Chapter 391: Chapter 391

“You can call me Mother, Siana. We’re not in a formal setting.”

“…Yes, Mother. But… are you sure about this? I understand that your will is the Dream Walkers’ will, and I have no objections… but isn’t this a bit… hasty?”

A private room, filled with luxurious decorations, unlike anything she had seen in the Demon World.

Liliana, the Succubus Matriarch, gently stroked her chin as her daughter cautiously expressed her concerns.

She understood why Siana was hesitant.

Even though she had acknowledged Hella as the daughter of the 14th Demon King and her own niece, they had only just met, and their conversation had been brief.

It was understandable that Siana found her sudden pledge of loyalty… strange.

“Hehehe, you’re still so naive.”

But Liliana was certain.

That she had made the right choice.

It might have seemed impulsive, but it was a carefully considered decision, a rational conclusion based on her assessment of the situation.

“She’s not just a powerful demon. She’s a true Demon King.”

“…A Demon King? But that’s…”

A demon and a Demon King.

It wasn’t just a difference in rank or status.

It was like… the difference between an elf and a High Elf… no, even more significant. A Demon King was a different species.

“Hehehe— A Demon King, born outside the Demon World… I never thought such a thing was possible. This must be… fate. The Demon God’s will.”

She was one of the strongest demons in the Demon World, so she could sense it.

The moment she saw Hella, she had felt an irresistible pull, her blood, her very soul, drawn towards her.

And it wasn’t just Hella’s charm. There was something… more.

“Ah! So that’s why…!”

Siana, an Earl-level demon, gasped, finally understanding why she had been so… helpless before Hella, why even the Immortal King had acknowledged her as an equal.

All previous Demon Kings had been… created.

They had earned their position through strength, cunning, or influence, proving their worth and then receiving the Demon God’s blessing, ascending to Demon Kinghood.

In that sense, they were similar to the Saintess of the human Church… but they also possessed immense power and authority, making them far more influential.

And demons, unlike other races, weren’t exactly known for their… piety.

‘…Of course, she hasn’t been officially recognized yet, so she hasn’t acquired all the powers of a Demon King.’

A Demon King was a… minor deity in the Demon World.

Simply having the right body wasn't enough.

It didn’t require faith or worship, fear or hatred would suffice.

Once she made her presence known and earned the recognition of the Demon World’s inhabitants, she would become a true Demon King.

“But even if she’s… incomplete, she’s still a Demon King. And she has inherited L’rei’e’s power. We can’t miss this opportunity.”

It was an instinctive understanding, a transcendent intuition.

That following Hella would lead them to their desired outcome.

That she would eventually reach the pinnacle of the Demon World.

“And there’s another reason. We don’t have much time.”

The war in the Demon World was almost over, the Dark Nest, led by the Dragon Marquis, having gained a decisive advantage.

The Fighting Demon Duke’s faction had already been completely annihilated and absorbed, and the other two Dukes were barely holding on, their forces depleted, struggling to prevent further defections.

“We can’t keep playing both sides. We’ll be crushed if this continues. And now, a Demon King has appeared, a variable powerful enough to change the tide of the war… and she even has the Queen’s essence…”

Liliana shrugged, as if there was no need to explain further.

Siana nodded, understanding her mother’s words.

She also felt a certain… affection for Hella… but that was irrelevant to the fate of their organization.

“So, Siana, what are you doing?”

Liliana, looking at her daughter with a strange expression, suddenly asked.

And before Siana could even respond, her mother continued.

“I told you, we don’t have much time.”

“Then shouldn’t you be… helping? Are you just going to sit here and relax while your mother is working so hard?”

Liliana was holding the ‘Succubus Queen’s Essence’, which Hella had bestowed upon her after receiving her pledge of loyalty.

It was her mother’s legacy.

…but right now, it was just a material, being processed and refined for efficient energy extraction.

For the survival of the Dream Walkers, the clan she and her mother had protected for generations.

“Ah! Yes! Understood, Mother!”

Liliana chuckled softly as Siana hurriedly left the room, then looked down at the essence in her hand.

A geometric, multifaceted gem, its black surface tinged with pink, radiating a faint aura as it resonated with her magic power.

Like a mother’s embrace, a warm and comforting presence.

A silent praise for the Matriarch, who had protected her clan for so long.

