027. Tell Me, Why Did You Do That to Me?
Hillon Kargil regretted his own foolish words and actions.
100,000 gold was no small sum. An ordinary person might never touch that much in a lifetime, and even most nobles or merchants couldn't dream of it.
Let alone a demon who placed little value on human money—a freshly descended Demon King who hadn't even been in this world for a year.
How could he just hand over 100,000 gold...?
He couldn't believe it, but the water had already been spilled.
A hero was a chosen being. They gained dimensional power and blessings, but in exchange bore heavy responsibilities.
Hero's oaths especially carried a strange power. They had to be kept, or the hero would lose their blessing and status.
The worst fate any hero could imagine.
"...What the hell did you feed me?"
Separate from that, the orb the Demon King had slipped into his mouth was already down his throat.
The hero's compulsion to honor his oath, combined with his shock that the money was real—it had all led him to swallow it on impulse.
His head throbbed.
"It's an item to bind you. Called Armani's Orb. It has various effects, but the main one prevents betrayal. A Demon King and a hero can't exactly trust each other without restraints, right?"
"You fed me that dogshit?"
"Don't try anything stupid. It's hard to implant at first, but once it's settled, Armani explodes if it senses danger."
Could a hero survive without a brain? Would he, or wouldn't he?
"Wonder if that fancy dimensional blessing of yours can protect you? Wanna test it?"
You won't, though.
"...What the hell do you want from me?"
Hillon was quick to give up, especially when his life and money were on the line.
"Just keep living as a hero like always. I'll help you soar higher than anyone else."
"A hero taking help from a Demon King? Sounds like it'd make me prime hunting material."
"Armani leaves no trace. Unless someone cracks open your skull and pulls out your brain."
Is that true?
Hillon didn't dare test it. If there was even a sliver of hope to survive, he couldn't gamble his life on the Demon King's word.
"...Fine."
In the end, he accepted it. That the situation had gone straight to hell.
That like it or not, he'd be tied to the Demon King from here on out.
"Now, how about untying me?"
Let's think positive.
His 10,000-gold debt was wiped clean. And he still had a massive 90,000 gold left.
What couldn't he do with that?
Lobby nobles, start businesses, seize more power and wealth.
Glory and riches were within reach.
"You think you can just keep heroing around like nothing happened?"
"Everyone who came with you is locked up. I'll turn them all into Dark Knights and warlocks under your command."
"Using magic points will give you away."
"If you wanna live, you'll be careful around people."
"Fair point."
If it came out later that he'd become the Demon King's dog, there might be some backlash, but nothing major. Hillon was a hero, after all—heroes becoming Demon King lapdogs was unthinkable.
No one would suspect him.
"Oh, by the way—among the ones we caught, any with brown hair and blue eyes?"
"Plenty like that."
"Guess I'll check myself."
Hillon nodded.
"Untie me. We're partners now... Gahk!"
A dull thud echoed as Hillon toppled. Berge returned his foot to position.
"Watch your mouth. Not partners—slave and master."
"...Didn't peg you for that kind of play."
"I don't even expect true loyalty. Like it or not, you're my chess piece now. But at least put on that act you're good at. Isn't that your specialty?"
"...If that's what you want, my lord."
Hillon flashed a chilling smile, donning his mask.
It didn't feel awkward. It was what he always wore.
Heroing was war.
No matter how it was dressed up in fine words or promises of vast wealth, it meant fighting—and someone dying.
No one liked risking their life.
Unless they were desperate enough.
Aman Katrash, a knight who'd joined the hero expedition and become one of the hero party, was one such desperate soul.
He was a skilled knight, but loved drink and gambling. Unfortunately, he had no talent for the latter.
His excesses got him kicked out of his home. Though talented enough to become a knight, the noble he served soon discarded him, saying people weren't worth fixing.
In a final mercy, they didn't strip his title, leaving him a free knight.
But the debts remained crushing. Hunted and scraping by, he joined the hero expedition as a last resort.
Even Erjest Mountains as the goal? He endured.
Avalanches, Frost Orcs driving monsters into ambushes—he toughed it out.
No tower at the summit? Party fracturing? He didn't flee.
He believed in success. By Hillon Kargil's side, they'd surely slay the Demon King and claim riches.
He never imagined it would turn to nightmare.
"You have two choices."
