The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 84

Chapter 84
## Chapter 084: Mobilization

“…Cher, start crying.”

“And then?”

“It’s painful.”

“It ought to have been more agonizing. It’s a pity I only managed to strike you once.”

The catastrophe of the leveled annex had been dismissed under the pretense that the princess’s chimera had suffered a lapse in strength control, bringing the matter to a tentative close.

However, Berge’s fury had not truly cooled.

That a common member of the demon race—specifically one modified by humans like a common mutt—would dare to provoke the Demon King was a heinous crime that warranted being carved into pieces immediately.

Had this not been the castle of the lord of Hortonwork, and had the princess of Akan not been standing right there, Titan would have been shredded and sent tumbling down the frozen mountainsides.

“What is that idiot doing now?”

“He is in contemplation.”

“Utterly ridiculous.”

The image of the massive giant crouching in a corner, staring blankly at a wall in misery, was a sight Berge had never witnessed even in his previous life—it was truly a bizarre display.

Ugar would have decapitated him on the spot for bringing such shame to the giant race.

“Inform him that if he repeats that performance, I will tear his tongue out.”

“With pleasure.”

“With pleasure? Are you saying that was his motivation?”

What was he supposed to do with them?

“Regardless, why do you persist in coming here?”

“I enjoy it.”

“Me?”

“The mana.”

Lavinia fell into a silence after that. Her shifting gaze made her internal monologue painfully transparent.

She clearly wished to request more mana, but their existing contract prevented her from asking at this moment.

Even so, she drifted closer with subtle movements. He struck her hand away.

“What was that for?”

“If you attempt to utilize mana in my vicinity, I will not remain passive.”

“I am aware. I just…”

“There is no ‘just’ involved.”

His tolerance was reaching its limit.

With a look of irritation, he finished his tea in a single gulp and pushed his chair back to stand up.

“Where are you headed?”

“That is none of your concern.”

“The chimera.”

Create it.

“You desire one?”

“I do. We reached an agreement.”

“Very well.”

Lavinia offered an innocent smile and disappeared along with Titan, who was still moping against the stone wall.

“What a nuisance.”

If she lacked the status of a princess, he would have simply discarded her.

‘But what is their true objective?’

Four days had passed since their arrival. While Lavinia visited him daily, Cain and the other high-ranking officials of Akan had not sought him out even once.

It was a stark departure from the enthusiastic welcome they had first provided.

‘Have they grown suspicious?’

It would be foolish to assume royalty would accept his posturing without question—they would be incompetent if they did.

‘This was a lapse in my judgment.’

He had come down here without considering such an obvious turn of events.

They were likely maintaining a polite facade while investigating his history behind the scenes. However, it didn’t truly matter to him.

‘At the worst, I simply leave.’

It would have been convenient if his identity as Pale carried more weight in human society, but he felt no need to tether himself to it.

Granada and Hillun Kagil served as his representatives, regardless.

If circumstances became dire, he could simply instruct them to deny any significant connection to him.

Claiming their chance meeting did not involve him pretending to be royalty would be enough to settle the matter.

‘They might harbor doubts…’

No matter. What power did they have?

Hillun Kagil was now hailed as the legendary hero who had taken the lives of two Demon Kings and defeated Argon of the Hero Guild. This triviality wouldn’t tarnish his reputation.

He had ascended to that level.

Another week slipped by in a similar fashion.

“Shall we proceed with drafting a formal agreement?”

Despite clearly concluding their background check, Cain acted as if nothing had changed as he presented the contract.

—

The lengthy fourteen-day wait had finally concluded.

During that interval, Berge had spent his time roaming the annex and the castle grounds as a visitor, attempting to gauge Akan’s level of preparation.

‘Chimeras and various artifacts, it seems.’

He noted chimeras bred to track demonic energy like hounds and artifacts intended to repel the swarms of monsters that emerged at night. Consistent with a kingdom built on magitech, massive shipments of magical tools arrived every day.

‘Do they truly intend to reach the tower with only this?’

Even with this preparation, the distinction between day and night would be irrelevant. They would be fortunate to avoid a slaughter the moment the monsters initiated a charge.

‘What if they accomplish nothing at all?’

No, that would be counterproductive. If Granada weren’t acting as their guide, perhaps, but with him at the helm, he would invite scrutiny if he didn’t at least feign assistance—which would significantly shorten their journey.

‘I should have kept Granada out of this.’

Of course, even with his help, there was no certainty they would locate the tower.

