Reincarnation as a Great Demon Lord - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Great Demon King Persuades Everyone

With me having neutralized the 'Hero of the Holy Sword,' peace returned to the Great Demon King's Castle.

Egret, who had been defeated by the Hero, had recovered by the next morning, and the damage to the castle was contained only to the unused food processing plant.

While the results clearly indicate a complete victory for the Great Demon King's Army, the aftermath of the battle caused a great deal of internal conflict.

The cause of the strife was a decision I had made.

That decision was to take the Hero of the Holy Sword prisoner.

It wasn't that I was afraid to take her life. It was the conclusion reached by the cold, calculating mind I had honed as a final boss—that this course of action would bring greater benefit to our Great Demon King's Army.

And what that "greater benefit" meant was—

"—She must be killed! Immediately!"

Egret’s fifth demand for the day echoed through the dining hall.

This morning's council had been contentious, and since everyone was hungry and the discussion had reached a stalemate, we moved the location to the dining hall. However, the meeting remained at an impasse.

The attendees for this meeting were Egret, Arcelia, and Seren.

I would have liked the Elder of the Rock Orcs and Egret’s subordinate knights to attend, but they had the task of transporting and overseeing the magic stones. Thus, it was just the usual four of us, including myself, holding the meeting.

The agenda was the disposition of the 'Hero of the Holy Sword.' Opinions were divided on whether she should be executed immediately or kept alive for utilization.

"Your Majesty! A Hero will only ever be a danger to us! She must be executed instantly!"

Egret was the one making this argument. Although her injuries hadn't fully healed, she was in high spirits and adamantly insisted on the Hero’s immediate execution.

Given her position and feelings, this was understandable. After all, the root cause of her father, the 'Scarlet Scale King,' transforming into a colossal dragon lay with the 'Hero of the Holy Sword' who defeated the previous Demon King. In short, the Hero I captured was essentially a nemesis to Egret.

Furthermore, Egret’s words represented the general opinion of the demon race. It was only right to kill an enemy hero, and vengeance was a natural right.

However, I had no intention of allowing endless retaliation. All that waits at the end of that path is utter annihilation. There is no fun in ruling a barren wasteland.

"No way. A Hero sample is rare. Moreover, the one we've captured this time isn't just any Hero. She's the 'Hero of the Holy Sword.' We absolutely can't do something so wasteful as to just kill her."

Arcelia, on the other hand, argued that the Hero should be kept alive.

Of course, her reasons were not humanitarian, but rather typical of her—she wanted to keep the Hero alive purely as a subject for research and experimentation.

Despite claiming that the Hero blew away ninety percent of her own body, it seems that once curiosity is involved, past grievances are irrelevant. As expected of a mad scientist, she’s dangerously reliable.

Thus, Egret's and Arcelia's opinions were in direct conflict. Both their arguments had reason and justice, but neither was willing to listen to the other. Thanks to this, the meeting was perpetually deadlocked and on the verge of turning into a physical fight.

This reminds me of the student council meetings back in school. Those were also fruitless, but that changed once I started attending. I was always the one who listened to everyone's opinions and found an answer that harmonized all of them.

"Arcelia-dono does not comprehend the danger of that Hero! She will surely bring harm to His Majesty and the Great Demon King's Army! You can do as you like with other Heroes! But that Hero, only that one...!"

"That's exactly why she should be studied, you simpleton! Are you an idiot? I wonder how you ever managed to be a knight with a brain made purely of muscle. Oh, wait, you only have to fight. Then I guess you can manage."

"What?! While you may be a former corps commander, I cannot let that insult pass!"

As expected, a fight was breaking out. The causes are mainly twofold, but both are common occurrences.

First, Arcelia's attitude is poor.

It’s fine to object, but unnecessarily humiliating your opponent is neither healthy nor meaningful. If she only wants to vent her frustration, she should do it elsewhere.

