074. Friend

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The axe slammed into the floor.

Shattered debris flew in every direction. The battle axe didn't stop there—it twisted mid-swing.

Vivian gritted her teeth. It was too close to dodge. She wrapped her hand in magic points and grabbed the axe blade.

The keen edge bit into her skin with a chilling bite. But she pushed forward anyway.

Szzzt—

Luize's body was shoved backward.

'This is a princess...?'

Vivian recoiled in shock at the unexpected strength and the bulging muscles rippling across the princess's arms.

'No way.'

The princesses she knew were easy playthings. Some were delicate flowers, others had a bit of a temper. There were magic-wielding ones and even those who swung swords dreaming of knighthood.

But none strayed beyond the bounds of princess.

Because they were royalty.

Because they were princesses.

Being seen as a princess outweighed being a knight or a mage.

But Luize Berft was different. Her face was beautiful, but beneath it lurked muscles that would make Ugar back off—a savage beast coiled inside.

Vivian couldn't help but doubt.

"You're calling you a princess?"

"Then what, ya think I'm a prince?"

Vivian lowered her head and gripped the blade tighter.

That's when a chill prickled her back.

'Oh shit.'

She'd been so stunned by this dwarf called Luize Berft that she'd forgotten the real threat.

The guard hero she couldn't beat right now.

Pzzzt—

Lightning struck her back. She pitched forward, still shoving Luize.

She tumbled dozens of rolls with the princess. By then, blaring alarm bells shook the entire palace.

'Gotta run.'

The princess was no longer the issue.

Surrender was swift; her decision swifter.

The moment the hero charged, she launched herself away. It was undignified, but a Demon King's pride meant nothing against survival.

She bolted for the window. Then a powerful grip yanked her back. Dizziness and agony tore a scream from her throat.

"Where ya think you're goin'?"

Luize Berft, who'd lost her axe, held something else.

A long, black something. The succubus Vivian Blunt's tail.

"...You bitch."

"Ya came in easy enough, but leavin'? Nah. Wanna go? Cough up yer head at least. That's manners, ya succubus slut."

Thwack—

A magic-point-charged kick rocked the princess's body. But she didn't let go of the tail.

"Let go."

"Make me."

"Won't?"

The struggle was brief, but the hero closed faster. Lightning cracked. Vivian swallowed hard.

Shwick—

A razor wind grazed past her nose.

Something was severed.

A black lump thudded to the floor.

Her tail.

It was cut off.

"Ah."

Dizzying pain surged through her.

Tears welled up.

How much she'd cherished it, her symbol of beauty.

The princess and hero gave the ashen-faced Demon King no time to dwell.

The tail was just the start. A sword bent at a right angle slashed for her neck.

'I memorized both your faces, you bitches. I memorized them!'

Blocked by dimensional interference, she unleashed every last drop of magic points.

A massive repulsion shoved everything away. The princess screamed as she flew back. The hero hesitated.

Brilliant aura cleaved through the magic points as he advanced, but Vivian was already gone.

Only shattered glass and echoing emptiness remained.

"Tears...?"

The hero, Hillun Kargil, tilted his head at the single drop falling onto his face.

A demon had invaded.

When the king first heard the report, he burst from his bedroom in his nightclothes.

"Luize!"

But the distance between Luize's annex and the king's chambers was considerable, and more reports came in along the way.

The king cocked his head.

"So a demon tried to kidnap Luize, but Hillun Kargil stopped it?"

"Not a demon, sire. A Demon King."

"And you repelled the Demon King?"

"Yes, sire."

"How?"

The question slipped out naturally.

Demon Kings had descended for a millennium now. All life on Alein lived alongside Demon Kings, demons, and demon beasts.

In their politics, diplomacy, economy—demons were no longer outliers. Humans, elves, dwarves, and other races had changed greatly over that time, but one fact remained immutable.

You couldn't stop a Demon King kidnapping.

No matter the defenses, you couldn't thwart it.

The reason was simple.

The kidnapper always held the advantage over the victim.

Because you never knew when or where.

Because you couldn't guard every royal with ironclad security.

And Demon Kings' stealth and escape skills rivaled only the greatest Stars even among experts and heroes. Even that wasn't foolproof. Only Daphne Philian came close.

But Daphne couldn't bodyguard every royal.

So humans shifted from preventing kidnappings to punishing Demon Kings afterward.

This had gone on for centuries, birthing an unspoken rule.

Demon Kings kept kidnapped royalty safe, returned them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eventually, and never targeted heirs.

Kingdoms compromised as long as Demon Kings didn't cross lines.

It minimized endless disputes—Demon Kings to survive, humans to avoid infinite respawns.

But they'd stopped a kidnapping?

Doubt loomed large, but that wasn't the priority.

"Is Luize alright? She isn't hurt, is she?"

Soldiers parted as the king arrived, securing the area.

He scanned the princess's room.

Shattered ceiling and walls, lingering magic point residue—no doubt about it.

A demon had truly come here.

His gaze turned to his daughter.

"Luize! Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine, Father."

She wasn't. Scratches covered her body.

"Get the court mage to heal you right now. That filthy demon scum—how dare it lay a hand on my girl..."

"Hero Hillun made it possible."

"Hillun Kargil?"

Only then did he notice the hero in the room.

"The hero warned us of the intrusion. We had time to prepare and repel it. Unfortunately, we couldn't kill it..."

Luize held out a wriggling succubus tail.

