The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Chapter 205 : The Demon King and the Crown Princess

Chapter 205: The Demon King and the Crown Princess

The coolness moistening his parched lips made Pablo Barkat open his eyes.

He lifted his head.

From within the dark shadows, black-crimson eyes gleaming with light looked down at him.

“Did you say you wanted to see ? That you wanted to make a deal?”

Overwheld by the crushing presence, he realized that the being before him was the Demon King of Dark Fla.

“...That is correct.”

Smack-

His head snapped to the side. His cheek burned.

“It seems you still do not understand your situation.”

“Even if I have beco a prisoner, I am the Crown Prince of the Barkat Kingdom and the de facto leader of the Southern Alliance! No matter how much of a Demon King you are, treating like this is...!”

Smack-

This ti it was the opposite side.

“Go on. Keep babbling. I enjoy breaking stiff-necked bastards.”

“....”

Their eyes t. The roaring ferocity pushing through that space made Barkat bite down on his lip.

‘He’s insane. Completely insane!’

In the end, he tucked his tail.

“...Understood.”

“Now you finally have the attitude to make a deal.”

Go on, say it.

Grinding his teeth quietly in humiliation, Barkat endured. Still, he was not such a fool as to flare up and throw away the opportunity he had barely grasped.

“It concerns Balraf Dislode, known as the greatest and strongest hero.”

“What about him?”

“Do you know what his true identity is, Demon King?”

“True identity. You know it?”

“Of course.”

“How?”

“I cannot tell you that much. However, I can swear on my interference power that there is not a shred of falsehood in my words.”

“Then what will you demand in return?”

“Release . Just release .”

“An interesting fellow.”

If he were rely soone wearing a hero’s skin, he would at least have begged to save the other heroes as well, but this one had no pretense.

Well, he had always known he was that kind of man.

“I will listen first.”

“Please promise . Promise that you will release once you know.”

“Do I have to?”

“Then I will not speak either.”

“It seems you still do not understand your position.”

“If I am going to die anyway, is there any need to confess what I know before dying?”

Watching him try to bargain was laughable. It was entertaining, like watching a play, and the corners of Berje’s mouth lifted.

“Fine.”

“Please swear it.”

“I swear upon the great First Demon Emperor and The Demon King’s Standard. If your story stimulates my interest, I will release you.”

“Thank you.”

Pablo bowed his head deeply. Then he cautiously opened his mouth.

“Please do not be surprised. Balraf Dislode’s true identity is....”

“Is?”

“He is the Guildmaster!”

“The Guildmaster? His face should be different from that man’s.”

“It seems he hid his face through a special thod.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all?”

“No, it is underwhelming compared to what I expected.”

“No, how can that be underwhelming? Balraf Dislode and the Guildmaster who disappeared decades ago are the sa person!”

Because he already knew, it was underwhelming. Instead of responding, Berje stared at him with displeasure.

“T-Then there is an even more astonishing fact.”

“This ti, you had better stimulate my interest.”

“The Guildmaster actually has one more hidden identity.”

“Again?”

“Do you know the hero who, hundreds of years ago, killed two Demon Kings and, just before killing the third, vanished together with a tower?”

“I have heard of him. So humans beca fanatics and claid he beca a god.”

“That is a futile delusion. He did not beco a god. Rather, he survived perfectly well, continued acting as a hero, and devoured nurous Demon Kings.”

“Oh? And who would that be?”

“It is the Guildmaster himself! Balraf Dislode’s true identity is the Guildmaster, and the Guildmaster’s true identity is Daniel Deyrus, who was believed to have disappeared hundreds of years ago!”

“That is truly underwhelming.”

“Isn’t it? Isn’t it astonishing? The vanished Daniel Deyrus is...Eh?”

“What I care about more than that is this.”

The play was over.

Berje’s gaze sank coldly. A suffocating pressure crushed Pablo down. His head was forcibly slamd into the floor.

