episode_0016

A sudden silence fell over the underground city.

An abrupt coming-out—no, a “demon-king-out”? With both women left speechless, the underground, already devoid of even the chirping of insects, became truly silent.

“…The Demon King?”

A fierce expression twisted Arina’s face. The enemy of humanity, the one she had been searching for all this time, was standing right before her.

Even Marin glanced subtly at Arina’s reaction, but the one in question remained unfazed as he answered.

“Indeed. I am the Demon King.”

“What brings a coward like you, who’s been hiding behind his underlings all this time, out into the open?”

“Hmm, that’s a bit hurtful. I refrained from taking the battlefield out of concern that my presence would disrupt the balance. Wasn’t that to your benefit?”

“Arrogant. Are you suggesting you alone could overturn the stalemate of this war?”

“Of course. Who could stand against me, the pinnacle of the demonkin who rules over half the continent? You couldn’t even finish off Durahan—what hope does a ‘hero’s party’ like yours have?”

Arina’s brow furrowed at the term “hero’s party” coming from the Demon King’s mouth.

“Ah, now that I think of it, you’re no longer part of that party, are you? Betrayed and left in this sorry state, or so I’ve heard.”

“How do you know that?”

“Riel Frost disappeared—did you think I wouldn’t investigate? I’m well-informed about you. I even heard you’ve been searching for artifacts to exact your revenge.”

“You’ve been keeping close tabs on me.”

Thoroughly, one might say. In hindsight, those few words summarized years of her life—years that could only be described as tragic.

“I’ve taken an interest in you as well. The world’s strongest mage, no less. Even that lich who recently joined my ranks, despite centuries of magical research, couldn’t come close to your level.”

The hero’s party had been a significant threat to the Demon King’s army, having defeated several of his generals already. The only reason they hadn’t finished off Durahan was due to the undead’s unique resilience.

And among them, Riel Frost’s prowess had been unparalleled.

A mage capable of devastating large-scale attacks was always the core damage dealer in any party.

But Riel Frost, the archmage of the hero’s party, was more than just a wielder of powerful magic. She had turned the tide of battle time and again, supporting her allies with a diverse array of spells.

Even now, Riel Frost remained at the top of the Demon King’s most-wanted list.

Naiad, who had been lost in thought while stroking the chin of his helmet, suddenly extended a hand toward Arina.

“Our policy was to eliminate Riel Frost on sight, but this changes things.”

The Riel Frost of the past had been an unstoppable one-woman army. She had no weaknesses—close combat, buffs, mobility, incapacitation—she handled roles that an entire party would normally share.

It wasn’t that Arina’s magical abilities had weakened.

Unstable as she was, her newfound ability to wield divine power had elevated her to an even higher level. Yet, Naiad sensed no danger from her.

She had changed long ago. She might still possess power, but she lacked the vessel to contain it.

The noble justice, the relentless will to win, the unbreakable spirit—none of what had defined Riel Frost remained in Arina.

The Arina of now was like a tiny flame atop a candle, flickering at the slightest breeze.

“I have a proposal. Bear my heir. If you accept, I’ll let both of you leave alive.”

“Huh? Wha—? Ehh?!”

“…Are you talking to me right now?”

Even Marin, who rarely hid her emotions, was stunned—let alone Arina, who had been radiating murderous intent. Anyone would react the same way if, in the middle of a life-or-death confrontation, their enemy suddenly asked them to bear their child.

Of course, once the shock wore off, anger was the natural next step.

“What’s your game?”

Unsurprisingly, Arina’s reaction wasn’t that of a bashful maiden but of someone who felt deeply insulted, her voice laced with fury.

“No games. I’m being sincere. A child born of you and me would become the strongest Demon King the world has ever seen.”

Hearing this, Arina understood the Demon King’s intent.

Heroes strengthened by divine blessings, saints who drew power from faith—their abilities were borrowed, granted by the gods.

In other words, external power that couldn’t be inherited. Their children, barring extraordinary circumstances, would grow up as ordinary humans.

But mages were different. A mage’s power was earned through their own efforts, and those efforts left their mark on their very genes.

A Demon King born with the genes of humanity’s strongest mage would be unprecedented—an absolute ruler of the world, one even the heroes couldn’t overthrow.

“You call that a negotiation? What’s in it for me?”

Arina might hate women and despise the hero’s party, but she didn’t curse the world itself.

Though she distanced herself from others, she had formed bonds during her travels—both before and after her fall. She didn’t wish for humanity’s extinction.

If she had, she would’ve joined the Demon King’s army long ago and turned the world to ruin.

“Well, for one—”

“If you’re about to say ‘letting us leave alive,’ save it. I’ll kill you and walk out on my own.”

