The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 66

Chapter 66
## Vivian and Berge

I was contacted on a sunny afternoon.

『Greetings.』

The woman on the screen appeared somewhat drained as she signaled to me, lacking the poise she had previously displayed.

Clearly, she had encountered a setback.

『I was hoping for a brief meeting. Would you mind if I visited your tower?』

What was her motivation?

Berge took a moment to consider the request.

『Is that a no?』

As he hesitated to answer, she spoke with a touch of irritation. He felt no sympathy for her situation. A succubus queen of her stature was likely orchestrating even that look of distress.

“Vivian Blunt.”

『Present, Berge Dayas.』

“What is your objective? I don’t recall us ever being on the kind of terms where we engage in private visits or social calls.”

『That hasn’t happened yet, but our future relationship depends on how we proceed from here, wouldn’t you agree?』

“You seem slightly less conceited than usual.”

『Hah, I never imagined I’d take a lecture on humility from a boy who graduated from the academy only a year ago.』

『Youths today are truly bold. Back when I was coming up…』

“I have no desire for a history lesson. Speak your mind.”

After a short pause, she finally voiced her thoughts.

『I was curious if you were already aware.』

“Aware of what, specifically?”

『The Hero Guild.』

『In the realm I previously subjugated, there were barely a hundred heroes at most. A guild? Such a concept was nonexistent.』

Ha ha.

A dry, mirthless laugh escaped his lips. The flickering in her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil. Her sense of shock and disorientation was genuine, not a performance.

“Every demon king who arrives in Aren eventually learns the truth.”

Even if they were initially ignorant, the reality eventually became unavoidable.

『So, I was the only one kept in the dark. Just me. I was the fool. Is that it?』

“What is the point you are trying to make?”

『I already said it! We need to meet and talk!』

The sharpness of her voice pierced his ears. He fought back the impulse to terminate the transmission immediately.

A fallen or desperate demon king was still a demon king, and even one he despised remained a peer.

Through his cycles of regression, Berge had understood that alliances—however loose—with other demon kings were vital.

If there was even a grain of usefulness to be found, or a slight strategic advantage, keeping the channel open was the logical choice.

This was particularly true in Aren, a world where total victory was uncertain even with every advantage at his disposal.

Furthermore.

‘Vivian Blunt is almost certainly a pawn of Alcaine Blamif.’

The Archduke, Alcaine, was suspicious regarding the circumstances of Drakson’s demise. If there was a conspiracy, Vivian Blunt was the most likely candidate to be involved.

‘Keep your companions close, but your adversaries closer.’

Though a human sentiment, it was a philosophy Berge appreciated.

“Fine. I will come to your tower instead.”

『I would prefer it if you hosted me.』

“Do not attempt such transparent games. If you decline my terms, I see no reason to continue this interaction.”

『Very well. I shall leave the gates open for you.』

—

The heat of the sun struck him the moment he stepped through the gateway. A draft moved past him, heavy with the scent of the sea.

‘A maritime region.’

He remembered now that Vivian’s stronghold was situated within the Seratin Archipelago, located in the western waters of the continent.

“Welcome.”

The entrance to the five-story structure swung wide. The interior was decorated with extreme extravagance. It felt far more crowded than a typical tower of a newly arrived demon king.

‘Succubi, incubi, and various magical creatures.’

This was the standard for a ruler who had already brought a dimension to its knees. Regardless of her personal combat prowess, she commanded dozens of demons and thousands of predatory beasts.

‘In my previous life, I…’

He found himself reminiscing about a timeline that had been erased.

As the valedictorian of the Demon King Academy, he had been granted immense resources.

Subordinates from the Demon Aide Academy had sought him out, and he was gifted magic points and powerful beasts.

In her current state, Vivian Blunt mirrored the version of Berge that existed right after his first descent before the regression.

She wasn’t a top-tier graduate, but she was bolstered by the spoils of a previous conquest.

As he walked through the halls of her home, lost in nostalgia, they arrived at the highest level.

“Please, settle in.”

As expected of a sovereign’s private quarters, the fifth floor was immensely opulent. In terms of sheer wealth, it even surpassed the tower of Jason.

However, unlike the lower levels, this floor was devoid of servants or beasts. Within the expansive hall, only Vivian occupied her jade throne, waiting for Berge.

