The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 32

Chapter 32
## Chapter 32: The Dwarven Way of Gratitude

『Did you say Wind Lotus?』

“Correct. It’s located on the magical district of Amur. The proprietor goes by the name Jetson. Keep that locked in your memory.”

『What brought this on so suddenly?』

“The prick had the audacity to try and swindle me.”

『…Does he have a death wish?』

“Well, he pivoted and successfully conned the dwarven princess instead.”

『…Is the man still breathing?』

“Regardless, I’ve verified his aptitude. He’s a natural-born grifter. I’m thinking of folding him into the Golden Moon Merchant Company. I’ve already provided a down payment.”

『He actually accepted the gold and agreed to join?』

“If he had, I wouldn’t be contacting you or tipping off the princess. Since he won’t come willingly, I’ll ensure he’s left with no other options.”

『…Good grief. Involving the princess.』

“Dig into him. Origin, age, background. Why he started the shop, how he acquired it, his total net worth. I want the full picture, start to finish.”

『…Poor bastard. Actually, he needs to survive the day first.』

Berge ended the transmission with Granada and headed into the Deer Leaves shop to purchase Seniel powder.

“We carry four grades: low, mid, high, and premium. Which are you looking for?”

“Explain the disparity.”

“It’s in the purity of the mana stones and the refinement of the ingredients. That determines the overall potency and reaction speed.”

“I’ll take your entire stock of premium.”

“That will be ten bags of top-grade Seniel powder for 10 gold.”

The premium powder possessed a mana clarity that was night and day compared to the garbage at Jetson’s stall. It was a stark contrast. He realized that the lying thief had been peddling low-grade trash—mid-grade only if the buyer was blind.

“What are the rates for the rest?”

“High-grade is 50 silver, mid-grade is 30, and the basic stuff is 10 silver.”

‘Maybe I should have just broken his legs myself instead of letting the princess handle it.’

He valued the man’s talent for deceit, but the memory of almost being taken for a fool still rankled.

Just then, a voice called out.

“Still lingering here, I see.”

It was Luize.

“Because of your warning, I avoided a massive headache. I owe you one, and I intend to pay it back.”

“What did you do with the shopkeeper?”

“Tch. Since we’re in Amur, I couldn’t exactly snap his limbs. Too many damn regulations to dance around.”

Luize clicked her tongue, casting a sharp look at her knight. It was clear the guard had been the one restraining her.

‘She didn’t maim him even with the knight holding her back? For a foreign royal, she’s surprisingly disciplined.’

“Instead, I confiscated a hoard of decent supplies. Want a share?”

“Pass. It’s all garbage.”

“True enough. That con artist didn’t have a single legitimate item in the whole place.”

Luize muttered that she probably should have just broken his bones after all.

“Absolutely not!” the knight barked.

“Anyway, let’s eat. I’m buying you the most expensive meal in the city.”

“I’m not interested.”

Berge had zero desire to build a rapport with Luize. He had abducted Roger because he needed him, but generally, he considered dwarven royalty to be a nuisance best avoided.

“That won’t do. My culture dictates that a debt must be cleared.”

“…Forcing a reward on someone who declined isn’t exactly a favor.”

“I was raised to settle scores, no matter what.”

Luize gripped his hand with a strength that suggested she wasn’t letting go.

“…Fine.”

Rather than causing a scene in the street, Berge gave in to the dwarven brand of “gratitude.”

—

“What do you think? They say this is the priciest, most prestigious spot in Amur. Isn’t that right?”

“Indeed, Your Highness,” the knight replied with a sharp nod.

Luize wasn’t exaggerating; the restaurant was opulent. The decor was tasteful, and the view from the twentieth floor was impressive. The food, surprisingly, was excellent.

‘This makes Granada’s cooking look like literal slop.’

If he ever said that aloud, Granada would likely throw a fit and remind him he wasn’t hired as a chef.

“You seem well-off. Why were you browsing that cheap, shady shop?”

“I’m searching for someone.”

“Without hiring a search party?”

“It’s a personal matter. I want to find them myself.”

Luize gave a chilling smile. Berge made a mental note to ensure she never crossed paths with Roger or the other princess.

“I feel sorry for them.”

“They don’t deserve your pity.”

