Chapter 391
Chapter 391
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 391
Chapter Title: Succubus (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh... no, Matriarch."
"Call me comfortably, Siana. This isn't an official occasion."
"...Yes, Mother. But are you really sure about this? Your will is the will of all Dream Walkers, so there's no dissent, but... aren't you deciding too hastily...?"
In a private chamber filled with ornate decorations unbefitting the Demon World.
Liliana slowly stroked her lips at her daughter's cautious words.
She could fully understand why Siana was saying this.
No matter that she had acknowledged Hella as the daughter of the 14th Demon King and her own niece, the fact remained that they had met for the first time today, and their conversation hadn't been particularly long.
So, for her to suddenly pledge loyalty must have felt a bit strange.
"Ufufu, you're still so inexperienced."
"Pardon?"
But Liliana was certain.
That her choice was correct.
It might seem like an impulsive decision at first glance, but it was a conclusion reached after coldly weighing all the circumstances.
"That one isn't just a demon with strong power. She can already be called a full-fledged Demon King."
"...A Demon King? But that's..."
Demon and Demon King.
The gulf between them wasn't merely a difference in status or rank.
If anything, it was like the difference between an elf and a high elf... no, an even more stark distinction marked by the very 'race' known as Demon King.
"Fufut— The moment a being who had never set foot in the Demon World was born as one, she became a Demon King. I never knew such a thing was possible. This must be fate. The will of the Demon God as well."
As one of the Demon World's top powerhouses, she could sense it.
The instant she first laid eyes on Hella— that her blood and soul were fiercely drawn to her.
And that wasn't just due to the other's charm; it was proof that something more profound was at play.
"Ah, so that's why...!"
Count-rank demon Siana let out an exclamation.
Now she understood why she couldn't move a muscle before Hella, and why even the great Immortal King treated her as an equal.
All Demon Kings up to now had been born through acquired means.
Only upon proving their worth through the recognition of the Demon World's denizens and ascending to the pinnacle could they receive the Demon God's blessing and evolve into Demon Kings.
In that sense, they held a position similar to a human church's saintess, but with both authority and tangible might, they weren't exactly the same.
Demons, unlike other races, were innately lacking in faith to begin with.
'Of course, since she hasn't been officially recognized yet, she doesn't have all the authority of a Demon King.'
In the Demon World, a Demon King was a being with a modicum of divinity.
It wasn't just about the body; faith mattered.
It didn't have to be belief or worship— fear or hatred would suffice.
Only after stepping forward and earning the recognition of the Demon World's inhabitants in some form could she truly become a Demon King.
"But even if the order is reversed and it's not yet complete, a Demon King is still a Demon King. One who has fully inherited Lerreia's power at that. How could we let such an opportunity slip away?"
It was insight born of transcendent intuition.
That following Hella would ultimately achieve what they desired.
That she would one day surely reach the pinnacle of this Demon World.
"And one more thing. We don't have much time left."
"Ah!"
The tide of the long war had already fully turned to the 'Dark Nest' led by the Dragon Duke.
The most belligerent faction under the War Demon Duke had already collapsed entirely and been absorbed, while the other two dukes were barely holding on, suffering catastrophic losses and struggling to prevent defections from their lower ranks.
"Tiptoeing between them has reached its limit. At this rate, we'll collapse soon enough. In such a situation, the emergence of a Demon King— nay, the essence of a Queen— more than enough to serve as a wildcard..."
Liliana shrugged lightly, as if the rest went without saying.
Siana nodded, convinced by her mother's words.
She too held goodwill toward Hella, but she had thought deciding the organization's fate was a separate matter.
"By the way, Siana? What are you doing right now?"
"Pardon?"
Then, Liliana tossed out a remark while looking at her daughter with an odd expression.
And before the flustered Siana could respond, she continued.
"I told you, didn't I? We don't have much time."
"Yes, you did..."
"Then shouldn't we hurry and lend a hand? How long are you going to laze around? Your mother is working so hard, and you look awfully leisurely."
In Liliana's hand was the 'Essence of the Succubus Queen' she had received from Hella right after pledging loyalty.
