The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 80

Chapter 80
## Chapter 80: It Was Destined to Be This Way

“They mentioned we should reach out whenever assistance is required?”

“Correct.”

The update Jason had just delivered caused Berge’s suspicion to sharpen.

“So, it is logical to assume they are fully aware of the current situation unfolding before us?”

“Indeed. That is my interpretation.”

“By what means did they obtain this information?”

“They must have established connections within the human ranks, wouldn’t you agree?”

It was a valid point. There was no requirement to look very high up the ladder. Lavinia Akan had scaled Erjest unaccompanied, and the military forces of Akan had trailed behind her, effectively revealing their presence.

“Naturally, Your Majesty has your own perspective on the matter, but one should never take their displays of support at face value.”

Gordon’s cautionary remark was expected.

The idea of Demon Kings, who were essentially competitors, providing selfless aid to one another was preposterous.

*However, regarding Jason, the gesture of helping might actually be sincere.*

It simply wouldn’t be born from a place of purity.

“For the moment, provide an ambiguous response indicating we have received the message.”

“Understood.”

“Has there been any word from Granada yet?”

“Nothing so far. Since Akan’s party is accompanied by several heroes, he is maintaining a high level of discretion.”

*Knock, knock—*

Just then, Ernyan poked her head into the room.

“Your Majesty, Krutu has arrived.”

“I am coming.”

Berge stood up from his chair.

“Exercise caution.”

“I shall.”

He offered a brief reply and made his way to the lower level. Roger, weighed down by his various instruments, and Krutu, who was hauling gear, were waiting for him. They were flanked by several dozen Frost Orcs.

“Let us depart.”

“Yes, Sire.”

The group mounted the frost wolves provided by the orcs. Roger, positioned in front of Krutu, inquired,

“The same strategy as the previous occasion?”

“Yes.”

He was referring to the time they greeted Hillun Kagil. They had positioned artillery along the anticipated path of the hero’s team and initiated a massive snowslide.

Because of that tactic, the spirits of the hero party had crushed, making the task of repelling them significantly simpler.

“What is the status of the golem power sources?”

“Mana and demonic essence are fundamentally distinct. Their traits and core principles are polar opposites, meaning the entire magical framework—the circuits and the core itself—requires a total redesign.”

“You are already making excuses, so I take it the results are pathetic?”

“…Perhaps around 1, 1%?”

“Have you even begun the work?”

Berge’s expression soured.

He was aware that Roger was dedicating the bulk of his time to the mana artillery and the structural work on the tower’s ground floor. Nevertheless, this was essentially no progress at all.

“Did you not claim to be an expert in alchemy and the art of enchantment?”

“Magic based on mana and magic fueled by demonic energy are entirely different realms. I am essentially teaching myself a brand-new science from scratch.”

“And your point is?”

“…Well, beyond that, if you could perhaps show a bit of appreciation for my labor…”

“Reach 10% within the next fourteen days, and I will grant you some relics from the tower.”

“Roger, the finest craftsman of Beruft, pledges his reputation and his very soul to the task! Consider it done!”

As expected, the dwarf was easily manipulated.

“Krutu. How are your people faring?”

“Excellent, Sire. A few of the fighters who joined our ranks were unsettled by the sighting of the chimera, but they found courage through Your Majesty’s grandeur.”

“That is good to hear.”

In reality, for orcs who lived solely for the thrill of conflict, fear was rarely a lasting obstacle.

*Now that I think about it, I haven’t given them much personal attention.*

He had simply turned them loose in the wilderness to thrive on their own. That had been the extent of his management.

Of course, he had supplied them with medicinal flora and the vital organ of the prison drake they had taken down.

“Are the members of the tribe content?”

“They are. Because of your guidance, our numbers swell and our borders push outward every day. Their devotion to you is higher than the stars.”

“Are there any beasts too difficult to manage?”

“Not one. Who would have the gall to stand against the strength you have gifted us?”

“I see.”

It reminded him of the fanatical demonkin who worshiped the First Demon Emperor.