From her tone, Berge was certain she would hunt Roger to the ends of the earth. Her history before his regression had proven that ten times over.

‘What a pain.’

He hadn’t found a solid lead yet, but if she ever discovered he was the one who had snatched Roger, things would get messy. In that case…

“Are you looking for Roger Friedri?”

*Bang—*

The princess vaulted to her feet. The table flipped over. The knight’s blade was instantly pressed against Berge’s throat.

“How do you know that name?”

“I have good hearing. Hiding your face is useless if you can’t control your tongue, Luize Verft.”

“…Was I being that loud?”

“Your volume was high, but identifying you as a princess just from that is suspicious,” the knight countered, his killing intent heavy. “Who are you? Did you target us?”

“That’s rich. Who was it that practically kidnapped me for lunch? You, Princess?”

“…Fair point.”

“I’m trying to help. I’ve seen Roger Friedri.”

“What? When? Tell me where!”

“Two months back, in Ormus.”

“Roger went to Ormus? That desolate place?”

“I scour the continent for rare reagents. I spotted him in Tartar, that jungle city in Ormus.”

“Why should we trust a word you say?” The knight remained unconvinced, certain Berge was a plant.

“Don’t then. It’s your loss.”

Berge reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace. It belonged to Roger—he’d taken it when he shackled the boy to retrieve the Mana Ghost and had forgotten to return it.

“That’s…!”

“It’s Roger’s! That’s the very first piece he ever forged. It’s a dud with no enchantments, but he wore it as a lucky charm!”

Both dwarves recognized the item immediately.

‘So that’s why he cried when I took it.’ No wonder the boy had made such a fuss. A few strikes had eventually shut him up.

“Where did you get this?”

“I told you. Tartar.”

“Roger would never part with this… unless…”

“He isn’t dead. It broke during a beast attack, and I scavenged it.”

“There’s a snap mark on the link.”

Indeed, it was the mark from when Berge had ripped it off Roger’s neck when the boy refused to hand it over.

“Thank you!”

The princess grabbed Berge’s hand with renewed energy.

“You’ve given us a real trail. That’s a second favor I owe you. How can I possibly—”

“This is a joke.”

Berge reached out and grabbed the knight’s sword with his bare hand.

*Screeech—*

The metal emitted a sickening groan as it buckled and bent under his grip.

“You talk of favors while your subordinate keeps a blade at my throat.”

The nerve of these dwarves, pointing steel at him.

“Uh…?”

“…Good gods.”

Luize and her guard stared in utter disbelief.

“I’ve learned quite a bit about dwarven ‘hospitality’ today.”

Berge stood to leave, but Luize lunged to stop him.

“Wait! Please, I apologize for his behavior.”

“Save it. I’m finished with dwarves.”

“It’s only because of my rank that he’s so guarded. We deal with so many people trying to use us.”

“And I’m supposed to care about your political baggage?”

“No, of course not.”

She shoved a small medallion into his palm.

“This is a token of my gratitude. Present this at the kingdom, and our master smiths will forge you gear of the highest caliber.”

“…I’ll take it, since it seems useful.”

Berge vanished from the spot.

“…The sword?”

“Ruined. This is a high-alloy blade, yet he crushed it like parchment…”

Dwarven alloys were famous for their durability.

“He didn’t even use mana… he just crumpled a master-crafted weapon with raw strength?”

“What’s the play, Princess? This could be an ambush.”

“The necklace was the real deal, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Then we move. Even if it’s a trap, the chance is too high to ignore. I won’t stop until I find him.” Luize’s eyes burned with resolve. “Contact my father. I want reinforcements.”

“Understood.”

They were unaware that Ormus, with its dense jungles, was the territory of the Beast Demon King, Drakson. Berge had deliberately pointed them toward a different headache.

—

“…A complete failure?”

“They couldn’t even find the Demon King’s tower?”

“Hillun Kagil failed?”

Humans are naturally collective. With an influx of heroes in this world, it was inevitable they would organize. They formed guilds to protect their rights, trade secrets, and systematically hunt Demon Kings. Thus, the Hero Guild was established.

Once the natural predator of Demon Kings, it was now a massive organization that treated them like sport. And currently, it was in an uproar.