“My neck is beginning to ache from looking up.”

“You show a complete lack of deference to your elders. Don’t forget, I am a conqueror of worlds.”

Muttering under her breath, she descended from her seat and took a place at a circular table already prepared with snacks and red wine.

“I assume this is preferable to tea?”

“Don’t bother asking if the choice has already been made.”

“I can have tea brought if you insist.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Vivian pulled the cork from the bottle. A sharp pop echoed, followed by the spread of a sugary fragrance.

“What do you wish to discuss?”

“There is no need for such haste. Can we not simply enjoy a moment of peace?”

“You sounded as though you were facing execution over the communication orb, yet now that I am in your territory, you’ve regained your bravado.”

“…Regardless.”

She gestured toward the bottle. He slid a glass forward, and the dark red liquid filled it to the midpoint.

“I invited you here because I seek answers.”

“Answers to what?”

“Your strategies and movements.”

She lifted her glass for a toast, but Berge merely snorted and took a drink on his own. Vivian let out a weary sigh and drank from her own glass.

“After my agents were compromised in the Dormundt Kingdom, I did some digging into your records.”

“And what did you find?”

“I was stunned.”

Even with the prior warning from Jason Corkmond, the reality had been hard to swallow.

3,198 heroes?

Such a world should not exist. It was a statistical impossibility.

She had only one conquest under her belt, but she had a wide network of peers. She had never heard of a realm possessing more than 500 heroes, regardless of its size or power.

It was logical.

Heroes were the manifested will of a dimension, the chosen defenders.

A world’s spiritual resources were not bottomless.

By the time she accepted that Jason was telling the truth—that Aren was an anomaly—the window for retreat had closed.

Once a demon king is officially deployed, the only paths out are victory or death.

Consequently, she had shifted her focus to survival.

Stay alive. Abandon thoughts of immediate conquest and simply avoid destruction.

It was only natural that her attention turned toward Berge.

“In a single year, your record has been extraordinary.”

You didn’t just seize the crown princess of the Hildean Kingdom; you also captured the princess of the Jespain Empire. And recently, you took another royal from Hildean.

Kidnapping royalty was a standard tactic, but Vivian now understood the extreme peril of targeting a crown princess in a world like Aren.

“And yet you remain unscathed. You aren’t even being pushed to the brink, despite causing far more chaos than I have.”

“Your point?”

“I am curious. How do you manage it? What is your logic? What is your long-term objective?”

“Do you honestly believe I would just give that information away?”

“…I didn’t expect a free hand. But my situation is dire enough that I had to ask.”

He understood her position.

Whether the hero guild became a full-scale problem or not, the Dormundt Kingdom was in a state of turmoil because of Vivian’s failure.

Combined with the knowledge of those 3,198 heroes, she was likely consumed by the fear of her own demise.

“And you realize it is far too late for you to adopt my methods.”

“You’re referring to the way you conceal your tower.”

Vivian offered a strained smile.

“That is a violation of our core doctrines.”

“If you’re going to cling to such rigid rules, then this entire conversation is a waste of time.”

“Is there truly no other tactic? I find it hard to believe you’ve held back the heroes with nothing but a hidden base.”

“Even if there were other methods, why would I share them with you?”

“I have been informed that you have a fondness for currency.”

From her storage space, she produced a heavy bag of coins.

How had she managed to accumulate that so quickly?

“My succubi were compromised, but they had already successfully infiltrated the nobility. We emptied their treasuries.”

Totaling 411 gold pieces, she noted.

“It isn’t a king’s ransom, but it isn’t a small sum either. I believe it’s fair payment for a single piece of guidance.”

“Acceptable.”

It was enough to purchase nearly a hundred elven slaves. There was no reason to refuse easy money.

‘What should I tell her?’

He needed to provide something that sounded like advice without giving away his true edge.

“Your geographic position is actually quite strong.”

“Unlike yours, my location is public knowledge.”

“It’s an island chain. Their only path of entry is by boat.”

“That is true.”

“Acquire sea monsters to patrol the waters, or dominate local marine beasts to serve as guardians.”

“Try to stop the heroes before they reach the shore?”

“It isn’t a perfect defense, but it is far more effective than fighting them once they land. Humans are naturally disadvantaged in the water.”

“Hmm, that sounds like a very standard strategy.”

