The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 92

Chapter 92
## Chapter 92: The Bond Between the Sovereign of Demons and the Princesses

“How did you manage to convince them so quickly?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I assumed this would be a drawn-out process. I was actually preparing to throw the elves into the dungeon for a while.”

Regardless of the example Granada had set, the deep-seated resentment elves felt toward demonkind was a formidable obstacle. He had braced himself for a struggle, expecting it to take a significant amount of time to break their pride. He never anticipated they would offer their allegiance the moment they arrived.

“It helped that I was already acquainted with one of them. That smoothed over the negotiations.”

It couldn’t have been that simple. The elves had been vocal about the fact that they wouldn’t have even considered this arrangement if not for Granada’s involvement.

‘That man is definitely hiding something…’

However, it wasn’t a pressing concern. As long as the World Tree remained in place, betrayal was impossible. Furthermore, Granada’s devotion to him remained steadfast.

Berge guided the group up the slopes of the Erjest Mountains. Despite the biting wind and freezing temperatures, the elves pushed forward until they reached the spire. Upon seeing it, they gasped in disbelief.

“…A fortress in a place like this?”

“Are those magical artillery pieces? Where are the beasts?”

“Is that a legendary dwarf?”

“Four royal daughters?”

The Flame Demon King and his Tower of Flames were anomalies in every sense. They had heard reports of four kidnapped princesses, yet only three were officially documented. Instead of a horde of monsters, the perimeter was guarded by advanced magic cannons. Even more baffling was the sight of a hero and princesses claiming to be vassals of a demon. At the center of this enigma was a high-ranking water spirit.

⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙

Elven travelers, welcome to the Spire of the Demon King!

An advanced spirit extends a greeting to the elves at the Demon King’s Tower.

The sight was jarring, almost an affront to nature.

‘…Still, this might be better than the alternative.’

It was a matter of perspective. Sharlotto and the other thirty-two elves had envisioned a stereotypical nightmare—a place crawling with foul creatures where they would be worked to death under the lash of demonic overseers.

But the reality was jarringly different. Though they couldn’t fathom why royalty and a hero were aiding a demon, the people here looked vibrant. There were no signs of misery or forced labor; instead, they seemed genuinely content.

‘Lord Granada wouldn’t hand us over to a tyrant, even for the sake of our autonomy.’

Their unwavering faith in Granada allowed them to look upon this strange Demon King with a hint of curiosity rather than pure hatred.

“What are your commands for us?”

The tour had concluded. Within the four-layered ecosystem of the spire, the elves stood ready for their assignments.

“Who among you are practitioners of magic?”

Sharlotto raised her hand without a word. Elves were born with an intuitive grasp of mana, though that sensitivity usually manifested as a connection to spirits rather than raw sorcery. Consequently, true mages were rare among them compared to spirit summoners.

“What is your specialty?”

“Elemental magic, specifically the school of wind.”

“Useful. Step to the side. What about the rest?”

“We have traditional spirit summoners and combatants skilled in archery and swordsmanship. However, every one of us is capable of calling upon spirits.”

“Excellent.”

A thin smile played on the Demon King’s lips.

“Ten of you will remain as permanent residents of this tower. The others will be sent back to the mainland to live among the various nations—all acting in my interest, of course. I’ll let you decide who stays and who goes. Except for you.”

The Demon King pointed directly at Sharlotto.

“You are staying here.”

“May I ask the reason?”

“There is a frail girl struggling for breath on the third floor.”

“You refer to Princess Elena Hilderan.”

“As of today, she is your apprentice. You will instruct her in the arcane arts.”

“…?”

Sharlotto was stunned. She searched for a hidden agenda, but the command seemed startlingly literal. She asked again, her voice wavering.

“You are telling me that, as your new subordinate, I am to provide magical tuition to the princess you abducted?”

“Precisely.”

Sharlotto looked toward Granada for guidance. Their eyes locked.

