"Go on. Tell me. Why did you do this to me?"
Hillen Cargill regretted his careless words.
One hundred thousand gold was no small sum. An ordinary person would never see such money in their lifetime; most nobles and most merchants alike would never touch that amount.
Let alone a demon who didn't value human money—and a Demon King who had descended less than a year ago.
'How did he get one hundred thousand gold…?'
He couldn't believe it, but the deed was already done.
A hero was a chosen being. They received the power and blessing of the dimensions, but in return carried responsibilities.
Especially a hero's promise—it held a strange kind of force. It had to be kept. Otherwise, the hero would lose their blessing and rank.
The worst possible fate for any hero.
"…What did you make me swallow?"
Separately from that, the orb Berze forced into his mouth was already inside him.
The compulsive instinct to honor a hero's promise, combined with his shock that Berze had actually brought the money, had caused him to swallow it before he knew what he was doing.
A sharp pain throbbed in his brain.
"It's something that binds you. Armani's Orb. It has many effects—but the most notable is preventing betrayal. You and I aren't exactly in a relationship where we can trust each other freely, are we?"
"You forced me to eat that dogshit thing?"
"Don't try anything foolish. Installing Armani is the hard part—once it takes root, if it senses danger, it explodes."
Could a hero survive without a brain?
"Will your proud dimensional blessing save you? Will it not? I don't mind if you try. I'm curious."
But you won't.
"…What do you want from me?"
Hillen was quick to give up—especially when his life and money were at stake.
"You'll simply continue your hero life as usual. I'll help you climb higher than anyone."
"A hero supported by a Demon King… Feels like I'd just get hunted."
"Armani leaves no trace. Unless someone cracks your skull open and pulls out your brain."
Was that really true?
Hillen couldn't risk testing it. If there was even the slightest chance he could live, he wouldn't gamble his life away.
"…Fine."
He finally accepted it.
The situation was absolutely screwed.
Whether he liked it or not, he would now be entangled with a Demon King.
"So, how about letting me out now?"
Think positive.
His ten thousand gold debt would be completely erased. And he still had ninety thousand remaining.
What could he do with that?
Bribe nobles, open businesses, and build wealth and influence.
Luxury and prosperity were right in front of him.
"But you think you can just continue being a hero like this?"
"All the ones who came with you are imprisoned. I'll turn them all into Black Knights and Black Sorcerers who obey your orders."
"They'll be exposed the moment they use demonic power."
"If they want to live, then they'll be careful whenever they stand in front of others."
"True."
If word eventually got out that they were the Demon King's dogs, there might be a scandal, but nothing fatal.
Hillen was a hero; the idea of a hero becoming a Demon King's dog was so absurd, so unthinkable, that no one would ever suspect him.
"No one will doubt you."
"Oh, by the way—among the captives, is there one with brown hair and blue eyes?"
"There are several like that."
"I guess I'll need to go check myself."
Hillen nodded.
"Let us out. We're business partners n—gugh!!"
With a dull thud, Hillen collapsed. Berze withdrew his foot.
"Speak properly. Not business partners—slave and master."
"…Didn't know you were into that kind of play."
"I don't expect genuine loyalty. Whether you want it or not, you're one of my chess pieces now. But at least put on a decent act. You are good at acting, aren't you?"
"…If that's your wish, I'll do it."
Hillen put on a chilling smile as he donned his usual mask.
It wasn't unfamiliar—he always wore it anyway.
A hero's journey was battle.
No matter how prettily one described it, no matter how much reward was promised, you still had to fight—and someone always died.
And no one liked staking their life.
Unless they were desperate.
A knight named Aman Catrash, who joined the hero expedition, was one such desperate man.
He was a skilled knight, but he loved drinking and gambling—and unfortunately, he had far less talent for gambling than for the sword.
After excessive gambling, he was kicked out of his home. Though talented enough to become a knight, the noble he served soon declared, "Men don't change," and abandoned him.
Out of pity, his knighthood was not revoked, so he became a free knight.
But the enormous debt remained. Hunted and exhausted, he finally joined the hero expedition as a last resort.
He endured Ergest.
He endured avalanches and monster herds driven by the Furl Orcs.
Even when they reached the summit and found no tower—when the hero party split—he did not run.
He believed they would succeed. That staying at Hillen Cargill's side would lead to slaying the Demon King and earning fortune.
He had never imagined it would become a nightmare.
"You have two choices."
He'd been waiting for death in the cold cell when the Demon King appeared.
"Become a Black Sorcerer or Black Knight and serve me faithfully."
"Or uphold your loyalty to humans and die here."
"Oh, and you won't die easily. You must pay for trespassing in the tower."
Chill—
Aman's spine froze.
He knew that kind smile wasn't truly a smile.
He had already witnessed it. The Demon King had killed all the heroes—publicly, brutally, in front of everyone.
