The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 51

Chapter 51
## 51. Each One’s Circumstances (2)

The Beast Demon King had fallen.

The tidings of his demise began to circulate the very moment the elite strike team from the Akan Kingdom vanished entirely from the capital of the Ormus Kingdom.

“The legendary Rozel Charnt, in coordination with the Red Flame Raid Team, Hillun Kagil, and the Ormus Knights, united their strengths to bring down the Demon King.”

This served as the formal declaration from the Ormus Kingdom. In accordance with their prior arrangement, they showcased Rozel Charnt to the public while keeping the participation of the Akan Kingdom strictly under wraps.

However, the general public did not accept the narrative so blindly.

“The Ormus Knights?”

“I thought their best soldiers had already been decimated?”

The subsequent expedition, which followed a previous disaster and a swift retreat, had been executed under the cover of night with impossible speed, like flash-frying a meal. It was only natural for observers to find the timing and execution highly questionable.

“Ormus lacks the military capability to topple a Demon King on their own.”

“Besides, there was no large-scale troop movement from their barracks.”

It was clear that an outside force had intervened. Consequently, rumors began to swirl regarding whether the Akan Kingdom was the true architect of the victory.

The logic was sound. Even if it wasn’t part of the official record, the connection between Rozel Charnt and the Akan Kingdom was common knowledge among those who moved in influential circles.

[The Akan Kingdom maintains that it had no involvement in the destruction of the Beast’s Tower.]

[The Ormus Kingdom asserts they received no assistance from external powers, though they noted that the Berft Kingdom provided significant aid through the donation of high-grade magical items.]

Both nations stuck firmly to their scripts, denying any collaboration and feigning ignorance.

While skepticism remained, the collective focus of the masses soon pivoted toward a different target.

“Why would the dwarves of Berft gift Ormus with such artifacts?”

“Those craftsmen are incredibly arrogant. You expect me to believe they gave away treasures to a bankrupt nation out of the kindness of their hearts? Don’t be ridiculous!”

“Word on the street is that Louise Berft was spotted in Ormus.”

“I heard she caused absolute chaos in one of the cities there.”

The spotlight shifted toward the Berft Kingdom. At the center of these whispers sat the princess herself, her mouth pressed into a thin line as she knelt in silence.

The royal fortress.

This was the subterranean sanctuary of the dwarves, carved deep into the crust of the earth. In a place where the sun never reached, the soft glow of mana-powered lamps illuminated Louise’s features.

*Hoo.*

A heavy, weary breath made Louise flinch. She peeked upward with a look of pure trepidation.

“…I am deeply sorry.”

“…I truly wished to let this pass.”

A voice filled with disappointment resonated through the chamber.

“I am aware of your internal struggles and the feelings of inadequacy you harbor. I have told you countless times that I do not judge you, yet you refuse to listen.”

“……”

“I endeavored to fulfill your every whim. My goal was for you to mature into a radiant and dignified princess of this realm. It seems I made a grave error.”

I should have applied a firmer hand in her upbringing.

The man made a sharp clicking sound with his tongue.

“Due to your impulsive actions, we have surrendered an immense portion of our treasury to Ormus. Furthermore, the brave soldiers of our kingdom spilled their lifeblood for a cause that yielded nothing.”

His tone wasn’t one of explosive anger, but rather a cold recitation of the truth.

“Are you content now?”

“…Father.”

“You will offer your apologies to the grieving families personally. You are to use your private inheritance to provide them with restitution. They perished because of your choices.”

“Yes.”

“And you are to remain under house arrest in your chambers.”

“…Yes.”

Her mind was flooded with things she wanted to shout.

She wanted to mention that Roger Friedri was still at large.

She wanted to argue that the situation only spiraled because that Ormus noble had initiated an attack.

Ultimately, she remained silent. The king was already privy to those details, and they didn’t negate her own failures. Her fixation on Roger Friedri had led her to act recklessly. It was her own mistake, and there was no denying it.

“You may go.”

“Yes.”

Louise retreated from the room, her posture defeated and her spirit crushed.

Watching her leave, the king’s hand moved as if to reach out.

“No, Your Majesty. Remain where you are.”

“…Does it not pain you? That young girl is clearly in distress. I simply wish to offer her a few comforting words…”

“This catastrophe was a direct result of Louise’s actions. You must learn to separate your affection as a father from your duties to the state.”

“You cold-blooded boy. That is your own sister you are talking about.”

