Chapter 386
Chapter 386
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 386
Chapter Title: Demon World (1)
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The office of the merchant guild leader was a total wreck.
“Ugh.”
Hubert, sprawled limply across the finest chair inside, let out a low groan.
As his head lifted from facing the floor, his eyes slowly fluttered open.
He blinked a few times, scanning his surroundings, then casually rose to his feet and began stretching, loosening up his body this way and that.
“Ugh, everything feels so stiff. Even if I was slouched awkwardly, it’s not like I was sitting there that long...”
It was probably the aftermath of the wicked mana that had infiltrated to manipulate his mind.
He’d successfully blocked the attempt itself, but he couldn’t pretend the backlash from that high-density energy intrusion hadn’t happened at all.
Besides, Hubert hadn’t specially trained any mystical defenses, so he was inevitably a bit vulnerable in that area.
‘Against most opponents, this would’ve been more than enough.’
For someone operating on a continental scale like himself, assassination attempts were just part of daily life.
Thorough security across the headquarters building and all activity zones, elite guards capable of repelling armies or special forces, personal skills far beyond mere self-defense...
But none of those measures could make an exception this time.
‘Tch, no helping it when the opponent’s who they are.’
Hubert clicked his tongue lightly and slowly surveyed the room.
Diana lay demurely on the sofa by the reception table, her breathing steady—she seemed to just be asleep, no other issues apparent.
His gaze lingered on her for a moment before shifting to the head of the table.
To the demons, now quietly huddled together in a way that made it hard to believe they’d been causing chaos just moments ago.
The ordinary-looking young man with black hair and black eyes, Count-level demon Miyamoto Ken.
The elderly gentleman in pristine white attire, clutching an ornate staff, Viscount-level demon Frances.
And—
Standing behind them with polite deference, the Demon King-level Great Demon lounging alone on the sofa with legs crossed—‘Hella’.
The Demon King, who had just descended upon this land, rested her chin on one hand propped on her crossed leg, nodding lightly as she listened to the two demons chattering behind her.
‘...Up close like this, her presence is no joke.’
Her long black hair was casually tied back, revealing tall, upward-curving horns; black wings sprouted from her back; her black-and-red reverse eyes only accentuated her unearthly beauty, impossible to hide.
Even the makeshift clothes she’d thrown on—since no women’s attire was available—looked like works of art on her. Her charisma was so alluring and overwhelming that one couldn’t even bring themselves to speak, let alone meet her eyes directly.
Hubert inwardly marveled at the sight, scrutinizing his new avatar with fresh eyes.
This was his first female-bodied avatar, so even he—who’d handled countless others—found it somewhat unfamiliar.
⚔ ENTITY INFO ⚔ 📛 Entity Name: Hella 🧬 Race: Demon King ✨ Common Traits: 「Mind Hub」, 「Persona」, 「Xenoglossy」, 「Subspace Storage」, 「Limit Break」, 「Mimicry」 💫 Entity Traits: 「Demon King」, 「Annihilator」, 「Demon Heaven World」, 「Mana Domination」, 「Eyes of Domination」, 「Nation-toppling Beauty」, 「Lord of Illusions」 📝 Special Notes: Han Seonghyeon’s twelfth avatar. Crafted using the horn, right arm, and eyeball containing the essence of the 14th Demon King Reraye. Heavily influenced by materials, inheriting some of her original traits. Holds immense energy and strong resistance to divine power. She had achieved transcendent rank the moment she was born, and boasted no fewer than seven innate entity traits.
All of them were advanced traits formed by merging multiple skills and stacking effects—Hella, the Demon King, was essentially perfect from the start.
Her racial foundation and core of all abilities: 「Demon King」. 「Annihilator」 oversaw offense and combat overall. 「Demon Heaven World」 summoned her unique domain into reality.
‘「Mana Domination」 is the one Hans has too. And the remaining three...’
「Eyes of Domination」, 「Nation-toppling Beauty」, and 「Lord of Illusions」.
These abilities, centered on enchanting and dominating targets to reign supreme, were deeply tied to the bloodline of the 14th Demon King, Reraye.
‘Who’d have thought the Demon King was a succubus hybrid. I overlooked it, too focused on the materials’ specs.’
That was likely why the avatar couldn’t be male.
With such powerful materials crammed in, turning male would’ve been the real anomaly.
‘Well, no point dwelling now. A new type means it’ll have its uses.’
With his thoughts settled, Hubert gazed at Hella with a complicated expression.
Her beauty was in a league of its own, distinct from any beauties he’d seen before.
But his eyes held only awkward reluctance.
...No matter how stunning, it was still himself.
Same essence, soul, and self beneath the exterior—he couldn’t perceive her as separate.
It felt like staring into a mirror at a perfectly cross-dressed version of himself.
He wasn’t a narcissist, and prided himself on utterly average tastes, so it just felt off-putting.
‘Artistically, I’d give her high marks, though.’
Objectively, few could even compare to Hella.
To make the shortlist, you’d need at least Saintess Riesta, True Otherworlder Jin Sوران and Briky among the vampires, Princess Riley, Elf Shariron, Grand Sorceress Misty, Jeokgal Hye-mi, Nangong Sوران, the Golden Jade Island dragons, or a pure succubus like Siana...
‘...Huh? More than I thought?’
Mid-thought, he paused in realization.
A fresh fact he hadn’t consciously noted hit him.
‘Do I really have this many women around me?’
Each one a stunning beauty with her own unique charm.
That led naturally to one burning question.
‘...Am I some legendary alpha male or something?’
A secret no one knew—not even himself!
But that baseless confidence popped like a bubble soon enough.