This wasn’t like Wharton Kol’s minor setback. They expected Erjest to take time, but a total blackout was unforeseen.

“Reports say the tower was nowhere to be found.”

“Nonsense…”

“It’s been centuries since the first descent. Dozens have arrived. Not one has managed to keep their tower hidden for weeks.”

“That is precisely why this council has convened.”

An emergency elder meeting after such a short interval was unheard of.

“We cannot underestimate this specific Demon King.”

“Hillun Kagil is thorough. He combed those mountains for weeks and found nothing. It was obscured by design.”

“Even so, a Demon King wouldn’t usually—”

“The data is in!”

“Quiet, everyone.”

The man at the head of the long table spoke, and the room fell silent.

“This newcomer is definitely someone to watch. But before we dive into that, the intelligence we requested has arrived.”

“A response from the other side?”

A projection flickered to life from the mana stone in the center of the room.

> **⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙**
> **Name:** Berge Dayas
> **Specialty:** Primarily utilizes fire; physical stats are top-tier among his kind.
> **Note:** Labeled a ‘fool’ in the demon realm for openly mocking the Standard of the Demon World.

One elder scowled at the text.

“That’s it? No race? No specific identity? No list of subordinates or tower specs?”

“That is the extent of the report.”

“Those arrogant bastards. They’re trying to withhold information!”

“We’ve been too soft on them. It’s time to show them who’s in charge!”

“Mobilize the heroes! Start a crusade!”

The elders fumed, but the man at the head of the table crossed his arms.

“No. Even Demon Kings can’t just stroll into another’s tower. This one only just arrived. It’s logical they wouldn’t have intel without a formal envoy.”

“Ah, I suppose… we lost our heads for a moment.”

Demon Kings rarely inspected each other’s towers unless they were in a formal alliance. Even close friends didn’t extend invitations lightly; that was the law of their world.

“So we’re blind regarding the tower for now?”

“Correct.”

The elders grumbled. An unknown variable with zero data was a dangerous thing.

“What if we just send a massive force to level the place early?”

“The report included a final note: *’He holds the standard in contempt. Not a typical Demon King, not a typical demon. Proceed with caution.’*”

The man smirked. “An interesting one has arrived.”

“What does that imply?”

“A Demon King who ignores the ‘Standard’?”

It was the worst-case scenario—an irregular who ignored the very logic the Hero Guild used to win. The centuries of data and tactics they’d built up could be rendered useless.

“Isn’t he already breaking the rules?”

“He kidnapped a princess. And now an Imperial Princess as well.”

“He won’t destroy everything. The Standard is efficient, even for them. But he will manipulate anything that doesn’t suit him. We have to assume that.”

“Good grief.”

The reason heroes had started to find Demon Kings manageable wasn’t just strength; it was because they understood the “standard” demons held sacred and used it against them.

“What kind of freak is this guy to ignore the standard? Why would the demon realm even send a guy like that?”

“We don’t know.”

“Perhaps…” An elder sighed.

“Perhaps what?”

“The demon realm might be trying to break the status quo.”

“Explain.”

“It’s been ages since the descents began. We know they are the demon world’s vanguard. After dozens of failures, wouldn’t they try something different? This Berge Dayas is likely their first experiment in change.”

“…That’s a disturbing thought.”

“They might be using the ‘alliance’ excuse to hide his tower while he settles in.”

“But the report said they didn’t like him.”

“It’s a new approach; they might not be fans. But they follow the hierarchy.”

The elders nodded one by one.

“Shouldn’t we crush him now to show them their experiment failed?”

“No.” The man at the head licked his lips. “We will observe.”

“Just watch?”

“Isn’t this a perfect opportunity?” His smile grew wider. “The continent has grown soft. Casualty rates are down, national power is up. That’s why those arrogant politicians are talking about disbanding the Hero Guild.”

It was no secret. A long peace had made the nations resent the guild’s independent power.

“Who keeps them safe? Who prevents the continent’s collapse? Who stops them from becoming slaves to the demon realm?”

“They’ve forgotten. Now they act like they can control us.”

The elders felt a chill at the man’s suppressed malice.

“Wouldn’t a new, absolute threat like Berge Dayas wake them up? Show them that this ‘peace’ is a fragile illusion?”

“Wise.”

