The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 103

Chapter 103
## Chapter 103: Handling the Mana Vein

Witnessing a person who bore a striking resemblance to Berge was peculiar.

It wasn’t exactly a feeling of mistrust.

Armand had already reported that he detected no presence from the individual other than standard mana. It seemed impossible for a Demon King to go completely unnoticed like that.

She simply viewed it as a strange, almost comical coincidence.

Reina had reached out to Berge primarily because she was feeling frazzled after her clever plot unraveled, and he was the only person she felt comfortable venting to.

However, a lingering doubt remained.

“It was a snowy plain. There is no question it was a snowfield.”

What was he doing in such a place?

Furthermore, why had he been dishonest about his location?

“Are you absolutely certain it was a snowfield, Your Majesty?”

“I have zero doubts.”

“Erjest is also a land of heavy snowfall. In the high altitudes, the snow never melts, much like a permanent frost zone. While the terrain is mostly jagged peaks, it isn’t as if flat stretches are non-existent.”

“Is that the case? I suppose that makes sense.”

Reina forced a small nod of agreement.

Yes, looking at it logically, that was the more grounded explanation. She was likely just on edge due to Armand’s blunder and the shock of seeing a human who looked like a twin of Berge.

“But does Erjest truly possess a snowy expanse so vast you can see the horizon?”

“…That is difficult to say.”

Nina found herself unable to provide a quick confirmation.

A heavy silence filled the room.

“…How did Demon King Berge appear during the call?”

“The same as he always does.”

He was the very essence of a Demon King. Besides, the communication devices they used only functioned when fueled by demonic power.

“I find it highly improbable. It defies logic. And yet…”

Once the seeds of skepticism are planted, they are notoriously difficult to uproot.

“Even if it truly was a snowfield, if it were within Your Majesty’s borders, you certainly would have sensed his presence.”

If he were in a snowy region that hadn’t crossed into Reina’s sovereign land, it wasn’t a major diplomatic incident.

Nina’s logic was sound.

“No.”

Reina shook her head in disagreement.

“If that was a snowfield, then he deliberately deceived me.”

He had explicitly denied being in such a place when he clearly was.

A partnership relied entirely on shared confidence. Berge had preached that sentiment himself, and Reina lived by it. But in this instance, Berge had compromised that trust.

“It is a strict violation of etiquette for one Demon King to trespass on another’s lands. Even if it wasn’t Your Majesty’s specific territory, it was in the immediate vicinity. If he had been honest—admitting he was near your borders—how would you have responded, Your Majesty?”

“I would have been displeased. So, he obscured the truth to avoid a confrontation.”

“That is my assessment.”

“That doesn’t make the lie acceptable.”

“However, since he didn’t actually cross the border, no laws were broken.”

It was true. If there was no actual harm but the potential for a headache, it was understandable why he might try to smooth things over with a white lie.

But the core mystery remained.

“Why was he standing in the middle of a snowfield?”

“For what end?”

“What was his ultimate objective?”

The uncertainties continued to mount.

“Are there any members of the Imperial bloodline in that area?”

“No royalty from the Empire is currently traveling in the north.”

“In that case…”

Why did the warnings of Drakson suddenly resurface in her mind at this specific moment?

A high-ranking demon encroaching on the land.

What if the intruder wasn’t just a high-rank demon, but a Demon King? What if it was Berge?

Reina fell into deep thought. Nina did the same.

“…It is possible.”

After a long pause, Nina spoke with hesitation.

“Possible what?”

“Perhaps his explanation about the creatures was genuine.”

“The monsters?”

“Indeed. Demon King Berge mentioned he was traveling to press-gang monsters into service as familiars. Could that not be the truth? Perhaps the location was simply a snowfield instead of Erjest.”

“Why travel all that way for a snowfield?”

“The climates of Erjest and the snowy plains are comparable—frigid and snowy. However, because of the geographical difference between mountains and flatlands, the wildlife differs. Perhaps he was hunting for a specific species found only there?”

“That sounds preposterous.”

“Does it?”

“Actually, I can’t come up with a better theory right now.”

Reina rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

“…Monsters, she says.”

It could be a fabrication, or it could be the truth.

But since Berge was the one who volunteered that information, it provided her with the perfect bridge to investigate further.

“I suppose I’ll have to verify it myself.”

Using the monsters as her justification.

—

Totally oblivious to the fact that Reina Sordain was growing suspicious of him, Berge made his way back to the southern regions.

In many respects, the south was currently more chaotic than the north.

“It’s war!”

“The Southern Alliance and the Empire have engaged in combat in the Pellerium Mountains!”

Both the Empire and the Alliance had attempted to keep the discovery of the massive mana stone vein a secret—it was a prize far too valuable to share. However, as the situation grew more volatile, the truth leaked out.

Whispers of the incredible mana deposit spread like wildfire, drawing armies from both factions toward the Pellerium Mountains.

