“Oh my... No, Godmother.”
“You may call me comfortably, Siana. This is not a public occasion.”
“...Yes, Mother. But are you truly alright? Your will is the will of Dream Walker itself, so there is no objection, but could this decision not be too hasty...?”
A private room filled with lavish decorations uncharacteristic of the Demon Realm.
Liliana slowly stroked the corner of her mouth at the cautious words her daughter offered.
She could fully understand why Siana would say such a thing.
No matter that she had acknowledged Hella as the daughter of the 14th Demon King and her own niece, the fact remained that they had met for the first time today and had not spoken for long.
So it must have felt strange to suddenly pledge loyalty.
“Oho ho, you are still inexperienced.”
“Pardon?”
But Liliana was certain.
That her choice was correct.
At a glance, it might have seemed like an impulsive decision, but it was a conclusion reached after calmly weighing every circumstance.
“She is not merely a demon of great strength. She can already be called a proper Demon King.”
“...A Demon King? But that is...?”
Between the demon race and a Demon King.
The gap was not simply a status divided by high or low rank.
If one had to compare, like elves and high elves... No, the difference was far more stark; that was precisely the ‘race’ known as Demon King.
“Hoh— To think a being who has never even set foot in the Demon Realm was a Demon King from the moment of her birth. I never knew such a thing was possible. This must be fate. The will of the Demon God, perhaps.”
As one of the Demon Realm's preeminent powerhouses, she could feel it.
The moment she first saw Hella— her blood and soul were fiercely drawn to her.
And that was proof that something more than mere charm was at work.
“Ah, so that's...!”
Siana, a Count-rank demon, let out an exclamation.
Only now did she realize why she had been unable to move an inch before Hella, and why even that great Undead King had acknowledged her as an equal.
Until now, all Demon Kings had been beings who acquired the title after birth.
They would earn the recognition of the Demon Realm's inhabitants, prove their qualifications, and upon reaching the pinnacle, receive the grace of the Demon God to evolve into a Demon King.
In that sense, it was a position similar to a Saint of a human religious order, but it could not be considered exactly the same since they possessed not only authority but substantial military might as well.
Demons inherently lacked the piety seen in other races, after all.
‘Of course, since she has not yet been formally recognized, she won't have all the authorities of a Demon King.’
A Demon King in the Demon Realm was a being who possessed a faint divinity.
Naturally, having the body of a Demon King was not everything.
Whether it was faith and worship, or even fear and hatred, it mattered not.
If she stepped forward later and somehow received the acknowledgment of the Demon Realm's denizens, only then could she become a true Demon King.
“But no matter how reversed and incomplete the order may be, a Demon King is a Demon King. And one who has perfectly inherited Lereie's power at that. How could we possibly let such an opportunity slip by?”
It was insight born of transcendent intuition.
That if they followed Hella, they would eventually achieve what they desired.
That she would one day undoubtedly stand at the apex of this Demon Realm.
“And there is one more thing. We do not have much time left.”
“Ah!”
The momentum of the long war had already completely tilted toward the ‘Dark Nest’ led by the Demon Dragon Duke.
The faction of Duke Touma, who had been the most belligerent, had already completely collapsed and been absorbed under his command, while the other two Dukes were merely holding on, barely preventing the defection of their subordinates after suffering critical damage.
“Balancing on a tightrope between them has reached its limit. If this continues, it will inevitably collapse before long. And in such a situation, a Demon King who is more than enough to become a variable has appeared, not to mention a Queen's Essence...”
Liliana lightly shrugged her shoulders as if to say the rest needed no further explanation.
Siana nodded, convinced by her mother's words.
She herself held goodwill toward Hella as well, but she had thought deciding the fate of the organization was a separate matter.
“That said, Siana? What are you doing right now?”
“Pardon?”
Then, Liliana looked at her daughter with a peculiar expression and tossed a remark.
And before the flustered Siana could reply to the sudden question, she continued.
“Did I not say so? We do not have much time left.”
“Yes, you did...”
“Then should you not hurry and lend a hand? How long do you intend to rest like that? Your mother is working so hard; you seem quite at ease.”
In Liliana's hand was the ‘Succubus Queen's Essence’ she had received as a bestowal immediately after pledging loyalty to Hella.
To her, it was an object no different from her mother's keepsake.
Wuuuung—
Of course, for now, it was merely a material being refined with magic power for the efficient extraction of strength.
For the continued existence of Dream Walker, which she and her mother and those before them had protected all this time.
“Aah! Yes! Understood, Godmother!”
She watched Siana's back as she scurried out and let out a chuckle, then gazed down at the Essence once more.
A geometric polyhedron, black-based with a pink hue resonating with magic power, scattering a subtle aura.
As if tenderly embracing a daughter met after a long time.
