The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 78

Chapter 78
## Chapter 78: Foreshadowing

—

Because every last demon hound had been slaughtered, the strategy devised by the Akan Kingdom was in shambles. Naturally, this forced a significant shift in their timeline.

“Sister, is it possible for you to produce more of those hounds?”

“Requires time.”

“Exactly how long?”

Lavinia held up both of her hands, spreading her fingers wide. Cain’s expression lifted momentarily, but he soon realized she didn’t mean ten days.

“There are none left.”

“I see. Then we must use common wolves as a base?”

“Correct.”

“Do you possess any remaining monster components?”

“Zero.”

“I will contact the capital immediately to ensure the necessary materials are delivered.”

Though they were referred to as demon hounds, their biological foundation was that of a wolf. By saturating wolf carcasses with concentrated demonic essence, they became hyper-attuned to the presence of demonic energy. While their raw fighting power was mediocre, their ability to sniff out foul qi was superior to that of high-ranking mages or seasoned adventurers.

This setback bought them a window of roughly two to three weeks. Cain, however, had no intention of sitting idle.

“Reach out to the mercenary associations and the intelligence networks. I want scouts who are intimately familiar with the Erjest Mountains.”

“Whether they know the local beasts, the climate, or the specific peaks—promise them a king’s ransom for their cooperation.”

He began distributing wealth on a massive scale. The Kingdom of Akan had invested heavily in the success of this operation, and they were prepared to cover any cost if it meant increasing their odds of success by even a fraction.

However, an unexpected variable appeared.

“A visitor has arrived to see you.”

“A visitor?”

“Indeed. He claims to be an expert on the Erjest range. But…”

“But what?”

“He is an elf, and his name is Granada.”

“From the Red Hawk Strike Team?”

Cain was stunned; he hadn’t anticipated attracting a figure as prominent as Granada or his famous unit.

“He claims to have been dispatched by the Hero Hillun Kagil.”

Cain wondered if this was truly a stroke of luck or a calculated move.

—

Cain was initially ecstatic at the prospect of working with the Red Hawk Strike Team.

“To think, Granada and his men…”

“The very unit that serves Hillun Kagil.”

“Hillun Kagil…”

That name carried immense weight. He was the champion who had achieved fame by slaying the Demon King of Lust and further solidified his legend by defeating the Beast Demon King. Currently holding the rank of Argon within the guild, his social influence was rising as quickly as his combat prowess.

He was already a legendary figure, but a recent exploit had made him the talk of every tavern on the continent.

“Word is he intercepted a plot by the Lust Demon King to abduct the princess of the dwarf realm.”

“That is the rumor.”

“Is such a thing even possible? To predict a kidnapping orchestrated by a Demon King seems like madness.”

“It was apparently a stroke of fate. Hillun Kagil was visiting the dwarf kingdom as a diplomatic representative of the guild.”

“So he goes there as an envoy, meets the princess, and happens to be on-site exactly when the Demon King strikes?”

“Precisely.”

“The man is favored by the gods.”

“It isn’t just luck. Even for a hero, tracking a Demon King who is actively concealing their presence is nearly impossible. It proves one thing…”

“That Hillun Kagil is truly in a league of his own.”

It stood to reason that a man who had ended two Demon Kings would be anything but ordinary.

“Regardless, he didn’t actually have prior knowledge of the crime, did he?”

“That seems impossible.”

“I suppose so. Then why are his subordinates here in Hortonwork?”

“He mentioned he would clarify that during your meeting.”

“Then we shouldn’t keep him waiting. Escort him in.”

Moments later, Granada entered the room.

“I offer my greetings to the Prince of Akan. I am Granada, a combatant of the Maple Tribe.”

“I am Cain Akan.”

The elf possessed vibrant green hair and eyes like emeralds. Even through his light scouting armor, his physical conditioning was clearly formidable.

“Please, be seated. Would you prefer coffee or tea?”

“Tea would be excellent.”

At Cain’s nod, the knight who had brought Granada in retreated. Shortly after, an attendant arrived with a tray of refreshments.

“This is brewed from Jarvin leaves. It has quite a pleasant scent.”

“My thanks.”

Granada inhaled the steam while Cain took a bite of a biscuit.

“I was informed you are seeking a pathfinder for the Erjest Mountains,” Granada said, initiating the business at hand.

“That is correct.”

“I believe my services will be of great value to you.”

“In what way?”