The Dream Walkers’ power grew exponentially after their alliance with Hella.

They were still a relatively small faction, caught between the larger and more powerful groups… but they were a prestigious clan, having produced a Demon King, and their current leader was a Marquis-level expert.

They could have easily joined any of the other factions and been welcomed with open arms… but they had chosen Hella, and they were actively working to expand her influence, arranging meetings with high-ranking demons who had been difficult to approach before.

‘…Good. I’ve established a foothold in every faction.’

The Dragon Marquis’s ‘Dark Nest’, the largest and most powerful faction, having absorbed the Fighting Demon Duke’s ‘Burning Inferno’.

The Dark Duke’s ‘Demonic’ and the Strange Duke’s ‘Abnormal’, who were reluctantly cooperating, trying to maintain their independence, and the other smaller factions…

They were all secretly following her orders, their outward actions unchanged, their true allegiance hidden beneath the surface.

But as their numbers grew, their security inevitably weakened.

Their secret activities were eventually discovered.

“We’ve lost contact with Parma. According to our intel, the Dark Nest’s elite forces raided their headquarters and captured all their executives…”

“The situation in Killaun isn’t good either. Fortunately, they realized they were being watched and went into hiding, so there’s no evidence… but they’re being targeted.”

Even after subduing the leaders and executives of each faction, it wasn't easy to control them completely.

After all, the Demon Lords were also concerned about their own subordinates’ loyalty, especially during wartime, so they had done well to last this long.

“Hmm, that’s a shame. I thought we could absorb more.”

Hella grumbled, a hint of disappointment in her voice, as she received the bad news.

Siana, standing next to her like a loyal secretary, quickly added,

“They’re not fools. But the results aren’t bad. We should be able to handle the other Dukes’ factions, even if we can’t defeat the Dark Nest.”

But considering that the other two Dukes combined couldn’t even defeat the Dark Nest… it wasn't exactly good news.

And that was assuming they were at full strength, not weakened by her… subtle manipulations.

At this rate, it would take a long time to completely subdue them.

“…Hmm, it can’t be helped.”

Hella, her chin resting on her hand, lost in thought, finally nodded slowly.

Her expression was firm, resolute, as if she had made a decision.

Siana looked at her, a worried expression on her face.

“Um… Hella-nim? May I ask what you’re planning…?”

“Hehehe, there’s only one option in this situation.”

Hella smiled sweetly, her radiance illuminating the room.

But her words, spoken in a gentle voice, were far from… friendly.

“…A demonstration of power.”

A chilling statement, a promise of violence.

She stood up and walked past Siana, who gulped nervously, her body trembling slightly.

It would have been ideal to wait for the right opportunity and exploit the situation… but now that their existence had been discovered, they couldn't stay hidden any longer.

They were an unknown variable, a sudden and unexpected threat.

The Dark Nest, currently the dominant force, and the other factions, wouldn’t tolerate their presence.

‘It’s better to strike first, while they’re still off guard. A hidden blade is most effective when it’s… hidden.’

Not all of her allies had been revealed yet.

If she could draw their attention to herself, it would buy them some time.

And that time would be the key to their victory.

‘…And we have enough forces for now. I can’t keep doing this forever.’

A sinister smile played on her lips as she walked, black magic power swirling around her feet like blooming flowers.

Elite demons, gathered for immediate deployment, followed her.

They were a separate force, independent of the factions she had infiltrated.

“Hmm~ Which one is closest?”

The faction closest to the Dream Walkers’ territory.

The one that had been their greatest enemy for the longest time.

“…Abnormal, Hella-nim.”

“Right, that’s the one. Led by that… Strange Duke.”

“Yes, but… are you sure you want to attack them first?”

Unlike human warfare, distance wasn’t a major constraint for demons, who could use teleportation and other magical abilities… but proximity was still a factor.

Abnormal had been the Dream Walkers’ greatest nemesis, constantly harassing and weakening them, though they had been relatively quiet lately, with the Dark Nest’s rise to power.

‘…Well, it’s not really my problem… but it wouldn’t be bad to… avenge my subordinates.’

Logically, they should have joined forces with the other two Dukes’ factions and attacked the Dark Nest…

…but she had other plans.

This was an opportunity.