It wasn’t a bad feeling, but it was slightly awkward. Before his return in time, he might have enjoyed it, but now he was acutely aware of how small he actually was within the world of Aren.

“Claiming Erjest is acceptable. However, stay away from the northeastern sector.”

“Understood. We shall follow your instructions.”

Krutu remained silent and didn’t ask for reasons, as was his habit.

“There is a bit of a mess over there. Nothing positive comes from engaging with it, so simply steer clear.”

“Yes, Sire.”

Berge provided that bit of context, and Krutu inclined his head in respect.

They traveled for some time until they reached their target: one of the mountain passes.

The massive accumulation of snow overhead, if disturbed precisely, would descend and bury Akan’s group entirely.

“Position the mana artillery here.”

The Frost Orcs began unloading the heavy cannons.

“Your Majesty, a thought occurred to me.”

“Speak.”

“Instead of a simple snowslide, why don’t we group all the mana cannons right here and just wipe them out with raw power?”

“We cannot reveal that I am employing mana-based weaponry. Are you eager to broadcast your identity to the humans?”

“We just have to keep it a secret, right?”

“Do you honestly believe they won’t identify mana cannons?”

“I’m not saying they won’t recognize the weapons, but as long as my identity is hidden? Furthermore…”

“Dead men tell no tales?”

“Precisely! Hit them with dozens of shots simultaneously—do you think they’ll even have time to shriek? The orcs can clean up any stragglers.”

“……”

Which one of them was supposed to be the Demon King?

It was a solid strategy, but unfortunately, it wasn’t an option.

“I decline.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“The prince and princess of Akan are in that group. It isn’t the right time to eliminate them.”

Even in the harsh environment of Erjest, they wouldn’t die easily, and suspicion would inevitably point back to Berge.

“Ah, I understand…”

Roger let out a disappointed breath.

“However, I give you my word: the day will come when the mana artillery from your tower will wipe a party of heroes off the map.”

“…I shall wait for that day with bated breath!”

Roger’s mood instantly shifted to one of excitement.

*…Ernyan, the Akan princess, and now this fellow.*

Why did everyone around him seem so strange?

*Why am I, the Demon King, the one worried about their sanity?*

He pushed the peculiar thought aside.

—

“Hm.”

Granada struggled to suppress a heavy sigh. The weight of the current situation was becoming unbearable.

“Is the meal not satisfactory?”

“No. It is quite good.”

The flavor was fine. The issue was whether he was actually eating it or just going through the motions.

Two sets of crimson eyes were fixed on him with intense focus.

*A princess on one side, a prince on the other. And over there, the leaders of the Blue Meteor Mages and the White Wolf Knights.*

When was the last time he had been the center of attention for such high-ranking figures?

He had faced crowds at Hilderan Kingdom feasts, but the atmosphere here was entirely different.

“Please, eat more.”

A significant portion of meat was placed onto Granada’s dish. The small, pale hand belonged to Lavinia.

“Yes, my thanks.”

“It appears my sister has taken quite a liking to you, Granada.”

“…Ahem.”

“…Hm.”

The prince let out a soft, entertained laugh, while the knight and the mage made strained, guttural noises of discomfort.

*Chomp chomp chomp—*

In the background, a massive giant was inhaling meat with reckless abandon.

Granada felt as though he were sitting on a bed of needles.

The meeting was supposed to be about gathering intelligence on Erjest.

“Have some more.”

“It is plenty.”

“A bit more.”

Another serving was added to the pile. The meat on Granada’s plate was now a small mountain.

Feeling the weight of their stares, he had no choice but to take a bite. He chewed, swallowed, and dabbed the sauce from his mouth with a cloth.

“I was told you had inquiries regarding Erjest.”

“Yes. That was our intent.”

Kain placed his cutlery down.

“Before arriving, I looked into the records of Hillun the hero’s journey. The most startling detail was that they were under constant monster assault every single night.”

It wasn’t just random beasts. The creatures actively harassed them after dark. It suggested the grimmest possibility: a Demon King who held total sway over the wildlife of Erjest.

