29. The Resurrection of the Demon King
‘The Demon King will wake up from his 100-year slumber.’
Such was the lore of the Kingdom of Llahendia—or rather, the Continent of Isas.
The full prophecy went like this: ‘The resurrected Demon King will seek the villainess, the keeper of his soul. Upon finding and conspiring with her, the Demon King will attain immense power and dominate the world with fear and despair. However, a certain saint, carrying the Goddess’ blessings, will purge the evil with the power of love and save the world.’
…Which was quite a mouthful.
Since Lydian was born around the prophesied time, the rumor on the street was that ‘His Highness Lydian is the Demon King.’
Lydian neither denied nor confirmed it, so the king, his wife, and even the people believed that such was the case.
Even so, not only did Lydian excel in politics, he also worked efficiently. As a result, it didn’t take long for the quality of life and culture of the people to skyrocket, and they began to open up to him, saying, “I don’t mind if he’s the Demon King.”
Even if they’d sometimes spot the fire dragon (renamed Dorasuke) flying in the sky, it didn’t really matter.
“Thanks to Dorasuke and Pochitaro, we can eat plenty of fresh fish!”
They were pretty casual about it.
Due to lack of exercise, the two mythical creatures got bored and volunteered to work in the transportation industry, and as a result, people were indebted to them.
The people had grown accustomed to living alongside legendary magical beasts.
When Eleonora beheld the fire dragon trained by Lydian for the first time, and saw how clever and adorable it was, she said, “Gradfirm is too tacky!” And renamed him ‘Dorasuke.’
The fire dragon was about to cry, but when he saw the smile on Eleonora’s face, which harbored no ill will, he accepted the name without complaining. You see, the fire dragon was one fine gentleman.
***
In the Eastern part of the peaceful Kingdom of Llahendia, demons were gathering deep within Mt. Fadod.
“All hail, Demon King!! We rejoice in your resurrection!”
Demons of varying sizes kneeled before the Demon King, who reclined on his jet-black throne.
After waking up from his long slumber, it took many months for the Demon King to fully recover because of the much-needed rehabilitation.
He was required to walk in the morning and evening, perform some stretching, along with other physical exercises. Of course, healthy eating habits were also a must. By the way, his staple food was tree nuts.
A long time ago (100 years ago), the Demon King would invade human settlements. However, after his long slumber, his food preferences underwent a drastic change, and as a result, his underlings also became herbivorous.
They ordered books from surrounding countries, implemented politic, developed their country, and established a kingdom of demons.
The Demon King’s army consisted of the Demon King as the leader and four Demon Lords as generals. One of them was Behelimos, a bull demon and a wise general. He was an intellectual who was primarily in charge of information processing.
“—Behelimos! I have a mission for you!”
At the booming voice of the Demon King, Behelimos stepped forward.
“Haha! What an honor! I’m ready to carry out any missions my king has in store for me!”
“According to the prophet, a woman who is the epitome of evil is essential to our world conquest. Find her and bring her to me! You can even use force if necessary!”
“I’m honored to be entrusted with such a crucial role! However, I’m afraid to say this, but the existence of the saint can’t be underestimated either. How should we deal with her?”
“Hmm. The saint is certainly a threat. Alright, all of you, look for that woman!”
Vowing to crush anything that stood in his master’s way, Behelimos bowed his head and clenched his fist.
Thus, he immediately dispatched all his men.
“Lord Behelimos!! There are too many evil women for us to go through!! Female bandits, female thieves, female scammers—you get the gist. Can you please narrow it down!?”
“Narrow your search to noble women. The higher her status, the more magical power she has! She’ll become a boon to the Demon King!”
“Lord Behelimos! The search for the saint isn’t progressing well! Although we found a woman who claimed to be a saint by the name of Mara, she’s currently repenting for her evil deeds by working as an apprentice in the monastery! There’s nothing saintly about her gaunt and haggard appearance!”
After witnessing the wrath of Lydian, Mara had been living in fear every day, so that assessment wasn’t exactly wrong.
