Bought with Money
Every Demon King had their preferred environment.
The Beast Demon King built his tower in wide-open plains perfect for beasts to roam wild. The Diamond Demon King chose a rocky gorge. The Frost Demon King settled in the eternally snow-swept north.
And the False Demon King erected his on a stunning lake.
Birds flitted over the water, fish splashed beneath. Mornings brought gentle mists, days sparkled with sunlight dancing on the waves—a place of flawless beauty.
The tower on the lake suited his obsession with visible splendor, beauty, and elegance to perfection.
"What secrets do you want to whisper so obviously?"
He stepped onto the terrace through the open door. There she was.
The Frost Demon King, Reina Sordain. She turned from gazing at the rippling lake. Just approaching her brought a subtle chill.
"No secrets, really. I've just wanted to chat with you since hearing the rumors."
"With me?"
"I expected someone rougher, insulting the Demon King's Canon like that. But you're quite ordinary."
"Not ordinary—handsome."
"...If you think so, then maybe."
Her silver-blue eyes fixed on Berge.
"I partly agree with you."
Then she dropped the bomb.
Berge's expression slipped for a split second at the unexpected words.
Had Reina ever said anything like this in his previous life? No.
They'd barely crossed paths, and those rare encounters had been hostile.
Beyond that—what Demon King would ever call the canon wrong?
"Serious?"
"You think so, but I can't?"
"No, I'm just shocked to hear another Demon King badmouth the canon."
"Wrong."
Reina politely corrected him.
"I partly agree, but I don't hate the canon. I revere it. I believe it must be followed."
"Like the other demons?"
"Like the other demons."
"That contradicts."
"I like the canon. Every point is flawless. But some must adapt to environment and circumstance."
He got it.
Unlike Berge, who loathed the canon itself, Reina was a realist. She acknowledged reality and the need for change.
But for a Demon King raised on tales of the canon and the first Mahwang's greatness to think that way—without some trigger—was astonishing.
"So you didn't call me for cozy canon-bashing. A warning? Childish, like that beast pup?"
"No Demon King in Alein follows the canon perfectly. Know why?"
Off-topic, but Berge answered.
"Too many heroes."
"We've failed to conquer for centuries. They've grown used to Demon Kings—no longer absolute terrors. Heroes now hunt us. Blindly following the canon means death."
So Alein's Demon Kings twisted within the canon's bounds to survive.
"But those fools are ashamed of it. They feel the need but hate admitting it. They preach strict adherence loudest while forcing it on others."
Reina despised that hypocrisy.
Demon Kings saw bending the canon as shameful, claimed constant fidelity.
Alein's fine, they said. We'll solve it by growing stronger.
"They don't see that's the real shame. I wanted to meet you. At least you'd talk sense, unlike those idiots."
"Verdict?"
"I dislike your canon-hate. But yes, you're easier to talk to than those fools."
"Thanks for the praise."
"Caution, though. You're too rebellious. That beast isn't all talk like Ugar."
"I know."
He'd suffered once already. The beast had become Alkain Daegong's dog, relaying unreasonable orders, sending minions to spy.
Berge had warned him, but he'd ignored it. Hotenwork still crawled with watchers.
"That your point?"
"I hope someone reasonable like you doesn't vanish soon."
"False Demon King's around."
"Can't read him. His thoughts, his schemes—who knows? Better than those two idiots, at least."
She shrugged. Conversation over.
"Advice? Contact me anytime. I'll listen—as long as you don't badmouth the canon to my face."
"Sure."
Nothing specific to ask, but allying with Reina Sordain suited him fine.
Among the four, she was the only one earning "somewhat trustworthy."
"Personal communicator. But is Hillon Kargil really wandering the mountains?"
"Weeks away, at least."
"Right."
Not fully trusting, but she vanished. Berge toyed with the orb. Cool chill lingered.
Moments later, he returned to the hall.
"...Where'd everyone go?"
Only one of five chairs occupied.
"All gone."
Jason Cockmond stirred his tea leisurely, greeting him.
"Tower Harmony is over."
"Short."
"Not regular—just welcoming new you. No need to drag it with bad blood between you and the others, right?"
Berge sat silently opposite.
"Tea?"
"Don't like human tea."
"Elven."
"Same difference."
"Can't match Ma-gye's, but Alein's has charm."
"Failing comparison dooms it."
"Picky."
Jason set down his spoon.
"Good chat with Reina?"
"Adequate."
"Wouldn't tell even if asked, huh?"
"......"
"Kidding. Jealous, that's all. I'd like to bond with you too."