To her, it was no different from her mother's keepsake.
Wuuung—
Of course, right now it was merely material being processed with mana for efficient power extraction.
All for the preservation of Dream Walker, which she, her mother, and generations before had steadfastly guarded.
"Ahh! Yes! Understood, Matriarch!"
She chuckled at Siana's hurried exit, then gazed intently at the essence once more.
A geometric polyhedron with a black base tinged in pink hues resonated with mana, scattering a subtle aura.
As if gently embracing her long-unseen daughter.
As if praising the matriarch who had valiantly protected their homeland through grueling times.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After Dream Walker's joining, the faction's expansion exploded in speed.
Though currently sandwiched between massive factions and scraping by, it was still a prestigious group that had produced a former Demon King, led by a current marquis-rank powerhouse.
They would be welcomed grandly by any faction they joined, so when they seriously set the stage, connecting with high demons that had been hard to approach before wasn't difficult at all.
'Good, this should mean we've taken root in every layer of the Demon World.'
The largest force, the Dragon Duke's 'Dark Nest' and the absorbed War Demon Duke's 'Burning Inferno'.
The Black Rock Duke's 'Demoniac' and Monster Wolf Duke's 'Abnormal' holding out by linking arms despite their pride, and all other minor factions besides.
They were all currently hiding their intentions and moving per existing policies, but beneath the surface, constant coordination was underway so they could rise at Hella's command anytime.
But as the size grew, security naturally laxed.
Eventually, these secretive movements were bound to be exposed.
"Contact with Parma has been cut off. Reports say Dark Nest's elite unit suddenly raided and captured all the executives..."
"Killown's situation doesn't look good either. Fortunately, they noticed surveillance immediately and went into hiding without leaving evidence, but they're being hounded relentlessly as if already pinpointed."
Even with the organization's leaders and executives fully swayed, controlling everything solely through them had limits.
To the warring lords, their subordinates' movements were a sensitive matter, so holding out this long was already a solid win.
"Hmm, a shame. I thought we could gobble up more."
Still, when the moment arrived, the regret was inevitable.
As Hella grumbled at the bad news from the command room, Siana, attached to her side like a secretary, chimed in.
"The others aren't fools either. Still, the results aren't bad. This much means we can face the other dukes' factions head-on, if not Dark Nest."
Considering even those two dukes combined couldn't match Dark Nest, it wasn't great news.
Not to mention, that assumed they hadn't been whittled down bit by bit by her.
At this rate, there was no telling when she could subjugate them all.
"...Hmph, no helping it."
Hella, hand propping her chin in thought, slowly nodded with a resolute expression, as if having made a decision.
Siana looked at her anxiously.
"Um... Lady Hella? If I may ask what you're thinking..."
"Fufut, in a situation like this, there's only one way, right?"
Hella smiled brightly.
Her smile lit up the surroundings like sunshine, but the meaning in her sweet voice was anything but.
"—A show of force."
A chill as if blood might drip any second.
Then she rose gracefully, brushing past the gulping Siana.
Fishing for gains was ideal, but with their existence exposed, they couldn't hide forever.
Right now, they were an utter unknown crashing in suddenly.
Dark Nest, riding high, and other factions alike wouldn't tolerate a variable eating away at their power.
'Better to strike first while they're off-guard. A dagger shines brightest unseen.'
Not all who had turned to her side were exposed yet.
Stepping out herself to draw eyes would buy them more time.
That brief gap would be the key to wrapping things up smoothly.
'Besides, the faction's big enough as is. Dragging this out too long isn't good.'
As Hella walked lightly with a sly curl to her lips, pitch-black mana bloomed like flowers at each step.
At that signal, elite demons began following her one by one.
These were forces assembled separately from those embedded elsewhere, ready for immediate deployment.
"Hum~ Which one's the closest again?"
The faction nearest Dream Walker's base.
In other words, the one that had tormented them longest.
"...Abnormal, Lady Hella."
"Right, that one? Led by some duke named Monster Wolf."
"Yes, but... are you really going to hit them first?"
