Hello everyone, Astaroth here. Before I was summoned to this world- it doesn't have a specific name, by the way: neither does our previous world. If someone from another dimension was summoned to earth, how would you introduce the dimension? In any case, before, I was a regular high-school student, if a bit of a geek, especially for fantasy stories: I loved the whole 'parallel world' genre more than any other. As a result, when I met Lady Luciel upon being summoned and was told about my situation and my 'cheat', I could not have been more excited. Heroes summoned by Lady Luciel are given a cheat in the form of one or more skills exclusive to them and a class to go with that, often high-level. Of course, through the power of the Azalyth which is placed upon them, the Heroes are restrained, but even so, compared to native inhabitants, they're quite powerful. I was given the skill [Skill Borrowing] which, as the name implies, allows me to borrow others' skills and use them like my own: specifically, I can borrow the skills of those who recognise themselves as my subordinates. The class I was given was Marshal, one of the higher-ranking classes intended to command others: one which went perfectly with my skill. Heroes were also all given the skill [Storage], so they could take large amounts of items with them without having to carry anything. With these cheats in hand, I set off to purify the world!

Though, I soon learned of the truth behind this wretched scheme...

Well, that's enough of my past for now.

After introducing myself and my Five Demon Generals to the Slayer and the Magus, I continued speaking, sneer still on my face, as if I wasn't content with just introducing life: "As you've most likely already figured out, this is my throne room. Now then, Magus, Slayer. Now that you've been liberated from the clutches of Lady Luciel, there are a few paths for you. You could decide to become the follower of a different, more just goddess- like Lady Salamander, Goddess of Fire, or Lady Undine, Goddess of Water. You could decide to walk the path of a lone wolf, a mercenary, perhaps, as most of those I liberated have done. There's also the third option of following Lady Entropy and becoming mine, as a Shadowcaster or a Shadowwalker, respectively. You'd be the first to choose this option."

"Understandable", the Slayer responded. "Who'd want to serve this kind of arrogant person? I'm fine living the solo life, thanks." His face carried arrogance, similar to mine, but it was the false arrogance you'd use to give yourself confidence in front of a powerful being, rather than one born from power itself.

Davna slapped her tail onto the ground in response to the Slayer's words, but he decided to completely ignore her.

The Magus, on the other hand, seemed less decisive as she slightly panicked due to suddenly being given a hard choice.

"I do not mind if you delay your choice, Magus", I spoke as I gestured towards a door on the side of the room, rather than the large door the Heroes had entered from. "You can take a rest in my castle while you make your choice. We can afford a human's food expenses for a few days. Charlotte, guide her to a guest room, would you? Ah, before that, at least tell me your name, Magus."

"Ah, I, I'm, my name is Evyna. Thank you for, for having me over", she stuttered, switching to a slightly more formal pattern halfway a sentence.

"Master, I have been meaning to ask this for some time now", Charlotte said, pouting in dissatisfaction and crossing her arms, "but for what reason are you giving all the tasks to me? You could just have Lilith or Tempest guide her, could you not?"

"Well, I could, yes", I responded, "but Lilith is so engrossed in that book she might not even hear me and Tempest is working on something which will be useful, probably."

"Probably?", Charlotte asked in disbelief. "You are having her create something without knowing whether or not it shall prove useful?"

"Even if it's useless, I can still use it as a bomb", I said, ending the discussion. "Then, guide Evyna to a room-" I was left unable to finish my sentence, since the main door of the throne room suddenly opened and a cold draught flowed into the room, which was odd, considering my castle wasn't particularly cold. My thoughts about this were interrupted as a cold, icy voice echoed through the room- which was also odd, considering no other sound had produced an echo, and a cloaked figure entered the room.

"Are you forgetting about me, my liege?", the cloaked figure spoke sarcastically. From the voice and figure alone, no gender could be determined, though of course I realised who it was immediately. After all, though the figure was cloaked, it was not hooded, exposing a shiny white skull with eerie blue flames in its eye sockets, adorned by a crown of ice.

"Ah, good day to you, Ice Queen", I said. Yes, this was the Ice Queen, a master of ice magic and the only currently existing Grand Lich. In addition, she was my subordinate.

"My liege, surely you have not forgotten the fourth-"

"Kneel", I interrupted. Had I not, she would not have shown me an ounce of respect.

"But my liege-"

"I said kneel", I interrupted again, this time putting force into my voice to use [Demon Master's Authority].

Although she did kneel this time, she did not forget to leave a stinging comment: "As always, you are so inflexible when it comes to formalities."

"You may speak now", I said. I could not compromise on my formalities here, or my subordinates would pick up the Ice Queen's terrible habits.

"Then, my liege, surely you have not forgotten the fourth option for these two pawns?", she spoke. Was it my imagination, or did the Slayer's face slightly redden upon being called a 'pawn'? "Of course, I refer to the option of having them serve under me as a Magus of Everlasting Cold or an Ice Statue."

Evyna looked at her with a questioning gaze, as if asking 'who is this suspicious person?', but the Slayer was looking at her with a heated gaze.

"Did that Slayer man just fall in love with an undead?", Charlotte commented from the side.

"Uh, are, aren't you an, an undead too, miss vampire?", Evyna responded.

"Madam Ice Queen, my name is Richard", the Slayer said. "By all means, please allow me to serve under you and be stepped on by you!"

This... explosive declaration was met with several seconds of silence, before being broken by the chattering laughter of the Ice Queen.

"Very well, pawn. You are honest, so there is no chance of being betrayed. My liege, please allow me to take this pawn from you."

"Evyna, was this Slayer always... like this?", I couldn't resist asking.

"I don't, uh, don't think so. I never really got, got close to him, but I don't think he ever said, uh, things like that", was the answer I received.

"... I see. Well, if we're going to have him serve her, it would be a grand idea to turn him into a Half and have him receive Lady Entropy's blessings, so everyone with me", I said, before standing up and walking towards the side door.