The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 69

Chapter 69
## Chapter 69: Shattered Resolve

“No way! Absolutely not! I refuse!”

The dwarf burst into tears.

“You can’t treat me this way!”

He wailed and howled, looking as though he had been struck by a terrible tragedy.

However, the sight of the tiny dwarf throwing such a tantrum was far from a beautiful scene.

“Silence yourself before I pull your tongue out of your head.”

“…Yes, hic. B-but.”

“But what?”

“If my whereabouts are revealed, Princess Louise will rip me apart! Are you truly okay with me—someone so faithful and dedicated to you, Demon King—simply being erased?”

“If you utter one more word of nonsense, I will personally drill holes into those stubborn ears of yours.”

“…But if my craftsmanship is identified, she will hunt me down with a murderous fire in her eyes.”

“Most likely. Ah, I should mention—a warrant for your arrest has already been issued.”

“Eek…! You see? I told you this plan is a disaster!”

“Fine. In that case, I will simply have to abduct the princess.”

“…Excuse me?”

His hand, which had been frantically clawing at his hair, stopped dead.

“Which princess are we talking about?”

“Who else but Louise Berft?”

“Th-that will definitely be the end of me!”

“If that prospect displeases you, then surrender the gear.”

“……”

“This is the Demon King’s Tower, my own territory. Unless I personally escort her here, who would ever manage to break in and finish you off?”

“……”

Roger took a heavy, dry gulp.

It was a blatant threat. If he refused to cooperate, the Demon King would bring her here himself to execute him.

“…If I actually provide the equipment, you’ll promise not to kidnap Princess Louise?”

“It must bear your personal signature.”

“Of course.”

“Do not question the integrity of the Demon King’s promise.”

“Yes, I… I understand.”

He was backed into a corner. Roger lowered his head in defeat and disappeared into his forge. When he returned, he was carrying a pair of swords and a sturdy shield.

“When did you find the time for these?”

“I grew weary of only assembling mana cannons, so I spent my spare time tinkering.”

“And the progress on the golem?”

“It is currently being built, but using corrupted mana stones as a power source instead of standard ones is making the process slow.”

Within the tower, mana is refined into demonic energy. Even if a golem were constructed with a traditional mana stone core, it would eventually become non-functional.

“Keep at it.”

“Yes, please just uphold your end of the bargain. I implore you.”

“Relax. You are still of use to me.”

“Yes, I am incredibly useful! I will remain useful forever! You cannot slaughter the goose that lays the golden eggs! That would be complete madness!”

“I won’t slaughter the goose, but I have no problem removing a disrespectful dwarf’s head.”

“S-sorry!”

Leaving behind a trembling, shouting Roger, Berge made his way up the stairs.

—

“…You consider that a sufficient explanation?”

Hillun Kagil let out a long sigh.

“I hold the rank of Argan. You may not fully grasp it, but someone in the position of Argan does not make sudden moves without reason.”

This was due to the immense symbolic weight and the duties the title carried.

“This is a direct decree from the Demon King.”

“Even my promotion to an executive at the guild’s main office was a decree from the Demon King.”

“The previous command versus the current one. You are well aware of which takes precedence.”

“What is the objective? Why must I travel to the Berft Kingdom?”

“It is a favorable opportunity for you. Either the Lust Demon King, the Frost Demon King, or the Vajra Demon King—one of them intends to seize Louise Berft.”

“……!”

“His Majesty wants to prevent that. He requires you to intercept the other Demon Kings, safeguard the princess, and emerge as a savior.”

Why was it so simple for a Demon King to snatch a member of royalty?

The primary factor was the Demon King’s ability to remain concealed; it was physically impossible to provide perfect, constant security for every royal figure at all times.

To see through a Demon King’s veil, one needed a hero of at least star-level caliber—and such individuals were rare.

Allocating one of them as a permanent royal guard based on a vague kidnapping rumor was impractical.

However, everything changed if the timing and location were already known.

“…A hero who thwarts the abduction of a princess.”

That was a rare distinction.

He had successfully appealed to Hillun Kagil’s sense of reputation.

“Starting to sound interesting now, isn’t it?”

“So, what is the ‘natural’ way for me to get close to Princess Louise?”

The Demon King wouldn’t expect him to just linger near her without a solid cover story.

“Roger Friedri is a fugitive in the Berft Kingdom, and Louise Berft is hunting for him more desperately than anyone.”