Demons' overwhelming base abilities and magic proficiency meant distance wasn't a big constraint like in human wars, but proximity still drew more eyes.
They'd quieted lately with Dark Nest dominant, but before that, Abnormal was chiefly responsible for draining Dream Walker's blood over long years.
'Not much to do with me directly, but... easing my subordinates' grudges isn't bad.'
Logically, hitting Dark Nest first with the other two dukes' factions made sense.
But she had no such intention.
This was an opportunity in its own right.
'The advantage of a surprise from info asymmetry is now. Better to waste it on Dark Nest minions and swallow a whole duke's force instead!'
Confident Hella halted.
A key facility lined with teleportation arrays for troop transport.
Having moved slowly while signaling, countless combatants were already assembled and arrayed.
Loyal soldiers gazing at her alone with morale sky-high and fervent eyes.
Hella swept her gaze over them, grinned, and cried out in a clear voice.
"Time to march! Just follow me closely, my darlings! We'll end this quick!"
"Woooaaah—!"
"Hella! Hella! Hella!"
It was Demon King Hella's official debut in the Demon World.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ One of the Demon World's scant four... no, now three remaining dukes: Monster Wolf Duke Sipar.
[What? Dream Walker?]
He tilted his scarred, ferocious beast face, shaking his lush mane.
[Grrr— Have they gone mad?]
A head covered in scales with boar-like tusks growled next.
[I knew it! Should've swept them early!]
A beast with burn-scarred, twisted skin and features roared savagely.
Kururung—
As the massive beast— the three-headed hound Cerberus— rose, the air quaked.
Nearly 10 meters at the shoulder.
Its long snake tail flicked its tongue restlessly.
But only briefly.
Sipar left that to his subordinates and turned attention elsewhere.
Abnormal halting attacks on Dream Walker wasn't due to lack of ability.
Without other factions' checks, it'd have been quick.
Dealing with small fry mattered less than Dark Nest now.
"Your Grace! Talab has fallen!"
"Battles breaking out everywhere! Tied down on the Dark Nest front, can't send support..."
"Galak at the central pass defected! Dream Walkers advancing rapidly through it, Your Grace!"
Yet events unfolded contrary to his expectations.
Defeat reports pouring in, impossible to ignore.
Even with most forces on Dark Nest, this pace was beyond projections.
'What trick did they pull? That idiot dream demon Liliana couldn't have this in her.'
He already knew they'd reached out to lower forces across factions.
Sneered at their vulgarity and ordered investigations, hadn't he?
'No, this isn't just gathering numbers.'
His demons weren't so weak as to be overwhelmed by headcount alone.
Something more was afoot.
Something he didn't know.
As even the tail snake joined, four heads racked brains for countermeasures.
"Your Grace! They're...!"
Kwaaaang—!
A massive explosion echoed from near his cave.
Along with the faint scent of battle wafting in.
Dream Walker's forces had reached here already.
[Hah...?!!]
Multiple heads exhaled in disbelief unison.
The implication was clear.
They'd targeted him from the start.
In Demon World wars, to block spatial infiltration, they installed one-way gates in controlled areas.
This assault's speed was impossible without shortest-path breaches of gates leading solely here.
Impressive in itself, but—
[Pfuhuhu... This is ridiculous.]
[Grr— They underestimated us.]
[Slaughter! Ki hahaha! Time for slaughter!]
Kwang—!
With a boom, Sipar's colossal body shot toward the commotion.
He wasn't hunkered here from cowardice.
Merely awaiting in the center for efficiency as Abnormal's top force, to counter other dukes or crises.
[To come here on their own!]
Enraged, he reached the battlefield in moments.
Abnormal's base, a chaotic melee of diverse demons.
[......!]
But upon arrival.
Sipar's body froze briefly.
Self-assured till then, he bristled all fur involuntarily, glaring one way.
Something there stimulated his instincts.
It was—
"Cerberus? Wait, isn't that a dog? Then why monster wolf instead of monster hound?"
One impudent woman poking his reverse scale.
"Kahahahaha!"
And one grotesque four-legged beast howling weirdly, bearing her on its back.