“W-Why are you doing this?”

“I am more curious about who told you that fact.”

A hidden truth no one knew.

A truth no one even suspected.

How did soone like this co to know it at such a perfect timing?

“Who was it.”

Berje whispered.

“The one who told you that truth and sent you here.”

The Pablo Barkat he knew was not a man who stepped beyond the Southern Alliance.

“I already have a rough guess, but hearing it directly from your mouth would be different, wouldn’t it?”

“Th-There is no such person.”

“Speak. Only that will stimulate my ‘interest.’”

Only then would I let you live.

The Demon King smiled.

* * *

Two days had passed since being captured by the Demon King, and there was no hero left who did not know the true identities of the Four Heavenly Kings.

“So the Dark Knight was Princess Kaede, they say.”

“What about Louise Berfht, who was said to be kidnapped? A Giant of Hell?”

“They say she prefers being called a little person.”

“And what about Lavinia Arkan. They say she turned all the monsters of the tower into chiras.”

“Did you see the Spirit King who sank the floating battleship? That was the Spirit Sorceress of Darkness, Her Highness Ernan Hilderan!”

Heroes fought Demon Kings for the sake of dinsions and humanity.

They killed Demon Kings and rescued kidnapped imperial and royal family mbers. No hero had ever denied that truth, repeated for nearly a thousand years.

“Then why are those princesses hostile toward us!”

“That would be fine if that were all! There is the Lust Demon King and the Frost Demon King too. Weren’t Demon Kings supposed to never leave their towers except to kidnap royalty?”

“What in the world is this place? The tower is in the deep sea, and there are mana cannons outside firing nonstop!”

Princesses who individually surpassed Stars, and three Demon Kings. With the overwhelming disparity in power, it was a fight lost from the outset.

It was absurd that even after mobilizing a thousand heroes and six Stars there was still a power gap, but it was the truth.

The heroes lost their will to fight. Having already been captured, what morale could remain? Their spirits plunged past the bottom, becoming like condemned prisoners waiting for death.

What gave them even a sliver of hope were the demi-human races and the princesses that made up the tower.

“There are elves.”

“And dwarves. So those mana cannons really were made by dwarves.”

“Those traitors.”

“No, wait. Think about it. A Demon King who accepts princesses, elves, and dwarves alike as his retainers ans....”

“Could it be...?”

“What are you talking about! We are heroes! Are you saying a hero would betray humanity and beco a Demon King’s retainer?”

“Shut up. Does justice and duty toward humanity save your life? What has the continent ever done for ?”

“What use is being revered as a hero after I’m dead?”

The heroes’ opinions split violently.

Berje deliberately did not involve himself with them for two days. He rely used the elves and dwarves to bring them food, hoping they would agonize and fall into confusion on their own.

When the situation flowed as Berje intended, he drove in the wedge.

“I too beca a Demon King’s retainer.”

“...I am ashad, but the sa goes for .”

“Are you ashad of being a Demon King’s retainer?”

“That’s right. If even Lord Hillan beca a retainer, then we....”

Stars who had once been part of the hero’s march and then beca the Demon King’s retainers. Rozel Charnte, Ralph Schmitz, Aina Diaphrin, and even Watton Colo.

Their declarations struck the already wavering hearts of the heroes like a storm.

“...Even the Stars did it.”

“They said the Demon King of Dark Fla is different from other Demon Kings.”

“...And even Hillan Cargill is a Demon King’s retainer? Adding one more like should be fine, right?”

“They say we can just hide our identities and continue the hero’s march? That retainers can even help each other?”

“...Hmm.”

“I-I don’t want to die here! I will beco the Demon King’s retainer!”

“ too!”

Once one person broke the dam, those wishing to beco retainers poured out one after another.

“You damn bastards! You’re betraying humanity just because your miserable lives are precious!”

“Then you can go ahead and throw your own life away like chaff!”