“My team and I accompanied Hero Hillun on a previous expedition through those mountains. We failed to locate the tower then, but we spent a great deal of time navigating the high peaks. I am certain that knowledge will benefit Your Highness.”

“I don’t doubt it for a second,” Cain admitted. “But it does seem remarkably convenient.”

The timing was almost too perfect. How could he trust such a sudden appearance?

“What do you find suspicious?”

“I believed Hillun Kagil was currently in the Kingdom of Berft.”

“He was indeed. He has since returned to the Hero Guild headquarters, while the Red Hawk Strike Team and I traveled here independently.”

“To what end?”

“You may not be aware, but our unit began as a mercenary group. We spent years stationed in Hortonwork and we consider it our second home. We are simply here on a brief furlough to decompress.”

“That sounds…”

“A bit too scripted?”

“Yes.”

“The truth is, Hillun Kagil sent us.”

“That sounds far more believable,” Cain noted, though his wariness remained. “Why would he send you to assist us? And how did he even know of our presence?”

“Are you aware? During our last attempt, we didn’t even lay eyes on the Demon King’s Tower.”

“That is common knowledge.”

“But the public doesn’t know the specifics. They didn’t see the men who were devoured by beasts or those who froze to death in the blizzards. The weight of that failure is something you cannot fathom.”

“…I see.”

“Hero Hillun—and all of us—still suffer from the memories of that defeat. We have never moved past it. We live for the chance at retribution.”

“A natural sentiment…”

Failure is a bitter pill, and the desire for vengeance is a powerful motivator.

“Yet, few have the means to act on it.”

“Act on it?”

“Hortonwork is the settlement closest to the peaks, the final stop of the last hero’s crusade, and the place where the princess of Jespain was once taken. We established a network of informants here long ago.”

“For what purpose?”

“To keep watch for any sign of the Demon King or his servants.”

“You honestly expected the Demon King to return to Hortonwork?”

“He took a princess from here once. If he succeeded before, he might return to the same hunting grounds.”

“Isn’t that a bit naive?” Cain questioned. The Erjest range was massive, touching three different nations and countless towns. Hortonwork was famous, but it was hardly the only way out of the mountains.

“Perhaps. But that ‘naivety’ is what allowed us to save the princess of Berft.”

“I thought that was a coincidence involving a guild treaty…”

Cain’s eyes widened as the realization hit.

“That was the official narrative used to keep the public calm.”

“Wait. Even if you had spies here, the Flame Demon King and the Lust Demon King are entirely different entities.”

“Do you really think the Demon Kings don’t associate with one another?”

It was an open secret among high-ranking nobility. Cain laughed, a dry and empty sound.

“What did you spot in Hortonwork?”

“A succubus. We shadowed her, and she led us straight to Berft. If you doubt my words, you can confirm them with Princess Louise Berft herself.”

“I have no desire to bother her with such questions,” Cain muttered, well aware of the princess’s colorful reputation.

Granada pressed on. “I’ve wandered off point, but the surveillance we kept here allowed us to learn of Akan’s movements. Hero Hillun realized this was an opportunity we couldn’t ignore.”

“…What is your price?”

“Just find that tower. We will provide any support you require to see it destroyed!”

Granada’s voice was thick with emotion. *’Hanging around Hillun has certainly made me a better actor,’* he thought as a single, well-timed tear escaped his eye.

—

Though a sliver of doubt remained, Cain was sufficiently moved to grant Granada and his team an entire wing of the fortress.

“I never imagined I’d be staying in the lord’s manor,” Bark, the former captain, whispered as he looked around the opulent grounds.

“Don’t act like a peasant,” someone teased.

“He’s right. We’re an elite strike team now, not some group of sellswords from the mud.”

“Weren’t we exactly that until recently?”

Granada ignored the bickering and looked at the knight leading them. *’He doesn’t feel like one of the local Hortonwork guards.’* Having lived here as a mercenary, Granada knew the local garrison well. This man had a different air about him.

*’Must be one of Akan’s personal guard…’* It was strange for guests to be hosting other guests in a castle they didn’t own.

“We have officially leased ten rooms in this annex,” the knight explained, sensing the curiosity. “You are the guests of the Kingdom of Akan, not the local lord. Please keep that distinction in mind.”

“Understood. But what is—”

“A monster!”

The team instinctively reached for their hilts. The knight moved quickly to intervene.

“Stand down! It is not a threat!”

“Is that a chimera?”

