The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 136

Chapter 136
## Chapter 136: Self-Inflicted Trouble

“Relocate them?”

Lavinia Akan, the princess currently overseeing the second floor’s bestiary, tilted her head in confusion.

“For what reason?”

“Human forces are approaching.”

“Are they Heroes?”

“Correct.”

“Is it the Akan Kingdom?”

“No, it isn’t Akan. It is Hildran.”

“Then, what is to become of me?”

“Naturally, I have no intention of putting you in harm’s way.”

“I see.”

Lavinia Akan let out a long breath, clearly relieved.

“Have you grown fond of this tower?”

“Yes. I like the monsters.”

“I suppose even within the Akan Kingdom, the chance to interact with such a vast and varied collection of creatures is rare.”

“That is true.”

The collection even boasted high-tier beasts from the frozen wastes that mankind seldom glimpsed; to Lavinia, the place was likely a goldmine.

“I assume the production of chimeras hasn’t commenced yet?”

“No. We are working on golems.”

Despite having a golem master and a dwarven smith on hand, the constructs had to be built from scratch, utilizing demonic essence rather than standard mana.

Development was only moving forward because of Lavinia’s proficiency with demonic energy, but they still required a significant amount of time.

“Pick out a few of the less capable monsters and station them throughout the first and second levels. Don’t overdo it—just enough to make it look real.”

“For the sake of the performance?”

“Precisely.”

“Understood.”

With a submissive nod, Lavinia Akan faded from view.

‘That is one concern handled.’

The arrangements to receive the Hildran forces were proceeding without a hitch. The final puzzle piece was deciding where to put Ernyan Hildran on the entry levels.

Luckily, she offered a simple fix herself.

“I suggest you construct a modest jail cell and tuck it away in a corner of the first or second floor. I will reside within it.”

She added that it would be best if the cage featured some plausible magical inscriptions.

“That should make the scene far more believable, wouldn’t you agree?”

“And once they arrive?”

“I shall be out of commission. With the assistance of Lord Nairuniel, I can slip into a deep coma.”

She clarified that by dropping her internal temperature, she could trigger a state of artificial hibernation.

“That talkative spirit is actually more practical than I gave him credit for.”

* You really ought to use the word ‘versatile’ in these situations.

Nairuniel materialized and cast a sharp look his way.

“To ensure the heroes don’t just rush past to the next floor, I need to look as sickly and miserable as possible, right? Since their mission is my rescue, my survival must be their priority.”

“Just buy some time, and Hillun will manage the rest.”

The man was a specialist in those types of maneuvers.

“Understood.”

“When you make your return, do you have a faction of nobles backing you?”

“…Do you truly intend to place me on the throne?”

“I am not in the habit of lying.”

“Well, in truth, there are many.”

An excessive amount, actually—which was the core of the problem.

Ernyan had been such an unwavering crown princess that her talent completely overshadowed the other royals, who were viewed as mere backups.

“Though, to be honest, most of them support me out of self-interest rather than genuine loyalty.”

“Where on this earth would you find a human who acts otherwise?”

“Fair point.”

Ernyan conceded with a nod.

“However, that does not mean the path is without obstacles.”

“Are you referring to the master of the Turn Vault?”

“Yes. Duke Heinz.”

The House of Heinz, a branch of the Hildran bloodline, was arguably the most powerful noble family in the realm.

This wasn’t just due to their wealth, status, or manpower.

It was because Duke Heinz was the offspring of the previous monarch and the brother of the reigning king.

He was a royal who had been stepped over in the line of succession. Nevertheless, he had been instrumental in helping his elder brother—the current king—eliminate competitors to take the crown.

The King’s confidence in him remained firm even now.

“Duke Heinz has always maintained an air of indifference toward the throne, which kept my father’s suspicions at bay.”

“But based on your tone, that was merely a facade?”

“Indeed. His soul is as black as coal.”

Ernyan possessed a rare gift for interpreting the hidden thoughts and feelings of others. It was a nearly supernatural intuition, and she had long ago detected the Duke’s malicious core.

“So, if anyone is stirring the pot, it’s him?”

“Most likely.”

“Then the priority is to remove him from the board.”

“When you went to save Elena, you remember how I was investigating various matters?”

“I do. You were the one who tipped off Kaede that the empire’s eighth prince had perished. Was there something else?”

“During that period, I realized it. A minor complication has cropped up.”

In a normal world, Ernyan Hildran’s ascent to power should have been effortless.

The monarch had already paved the way, and the nobility was following the script.

It would be more shocking if she didn’t become queen. Given enough time, the crown of Hildran would have naturally settled on her head.

“A complication?”

“Yes. After all, I was abducted.”

But a small fracture had appeared.

