“So. When does it end?”
The Demon King said, unable to take his eyes off Hesilaya.
Then, the Succubus, dressed in excessively revealing clothes, put a finger on her chin and replied.
“Hmm… No one knows. It varies based on individual tendencies…”
“Tendencies?”
“Yes. The more virtuous the person, or the more fervently they love and dedicate themselves to someone, the longer it takes to break them down.”
“Hmm…”
“Still, it does take a while. Usually, no matter how long it takes, it shouldn’t exceed an hour.”
The Demon King grimaced at the Succubus’s words.
If there’s a demon known as the Dream Eater that turns happy memories into terrible nightmares, they could cruelly recreate it as if it were real.
It was said that time in the dream world flows about a hundred times slower than in reality.
But Hesilaya had been trapped there for over five hours.
This meant that Hesilaya’s love for Athena exceeded ordinary levels by a long shot.
“That’s not pleasing.”
He had thought he had quelled all hope, yet such intense feelings still resided within her.
“Well, if you just wait a little longer, you’ll have the perfect doll.”
The Succubus clung to the Demon King, giving a sultry smile, but the Demon King showed no interest and continued to gaze at Hesilaya.
After a bit of time passed, a commotion erupted and a demon guarding the castle rushed in, panting.
“Demon King!!”
Not wanting any interruptions, the Demon King frowned, and the sudden appearance of the demon caused it to immediately kneel and lower its posture.
“I-I’m sorry! It’s a very urgent matter…”
“If it does not satisfy me, you will pay with your neck.”
At the Demon King’s deadly words, the demon swallowed hard and opened its mouth.
“A rebellion… a rebellion has occurred.”
“What?”
The Demon King raised an eyebrow.
The demon, sweating profusely, conveyed the remaining words.
“Right at the castle gates, most of the soldiers, including Lord Lycan, are rebelling! Lord Tyrus is trying to hold them off, but who knows how long he can last.”
Faced with a situation more serious than he had predicted, the Demon King began to contemplate.
After a moment, he shifted his gaze to the Succubus and spoke.
“I’ll be back soon, so keep a close watch on Hesilaya to ensure nothing happens to her.”
“Yes, Demon King.”
The Succubus respectfully bowed her head in response.
As the Demon King finished speaking, he muttered to himself with an irritated expression.
“These fools are determined to irritate my precious child.”
*
“Get out of the way, Tyrus!”
A massive lion roared.
Yet, despite his overwhelming roar, Tyrus silently stood his ground at the castle gates.
Before his feet lay a multitude of demon corpses, yet it seemed that the number of rebelling demons showed no sign of dwindling.
But Tyrus appeared unfazed.
“The likes of rebels will never reach the Demon King.”
“Do you think the Demon King is the same as before? He is just a weak demon caught up in unnecessary emotional games.”
“…..”
That was not a completely deniable statement.
Even Tyrus could see that the Demon King was not the same fierce figure they once knew.
But he didn’t care at all.
Strong or weak. Fierce or gentle.
His decision to dedicate his life to serve remained unchanged.
“No one can reach the Demon King.”
When Tyrus planted his sword in the ground, massive black walls arose on either side of him.
Seeing this, Lycan clicked his tongue and stepped forward.
“I thought you had the spirit of a warrior, but turns out you’re just a pathetic sap.”
As he swung the gigantic axe in his hand down, the ground began to shake violently around him.
With a growl, he looked at Tyrus with wide, torn pupils and shouted.
“I’ll tear you apart.”
“You lack self-awareness.”
Thus, the two powerful figures stood firm on the ground.
But before their intense energies collided, Tyrus hesitated for a moment, then quickly stepped back and released his strength.
“What is this nonsense?”
Ignoring Lycan’s calm words, Tyrus focused on something for a moment, then sheathed his sword and moved aside.
“It is the Demon King’s command. Step back.”
The demon army, flustered by the unexpected turn of events.
Lycan lowered his axe and began to laugh heartily.
“Ha ha! So you don’t want to hide your tail. At least you’ll die like a king.”
Tyrus offered no response to Lycan’s mockery.
He merely followed the Demon King’s orders in silence.