As if praising a godmother who had fought bravely for a long time and admirably protected her home.
***
After Dream Walker's joining, the speed of their force's expansion increased explosively.
Though they were currently in a position to suffer scorn, squeezed between mighty factions, they were, after all, a prestigious group that had produced a former Demon King and were led by a current Marquis-rank powerhouse.
Their defection to any faction would be met with grand welcomes, so when they deliberately laid out the board, making contact with high-ranking demons who had been difficult to approach was not so difficult.
‘Good, at this rate, I can say we've put down roots in every layer of the Demon Realm.’
The largest force, the ‘Dark Nest’ of the Demon Dragon Duke, and the ‘Burning Inferno’ of Duke Touma, which had been absorbed there.
The ‘Demoniac’ of the Dark Abyss Duke and the ‘Abnormal’ of the Monstrous Wolf Duke, who had swallowed their pride and were barely holding on by cooperating with each other, and the other minor factions besides.
For now, everyone was hiding their true intentions and moving according to existing plans, but beneath the surface, busy adjustments were constantly being exchanged so that they could rise up at any time at Hella's command.
However, the larger they grew, the more naturally their security level dropped.
Eventually, this secret movement could not avoid being discovered by the outside.
“Contact with Parma has been severed. According to information, an elite unit of Dark Nest that suddenly stormed in captured all the executives...”
“Kilraun's situation does not seem so favorable either. Fortunately, since he sensed he was being watched and laid low, no evidence remains, but they are doggedly hounding him as if they have already identified him.”
Even if they had coaxed the organization's leaders and executives, there were limits to controlling the whole with just them.
Tendencies under their command were sensitive matters even for the monarchs in the midst of war, so the fact that they had lasted this long was in itself quite a good defense.
“Hmm, what a pity. I felt like we could devour a bit more.”
Still, as the time approached, she couldn't help but feel regret.
As Hella muttered at the bad news coming from the situation room, Siana, stuck to her side like a secretary, added.
“The others are not fools either. Still, the results are not bad. At this point, we may not be able to face Dark Nest head-on, but we can handle the other Dukes' factions.”
Considering that those other two Dukes combined could not handle Dark Nest alone, it wasn't exactly good news.
Moreover, that was assuming a weakened state from her steadily gnawing away at them.
If things continued like this, there was no telling when she could subjugate them all.
“...H-hm, this can't be helped.”
Hella, who had been resting her chin on her hand in thought, slowly nodded.
With a resolute expression as if she had made up her mind about something.
At that, Siana looked at her with an anxious expression.
“Um... Lady Hella? May I ask what you are thinking...?”
“Heheh, in this situation, there is only one method to use, isn't there?”
Hella smiled brightly.
The smile was so radiant that it could brighten the surroundings in an instant, but the meaning contained in that lovely voice was anything but.
“—A show of force.”
A chill as if blood might drip at any moment.
Then she smoothly rose from her seat and brushed past Siana, who swallowed hard.
In truth, the best course would be to sit back and aim for an opportunistic windfall, but since their existence had already been exposed, they could not continue hiding.
Right now, their very existence was an unknown variable that had suddenly rolled in.
Not only Dark Nest, which was currently dominant, but other factions as well would never tolerate a variable that gnawed at their power.
‘Rather, it's better to strike first while they're off guard. A hidden dagger shows its true worth when it remains concealed.’
Not all the personnel who had defected to their side had been revealed.
If she stepped forward herself now to draw attention, she could buy them more time.
That brief gap would be the key to comfortably finishing the matter.
‘Well, and truthfully, this much force is enough. And I've been holding onto this matter for too long anyway.’
With a sly upturn of her lips, pitch-black magic bloomed like flowers with each light step Hella took.
Taking that as a signal, elite demons followed her one by one.
Forces that had been assembled separately from the factions stationed in various regions for immediate mobilization.
“Hmhmm~ Now, which one was closest from here?”
The force closest to Dream Walker's base.
That is, the faction that had tormented them the longest.
“...It's Abnormal, Lady Hella.”
“Yes, that's the one. The one led by that fellow called the Monstrous Wolf Duke.”
“Yes, but... are you truly planning to strike there first?”
Their basic abilities were overwhelming, and they were demons proficient in magic, so unlike human wars, distance constraints were not as great; still, being nearby meant they naturally drew attention more often.
These days, with Dark Nest ascendant, they had quieted down, but before that, it would be no exaggeration to say that Abnormal had been the primary culprit in draining Dream Walker's blood for a long time.
‘Well, strictly speaking, it has little to do with me... But settling my subordinates' grudges wouldn't be bad either.’
Truthfully, considering the current war situation, the most rational course would be to strike Dark Nest together with the remaining two Dukes' factions.
