The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 109

Chapter 109
## Chapter 109: Power Dynamics of the Realm

—

『You certainly keep yourself occupied. My gratitude, Demon King.』

“If you’re going to mutter grievances, you should at least wipe that smirk off your face first.”

『My apologies. Truly.』

The subtle curve of Hillun Kagil’s mouth vanished instantly.

Berge let out a sharp exhale of derision.

Hillun Kagil, the celebrated hero, was a man of transparent motives. He lusted for dominion and rank. He was famished for prestige and the adulation of the masses. He was a creature of profound avarice who viewed morality as a costume to be worn only when profitable, and he had currently donned the mask of a subordinate to the Demon King simply because it paved his path forward.

One of his most prized assets was his web of influence.

Humans were inherently communal; they existed within a dense tapestry of social obligations and structures built over eons, which meant no lone wolf could ever truly summit the peak of power. Connections were the true currency—the kind of high-level alliances that yielded tangible results.

In that regard, Cain, the Fifth Prince of the Akan Kingdom, was a prize of immense value.

Even for a man of Hillun Kagil’s standing, cold-calling a royal to strike a bargain was a bridge too far. But since Berge had paved the way, the hero had every justification for his secret delight.

“Furthermore, you’ve managed to slip elves into the Magic Tower of Akan. I imagine you’re quite pleased. Just don’t forget: they answer to me, not you.”

『Naturally. And do I not answer to you as well, Demon King? I am your most steadfast supporter.』

“Save the flattery for someone who believes it.”

『I would never dream of it. Ever since the moment you spared my life, it became clear—you are a figure of great importance to me.』

“Importance for exploitation, you mean.”

Hillun offered no rebuttal. Berge didn’t take offense.

Such was the peculiar bond between the hero destined for legendary status and the Demon King regarded as the pinnacle of his kind.

“Are you returning to the headquarters of the Guild?”

『That is the plan.』

“Your primary objective remains the same: seize internal authority over the Guild.”

『Of course.』

“Once you’ve solidified your position, start digging. I want to know exactly who the Guild Master is.”

『The leader of the Hero Guild has been out of the public eye for a significant duration.』

『The Council of Elders maintains that everything is under control, but such a prolonged disappearance suggests a deeper rot.』

“Precisely.”

Berge’s gaze grew piercing.

“That is exactly why you must uncover the truth.”

『A difficult assignment.』

And yet…

『Even without your directive, I intended to pry into it.』

Hillun’s face split into a wide grin.

『It aligns perfectly with my own ambitions.』

—

After severing the link with Hillun, Berge’s thoughts drifted back to the guarantee he had given Reina Sordain.

‘Ugar Belbeck.’

What was the source of the confidence that allowed him to speak so boldly to the princess?

Berge was convinced of one thing.

‘Jason Kokmundo has a hand in this.’

Ugar was essentially a hedgehog—physically imposing but spiritually fragile, always hiding behind his quills and moving with extreme caution. He wouldn’t offer such a definitive assurance without a safety net, nor would the timid princess suddenly start playing at espionage.

Someone had gifted him that certainty, and Jason Kokmundo was the primary candidate.

‘In retrospect, it shouldn’t be that complex to unravel.’

The initial shock had clouded his judgment, but upon further thought, the situation wasn’t entirely supernatural. After all, Jason hadn’t actually finished off Drakson or seized his lands.

Regardless, finding the reality behind the curtain was vital—both for his agreement with Reina and for his own peace of mind.

A sharp rap came at the door.

“Enter. Wait, you?”

The visitor was unexpected.

“Demon King.”

“What brings you to my door?”

It was Kaede.

“If your schedule permits, I would appreciate a moment to speak.”

“Take a seat.”

She paused for a second before sitting across from him. Reluctant to go through the effort of preparing tea, Berge rummaged through a drawer and pulled out the sweets he’d received from Reina.

“Help yourself.”

“Thank you.”

“So, what’s on your mind?”

“…I regret coming to you with a request rather than a report, but I must ask for a favor.”

“A favor?”

“…I need you to assist my brother.”

“…?”

Berge raised an eyebrow.

“I was under the impression you had seven of them.”

“I am referring to Martin Jespain, the Third Prince of the Empire.”