In the garden stood a massive creature, over five meters in height. It was hunched over, watching them with a heavy gaze. A faint, unsettling aura of demonic power drifted from it.

“Yes,” the knight said as the team slowly relaxed their grip on their weapons. “It is a creation of Her Highness, the Princess. It will not initiate an attack, so do not provoke it.”

“I see.” They had been warned about this by the Demon King, but the physical presence of the creature was still revolting.

Suddenly, the behemoth stood up. It began to stomp toward them.

“Wait, is this normal?”

The giant stopped directly in front of them.

“Elf.”

The voice was surprisingly soft. Granada looked up to see a young woman perched on the creature’s massive shoulder.

“Your Highness,” the knight said, bowing deeply.

The princess leaped down, her red eyes—matching the hue of the chimera’s—studying Granada intensely.

“I am Granada, second-in-command of the Red Hawk Strike Team. It is an honor, Princess.”

“Lavinia.”

“I understand you are the creator of this… Cher?”

“Cher.”

“That is its name?”

“Friend.”

“You and Cher are friends?”

“Yes.”

She whispered something else, but then simply stood there with her mouth slightly agape, as if lost in thought. A long, awkward silence followed.

“Heart of an elf.”

Suddenly, Lavinia lunged forward, her pale fingers poking at Granada’s chest.

“Warm.”

“Excuse me?”

“Give it to me.”

“I beg your pardon?” Granada felt a surge of panic and instinctively pushed her hand away.

The knight stepped in quickly. “No, Your Highness.”

“No?”

“Lord Granada is our ally, Princess.”

“Ah. My apologies. A lapse in judgment.”

“…It’s quite alright,” Granada stammered.

Lavinia gave a stiff bow and climbed back onto Cher’s shoulder, and the creature thudded back to its original position.

“Please forgive her,” the knight sighed. “She was raised in isolation within the palace and lacks social grace. I assure you it won’t happen again.”

Granada could only nod, still reeling from the strange encounter.

—

『Have you heard the news?』

Berge was currently plotting the most efficient way to crush the Akan forces when a telepathic message arrived from Reina Sordain. She sounded frustrated about the failed abduction.

“Yes. Hillun Kagil intervened against Vivian, didn’t he?”

『It was incredibly unlucky. Of all the times for him to be in the Kingdom of Berft as a guild representative…』

“A pity. It was a golden opportunity to reveal the traitor.” Berge fought hard to keep his voice neutral, hiding his inner satisfaction.

『Indeed. Though I find myself frustrated by Vivian Blunt’s lack of foresight. She must have known a Hero was in the vicinity, yet she proceeded so recklessly.』

In reality, she likely never suspected the Hero would be acting as a personal bodyguard for the princess’s outing. Berge, the one who had pulled the strings, could easily imagine Vivian’s panic.

“So, how will you proceed?”

『I will take charge of the matter myself this time.』

“…What?”

『They won’t expect a second attempt so soon after a failure. Now that Hillun Kagil has returned to the guild, the path is clear.』

This was a disaster. Louise Berft could not be taken.

“No.”

『No? What do you mean by that?』

Berge’s mind raced. He tried to sound nonchalant. “Louise Berft isn’t going anywhere. There’s no reason to rush into things.”

『Perhaps, but that isn’t a reason to delay the kidnapping either.』

“I require your assistance. Delegate the Louise mission to Ugar and come support me instead.”

『Ugar Belbek cannot function effectively in the dwarf lands.』

Berge knew this. The subterranean cities of the dwarves were cramped. A Titan like Ugar would never fit. He had only suggested him to throw Reina off the scent.

『But why do you need help? Is there a problem at your location?』

*’Why did I say that?’* Berge cursed himself. He couldn’t bring her to the tower; she would find it empty of monsters and occupied by a princess and a hero. As a “proper” Demon King, she would likely report the anomaly to Archduke Alcaine.

He needed a distraction.

『If you are asking me directly, it must be a grave matter.』

The situation was spiraling.

『Are you hesitant to ask for help from a peer? I understand—pride is part of our nature. But we agreed to an alliance, Aren. Speak plainly.』

He had to pivot.

“…It was a slip of the tongue. It’s not my problem I’m worried about—it’s yours.”

『Mine?』

“Gillian Aint.”

One of the legendary heroes.

“Isn’t the White Eagle Strike Team moving toward your territory? If you ignore them, you’ll be the one facing the consequences.”

It hadn’t happened in this current timeline yet—but Berge remembered it vividly from his life before the regression.