Chapter 234 - The Demon King and the Emperor

"..."

Martin struggled to steady his breathing and regain his composure. His sister's sudden actions had startled him, but in the end, he acknowledged that she had been right.

His grandfather was not his grandfather. He was merely a demon wearing his grandfather's skin.

"So what comes next?"

"My lord."

Only then did the Demon King emerge from hiding. He stripped the skin completely off the unconscious demon, holding it together with demonic energy as it threatened to crumble into dust.

"As I explained, a Doppelganger's skin is a power unique to its race. With its permission, someone else can wear the skin as well."

However, precisely because it was an innate power, using it without permission was nearly impossible. Humans, who could not wield demonic energy, could not even dream of attempting it, and most demons could not meddle with it lightly either.

Yes, most demons.

Berge was no ordinary demon. He was a demonic dragon, the greatest race among all demons. He possessed dragon eyes that could see through everything and control over demonic energy that bordered on an innate power in its own right.

Moreover, he had surpassed his pre-regression self, advancing beyond the level of an ordinary demonic dragon. Like Jason, he had now reached a level where he could dare to challenge for the position of Demon Emperor.

CRACKLE

He tore apart the power protecting the skin and joined its split edges together. Then he tossed it straight at Martin.

"Uh, uh...!"

The skin coiled around Martin like a living snake. It settled over him, sealing every gap perfectly.

Martin became Marquis Aincheil.

At least in appearance.

"... I-it really..."

No, even his voice had changed.

As long as he adjusted his behavior, the disguise would be utterly flawless.

If the concern was the fallout from the fall of a giant such as Marquis Aincheil, dealing with it was simple. They only had to make it so that Marquis Aincheil had never fallen in the first place.

"... It really is perfect," Martin murmured gloomily.

"If Grandfather really was a demon..."

"As I said, the existence of a Doppelganger's skin means the person has been completely absorbed."

And that was tantamount to the skin's owner being dead. A living being had been drained of everything and died, leaving only an empty shell. That was what the skin really was.

It meant the real man had died long ago.

"... Grandfather..."

Martin's gaze wavered at the shocking truth. Just then—

KNOCK, KNOCK

"Your Excellency, is something wrong?"

The knights had rushed over after hearing the commotion. Berge signaled to Martin with his eyes.

"Go deal with them. Tell them nothing is wrong."

"What do you..."

"Have you forgotten? You are Marquis Aincheil now."

"Oh..."

Martin instinctively felt his face. It was old and wrinkled, yet its features carried a stern integrity. He slowly approached the mirror. His grandfather really was standing there.

And yet he did not feel as though he were wearing anything over himself.

"Your Excellency?"

"Hurry. If we're discovered, there's no undoing it."

"... Grandfather really..."

"Yes, he's dead. And I'm giving you a chance to avenge him."

"... Revenge. Against Lies."

In an instant, his gaze turned cold. His mind was made up.

He strode over and opened the door.

"Your Excellency?"

A knight stood waiting outside the door.

"Nothing happened. You may return to your post."

His solemn manner of speaking was precisely that of Marquis Aincheil.

Out of the knight's sight, the Demon King and the imperial princess whispered quietly.

"Is he doing well?"

"He's exactly like Grandfather."

"He seems very angry."

"Grandfather acted as a father to us in place of His Majesty, who had no affection for us. To both my brother and me, he means more than His Majesty."

"I see. So that's why..."

Berge unclenched Kaede's tightly balled hand. Her palm was stained red where her nails had dug into it.

Two feelings had coexisted within her: the conviction that the Demon King could not be wrong, and the desperate hope that he was.

But the skin had been peeled away, revealing the demon underneath. In the end, her grandfather was already dead.

Kaede's grief and anger were no less than Martin's. She was simply holding them back, enduring them.

"... When the time comes to cut off Jason's head, please be sure to let me help."

For the future. For the day she would unleash it all at once.

"Of course." Berge nodded.

"But do not hurt yourself. You are my knight, and I have not given you permission to harm yourself."

"... Yes. I will remember that."

Without a word, Berge handed her a chocolate. Kaede unwrapped it and put it in her mouth.

It was sweet.

Sweet enough to soothe her anger, if only for a moment.

* * *

Martin made an effort to look on the bright side.

This was for the best. As Marquis Aincheil, he would be able to do more than he could as Martin Jespine.

He was all the more convinced because he was confident he could impersonate his grandfather. They had handled the marquisate's affairs together countless times in preparation for the day he became emperor.

"... So what will you do with this demon bastard?"

Martin looked down at the demon writhing at his feet. It was an unremarkable vampire, though the power it exuded marked it as high-ranking.

'But Kaede knocked him out with a single blow.'

He could not begin to grasp how strong she had become.

"Interrogate him, naturally. If only the marquis were replaced, the humans who had served him for years might notice something strange. Do you know the best way to solve that?"

"... Replace everyone who might notice as well."

"Yes, exactly."

The marquisate was probably crawling with more demons. And not just the marquisate, but the entire Empire.

"I'll interrogate him and find out who all of them are. Of course, there's something I must do first."

"What would that be?"

"You."

Berge shrugged.

"I have shown you clear proof. Isn't it your turn to repay my trust?"

"..."

Right. He had forgotten for a moment. Martin had agreed to become the Demon King of Hellfire's servant if he provided proof.

"May I ask one question?"

"As many as you like."

"Will you conquer the world?"

"I will. But not by the crude method you have in mind, crushing everything through force alone. I will take possession of the Empire through you."

"That sounds as though you intend to make me emperor."

"You heard correctly."

"Then I see no reason I cannot do it."

This was different from before.

Back then, there had been hope—the hope that he could use the Demon King to become a proper emperor.