Conflict erupted between heroes filled with a sense of mission and those who were not. With mana completely suppressed and shackles and manacles fastened, they could not even dream of proper combat, but the basic physical strength of heroes did not vanish.

“Stop.”

The one who halted the brawl of heroes split into two camps was the Spirit Sorceress of Darkness—no, Ernan, who no longer even tried to hide her identity.

“I will warn you only once.”

At her icy rebuke, every hero froze.

“Is there any need to talk further? Those who will beco the Demon King’s retainers, go to the right. Those who will not, split yourselves to the other side.”

“Y-You are the Crown Princess of Hilderan! Why are you helping the Demon King!”

“That’s right! Aren’t you ashad!”

Heroes burning with a sense of justice shouted.

“Should I be ashad?”

“Aren’t you sorry for the people who died because of you?”

“When a king orders a war, there is no need to be sorry. Then why should I be sorry for helping a Demon King?”

“...That’s sophistry.”

“Correct. But that isn’t what’s important.”

Bubbles of water struck the shouting heroes. Deprived of air, they writhed in agony. Just before losing consciousness, the bubbles vanished.

“Cough...!”

“Huff, huff...!”

“You have two choices, and before those choices, nothing else matters.”

“B-But if we beco retainers, other heroes will find out. Then even if we live now, we’ll have to hide for the rest of our lives!”

“I am not taking you in without asures for that.”

Ernan held out Armani’s Orb.

“This is different from ordinary retainers. It perfectly conceals demonic energy, so there is no risk of being discovered. Of course, the drawback is that you must completely disable all defensive chanisms when accepting it.”

“Th-That can’t possibly exist....”

“It does. Then the discussion is over, right?”

Now, choose.

“Will you beco the Demon King’s retainers? Or will you die as proud loyal servants of humanity? Whether others will recognize that is uncertain.”

If you are still ashad.

“Then rember that I, the Crown Princess of Hilderan, my younger sister who is also a princess, an imperial princess, the Princess of Arkan, the Princess of Berfht, and four Stars are already following the Demon King. You are making an unavoidable choice.”

“....”

“....”

It was not perfect, but it was a hamr heavy enough to shatter the last remaining shred of conscience. With the exception of a very few, the heroes began to step forward, volunteering to beco retainers.

That day, exactly 722 of Armani’s Orbs were consud.

“Kill all those who refused to the end.”

Berje gave the order. rcy was sufficient once. Anything more was stupidity.

“....”

Watching the heroes sentenced to death, Berje asked Kaede.

“What, does your heart ache for them as fellow humans?”

“Prisoners we cannot handle are a burden. You granted rcy once, and rejecting it was entirely their own choice.”

“You are thorough in strange ways.”

“I am the Demon King’s knight, and they are invaders.”

Of course, killing fellow humans—heroes, at that—was not comfortable.

Before being kidnapped by the Demon King, she would never have imagined saying such things.

But many things had changed. The situation, the world, and Kaede herself.

“One who steels themselves to kill others must also steel themselves for the possibility of dying by the opponent’s blade.”

“Correct.”

Berje smiled in satisfaction.

“Kaede. You said to the First Prince that he would not be rescued, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then you must show the proof.”

Although the First Prince was not the backing force who had killed him in his previous life, but rely a scapegoat, it could not be denied that the events had been triggered by him.

If he could tornt the man a little more, Berje was more than willing.

“Those fools will serve as undeniable witnesses.”

He would learn from their corpses that there had been a large-scale hero’s march, and that it had failed.

“Will your brother fall into despair, or will he burn with even greater rage?”

“...You are quite malicious.”

“I am matching your pace. Didn’t you say you had a lot pent up?”

“It seems you are venting your anger using as an excuse. Did you have so issue with my brother?”

She really did have sharp instincts.

“There was nothing. Would you like so chocolate?”

“Thank you.”

