As Sado Island continued its development—choosing to progress without the aid of magic-tech—my presence there became fleeting. My duties constantly pulled me away, and though I left trusted hands to oversee the island’s governance, my absence began to take its toll. A new council had been formed to guide the islanders, and for a time, they maintained order.
But order was not strength.
Without me there to defend them, Sado’s people grew vulnerable to the Demon Lord’s minions. The attacks were relentless, the monsters growing bolder in my absence. Worse still, the Demon Lord himself had begun to visit the island, not to conquer—but to break their spirits. Each time, he left behind a message, taunting them with the idea that their so-called ruler was nothing more than a myth, a false hope they clung to in desperation.
And the people… they began to believe him.