On the other hand, Egret, who is overly intense from the start, is also at fault. When you approach a discussion like this, the other party will feel challenged, no matter how passionate you are. It's always better to remain calm and neutral in dialogue, no matter how much conviction you have.

No choice. I intended to stay quiet until the very end, but perhaps it’s time to interject with a strong word.

"You cannot let it pass? What could a mere girl like you possibly do to me, even if you are a knight?"

"...If you wish it, I will show you. I have treated you respectfully, believing you to be an equal to my Father, but now, my patience is exhausted."

"—Silence, my vassals."

My voice cut through the clamor more clearly than the two of them. Both Egret and Arcelia straightened their backs at the contained rage in my voice.

Good. My dignity is flawless. If I can control these two, I can control a hundred thousand soldiers with a single command.

"I will not permit squabbling over such a trivial matter. You are all equally my vassals. Know that to fight amongst yourselves is an act of disloyalty to me."

"Your Majesty..."

"Hmph..."

"Do not sadden me further."

When I delivered this final warning, both of them sat down.

For now, the stage is neutralized. Let us discuss the fate of the Hero of the Holy Sword once more.

Although I have already reached a conclusion, the act of discussion itself holds meaning. Perhaps I should incorporate the opinion of a third party.

"Seren. I wish to hear your opinion."

"M-My Lord Great Demon King? I..."

When I prompted her, Seren, who was standing beside me, looked troubled.

Given her personality, she likely believes that a mere servant like her should not interject, but she is mistaken.

It is important for everyone’s opinion to be heard in situations like this. Otherwise, unity will not be born. And without unity, there is no victory.

"It is fine. I wish to hear your opinion. State it without reserve."

"...Yes."

Encouraged by me, Seren briefly lowered her eyes and then replied.

"From what I have heard, I believe both of your opinions are equally correct and equally mistaken."

"Hoh. In what way do you feel they are correct, and in what way are they mistaken?"

"...As Lord Egret says, the 'Hero of the Holy Sword' is the great enemy of the demon race. She is the killer of the former Demon King. If we do not punish her, it will be a poor example to other races and powers."

Hmm. A sober analysis. It aligns with my own view.

Rewarding and punishing correctly is the foundation and essence of organizational governance. Neglecting this will cause the organization to crumble from the roots.

The 'Hero of the Holy Sword' who defeated the former Demon King is the worst criminal for the demon race. Failing to punish her could significantly impede the expansion of the Great Demon King's Army going forward.

Conversely, if news spreads that we have executed such a great criminal, our army will demonstrate its power to surrounding forces. As a result, some will surely submit to us. That alone is a huge benefit to our army.

"However, as Lady Arcelia says, there are advantages to keeping the Hero alive. That Hero is a valuable source of information. After all, the human lifespan should be short. Yet, that Hero appeared completely unchanged from 100 years ago. This fact alone makes her worth investigating."

This, too, matches my thinking. That Hero is a crucial information source. I want to extract every bit of information I can from her.

The current Demon Realm is a Sengoku period of warring factions, but the greatest enemy is the 'Human Alliance.' However, they are holed up in their fortified colonies and refuse to come out. Not much useful material was left in this fortress city, and we didn't gain as much as expected.

Information is lacking for whatever we do next. In that respect, the Hero can be utilized.

Also, I want to construct anti-Hero strategies in parallel. We managed to deal with her this time because she charged into the castle, but if there are other forces with the same level of power as her, countermeasures are essential. In that regard, the usefulness of the strongest Hero as a sample case goes without saying.

"You're a talented one, Seren. I shall have you work as my Administrator someday."

"Your words are too kind, Your Majesty. But as to which path to choose, I..."

"I understand. The decision is mine."

Both killing the Hero and keeping her alive offer equal benefits. Simultaneously, both carry risks, and the resulting outcomes are manifold.

The problem might seem to be which of the two options to choose, but it is not.

A final boss is not bound by the rules of ordinary people like a binary choice.