If it were that simple, the Erjest Mountains would not have remained a forbidden zone for so long.

Particularly since there were beasts lurking there that exceeded Berge’s current capabilities.

The issue was that the probability of success was rising—and Berge wanted no part of that outcome.

It was around that time that Cain dispatched a servant to invite him to a midday meal.

“Welcome, Mr. Pale.”

Expecting to see the other leaders, Berge found only Cain waiting in the dining area.

A servant brought the food. Reassurance steak.

“Please, begin.”

“I shall.”

Berge pressed his knife into the meat. A charred crust gave way to a tender, pink center. Prepared medium-rare. The quality was exceptional, juicy and soft.

“Is it to your liking?”

“The seasoning is quite heavy on the pepper.”

“Ah, do you find it distasteful?”

“It means I enjoy it.”

“I am pleased to hear that.”

Cain gave a small smile. The dialogue ceased for a time. For several minutes, the only sound in the room was the rhythmic scraping of utensils against plates.

Clink.

Cain placed his silverware down. He used a napkin to clean his mouth and took a slow sip of crimson wine.

“I have received word from the capital.”

“Word?”

“Did we not have a business arrangement to discuss?”

“I have been waiting. You took your time.”

“It was a significant proposal. It required a thorough evaluation.”

Cain pressed a small bell on the table. A servant appeared immediately and placed a set of documents before Berge.

“Have a look.”

The conditions reflected their previous verbal discussions, remaining largely the same.

Berge would provide mana to the kingdom of Akan.

Akan would compensate Berge with gold and various artifacts.

The papers listed specific quantities.

“Two hundred gold pieces and a Rank-2 artifact for every storage orb? Isn’t that somewhat excessive?”

“It is. We gave the matter a great deal of thought.”

“I can see that.”

Two hundred gold was a substantial fortune. Adding a high-rank artifact made it even more so. This was especially true because the orbs contained raw, volatile mana that would eventually run out—they weren’t permanent power cores.

‘I expected fifty gold at the most…’

Fifty would have already been a massive sum. But in his mind, the mana of a Phoenix was worth the price.

Berge was not let down. Evidently, the kingdom valued it even more.

“It doesn’t appear that mana is your only objective.”

“Mana is indeed what we require. However, we also wish to secure your goodwill and foster a relationship.”

As if that were true.

Berge did not take the statement at face value.

‘Perhaps they are inflating the price with Hillun and Granada’s status in mind.’

Regardless, he had no reason to decline such an offer.

“This is acceptable to me.”

“Excellent.”

However, one detail remained curious.

They had undoubtedly investigated his past—yet they made no mention of their findings.

Cain remained silent on the matter until the meal was finished.

“I will have one storage orb prepared within the week.”

“Very well. We will dispatch a knight to your quarters to collect it. Payment will be rendered upon the delivery of the mana.”

“That is fine.”

Berge departed. As the servants cleared the table, a knight stepped into the room.

“Is it truly necessary to exert this much effort to maintain a connection? He is not of royal blood.”

They had scrutinized the lineages of every known kingdom. While not entirely exhaustive, every person of note had been accounted for.

There was no “Pale” among them—nor any likely candidates under a different name.

Some advisors had suggested an immediate arrest on the grounds of impersonating a royal.

It was logical advice, yet Cain had opted for the opposite path.

“It is necessary. If it were only for pure mana, we would find other sources. But his connection to Hillun Kagil is profound.”

Rozel Charnt had already described how he had formed a bond with Pale and acquired the mana.

“During the decisive conflict with the Demon King, he was the one who persuaded Rozel to support Hillun Kagil. A casual acquaintance would not have that kind of influence.”

Hillun was a rising star. Not yet thirty, he had slain two Demon Kings and was a powerhouse within the Hero Guild.

His current status was impressive, but his future prospects were the real prize.

“Furthermore, we cannot entirely dismiss the possibility of his royalty.”

There are countless small kingdoms and even more royals. As he had mentioned to Pale, some individuals obscure their identities for various reasons.

If he were one of them, a brief investigation would yield nothing. It was a small chance, but Cain would not ignore it.

“Continue the search. Most importantly, find out the circumstances of how Hillun and Pale first met.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Even if we find nothing incriminating, we will keep this tie alive unless a major problem arises. His mana is invaluable, regardless of Hillun.”

The acquisition of pure mana would bring a revolution to the research at the magic tower.

“And beyond all of that…”

For some reason, my sister is quite fond of him.

