The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 146

Chapter 146
## Chapter 146: Is a Pair Truly Necessary?

After receiving what was essentially a death warrant from the lips of Jason Kokmondo, Vivian found herself backed into a desperate corner.

The legion of monsters and demonkin under her command had been virtually annihilated by the relentless assault squads. Her only remaining assets were the scattered pirates and the accumulated magic power points gathered from her dark reputation, but she harbored grave doubts that these would suffice against heroes bolstered by dwarven steel.

Vivian fought to maintain her composure, her mind racing to find a path forward.

Her accomplishments thus far had been meager, leaving her with a stark, binary choice.

She could choose a magnificent end, falling in battle with the dignity expected of a Demon King.

Or she could grovel in the dirt, clinging to any shred of hope for survival.

She opted for the dirt.

Her desire to breathe outweighed any sense of grandeur.

While critics might mock her for discarding the pride of the Demon King lineage, she was prepared to swallow any amount of shame if it meant she lived to see tomorrow.

“I need your assistance.”

She began reaching out to her few remaining contacts, however cold they might be.

“I take an oath upon the First Demon Emperor and the Banner of the King. I had no hand in the disappearance of the artisans or the princess of the dwarves.”

『And?』

The reply was devoid of warmth.

『What concern is that of mine, Vivian Blunt? The dwarves and the humans have already named you as the villain. Do you fail to grasp the finality of that?』

If she didn’t grasp it, she wouldn’t be pleading with this mountainous Titan she so thoroughly loathed.

“If you stand by me, I will grant you anything within my power.”

『A fragile succubus is of no consequence to me.』

“Ugar Belbek!”

『This is the harvest of your own failures. You should have been more competent. Instead of trying to pull me into the abyss with you, accept your execution with some semblance of silence.』

“Would you!”

“Would you simply sit still and wait for the blade!”

『Never.』

『But this is your catastrophe, not mine.』

The Titan’s derisive laughter ground Vivian’s self-respect into the dust. Despite the sting, she kept her features masked and steady.

She hadn’t endured the grueling trials of the Demon King Academy for this.

She hadn’t ascended to become the Succubus Queen and conquered an entire dimension before moving to this world just to perish like a footnote.

She refused to let her story end so insignificantly.

Life was precious. Even if she had to crawl through the filth of hellhounds, she preferred this world to the void.

Driven by this desperation, she proposed a deal that would make any typical Demon King recoil—a forbidden pact.

“…If you wish, I will submit to becoming your familiar.”

『…Are you aware of the weight of those words?』

“Do you take me for a fool who speaks without understanding?”

『Hahahaha! It seems even the arrogant Queen of Succubi can be broken.』

『To see you sink to such depths.』

“……”

She bore the mockery in silence. It didn’t matter. Pride was a luxury for the living; the dead felt neither rage nor shame.

『The prospect of owning another Demon King as a thrall is certainly alluring.』

However.

『I decline.』

“…Why?”

『Consider the reality. The dwarven rage is focused entirely on your head. On Vivian Blunt, the Demon King of Lust.』

『If I were to shield you, that fury would simply shift its gaze toward me. Why should I invite such a storm? For the sake of a common succubus who offers nothing but carnal distraction?』

“You brainless, mountain-sized heap of garbage…!”

『In my culture, muscle is the highest praise. I wish you luck in your final moments.』

『Since you’re finished anyway, why not transfer your stored magic power points to me?』

Vivian severed the link and slumped over, looking like a marionette whose strings had been sliced.

With trembling fingers, she reached out to yet another Demon King.

The result was a mirror of the first.

『Is there a treaty between us? Do we share a bond of blood or a history of mutual gain?』

『Why should I throw my life away to rescue a failure?』

“Then take my soul! Make me your familiar…!”

『A familiar? You are a disgrace, Vivian Blunt.』

She flinched under the weight of his icy disdain.

『Even a succubus should maintain a shred of the majesty required of our rank.』

『You are no longer fit for the title. You are merely a frightened animal. Do not waste my time again.』

Left with no other options, her final call went to Berge.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
‘Unbelievable.’

Berge watched the spectacle, wondering just how much further this pathetic sovereign could fall.

Even knowing she was a casualty of the chaos he himself had sparked, it was nearly comedic to see a Demon King offering up her very soul just to keep breathing.

『You are my last hope. If you turn me away, then I… I will…!』

Through the projection of the communication orb, Vivian was a mess, clutching her head in despair.

Tears and filth stained her face—she was a shadow of the haughty Succubus Queen he once knew.

Berge spoke his mind without filtering.

“You are a pitiful sight. Is there not a single spark of pride left in you?”

『Can I eat pride? Will pride keep my heart beating once the heroes arrive?』

『…I just want to live.』

『I am begging you, save me.』

“You are fully aware of the danger I am in, yet you ask this?”

『I am.』

Vivian was drowning, but Berge was also in the middle of a storm—one that was, in many ways, more treacherous.

『But I have nowhere else to turn. You have cheated death time and again, so you are sturdier than I. And…』

“And what?”

『This exchange has confirmed something for me. You aren’t panicked. You have a plan.』

“What makes you say that?”

『Other demons mock my kind for our lack of physical strength, but our intuition is unmatched.』

『When it comes to sensing the true state of a person’s spirit, we have no equals.』

“You’re rambling.”

