The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 89

Chapter 89
## Chapter 89: I Don’t Know, No

“A scouting mission commanded by the Fifth Prince of Akan ascended Erjest Mountain. Their objective was locating the spire.”

However, as the hours dragged on, the only individuals who made it back were a few battered survivors.

“And the princess was not among the returned.”

“Is it possible the Demon King seized her?”

“That is where the situation becomes murky.”

Hm, is it wise to disclose even this much?

Count Tomhal rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

“Count, are we not already committed to the same path?”

“Ugh, you must ensure these whispers go no further.”

“Naturally.”

Count Tomhal took a sip of wine to moisten his throat before continuing.

“How does a monarchy typically react when one of its own is snatched by a Demon King?”

“They are consumed by rage and immediately submit a formal plea to the Hero Guild, correct?”

It was the standard procedure to coordinate with the guild and exhaust every resource to bring the royal home. Even for minor members of the family, they would at least go through the motions of reporting the incident and filing a rescue request.

“Akan refrained from doing that?”

“They have remained secluded in their designated quarters, keeping entirely to themselves since the incident.”

The behavior was highly irregular.

“If it wasn’t an abduction, there is no logical reason for such secrecy…”

“Precisely. Even back at the capital, the rumors are shifting toward a different conclusion. A self-imposed disappearance.”

“That makes no sen— Ah.”

“You realize it now?”

“Indeed.”

The erratic nature of Lavinia Akan was legendary.

Only a short while ago, she had been pulled from the Beast Tower—only to insist that she had entered the place of her own volition.

“Erjest is a goldmine of monstrous specimens. It isn’t shocking that the premier chimera architect in the world would be captivated by such a place.”

“I understand.”

‘Excellent, so it wasn’t a forced capture.’

There is a vast gulf between ‘I am unsure’ and a definitive ‘No.’

If she went of her own accord, the situation might not devolve into a total catastrophe.

“My thanks to you.”

“But what sparks such intense interest on your part?”

“No specific motive. I merely wished to gather every scrap of intelligence regarding the Demon King of Erjest.”

“Every scrap? Why would— Ah.”

The count gave a knowing nod.

“…I suppose I probed into matters that weren’t my business.”

“Not at all, I was the one who initiated the inquiry, so it is only fair.”

“I appreciate your candor.”

“Should you ever require my assistance, do not hesitate to ask.”

“I will. That is incredibly heartening! Let us toast to that!”

“Very well.”

Clink—

Their glasses met.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
『I see.』

The toneless voice offered neither reprimand nor praise toward Cain.

There was no hint of sibling affection or anxiety. It was a cold acknowledgment that the prince had fulfilled his basic duty.

『Withdraw for the time being. With Lavinia missing, there is no utility in continuing the search.』

“Sister…”

『Is her recovery truly essential? Truly?』

She is of the blood. Your own sibling. The child of the sovereign. Cain realized such arguments would fall on deaf ears.

“She will not remain passive within the Magic Tower.”

『…Likely not.』

Tsk. He heard the monarch click his tongue in annoyance.

The ruler of Akan did not possess total dominion. The sorcerers, spearheaded by the Magic Tower, remained beyond the king’s absolute control.

『However, pay attention.』

『Lavinia forsook her duties and vanished during a time of conflict. I will not waste our military strength hunting down a deserter.』

“…I understand.”

『Return at once.』

“…Yes. As you wish.”

Cain bowed his head in response to the rigid command.

He stowed the communication device and stepped outside, where the Blue Meteor Magic Division Commander and the White Wolf Knight Commander were waiting.

“What are the King’s instructions?”

“We have been ordered to retreat.”

“And what of the princess…?”

Cain gave a solemn shake of his head.

“This is unacceptable!”

The Blue Meteor Magic Division Commander looked horrified.

“The princess is the crown jewel of the arcane community. We cannot simply leave her.”

“It is a direct royal decree.”

“……”

“Once we have returned to the capital, I will seek a solution. If the Magic Tower exerts pressure, the King will be forced to organize a dedicated search party.”

“But in the interim, can the princess survive…?”

“My sister is not a woman who breaks easily.”

“…Understood.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Shall we begin the preparations for our departure?”

“Yes.”

The sorcerer and the knight moved off. Cain made his way toward the area where the mercenaries were stationed.

“You have returned?”