“What was your experience? Did it truly feel as though the Demon King was pulling the strings of the mountain’s beasts? Was the entire territory under his command?”

“Have you not already been informed of this?”

“The other heroes weren’t survivors like you are, Granada.”

Hm.

Granada weighed his words carefully.

How could he provide Kain with an answer without betraying the Demon King?

Blatant falsehoods would only trigger doubt.

“I cannot say with absolute certainty.”

“That is understandable if you didn’t see the Demon King yourself. I am not looking for proof. Just describe, without holding anything back, what you felt and saw.”

“We spent over a month wandering those peaks in search of the tower.”

“Go on.”

“And without fail, we were attacked by monsters every single night.”

“In what numbers?”

“Vast. At least in the hundreds.”

“Hundreds of creatures attacking daily?”

“Yes.”

In truth, the majority of those hundreds were Frost Orcs managing other beasts, with only a handful actually engaging in combat. But that detail didn’t change the scale.

Hundreds had indeed appeared.

*But won’t this information make them give up entirely?*

Would the Demon King be happy with that outcome?

“…Good heavens, does that mean every beast on the mountain is truly a servant of the Demon King?”

Kain let out a low groan. However, the commander of the Blue Meteor mages spoke up in disagreement.

“That is impossible. If the tower had stood for centuries, perhaps, but a Demon King who has only been here for a year? That is highly unlikely.”

“But we have a firsthand account.”

“If such control were possible, the entire world would have fallen to the Demon Kings long ago.”

“Ah… You have a point.”

Kain nodded in agreement.

“Then what explains it?”

The mage looked at Granada for clarification.

“Granada, what were the primary creatures in those groups?”

“Frost Orcs.”

“And the attacks occurred strictly at night?”

“That is correct.”

“Just as I suspected!”

“Do you have a theory?”

“As Your Highness is aware, orcs are tribal creatures. They have a rigid hierarchy—they obey their leader’s commands until death.”

“I see. If you dominate one chieftain, you control the entire horde.”

“Precisely. And the fact that they only strike at night? That is a massive hint.”

“In what way?”

“Demons are the progenitors of mind-altering magic, but not all of them are experts. Particularly the Demon King of Flames—his specialty is fire.”

“Yes.”

“Therefore, his grasp on mental manipulation is likely limited. He can only exert control over the orcs at night, when the flow of demonic energy is at its peak.”

“Ah…! In that case.”

The daytime would be much safer.

The nights would be dangerous, but it was a far better scenario than the initial terrifying assumption.

“It won’t be easy, but if we are careful at night and prepare properly, scouting the mountain is entirely doable. After all, the previous team lasted a month.”

“Especially considering the bulk of them were merely Frost Orcs.”

Frost Orcs were not to be underestimated. Orcs moving with perfect coordination under a single leader were a nightmare.

However, everything was relative. It was a better prospect than facing hundreds of yetis, drakes, trolls, or werewolves.

“The Frost Orcs were likely just driving other beasts toward you. Hundreds every day for a month? That would require tens of thousands of orcs—that’s statistically impossible.”

“That sounds logical.”

They were closing in on the truth with surprising speed.

“We need to develop a plan based on this.”

“I will request an airlift of magical equipment from home.”

“Agreed. Oh, Granada. Since you survived the climb, you will serve as our guide.”

“Well…”

According to Berge’s instructions, he was supposed to claim he had been too lost to remember the path.

“Of course he will. Elves are more attuned to nature than any other species. I have never heard of an elf losing their way on a path they have already stepped upon.”

“Is that so?”

“A high elf of my acquaintance once said that an elf only forgets a trail if they choose to or if they suffer a severe head injury.”

“…I remember the way perfectly.”

He couldn’t bring himself to lie. The mage was right.

“Excellent. That allows us to dismiss a vast portion of the map.”

“Yes, we can adjust our strategy to the specific terrain…”

The prince and the mage became engrossed in a fervent tactical discussion.

“……”

*Did I make a mistake?*

Granada lapsed into silence.

For some reason, he felt he couldn’t look Berge in the eye.