“Before she is my sister, she is a lawbreaker who has inflicted immense damage upon this kingdom. If Your Majesty continues to coddle her, she will eventually transform into an uncontrollable despot.”

“Calling your own flesh and blood a criminal and a tyrant! You absolute brat! Look at how thin her arms and legs have become! She looks as though she might crumble at any moment—how can you not feel for her?”

“Hah.”

The prince pressed a hand to his temple. In truth, he also felt the urge to comfort Louise the second he saw her.

How could someone with such a fragile frame even lift a heavy axe?

But he couldn’t yield this time.

“Your Majesty, dwarven lives were lost on foreign soil for no purpose. If Louise were not of royal blood, she would be facing an executioner right now.”

“Execute my sister? You arrogant fool! Is that how a brother speaks of his sibling?”

“That is not what I am saying!”

The man was a hopeless softie.

The prince ground his teeth in frustration.

“Regardless, you are to stay away from Louise for the foreseeable future. No comforting chats, no secret visits. This is our only opportunity to fix her behavior.”

“Are you the one wearing the crown now?”

“If you wish to step down, I am prepared to take the responsibility.”

“Go find that scoundrel instead.”

“You are referring to Roger Friedri?”

“Is he not the catalyst for Louise fleeing her home?”

The king let out a low growl. A fierce, predatory aura began to seep out. He might be a doting father to Louise, but he remained the most formidable warrior of the dwarven race.

“I will personally drag him back here and throw him at her feet.”

“…Very well.”

The prince nodded in agreement.

“I shall deal with the matter myself.”

“You?”

“I have questions of my own. I want to know how he could simply desert such a gentle and delicate girl and disappear.”

“Precisely!”

“If his reasons are lacking, he will face the consequences.”

“Exactly right!”

Both the king and the prince spent the rest of the evening cursing the name of Roger Friedri.

“Achoo. Man, it’s freezing. Did someone leave a window open?”

Roger, currently busy remodeling the ground floor of the Demon King’s Tower, pulled his heavy coat tighter around his shoulders.

—

Hillun Kagil closed his eyes and focused on his breathing.

Even as the shockwaves from the Beast’s Tower’s fall reverberated across the lands, he felt somewhat detached from the chaos.

Most of the world’s scrutiny was directed at Rozel Charnt and the shadowy influence of the Akan Kingdom.

Naturally, Louise of Berft was also catching her fair share of the blame.

‘This is a dangerous state of affairs.’

When a hero slays a demon or a beast, the creature’s essence is converted into dimensional energy, which is then integrated into the hero.

This is the primary mechanism through which heroes gain power, even without traditional training.

It is why heroes are constantly driven to hunt down greater threats and challenge Demon Kings.

However, an excess of this power can be problematic, a reality Hillun was currently experiencing firsthand.

Two distinct forces were currently residing within his physical form.

One was anchored in his mana heart.

The other was settled in his aura core.

The first was the remnant of the Lust Demon King, while the second came from the decapitation of Drakson.

It was fortunate that he practiced as a magic swordsman.

Just as humans possess different qualities of energy, Demon Kings vary as well. Though they shared a similar fundamental nature, these two powers had carved out separate territories in his body, resting there like volatile explosives waiting for a spark.

‘The Lust Demon King’s energy behaves like mana. The Beast Demon King’s energy is more akin to aura.’

They were fundamentally different in essence.

‘If I can manage to fully assimilate both…’

He might actually become the most powerful hero in recorded history.

‘Perhaps I could even break free from the Demon King’s shackles.’

While he saw no immediate path to shattering the mental constraints placed upon him, reaching a higher level of existence might provide a solution.

“Hoo.”

Hillun suppressed his internal energies and opened his eyes. Right on cue, there was a knock at his door.

“Enter.”

He had sensed the visitor approaching long ago. Rozel Charnt stepped into the room, a look of pure irritation on her face.

“Give it to me.”

“Give you what?”

Rozel Charnt flicked a piece of parchment toward him.

* Departing due to personal matters. I have left the agreed-upon compensation with Hillun Kagil.

“…What compensation is this referring to?”

A memory suddenly surfaced regarding the deal made to secure his spot in the hero’s party.

‘Mana.’

A source of incredibly pure mana, similar to that of a spirit. Berge had siphoned it all for Rozel Charnt and had promised a further supply once the mission was over.

‘But I…’

I didn’t get anything?

Hillun suddenly understood the situation.

