Chapter 415: Chapter 415

“Hmm, so it’s come to this.”

Hella nodded slowly, listening to her subordinate’s report.

“I expected it… but it’s still a shame.”

She had been preparing a grand welcoming ceremony, just in case.

She smacked her lips, a hint of disappointment in her voice, and then turned to Siana, who was standing next to her.

“Operation Dragon Snare is canceled. We’ll have to move on to the next plan.”

“That’s a shame. We could have ended this easily.”

“Well, they’re not that stupid.”

Hella’s gaze shifted towards the large table, covered with a map of the Demon World.

And among them, two particularly large markers, standing side by side, caught her attention.

‘…Dragon Marquis Krushaior…’

He was powerful enough to bypass the gates and use teleportation magic, even if it meant sacrificing his ability to command a large army.

And his enhanced mobility could be used in other ways.

For example, to quickly gather the remaining Dark Nest forces…

‘…Should I have leaked Ken’s location to him? …No, it’s too risky. Such a shame.’

If it had worked, she could have captured him easily.

She sighed, twirling a strand of her long hair around her finger, and then asked,

“They seem to be particularly cautious about security, considering what happened. It wasn’t difficult to monitor their communication, since it’s hard to hide such a large-scale alliance… but the details of their discussion are still unknown.”

“Well, we’ve been lucky so far.”

“It’s because they trust you, Hella-nim. They believe you’re the true Demon King of the Demon World.”

Hella chuckled softly at Siana’s blatant flattery, her cheerful smile and ingratiating tone.

Well, it was understandable. The Demon King’s throne was within reach.

Who would have thought that the Dream Walkers, once on the verge of collapse, would become the key players in the Demon King selection?

She leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smile on her face. It was a welcome development, especially for her, who had been feeling the pressure of being the faction’s heir.

‘…Though we’re not out of the woods yet.’

Her gaze shifted back to the map, to the markers representing the two factions.

Krushaior, the Dragon Marquis, enraged and seeking revenge, and Pieta, the Dark Duke, who had realized he had been used.

Two rivals, who had been fighting each other just a while ago, were now allied against her.

To become the true Demon King, she had to defeat them both.

She closed her eyes, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.

She could feel it, her connection to this world, the Demon World, growing stronger with each passing moment.

She could sense the presence of her followers, their loyalty and devotion fueling her power.

This was the true power of a Demon King.

The reason why they were destined to rule the Demon World.

《The Demon God looks upon you with favor.》

And finally, the war resumed, the combined forces of the Dragon Marquis and the Dark Duke launching a massive attack on Helheim’s expanded territory.

A dark office, its only illumination the two blue flames flickering in the eye sockets of the figure sitting on the throne.

Pieta, the Dark Duke, lost in thought.

‘…This is getting complicated.’

His original plans had long since been discarded.

All he could do now was react to the ever-changing situation, improvising and adapting.

He preferred schemes and conspiracies to brute force… but even those weren't very effective in this situation.

‘…Strength is paramount in the Demon World.’

His schemes had relied on information, knowledge of his opponents’ weaknesses and vulnerabilities, accumulated through centuries of conflict.

But Hella and her Helheim… they were a complete unknown, a variable he couldn't predict or control.

Their abilities, their limitations, their leader’s personality, their organization’s structure… everything was a mystery.

He had tried to infiltrate Helheim, to plant spies and gather information… but it hadn’t been successful.

His agents, no matter how strong-willed, had been… converted, their loyalty shifting to Hella, their secrets revealed.

He couldn't win an information war.

He had already been betrayed once.

‘…It was Hella who provoked Krushaior.’

But the Dragon Marquis, convinced that he was the culprit, had launched an all-out attack on Demoniac.

He didn’t know what had triggered it, or if the Dragon Marquis still had some… doubts…

…but there was definitely a reason.

“It happened right after their confrontation. Which means…”

…that Hella had the resources to orchestrate an incident that required his, the Dark Duke’s, personal involvement.

Perhaps she even had a hidden Duke-level ally.

If that was true, then the competition was already over.

‘…This is troublesome. I need an escape route.’

He wasn’t willing to risk his life for the Demon King’s throne.

The war had already claimed the lives of two Dukes. He wasn't planning to be the third.

The war, which had been temporarily suspended, resumed, its scale even greater than before.

It wasn't a targeted attack like Hella’s, but a full-scale assault on multiple fronts, as if they were trying to exploit Helheim’s weakened defenses.

Helheim, which had been busy integrating the former Dark Nest members into their ranks, couldn’t afford to focus solely on internal affairs.

Their territory had expanded, their enemies had grown stronger, and there were still… internal conflicts to resolve.

And it wasn’t just Hella who was holding them together.

There were many talented individuals supporting her, including…

…the Dream Walkers, her most valuable allies, who received good news shortly after the war resumed.

“Congratulations, Matriarch!”

“As expected of you, Matriarch. We’ve been waiting for this day…”

“Congratulations! You’ve finally done it!”