Understanding it as a signal that he did not wish to answer, Kaede quietly put the chocolate into her mouth.

It was delicious.

“Thank you.”

“Only natural.”

And because she knew there was at least a little concern for her in it, she expressed her gratitude.

* * *

“You really kept your promise.”

“Of course. Who do you think I made it with?”

At the top of the tower, Ernan sat on a massive mana cannon and looked upward. Fish of the deep sea swam past.

The trendous pressure of the ocean could not penetrate the space created by the Spirit King.

“Your help this ti was significant. Thank you.”

“It was only natural. And we agreed I would be compensated, didn’t we?”

Ernan held out both hands.

“Give it to .”

“I already did.”

“That was just the advance. If that’s all, it’s exploitation.”

“Good thing I bought a few extra, just in case.”

Berje took out a sack full of chocolate from subspace.

“No.”

“What do you an?”

“Not like that. Give it to the way you give it to Kaede or Sister Lavinia.”

“...Very well.”

Berje took out a piece of chocolate. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth.

“Ah.”

“You are crossing a line.”

“Hurry and put it in.”

Grumbling, Berje peeled off the wrapper and popped it into her mouth.

“That should suffice.”

“I will give you one too, Demon King. Say ah.”

“...You.”

“Hurry. I made a major contribution in capturing the floating battleship and persuading the heroes. Can’t you even do this much?”

“....”

That was true.

Her contributions were so many that even peeling a chocolate and feeding it to her, and accepting one from her, would not be enough even if done ten thousand tis.

Even so, as a Demon Dragon, as a Demon King, he refused to let his authority be completely trampled.

“I don’t know when I will be able to co up to the tower again once I leave. I won’t see you for a while.”“Then I will go to you.”

“You will co?”

“Yes.”

“Great! But that’s that and this is this. Hurry.”

Authority and reason wrestled as they searched for a compromise. He opened his mouth just a little.

“Close your eyes.”

“Why should I?”

“I closed mine.”

“What does that have to do with—”

“Hurry.”

He closed his eyes.

Sweet chocolate entered his mouth.

At the sa ti.

─!

A soft sensation brushed against his lips. When he opened his eyes in surprise, Ernan was already gone.

- See you next ti.

- Keep your promise to co to Hilderan.

Through her receding figure, ssage magic brushed past faintly.

“....”

Berje touched his lips. The warmth still remained.

* * *

- I understand.

The Water Spirit King nodded.

- Now I see why Nairuniel likes it so much she practically dies over it.

“Please don’t tease .”

- Then you shouldn’t have done sothing like that right in front of .

“Lady Naias and I are connected by our souls, so that was impossible anyway.”

- Then be a little shaless. You go and stir things up with the Demon King first, and what if your face gets even redder?

- Well, that would be even more fun.

“...Please don’t beco like Nairuniel.”

- Insulting a king is a grave cri, but this ti you entertained , so I will let it slide.

“Should I say thank you?”

- At least you should be grateful that I have no intention of spreading this rumor.

- Imagine it. If I told Nairuniel about this, the entire Spirit Realm would be in an uproar.

- No, if she found out, who knows what kind of fuss she would raise over not seeing it herself.

The Water Spirit King burst into laughter.

Ernan, her face red to the extre, deliberately averted her gaze.

“It’s unfair. Everyone else is in the tower, but I’m the only one who has to go back.”

- There is a way to just stay, you know.

“Then I wouldn’t be able to take Hilderan. I told the Demon King I would help him as queen. So.”

- So?

“I need to quickly deal with my annoying brother and make it so I can co up to the tower without watching anyone’s mood.”

Her eyes sank coldly.

- Are you saying you will beco king?

“No. I will just solidify my position as heir. If I beco king, I will be too busy to leave the kingdom.”

The Spirit Sorceress of Darkness, who had briefly strayed, returned once more as the Crown Princess of Hilderan.