Now, however, only two possibilities remained: let Lies manipulate the entire Empire, or become emperor as Hellfire's servant.

Given the worst option and a lesser evil, he naturally had to choose the lesser evil.

"I will become your servant."

Martin knelt.

"Swallow this."

"What is this orb?"

"Do not resist, even in the slightest."

Martin swallowed the Armani Orb.

Berge gained another servant.

* * *

Kualom, a high-ranking vampire, opened his eyes in a cold underground cell.

'Where am I...?'

It was the marquisate's prison.

He recalled his last memory. Upon suddenly hearing that the Ninth Princess had returned alive, he had urgently summoned her to learn why the Demon King of Hellfire had released her.

Then...

'She attacked me without warning.'

She had been certain that he was not the real Marquis Aincheil.

He did not wonder how. The Demon King of Hellfire must have told her.

Nor was he particularly curious why the imperial princess was receiving Hellfire's help. Jason had already told him that Hellfire was taking princesses as his servants.

What mattered was where he was and what the Ninth Princess intended.

"You're awake."

An enchanting voice sounded just then. It belonged to a woman—an incomparably beautiful, alluring succubus.

No, a succubus queen.

Kualom recognized her.

"... Vivian Blunt?"

"Oh my. If you know who I am, that will make our conversation easier."

"... Have you become Hellfire's dog?"

"You understood correctly."

SMACK

Kualom's head snapped to the side.

"But would you please refrain from calling me a dog? You're terribly ill-mannered for a mere demon."

"I recognize only one Demon King, you filthy whore."

SMACK

"You're asking for a beating, you insignificant mosquito. Listen carefully."

Kualom's head whipped back and forth for quite some time. Blood beaded on his burning-red skin.

"Your task is simple. Wipe that insolent look out of your fucking eyes and answer my questions obediently."

"Bullshit."

"You'll find out whether it is once you experience it."

"I am a servant of the great Lord Jason. I will never succumb to the likes of you."

"Hehehe. Do you know something?"

Vivian smiled alluringly.

"I've met children like you more times than I can count."

A servant? It sounded impressive. Bound by a contract of the soul, of course he could not betray his master. Betrayal meant death.

"But love isn't betrayal, is it?"

"... What do you—!"

"You've never met a real succubus before, have you?"

Her eyes began to glow a soft pink.

"N-no...!"

Sensing danger, Kualom closed his eyes, but he felt heated breath right before his face. Long, snow-white fingers forced his eyes open.

"Where are you looking? Look at me. At the woman you love."

The succubus queen whispered of love.

* * *

"Done."

PAT, PAT

Vivian dusted off her hands.

"He held out for a little while, but it made no difference."

She chuckled and folded her arms proudly. Supplied with high-quality demonic energy by Berge, drinking dragon blood, and having even gained horns, her power of enchantment had long since surpassed that of ordinary succubi.

"Good work."

"First, forty-eight people have been replaced here in House Aincheil. He said they're all nobles or close associates of the marquis."

A mere forty-eight replacements had swallowed up the enormous marquisate.

"I asked about the other nobles too, but he only knows about the marquisate. Oh, are they called the pillars of the Empire? He did confirm that all those house heads are impostors."

"And they regularly check that the others are still alive..."

Vivian explained the finer details she had learned from him.

"Can I go now?"

"You seem to be in a hurry."

"Of course I am! We're almost at the sea east of the Empire, and just when I was about to do some plundering, you suddenly summoned me."

"You're full of energy."

"I'm brimming with vitality after draining someone's sexual essence for the first time in ages."

Vivian licked her lips.

"Do it in moderation. You'll wear yourself out."

"What are you talking about? Succubi only drain sexual essence in dreams. What do you take me for?"

"I've never been particularly interested."

"See? This is exactly why that mosquito bastard says things like that to me! Show a little interest!"

Vivian fumed, but at Berge's expressionless response, she made an effort to rein in her temper.

"... Right. Getting angry only hurts me. I have no idea how that human managed to seduce you. Impressive."

"That's enough."

"... Hmph. So should I kill that vampire?"

"If you kill him, Jason will notice something is wrong immediately. Put him under a strong enough enchantment that he can't regain his senses."

"You want me to break him completely? Do you think it's easy to work around the servant brand engraved on someone's soul and ruin him?"

"But you can do it."

"Well, of course I can, but..."

"I'm asking you a favor."

"... A favor? You're asking me a favor?"

Vivian blinked, then thumped her chest.

"Anything you want! Leave it to me! I'll do exactly what you want right now!"

She ran back into the prison.

"I'm not sure I should say this..."

"What is it?"

"... She's easy to handle. For someone who's supposed to be a Demon King."

"Don't say that in front of Vivian. She'll throw a fit."

"Yes, my lord."

"So what is your plan now?"

Berge turned his head. Martin, who had been listening to everything alongside them, murmured with a somber expression.

"Killing them all is out of the question."

If the emperor and the other pillars had already been replaced by demons, they had far too many ways to respond should Martin make a move.

"Since he is the emperor, the easiest option would be to brand me a traitor."

"Certainly. So?"

"For now, I will play the part of my grandfather. No, of the demon who was playing my grandfather."

"And?"

"I will remain wary of the demons and wait for the right moment, gathering evidence and taking control of the marquisate."

And then.

"Once the coalition wins and advances into the Empire, I will reveal everything and rise in support of them."

That was the best Martin could do. As an imperial prince, he would announce that the emperor had gone mad and reduce the Empire's resistance as much as possible. He would minimize the damage to the Empire.

"Good."

It was also exactly what Berge wanted.

"I'm counting on you, Emperor."

"I look forward to serving you, my liege."

The Demon King and the emperor clasped hands.

"Um, I'm counting on both of you as well."

The imperial princess laid her hand over theirs.