“Go on. I’m listening.”

“A short while ago, Ernyan relayed some information to me.”

“Ernyan?”

“Yes. She told me that Gustav Jespain, the Eighth Prince, has passed away.”

The memory flickered in Berge’s mind. She had mentioned it previously, likely around the time he was plotting to seize Elena. He hadn’t given it much weight then.

With his own life-and-death struggle against the Empire’s Crown Prince looming, he had no interest in getting tangled in their internal politics. He had kidnapped Kaede Jespain by a stroke of luck, but it wasn’t a calculated move.

That was the extent of his involvement with the Jespain Empire.

“The official word is that a mid-ranked Aura Knight died in a riding accident.”

“It was a political hit.”

“I share that suspicion.”

“And the Empire just accepts that story?”

“In our world, lack of proof equals truth.”

“Is that the lesson from the current Emperor?”

“It is.”

In that regard, the imperial family was more demonic than the demons themselves.

The culprit was likely the First Prince, the man destined to become the Crown Prince. His reputation for wading through the blood of his siblings to reach the throne was legendary. Of course, the Second Prince was a contender too; he might have been less successful, but he was no less ruthless when it came to his goals.

“As you may be aware, the Empire is currently caught in a brutal war of succession.”

Berge was well aware. This was the era where the First and Second Princes, along with the First Princess and the Third Prince, were at each other’s throats.

As he remembered, the Third Prince was the first casualty.

The First Consort came from a ducal house with power second only to the throne—her children were the First Prince and Princess. The Second Consort belonged to a wealthy marquisate. In contrast, the mother of the Third Prince lacked any significant political foundation.

He was destined for elimination.

“So you’re asking me to back the Third Prince?”

“Yes.”

“I decline.”

Berge saw no profit in Imperial politics. Without a clear advantage, there was no reason to act. Had it been the First Prince or the tenacious Second Prince, he might have considered it. Using Kaede to manipulate the future through them had potential.

But the Third Prince was a losing bet.

“I am a Demon King. My interference in the Imperial line of succession is both absurd and impossible.”

In a different world, maybe. He could find a puppet prince, brainwash them, and have them kill their way to the top. But in Aren, the palace was crawling with heroes who would sniff out demonic brainwashing in an instant.

“I am not asking for your personal intervention, Demon King.”

“…Are you playing games with me?”

“Hillun Kagil. I know he serves as your right hand. I was skeptical, but seeing the elves follow your lead proved it. I want you to have Hillun throw his support behind the Third Prince.”

“You want me to order Hillun to play kingmaker?”

“Yes.”

It was a ridiculous notion. Hillun wasn’t a god.

“A hero cannot meddle in the succession of the Empire.”

The Empire was notoriously defensive against the Hero Guild’s reach. They had always worked to keep the Guild’s power contained within the borders of their own organization. If Hillun suddenly dove into the imperial line of succession, it would cause an international incident.

The Hero Guild’s entire identity was built on neutrality. Even a hero of Hillun’s stature couldn’t break a thousand years of tradition on a whim.

“I don’t even need my brother to take the throne.”

“Then what is the point?”

“His survival. I simply want him to live.”

“You don’t want support, just a friendship? You think a handshake from Hillun Kagil is a shield against the rest of the family?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“I believe it gives him a fighting chance he doesn’t currently have.”

“And you think this is your only option?”

“…Yes.”

Berge could see the desperation in her logic.

“If I agree to this, what is my compensation?”

“I am already your knight, Demon King.”

“That was a five-year contract.”

“A term you decided.”

“That covered your freedom within this tower and your lessons with Gordon. This is a separate matter.”

“…What is your price?”

“Gold.”

Berge held up his hand.

“I purchased Hillun’s loyalty for 100,000 gold pieces. Surely a prince of the Empire is worth that much?”

“…I do not possess such a sum.”

“Then we have nothing left to discuss.”

In truth, even if she had the gold, Berge was wary.

“Demon King.”

“First the Eighth Prince died, then his supporters fled. Now the Third Prince is next. With you—his strongest military asset—presumed gone, his position is likely in tatters.”

“How are you so well-informed about the internal state of my family?”

“Consider it a lucky guess.”

He knew because he had seen the future. The Third Prince would be purged, and then the real civil war would begin.