Berge was shocked twice today.
"Why? I insulted the canon."
"True, but Alein's special—needs flexibility. And without the Mahwang, even he gets trashed."
"I did it publicly."
"Hence your kingly dignity."
Jason replied without flinching, smile enigmatic.
"Different tune from before."
"Well."
His eyes gleamed.
"Just us now, right?"
No need, but his voice dropped to a whisper.
"We could get along well, no?"
Sweetly.
"How was the adjutants' gathering?"
"Ah. Just average."
Gordon couldn't say outright: all trash-talk about their lords, mostly his share.
"How was yours, my lord?"
"Not bad."
Two solid enemies, two shaky allies gained.
Friendly chats alone made the harmony worthwhile.
And.
"Time to hurry. Gotta use our captives."
Demon Kings didn't buy Hillon still roaming Erjest Mountains. Made sense—a strong hero conquering the tower.
Abandoning it for that? Beyond their or Berge's logic. They overlooked knowingly.
But how long?
Erase doubts before truth surfaced. Before they dug and found him using heroes.
That wasn't minor canon-bending—catastrophic.
"How to use them?"
"Demon Kings have one way to 'trust' lowly humans."
"Black Knights and Dark Mages?"
Classic, reliable.
Bind weak humans' overflowing negative souls, grant power, make limbs.
They couldn't betray, became faithful dogs shredding kin.
Slowly crumbling from within, dagger strikes.
Still viable elsewhere, obsolete in Alein.
Too many heroes.
Demon Kings felled aplenty.
Alein's humans saw Demon Kings as fallible—no point pledging souls.
"But they're exceptions."
Captives had no choice: slave to Berge or die.
Only escape.
"Worth it? Any power use risks detection."
Human shells hid mana from heroes.
Only if fully concealed inside.
"Their problem."
Berge wouldn't babysit.
"And the other heroes?"
"Kill all but Hillon Kargil."
Hero rage spanned lives, deepened, burned hotter.
He endured for utility: Roger, Hillon. Best revenge—use his toymakers to topple the continent.
No mercy for the worthless.
"Hero party never reached tower. They'll descend, resume normal lives."
Hillon's fame dips minor, rebounds quick.
"Ideally. But can't make heroes Black Knights or Dark Mages. Kill Hillon too?"
"Armani's Orb."
Ma-gye artifact, bought with magic points. For control.
Swallow: melts, roots in brain.
Obeys stamped master's commands, shares vision, info.
"Will Hillon swallow willingly?"
Demons excelled at mind/soul magic; heroes resisted via dimensional power.
For Armani's Orb, hero must drop all defenses, ingest voluntarily.
Else melts harmlessly.
Would any hero?
"So we'll talk."
Luckily, Berge had clues from Hillon's rants.
Lips cracked, throat parched.
He lapped dripping water. Filthy, foul—but eased thirst.
Eyes blinked, darkness-adapted.
'...Why keep me alive?'
Some Demon Kings traded princesses/princes for kingdoms or heroes.
None spared captured heroes.
Heroes opposed Demon Kings mercilessly. Failed, caught heroes died.
Yet Hillon lived.
'Everything's off.'
Dwarf hero building mana cannons for Demon King.
Elf as spy.
Princess claiming subordinate.
Imprisoned, not killed.
Without throbbing pain proving reality, he'd deem it dream, suicide.
'What's the goal.'
Imprisonment meant wants.
But what could a Demon King want from a hero? Would a hero grant it? Worth more than killing?
Hillon shook head. No. Nothing.
Prison door opened then.
Not noon elf.
"...Demon King."
Berge pierced dark, eyed Hillon. Skin cracked lifeless, hair brittle, strength faded.
But eyes unyielding. Berge liked that.
"Holding up well."
"...Rotten pollack eyes?"
"I'll free you."
"...?"
"You and all prisoners. You never found tower—failed mission, no defeat."
"Wait. Hold on."
Hillon couldn't grasp it.
"Free me?"
"Other humans here?"
"You eat bad mushrooms or what?"
"Sadly, no Alein drug maddens me. Ma-gye neither."
"Then you're nuts."
"Don't wanna live?"
Don't wanna live? No one did. Hillon especially—greedy, instinct-driven.
Live, fame, wealth, glory.
Hero suited perfectly. Till this damn Demon King used princesses.
Brief silence.
Hillon neared truth amid anguish.
Puhahaha—
He guffawed. Lungs ached cracked, but unstoppable.
"...Trying to win me over? Demon King to hero? For real?"
"Countless humans begged to serve us. Heroes different?"