“Step aside. Soon I will bring back your master’s head.”
With a great smile, Lycan and the demon horde entered the castle.
Tyrus watched them, thinking to himself.
They are just moths rushing towards the flame.
*
Inside the vast hallway leading from the entrance of the Demon King’s castle.
Seated on a magnificent throne, Arbes slowly focused her gaze on the audacious intruders before her.
“So. A rebellion, huh?”
“Step down from that throne, Demon King. We no longer wish to serve a weakling like you.”
Lycan brandished his massive axe threateningly, but the Demon King merely stood up, wearing an impassive expression, and walked towards him.
“The price for interrupting my time must be paid in full.”
With each step she took forward, an indescribable pressure began to weigh down upon the demons.
But as Lycan let out a massive roar, the overwhelming murderous aura dissipated immediately.
“There’s no need to fear, even if those claws are sharp. It’s just one person.”
At his words, the morale of the demons started to revive.
Each of them sparked their respective flames of resolve in their eyes.
“Go! Tear apart that coward who dashed the demon’s ambitions!!”
With Lycan’s concluding words, numerous demons surged towards her like a single wave.
It was an overwhelming number that could make anyone hesitate, even for a moment.
Yet, the Demon King’s face remained utterly emotionless.
As she extended her hand, a massive wave of darkness began to envelop them.
And it took less than ten minutes for the battle to come to an end.
*
“Hmm… Who could it be that draws the Demon King’s attention so much?”
Once the right hand of the former 4th Corps Commander, the orange-haired Succubus, Lartia, looked on with intrigue.
A poor woman caught in the clutches of the dreadful Dream Eater.
But unlike before, when she only screamed, she was completely silent now. Surely, she would awaken soon.
Though even if she did, it wouldn’t be much different from being dead.
“What’s it to me? Thanks to that, I can secure a position.”
The reason she was cooperating with the Demon King while offering up a rare demon like the Dream Eater wasn’t just out of loyalty.
When Sephir stepped back, a vacancy was created.
The Demon King had promised to hand over the Corps Commander position if she managed to pull this off.
The thought of finally gaining powerful authority filled Lartia with excitement.
Just as she contemplated what to do once she claimed the Corps Commander position, a chilling voice that made her cells instinctively recoil resonated from behind her.
Grrr… Dream Eater… The Demon King truly is cruel.
As she turned her creaking head, Lartia’s eyes began to tremble violently.
“M-Melrum!!”
Hand over the woman. You are not worthy of touching her.
As Melrum slowly started walking toward the woman, Lartia rushed forward to block him.
“I’m sorry, Melrum! It’s the Demon King’s order to keep a safe watch over her.”
Melrum opened one empty eye wide and stared at Lartia.
Do you really think I would heed such orders?
“…..”
Lartia was no fool.
The 2nd Corps Commander staged a rebellion and led the troops to invade.
And he chose this moment to appear while the Demon King was absent.
He must be looking for an opportunity.
“Y-You can’t!”
But she couldn’t just give the woman away like this.
Beyond losing the Corps Commander position, she knew the consequences of failing to follow the Demon King’s orders would not be pleasant.
She probably wouldn’t die a quiet death.
Hoo hoo… Are you afraid of dying at the hands of the Demon King?
As Melrum opened his large mouth, a green mist began to fill the surroundings.
Then how about becoming my mouse for the rest of your life? An upper Succubus would make a fine subject.
“Yikes…”
It was clear he wasn’t jesting.
Having reached the pinnacle of dark magic, Melrum was infamous for the horrors he had committed to attain such power.
Lartia’s mind raced to determine the better route for survival.
Which option would provide a higher chance of survival?
At least a less painful death?
The answer to that reluctant dilemma, unfortunately, leaned towards Melrum’s side.
“I-I will step back.”
She immediately turned tail and started to flee.
Melrum grinned at her retreating figure.
Smart. Clever. Just as a Succubus should be.
Turning to look at the woman engulfed in the Dream Eater’s nightmares, his smile stretched impossibly wide.
At last… I will be able to research you.
With those words, Melrum and the woman vanished from sight.
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