‘Is he being serious?’

‘Most likely.’

Granada looked away, offering no further explanation.

—

“It finally feels like this place is inhabited by more than just ghosts.”

Though the residents weren’t technically demons, the once-silent halls were now vibrating with activity. This was the progress Berge had wanted. Once the golems were finished and the elves were settled, and once the balrogs took their positions on the second floor, the tower would be a formidable fortress.

‘Perhaps then it will be time to reveal this place to the world…’

He weighed the thought. There were many ways to accumulate magi points. While negative emotions like grief and terror were effective, nothing compared to the raw energy released by bloodshed and death. Demon Kings often thrived on human conflicts for this reason. A tower that served as a vacuum for the energy of the dying would allow him to ascend in power rapidly.

Berge’s spire, rigged with lethal traps that would catch any hero off guard, was destined to become a graveyard for those who challenged it. But would that be enough?

‘No, it wouldn’t.’

The more humans the tower claimed, the larger the armies they would send. Eventually, a tide would rise that wouldn’t break until either Berge was dead or humanity was extinguished. And in that cycle…

“That man will appear.”

The hero wielding the crimson blade. The one whose chest he had pierced, the one he had looked down upon with scorn. Could his current defenses stop him? Not yet. Magic cannons were devastating against crowds but lacked the precision to stop a singular, elite foe. Golems had the same flaw. That man had carved through balrogs like they were nothing.

To defeat him, Berge needed a power that transcended anything he had previously possessed.

‘The revelation of this tower must be a final, decisive move.’

Until then, he needed to exert influence over human society to sabotage any heroic efforts. The elves were the perfect tools for this. They were pawns for now, but they had the potential to become much more powerful pieces on his board.

He activated his crystal orb to summon Granada. A few minutes later, the man entered.

“You requested me?”

“Have the elves made their decision?”

“They have. Twenty-two have been chosen to return to the Golden Moon Merchant Company.”

“They won’t all be returning there.”

“Do you have other plans?”

“There’s no use in having elves if we funnel them all into a single merchant house.”

“Then where?”

“Send half of them to the Kingdom of Akan.”

“…?”

“Akan is a land that prizes magical ability above all else. A slave can become a noble there if their talent is great enough.”

While it wasn’t a perfect meritocracy, it was far more progressive than its neighbors.

“And as for the elves…”

“They all possess a natural affinity for mana that far outstrips any human.”

“Indeed. Moreover, they are master spirit mages. To the humans of Akan, spirit magic is just another prestigious branch of sorcery.”

It was a discipline that required more innate giftedness than standard spells, but it was magic nonetheless.

“Furthermore, you’ve established a rapport with the prince of Akan. That will make their integration much smoother.”

The kingdom might be surprised by a sudden influx of elves, but they wouldn’t turn away such high-level talent. With Hillun Kagil’s backing, they would be treated with respect.

“…Are you planning to seize control of Akan?”

“Hardly.”

A dozen elves weren’t enough to topple a kingdom.

“It’s enough if even one of them attains a position of influence. If they can build a network with the nobility of other lands, combined with Hillun’s reach…”

“The possibilities are intriguing, aren’t they?”

They would serve as Berge’s eyes and ears, tracking the movements of the hero with the red sword and undermining him at every turn.

“You are a truly terrifying Demon King.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“If I may offer a suggestion?”

“Speak.”

“If that is your goal, Sharlotto is the ideal candidate. She is a mage of the six seals. Akan would roll out the red carpet for someone of her caliber.”

“Is she that capable?”

“She bypassed spirit summoning entirely to master elemental magic. Her potential was unmatched even within the Maple Tribe.”

“And yet she was captured and sold into slavery?”

“…To an elf who has never left the forest, the human world is a maze of deception.”

“Don’t make excuses for her.”

Berge pondered. Sending the best candidate to Akan made sense, but there was a conflict.