“The Empire has breached the Southern Alliance’s borders to steal our wealth! They launched a cowardly sneak attack on Prince Pablo Barkat while he was merely conducting a survey!”

“We will demand justice for this ambush and take back the lands the Empire has stolen!”

That was the official line from the Southern Alliance.

“The Southern Alliance has trespassed onto Imperial soil, blinded by greed for our resources.”

“They attacked our outposts with a full military force and now play the victim, pretending they are the weak party.”

“The Empire will not be swayed by such transparent lies. We will not surrender a single blade of grass from our sovereign territory.”

This was the counter-argument from the Jespain Empire.

They shouted a thousand different justifications, but the technicalities were irrelevant now.

The two powers had already shed blood, and the shimmering promise of the mana stone mine was dangling right in front of them.

Neither side was willing to be the first to blink.

“How marvelous.”

The constant stream of violent news was so refreshing it helped him put the frustrations of the north out of his mind.

“So, give me the update. What’s the status?”

“Y-Your Majesty, my precious cannons…”

“I’ve tucked them away safely in the snow, so focus and answer me.”

“Prince Pablo… Wait? What do you mean ‘safely in the snow’?”

“Work it out for yourself.”

“…Lady Ernyan? You don’t mean they’re…?”

“……”

Ernyan looked away, refusing to meet Roger’s eyes. The dwarf grabbed her arm in a panic, but she shoved him off with a huff.

“Lady Ernyan!”

“I have no idea!”

“Just tell me if my masterpieces are still functioning!”

“…If I had to be honest, they’re probably more broken than not…?”

“No…! Do you have any idea the effort I put into sending those out…!”

The dwarf slumped to the ground in despair.

Berge clicked his tongue in annoyance and looked toward the elves.

“He’s a nuisance. The rest of you, finish the briefing.”

“Yes, Sire. The Southern Alliance, under the command of Pablo Barkat, has struck the mine once more.”

This wasn’t a ragtag group like the previous force. They had hand-picked the best soldiers from their respective nations and pushed forward, ignoring the casualties inflicted by the local monsters.

While it wasn’t the absolute pinnacle of every nation’s power, it was a formidable military force.

“The Imperial guard fought hard, but they were forced to relinquish the mine.”

“Interesting.”

“The Empire retreated to regroup and immediately tried to reclaim the position, but they were repelled twice. That is the current stalemate.”

“So the Southern Alliance holds the high ground for the moment.”

The Alliance had previously lost to the Empire’s initial occupation force, but they had succeeded in their retaliatory strike.

They had also managed to hold the line during the subsequent power struggle.

“What is the general sentiment?”

“Despite suffering three consecutive setbacks, the Empire is moving with deliberate caution. Ten distinct knight orders have massed at the Pellerium border, and more units are arriving daily. They are hiring every mercenary available and calling up the private levies of the nobility. They have no intention of walking away.”

“And the Southern Alliance?”

“They are matching that energy. Reinforcements from across the Alliance are pouring into Barkat and marching straight to the front lines. They are ignoring the attrition caused by the journey. Both sides are fully committed.”

“This is getting good.”

“If this continues, a total war is inevitable.”

“I see.”

This was precisely the outcome he had hoped for. Though if this turned into a long-drawn-out siege, he might need to invest in more portable towers to maximize the harvest.

He suddenly noticed the neutral, almost bored expressions on the elves.

“Does this not bother you? Aren’t you supposed to be allied with the humans?”

“Our loyalty is to our kin, not the humans. Their petty squabbles are their own.”

“Furthermore, we have pledged our lives to the World Tree. For the next hundred years, provided the tree remains safe, we are your loyal servants.”

It was exactly as he expected.

This pragmatic loyalty was the reason he kept elves on his payroll.

He let out a sharp whistle.

“Setting them up around the mine was a stroke of genius.”

By now, those portable towers must be brimming with a significant amount of negative energy. The thought of how much more they would collect as the war escalated brought him genuine joy.

But he couldn’t afford to get complacent.

It was true that his meddling had pushed things to this fever pitch.

However, a mana stone vein of that size was a game-changer no matter the circumstances. So why had the Southern Alliance given up on it so easily in his original timeline?

‘It wasn’t that they gave up without a fight. There were skirmishes, but they never managed to take the mine, so they eventually withdrew.’

But compared to the carnage happening now, that previous conflict had been a minor disagreement.

‘Something is missing.’

And Jason Cockmond was almost certainly the missing piece of the puzzle.

What had happened?

How had he convinced the Southern Alliance to abandon such a legendary resource?

‘Did he have some secret leverage over the Alliance kings?’

‘Or perhaps he had backroom deals with Imperial nobles that led to a quiet partition?’

Wait, even before that.

‘Why would he want to stop this at all?’

This was a golden chance to harvest an ocean of demonic energy.

‘Was there a factor I was completely unaware of?’