Kaede Jespain had died around that time too. She had joined a crusade against a Demon King and been slaughtered.

‘Wait. The Demon King she went after…’

It was Jason Kokmundo.

Kaede’s party was wiped out. The Empire made a lot of noise, but they never actually retaliated.

‘They vowed to destroy Jason, but then… silence.’

The Empire never marched.

He hadn’t thought much of it then, but now the pieces were starting to fit together in a suspicious way.

‘The Empire lost a princess to a Demon King and did nothing? No revenge for their honor?’

That didn’t happen unless a deal was struck in the shadows.

‘Is Jason’s secret connection actually the Empire?’

The thought felt like a physical weight in his chest.

‘If Jason is tied to the Imperial family, then…’

One thought led to another, snowballing into a dark realization.

‘Could he have been involved in the plot that killed me?’

It was a stretch, but given what he knew about Vivian, it wasn’t impossible.

‘No, wait.’

Berge remembered how that specific tragedy was forgotten. A much larger event had overshadowed it.

The death of the Second Prince of the Jespain Empire.

With the Third Prince gone, the rivalry had turned into a bloodbath. Then the Second Prince died suddenly.

‘The cause of death back then was…’

A heart failure.

Most likely an assassination by the First Prince. It had nothing to do with Jason.

But the doubt remained.

‘Even if he wasn’t involved in my death, the idea of Jason having ties to the Empire isn’t far-fetched.’

Jason had human allies. That was a fact. This could be the perfect opportunity to use the Third Prince as bait to flush them out—to see if the Empire was the source.

And if he propped up the Third Prince and triggered a real civil war… he could bleed the Empire dry.

‘It’s a gamble.’

One wrong move and everything would burn. But stagnation was just a slow death.

“I’ve reconsidered.”

“Pardon?”

“I will fulfill your request.”

Berge let a cold, predatory smile spread across his face.

—

Vivian Blunt.

To the humans, she was the personification of carnal desire, yet she was currently struggling just to survive her exile.

Her plot to seize Luize Beruft had collapsed, and after the heroes had stormed her sanctum, her tower was little more than rubble. She hadn’t repelled the invaders; she was only alive because they had stopped.

It was an insult. She had been saved by the pity of mere mortals.

“The audacity…!”

The heroes were the ones who swung the swords, but the root of the problem went deeper.

Jason Kokmundo.

He had warned her. To stay quiet. To avoid notice.

Vivian had ignored him, and now she was ruined. Was it just a coincidence? No. Jason’s warnings contained a hidden truth.

‘He has a tether to the human world.’

It wasn’t just about using rogue mages or mercenaries. He had an arrangement with people of influence.

She wanted to curse him for betraying his demonic heritage, but…

‘I can’t blame him. This world is a graveyard for our kind.’

There were thousands of heroes. They were everywhere. As a Demon King, she could hide, but her influence was constantly being pruned back by the local authorities.

As a succubus, she wasn’t built for raw combat like other Demon Kings. Her power lay in the corruption of the human heart.

But that path had been closed to her from the moment she arrived. A succubus who couldn’t tempt was a useless thing.

‘What is my move?’

Avenging Drakson was a dream for another time. Right now, she had to survive. She had to wait for the right moment.

Ironically, the solution came from Jason, the man who had nearly caused her downfall.

‘Jason made a pact with humans.’

Regardless of the details, he had a bridge. Which meant…

‘The humans in this world are willing to negotiate with us?’

In the Demon Realm, such a thing was heresy. But here, where humans had been winning the war for a millennium, the power balance was different.

‘Humans. It has to be humans.’

A deal with the enemy. But how to start?

‘There is only one way.’

For a succubus Demon King, the path was clear.

She stood up from her seat of power.

“Heina.”

“I am here, Demon King.”

“I am leaving for a period. Watch over the tower.”

“Are you going after another royal?”

“No. This isn’t a kidnapping.”

She began to walk down the grand staircase, her servant following closely.

“Then what is it?”

“A seduction.”

She had never imagined she would have to lower herself to charming humans as a means of survival.

“I need to bring the local power players under my thumb.”

If her subordinates couldn’t handle it, she would do it herself. The retired Demon King of the front lines was preparing to weave her web once more.