"As you've heard, Egret, Arcelia, there is reason in each of your opinions. Therefore, there is no benefit in damaging each other. Do you understand?"

Egret immediately nodded at my words, and Arcelia reluctantly turned her face away. Their reactions reflect their personalities, but both are concerned for the organization and are passionate.

"—I shall deliver my decision."

Everyone in the room corrected their posture. Their attentiveness made me tense up as well. A king's words are heavy. Considering the conclusion I was about to utter, I had to choose my words even more carefully.

"The Hero in question shall not be killed. However, she shall be punished. I, the Great Demon King, will grant her a judgment worse than death."

"A judgment... worse than death...!"

Egret murmured in astonishment. She looked like she hadn't considered it, but execution is not the only punishment.

At times, the necessity of living can weigh heavier than any other penalty.

"Indeed. I shall make the Hero of the Holy Sword my vanguard. I will make her own hand destroy the human world she protected. This is a heavier punishment than death itself."

I declared this with a chilling villainous smile. I could sense that everyone present gasped at my devilish idea.

To corrupt justice, to laugh at benevolence, and to drag a shining star down to earth—that is the definition of a final boss.

Specifically, I will cause the Hero of the Holy Sword to fall to darkness. I will make her abandon her righteous heart and join my Great Demon King's Army.

That is the punishment I shall give the Hero. By doing this, I can announce to the other demons that I have punished her with the penalty of betrayal, and I can also gain information from the living Hero. It is truly a win-win.

The Hero of the Holy Sword is worth that much. It would be a waste to simply kill her.

Yes, right before delivering the final blow to the 'Hero of the Holy Sword,' I felt she was too precious to lose. I felt that killing her now would be a loss of her value.

As a final boss, I couldn't allow that. A final boss must utilize everything of value down to the last bone fragment.

Besides, besides, a former protagonist falling to the dark side is intensely exciting for a final boss.

The true identity of the masked Great Demon King's Four Heavenly Kings is the legendary Hero who once defeated the Demon King?! That's the best! The shock to the protagonist's side would be immeasurable, and the standing of the Great Demon King, who pulls the strings behind the legendary Hero, would naturally increase.

What concerns me is whether the legendary Hero is brainwashed or switched sides of her own will, but I personally prefer the latter.

The guilt of betraying the humanity she once protected, the sense of liberation from turning to evil. The conflict between these contradictory emotions is a personal favorite of mine.

Ah, I'm getting so excited! Defeating the strongest Hero and adding her to my subordinates. This is exactly what a final boss does!

---

—

The three did not object to my decision.

To be precise, they were speechless, but nonetheless, the three of them promised to follow my decision.

Well, not proceeding with immediate execution but instead conscripting her as a prisoner was a compromise between the two original proposals, and I also added the safety net that they would be executed or handed over to Arcelia if they did not comply, so obtaining their assent wasn't too difficult.

And so, having received the clear permission of my vassals, the Hero Dark-Side Operation officially begins.

The Hero's current place of confinement is, surprisingly, my private room. This is because I had postponed the repairs of the dungeon, as I didn't plan to use it for a while.

My private room, belonging to me, the Great Demon King, has the strongest defenses in the castle, second only to the throne room. Conversely, it is an excellent place of confinement. By slightly altering the composition of the barrier, my private room has been transformed into an impregnable confinement cell that even Egret could not escape from.

Now, as for the Hero confined in my private room—

"—Awu."

She was completely slacking off.

The 'Hero of the Holy Sword,' who had defeated the former Demon King, was drooling and sleeping, looking like a puddle on my bed.

She was wearing a thin piece of underwear, revealing her graceful contours without reserve, but strangely, I felt no eroticism whatsoever. It felt more like having a useless dog occupying my bed.

...This is the enemy's heartland, isn't it? Is this guy getting corrupted in a different way?

---

← Previous Chapter | Index | Next Chapter →

---