“No, it is nothing.”

Cain kept the final thought to himself.

There was no need to discuss such trivial family matters with a subordinate.

—

One week passed.

Berge completed the task of filling a storage orb and delivered it to the prince. In exchange, the prince provided the promised gold and artifacts.

And that first transaction became their final one for the time being.

“I’ve informed them that they can contact me through you.”

“I understand.”

“Have a safe journey.”

“I will.”

“Give it your all, but if you sense any suspicion, abandon the mission. You still have ninety-nine years of service left before you’re allowed to die.”

“It feels like you just added a few months to my sentence.”

“I prefer to round down the small details.”

“I see. You’re returning to the tower then?”

“The preparations to receive your group are complete. A word of advice: keep an eye out for monster scouts.”

“…Unbelievable. Are you using the same tactic as before?”

“Oh, and just in case—if you happen to locate the tower and step onto the first floor, you know the drill?”

“I have no intention of opening it.”

“Keep the prince and princess at a safe distance. Their deaths would be quite the headache for me.”

“There are no certainties, but I will do my best.”

“You have quite the mouth for an elf.”

“…I’ll ensure it works out.”

Berge gave a satisfied smirk.

“And the Red Hawk group? Don’t worry about them. Rats always find a way to survive.”

“A harsh truth.”

“Precisely.”

After saying his goodbyes to Lavinia and Cain, Berge provided Granada with his final set of instructions and departed Hortonwork without a second glance.

Shortly after the agreement between Berge and Akan was solidified, the kingdom finally began to move.

“Advance!”

The Blue Meteor Mage Corps and the White Wolf Knight Order, with their elite numbers bolstered to two hundred each.

A total force of four hundred, supplemented by the Red Hawk squad, commenced the expedition from Hortonwork.

—

The snow-covered plains never experienced a thaw, regardless of the season.

The summers were freezing, and the winters were murderous.

Blizzards screamed across the landscape. The white snow was splattered with the deep crimson of fresh blood.

The steam rising from the liquid indicated the deaths were very recent.

“It is finished. There are no survivors.”

Armand, the frost demon, let out a breath of white mist. His master responded through the communication crystal.

『Excellent work.』

“I am merely fulfilling my role.”

『Retreat quietly. Leave no evidence behind.』

“Understood.”

They would suspect the truth regardless. However, suspicion did not constitute proof.

White Eagle and Gillian would recognize this as a clear warning from the Demon King.

To the slow-moving bureaucrats of the empire, it would appear as nothing more than another group of barbarians lost to the monsters of the waste.

That distinction was vital.

『Do not return to the tower yet. Keep an eye on White Eagle instead.』

“As you command.”

The demons and their beasts vacated the now-silent settlement.

Only the ruins and the corpses remained as proof that life had existed there moments before.

—

“Nina.”

“Yes, Demon King.”

Reina leaned back into the depths of her chair after ending the transmission.

“What do you believe the outcome will be?”

“Anger will be the first reaction.”

“And following that?”

“They might turn to the empire and the Hero Guild for support. However, the empire will likely remain indifferent.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Based on the records from Demon King Jason, the empire wishes for the population of northern barbarians to be reduced.”

Reina Sordain’s rule had lasted for decades. One by one, the monsters of the snowfields had fallen under her influence, which kept conflict to a minimum.

This had allowed for a fragile era of peace and a subsequent boom in the barbarian population.

Naturally, the empire was displeased by this. While the snowfields were technically their territory and the barbarians their subjects, everyone knew it was a hollow claim.

“So they will simply watch.”

“Yes. Unless the numbers fall too low.”

“Defining ‘too low’ is the difficult part.”

Reina offered a faint, knowing smile.

She detested having to act subserviently to a human empire, but as a pragmatic Demon King, she faced the reality of the situation.

This path was the most beneficial for now.

Bzzz—

Suddenly, the communication orb on her desk began to vibrate violently.

“Ugar?”

Reina channeled her demonic energy into the device.

『Reina Sordain. I am certain now.』

Abruptly, she asked him,

“What are you talking about?”

『I witnessed it. What Jason Cockmondo has achieved for our sake, for the conquest of Aren.』

“Speak clearly.”

『I cannot explain! But I am sure! Jason Cockmondo is not the one who killed Drakson!』

『Believe me!』

Click.

The connection was cut off without warning.

“…Are you playing games with me now?”

“He sounded quite earnest…”

The Demon King and her assistant sat in stunned silence for a long time.