"Very! Polar opposites!"
Demons-humans: existential war. Conquer or perish. Beyond kingdom/tribal skirmishes.
Heroes vanguard for humans, Demon Kings for Ma-gye.
"Not different. Dead stay dead, no future. Matters: want to live?"
"......"
Hit core.
"Be my dog."
"Humans say even rolling in shit beats death."
"Think that'll sway me?"
"I read strong desires in you. Greed, fame-lust, survival. You crave life more than anyone. Right?"
Berge sensed emotions keenly. Hillon's blasts weren't all.
"You value personal honor over heroics. Desires first."
Hillon's despair: not failed duty, but lost fame/money, survival ache.
No rage at evil unchecked, Demon King unbeaten.
'Not special.'
Alein's heroes desire-driven. Merchants feared rightly.
"Fame minimized by 'no defeat.' I'll cover debts too."
"...Huh?"
"All your debts—I pay."
Not enough.
"Future hero gigs? I fund all. Your patron: great Demon King, Berge Dayas."
So pledge loyalty.
Kuhuhu.
Hillon laughed.
Absurdity overflowed.
Demon King sponsoring hero? When else hear such nonsense?
Infuriating. But curious how far this Demon King bullshitted.
"Oh yeah?"
Play along a bit.
"My debt's 10,000 gold. Plus future needs? 100,000 total. Pay up. Then I'm your dog."
"100,000 gold?"
"Too steep? You're patron. Hero trusting Demon King needs that cash grovel. Worried fake? Don't. Heroes keep promises."
Hillon smirked at floundering Demon King.
100,000 gold. Beyond any Demon King's reach.
Expected rage, insults.
But.
"Wait. Bringing soon."
He left calmly.
"...Huh?"
"Lord! Message from Berge Dayas!"
Drakson Dolph, buried in massive beast, awoke.
"Wants magic points swapped for human money."
"Points piled up, yeah."
"Requests 100,000 gold."
"...?"
Drakson rose.
"100,000? Got that magic?"
"Steady inflow—will repay gradually. Offers Ma-gye contract if wanted."
Serious then. Ma-gye contracts binding via magic—unbreakable. Hits rank.
"Why sudden 100,000?"
"Checking."
"Later. Vault stock?"
"5,000 gold."
"Short."
Demon Kings amassed wealth variably, mostly ignored human coin.
Drakson's from shaking heroes/parties.
Not much. Many quit midway vs. summit.
Pride in well-built tower, but irrelevant now.
"......"
Tempting magic overflowed, unobtainable.
"Repay gradually? Tell him we'll pay gradually. I'll scrape cash somehow."
100,000 gold huge—huge magic reward.
Drakson wouldn't miss it.
"...Me, short on human cash."
Crazy? No—crazy was Berge selling precious magic for trash money.
"So pay as money comes?"
『Yes. Our lord lacks that sum now...』
"Deal ends here."
『Wait! Please, lord!』
"Speak."
『No Demon King has 100,000 ready. Time—we'll manage.』
"No patience for 'time.'"
『Lord Drakson has means! Can satisfy you!』
"Make results with those means, then call."
Click—
Berge cut unilaterally, reinjected magic.
Connection lingered.
Previously, waited for prep. Post-harmony, other faces.
Not close, not trade-ready, but.
"Lend some gold."
『......』
Berge shrugged off silence.
Brief quiet.
『Intriguing.』
『Drakson said same just now.』
『Something I missed?』
"Funny guy. Planned borrow from you, reroute to me?"
『Checks out. Why sudden cash need?』
"Need it."
『If no reason, another question. How much? What collateral?』
"100,000 gold."
『No trifle.』
"Collateral: magic."
『...Shockingly so, but not joking? I'd be disappointed.』
"That close?"
『Tricky for 100,000 offhand.』
『Most my savings.』
"Hoarder. You sought friendship first."
『Glad now.』
"Human money, endless or not, worthless."
『In Ma-gye, yes. Value relative.』
『But nothing tops magic.』
No dilemma. Hottest Demon King now—no repayment worry. Jason Cockmondo chose like Drakson.
"Good deal."
『My line. Don't demand back later.』
Clank—
Thud—
Thud—
Dozens massive sacks dumped before Hillon.
Demon King unbound, revealed contents. Gold mountain. Immense coins glittered.
"Brought it. 100,000 gold."
Demon King declared.
"Buying you. You're mine now."
Orb entered mouth.
Hillon swallowed reflexively. No—couldn't refuse anyway.
Dimensional power's price: heroes kept promises.