A decade can shift the landscape of a country. But even a single year can spark a transformation, particularly where human ambition is concerned.

“I was under the impression that kidnappings in Aren weren’t seen as a terminal blow to one’s reputation.”

They weren’t trivial, but society was so used to them that if the victim was recovered, the scandal usually faded.

“But you have successfully hidden me for over a year, Demon King. And above all else…”

“The tower remained undetected, didn’t it?”

“Yes.”

No one had located the tower. There wasn’t even a glimmer of hope that they would. That silence planted seeds of doubt, making people wonder if Ernyan Hildran was gone forever.

“Is it Heinz then?”

“Not him directly. It is Ovest Hildran, the second prince. Aside from me, he is my father’s most accomplished child. My brother, for the time being.”

“So Duke Heinz and Ovest Hildran have formed an alliance?”

“Yes.”

“You managed to uncover that so quickly?”

“I had a stroke of luck. I had spirits positioned throughout the palace, and they witnessed the two meeting in private.”

“You maintained spirits in the palace without being detected?”

“I am aware of every location fitted with detection arrays.”

“They surely wouldn’t have met in a place where they could be overheard.”

“They didn’t. A spirit observed them entering a hidden room and triggering a barrier to block sight and sound. My curiosity got the better of me, so I sent Lord Nairuniel inside. Such barriers cannot stop the influence of a high-ranking spirit.”

“……”

Operating spirits inside the royal palace without triggering alarms.

He wondered if he should take her at her word.

Berge thought on it for a moment and decided to trust her. She had no motive to fabricate such a claim.

‘If that is the truth, she is far beyond the level of a standard high-tier spiritist…’

She was much more advanced.

What was the source of this terrifying rate of growth?

“So, upon your return…”

“They will be stunned, won’t they? I am actually quite eager to see the looks on their faces.”

“Is that all you feel?”

The King and the bulk of the nobility had already selected Ernyan Hildran as the heir.

But Hildran was not the King’s personal property, and the nobles would have slowly been swayed by the machinations of Duke Heinz and the second prince.

The longer she was gone, the more the tension grew, and that tension drew supporters to the opposition.

However.

“Of course I am confident.”

Ernyan spoke with total certainty.

“That throne was mine from the start.”

It was absolute self-assurance.

“I grew weary of the weight of my father’s and the nobles’ demands, wanting to run away, but I lacked the opportunity until you took me, Demon King. I possessed the strength, but I lacked the catalyst and the nerve.”

In other words.

“That is why I bore it in silence for more than ten years. Acting as my father’s puppet, enduring trials that no other royal could stomach.”

While carrying the burden of everyone’s hopes.

Mastering the spirit arts.

Immersing herself in imperial theory, war tactics, foreign relations, and statecraft.

Building a network within the upper crust of society.

She had walked the arduous path to queenship.

Therefore, Ernyan knew she earned it.

“And besides…”

The corners of her eyes crinkled into a soft smile.

“…I despise having what belongs to me stolen. I am quite possessive.”

Even if it was a life she had momentarily turned her back on.

The ownership had never changed.

—

Reina Sordain.

The entity known to humans as the Demon King of Absolute Zero stared out at the frozen plains surrounding her tower.

The endless white horizon remained unchanged.

She shifted a crimson sweet across her tongue. But even the sugary flavor did little to soothe her anxiety.

“Berge Dayas.”

She thought of the Demon King whose hand she had first taken upon arriving in Aren.

She felt a kinship with Berge and had entered an alliance with him to facilitate a smoother takeover of Aren, even gifting him hundreds of minions as a sign of her friendship.

But before that debt could be repaid, Berge had found himself in dire straits.

At the Harstrine Gorge, his gambit with the dark sorcerers had blown his cover, and the furious empire had tracked down his hidden citadel.

He had managed the impossible by defeating the legendary hero Daphne Philian, but that was a hollow victory.

With the imperial family feeling insulted and the tower’s location known, the empire would surely send a massive force of heroes.

There were so many heroes bound to the empire that their combined might would be more than enough to end Berge.

‘It has been barely a year since Berge arrived.’

He had come with nothing but his close advisor, a result of his impulsive behavior during graduation.

In that brief window, how many monsters and demons could he have possibly called forth? How much influence could he have gathered?

The hundreds of beasts she had provided as a token of their pact would be slaughtered like cattle by the approaching heroes.

This realization weighed heavily on Reina.

Should she leave Berge to his fate?

Or should she intervene?

“Intervening would be an error.”

Her subordinate, Nina, who was privy to her thoughts, spoke against it.

“A pact is meant to be mutually beneficial. At this stage, Demon King Berge is more of a liability than an asset.”

“He simply hasn’t had the chance to shine. Who can say he won’t be an invaluable ally later?”