『You are composed. Far too composed for someone in your position. That kind of calm only comes from having an exit strategy.』

“Perhaps I was simply born with a cold heart.”

『Then use that cold heart to rescue me.』

“You truly are something else.”

The sheer audacity was staggering. Yet, Berge didn’t end the transmission. The proposal actually had significant merit.

A familiar.

In the hierarchy of demonkin, a familiar wasn’t just a servant. It was a total binding of souls, transforming the subordinate into an absolute extension of the master’s will.

A contract between two demons was infinitely more binding than any pact made with a human.

Once bound, the word “betrayal” ceased to exist.

‘Her raw power might be low, but she is still a Demon King.’

Even the weakest human could become a threat once they broke their limits. Despite her current state, Vivian Blunt was far more than a “simple succubus.”

Furthermore, her existing retainers would be bound to her new master, giving Berge the organized military force he currently lacked.

Up until now, he only had Gordon and the newly evolved Krutu as high-tier subordinates. This would change everything.

Of course, there was a price.

‘The targets on her back will be painted onto mine.’

That was what had scared off Ugar.

But.

‘Is that really a concern?’

If his current scheme bore fruit, the tower could vanish into the shadows once more. The world’s rage would have no target to hit.

In fact, the more they hated him, the more his magic power points would grow.

“…If you submit to me, what becomes of your tower?”

A tower was traditionally anchored to its master. If the master died, the tower collapsed and retreated.

But if the master survived as a thrall?

Could a Demon King who had surrendered their autonomy still maintain a domain?

‘The tower remains as long as she lives. If she flees to my side, she abandons the structure. What happens when the humans reach the core?’

Every tower had a heart—the throne at its peak.

It was an unexplored scenario.

『I… I don’t care! If you want the tower, take it! Take everything I own!』

Hearing the shift in his tone, Vivian pressed her advantage with frantic energy.

If a Demon King died, the tower’s protection for its inhabitants vanished instantly.

Those left behind would be shredded by the chaotic energies of the dimensional rift. Their only hope was to find a new lord to provide a magical umbrella.

Vivian was ready to burn her bridges.

“…I will come to your tower shortly.”

『Why wait? You’ve already decided to seize the Horn of Tuentak—why not come this instant?』

“I have preparations to finish. It takes months for heroes to move from planning to action. Wait for me.”

『You aren’t going to leave me to rot, are you?』

“I swear upon the First Demon Emperor and the Banner of the King. I will be there.”

This time, he was sincere. He wasn’t about to turn away a powerful asset that had practically gift-wrapped itself. It was a complication, but a lucrative one.

“I’ll see you soon.”

Just as Berge was about to break the connection, a thought occurred to him.

It was a question that had been nagging at him even before she called.

“Wait. One more thing.”

『What? Do you have more conditions?』

Berge’s eyes focused on the top of Vivian’s head.

She shivered under his unreadable stare.

“Those horns of yours.”

『Wh-what about them?』

“Is a pair truly necessary?”

One would be more than enough to serve as a proof of her surrender, wouldn’t it?

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“I’m afraid we aren’t interested in a partnership.”

“Our warehouse is already full of those materials.”

“I expected more from the rising Golden Moon Guild of Iasin, but this is underwhelming.”

“Jetson? Isn’t that the thief who swindled the princess of Beruft and shamed the Akan merchant circle?”

It had been three days since Jetson arrived in the capital of Akan. Every attempt he made to contact the guilds that supplied the great magic tower ended in a door being slammed in his face.

His past reputation for a cowardly retreat from the magic market was hurting him, but the core issue was his lack of leverage.

Akan was the heart of the continent’s magical trade. To impress the people here, one needed something extraordinary, and the Golden Moon Guild had nothing but standard goods.

‘Vultures. Every one of them. They act like they’re high mages when they’re just middle-men like me.’

It burned him to be looked down upon by people who were essentially his peers.

But without a “hook,” he was powerless.

‘I need a miracle. Something so unique those snobs will crawl to me…’

In Akan, the wizards were the true law. The guilds only existed to serve them. And if there was one thing mages loved more than power, it was rare reagents.

That was when his luck turned.

“Mr. Jetson.”

“What?”

“A delivery from the main office.”

“Supplies?”

An employee handed him a small, ornate container. The wood was dark and covered in complex magical seals.

‘Seals?’

Such precautions were only used for things that were either incredibly valuable or incredibly dangerous.

“What is this?”

“I don’t have the details. I was just told to give you this box and this correspondence.”

“A letter?”

Jetson opened the parchment and began to read.

“……!”

His eyes widened. He finished the letter in seconds and tore into the box.

As the lid opened, a heavy, oppressive energy spilled out. Jetson swallowed hard against the sudden chill. The employee who had delivered it stumbled back, overwhelmed by a primal fear.

“Wh-what is in there?”

“Our future…”

A dark, crimson-black horn reflected in Jetson’s eyes. It was hauntingly beautiful and radiated power.

“The item that will put those arrogant bastards in their place.”

“…Sir? What are you doing?”

“Warming up my face. A master salesman needs a flexible smile.”

After a quick series of stretches, Jetson grabbed his coat.

“Get the horses ready. We’re going straight to the magic tower.”

With an item like this, he didn’t need to waste time with guilds. He was going to the top.

**End of Chapter 146: Is a Pair Truly Necessary?**