He’d never even had a proper crush, let alone dated—alpha male? Please.
‘Tch, figures.’
A strange pang of regret welled up.
He cut off the idle thoughts and got back to business.
“Hubert? If you’ve got the situation figured out, come over here. I’ve already disciplined these ones, so don’t worry.”
Hubert moved toward the demons at the sound of that ticklishly seductive voice.
He sat on the sofa opposite Diana’s sleeping spot and glanced at Hella in the head seat.
‘Facing her up close amps up the intimidation. Even with her aura suppressed.’
The two demons flanking the chair glared at Hubert with fierce eyes.
As if they’d snap his neck the instant he was rude.
Hubert averted his gaze from their burning loyalty, chuckling inwardly.
‘Domination’s working fine, it seems.’
Normally, even a high succubus couldn’t brainwash powerhouses at their level—it was near impossible.
But this case was different.
They were demons rooted in the Demon World, and Hella was the new, legitimate ruler there—a Demon King.
“I’ve explained things to them, so they won’t cause you trouble anymore. Now, you two—apologize properly.”
“Ahem, if you’d revealed earlier that you served Lady Hella, none of this would’ve happened.”
“Haha, I nearly made a huge blunder myself. As fellow servants of such a master, let’s forget past mistakes and get along.”
True to demons, their apologies were vague and slippery.
Of course, Hella didn’t let it slide.
“Tsk.”
“...Sorry. Forgive us.”
“Ahem, I formally apologize. I’ll repay this debt.”
Hella’s planted agent on the continent.
That was the new backstory for Hubert.
It neatly explained why she protected him.
And this setup came with one massive bonus...
‘What else but a merchant’s connections?’
Using her Demon King backing to expand business into the Demon World.
The dimensional barrier wasn’t easy to cross casually, but didn’t he just gain capable slaves—er, subordinates—for all sorts of uses?
‘Heh heh heh, if Hubert Merchant Guild conquers Demon World markets too...’
Even if they didn’t follow normal economics, it didn’t matter.
What he truly wanted was the massive karma from wielding influence.
“We’re in the same boat now—what’s to forgive? Let’s do well together going forward.”
“Oh! As expected, broad-minded. I knew it from the start—”
“That’s why I’m saying.”
Visions of karma raining from the sky filled his vision.
He licked his lips, swallowing hard, eyes gleaming as he continued.
“...I’ve got a business idea brewing, but it’s tricky to pull off alone. Could I trouble you all for some help?”
The moment the heartless dark merchant—who’d sell to demons for the right price (karma)—awoke.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Ugh.”
Hella, fully armed in Demon World gear from Horus’s 「Golden Repository」, clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly, nodding in satisfaction.
Her unfamiliar body was starting to feel natural.
He’d handled bony undead, squat dwarves, even dragons without humanoid forms—what was a woman’s body to him now?
Struggling with it would be laughable.
Of course, a lifetime as a man left some lingering aversion, but 「Persona」 adjusted the avatar’s emotions and tendencies independently of his main body’s feelings, letting ‘Hella’ operate smoothly.
Just like all his other avatars.
Still, the entity’s inherent disposition nagged at him...
Her speech was a bit rough and tomboyish, but no matter how you sliced it, Hella didn’t move like a man—that was the issue.
‘Don’t tell me this is some latent femininity buried in my psyche?’
Femininity? In a macho guy like him?
Realizing it only made him squirm.
‘Ugh! I need... I need Harley...! Harley chomping raw meat!’
It felt like the chuunibyou damage from early Hans with 「Persona」 was resurfacing.
But picturing Harley roaring ferociously while devouring meat, he forced positive thinking.
Anyway, he’d scraped up every last trace of latent femininity from his psyche and shoved it here—control it well, and his main body would be the epitome of macho, right?
‘Yeah, that’s not bad.’
As he calmed himself that way, Harley’s savage roars protesting his inner wildness caused a noise complaint from some Drakal citizens, but that wasn’t his fault.
‘...Eh, I’ll throw a meat festival from the treasury. But first, assess the Demon World situation.’
Hubert, ever the dutiful merchant, dove into prep for Demon World trade routes, but the urgent issue was the problem brewing there now.
His interest in the Demon World stemmed from unease over that very matter.
Solving it started with intel, and the two fresh-from-Demon-World demons were prime sources.
...Or so it should’ve been.
“Ugh, truth be told, I’m not big on politics, so what I told Hubert is everything I know. If that’s enough...”
“Haha, apologies. I’ve been away over five years, so latest news is sparse... Still, I’ll share what I do know.”
A bit unreliable, but summing it up: factional strife over the next Demon King throne.
It’d dragged on for centuries, now just routine.
Explanation: after the 14th Demon King Reraye invaded the continent with her Demon King army a millennium ago, the Demon World went quiet during the Immortal King’s rampage for this reason.
‘...Come to think, there was a succubus queen executive’s essence in the 「Golden Repository」 too.’
He’d skipped it fearing bad synergy with lower-rank materials compared to the Demon King’s remains...
‘Succubus-hybrid Demon King and her succubus queen exec. In hindsight, their bond was likely more than queen and vassal.’
Anyway, crucially, beyond these two demons, he had another Demon World tie.
A special link, presumably close to the previous Demon King.
‘Siana.’
Hans’s succubus subordinate in the undead army.
Demons lived long; she might know about those dead a millennium ago.
Even if not, her faction—producing a Demon King and high execs—likely still held sway there.
‘Swallow that whole...’
Demon World ops would smooth out.
Demon King Hella nodded slowly and sprang into action.
Undying King Hans moved in tandem.
A horrific alliance that would make the world scream—if they knew.
But for now, no one did.