That wretched Demon King had no intention of paying up, so he had pinned the blame on Hillun and made a run for it.

“I believe there has been a major misunderstanding…”

“Hand it over.”

“…I haven’t received anything from him.”

“Don’t push your luck with me.”

Rozel offered a thin smile that sent a shiver down Hillun’s spine.

“…I am telling the truth, I have nothing.”

“So you’re suggesting I forged this letter? That I abducted Fail just to play a prank on you?”

“That isn’t what I’m saying.”

“You have two things to do: say ‘Here it is’ and give me the mana storage vessel.”

…Gulp.

A wave of sheer terror washed over Hillun, causing him to swallow hard.

“I’ve been buried under paperwork for the last few days, so I didn’t address this immediately. I admit I pushed it aside. I’m barely keeping my head above water as it is—I have a guild meeting to get to.”

While she had been organizing her documents for the upcoming session, a servant had burst in with news.

“Fail has vanished?”

The realization of the missing payment hit her like a physical blow.

Mana. The purest form of fire mana.

“His quarters were completely stripped.”

No lingering heat, no personal belongings—nothing remained, including the payment she was owed.

Only that single note.

“You should know that this piece of paper is the only thing keeping me from leveling this mansion.”

She was barely containing the fury boiling inside her.

The fact that the talented individual she wanted for the Red Flame Raid Team had disappeared was infuriating enough, but she wanted her payment first.

“And you’re going to sit there and play dumb?”

Nothing was delivered?

“Do you know what I despise? Deceivers. But do you know what I hate even more? Thieves who touch what belongs to me.”

*Rrrrr—*

Rozel didn’t move a muscle, but the mana responding to her rage caused the furniture in the room to vibrate violently.

“Please, try to remain calm. Let me attempt to get in touch with Fail…”

“Calm? Talk is cheap. Place what you owe me on this table, and then maybe I’ll listen to your excuses.”

Hillun desperately grabbed a communication device. He funneled his mana into it with frantic energy.

‘Pick up, pick up, pick up, I’m begging you!’

Five minutes of agonizing silence passed.

“……”

“Die!”

By the end of that afternoon, half of the estate housing the Red Flame Raid Team had been reduced to ash.

Furthermore, a massive bounty was placed on Fail’s head by the Red Flame Raid Team.

—

“…Drakson has been killed?”

The man, who had been disturbed from his slumber late in the night, let out a dry, disbelieving chuckle.

It seemed impossible.

“…How?”

The entire scenario had been carefully orchestrated. The world was full of people who wanted Demon Kings dead, but there were also plenty of powerful figures who preferred a ‘controllable’ one to remain on the board.

He fell into the latter category.

Demon Kings served a purpose.

They made governance simpler and functioned as the perfect targets for public resentment.

“The Heroes’ Guild didn’t interfere.”

“Of course they didn’t.”

They had been paid handsomely to look the other way.

“The official word from Ormus is that the Red Flame Raid Team exhausted themselves alongside the local knights to take down the beast.”

“What a load of rubbish.”

They couldn’t succeed when their forces were at full strength—now we’re supposed to believe they did it after losing two thousand veterans? Not even a child would fall for that.

“Who was actually behind it?”

“The signs point to the Akan Kingdom.”

“Any proof?”

“None at all. Which is exactly why it smells like Akan.”

Only a nation of mages like Akan or the Jespain Empire could deploy a force capable of killing a Demon King and then vanish without leaving a single footprint.

“And the motive?”

“Rozel Charnt was leading the charge.”

“Then it’s definitely Akan.”

The man made a clicking sound with his tongue.

“What about the Heroes’ Guild?”

“A report just arrived.”

“Let me see it.”

The attendant brought over a communication orb. Once activated, a face materialized in the glow.

『Greetings, great one…』

He skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.

“Give me the current status of the Heroes’ Guild.”

『An emergency meeting has been called for all high-ranking elders and executives.』

“What’s the consensus?”

『Everyone is operating under the assumption that Akan is responsible.』

It seemed everyone had reached the same conclusion.

“Those arrogant pests…”

『The issue is, we can’t really levy a harsh penalty.』

『Taking down a Demon King is, after all, the primary duty of a hero.』

The only technical violation committed by the heroes who followed Rozel Charnt was ignoring a standby order and acting without guild authorization.

Even that minor infraction would likely be ignored in the wake of such a massive victory.

“Is that it?”

