The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 34

Chapter 34
## Chapter: 34

### Chapter Title: Water Spirit, Nairuniel

—

Shing!

Screech!

Luminous arcs of sword light burst in every direction.

The walls were struck by razor-sharp waves of energy, yet they remained perfectly unscathed.

Ernyan observed the display with a composed expression. She nibbled on some biscuits she had prepared herself, watching the perspiration roll down Kaede’s skin.

Several days had passed since she began her shared living arrangement with the imperial princess, and witnessing these drills had become a staple of her daily life.

“Is that truly the bladecraft of the Jespain Empire?”

“It is a confidential art, reserved strictly for those of the direct imperial bloodline.”

The fact that she possessed such knowledge was hardly a well-kept secret.

“Were you standing there waiting for my session to conclude?”

“I was. I have a task to attend to, and your flailing around with that blade would only be an obstruction.”

Kaede’s eyebrows twitched with irritation.

To refer to the empire’s most guarded martial art as a mere dance was insulting.

She found the crown princess’s detached, irreverent tone grating. Moreover, the inscrutable, shadow-filled depth in Ernyan’s eyes was deeply unsettling.

Nevertheless, she held back her retort. In the end, they were the only two humans—and two princesses—trapped within the Demon King’s Tower.

It was almost absurd to think that their numbers were nearly equal to the demonic residents, including the Demon King himself, within these walls.

“What exactly are you intending to do?”

The question wasn’t born of genuine interest, but rather a desire to fill the silence.

“I am going to establish a pact with a spirit.”

“In this place?”

“Indeed. Is there a problem?”

The problems were numerous.

The atmosphere of the Demon King’s Tower was starved of mana and saturated with corrupt demonic essence. To her eyes, it was arguably the most hostile environment possible for forging a spiritual contract.

However, she chose to remain quiet. Though their time together was short, her instincts told her that pressing the issue would only yield a frustrating response.

“Do you mind if I observe?”

“To a spirit practitioner, the act of contracting is supposed to be more guarded than any secret. You surely realize that.”

“Did you not just watch me train?”

“Only because you didn’t voice an objection.”

It was the sort of blunt logic that left her without a counter-argument.

“Very well, as long as you refrain from meddling, I will not forbid it.”

“I am a prestigious knight of the empire. I would never stoop to such a disgraceful act.”

“Did the Demon King not catch you off guard with an ambush, though?”

“…The Demon King is a special circumstance.”

“For someone making excuses, your face is becoming quite flushed.”

“……”

Kaede bit her lip and stayed silent. She had already learned through bitter experience that verbal sparring with this woman was a lost cause.

Ernyan began the slow process of etching a mystical diagram on the floor.

Spirits gravitated toward untainted mana. Given that the Demon King’s Tower held only a pittance of mana—and foul mana at that—it was a terrible site for a summoning. However, there was a catalyst spirits craved even more than pure energy: the vitality of one with an unparalleled spiritual resonance.

This was the blood of Ernyan, a woman rumored to hold the most profound affinity for spirits on the entire continent.

Combined with Seniel dust—a rare powder used to bridge the gap between worlds—the environmental handicaps became trivial. Since the Demon King had provided the highest grade of the substance, both the caliber and the volume were more than sufficient.

Swish—

Standing motionless, Ernyan scattered the Seniel dust. Defying the natural pull of the earth, the particles rose into the air.

They circled her in a rhythmic, ethereal swirl, communing with the unseen.

A gust of sharp wind nicked her fingertip. Crimson droplets soon melded with the floating powder.

Woooong—

Energy began to throb around Ernyan. The crimson and the dust started to vibrate in harmony.

“…Tch.”

Kaede took several steps back, wary of the rising pressure.

Strange, ancient incantations began to flow from Ernyan’s lips.

And then.

The fabric of reality tore open. A surge of pristine mana, something that shouldn’t exist within the Demon King’s Tower, flooded the room.

It was the scent of the spirit domain. To even breathe in such untainted energy was a rare privilege.

Kaede quickly began to circulate her internal energy to absorb what she could.

But she was soon forced back by the sheer weight of the presence that emerged.

A towering existence.

It took the form of a woman. She was breathtakingly lovely, profoundly enigmatic, and carried an aura of supreme grace.

Ernyan was gasping, her strength being devoured by the massive mana requirements of the spell. Yet, she refused to buckle, reaching out with a steady hand.

“In the name of Ernyan Hildran.”

“I petition for a covenant bound by blood to blood, and spirit to soul.”