“Jespaine has become particularly insufferable lately.”

Immediately after the 9th Princess was taken, Jespaine’s envoy had harassed the guild—it was a well-known grievance.

“Acting like that over a bit of gold… they need a reminder of who actually provides their security.”

“Then it’s settled. We put on a minimal show and then watch him.”

The decision was finalized.

—

Roger was lost in a mental debate.

Should he do it? Or was it too risky?

The magic artillery was fully functional. He’d refined the mana stones to boost the output, though it shaved off some durability. The next wave of heroes wouldn’t find it as easy as Hillun Kagil had. He’d finished every task the Demon King assigned.

Wasn’t it time for a little personal project?

‘This was mine originally. Don’t I still have some claim to it?’

Roger was salivating as he looked at the Mana Ghost, which was now a core component of the tower. His original handiwork was still there, though the power source was now pure magic and the architecture was wildly different. He was dying to understand the mechanics—how it integrated with the tower, how it generated the cloaking field. He wanted to take it apart.

“Are you planning to dismantle that?”

“…Gah!”

Roger tumbled to the floor. His tools clattered, but the wind spirit caught them before they hit the ground.

“Why are you so jumpy?”

“Please, stop appearing out of thin air!”

“Are you going to take it apart?”

“…No.” Roger sheepishly lowered his hammer. “What are you doing here?”

“Do I need an excuse to visit? We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“We are definitely not.”

“We were kidnapped together. Out of millions, only a few end up in a Demon King’s tower. The odds of us being here and chatting like this?”

“…What’s your point?”

This princess was relentless. Her expression was always that of a teasing imp.

“Want a cookie?”

“…Yes.”

The herbal cookies were actually great. *Crunch.* Ernyan joined him in snacking.

“How’s the new girl?”

“She’s not exactly timid, but she isn’t wild either.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning she spends all day swinging a sword.”

“…What?”

“The first three days, she just stayed in her room. Adjusting, I guess. Like a dog that won’t leave its crate in a new house?”

“The Imperial Princess isn’t a dog.”

“As long as we get along, right?”

“…I guess.”

Roger didn’t care much for protocol anyway. After what Luize had done to him, he wasn’t a fan of royalty in general.

“The next two days, she spent every waking hour cleaning her gear.”

“She was in full armor when she arrived.”

“And now, she’s just training.”

“Right now?”

“She smells like sweat. I wanted to talk, but she just eats and trains. No openings.”

“So you came down here instead?”

“I thought having another girl around would be fun, but nope.” Ernyan sighed. In this silent tower, any new presence was a welcome distraction. “Still, it’s nice to have more people.”

The life energy made the place feel less like a tomb.

“I doubt she feels the same way.”

The rumor was she was a hero who’d come specifically to kill the Demon King.

‘She’s probably just training to find a way out.’

Whether she could actually escape was a different matter, but as a hero, she had a better shot than most.

“Another?”

“Thanks.”

‘If she’d only damage the tower during her training. Then the Demon King might tell me to fix it. I’d have a legitimate reason to take it apart…’

Roger munched on his cookie, lost in his fantasies of authorized sabotage.

—

“…What did you say?”

『The Wind Lotus in Amur. The owner is Jetson. Figure out a way to ruin him completely without making it obvious.』

“Orders from the Demon King?”

『Yeah. As you know, I’m a busy man. Unlike some people.』

“Shut your mouth.”

Granada’s laughter echoed through the crystal orb. Gordon fought the urge to smash the device.

『Anyway, I’ve already contacted an info guild. Report anything you find back to me immediately.』

*Click.* The line went dead.

“Slacking off?”

Gordon was fuming, mostly because the jab hit home. As the Vice Officer, he was supposed to be the manager and the strategist. He was meant to run the tower and keep the Demon King on the right path.

But there was no tower to run, and the Demon King seemed to know more about the world than he did. He was breaking every rule Gordon had ever studied, leaving no room for advice. Even during the hero attack, Berge had outperformed everyone.

Gordon felt obsolete. Gordon Dirik, the top of his class, was a useless ornament.

“Fine.” Gordon gritted his teeth. “I’ll destroy this man. I’ll show them I’m indispensable.”

Jetson of the Wind Lotus. Gordon etched the name into his soul.