Chapter 31: Hero – 2

“Then, keep the tax rate at 20% moving forward. If anyone tries to take more for their own gain, report them immediately.”

“Understood, Demon King.”

“And contact Kesar. If we explain the situation, he’ll surely come.”

“As you command.”

After bowing to Mari, the demon acting as her secretary left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Mari stretched slightly, feeling a hint of fatigue.

Ever since becoming a demon, she barely felt physical exhaustion.

This was purely mental fatigue.

After spending hours immersed in administrative work, even Mari couldn’t help but feel a bit drained.

‘At least I’m already used to this kind of work.’

She had unexpectedly become the ruler of an entire territory, but her daily life wasn’t all that different from when she was at the Magic Tower.

As the Tower Master, she had also been responsible for overseeing the region under its control, handling internal affairs much like a feudal lord.

The only real difference was the scale—being Demon King simply meant ruling over a much larger domain.

Maintaining a reasonable tax rate.

Encouraging agriculture and implementing policies to support it.

Providing aid to technological industries.

The main change was that, unlike before, she was no longer just the Tower Master—she was a Demon King.

That meant she couldn’t dedicate as much time to research as she once had.

After finishing her duties for the day, Mari slowly stood up and gazed out the window.

The cold air of Gelman, her current territory, was sharp.

Since this region bordered the Empire to the west, it was effectively part of the front lines.

Looking at the distant horizon, Mari thought about the future—a future that likely involved war.

‘There’s no doubt… the Empire will invade soon. All the conditions are in place.’

The Leaf Empire had suffered repeated defeats in recent battles.

As a result, the nation’s prestige had crumbled, and the morale of its soldiers had plummeted.

But recently, the successful defense against the monster wave had provided a much-needed boost.

If they could secure another victory, they could wipe away the shame of their losses and regain the upper hand.

Mari was certain that Gelman, the very region she now ruled, would become the sacrificial offering for the Empire’s next victory.

War was all about striking the enemy at their weakest point.

It had only been a month since the new Demon King was appointed, and on top of that, this Demon King was originally human.

Though the latter fact had been kept a secret, meaning the Empire might not be aware of it yet, the first reason alone was enough for them to target this region.

‘They probably don’t know that I am Mari. They’re using the name “Moeder” instead.’

Regardless, it was obvious that the enemy would attack soon.

Anticipating this, Mari had been making thorough preparations for the impending war.

Establishing authority over the Demon Generals as the new Demon King had been surprisingly simple.

Had she still been human, it might have been a challenge. But now, her appearance was no different from a demon’s.

More importantly, her power was on par with the other Demon Kings.

Having absorbed the essence of a Demon King, she was now comparable even to Kesar, whom she once had to acknowledge as her superior.

She had always been skilled at commanding people, and with the demons’ inherent respect for strength, even if some Demon Generals held personal doubts, none dared to defy her orders.

With full military control over Gelman, Mari had nearly completed her preparations.

And today, she finally received the news she had been waiting for.

The Leaf Empire’s invasion.

A force of 10,000 troops, led by Hero Irushil, had begun marching toward Gelman to reclaim the region.

The number itself wasn’t overwhelming, but the presence of the hero’s party made it a force that couldn’t be ignored.

‘…If my opponent is that child, this won’t be easy. Especially now that I’ve become a demon…’

Mari knew Irushil’s strength better than anyone.

She had trained her with her own hands and watched her grow.

In terms of sheer combat ability, Mari alone wouldn’t be enough to stop Irushil.

Even with Kesar’s help, achieving more than a draw would be difficult.

And yet, despite being at a disadvantage, Mari saw a path to victory.

She wasn’t entirely sure it would work.

But at the very least…

If Irushil was still the person Mari knew, then the chances weren’t low at all.

‘I’m sorry… but this is the only path left for me now. Don’t forgive me for this… my daughter…’

“Hah… it’s over.”

“This was easier than I expected. I thought the Demon Kingdom’s borders would be better fortified.”

The Empire’s army easily broke through the border.

As he watched his troops pour through, General Barus, the commander of this campaign, wore a satisfied smile.

He had prepared for heavy losses, yet they had taken almost no damage at all.

As a commander, he couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.

Standing beside him was another figure.

The witch Judah, serving as his adjutant for this battle, also had a pleased grin on her face.

The last time she had fought against demons, their forces had suffered heavy casualties, leaving them with nothing to show for it.

The so-called Mari Purge Mission had ended in a frustrating near-failure, with no significant rewards for all the effort they had put in.

But this time was different.

While General Barus was a capable leader, the key difference in this expedition was the presence of the Hero’s party.

The undefeated defenders of humanity.

Judah knew the Hero personally, as they had both lived in the Magic Tower.

Now that the Hero had joined the battle, wielding the Holy Sword in person, Judah was convinced that this time, their victory would be absolute.

‘As long as this goes well… I’ll finally get the position of Tower Master. Poor Brutus. He missed such a golden opportunity.’

Due to a minor training accident, Brutus had been forced to take a month-long leave.

As his friend, Judah felt a little bad that he couldn’t join the campaign.

But deep down, she was thrilled—one of her strongest competitors for the Tower Master’s position had just been taken out of the running.

‘The Tower Master… That seat will be mine. The title I’ve dreamed of for so long will finally belong to Judah!’

Fueled by ambition, Judah’s excitement burned as she prepared for the battle ahead.

Meanwhile, as the army reveled in their early victory, there was one person whose expression remained tense.

The Hero.

“Is something wrong, Hero? Are you feeling unwell?”

“…Hey, doesn’t something seem off to you?”

“Off? What do you mean?”

Cecilia looked at Irushil in confusion.

Irushil spoke, her voice laced with concern.

“Every time we’ve gone to war against the demons, we’ve always suffered heavy losses at the border. But this time, we broke through too easily. Almost as if… it was meant to happen this way from the start.”

“…What? Are you saying this is a trap?”

“Maybe.”

Irushil’s voice carried an uncertain confidence.

Hearing this, Cecilia cautiously voiced her own thoughts.

“Hero… isn’t that a bit of a stretch? Sure, there are some odd aspects, but… this region has terrain that favors defense, right? I can’t imagine them willingly giving up that advantage just to set a trap.”

“Hmm…”

Irushil didn’t have a clear answer either.

She couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was bothering her, only that a deep sense of unease lingered.

And without solid proof, making baseless claims would be reckless.

Still, that lingering doubt remained in her mind.

Like a memory just out of reach, something about this felt familiar…

‘What is this? …It feels like I’ve heard of something like this before…’

A glowing magic circle stretched out before me.

It pulsed with a deep crimson hue, reminiscent of blood.

As I gazed upon it, I hesitantly turned to Mari and asked her cautiously.

“…Are you really going through with this?”

“Of course. As you know, this will be my first battle as Demon King. The eyes on me are already filled with doubt—if I fail to achieve an overwhelming victory, it will surely come back to haunt me.”

“…I see.”

Mari’s voice was calm, unwavering.

Hearing her speak with such certainty, I couldn’t help but feel a bit conflicted.

From my perspective, her decision was something to be welcomed.

But at the same time, knowing what it truly meant left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Mari was carrying out her plan without hesitation.

There was no longer any trace of the human witch she once was.

What stood before me now was only a Demon King.

Nothing more, nothing less.

‘She really intends to see this through to the end… against humanity…’