“That elf is needed here to train Elena.”

She was too valuable to the tower’s internal growth. If Elena Hilderan was to become a weapon of magic, she needed the best possible mentor.

“Then the current arrangement stands.”

He wasn’t entirely certain of Elena’s ultimate potential, but the mana poisoning that had plagued her was finally receding. He wouldn’t gamble on her education.

“By the way, you’re aware you need to head to the northern frostlands?”

“Yes, I’ve heard. Another Demon King’s Tower.”

Granada sighed heavily.

“Reina is a difficult opponent. Be careful. Though I expect you and Red Hawk will find a way to survive, like vermin.”

“…I’d prefer you didn’t compare me to a cockroach.”

“It’s a tribute to your resilience. We’ll need that stubbornness for what’s coming.”

“Is the situation that dire?”

“Reina is preparing for a full-scale confrontation.”

“So, there’s a chance we’ll fail?”

“It’s possible.”

“And yet you’ve sanctioned this mission?”

“Because Hillun Kagil was adamant.”

“…You can’t be serious.”

Granada’s expression darkened.

“You’re sending him into a situation you know is a lost cause? You want him to fail?”

“I advised Hillun against it. He insisted. If he fails, the burden is his to carry. That is all.”

“The small fish get crushed when the whales fight,” Granada muttered, swearing under his breath.

“Hillun is no whale. He’s a pufferfish who’s swallowed too much air.”

—

“I’ve coordinated with Prince Cain. The arrangements are set.”

Granada took his leave, accompanied by the twenty-two elves. Berge personally saw them to the edge of the Erjest territory. Granada would deliver the elves to Akan before returning to his post at the Hero Guild, then eventually making his way north to face Reina in the snow.

Sharlotto and ten others remained behind. Sharlotto met with Elena for her first lesson.

“It is an honor, Princess. I am Sharlotto of the Maple Tribe.”

“I look forward to working with you.”

Ernyan had been truthful about her sister’s gift. She had claimed that if not for Elena’s physical frailty, her magical potential would eclipse even her own. Within hours, Sharlotto saw the truth of it.

“How is it possible you haven’t been trained until now? The Hilderan royals must be fools to ignore a talent like yours!”

“My constitution was too weak. I couldn’t contain the mana.”

“I… I apologize. I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine.”

Unlike humans, elves were generous with their knowledge, viewing the act of teaching a gifted student as a sacred duty. Sharlotto found herself entranced by Elena’s raw ability. She felt a burning desire to refine this girl into a master mage, a jewel that would bring pride to the Maple Tribe.

“I will teach you everything I know, Princess!”

While the third floor was filled with the heat of magical study, the fourth floor played host to a different meeting.

“Greetings. I am the dark spirit practitioner overseeing this floor.”

“…A practitioner of the dark arts?”

“You will be stationed here with me to defend this level.”

The elves were surprised by the atmosphere. They had expected a dungeon of horrors, but found a tower devoid of traditional monsters. Aside from the Demon King and a dark elf, the residents were a dwarf hero, a warrior princess, a sickly girl, and a floor teeming with spirits.

For those who had prepared for the worst, serving under an advanced spirit summoner who happened to be a human princess was a relief.

“We will follow your lead.”

“This isn’t about hierarchy. We are all allies under the Demon King, working to maintain this spire.”

“Understood.”

One of the elves hesitated, then spoke up.

“May I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

“Are you truly a princess?”

“I am. Ernyan Hilderan, first in line for the throne of Hilderan.”

“And you were taken by force?”

“I certainly didn’t come here for a vacation.”

“…I shouldn’t say this, given my current position, but why do you serve him?”

“I wouldn’t call it service.”

“Then what is it?”

Ernyan thought for a moment, tapping her chin.

“A mutually beneficial contract?”

The Demon King had taken her because he needed her, and she stayed because she had her own reasons. It was a partnership born of necessity, and for now, it sufficed.