Does it really need to be two options?
After hearing what was practically a death sentence from Jayson Cocmundo, there wasn't much Vivian could do.
Most of the demons and monsters she had brought with her were already dead at the hands of the assault squads. All she had left were pirates and the Malice Points accumulating from her growing infamy—but she doubted those would be enough to stop a crusade spurred on by dwarven manipulation.
Vivian forced herself to stay calm as she sought a solution.
She hadn't accomplished much to begin with, so her options were few.
Only two.
Die honorably in battle like a Demon King.
Or cling to someone, disgracefully begging, and survive somehow.
She chose the latter.
Because she wanted to live.
Some might sneer and ask where a Demon King's pride had gone, but even if it meant enduring humiliation, she wanted to survive.
"Help me."
She reached out to every option she had left.
"Upon the First Demon Emperor and the Sacred Canon, I swear. I have never kidnapped the dwarven princess or the artisans."
『And?』
But the reply was ice-cold.
『What does that have to do with me, Vivian Blunt? The dwarves and humans have already named you the culprit. Do you not understand what that means?』
If she didn't understand, she wouldn't be here groveling before the Titan she despised more than anything.
"If you help me, I'll give you anything I can."
『A weak succubus like you is useless.』
"Ugar Velvek!"
『Everything is your own fault. If you wanted to avoid this, you should've done better from the start. Don't cling to me so we can die together. Just accept death quietly.』
"You—!"
"Would you quietly accept death if you were in my place?!"
『Of course not.』
『But this crisis isn't mine, is it?』
At the giant's mocking grin, Vivian's pride crumbled to dust. Even so, she forced herself to keep her expression under control.
She hadn't risked her life to complete the Demon King Academy for this.
She hadn't become the Queen of Succubi, a leader of her entire race.
She hadn't conquered one dimension and stepped into a second one for this.
She hadn't run so far just to die so meaninglessly.
She wanted to live.
Even rolling in a Hellhound's dung pit was better than dying.
And so, she presented a forbidden condition—something no ordinary Demon King would ever offer.
"···If you want, I can become your vassal."
『···Do you understand what you're saying?』
"Do you think I'm saying it without knowing?"
『Kahahahaha, the proud Succubus Queen must be truly desperate.』
『To have fallen this low.』
"······."
It was a humiliating laugh, but she endured it. It was fine. As long as she could live. If she died, she wouldn't even be able to feel this anger.
『Making another Demon King your vassal… tempting indeed.』
But—
『I refuse.』
"···What?"
『Don't you get it? The dwarves' rage is directed entirely at you. Vivian Blunt, the so-called Demon King of Lust.』
『If I took you in, where do you think their fury would go? Why should I shoulder that? For a pathetic succubus whose only talents are stripping and seducing?』
"You worthless lump of muscle—!"
『Having lots of muscles is a compliment for a Titan. Well then, good luck.』
『Oh, and since you're going to die anyway, why not hand over the Malice Points you've accumulated?』
Once the call ended, Vivian collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
With trembling hands, she desperately contacted another Demon King.
But the next one was the same.
『Have you and I formed an alliance? Do we share enough of a bond to aid each other? Or any benefit?』
『Why should I help you and rush to my death beside you?』
"Then… I can become your vassal—!"
『Become a vassal? How pathetic you are, Vivian Blunt.』
At the cold, contemptuous gaze, her body trembled.
『Even a vulgar succubus should have at least a shred of dignity and honor as a Demon King.』
『You are a lowly creature with not even the qualifications to call yourself a Demon King. Do not contact me personally again.』
This was how the request finally reached Berze.
***
'Good lord.'
Just how far would this foolish Demon King fall?
Though she was technically a victim of the butterfly effect Berze had set in motion, the sight of a Demon King begging to become another Demon King's vassal just to survive was absurd.
『You're the last one. If even you won't accept me, I… I—!』
Vivian, on the other side of the communicator, clutched her head and sobbed.
Tears mixed with snot flowed down into her mouth. One had to wonder whether this was truly the once-proud Succubus Queen.
Berze accidentally voiced his honest thoughts.
"Pathetic. Do you have no pride as a Demon King at all?"
『Does pride feed me? If I die, I can't hold onto pride anyway···!』
『···I want to live.』
『So please… please save me.』
"Are you saying this while knowing my situation?"
『I know.』
Vivian might be cornered, but Berze wasn't in a good position either. In some ways, he was in even more danger.
『But I don't have any alternatives left. At least you've survived so many times—better than me. And—』
"And?"
『Just from this conversation, I'm somewhat certain. You have an option.』
"What do you mean?"
『Some demons belittle succubi for our weak physical abilities, but mentally we are unmatched.』
『Especially in sensing and deciphering someone's emotions—no one does it like us.』
"Get to the point."
『You're calm. Too calm for a Demon King in a situation like mine. Do you think that's possible for no reason?』
"I was just born this way."
『Then just save me that way.』
"This is insane."