Naiad was momentarily speechless at Arina’s bold declaration.

‘Threats won’t work on her, it seems.’

“Then… how about this? Accept my proposal, and I’ll help you get your revenge.”

This time, it was Arina’s turn to hesitate.

Five years she had wandered, searching for artifacts with revenge as her sole purpose. What lay ahead was uncertain.

But with the Demon King and his forces at her disposal, vengeance would be effortless. The price would be betraying humanity—but knowing what she had endured, who could blame her?

Though hidden behind his helmet, Naiad seemed to smile at Arina’s silence. Marin, seeing her not immediately refuse, grimaced.

“Arina? You’re not actually considering this, are you?”

“What do you say? One year. Give me just one year to bear an heir, and after that, you’re free to do as you please. If you wish, you could even live as a queen among us. A single child in exchange for revenge and a secured future—isn’t that a fair deal?”

“…Come to think of it, you were looking for a ‘pack mule,’ weren’t you? Why? Helping me get revenge contradicts that, doesn’t it?”

“I never needed that man. I merely thought the women of the hero’s party seemed fond of him, so I intended to use him as leverage. But with you here, there’s no need to negotiate with them. So—what’s your answer?”

Confident he had the upper hand, Naiad pressed with an arrogant smirk. Arina clenched her trembling fists, struggling to speak through her fury.

“Your answer isn’t good enough. What’s this ‘negotiation’ you mentioned? What deal were you trying to make with the heroes?”

“A pointless question. Does it matter? All you need to do is say whether you accept my offer or not.”

“Not planning to tell me? Fine, then.”

The divine power that had been illuminating the city like sunlight suddenly crashed down between Naiad and Marin. Caught off guard by the unannounced attack, Naiad barely dodged in time.

Crackling, volatile divine energy engulfed the area.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Naiad’s amused expression vanished, replaced by outrage at Arina’s betrayal.

“Why so angry? It’s not even your real body.”

“Durahan is a valuable asset. I possessed this form—despite the discomfort of forced demonic energy use—because he is a cherished subordinate.”

“How unfortunate. You’ll be losing that subordinate today.”

“I didn’t expect you to be this uncooperative. Is revenge not important to you?”

Naiad’s tone was one of genuine confusion.

No matter how fluently he spoke the human tongue or how nobly he carried himself, he was still a demon—a being with fundamentally different ideals and sensibilities.

To demons, the end justified any means. Though intelligent, their desires were so overwhelming that concepts like “rules” didn’t exist in their world.

The only rule among demons was the law of the jungle: dominate through violence, or submit to it.

Not a rule born of agreement, but one etched into their very genes by primal fear.

Savage as it was, this was how the demonkin, united under the name of the Demon King, had built a nation and forged a force capable of rivaling humanity’s meticulously organized kingdoms.

“I won’t sell my body for revenge. That would make it meaningless.”

At Arina’s resolute words, Naiad sighed.

“I hoped to resolve this peacefully, but it seems you’d rather throw away your chance.”

“Abandoning justice and embracing evil are two different things. Did you really think I’d join hands with humanity’s enemy?”

“Sigh. How foolish. I have no taste for making women cry. I was trying to be considerate…”

As Naiad muttered, the black miasma—demonic energy—seemed to withdraw into his body, leaving only a faint trace around him.

But this wasn’t the fragility of a candle in the wind—it was the calm before the storm.

The demonic energy that had retreated into his armor erupted outward in an explosion, surging toward Arina.

“Enough. If you refuse, the outcome remains the same. I intended to let you live freely after bearing my heir, but since you insist, you’ll spend the rest of your life doing nothing but producing children. The strongest among them will become the next Demon King to rule the world!”

A fierce wind howled.

Splitting through the encroaching darkness, Arina stood firm.

“Treating people as nothing but breeding tools—that’s exactly why dealing with demons is pointless.”

“Do you truly believe you can defeat me alone?”

“I’m not alone. There are two of us.”

Arina turned her gaze away from the Demon King, looking instead to the side.

Crackle, crackle.

Marin, now wreathed in divine energy that sparked like lightning, blinked in surprise as her eyes met Arina’s.

“This feels… strange. What is this?”

“Never had a buff before?”

“Nope. I don’t usually party up.”

“That’s a divine enhancement. Now your attacks will work on undead. I told you you could rely on me, didn’t you? Well, from now on, rely on me as much as you want.”

When Arina referenced her earlier words, Marin snorted, puffing out her cheeks.

She remembered what I said!

That alone made her feel stronger.

“You perverted freak, eyeing Arina’s body! This Marin will take you down!”