『I beg your pardon?』

“No consequences. No punishment. Is that the end of your report?”

『……』

“I see that’s as far as your influence goes. Understood.”

『…I will ensure there are consequences!』

“……”

『Violating a direct order is a serious offense. Rozel Charnt’s actions derailed significant long-term strategies and resulted in immense financial damage! And her list of past transgressions is quite long!』

“The other elders aren’t going to buy that.”

『They will. I’ll make sure of it!』

“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but it’s really that serious?”

『Yes.』

“Then do whatever you must.”

『Understood.』

“I wish you luck.”

『Thank you!』

The connection was severed.

“An unruly bunch. If you give them too much slack, they start to think they run the show.”

“The Guildmaster shouldn’t be overlooked.”

“He’s just the head of a club. Send a message to the lake. I want to know what they’re thinking.”

The man’s expression turned grim as his smile vanished.

—

It had been a long trip, but a productive one.

Drakson was gone, and his stronghold was in ruins.

There was no evidence left behind to suggest Berge had ever been there.

‘I’m curious to see the look on Archduke Alcaine’s face.’

How would he react to the news?

Ideally, he would be trembling with fury. Berge was not the type to let an insult go unanswered.

*Crunch—*

He began his ascent up the Erjest Mountains, a place perpetually buried under a blanket of snow.

‘I am still far too vulnerable.’

The encounter with Drakson had been eye-opening.

The gap between his past self and his current state was wide. Any high-level hero could end his life right now if they caught him.

That realization sat heavy in his mind.

In this life, he had planned to be a master of manipulation from the shadows. But what good would his schemes be if he was decapitated?

All his work would be for nothing.

‘Power is the ultimate foundation.’

He had been so focused on his grand designs that he had neglected the basics.

‘For the time being, I’ll focus on gathering Erjest elixirs to settle my debts.’

Or perhaps he would abduct another princess. Spreading more discord would allow him to harvest more magic points.

‘I’ll weigh my options back at the tower…’

Berge stopped dead. He slowly turned his head.

Nothing but untouched snow and the faint, distant cries of mountain beasts. He saw nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

*Thud—*

Berge completely suppressed his presence. Simultaneously, the presence he had sensed vanished as well.

‘What do we have here?’

A master of concealment. Someone who had perfectly blended into the environment, nullifying their existence. Just like Berge.

‘They managed to slip past my detection?’

He was at the base of the mountain, and the tower was within reach.

Berge’s hair shifted to a deep red.

A silent standoff began. One hour passed, then two. A few hours turned into a full day.

*Rustle—*

A figure finally stepped out from the snowy shadows.

‘Is the coast clear?’

There was no one nearby. No instinctive sense of demonic energy.

‘Definitely a high-ranking demon. That much is certain.’

The man had black hair and matching eyes. He radiated a level of magic that far exceeded a common demon.

Though he was watching from a distance behind the brush, their eyes seemed to lock. The sensation was unnervingly cold.

‘I’ve confirmed that this path is frequented by demons.’

‘I might be able to wrap up this job faster than I anticipated.’

The man stretched his limbs and brushed the accumulated snow from his shoulders.

At that very moment, Berge’s sense of danger spiked to its limit.

“Hero.”

“…When did you—?”

“Do you really expect an answer?”

In place of words, black flames erupted. The man dove out of the way with desperate speed.

He pulled back the string of a bow that lacked any physical arrows. Suddenly, bolts of pure mana curved through the air from nothingness.

Five shots in rapid succession. The demon was forced to pause.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Berge swatted the arrows aside. He lunged forward, thrusting a dagger through the wall of fire.

A massive wave of aura surged out, slicing through the flames. A smoke canister was triggered immediately after.

The resulting thick cloud momentarily blinded the Demon King. In that fleeting window, the man disappeared.

“……”

Berge made no attempt to follow the fading trail.

He wouldn’t be able to catch him anyway.

Among all the heroes, this was the most elusive one.

This was the first time he had encountered this individual across his multiple lives. A person with stealth that rivaled a Demon King and speed that surpassed one—this was no ordinary combatant.

“The Hero, Daphne Philia.”

A figure renowned as the premier information gatherer for the heroes.

“It seems someone is very interested in finding out exactly where my tower is located.”

The investigations had finally begun.

‘Is it Jespain or Hilderan?’

It was almost certainly one of the nations whose princesses had been taken.

[051. Each One’s Circumstances (2)] End