“That is the point—there will be no ‘later’.”

Nina spoke with finality.

“The empire is formidable. Demon King Berge cannot survive this.”

“Which is why I am saying I should provide aid.”

“Don’t forget, these snowfields are technically imperial soil. You would be declaring war on the empire.”

If word got out that Reina Sordain was supporting Berge Dayas.

“The empire would send a full-scale army to this very tower.”

That would be a different beast entirely compared to a hero raid.

The empire had the power to mobilize tens of thousands of elite troops.

Naturally, they couldn’t send everyone because of border security, but the sheer difficulty of stopping such a tide was undeniable.

“The majority of these wastes are now my territory. Most of the monsters here answer to me.”

Nearly ten thousand strong.

It was the military might she had carefully cultivated over eight decades.

A legion built by biding her time, studying the state of Aren, and putting aside her pride as a Demon King.

“…Even with that, it wouldn’t suffice.”

Ultimately, Reina’s voice faltered.

Against any other kingdom, she could have simply obliterated them. But the empire was the strongest power on the continent.

“If we had another century, perhaps, but as of now, it is an impossible task.”

The empire was simply that dominant. She suspected that even all five Demon Kings working in unison might only just manage it.

‘This world is unlike the others.’

Infiltrating dark mages or monsters to cause internal chaos and drain resources was the standard, most efficient Demon King tactic.

But in Aren, thousands of heroes stood in the way of those schemes, making the power gap even wider.

“Then, as long as I leave no trace of my involvement.”

“The only way you can truly help is by sending demons. Simple monsters add to the body count but don’t change the outcome.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“But aren’t all your demon subjects ice-based?”

“…They are.”

“Everyone would immediately know they came from you.”

“Could they not assume they are Berge’s servants?”

“What is the title the humans have given to Demon King Berge?”

“…The Flame Calamity.”

High-level ice demons serving the Flame Calamity? It would be impossible to dodge the suspicion.

Even if people thought Berge had summoned them himself, human prejudice was a powerful thing.

In the end, Reina had no choice but to retreat. With a heavy heart, she could only pray that Berge could withstand the storm on his own.

“There is something else I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Demon King Jason has been waiting to speak with you for some time.”

“Looking for me?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you only telling me now?”

“I mentioned it earlier, but you were so lost in your thoughts you didn’t hear me.”

“…I see.”

Reina cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment and stood up.

“Let’s see what he wants.”

—

“And why exactly are you asking me that?”

Reina’s face went cold.

Frost began to gather in the air, mirroring her irritation.

『Please, do not take offense. I am merely asking because I am concerned and wish to offer some guidance.』

“I asked why you are prying into the nature of the relationship between Berge and myself.”

『Because I am worried you might be tempted to assist him, Reina.』

“Whether or not I choose to aid Berge is none of your concern, is it?”

『As I stated, it is out of worry. Regardless of his success until now, Demon King Berge has made the fatal error of provoking the empire’s wrath.』

『He has only been here for a year, and even if he has accumulated more demonic power than the average newcomer, stopping a focused empire is no small feat.』

『That remains true even if you decide to jump in.』

“I have no patience for your indirect way of speaking.”

『If you help him out of some sense of camaraderie, you will be putting your own neck on the line, Reina.』

『The empire is the opponent. You understand their strength better than anyone.』

“Jason Corkmond. You certainly are worried about me. Is this the first time you’ve reached out like this in the last few decades?”

『You have managed quite well on your own since then.』

“Because I appreciate the help you gave me back then, I will give you an answer. As you said, I know the empire’s strength. I will not be assisting Berge.”

『That is a relief to hear.』

“You sound as though you are hoping for Berge’s demise.”

『That is a misunderstanding. It is simply that his current predicament is a mess of his own making. I gave him the same advice I gave you and Ugard years ago, and this is the path he chose.』

“So, you’re saying you’re just annoyed by him.”

『I still hope he survives. It is rare to find someone who shares my outlook so closely. But I do not wish for others to pay the price for his poor judgment.』

『When we weigh Demon King Berge, whom we have known for a year, against you and Ugard, whom we have known for a lifetime, who do you think I would prioritize?』

Reina gave a small smile.

His words were polished, but she could tell they weren’t entirely sincere.

She chose not to press him on it, and the rest of their talk was trivial.

Once the link was cut, Jason Corkmond sat in the Tower of Deceit, staring at the darkened crystal ball.

“…So their bond hasn’t reached that point yet.”

Excellent.

The corners of Jason’s mouth curled upward.

Given Reina’s personality—where she would stand by someone to the end once they had her trust—if their connection had been deeper, she would have intervened regardless of the risk.

“Demon King Berge. Please do not hold a grudge against me.”

This is simply the harvest of the seeds you sowed.