Prosperity arrived quietly.
It did not announce itself with trumpets or divine light. It came instead through small, dangerous miracles—the kind that made gods uneasy and mortals whisper at night.
Fishermen returned with nets too full.
Children stopped coughing.
Former pirates learned the shame of honest work.
And most unsettling of all—
No one was hungry.
Lucifer noticed the change the moment he stepped into the village square that morning.
People were smiling.
Not the desperate smiles of those pretending hope still existed—but real ones. Unpracticed. Awkward. Alive.
He stopped walking.
"…This is accelerating," he murmured.
The Empire Construction System chimed beside him, its glow sharper than usual.
[Daily Report Generated.]
[Population: 2,455.]
[Growth Rate: Abnormally High.]
[Crime Rate: 0%.]
Lucifer frowned.
"Zero?"
[Clarification: No recorded incidents of theft, violence, or dissent.]
Lucifer stared at the villagers.
Two men argued near a stall—then laughed and shook hands. A child dropped a loaf of bread, and three adults rushed to replace it. Former pirates stood guard, posture straight, eyes vigilant.
"…That's unnatural," Lucifer said flatly.
The system hesitated.
[Is… that a problem?]
Lucifer considered the question.
In Hell, fear maintained order.
Here… something else was doing the work.
"…No," he said slowly. "It's just unfamiliar."
They were watching him.
Everywhere Lucifer walked, eyes followed. Not with terror—but expectation.
A blacksmith bowed his head.
A child waved.
An old man whispered, "That's him."
Lucifer stopped again.
"…This is how religions start," he muttered.
The system chimed nervously.
[Faith-Based Metrics not detected.]
Lucifer snorted. "Give it time."
At the edge of the square, a group of elders waited. They had prepared for this—clean clothes, rehearsed words, anxious resolve.
One stepped forward.
"My—Lucifer," the elder corrected himself quickly. "We wish to discuss the future of the island."
Lucifer gestured lazily. "Talk."
The elder swallowed. "Trade routes. Defense. Governance. We've never had… direction before."
Lucifer looked at them.
They weren't asking for commands.
They were asking for permission to hope.
"…You want structure," he said.
They nodded.
Lucifer sighed.
"In Hell," he said, "structure is imposed. Here… it seems requested."
That bothered him more than it should have.
The system pulsed brightly.
[Milestone Reached: Stable Settlement.]
[Next Phase Available: City Development.]
Lucifer raised an eyebrow.
"That was fast."
[Conditions met ahead of schedule.]
A new prompt appeared.
[Optional Action: Formal Coronation.]
Lucifer stared.
"…No."
[Benefits: Authority Bonus, Loyalty Increase, Administrative Efficiency.]
Lucifer looked around.
At the people.
At the island.
At the dragon sleeping peacefully above them, one wing shielding the northern coast like a wall.
"…Absolutely not."
The system froze.
[…Declined?]
"Yes."
[Warning: Non-standard ruler behavior detected.]
Lucifer smiled thinly.
"You're new to me."
The system recalculated.
[Alternative recognized: Informal Sovereignty.]
Lucifer nodded. "Much better."
The system updated.
[Title Registered: Island Overseer.]
Lucifer winced.
"…You really don't understand style."
Far away—
A merchant ship altered course.
Its captain stared at a newly redrawn map, brow furrowed.
"Wasn't this island… nothing?" he asked.
In a marble hall across the sea, a noble slammed a report onto a table.
"A no-name island increased population, food output, and security in days," he said sharply. "That's impossible."
In a cathedral of white stone, a priest paused mid-prayer.
"…Why do I feel watched?" he whispered.
And high above the clouds, where ancient beings observed the flow of fate—
Something flickered.
A god frowned.
"Something is wrong," it said.
Back on the island, Lucifer was bored again.
Not as bored as in Hell—but the novelty was settling.
He sat on a rock near the shore, watching ships being repaired with surprising efficiency.
"…You're progressing too slowly," he told the system.
The system bristled.
[Development speed exceeds beginner expectations.]
Lucifer waved a hand. "Relative."
He glanced at the Technology Panel.
Crude tools. Primitive designs. Inefficient processes.
"…This won't do."
He tapped a single option.
[Research: Improved Tools.]
The system brightened.
[Estimated Time: 6 months.]
Lucifer blinked.
"…Six months?"
He sighed.
"…Fine."
He leaned forward slightly.
Not enough to rewrite physics.
Just enough to nudge understanding.
The blacksmith paused mid-hammer.
"…Why didn't I think of that before?" he murmured.
Within hours, tools improved. Within a day, techniques evolved. Within a night, the island's craftsmanship leapt generations.
The system panicked.
[ERROR: Research completed instantly.]
[ERROR: Knowledge Diffusion Detected.]
Lucifer smiled.
"I learn fast."
That evening, the dragon descended.
Not in dominance—but curiosity.
It lowered its massive head beside Lucifer, golden eyes reflecting starlight.
"Why are you here?" it asked, voice like rolling thunder restrained by respect.
Lucifer considered the question.
"…Because I was bored."
The dragon blinked.
"That is… an answer worthy of you."
Lucifer smirked. "Flattery won't get you anything."
"…It already has," the dragon replied calmly. "Purpose."
Lucifer paused.
Then looked away.
"Tch."
That night, the system did something unprecedented.
It initiated an internal process.
[Adaptive Protocol Activated.]
[Objective Updated.]
Lucifer glanced at it.
"Oh?"
The system hesitated—then displayed new text.
[Original Purpose: Train future rulers.]
[Current Assessment: Host does not require training.]
Lucifer smiled.
"Correct."
The system continued.
[New Objective: Survive long enough to learn.]
Lucifer laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"Now that," he said, standing and gazing over the glowing island, "is the correct attitude."
Below him, a forgotten island thrived.
Above him, a world began to notice.
And far beyond—
The Devil enjoyed his vacation.
✦ End of Chapter 4 ✦