Head shoved against the cold prison floor, awaiting death—that's when the Demon King appeared before him.
"Become Dark Warlocks or Dark Knights, my faithful servants."
"Or honor your loyalty to humans and die here."
"Oh, and it won't be quick. You invaded my tower—you'll pay."
A chill ran down Aman Katrash's spine.
He knew that friendly smile wasn't innocent.
He'd seen it already. The Demon King had slaughtered all the heroes. Executed them cruelly before the survivors.
Die like that?
Captured by the Demon King meant death anyway. He knew, but facing it was terrifying.
He was a knight who just wanted to pay debts and live luxuriously. No sense of justice for humanity or the continent.
Yet he hesitated because...
Become a Dark Knight, and it'll be obvious.
Maybe luck would hold short-term. But as a knight, he couldn't avoid using power forever—and heroes watched him closely.
"Dragging this out won't help you. Accept His Majesty's mercy. It's your only lifeline."
"...Lord Hero?"
Aman's parched lips parted.
It was Hillon Kargil. The hope who'd led the expedition.
The prisoners' pupils dilated.
Why was he with the Demon King?
Questions brief—his eyes met theirs.
"This is the knight I mentioned."
"The useful one?"
"Aman Katrash, sole heir to the Katrash family. They run the Golden Moon Merchant Company—perfect for handling funds."
"Golden Moon?"
"Declined lately, but once top-five in the Iasin Kingdom."
"Why'd a guy like that join heroes?"
"Disowned bastard. Turned into a drunken gambling dog even his parents and lord couldn't recognize."
Aman's face flushed at the sharp barbs.
"Parents wouldn't pay his debts, so he got dragged into this. But truth is, old Kruger Katrash dotes on his son. Secretly monitors his every move. Probably still hopes he'll reform and inherit."
Only child, after all.
"Ho ho."
"Delegate work to underlings anyway—easy to use. I guarantee he'll be a big help to you, my lord."
"Makes collecting legit sponsorships smoother too, eh?"
"Can't deny that."
"So, what's your choice?"
"......"
He knew it was aimed at him, but Aman couldn't answer easily. He couldn't even follow the hero-Demon King banter.
"What the hell are you talking about...? Why's the hero with the Demon King?!"
"Isn't it obvious? Seems Sir Aman's a bit slow."
"Pardon?"
"I've decided to side with His Majesty from now on."
"Why would Hero Hillon serve the Demon King?!"
"Because I lost. And I don't fancy dying so pathetically."
Just for that—a hero betrays humanity?
One of the greatest, praised heroes?
Instead of rage, Aman felt relief. A hero with such power thought like him—it was comforting.
If even mighty Hillon begged for life, wasn't it natural for him?
"...Can we really live?"
"You can."
"But Dark Knights get exposed to heroes..."
"Don't worry. Others maybe, but you won't be found out."
Hillon smiled.
"A suggestion for His Majesty: you need Aman the merchant more than the knight. Advise destroying his aura core."
"......?"
What did he just say...?
"Dark Knight contracts engrave on the soul. No aura, shattered core—contract holds."
"True. Enables guilt-free servitude."
"Guilt-free subordination—novel phrasing, but yes. No need to infuse extra magic points. No one expects aura from a shattered-core knight, and a doting father? How'd he react to his son returning broken?"
"Shape up, care for him, take over the family."
The Demon King's eyes gleamed.
"N-No!"
"It's good for you too, Aman. No aura core, no knight expectations. No power use, no Dark Knight slip-ups."
Aman flailed desperately.
"But smashing the aura core...!"
"Sadly, no choice."
"His Majesty's word, Aman. Take it gladly."
Crunch—
Pain exploded in his lower belly.
Will he, nill he, Hillon had become the Demon King's dog.
A huge sum and his life as payment. No loss there.
But regardless, there was one person Hillon desperately wanted to meet. One question he had to ask.
"Tell me. Why did you do that to me?"
"What?"
"Thought about it a ton, but I really don't get it. Why side with the Demon King? Why treat me—who climbed like a dog to save you—as an enemy for him?"
No ifs in reality. This Demon King's cunning outstripped others; maybe he'd have lost even without the princess.
But.
What if, really.
If she hadn't thrown him into confusion.
Maybe the outcome would've been the total opposite.
Then he wouldn't be rationalizing this as no big deal, forced into doghood.
"I got paid."