“His Majesty has decided to provide you with gear that clearly bears Roger’s unique mark.”

“…That would certainly guarantee me, as an Argan, a formal invitation into the heart of the kingdom.”

But there was more. Using that as a foot in the door, he would forge ties with the Berft Kingdom, significantly elevating his status within the guild.

“Still, that isn’t quite enough to justify acting as a personal bodyguard.”

“Then use coercion.”

“……?”

“Louise Berft was the one who ended the life of the second prince of Ormus. Align your account with the demon who saw it happen at the Beast Tower…”

“Princess Louise was responsible for Max Ormus’s death?”

“You weren’t aware?”

“I had no idea!”

“I assumed His Majesty had informed you.”

He hadn’t.

The dark elf gave a casual shrug.

“Well, you know it now. That’s all that matters.”

“And you’re calling that a proper explanation?”

“Regardless, the Demon King’s instructions are to use that information as leverage—blackmail her, persuade her, do whatever is necessary with Louise Berft.”

“Just stay by her side and ensure the kidnapping fails.”

“……”

The magical communication ended without warning. Hillun Kagil let out a dry, cynical laugh.

“These insane demon fools…”

The facade of professional courtesy he maintained began to crack.

But he quickly smoothed it over.

“It isn’t entirely a losing game…”

The issue was that it wasn’t entirely a winning one either.

Most concerning was the nearly certain chance that his rapport with the pride of the Berft Kingdom, Louise Berft, would be utterly ruined.

‘No, I don’t have to let it get that bad.’

He was bound to follow the Demon King’s path, but he had no desire to throw his life away for it.

‘Nothing carries more weight than my own survival and my reputation.’

The only reason he had tolerated the foreign device embedded in his skull was to preserve his life and honor.

Threatening the princess of Berft while standing in the middle of her own kingdom was practically a death sentence.

‘If the situation turns sour, I’ll just give her the lead on Roger. It’s smarter to foster a good relationship and then take my leave.’

If he claimed he had done everything in his power but failed—what could the Demon King really do?

He would likely rage and use the implant to cause him pain.

‘But that would be the extent of it.’

As long as the Demon King lacked a suitable replacement for a ‘star’ or an ‘Argan.’

‘I will take the benefits and discard the risks. My life is on loan to the Demon King, but I won’t let him lead me to my grave.’

Hillun Kagil gave a resolute nod.

—

The continent is covered in a multitude of peaks and mountain chains.

Which among them are the most daunting and vast? Almost everyone would point to the Berft Mountains, followed only by Erjest.

The Berft Mountains.

The dwarves had made their home in this brutal, jagged landscape.

They carved their way into the cold, unforgiving stone, establishing their civilizations deep underground. This was the origin of the dwarven realm of Berft.

Fwhooo—

Within the heart of the greatest subterranean city, the capital of Bertyan.

In the gardens of the royal palace annex, Princess Louise Berft was putting a massive battle axe through its paces.

A violent aura sliced through the atmosphere, shattering the training sword of her opponent.

“Gahk!”

The dwarven knight coughed up blood and was sent tumbling backward.

“Just when I was starting to feel the rhythm…”

Louise scowled.

“Next!”

The standing knights rushed to take their fallen comrade to the medical wing. Another stepped into the clearing, his expression grim as he raised his shield and blade.

“What’s this? Have I done something to scare the life out of you? Is there no skill left in the entire knighthood?”

“There is plenty of skill, Your Highness, but your strength is simply on another level.”

Volbov, observing the duel, gave a tired sigh.

Ever since the disaster in the beast territory, the princess had been obsessed with her defeat at the hands of Max.

‘My own inadequacy cost my soldiers their lives. That’s the truth. If I had been more powerful, I could have annihilated the enemy myself.’

This was how she processed her remorse.

She took the grief for the knights and soldiers who fell for her pride and turned it into a burning intensity, pushing her physical limits without mercy.

She trained with even more desperation than before.

Because of this, Volbov, who had stayed by her side, was certain: the Louise of today was a different person entirely compared to the one before her self-imposed isolation.

Louise beckoned him forward.

“Come, why don’t you try?”

“I am your personal protector, Your Highness. My blade will never be turned against you.”

“It’s only a simple spar.”

“The problem is that Your Highness’s spars are never ‘simple.'”

