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

“But before we move forward,” Gray said, changing the subject, “we first need to clean up the mess we’ve made.”

He raised his hand and pointed out the window at the signs of chaos that had not yet completely subsided, and at the lingering dust on the distant horizon.

“I admit that I underestimated, or rather, did not fully anticipate, the impact that sword strike in the Celestial Realm would have on the Prime Material Plane…so violently and extensively.”

His gaze swept over Taric and Sophia, finally meeting briefly with Phoenix's deep eyes. He frankly admitted, "The power gathered by that sword was too high. Even if the main target was the Celestial Realm, the aftershocks that pierced through the dimensional barrier would be no less than a widespread natural disaster for the relatively fragile primary plane."

Earthquakes, space tremors, elemental imbalances… the root of this destruction lies with me. This is my responsibility.

These words startled everyone slightly. As a god-slayer, a being with overwhelming power, his direct admission of "miscalculation" and "responsibility," instead of glossing over it with "necessary costs," carried a heavy weight.

“Therefore, disaster relief and recovery are our top priorities, and key to demonstrating our commitment and bridging any new rifts that this ‘accident’ may have caused.” Gray’s tone regained its usual composure and decisiveness. “Alpha.”

"Yes." The head waitress with long, straight black hair immediately stepped forward, her posture respectful and capable.

"From this moment forward, except for the Ten Shadows, all available servants, intelligence personnel, logistics and support units under the Shadow Court shall be placed on the highest priority disaster relief status." Gray's order was clear and unambiguous. "Radiate outwards to all disaster-stricken areas, with Azure Peak Territory as the center."

Prioritize rescuing trapped civilians, stabilizing the geological and elemental environment, and assisting in restoring basic order to the area. Resources will be fully supported by the Grand Merchant Guild and the Shadow Court's reserves.

"Yes, sir." Alpha responded without hesitation, his eyes sharp, clearly already mentally dividing the mission area and allocating manpower.

"As for us," Gray wanted to return to his original purpose, and the biggest obstacle, without a doubt, was, "after helping to stabilize the initial disaster situation, I intend to concentrate my efforts on dealing with an eyesore and a dangerous 'remnant'—the Demonic Order."

Upon hearing the name, Tarik frowned, Sofia showed a look of disgust, and Philippa also became serious.

"Of course, six of the seven factions of the Demon Order have been eliminated. What we need to do is find the hiding place of the last faction and eliminate it."

Gray's words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples. "For this, I need the help of the Hero Squad."

He glanced around at Philippa, Taric, Sophia, and Phoenix, his gaze finally settling on the old magician, seemingly implying something: "The last remaining faction of the seven major factions of the Demon Order is the 'Power and Domination' faction."

Before he finished speaking, Phoenix's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, suddenly narrowed, and a shadow fell over his weathered face. He almost immediately understood the unsettling subtext behind Gray's words.

His hands, resting on his knees, unconsciously clenched slightly, and his lips formed a serious line, clearly indicating that he was considering some extremely bad possibility.

The rest of the hero's party—Tarik and Sophia—did not immediately notice Phoenix's subtle yet intense reaction.

Taric simply frowned, pondering what the title "lust for power and domination" meant.

Sofia had a look on her face that said, "As expected, it's this kind of troublesome thing again," but her eyes were still focused.

Gray continued, his voice steady yet carrying undeniable weight: "Based on this faction's name, the behavioral patterns revealed in our sporadic encounters, and our understanding of the nature of demons—the demon Domri, driven by lust for power and domination, often seduces not madmen seeking pure strength or bloody sacrifices, but rather..."

He paused slightly, making the conclusion that was already obvious even clearer:

"...Individuals who are obsessed with power, crave to control others, and regard domination as the highest enjoyment and meaning of existence. I believe that the backbone and even core members of this faction are most likely not hiding in the shadows of the wilderness or underground cities, but rather lurking behind a glamorous curtain—the current rulers, or at least deep participants in the power structure."

“The one in power?!” Philippa blurted out almost immediately, her amber eyes widening as a figure she least wanted to associate with flashed into her mind.

Almost without much rational thought, struck by the keywords "cultist," "power holder," and the possible close connection with "Olmek," she instinctively, with a trembling voice and an almost tragic resolve, said, "Father? If... if it really is him..."

She took a deep breath, as if she had made a tremendous decision, "Then... I have no choice but to put the greater good before family!"

Gray: "Huh?"

Goodness, how did things escalate to this point before we even exchanged two sentences? I don't think you hesitated much at all? A loving father and filial daughter?

He kept asking "why" while simultaneously unleashing the Fiery Cloud Technique in one hand.

It wasn't that he hesitated for 3 seconds, but rather that the Fiery Cloud Technique needed to be charged up?

Upon hearing this, both Tarik and Sofia were stunned and stared at her in astonishment.

Even Phoenix, who had maintained a stern expression, had a complex look in his eyes.