But she had no such intention.
This could also be considered a golden opportunity in its own right.
‘The advantage of surprise from information asymmetry is only now. Rather than wasting that opportunity on the lackeys of that bloated Dark Nest, it's far better to devour a Duke and absorb his entire force!’
The confident Hella's steps halted.
An important facility lined with transportation magic circles for troop movement.
Perhaps because she had deliberately signaled and moved slowly, numerous combatants had already assembled and were standing in formation here.
Loyal soldiers looking at her alone with gazes filled with fervor, their morale soaring to the heavens.
Hella scanned them silently, then grinned and shouted in a clear voice.
“It's finally time to march! Just follow my lead, my darlings! We end this swiftly!”
“Uwoooooh—!”
“Hella! Hella! Hella!”
It was Demon King Hella's full-fledged debut on the Demon Realm stage.
***
One of the four— No, now only three remaining Dukes in the entire Demon Realm, the Monstrous Wolf Duke Sipareu.
[What? Dream Walker?]
The hideous face of a demonic beast scarred around the eyes twisted, and as he tilted his head, his lush mane shook.
[Grrr— Have those bastards gone mad?]
Following behind, a head covered in scales with tusks jutting out like a boar's growled.
[I knew this would happen! I should have swept them away from the start!]
A savage beast with twisted features on skin warped by burns roared fiercely.
Grrrrrrrr—
The massive beast— Cerberus the three-headed hound— rose, and the air trembled.
A colossal body with a shoulder height of nearly ten meters.
Its tail, made up of long serpents, writhed incessantly as they flicked their tongues.
But only for a moment.
Sifar left that matter to his subordinates and turned his attention elsewhere.
Abnormal had stopped its attack on Dream Walker not because it lacked the ability to continue.
If not for the interference of other factions, it would not have taken long to clean them up in the first place.
Right now, Dark Nest was more important than dealing with those small fry.
“Your Grace! Talab has fallen!”
“Battles are breaking out on all sides! We’re tied down on the front against Dark Nest and cannot possibly send support…!”
“The Gallak guarding the central gate has defected! The Dream Walker bastards are advancing rapidly through it, Your Grace!”
However, the situation unfolded differently from what he had expected.
Reports of defeat came one after another, too many to ignore.
Even if most of their strength was committed to the battlefield against Dark Nest, this speed was clearly beyond anything he had assumed.
‘What on earth did they do? There’s no way Liliana, that foolish dream demon, has this kind of ability.’
He already knew that they had recently been reaching out to countless lower forces regardless of faction.
Had he not sneered that it was exactly the sort of vulgar thing they would do, while also ordering an investigation into it?
‘No. This isn’t something that can be done just by gathering a few more forces.’
The demons under his command were not so weak that they could be overwhelmed by mere numbers.
There had to be something more.
Something he did not know.
Just as his four heads, including the serpent of his tail, were working furiously to devise a response—
“Your Grace! They’re…!”
Kwaaaang—!
A tremendous explosion rang out from a place not far from the cavern where he was staying.
Along with it came the faint scent of the battlefield.
Dream Walker’s army had already pushed all the way here.
[Huh…?!]
Several heads exhaled in disbelief all at once.
What had just happened meant only one thing.
From the very beginning, they had been aiming for him.
In wars of the Demon Realm, to prevent rear infiltration through spatial movement, gates that could only be traversed in certain directions were installed in occupied territory.
And yet this attack had advanced at a speed that could only be achieved by breaking through, via the shortest route, only the gates leading here.
Of course, that alone was impressive enough, but—
[Pfhuhuhu… How absurd.]
[Grrrr— They must have taken us lightly.]
[Slaughter! Kihahahah! It’s time for slaughter!]
Kwaang—!
With a thunderous boom, Sifar’s massive body shot toward the source of the commotion.
The reason he had remained here was never because he was cowardly.
He had merely been waiting at the center in order to use himself, Abnormal’s greatest fighting force, as efficiently as possible, ready to respond to the appearance of another duke or to a battlefield on the verge of collapse.
[And yet they came here of their own accord!]
In the blink of an eye, the enraged Sifar reached the battlefield.
Abnormal’s stronghold had become a cauldron of chaos, with all kinds of demons tangled together in battle.
[……!]
But the moment he arrived on the scene—
Sifar’s body flinched to a halt.
Though he had been brimming with confidence until he got here, the fur across his entire body bristled of its own accord as he glared in one direction.
There, something was provoking his instincts.
And that something was—
“Cerberus? Wait, isn’t that a dog? Then why is it a monstrous wolf, not a monstrous dog?”
An insolent woman who had touched Sifar’s reverse scale.
“Kahahahaha!”
And the four-legged monstrosity carrying her on its back, letting out a bizarre cry.