“There is no point if we don’t treat it as a real fight.”

“I agree in principle, but at a certain point, it ceases to be practice and becomes a battle.”

Just then, a knight hurried over with an urgent message. Before Louise could even react, a dwarf entered the garden area.

Every knight present bowed in unison.

“Greetings to the First Prince!”

“Stand at ease.”

“Brother.”

Louise gave him a genuine greeting.

“Still at your training, I see.”

“Just some light activity for the morning.”

“Do you have a moment to talk?”

“Of course.”

At her signal, the guards stepped back. A table and chairs were brought into the garden, and tea was poured.

“I have some positive news.”

The prince finished his steaming tea in a single gulp.

“What news?”

“Regarding Roger Friedri. You are aware that Father and I placed a high price on his head?”

“Yes. Don’t tell me…?”

“We haven’t captured him yet.”

Louise’s expression darkened with letdown.

“However, someone has come forward with a trace.”

“Who? And what kind of trace?”

Thud.

The prince set a sword down upon the table. Louise leaned in to inspect it.

Shing—

The blade shimmered with a perfect edge as it left the scabbard. Aura and mana were woven together, granting it incredible durability. But there was a third power present.

“Spatial interference…”

The unique signature of heroes.

Gear forged by hero-class smiths like Roger Friedri always carried that distinct essence. It infused the strength of heroes, even in small amounts, into the mana to create something far more potent.

“Look closely at the hilt.”

The decorated hilt ended in the unmistakable cloud insignia carved into the base.

“It’s Roger’s work, without a doubt. Where did this come from?”

“It didn’t come from our vaults or any known collector from before his disappearance.”

Roger wasn’t a direct servant of the crown—he belonged to the craftsmen’s guild—but the kingdom kept a very close watch on him.

They had a record of every piece he had ever forged, but this sword was not on any list.

There was only one logical conclusion.

“He produced this recently while in hiding?”

“They say a master can never truly put down his hammer.”

The prince smirked.

“Where is he?”

“Don’t be so impatient.”

“We need to seize him. Right this moment, we should hunt that traitor down and—!”

Louise’s voice dropped into a low growl. The prince placed a hand on her head, easing her sudden rage.

“Compose yourself.”

“…But.”

“Finding Roger won’t be an issue now.”

“The signature. We can use his own mark to track him back to the source, right?”

“Indeed. He has spent his whole life in a forge; it’s his one inescapable weakness. Even without the signature, it would be the same. The demand for unmarked gear from a hero-smith is always through the roof.”

It was only a matter of time now.

“So, where is he?”

“The source refused to say.”

“What? How dare he—!”

Louise’s brow furrowed.

“He set a condition. He insists on meeting with you personally.”

“With me?”

Louise realized the weight of the situation.

“Is this someone even you cannot simply ignore, brother?”

“Hillun Kagil.”

“…Hillun Kagil.”

Despite her time in the annex, she wasn’t ignorant of the world. Louise knew exactly how much Hillun Kagil’s reputation had exploded.

“The hero who brought down the Beast Demon King.”

“One might also say he was the one who fixed the mess you left behind.”

“That’s unnecessary.”

“…You used to be so bashful when you called me ‘big brother.’ You’re still quite charming now, of course.”

“…Please stop.”

“Will you agree to see him?”

“I will. I don’t know his motives, but if he has a lead on Roger, I’ll take any information he has, no matter how minor.”

“He requested a private conversation, but I can stay if you prefer.”

“I can manage this on my own.”

“He is more than just a famous hero now—he is an Argan of the Hero Guild.”

“I’ll be mindful of that.”

“Very well. Stay here; he is on his way.”

“Thank you, brother.”

The prince waved as he walked away, then paused.

“…Just a thought. If he tries anything inappropriate because he’s taken by your looks…”

“Brother!”

“Ahem, I’m leaving.”

The prince exited the garden. Roughly ten minutes passed.

The most talked-about figure on the continent stepped into her view.

“I was told you wished to speak with me?”

Louise resolved to be as gracious as possible.

He was providing a path to Roger, and as her brother noted, he was a high-ranking Argan.

Even setting that aside, as one of the ten stars, he was not someone to be trifled with.

However.

All her self-control.

“Princess Louise. I am aware that you were the one who killed Max Ormus.”

It shattered the moment Hillun Kagil spoke those first words.