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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Hildran's Princess
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"...Why Hildran? Isn't it awfully far away?"
"That's exactly why they won't be able to bring an army."
"Then why not the first princess, but the thirteenth?"
"The thirteenth princess is like a Grun in the Hildran Kingdom. No point kidnapping her and inviting unnecessary danger."
"You mean she's completely useless? She's still a princess, you know."
Grun was one of the demon beasts from the demon world, treated like trash for having no abilities whatsoever.
"Some princesses are like that."
"It's against the Standard, though."
The second tenet of the Standard of the Demon King.
The Demon King must kidnap a prince or princess.
There were no additional clauses. But just like the first, the demons had their own unwritten rule.
- Kidnap a prince or princess close to the line of succession, one with a renowned name.
The more important the person to the kingdom, the deeper their rage. And the purer the demonic energy gained from that rage.
For demons whose every action directly led to greater quantities and higher quality of demonic energy, it was the obvious choice.
"But you won't listen."
"Correct."
'I heard he was a devout follower of the Standard back during his school days.'
What wind blew through him to make him go mad right after graduation?
But Gordon didn't view the situation too pessimistically.
'Compared to his words and actions at graduation, he's not completely rejecting the Standard after all. If I gradually guide him back to it bit by bit, maybe he'll return to normal?'
He was a Demon King hailed as the top graduate in history. If he became a proper Demon King again, conquering Aren wouldn't be a dream.
'I need to serve him well.'
Gordon hatched a grand plan.
'And in this situation, His Majesty might actually be right.'
There were no demonkin or beasts where they should have been. If they poked the wrong bear, the kingdom wouldn't be the one flying away—they would.
And what Gordon wanted was to conquer Aren alongside Berge, not commit suicide.
"I'll serve alongside you, Your Majesty."
"No, I'll go alone. Someone needs to guard the tower, so you manage it."
"...Is there even anything to manage?"
"It's the Demon King's tower, after all. It can't look like an empty house at least."
With that, Berge descended the mountain. Monsters prowling the snowfields as their territory tucked tail at the Demon King's demonic energy.
Though weakened by the dimension's interference—meaning there were plenty that could overpower him in a real fight—they fled before the inherent aura of a Demon King.
'My body's not up to snuff. Facing heroes in this state...'
Which was why a middling princess from Hildran was perfect.
Far away, tangled in relations with other kingdoms so they couldn't bring an army, and low importance meant the king wouldn't splurge much on the hero guild.
Those ragtag types couldn't possibly cut through the monsters of the Erjest Mountains anyway.
"Perfect."
A flawless early-game setup.
Afterward, he could slowly build strength feeding on the Hildran Kingdom's rage (admittedly lesser in quality and quantity than the first princess's, but still).
'A princess isn't the only answer to begin with.'
Kidnapping one was merely the most efficient way to harvest negative emotions—it wasn't mandatory.
'Worst case, return her and take the money.'
From his past life's experience, he knew Aren's humans and heroes better than anyone, or so he believed.
'Even if she's a total Grun, she's still a princess—they won't refuse negotiations. Use that money to hide my identity, hire humans, and play the shadowy mastermind. Not a bad idea.'
Shadowy mastermind. It even appeared in the Standard, so other Demon Kings might approve.
Less interference that way.
But.
"I won't be the idiot who reveals himself as the mastermind."
Once was enough for foolish mistakes.
"To that end, first..."
He needed to take this first step perfectly.
Berge quickened his pace.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A faint crescent moon hid behind clouds. A chilling wind blew.
Soldiers on the ramparts huddled by bonfires to fend off the cold.
"Damn cold."
"On a night like this, hot tomato stew hits the spot."
"Soaked with baguette."
"Ugh, just thinking about it is killer."
He scaled the ramparts. The soldiers' chatter faded into the distance.
The defensive magic circles were vicious, but not as nasty as those from the Demon King Academy.
The palace grounds, lit by magical lamps, weren't all that dark. Signs of life stirred here and there.
I found a relatively secluded spot and waited for someone to pass. A servant carrying miscellaneous items was perfect.
"Mmph, who...?"
The servant, subdued, trembled violently.
"Where are the princesses?"
"I c-can't say...!"
I gave his body a light caress. He foamed at the mouth and spilled everything. I shoved the unconscious man into a corner.
No special measures because I lacked memory-wipe abilities—and to leave a minimal excuse.
A half-decent alibi of following the Standard by leaving traces.
'Wealthy bunch.'
Hildran dominated the south as a powerhouse and was quite prosperous. That all fifteen princesses had their own palaces was proof enough.
I located the thirteenth annex where the thirteenth princess resided.
A beautiful palace at the kingdom's edge, adorned with hyacinth motifs. I opened its window.
"..."
"..."
My eyes met those of the woman perched on the bed.
Early twenties. Platinum hair. Two amethysts gleaming in the moonlight.
They said Hildran's princesses were all stunning beauties, and she lived up to it.
Instead of freezing, I slipped inside and closed the window.
She hadn't said a word until then.
"...Kidnapper? Demon King?"
Her first words were utterly calm.
Her bold question piqued my interest. I blocked ambient noise before her small mouth could scream.
"Does my answer change anything?"
"It'll change how I respond."
"If I'm just a regular kidnapper?"
"I'll resist with everything I've got."
"If I'm a Demon King?"
"Think you can handle me?"
An intriguing question. Spirited confidence, perhaps.
Amusing. Even in a Demon King-friendly dimension like Aren, to be taken this lightly.
"Of course. I am a Demon King."