“I see. What if that self-proclaimed saint is actually the villainess all along? Continue to monitor her!”
Instead of having his subordinates bring the suspected targets one by one, Behelimos departed from the land of demons and disguised himself as a human. He rented a cheap motel in the royal capital, where he’d sort out the reports from his subordinates. He did that to lessen the burden on his subordinates. Behelimos was a kind-hearted demon, unlike a certain crown prince from somewhere.
After searching for about half a year, one of his subordinates finally found the person in question.
Demons were sensitive to human hearts. Just one look at Eleonora, who was renowned as the goddess on earth, and they had it all figured out.
“How scary! This girl’s heart is the color of pitch mixed with jet! She must’ve resorted to some kind of underhanded methods to become the crown princess!”
His subordinates reported while shivering.
“Ooh! Well done! She has an ideal amount of magic for a duke’s daughter! Who would’ve guessed that the ‘merciful goddess’ is the villainess of the prophecy! So, is it the other way around? The real baddies are pretending to be good guys…? Either way, good job. I’ll take care of the rest, so you may return right away and be reunited with your family!”
At Behelimos’ words, his subordinates cried out in joy, hugging their comrades, with whom they’d shared their joys and sorrows.
To the demons, the land of humans was utterly foreign, so Behelimos could see why they were restless. He smiled as he watched his men rejoice at finally being able to return to their homeland.
The next day, at the Royal Palace of Llahendia.
Thanks to Madelle’s daily massages and special beauty tea, Eleonora was healthy, both in body and mind.
Eleonora was enjoying a tea party on the terrace when she noticed a swarm of dark clouds in the sky.
“Maybe it’s Dorasuke? But no matter how you look at it, it’s too strange.”
As Eleonora watched, a giant, bull demon descended into the garden. Its two horns were thick and sharp, while its front legs resembled that of a human.
When the demon stood on two legs, it seemed to grow in size.
An average person would’ve panicked long ago, but magical beasts were popular working animals in Llahendia. The magical beasts, including the fire dragon, were valued by the people as pack animals.
As a result, Eleonora was wholly unfazed. Even her maid could be heard asking, “A new pet of yours?”
Behelimos was the one who was taken aback by their bizarre reactions instead.
Collecting himself, Behelimos cut to the chase.
“O wicked woman, whose cruelty knows no bounds, dedicate your soul to my newly-resurrected Demon King.”
His voice echoed with a deep and all-encompassing boom.
…But, instead of being frightened, Eleonora trembled with joy.
She was blushing like a lovestruck maiden.
“Uhm, could you say that again?”
“O wicked woman, whose cruelty knows no bounds, dedicate your soul to my newly-resurrected Demon King.”
The fact that Behelimos adhered to her words hinted at his kindness.
Eleonora was deeply moved by Behelimos’ words.
‘—O wicked woman.’
‘Oh, how sweet it sounded!’ (Eleonora)
Eleonora shuddered in ecstasy. By far, that was the best compliment she’d ever received!
However, everyone misunderstood it as signs of fear, and as a result, both her escort knights and decent maids raised their voices, saying things like:
“How terrible…! Her Highness Eleonora is the kindest person we know!”
“What kind of abusive words is he spouting!? Does he not know that Her Highness Eleonora is the goddess bestowed upon this earth by the divinity!?”
They banded together to chastise Behelimos.
Behelimos calmly rebuked. Inwardly, he was unnerved by the barrage of insults.
“Foolish humans! You are being deceived by that wench! She has committed countless atrocities! Not only did she harm innocents, she also planned numerous assassinations! Her ultimate goal in life is to cause misery upon others!”
Eleonora was moved to tears by Behelimos’ words that she muttered under her breath.
“At last, someone finally understands me…!”
After all, even if it was self-proclaimed, she prided herself for being the villainess.
Until now, she had not had a chance to play an active role. Moreover, for some reason, those around her touted her as ‘Holy Virgin Eleonora,’ treating her like some sort of a compassionate soul, and she began to lose sight of herself as a result.
All of her misdeeds went unaccounted for, and her status was elevated to that of a benevolent goddess. Eleonora secretly grieved as she realized that despite all her efforts, such was her life.