To die like that?
Once captured by a Demon King, death was inevitable. He knew it, but facing it made him tremble.
He was a knight, yes—but all he wanted was to repay his debt and live comfortably. He had never cared about justice, humanity, or slaying evil.
Yet he hesitated because—
'If I become a Black Knight, I'll be exposed.'
Maybe luck would keep him from being exposed right away. But he was a knight—he couldn't live without using his strength. And heroes surrounded him.
"Dragging this out does no good. Accept the Demon King's mercy. It's your only path."
"…Hero?"
Aman's dry lips parted.
It was Hillen Cargill. The hope of the entire party.
The captives widened their eyes.
Why was he standing with the Demon King?
The question didn't last long—they met his eyes.
"This is the knight I mentioned."
"The useful one?"
"Aman Catrash. He's the sole heir of the Catrash family. They run the Golden Moon Trading Company, so he'll be useful for handling funds."
"Golden Moon?"
"They've declined a bit, but they were once one of the top five merchant guilds in the Kingdom of Iasin."
"And someone like that joined a hero expedition?"
"Because he was disowned. He turned into a dog who loved drinking and gambling so much he couldn't recognize his own parents or his lord."
Aman flushed at the harsh insult.
"His parents didn't pay his debt, so he ended up here. But his father, Kruger Catrash, adores him. He secretly sends people to watch his every move. I'm sure deep down he still hopes his son will reform and inherit the guild."
He is an only child, after all.
"Oh?"
"If he leaves the work to his subordinates, he can serve well. I can confidently say he'll be a strong asset to you, my lord."
"And it'll be easier for you to earn sponsorship money legitimately, hmm?"
"I won't deny that."
"So. What will you choose?"
"…."
Aman knew the question was directed at him—but he couldn't easily answer. He couldn't keep up with the conversation between the hero and the Demon King.
"What are you even saying…? Why is a hero standing with a Demon King!?"
"It's obvious, isn't it? Aman, you must be a little slow."
"…What?"
"Because I've decided to serve the Demon King."
"Why would a hero like you become a Demon King's subordinate!?"
"Because I lost. And I don't plan to die so pathetically."
A hero betraying humanity over something like that?
One of the supposedly greatest heroes?
Aman felt not anger—but relief.
A hero as powerful as Hillen felt the same fear and desperation he did. It was comforting.
If someone like Hillen begged for life, wasn't it natural for someone like him to do the same?
"…Can I really live?"
"You can."
"But if I become a Black Knight, the other heroes will definitely notice—"
"Oh, don't worry. Others might get caught, but you definitely won't."
Hillen grinned.
"My lord, a suggestion. You need Aman more as a merchant than as a knight. So I recommend destroying his aura core."
"…What?"
What did he just say…?
"The Black Knight contract is engraved on the soul. Even if he loses his aura, even if his aura core is shattered, the contract won't break."
"Indeed. That would make him a burden-free subordinate."
"Burden-free subordination… A curious expression, but correct. You won't need to give him any more demonic energy. No one will expect a knight with a shattered aura core to manifest aura—and if a father cherishes his son, how do you think he'll react when that son returns with a broken core?"
"He'd suddenly treat him well, try to help him recover, and urge him to inherit the family."
A glint flashed in the Demon King's eyes.
"No—don't!"
"Aman, it's good for you as well. If your aura core is broken, no one will expect anything of you as a knight, and as long as you don't use strength, no one will ever discover you're a Black Knight."
Aman frantically waved his hands.
"But to break my aura core—!"
"Unfortunately, you don't get to choose."
"His Majesty the Demon King commands it, Aman. Accept it."
Crack—
A sharp pain tore through his lower abdomen.
By will or not, Hillen had become the Demon King's dog.
In exchange for a fortune and his life. It wasn't a bad deal.
But separately from that, there was one person Hillen had to meet. Someone he needed to ask something.
"Tell me. Why did you do that to me?"
"What do you mean?"
"No matter how much I think about it, I still don't understand. Why did you side with the Demon King? Why did you oppose me, who climbed all the way up to rescue you like a dog, instead of helping me against the Demon King?"
There were no "what-ifs." The Demon King's trickery was unlike the others. Perhaps even without the princess, they might have been defeated.
But still.
If—just if—
The princess hadn't confused him at that critical moment…
Wouldn't everything have gone differently?
He wouldn't have to console himself saying it wasn't a loss, and he wouldn't have ended up a dog.
"I was paid."
The princess answered casually.
"Paid…?"
"Aloje."
An incredibly expensive elixir—worth whatever price one named. It could gather pure mana. Knights and mages went insane for it. Researchers coveted it too.
But for the princess in front of him, it wasn't that valuable.
"You could get as many as you want. You're a princess."
In the scale of a kingdom, even a priceless elixir was relatively small. Aloje was valuable, yes—but for the great kingdom of Hilderan, hardly a burden.