Liliana, the Dream Walker Matriarch, who had been defending their territory while Hella was attacking the Dark Nest’s headquarters, had finally ascended to Duke level.

The news, a significant boost to their morale, was met with cheers and celebrations.

“Hehehe, it’s all thanks to your hard work. …And of course, Hella-nim’s generosity.”

She looked down at her hands, a wry smile on her face.

Her power, though still inferior to the other Dukes, had increased significantly.

She knew how weak she had been before, how far she had been from reaching this level.

She wouldn't have been able to become a Duke without the ‘Succubus Queen’s Essence’ that Hella had bestowed upon her.

‘…I was only able to become a Marquis thanks to my bloodline, the Demon King and the Queen. If it wasn’t for that…’

She had barely reached Earl level, even when her sister, L’rei’e, had become the Demon King.

And she had had access to practically unlimited resources.

She clenched her fist, pink magic power, pure and untainted, overflowing.

It was the same energy she had sensed from her mother, the Succubus Queen.

And now, it was hers.

‘…How can I ever repay her?’

She felt… overwhelmed by her gratitude.

The best way to repay her kindness was to help her become the true Demon King.

“Huu— Now then, shall we begin?”

And so, Liliana, the Nightmare Duke, joined the war.

“All hail the Nightmare Duke!”

…shortly after her arrival,

…one of the battlefields was… cleared.

[“That… slut, Liliana?!”]

The Dragon Marquis’s monstrous face twisted in a grimace of rage as he received the report.

The unrest among his subordinates was growing, and now, another Duke-level expert had joined the enemy’s ranks.

‘…Hopefully, she’ll clash with that mongrel…’

He briefly entertained the thought… but it wasn’t very likely.

After all, their relationship wasn't just… professional.

And betraying Hella now, choosing to go solo, would be a foolish decision, unless one’s brain had been completely… pickled in dark magic.

He had been so confident, so certain of his victory…

How had things turned out ?

‘…Again? Am I… being defeated again? Me? Krushaior?’

He had been waiting for this for thousands of years.

He had been so close, so certain that he would finally grasp his long-awaited dream…

…and now, it was slipping away.

He would mock fate itself, defy the heavens…

His six eyes glowed with a murderous intent, black flames flickering within.

A dark and sinister aura, emanating from his fangs, his nostrils, his scales…

And then, a subtle energy, a faint presence he hadn’t noticed before, began to… stir within him, a gentle… nudge, a… suggestion.

The Demon God was interfering again!

To prevent him, a dragon, an outsider, from becoming the Demon King!

He had even made a deal with a fallen god, hoping to avoid the Demon God’s intervention…

But the intruders in the temple had ruined everything, his centuries-long plan… shattered.

All that remained was… rage.

‘…Was it… the intruders in the temple…? …No, that slut was a Marquis until recently. She must have just transcended…’

He wasn't a fool, despite his… volatile personality.

He had investigated thoroughly after attacking the Dark Duke, suspecting him of being behind the temple incident, and he had confirmed that Liliana, and all the other known Marquis-level demons, were innocent.

His only remaining suspect was Pieta, the Dark Duke, a master of strange and unusual magic, whose power was comparable to his own.

His priorities had shifted after the attack on his headquarters, but he hadn’t completely dismissed the possibility of Pieta’s involvement.

That scheming, conniving skeleton… he might be trying to trick him again.

So, he had been keeping a close eye on him, even while attacking Helheim…

And his vigilance, his relentless pursuit, his mastery of dark magic,

[“…Ha! Hahaha! I knew it! Khahaha—!”]

…had finally paid off.

[“Pieta, you bastard—! You were mocking me?!”]

A suspicious meeting, a secret rendezvous between two warring factions.

And their subsequent actions, so… unnatural and… coordinated.

[“Khehe… So you two were working together all along. You thought I was a fool.”]

The attack on the temple, the resulting war, the fall of the Dark Nest’s headquarters, and even Pieta’s peace proposal… it had all been a carefully orchestrated plan.

A trap, designed to ensnare him.

‘…Very well. If that’s how you want to play it…’

[“Pieta. I need to talk to you.”]

-“What is it, Dragon Marquis? I’m busy. As you know, things have… gone wrong because of that Nightmare Duke.”

[“It’s the same for me. I need your help. I’ve thought of a way to capture that mongrel.”]

He didn’t care about the Demon King or the invasion of Auterica anymore.

His only thought was… revenge.

“Ugh, what? What kind of madness is this, Dragon Marquis?!”

[“Khehehe! Khahaha! Madness? No, this is the answer! I should have done this sooner!”]

“You sacrificed your own followers! Do you think you can become the Demon King after doing something ?!”

[“It doesn’t matter.”]

He would destroy everything.

The remaining Dark Nest warriors, still loyal to him, were annihilated.

And the Dark Duke, caught off guard, was captured.

…the gates to the abyss opened in the Demon World.