Nevertheless, because of what the demon said, she was able to regain confidence as a villainess.
As Eleonora secretly pumped her fist, she began to float.
“I implore you to come with me, you devil incarnate!”
“Kyaaaa—!!”
As expected, Eleonora let out a ladylike scream.
Even though she was fully equipped as a villainess (hidden dagger, iron fan), she wasn’t foolish enough to challenge a demon head-on.
Usually, Lydian would’ve rushed to her aid right away, but unfortunately, he was on a business trip to the Kingdom of Rubygardle.
“No way… Am I going to be taken away like this!?”
Eleonora turned pale, but her savior was just around the corner.
“Lady Eleonoraaaaa—!! I’m here to save you—!!”
Suddenly, Dorasuke made an entrance, growling.
While he was in the middle of transporting goods, he sensed a suspicious aura and rushed over.
Dorasuke was a beloved pet to the people of Llahendia. The maids and knights cheered at his appearance.
Behelimos, on the other hand, was cowering.
“A-a fire dragon…!? An ancient magical beast who is on an equal footing with the Demon King…!?”
“You filthy demon! Unhand our Merciful Goddess Eleonora—!!”
The fire dragon bellowed at Behelimos.
Despite being at an overwhelming disadvantage, Behelimos didn’t yield.
Of course, he was aware that the fire dragon was a higher-ranking being than himself, but withdrawing here would be tantamount to betraying his subordinates.
“—Lord Behelimos! There’s no doubt about it! She’s the one we’re looking for! If we’re mistaken, we’re willing to take responsibility!”
The weary yet smiling faces of his subordinates flashed across his mind.
His subordinates left their hometown and worked with all their heart and soul.
Before he realized it, his tears were overflowing.
“—I’m not lying! She’s evil! She has deceived and hurt people! Even now, she’s actively looking for victims! As proof of that, her birthplace is filled with poisonous substances and torture devices from all over the world!”
However, it only earned him a fierce rebuttal from his surroundings.
“As if Her Highness Eleonora would ever do that!! She’s braver and kinder than anyone I know!!”
“That’s right!! How dare you insult Her Highness Eleonora!!”
The fire dragon and the maids roared.
Even though he was telling the truth, everyone called him a liar, and Behelimos’ heart was ripped to shreds.
He developed fear towards humans.
Behelimos complained with tears in his eyes.
“I’m not lying!! It’s true, believe me!!”
“Don’t waste your breath!”
The fire dragon roared, but because Eleonora was in the way, he couldn’t attack.
In terms of firepower, the fire dragon had a massive upper hand, but if he grazed Eleonora, who knows what Lydian will do, so he had to be careful.
After a few minutes of standstill…
The roar of a beast echoed as a black figure approached.
Lydian was riding on its back, approaching Behelimos at frightening speed. The beast’s true identity was the black wolf.
“Eleonora, I’m here for you.”
After seizing Eleonora with one hand, Lydian delivered a kick to Behelimos’ side. His kick was strong enough to pulverize rocks, but because the target was a powerful demon, Behelimos only sank into the ground.
“Hoo. Your skin is quite tough.”
Impressed, Lydian helped Eleonora to get to her feet. He trained his gaze on Behelimos.
“Y-you…! Aren’t you the crown prince of this kingdom!? Do you know how vicious and ruthless that woman is!? With such an evil woman as the ruler, this kingdom will be doomed!!”
It was a generous piece of advice from Behelimos.
By the way, only three people in that place knew that Behelimos were telling the truth.
First, Eleonora. Although she was glad that someone understood her, she soon found herself in a delicate position as she didn’t want her misdeeds to be revealed. Although she loved committing atrocities, she wanted to avoid the guillotine and imprisonment at all costs. A selfish woman indeed.
Next was Luna. As Eleonora’s personal maid, she knew a lot of things.
The last one was Lydian.
He already knew everything that was in Eleonora’s house, and didn’t really care. Even if she went to trial, Lydian was confident that he’d be able to refute everything. Besides, Desti was in the duke’s family. He only needed to say that those were his personal property, and everyone would understand.