"A succubus tail?"

"Yes."

"The Lust Demon King?"

Demon Kings tended to command their own kind as subordinates. Not always, but it was the safest assumption.

"The Lust Demon King, that mad bitch—first messing with Dormunt, now trying Berft."

Killing intent flickered in the king's eyes.

Daring to target Luize? Unbearable rage boiled up.

But he suppressed it and approached Hillun Kargil. He didn't like the guy, but gratitude was gratitude—Luize was safe because of him.

"On behalf of Berft, I thank you."

"No need. Just doing what had to be done."

"No one's ever saved a princess before the kidnapping. You've earned great merit. But..."

One question lingered.

"How did you know?"

"Coincidence."

"Coincidence?"

"Yes. Couldn't sleep, so I was training in the annex dojo when I sensed magic points."

Plausible. Demon King magic points were subtle, but Hillun Kargil had slain two Demon Kings. His senses were sharper than most.

It felt too perfectly orchestrated, but a hero colluding with a Demon King? Unlikely.

'Or maybe he had designs on Luize, lurking around the annex, and ran into it.'

The king shook his head. Baseless suspicion. He couldn't scold the hero who'd saved his daughter from near-kidnapping over that.

"You're the savior of the kingdom, my daughter, and me. Whatever you expect, I'll give more. Look forward to it."

"Thank you."

"One might refuse out of courtesy?"

"I heard it's manners to accept what's given."

"Ha, that's manners indeed."

The king bellowed with laughter.

Rumors of the Lust Demon King failing to kidnap Berft's second princess spread like wildfire ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠across the continent.

One word, but enough to delight Berge.

Not just stopping Vivian—they'd severed her tail too.

Imagining her fleeing tail-less brought a grin.

"Keep the tail."

For succubi, tails were aesthetic icons and secondary magic point vessels.

Minor compared to the heart, but the magic points within weren't negligible.

"Good work."

"Yeah, you'll rake in even more fame now."

"How was Vivian?"

She'd only just descended, heavily affected by interference. But Vivian wasn't weak.

She was a Demon King.

Hillun had simply grown stronger. Stronger than on Erjest Mountains. Stronger than when he slew Drakson.

The power of two Demon Kings evolved him further even now.

"Better if Vivian lives to cause more trouble."

First Dormunt, now Berft.

She was a perfect lightning rod by nature.

Whatever Berge did, eyes would stay on her for now.

And he hoped they'd stay there.

Not entirely the reason, though.

'Alein slays countless Demon Kings, but fresh ones rarely die immediately.'

Besides, Vivian was Alkain's investigator into Drakson's death.

If she died, Alkain would make another move. Better the devil she knew than unpredictable ones.

"When you head to guild HQ, send Granada separately to the Golden Moon Merchant Guild."

"Yeah."

"Handle it."

The connection cut. Berge pushed the crystal orb aside and stretched.

As he checked his magic points, dreaming of deploying balrogs on the second floor, another communication orb signaled.

It was Krutoo.

Krutoo.

Once chieftain of the Red Frost tribe, now Great Chieftain uniting seven tribes.

Hundreds of warriors under him; over a thousand including all members.

Unimaginable growth before—all thanks to the great Demon King.

His loyalty burned fiercer for it.

"If you see unusual monsters, don't fight—flee and report to me."

"Understood."

"Obey the chieftain."

He followed orders faithfully.

Orcs were instinct-driven, so he drilled it in with shouts and pep talks.

"Ogre. No."

"Weird."

"Chieftain, monster."

Thus, they didn't engage the ogre with its freakishly huge arm.

'What the hell is that?'

Black hide, massive claws. The arm resembled a demon. Ominous vibes chilled Krutoo.

"Fall back quietly."

"Following."

Luckily, it didn't spot them. Once distanced, Krutoo pulled out his communication orb and infused magic points.

Then his whole body froze.

He turned slowly. Dogs—no, demon beasts. Eerie hounds.

Sniffing, staring at him.

When had they?

'These aren't mountain monsters either.'

Linked to that freak, probably.

Instinct swung his blade. The dogs were quick, but Krutoo and his orcs quicker.

Whimper—

The dogs became corpses. But they'd tarried too long. Intense gaze locked on.

'Spotted.'

The monster leaped skyward.

Viscous killing intent drew orc fury.

"Fight!"

"Kill!"

"No!"

Krutoo's shout became a hollow scream. A headless orc rolled in the snow.

Rage drove others to swing blades.

Shwick—

The demon-like arm severed. Another fist pulped an orc's skull.

Two down in seconds. Enraged orcs, Krutoo ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠charged.

Pouring magic points, they rent its flesh. One more orc died in the fray.

Report would come after.

"Yes."

The Demon King wasn't angry. Krutoo sighed in relief.

"...Demons?"

"...!"

But a voice wormed into his ear, preventing it.

He turned slowly. A woman stared blankly—unknown when she'd arrived.

"...Human?"

"You, Demon King's minion?"

Her eyes sparkled incongruously with curiosity.

A human daring curiosity before him.

Arrogant wench—slaughter her sneering. She looked too frail to block a swing.

But Krutoo hesitated. Something stuck in his throat, uneasy.

"Down there."

He asked.

"Whatcha hiding?"

"...Orc. Talks good?"

Choppy words, no malice.

"This."

"My friend."

Rumble—

The earth shook. The peak collapsed.

A colossal shadow engulfed Krutoo.