"Then I'll come quietly."
"You're strangely calm."
"Demon Kings kidnapping princes and princesses isn't exactly new. I've always thought something like this might happen someday."
Though I never imagined someone would actually show up.
She murmured.
'What?'
Of course, Aren was the most Demon King-friendly dimension around, and there were even cases of Demon Kings and heroes playing poker together. But even accounting for all that, this reaction was beyond unexpected.
No princess in my previous life had faced me with such poise.
No matter how accustomed they were—or how they feigned courtesy to survive—Demon Kings were evil incarnate in human eyes, steeped in negativity.
Made me wonder if I was being tricked.
"If you're playing possum to strike from behind, forget it. We're desperate too—no falling for cheap tricks."
"I'm not. How would I dig a trap knowing you'd show up here tonight?"
Fair point.
I extended my senses to probe her, but as befitting the sickly thirteenth princess, nothing stood out.
She might be fooling my senses entirely, but I doubted it. Weakened by interference or not, I was a Demon King. No mere princess—let alone a non-hero—could fool me that easily.
As I stayed silent, she turned the question on me.
"How did you know I was here, anyway?"
"Easy."
"...Easy?"
So he really is a Demon King. She nodded slightly.
"What happens to me as a prisoner?"
Plenty of options.
The Standard didn't specify treatment for captives, as Demon Kings varied in personality and disposition.
Some treated kidnapped princes and princesses with courtesy, others worse than rags, and some just killed them.
Actually, the demon world recommended the latter two. Witnessing their broken states fueled greater kingdom rage.
But Aren favored the first approach.
Maybe that's why this princess was so nonchalant.
Or sheer resignation.
"I'll treat you like any other princess. Cooperate, and I'll cooperate. Resist, and vice versa."
"Scary. Guess I have to obey His Majesty then."
She rose from the bed, approached slowly, and extended both hands. Her pale wrists caught my eye.
"Shall we go?"
"Let's."
I took her and slipped out of the palace.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The kidnapping went smoother than expected.
I fled Hildran before anyone noticed and caused trouble.
After that, it was quick. Paid top coin for inter-kingdom teleport circles and shot north.
"Welcome back safely, Your Majesty."
Erjest Mountains. A week later, back at the tower, Gordon greeted me.
"You captured the princess."
"Fix up a room-ish spot in the fourth-floor corner for her."
"Not the dungeon?"
Gordon paused mid-drag toward the basement.
"She came quietly, so I'll compromise while she cooperates."
"Understood."
"Wow, nothing here? I heard Demon King towers are overrun with beasts."
The princess, arriving on the fourth floor, marveled innocently.
"Beauty of emptiness."
"It's all emptiness."
"Stay here."
"No bed."
"Floor's your bed."
"Even for a princess..."
"Anyone'd think you were on a picnic."
I dumped the grumbling girl on the fourth floor and headed to my office.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"..."
The princess watched his receding back.
Demon King. How startled she'd been when he burst through the window.
But it wasn't all that special.
Aren's Demon Kings always targeted princes and princesses. Sometimes they failed, sometimes succeeded, but the danger was ever-present.
That was old news, though. Demon Kings weren't pure terror anymore; humans had gotten good at tracking them.
That's why she'd been shocked.
She thought she knew every Demon King's face, yet this was a new one.
The hero guild wouldn't miss a Demon King's movements—yet no reports.
At first, she thought it was fake. But the thick demonic energy screamed otherwise.
That tower on the snowfields really was a Demon King's lair.
The Lust Demon King had died recently, it seemed. A new one had arrived.
"...I really got kidnapped."
She finally grasped her situation.
"Escape..."
Impossible.
No guards apparent, but the location was the issue. Descending Erjest Mountains alone was suicide.
"Hm."
She was a hostage. Expecting good treatment was luxury.
"Hard."
Even so, this was too much. She tapped the floor. Dirt—far from ideal.
"No pillow."
"No blanket."
"No maids."
"No pretty garden."
"No bathroom."
Her delicate brows furrowed.
But.
"...Not bad."
Her heart felt at ease. The pressures weighing on her had vanished too.
She smiled happily.
She removed her ring, stirred her mana. Her little friends poked their heads out.
Pat pat—
She caressed the rising earth and began shaping a bed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"How did it go?"
"Mm."
I nodded at the question right as I entered the office.
Everything had gone smoothly. Planning, kidnapping, escape.
It looked like I'd done it under Alcaine's threat, but I'd planned this from the start.
Either way, to gather demonic energy and weaken the interference, I needed human negative emotions.
But not so much hatred I'd become a purge target. Hildran's thirteenth princess was the perfect balance.
So I was satisfied.
The first button was fastened perfectly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Knock knock—
In the opulent palace.
Escile, the princess's guard knight, knocked. No answer.
"Princess, breakfast."
Still no answer.
"Still sleeping?"
"This has never happened before."
He tilted his head at the chef's question.
"Pardon the intrusion."
He knocked again and cracked the door. No signs of life.
'Still asleep?'
He gently pulled back the bed curtains.
Pillow. Blankets. That was it.
'...?'
Instinctively, he flung the covers. Nothing.
He checked under the bed, the bathroom, every drawer, peered out the window.
No princess anywhere.
"...Uh. So..."
Escile swallowed. His mind reeled.
"Sir Escile!"
Servants caught him as he collapsed. Their faces paled upon confirming the princess's absence.
"Oh no, the Crown Princess has vanished!"
The news of the kingdom's heir's disappearance spread through the palace like wildfire.