"..." Gray looked at Philippa's posture, which seemed to be about to draw her sword to "purge the court of corrupt officials" (or rather, directly purge the emperor...), and helplessly raised his hand to press his temples. "Calm down, Philippa. I didn't say it was certain, nor did I say it to this extent."

He softened his tone, but proceeded with a clear and logical analysis: "There is currently no direct evidence pointing to His Majesty the Olmec King himself."

This is merely a reasonable inference based on factional characteristics—members of that faction are more likely to be hidden in the center of power.

Furthermore, feedback from the Shadow Court's intelligence network spanning the continent indicates that no large-scale cult activities consistent with the core characteristics of the 'Power and Domination' faction have been found in other human kingdoms, orc tribes, elven kingdoms, or even demi-human settlements.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on the table: "On the other hand, the Olmec faction's activities, though secretive, have always been like a persistent crutch, never truly extinguished."

More importantly, our Shadow Court, in integrating Bifeng Territory and the surrounding areas and eliminating internal unstable factors, did indeed personally take action to eliminate several cult members confirmed to belong to this faction.

He looked at Philippa, his gaze frank and direct: “They are all minor local nobles, or ambitious individuals trying to infiltrate the Grand Chamber of Commerce. They hold low positions, but their tentacles are trying to reach key economic or administrative nodes, and their behavior patterns are highly consistent with the characteristics of ‘expanded desire for dominance.’ This proves that this faction does exist in Olmec, and its roots may be deeper and closer to the core of power than we imagined.”

Upon hearing this, Philippa's intense emotions calmed down slightly, and her rationality gradually returned.

She understood what Gray meant—not to conclude that the king was a cultist, but to point out that the Olmec royal family and the upper-class noble circles were currently the most suspicious and the areas that needed the most vigilance and investigation.

The "minor nobles" that Gray dealt with earlier were probably just branches on the periphery of this vast network.

She instantly understood why Gray had specifically emphasized the need for "the help of the Hero Squad".

She herself is the first princess of Olmec, possessing a legitimate royal status and access to much courtly information, social networks, and certain occasions that are inaccessible to outsiders.

This is an extremely valuable "passport" and "observation point" when conducting in-depth investigations into cult members who may be lurking at the top of power.

And Phoenix... she looked at the old magician, whose expression remained solemn and who remained silent.

As the chief space mage of the palace, having served the royal family for many years, he not only holds a prestigious position, but also possesses an understanding and insight far beyond that of ordinary people regarding the personnel interactions, power secrets, and even some subtle changes (if any) in His Majesty the King's behavior in recent years.

His knowledge and connections are equally indispensable.

As for Tarik and Sofia… Philippa glanced at her companion who was still processing the information.

Compared to Philippa and Phoenix, their identities are nothing special; perhaps Sophia's status as a saintess of the Holy Light Church is more useful.

Taric is brave and upright, a reliable source of military strength, but in complex situations requiring infiltration and investigation of the aristocratic power circle, his role may be more about providing external support and breaking the deadlock at crucial moments.

Sophia... well, she's simple-minded and straightforward, which might not suit her for overly complex conspiracies, but her light magic might be surprisingly effective in combating potential demonic forces or uncovering disguises.

Moreover, as their most trusted companions, they themselves are a powerful support and witness.

Gray noticed Philippa's knowing look and knew that she understood the subtlety of the situation and the special nature of the mission.

He concluded: "Therefore, this purge of the 'lust for power and domination' faction is different from the previous crackdowns on other demonic cults."

It was more like a political investigation and a precise decapitation operation that took place in the shadows.

We need to distinguish between those who have been corrupted by their lust for power and have sided with evil, and those who may simply be ordinary schemers or rivals.

We need to eradicate this malignant tumor without causing widespread unrest or undermining the stability of the kingdom.

His gaze swept over Phoenix, meaningfully: "This requires insider knowledge, insight, and... the necessary caution and judgment."

Phoenix finally spoke slowly, his voice lower and hoarser than usual: "Your analysis, Lord Demon King, is... very reasonable."

'The lust for power and domination'... If its lair is indeed in the upper Olmec, its danger is far greater than the monsters ravaging the wilderness or the cultists who make frenzied sacrifices.

It erodes the very foundations of the kingdom.

He raised his eyes and looked directly at Gray. "I have served the royal family for decades. If there are truly demons and monsters lurking among the palace... I will naturally not stand idly by."

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, this already indicates a willingness to cooperate with the investigation.

Gray nodded: "I will have Alpha compile a more detailed report on the specific direction of the investigation and the initial clues later."

"Right now, let's focus on disaster relief. In the meantime," he said, glancing particularly at Philippa and Phoenix, "please use your positions and connections to, without alerting the enemy, begin to look for any clues that might be related to 'lust for power,' 'abnormal domineering behavior,' or 'hidden demonic symbols or rituals.'"

Especially intelligence related to subtle changes in the behavior patterns and decision-making tendencies of His Majesty the King, important ministers, or high-ranking nobles over the past few years.