After all, the two had the reputation of being the Demon King and the Grim Reaper in town.
There was also the fact that Lydian found Eleonora’s desperate attempts to become a villain adorable. Of course, he’d prefer a villain with substances like Desti, but Eleonora’s unyieldingness to become a villain despite being talentless never ceased to amaze him.
—Therefore, Lydian was furious.
“I will not remain silent and watch as the woman I love gets insulted. Get lost.”
Lydian was about to unleash Behelimos, who insisted on his innocence with teary eyes, only to be stopped by Eleonora.
She couldn’t let Behelimos be reduced into charcoal when he was the only one who understood her?
“I’m not offended in the slightest! I beg of you, please spare him!”
At Eleonora’s plea, Lydian smiled tenderly.
“If that’s what you want, then so shall be it. Nevertheless, I’m going to pay the Demon King a visit to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”
Without waiting for a reply, Lydian casually rode the fire dragon as if he were going shopping. He disappeared into the distance in a flash. Since it had been a while since he last fought, Dorasuke was in high spirits.
***
At the Demon King’s Castle, the newly awoken Demon King was sitting on his throne, being showered with congratulations from many demons. The thundering cheers of the demons were earthshaking. If an average person were to witness it, they would have died from fright.
Meanwhile, a demon came with a terror-stricken look on his face.
“Your Majesty the Demon King! The Fire Dragon will soon arrive upon us! Since the Fire Dragon is as strong as the Demon King, there’s nothing we can do besides stall for time!”
At his panicked voice, the demons began to clamor, but the Demon King reassured them.
“Do not fret. Now that I’ve been revived, fire dragons aren’t anything to be afraid of! I’ll burn it to crisp!”
“—I can’t let you do that. For you see, this fire dragon is a beloved pet of Eleonora called ‘Dorasuke.’”
A voice bellowed from the fire dragon, which was supposed to be unable to speak, and the Demon King looked up in surprise. Then, he saw a human male standing proudly on top of the fire dragon.
The Demon King couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Who could you be!? How can a mere human tame the fire dragon—Gyaa!”
Before the Demon King could finish saying his lines, Lydian unleashed an ultimate finishing move—a spell considered the most forbidden. Due to the significant differences in required level and magical power, it surpassed human capabilities.
Lydian also wasn’t lenient enough to let the Demon King finish his lines. He was a busy man, so he didn’t have time to do a Q&A with demons.
However, as one would expect from a Demon King, he didn’t fall down easily.
Even though his body was charred black and his magnificent mane had been permed, he was still standing. Lydian clicked his tongue, acting like someone who failed to exterminate a flying bug.
“Was I too soft? In that case, I will—”
“—Please wait! You’ve shown us your might! I’m sorry for calling myself the Demon King! You are the Demon King! From now on, this humble servant shall serve you with all my heart and soul!”
The Demon King and his giant generals prostrated themselves on the ground, apologizing. The sight of strange monsters kneeling down all at once was quite a fascinating sight, and Lydian laughed merrily.
“I see, you’re quick to understand, aren’t you? I like obedient children. All right, you shall become my servants.”
Afterwards, the demons were given the title of ‘demon army under the direct command of the crown prince,’ and utilized their sturdy bodies and superhuman strength to engage in flood control and civil engineering work. Seeing them working so hard for the people, humans gave them tributes and provided them with shelters.
The demons, who understood that humans were kind creatures (although some of them were traumatized by Lydian), eventually became friends with humans, and the kingdom prospered.
The crown prince eventually ascended the throne with Eleonora.
After the coronation ceremony, the two sat together on the terrace, looking over the kingdom.
“I love you, Eleonora. I pledge my eternal love to you.”
“I’m so happy, Your Highness Lydian!!”
The moment the two exchanged their vows of love, Lydian’s eyes became lifeless.
Then, a cold, inorganic voice echoed at the back of his head.
[The game is completed. Congratulations]
Translator’s Note:
woh eleonora op?
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