Would the king have withheld elixirs from the princess hailed as the hope of Hilderan? If he had, she wouldn't have been able to summon all four great spirits at her age… one of them even mid-tier.
"That doesn't mean Aloje isn't precious. And this is Ergest Mountain, mind you."
"It's not worth throwing away your chance to escape from the Demon King."
"That's if I wanted to escape."
"…?"
Did he hear that right?
The princess… didn't want to leave the Demon King's tower?
"Not every prince or princess likes their kingdom."
"But you—Your Highness—"
He stopped.
A hero as famous as Hillen heard many things—and some of those were royal secrets ordinary people didn't know.
"…I see."
"Shhh."
Ernyan gently pressed a finger to his lips. Her violet eyes curved like a crescent moon.
"Whatever you know about the royal family, don't speak it aloud."
"No one's listening anyway."
"If you're careless normally, you'll be careless when it matters."
"Silent lips are a virtue for heroes."
"Please be a good hero, Hillen."
A short silence followed. The cold tension ended as Ernyan spoke again.
"When we get back, the kingdom will be in chaos."
"I agree."
It wasn't just the king.
Hillen understood Hilderan's obsession with the princess.
Regardless of her behavior, she was the unquestioned heir to the throne. She had always been treated as such. Her disappearance would throw the entire nation into turmoil.
To calm that chaos, they'd probably try forming a second hero party. But after the tower vanished? No hero would volunteer.
"If you meet Elena, please tell her that I'm fine. She'll be worrying."
"Princess Elena the 13th?"
"Yes."
"I can't promise we'll meet, but if we do, I'll tell her. But… will she believe me?"
To say the princess was fine despite not even finding the tower? A stray dog wouldn't believe that nonsense.
"Just say 'Meiar.'"
"…?"
"She'll understand."
"A secret known only to the two of you, I see. But there's another issue."
"She's tight-lipped. I guarantee it."
"If you say so, I'll believe it."
Even if she had betrayed him while imprisoned in the Demon King's tower, she was still the Crown Princess of Hilderan—her talent so overwhelming that even other royals didn't dare compare.
It was wise to maintain goodwill with someone nearly destined to be king.
"Then goodbye."
"Ah, one more thing."
"…?"
"The dwarf on the first floor—did you bring him?"
"No. The Demon King brought him directly from the Dwarven Kingdom. His name is Logar Friedri."
"…That traitor dwarf is Logar Friedri?"
The princess didn't answer. She simply ascended the staircase. Hillen, left alone, let out a dry laugh.
"No way that dwarf… why would he…"
Serve the Demon King?
"Ha…"
He didn't know the reason, but he knew one thing for certain:
This hero expedition had been doomed from the start.
"A complete defeat."
He had utterly lost to the Demon King.
"We never discovered the Demon King's tower in the first place. Understood?"
"Yes!"
The eager nodding of the Black Knights and Black Sorcerers was almost comical.
They had once shouted about slaying the Demon King—now they were preparing to walk free as his dogs.
It felt like a very unpleasant play.
But Hillen had no right to judge. He had been the first to choose to serve the Demon King. His greed surpassed theirs.
And he needed them to restore his broken wings.
"Let's go down!"
"By order of the Demon King, we'll protect you."
Furl Orcs led by Krutu escorted them.
For realism, the starving, exhausted hero party couldn't last long on their own. If they simply descended, everyone but Hillen might die.
The elf, Granada, was there as well.
"I never imagined a noble elf would take the Demon King's side… but now that we're allies again, I look forward to working with you."
"A hero who tried to offer an elf as a sacrifice shouldn't speak."
"I'm starting to doubt you're even an elf. You've acted well until now."
"You're the one who's good at acting."
The hero and the elf snarled at each other.
The fact that the elf had been a servant of the Demon King—
And the fact that the hero had tried to sacrifice her—
Created a gulf that would never close.
"Both of you, quiet. We're leaving."
"Shut your filthy mouth, you damned orc."
"That a mere orc dares to speak in my presence… if not for the Demon King, I'd tear your tongue out."
It wasn't two—there were three of them arguing.
"You get along well."
"If you truly think so, Demon King, then your eyes must be rotten."
"I hate you, but I agree with that."
"How dare you speak that way to His Majesty! My lord, give the order!"
"Just get down the mountain."
After a series of mishaps, the hero party descended.
"Well then, goodbye, elf Granada—who doesn't even know the virtues of elves."
"Now I see—you're quite childish for a hero."
Upon reaching Hotenwalk, Hillen and the hero party immediately used the dimensional teleportation chamber and left. But Granada remained to carry out the Demon King's orders.
And then—
"Captain…? You're alive?"
He reunited with the Red Hawk Mercenary Corps he had thought dead.
"…What the hell."
Every single one of them was completely unharmed.
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