The strain of maintaining the gateway and speaking caused blood to leak from Ernyan’s nose, staining her chin.

However, the falling droplets only served to anchor the summoning array more firmly.

Eyes like clear, liquid crystals locked onto Ernyan’s.

“I grant your request.” “By the ancient vows of old, I, the high spirit of water, Nairuniel, shall recognize the human Ernyan Hildran as my soul’s tethered companion.”

⟨ Water Contract ⟩

Flash—

The spirit’s luminous form shattered into countless shimmering droplets. They flowed into Ernyan’s body, etching an indelible mark upon her very essence.

The rift in space mended. The array faded. The overwhelming mana vanished as if it had never been.

“Hah, hah…!”

Soaked in perspiration, Ernyan slumped over from sheer exhaustion. Despite her fatigue, a triumphant grin pulled at her lips.

“Nairuniel.”

A flicker of mana stirred. It was a mere fraction of what was needed for the initial ritual.

Nairuniel manifested once more.

— I’m finally free of that place!

She let out a cheerful, high-pitched cry. The personality was a jarring departure from the majestic being that had first appeared.

— You should know, every other spirit turned you down. I was the only one willing to grab your hand.

“…I beg your pardon?”

— Well, obviously! No spirit expected a mortal to try and call a high spirit from inside the Demon King’s Tower. — Besides that, spirits generally loathe demons. Yet here you are, kidnapped and playing along so nicely with the Demon King? — Your standing in the spirit world is actually quite poor right now.

“…I see.”

Ernyan whispered, her suspicions confirmed.

— They’re all boring. That’s why this is so perfect.

“…I’m not following you.”

An ominous feeling washed over her, like she had just invited trouble into her life.

— It’s a scandalous, forbidden romance! The abducted princess and the dark Demon King who holds her captive! A tragic love that can never be realized! I absolutely live for this! Eeeeek!

“…Would you mind returning to the spirit realm for a moment?”

— …Hmm.

For some reason, as Kaede watched, the image of the noble water spirit reminded her of the gossiping noblewomen in the capital’s high society who lived for the latest romantic scandals.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“An expedition of heroes is being organized.”

That was the first thing Hillun Kagil said when the transmission opened.

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“The failure of my previous mission was a massive hit to the Hero Guild’s reputation. Our prestige has plummeted, and the voices demanding the guild be dissolved are gaining traction again.”

“Dissolved?”

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“The argument is that heroes are vital strategic assets and should be controlled by their respective nations, not an independent guild. The Jespain Empire is leading that charge.”

He hadn’t realized such political friction existed.

The Berge of the past had been remarkably blind. He had tried to crush every obstacle with nothing but brute force and narrow-mindedness. Had he been aware of these complex human fractures, he would have exploited them to cause chaos long ago.

“Is it not possible to fracture them from within?”

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“Not at this moment. The guild master, the council of elders, and the primary heroes are standing firm together.”

“‘Not at this moment’ implies there is a weakness somewhere.”

That was useful information.

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“……”

“Regardless, their target is the Demon King?”

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“They intend to liberate the seized royalty and reclaim the dignity the Hero Guild has lost.”

“Are they coming for me again?”

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“No. If I had actually pinpointed your location, perhaps, but the elders are wary of meaningless casualties. They will likely monitor from a distance and leave you alone for now.”

From Berge’s perspective, that was the ideal outcome.

“Then who is the mark?”

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“It will be either Frost or Beast.”

The Frost Demon King, Reina Sordain.

The Beast Demon King, Drakson Dolph.

“Why those two in particular?”

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“Because they are manageable. As you likely suspect, certain Demon Kings have quiet arrangements with the Hero Guild.”

He hadn’t known for certain, but he had harbored doubts.

Before his return to the past, he couldn’t conceive of a Demon King working alongside heroes. Now, the reality was different.

These bizarre alliances only formed when both sides stood to gain.

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“The Hero Guild has no real desire to eliminate specific Demon Kings. They simply exchange favors to maintain the status quo. If the Demon Kings were gone, the guild would lose its reason for existing, wouldn’t it?”

“A staged performance, then. Will those Demon Kings actually cooperate?”

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“The Beast Demon King is a mercenary at heart. Offer him the right incentive, and he will play his part. Frost doesn’t have a formal deal with the guild, but her personality makes her more reliable in their eyes than the gluttonous beast.”

Her personality?

⚙ COMMUNICATION ⚙

“Yes. In fact, I have a specific suggestion regarding that. Concerning the Frost Demon King…”