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Some time after that, the governor of Schaldir, Aram, requested a visit to Lüenheit.
It seemed he was finally ready to talk.

That was a very welcome development, but there was one miscalculation.
I never expected someone who had been so hesitant to make a decision this quickly. Turns out, he’s more decisive than I thought.
This is a problem. The eastern wall isn’t even finished yet.

“Can’t we do something about it?”
“Impossible. Use magic if you want.”

I consulted Azur of the Tübahn Engineers, who was overseeing construction, but he flatly refused.
If this could be solved with magic, I would’ve done it already.
Wait, actually…

A few days later, Governor Aram arrived in Lüenheit with about a hundred personal guards in tow.
It felt like a bit much for an escort, but considering he was visiting enemy territory, it was understandable.
From our previous talks, I knew Aram wasn’t the kind of man to start a war out of nowhere.

“Oh… the Lüenheit city gates…”

It was no surprise that Aram was impressed.
The newly built gate exuded a majesty worthy of the Demon Capital. It was modeled after Tübahn’s sturdy gates, but reinforced even further.
The surrounding walls completely encircled Lüenheit, built tall and thick enough to withstand a full-scale siege.
“When did you even build all of this?”

Truth was, we hadn’t.
Everything except the gate itself was just an illusion—an elaborate projection of what the city would eventually look like.

“Lüenheit is no longer a servant of Miraldia. We answer to no one when it comes to building our defenses. So, naturally, we rebuilt everything at once.”

I spoke confidently, then whispered to Rasie, who was disguised as an aide.

“This really holds up to touch, right?”
“Y-yes. I made sure the illusions feel solid if touched. Just… if someone rams into it, they’ll find out.”

As expected of the Great Sage Gomoviroa’s apprentice. Not only was Rasie talented to begin with, her growth was astounding. No wonder they elected her to be the fake Saintess.

Still, an illusion is an illusion. It wouldn’t take much to expose it.
Trying not to let my anxiety show, I led Aram toward the gate.

“Enough about this. You should see the city itself. That’ll be the real surprise.”

Come on, let’s move along.
Stop staring at the walls already, please…

Beyond the new east gate was a wide, empty lot.

“In the near future, this will be a new residential district. The old city is mostly home to Lüenheit natives, so newcomers—human or demon—will likely live here.”

It was a way to respect the lifestyle of Lüenheit’s original citizens. I’d seen enough conflicts between locals and newcomers in my previous life to know this was necessary.
We passed through the old east gate and stepped onto the boulevard.

The moment Aram and his guards laid eyes on the bustling main street, they all let out astonished murmurs.

“Oh…”
“So this is the Demon Capital…”

During the time the east gate was closed, locals had requested that the area be revitalized. I decided to establish a district of workshops for the dogfolk artisans. It was a combination of an art gallery and trade district.
The effort had paid off; now the area boasted not just workshops but restaurants and entertainment venues catering to dogfolk.

I spotted a human trader chatting happily with a dogfolk artisan, likely celebrating a good sale.
Nearby, a group of dragonfolk were meticulously calculating how much chicken meat to buy for dinner.
Those must be Technician Kurtze’s subordinates, probably here to place an order.
And over there… wait, is that Big Sis Fern?!

“Fern! What are you doing here?!”

She waved at me cheerfully, surrounded by dogfolk.

“My squad has the day off, so we’re having tea with the dogfolk guard unit. Wanna join us, ‘lil Veit?”
“I can’t! Didn’t I say an important guest was coming today?!”
“Oh, right.”

Fern’s brain seems to short-circuit whenever dogfolk are involved.

Feeling Aram’s gaze, I quickly cleared my throat.

“Forgive me. You just witnessed some of my subordinates’ lack of discipline.”

Aram kept glancing between me and Fern, then murmured quietly:

“That ‘lil Veit’ she called you…?”
“Forget you heard that. Understood?”

I glared at him, and he nodded vigorously.

I then resumed my explanation.

“The eastern district is home to the dogfolk workshops, and their products are sold here as well. They are masters of silverwork. That nonsense about silver corroding is a baseless rumor.”
“Is that so? Then the silver tableware you gifted me…”
“Yes. Their handiwork.”
“I see. This could become a valuable industry, both culturally and artistically.”

Hearing him say that made me happy.

As a fellow canine-faced demon, I was determined to improve their reputation.

“When I received silverware from a werewolf, I must admit I suspected ulterior motives. I apologize for that misunderstanding.”
“The fault is mine for causing confusion.”

Ah, so that was it! That explains a lot. I’ll be more careful next time.

We continued toward the city center, where Aylia awaited in formal attire before the Governor’s Hall.

“It has been a while, Lord Aram. Normally I would have greeted you at the gate, but as you can see…”

Two secretaries stood behind her, clutching piles of documents, while about twenty guards—half human, half werewolf—stood in formation.
She clearly hadn’t finished her paperwork in time. That was partially my fault, with all my trips to Schaldir lately.

Another reason she couldn’t leave the hall: assassination risks.
Among the Demon Lord’s key figures, she was the weakest in combat. Unlike me, she couldn’t just roam around freely.

Aram’s face softened when he saw her.

“I’m relieved to see you well. I hear you now bear the title ‘Demon Ambassador.’”
“Yes. I serve as a bridge between humans and demons.”

Aylia always seemed shy when that grand title came up.

“Let’s talk in detail about everything that’s happened. This way, please.”

She invited him inside, and his party followed.

I accompanied them, but with her in charge, everything was in good hands.

After hearing Aylia’s account, Aram nodded thoughtfully.

“I see. That explains everything. No wonder this city appears the way it does.”

He sipped his green tea.

“Were I in charge of Lüenheit, I would have likely made a similar decision. Though perhaps not as swiftly as you.”

Liar. You’re plenty decisive yourself.
He caught my skeptical look and chuckled.

“That said, Schaldir is small in military strength and poorly fortified. Without Demon Army troops stationed there, defying the central government is not an option.”

He was right.
I could send reinforcements in an emergency, but a permanent garrison was impossible.
He continued:

“For now, I propose we form a secret alliance with Lüenheit. When the time is right, we can announce it publicly, and sign a formal alliance—with the Demon Army as well.”
“That’s excellent news.”

A secret pact wasn’t foolproof, but it was still a big concession on his part.

Though unofficial, we signed documents to formalize the agreement and shook hands firmly.
Schaldir was now an ally.
At last, we had secured a fourth city on our side.