He didn’t know. In his past life, he hadn’t bothered to follow the details of this specific conflict.

It was Ugar’s business, and he hadn’t been desperate enough to poach from another’s plate. Such behavior was beneath a man of his standing.

Berge shook his head, clearing away the useless ruminations.

‘There’s no point in obsessing over things that don’t apply. The past is gone, and the present is a different beast.’

The timeline had already diverged. There was no sense in worrying about ghosts of a future that no longer existed.

The best move was to stay prepared.

Still, just to be thorough.

“Do you elves have any clever ideas on how to throw more fuel on the fire of this war?”

One can never have too many ways to incite a riot.

—

“Quite fascinating.”

The man took a slow, appreciative sip of the vibrant pink fruit wine.

In the north, the Frost Demon King was making moves.

In the south, a violent dispute with the Southern Alliance had broken out.

And in both instances, the Imperial forces had tasted defeat.

To any loyal Imperial, this should have been a disaster, but he found the whole thing genuinely entertaining.

Count Mainz continued his briefing with a careful tone.

“Margrave Chernian has sent over a detailed account of the current situation regarding the Frost Demon King.”

“Give me the highlights.”

“The military strength of the Frost forces is, at a minimum, capable of overrunning the entire northern territory of the Empire.”

“Truly terrifying.”

He gave a mock shudder of fear before shrugging nonchalantly.

“The chance of the Frost Demon King actually launching an invasion?”

“Highly improbable. Even when caught in Gillian Aint’s trap, the Frost Demon King permitted several survivors to flee. That suggests she has a preference for isolation over conquest.”

“Then let Margrave Chernian handle it for now.”

“As you wish.”

“And what of the south?”

“The vein was lost during the Alliance’s raid. Two attempts to retake the position have failed.”

“A pathetic stain on the Empire’s reputation. Pure, unadulterated failure.”

The man tipped his glass, pouring the expensive wine onto the floor.

“This has soured the flavor.”

“Allow me to pour you a fresh glass.”

He extended the empty crystal. The count refilled it to the brim.

“It’s not a total loss, though. The southern margrave doesn’t answer to Floyan.”

“That is correct.”

“I find myself thirsty again.”

“Margrave Ersian is currently organizing a massive counter-offensive. He plans to seize the mine, wash away the shame of his previous losses, and use the victory to cement his influence in the capital.”

“We can’t have that. Absolutely not.”

He clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“What do you think? Is that vein actually worth the trouble?”

“We haven’t been able to confirm its total volume yet.”

“And your conclusion?”

“Unless the deposit is of an unprecedented scale, the cost of holding it outweighs the benefit.”

“Explain.”

“The Pellerium Mountains are a nightmare. The region is largely uncharted by civilization—treacherous cliffs and teeming with high-level monsters. The Alliance took heavy losses in those three engagements, but the casualties taken from the monsters were just as severe.”

“I see.”

“If a professional, well-equipped army takes that much damage just trying to reach the site, what happens once they start the labor-intensive process of mining?”

When you factor in the constant loss of life and equipment, was there actually a profit to be made?

“So, you are suggesting we walk away?”

“It’s not the most glorious path, but there’s no reason to bleed the Empire dry for a single mine. Unlike the Alliance, we already have several stable sources of mana stones.”

“Fair enough.”

The man nodded.

“Then we bury it.”

“You mean give the vein to the Southern Alliance?”

“No, nothing so generous. Those ants wouldn’t know what to do with it anyway. I mean we make it so that nobody can have it. We return it to the state it was in before—untouched.”

“I understand.”

“But how? The Empire’s pride is on the line. We need to save face.”

He wasn’t asking because he lacked an answer. His sharp, curious eyes were testing the count’s wit.

“We will reclaim our honor through a show of force, and then we will ensure the word spreads that the vein is actually worthless and dried up.”

“A solid plan. But will the ants just accept that?”

“Perhaps we utilize the other lead from Lake House?”

“That was the whole point of leaking it to begin with. So I can pull the strings of this war and cut them when I’ve gotten what I need.”

The man poured the wine onto the floor once more.

“And he gets his share of the spoils from the conflict as well.”

The Southern Alliance had descended on the vein immediately after the Empire secured it. That was no accident.

“Arrogant fool. Thinking he can use the Empire as his pawn?”

“His methods are always shadowy and underhanded. However, in this case, his interference is undeniably useful.”

“True. Floyan thinks the Alliance is a joke, but they aren’t that easy to brush aside.”

The current state of affairs was exactly as he had envisioned—and exactly what he wanted.

“Still, it feels a bit wasteful to just let it go.”

“We must keep our eyes on the larger prize.”

“You’re right. We must.”

He nodded with conviction.

“Should I intervene personally?”

“Yes.”

“Then that is what I shall do.”

The man filled his glass one last time.

“Even the filth of the demon world can be quite handy under the right circumstances.”

This sip, finally, was sweet.