head, not daring to meet Gray's gaze.

“Okay.” Gray agreed to the girl’s request without hesitation.

The girl raised her head again upon hearing this, and Gray could see the joy on her face.

"But the prerequisite is that you must join us and become the second member of the Shadow Court."

The Shadow Court is the organization that Gray plans to create, belonging to those with Shadow-level strength.

This is why Gray readily agreed to the girl's request, so that he would no longer be all alone.

“Okay, I’m willing to do anything as long as I can be with you,” the girl said firmly.

Upon hearing this, Gray's lips twitched slightly.

I have a feeling that this sentence has a strange connotation.

"However, joining our Shadow Court requires a test. As for you..."

After a moment's thought, Gray handed the dagger to the girl in front of him.

“Kill him and prove your resolve to me.”

Gray was obviously referring to the man who had previously beaten the girl.

Gray originally intended to kill him with one blow, but considering that it was not appropriate to kill someone in front of a child, he simply knocked him unconscious.

"This……"

The girl's hand trembled slightly as she took the dagger, her lips clenched tightly, her heart wavering.

No, how can you kill someone?

But he was a bad person, and he deserved to die.

But I still can't kill people.

The girl was engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

In the end, the girl made up her mind, closed her eyes, raised the dagger in her hand, and stabbed at the man.

The imagined sensation of a throat being slit did not occur, nor was there any smell of blood in the air.

"It's ready. I've seen your determination."

Gray grabbed the girl's hand, preventing the dagger from stabbing her.

Gray never intended for the girl to kill anyone; who would let such a young child commit murder?

"From now on, you are a member of the Shadow Court. I bestow upon you the code name [Alpha]. From now on, you will dedicate yourself to this organization and carry forward the glory of us Shadow Warriors."

"Yes, Lord Shadow."

Alpha knelt on one knee, swearing his loyalty to Gray.

Although she didn't know what a Shadow Power was, that didn't diminish her devotion to Gray.

"Alright, I will grant you power."

Gray raised his hand and touched Alpha's forehead, and the Demon King's magic completed the ritual in a special flow.

This is a skill that every Demon King must learn in the Demon King's lineage: creating a Demon King's Familia.

The Demon King's Families will possess a small number of demonic characteristics and will have their aptitude enhanced by the Demon King's magical power.

More importantly, the Demon King's followers will be closer to the Demon King and less likely to have thoughts of betrayal.

At this moment, Alpha also felt a strange connection between himself and Gray.

They're like family.

After becoming a member of the Demon Lord's Familia, Alpha already possessed a first-tier level of magic power, and has the potential to continue advancing in the future.

With the aid of magic at this level, Alpha has gained strength comparable to that of an adult human male.

"Alpha thanks Lord Shadow."

Alpha knelt down and bowed deeply again, but Gray didn't care.

"Alright, come over and lend a hand."