‘The element of surprise won’t last forever. It’s better to take out a Duke and absorb his faction than to waste my time on the Dark Nest’s minions!’

Hella’s confident stride faltered as she reached her destination.

A strategic facility, filled with teleportation formations, used for transporting troops.

As if they had been waiting for her signal, countless warriors were gathered there, their formations impeccable, their gazes fixed on her, their eyes burning with loyalty and anticipation.

She grinned, her voice clear and ringing, as she addressed her troops.

“It’s time! Follow me, my children! We’ll finish this quickly!”

“Hella! Hella! Hella!”

Hella, the Demon King, was making her official debut.

One of the four… no, three remaining Dukes in the Demon World, Strange Duke Sipar.

[“What? The Dream Walkers?”]

He tilted his head, his monstrous face, a beast’s visage with a scar across one eye, twisting in a grimace, his mane shaking.

[“Grrr— Are they insane?”]

Another head, covered in scales, boar-like tusks protruding from its lower jaw, growled menacingly.

[“I knew it! We should have eliminated them long ago!”]

And a third head, its features distorted by burns, its skin scarred and disfigured, roared furiously.

Sipar, the three-headed dog Cerberus, stood up, its massive body, almost ten meters tall, shaking the very air itself.

Its long, serpentine tail, composed of countless writhing snakes, flicked its tongue.

But only for a moment.

He delegated the Dream Walker issue to his subordinates and turned his attention back to his main priority.

The reason Abnormal hadn’t completely annihilated the Dream Walkers wasn’t because they were weak.

They could have easily eliminated them if it weren’t for the interference from the other factions.

Right now, the Dark Nest was a bigger threat.

“Your Grace! Talab has fallen!”

“We’re under attack from all sides! We can’t send reinforcements, we’re pinned down by the Dark Nest…!”

“Gallak, the commander of the central gate, has betrayed us! The Dream Walkers are advancing rapidly, Your Grace!”

But the situation wasn't going as planned.

Reports of defeat, one after another, each one more alarming than the last.

Even if most of their forces were concentrated on the front lines against the Dark Nest, this was… unexpected.

‘What are they doing? Liliana, that foolish succubus… she doesn’t have this kind of power…’

He knew they had been actively recruiting from various factions…

He had even ordered an investigation, dismissing their actions as a desperate attempt to gather strength…

‘…But this isn’t just about numbers.’

His subordinates weren’t weak enough to be overwhelmed by mere numbers.

There was something else.

Something he wasn't aware of.

And as his four heads, including the snake tail, pondered the question, desperately searching for a solution,

…a deafening roar, accompanied by a distant tremor, echoed through the air.

And a faint scent, the unmistakable smell of battle, reached his sensitive nostrils.

The Dream Walkers’ forces had somehow reached his headquarters.

His four heads, their eyes wide with disbelief, gasped simultaneously.

It meant only one thing.

They had been targeting him from the beginning.

In the Demon World, to prevent infiltration through teleportation, each territory was protected by one-way gates, allowing travel only in specific directions.

And this attack… it was too fast, too precise, as if they had bypassed all the other gates and headed straight for him.

It was an impressive feat, but—.

[“Hehehe… This is… ridiculous.”]

[“Grrr— They underestimated us.”]

[“Slaughter! Khahaha! Time for a bloodbath!”]

Sipar, his massive body a blur, charged towards the source of the commotion.

He hadn’t been hiding here out of fear.

He had been waiting, conserving his strength, preparing to respond to any unexpected variables, like the appearance of another Duke or a sudden crisis. He was Abnormal’s strongest warrior, their trump card.

[“They dared to come here?!”]

He reached the battlefield in an instant.

Abnormal’s headquarters, a scene of chaos and carnage, demons of all shapes and sizes locked in a fierce struggle.

…he suddenly stopped, his massive body freezing mid-stride.

His confidence, which had been unwavering until now, suddenly vanished, replaced by a chilling premonition, his fur standing on end as he focused his gaze on a single point.

Something… was there.

Something that triggered his instincts.

“Cerberus? Wait, isn’t that a dog? Why is it called a ‘Strange Wolf’, not a ‘Strange Dog’?”

…a woman, her words a casual insult, a blatant disregard for his pride,

…and a four-legged creature, emitting a strange, monstrous howl, carrying her on its back.