“Take the advice or ignore it. The choice is yours.”

Before Vivian could protest, Berge claimed the pouch of gold.

“I have provided my insight, and you have listened. Our transaction is concluded.”

“You are quite the assertive man. I find that appealing.”

Vivian laughed with forced casualness. Berge frowned at her attempt at a seductive look.

“I have no interest in the company of succubi.”

“As expected of the arrogant Dragon King.”

“If we are finished, I am leaving. Any more time here and I might lose my lunch.”

“One moment. I heard you arrived here with no one but your primary assistant.”

“So?”

“You don’t utilize summons or demons at all? Jason mentioned you’ve been trading all your accumulated magic points for liquid capital…”

“Can even a mediocre demon king like you see that I haven’t summoned any reinforcements?”

“It was a calculated guess. Uncovering hidden truths is my forte.”

Her expression made it obvious she had known all along.

“I will ask you plainly. Were you a part of Drakson’s assassination?”

“If I deny it, would you even believe me?”

“I would. The Archduke is suspicious of you, but I have my doubts. The rumors suggest a high-ranking demon was the culprit, yet you don’t even keep basic beasts in your service.”

“Weren’t you acting on his orders? Are you really going to betray your secrets so easily?”

“His Excellency withheld a great deal regarding Aren from me, so I feel I have some room for my own discretion.”

“I see.”

It was impossible to tell if she was being sincere or playing a part.

“I had nothing to do with it.”

“I will accept that answer for now.”

“Do as you wish.”

“Also.”

Vivian gave him a sharp, knowing grin.

“Keep a close eye on Jason Corkmond. He is not as simple as he appears.”

“Right, as if a newcomer like you knows more about him than I do.”

Berge summoned a portal and stepped through. Vivian watched him go, licking her lips.

“He is definitely hiding something.”

Her hand tightened around the stem of her wine glass.

“So much pride.”

“So irritating.”

*Shatter—*

The glass broke in her hand. Red wine stained her fingers like blood.

“Berge Dayas.”

“Reina Sordain.”

“Ugar Belbeck.”

“Jason Corkmond.”

She whispered the names of the four local demon kings.

“Jason, I can understand why you are angry.”

Faced with 3,198 heroes, anyone would be. She had been frozen in terror herself for a time.

However, that didn’t mean she was without her own spite.

She could not tolerate the fact that she had felt fear because of a threat from another demon king.

Her warning to Berge was born from that wounded ego.

“In any case, I have my own objectives to pursue.”

Her reason for being in Aren was to identify the killer.

If only to find a way to leave this miserable world alive.

Fortunately, a new opportunity had presented itself.

“Reina Sordain. I wonder what her true goals are.”

Vivian whispered the name of the cold woman she had recently been in contact with.

—

Those who perform legendary acts are given honors.

For services to a nation, they are praised by kings and lords.

For heroes tied to the guild, they receive formal recognition at the central headquarters.

For Hillun Kagil, the man who had brought down the Beast Demon King, Drakson Dolph, a summons to the Hero Guild HQ was a logical progression.

While the event had been delayed due to some internal friction, Hillun had leveraged his position to demand dimensional rewards from the guild, making this assembly possible.

“Hillun Kagil of the Hildean Kingdom offers his respects to the council.”

The Great Hall.

The massive auditorium, designed for hundreds, was at capacity.

The majority were fellow heroes.

Every resident of the guild headquarters had come to witness the man of the hour.

“It is a privilege to see such a legendary figure.”

“His presence is overwhelming.”

“For someone who has slain two demon kings, he seems almost…”

The room was filled with the sound of quiet conversation.

“Hero Hillun Kagil, approach the dais.”

Hillun moved forward.

One of the elders opened a scroll, and the Grand Elder began to read the proclamation.

“Hillun Kagil! You scaled the Beast’s Tower, liberated the land, and executed the demon king…”

A detailed list of his achievements followed.

“In recognition of your service, you are awarded ,5000 gold, ten artifacts from the guild’s master smiths, and…”

The Grand Elder stopped, looking directly at Hillun Kagil.

“We hereby name you an Argan.”

This was a title named after the guild’s first master—a high-ranking executive role.

They were tasked with shaping the future of the guild alongside the council of elders.

‘Finally!’

Hillun celebrated silently within his mind.

He had finally reached the inner circle.