The princess answered nonchalantly.
"Paid...?"
"Allorze."
A priceless elixir. Purest mana source—knights and mages went mad for it. Valuable for research too.
And not that huge for the princess before him.
"You could've gotten that anytime, Princess."
Small for a kingdom. Allorze was pricey, but not burdensome for mighty Hildean.
Would the king skimp on elixirs for his hopeful crown princess? Else she couldn't summon all four great spirits so young—one mid-rank even.
"Doesn't make Allorze any less precious. Especially from Erjest Mountains."
"Not worth throwing away your chance to escape the Demon King."
"If I wanted to leave, sure."
"......?"
Did I hear right?
The princess didn't want to leave the Demon King's tower?
"Not all princes and princesses love their kingdoms."
"But you..."
He paused.
As Hildean's top hero, he'd seen and heard plenty—even royal secrets commoners missed.
"...I see."
"Shh."
Ernan's slender finger sealed Hillon's lips. Her amethyst eyes curved slyly.
"Whatever you know, best not speak of royal affairs lightly."
"No one's listening anyway."
"Slack once, slack always."
"A heavy tongue is a hero's virtue."
"Hope you're a good hero, Hillon."
Brief silence. The chill broke as Ernan spoke first.
"The kingdom will riot when you return."
"Figured."
Not just the king. Hillon knew Hildean's obsession with her.
Regardless of her actions, she was the firm heir—taken for granted. Her vanishing? Chaos a hundredfold.
They'd form a second party to stop it, but... with the tower hidden? Few heroes would step up.
"If you meet Elena, tell her I'm fine. She'll worry."
"The 13th Princess?"
"Yes."
"Not sure if I will, but if so, I'll pass it. But will she believe me?"
Couldn't find the tower, yet crown princess is peachy? Even a stray dog wouldn't buy it.
"Meiar."
"......?"
"She'll believe that."
"A secret only you two know. But bigger issues."
"She's tight-lipped. I vouch."
"If you insist."
Betrayer or not, trapped in the tower, she was Hildean's crown princess. Her talents dwarfed other royals.
Befriend someone likely queen? Smart move.
"Farewell then."
"Wait."
"......?"
"The dwarf on floor 1—you bring him?"
"No. Demon King kidnapped him from the dwarf kingdom. Roger Friedri."
"...That traitor's Roger Friedri?"
The princess ascended without reply. Left alone, Hillon chuckled bitterly.
"No way a dwarf like that would serve the Demon King..."
"Ha..."
Reason unknown, but one certainty:
This hero expedition was doomed from the start.
"Total defeat."
He'd lost utterly to the Demon King.
"We never found the Demon King's tower to begin with. Got it?"
"Yes."
The Dark Knights and warlocks nodded eagerly—quite the sight.
Those who'd shouted to slay the Demon King, now his dogs prepping for release.
An unfunny farce.
But Hillon had no right to scorn them. He'd bent first, with greedier ambitions.
And now, use them to mend his half-broken wings.
"Descending!"
"His Majesty's orders. We protect you."
Frost Orcs led by Krutoo escorted them.
For realism, the ragged hero party—barely eating or sleeping—were half-dead. Without guards, all but Hillon would've perished.
An elf, Granada, joined too.
"Never thought a lofty elf would side with the Demon King, but we're allies now—nice working with you."
"Not from the hero who tried sacrificing me to flee."
"Your words make me doubt you're even elven. Good acting till now."
"Acting's your talent, no?"
Hero and elf snarled.
Elf a Demon King subordinate.
Hero tried using him as bait.
An unbridgeable rift.
"Both of you, shut it. We're moving."
"You shut it, filthy orc."
"A mere orc yapping before me? If not His Majesty's servant, I'd rip your tongue."
Not two—but three.
"They get along."
"If you truly think so, my lord, your eyes might be pickled herring."
"Hate to agree, but yeah."
"How dare you, against His Majesty! My lord, command it!"
"Just go down."
After twists and turns, the party descended.
"Farewell. Elf Granada, ignorant of elven virtues."
"You're awfully childish for a hero."
At Hotenwork, Hillon and party ported away via dimensional gate. But Granada stayed to fulfill orders.
And then.
"Captain...? You're alive?"
Reunion with the thought-dead Red Hawk mercenaries.
"Son of a bitch."
Not a scratch on them.