As the light faded, I teleported everyone directly from the fortress back to my Demon King Castle.

"""Dark Lord, welcome back—"""

"Eek!"

The moment the teleportation ended, a chorus of voices erupted. Beside me, Lily jumped in fright, her tail and ears snapping upright.

Before me stood two neat rows of maids lining the path. At a glance, nearly a hundred maids filled the hall. About ten wore long dresses like Cecilia’s.

Some long-dress maids looked young; others appeared older—their ages uneven. The rest wore short maid outfits similar to Wuluwu and Lily’s, with subtle variations.

The long-dress maids were all seasoned and trustworthy, versatile like Cecilia. They held key roles, juggling multiple duties while helping me manage others. The short-dress maids were uniformly lovely girls, each vibrant and unique.

Most importantly, maids from diverse races filled the ranks. Beast-eared girls like Lily and Ona stood beside Elves like Wuluwu. Demons from the Demon Race had short pointed ears. Even monster-race girls were present.

They were the 【White Night】, my personal armed force. White Night’s existence was a secret, known only to me and trusted subordinates. Publicly, they posed as my maid retinue—though in truth, they served as both covert guards and maids. Their numbers far exceeded those here. Roughly a thousand total, I’d left four hundred in the Demon King Castle; the rest were on missions.

"...H-how so many maids..."

Lily stared at the scene, momentarily stunned.

"What? Did you think I had few maids? Too naive. I’ve collected them for years—of course there are many."

I patted Lily’s head. She snapped out of it, baring her teeth and swatting at my hand.

"These three are new sisters? Before you left, Dark Lord, didn’t you mention one? How’d it become three?"

A middle-aged maid with glasses and a single ponytail stepped forward, eyeing Lily, Hawthorn, and Ona.

"Ahaha, plans change! Our Demon King Castle’s huge—two more won’t matter."

I grinned at her.

"That may be true, but every time you change things on a whim, Dark Lord, the budget resets. Our funds are thin. Supporting all these sisters is costly. The Black Armor Army’s expenses pile up. Weapons R&D is a bottomless pit..."

"I know, I know. Stop scolding me every chance you get, Aphre."

"It’s not scolding. It’s a reminder."

Aphre fixed me with her azure eyes, retorting sharply. She managed my finances—expenditures, budgets, economies—and often grew exasperated by my impulsive decisions.

"Everyone, meet Ona, a Demon from the Abyss. And Lily and Hawthorn—the Sword Saint and Sword Spirit."

I waved off Aphre and introduced the trio to the maids.

"Hello, everyone~"

Ona chirped energetically. Beast-eared girls waved warmly at Lily and Ona but stayed in place.

"Darling~ You’re back!"

A crisp, adorable voice rang out. A blur flashed before me—a petite figure leaped straight into my arms.

"Mmm~ I’m back~"

I hugged her close, nuzzling her head. Comfort washed over me; my body relaxed.

"Elan and Elu missed you~ You’ve been gone days."

She pulled back from my chest, looking up. Barely 1.5 meters tall, her features were exquisitely carved—delicate yet alluring. Her heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one purple, mesmerized. Silver-white hair flowed like Lily and Hawthorn’s. Fluffy wolf ears topped her head; a long white tail wagged excitedly. Her gentle smile revealed tiny fangs, making her utterly cute and tempting. Her ample chest pressed softly against mine. Most of all, seeing her filled me with indescribable warmth.

"Just a few days. Less than a week."

I chuckled, flicking her nose lightly.

"Meet my wife, Aerin—Aerin."

"...You’re married!?"

Lily gaped beside me. Hawthorn looked surprised but less visibly.

"Hello~ I’m Aerin, Xia’s wife."

Aerin turned to Lily, smiling sweetly.

"H-hello... I’m Lily."

Lily bowed slightly, still dazed.

"Elan Elur, Daddy’s back. Come out~"

Spotting two small heads among the maids, I called out.

"Daddy."

Two petite figures darted forward. Under a meter tall, they stood obediently before me, calling in unison. Both had fluffy wolf ears and tails like Aerin’s, with near-identical faces—clearly twins. One had white hair and azure eyes; the other, black hair and purple eyes. These were Elan and Elu.

"Come, let Daddy hug you."

I opened my arms. They stepped forward without hesitation. I lifted each with one arm. They nuzzled my cheeks affectionately, one on each side.

"Did you study and do homework well while I was away?"

Feeling their warmth, I asked joyfully.

"Of course, Daddy."

"You know me and Sister, Daddy."

The girls blinked, replying one after the other—white-haired Elan first, then black-haired Elu.

"Hmph meow! I never expected the Dark Lord to have such adorable daughters!"

Ona exclaimed. Lily stood frozen beside her.

"Hehe, Elan and Elu are indeed the cutest."

Aerin giggled.

"Meet my daughters, Elan and Elu. Introduce yourselves."

I turned to Lily, Ona, and Hawthorn.

"Hello, sisters. I’m Elan, the older sister."

"Hello, sisters. I’m Elu, the younger sister."

Their soft, childish voices charmed the trio. Elan had Aerin’s silver hair and blue eyes; Elu had my black hair and purple eyes.

"Hello, I’m Lily."

"I am Ona~"

"I’m Hawthorn."

They waved at the twins. Lily’s expression softened. Clearly, Elan and Elu—cuddled in my arms—were utterly endearing.