“I bring unfortunate news.”

“Are we pulling back?”

“Yes.”

“What about the princess…?”

“A search effort will be organized after we reach home. I offer my sincerest apologies to you, Granada, and Hero Hillun. I shall remain in your debt for this.”

“Think nothing of it. We did what was required of us.”

“Akan will return for the tower one day. I give my word that we will succeed then.”

“Thank you.”

“And please, visit our kingdom whenever you wish. I will host you personally and ensure you are treated with honor.”

“Understood.”

By the following dawn, the Akan contingent had vacated Hortonwalk.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Within the tower’s base floor, under the watchful eye of the dwarf, Berge stood across from Lavinia Akan.

He spoke with measured deliberation, highlighting every syllable.

“That is incorrect.”

“What?”

“It isn’t a secret.”

“Not secret? I tell?”

“No, that isn’t what I am trying to convey by saying ‘not a secret.'”

Berge struck his chest in frustration. This woman was impossible.

“Let me rephrase. If someone inquires if you have located the Demon King’s Tower, what is your reply?”

“Secret.”

“No, you must even conceal the fact that there is a secret.”

“Conceal?”

“Yes. If anyone asks about this place or about me, your response must be ‘I don’t know.'”

“Don’t know?”

“Yes.”

“A lie. I do know.”

“It is a necessary lie.”

“Bad.”

“You must do it regardless. If they ask if you found the Demon King’s Tower, what do you say?”

“Secret.”

“For heaven’s sake.”

Her stubborn pout was surprisingly resolute. Berge felt his blood pressure rising.

But that was her code. She refused to lie and held fast to her internal logic, no matter how bizarre it seemed to others.

The world labeled her insane for this very reason.

‘No, even the mad have things they are willing to trade for.’

What was the one craving Lavinia Akan couldn’t resist?

“……”

A realization hit Berge, and he accessed his subspace storage.

‘It’s a high price, but if it ensures she builds the golem without trouble…’

It would be a worthwhile investment.

“…Wow.”

The pupils of Lavinia’s eyes widened.

Even though it had been severed for a long time, the object before her remained vibrant and full of life.

She trembled at the sensation of the dense, concentrated demonic aura.

“This is…?”

“The Tail of Lust. Belonging to the Demon King.”

“Demon King…”

Her gaze burned with intense longing. She licked her lips without thinking—it was a striking sight.

“Give it.”

“Not yet.”

“I will help.”

She lunged for the Demon King’s tail. Berge let out a short laugh and pulled it back into his subspace. Her fingers grasped only thin air.

“…Give.”

“I am asking once more.”

“What?”

“If a person asks if you found the Demon King’s Tower?”

“……”

“If they ask?”

“Don’t know.”

“If they ask if you collaborated with the Demon King?”

“No.”

“Perfect.”

Berge held out his smallest finger.

“Promise me.”

It seemed immature, but this approach was tailored specifically for her. These simple, childish oaths meant more to her than any legal contract.

After a moment of doubt, Lavinia linked her pinky with his.

“Promise.”

“What is the answer?”

“Don’t know, no.”

Berge smiled, satisfied with the result.

The Tail of the Succubus Queen was placed into the hands of the chimera specialist.

She radiated pure joy.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

* This is precarious.

Nairuniel, the high spirit of water, ascended the rise and rested her face in her hands.

“What do you mean?”

* The Demon King has escorted another noble here. A ‘princess,’ no less.
* Do you feel no sense of urgency? Your position is being threatened.

Not this again.

Ernyan let out a weary breath.

“Why is your mind always occupied by such things, Lady Nairuniel?”

* Your tone has become quite sharp.
* You were far more reserved when we first met.

“Did it ever occur to you that your behavior caused this change?”

* Not at all.
* Just consider it. Without this little drama, how else am I supposed to endure the boredom of this place?

“You could return to the spirit world.”

* It is even more tedious there.
* Are you not bored as well?

“I am perfectly fine.”

* And why is that?

“I have no obligations and no tasks I am forced to complete.”

A restricted kind of liberty was still liberty. Moving from being trapped in a city to being trapped in a tower. She preferred it this way.

* A princess who crafts chimeras, hm.
* Quite a distinct personality.
* More so than yourself?

“I am not distinct.”

* Those who are truly unique never recognize it. They just see themselves as normal.

“I could say the same about you.”

The high spirit and the human shared a brief, tense look. Then the Demon King arrived, accompanied by the newly arrived princess.

A colossal titan chimera followed closely behind them.

* Heavens. She created that?

The dark, stitched-together magical aura might have sickened a typical spirit. However, Nairuniel was an open-minded entity who had spent over six months residing in the Demon King’s Tower.

“Wait here.”

“Yes.”

“Ernyan.”

“Yes.”

Ernyan walked down from the hilltop. The chimera looked even more daunting from a close distance.

“Provide her with a tour. She will be staying here with you for a while.”

“A while? So you didn’t actually kidnap her?”

“She came here on her own. Once she assists with the golem’s power source, she will depart. Do not reveal too much information.”

“…I understand.”

Ernyan wanted to ask if keeping secrets was even possible with this pair, but she stayed quiet. At the very least, she was certain this princess was far from ordinary.

The Demon King disappeared. Ernyan and Lavinia stood face to face.

“Hello.”

“Yes.”

“Your name?”

“Lavinia.”

“I am Ernyan.”

“Yes.”

“……”

“……”

A heavy silence settled between them. Nairuniel was the one to interrupt it.

* Is her voice broken? Why is she so brief?

“…You talk enough for both of us.”

* Oh, is that how it is?
* Fair point. My apologies.

“Fool.”

Lavinia fixed her gaze on Nairuniel and whispered under her breath.

* Excuse me?

“Where?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Bed.”

“Ah, I will take you to where you can sleep.”

Ernyan guided her to a wide, open space.

“There is nothing here.”

“We will arrange that right now.”

An earth spirit was called forth. As the small creature moved, the earth began to shift. It smoothed the ground and caused soft grass to sprout.

“Wow.”

“Is this acceptable?”

“Excellent. More.”

“More?”

“Cher.”

“Cher?”

A slender finger pointed toward the massive titan standing behind her.

“Ah.”

Ernyan gave another order to the spirit. A bed, significantly larger than Lavinia’s but massive in its own right, was formed. Cher promptly lay down, making a low sound of satisfaction.

“Good.”

“I am glad. I was told you made an agreement with the Demon King. What were the terms?”

“…Ah. Don’t know.”

* She’s lying!

“Don’t know.”

She sprang up from the bed and began leading her titan down the slope.

“……”

Ernyan watched her walk away, stunned.

“…What could the deal be?”

* No idea. She is a strange one, regardless.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A golem technician is a hybrid of a sorcerer and a master smith.

They are responsible for forging the golem’s frame, installing the complex magical wiring, and engineering the core that provides energy.

The conceptualization, the physical build, and the eventual operation—everything is managed by the technician’s hands.

Raymond, a golem artisan of Akan, took immense pride in his craft.

His golem made of orichalcum alloy utilized magical theories and advanced technology that surpassed the understanding of other nations, both in its structure and its function.

And he was a primary contributor to that achievement.

Clap—

“Mm.”

As he blinked his eyes open, he saw a small, pale hand inches from his face. Behind it was the visage of Lavinia Akan.

“Y-Your Highness?”

“Get up.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

He stood up out of pure habit but immediately grew frantic as he noticed his surroundings.

“Wh-Where have we been taken?”

Raymond’s final recollection was of the chaotic Behemoth and the golems attempting to hold it back.

“The tower.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Demon King.”

“…Eek. We are in the Demon King’s Tower?”

“Yes.”

She had pledged to keep things quiet, but Raymond was the exception to the rule. He would be her partner in constructing golems from this point on. The Demon King had sanctioned his involvement.

“Why on earth are we inside the Demon King’s Tower…?”

Raymond looked around nervously. He saw high-reaching ceilings and a maze of walls. There were no visible monsters or demons, so he couldn’t be certain it was the tower, but it was definitely not the mountain where they fought the Behemoth.

“Make golem.”

“We are required to build a golem?”

“You and I.”

“With you? No, we must find a way to escape this instant! What are you talking about?”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Die.”

“…Your Highness?”

Raymond recoiled in fear.

“Demon King.”

“You.”

Lavinia made a cutting motion across her own neck.

Raymond fell into a state of even deeper bewilderment.

Was she saying that if he refused to build the golem, the Demon King would execute him?

‘What kind of madness is this!’