She was beyond stubborn. And yet Berze didn't cut the communication because… this wasn't entirely a bad proposition.
A vassal.
For demons, a vassal was not just a subordinate. Their souls became bound, turning them into the master's complete servant.
The bond between demon and demon was thicker, deeper, and stronger than any soul contract between humans and demons.
A vassal could never betray their master.
'Even if her combat ability is lower compared to other species… she's still a Demon King.'
Even weak humans could fight demons once they surpassed a wall. Whatever pitiful condition she was in now, Vivian Blunt was not someone to be confined within the label of "just a succubus."
All the more so—her current vassals would follow their master and serve Berze as well.
He would finally gain demon vassals of his own, something he had been severely lacking.
Aside from Krutu, whom he had awakened through Gordon, Berze had practically no demon subordinates.
This would finally give him a proper demon retinue.
Of course, it wasn't without drawbacks.
'The arrows aimed at Vivian will come to me.'
That was the very thing Ugar had been worried about.
But—
'Should I even worry? Really?'
If this operation succeeded, the tower would move from its original position and hide far deeper.
Then the dwarves' fury would have nowhere to go and would simply echo into nothing.
The harsher their anger, the more Malice Points Berze would gain.
"···But if you become my vassal, what happens to your tower?"
The tower was connected to the Demon King. If the Demon King died, it was forcibly unsummoned and disappeared.
But what if the Demon King didn't die—just became another Demon King's vassal?
Would a Demon King who had become bound to someone else still be recognized as the rightful owner of the tower?
'If the tower remains intact, and Vivian comes to me, she'll abandon the tower. And if humans destroy the core afterward…?'
Even towers had cores.
At the top of the tower—the Demon King's throne.
That was the tower's core and its heart.
It had never once been destroyed before, so he had no idea what would happen if it were.
『I—I don't know either! But if you want it, I'll give you the tower too! Take everything!』
Sensing the faint positive reaction in his tone, Vivian clung even more desperately.
If a Demon King died and the tower vanished, the protective blessing around the Demon King's vassals also disappeared.
They would be struck bare by dimensional interference—the storm between worlds.
Even high-ranking demons would be reduced below the strength of low-ranking demons by its effects.
There was only one way to escape that fate:
Serve a new demon and receive a new blessing.
That was why Vivian wasn't concerned about her original tower at all.
"···I'll come to your tower soon."
『Really? If your decision's made, just like ripping out Tuentak's horns in one pull, why not come right now?』
"I have a lot to do. It'll take months for the crusade to be decided and executed. Stay quiet until then."
『And then you'll pretend you never said this, won't you?』
"Upon the First Demon Emperor and the Sacred Canon, I swear that won't happen."
This time, it was genuine. There was no reason to refuse something rolling right into his lap. It would be a bit troublesome, but also a significant boost in power.
"Well then, I'll see you later."
Berze was about to end the call when he paused.
He remembered the problem he had been thinking about before Vivian contacted him.
"Ah. Wait."
『Why? What now?』
Berze's eyes drifted above Vivian's head.
She shivered under his unreadable gaze.
"Those horns."
『Wh-what about them···?』
"Do you really need two?"
As a sign of submission, offering one seemed perfectly appropriate.
***
"Unfortunately, it seems we won't be able to make a deal."
"We hear that sort of thing often enough."
"I expected grand things from the rising Golden Moon Guild of Iasin, but this is disappointing."
"Jetoson? Isn't he that bastard who scammed the Princess of Verft and ruined his reputation with all the Acan merchants?"
Three days after arriving in Acan's royal capital, Jetoson had been rejected again and again by the merchant guilds supplying the Mage Tower.
His disgraceful departure from the magical market certainly contributed to it, but the bigger reason was simple:
He had nothing of value to offer.
Acan's capital housed magical materials gathered from across the continent.
To satisfy such suppliers, one needed to pay an appropriate price—and the Golden Moon Guild currently had nothing they desired.
'Damn it. Their necks are stiff as a dried log. Do they think they're mages or something? Merchants acting like they're above other merchants?'
Their attitude—as if they were mages judging inferior beings—infuriated him.
But he couldn't complain. He was, without question, the one in the inferior bargaining position.
'I need a trump card. Something so rare those arrogant bastards will have no choice but to plead with me…'
Acan was ruled by mages and the Mage Tower. He might be dealing with merchant guilds now, but in the end, decisions were made by the mages.
And what mages went mad for were precious magical materials.
That was when—
"Master Jetoson."
"What is it?"
"A delivery has arrived from our guild."
"A delivery?"
A merchant handed him a small wooden box. The exterior was engraved with various magical sigils.
'Magic inscriptions?'
There were only two reasons to store something with magic inscriptions:
Either the item was precious and needed protection—
Or it was dangerous and had to be sealed off from the outside world.
"What is this?"
"I don't know. But I was instructed to give this letter to you along with the box."
"A letter?"
Jetoson accepted the paper and slowly read it.
"······!"
Click—
Having finished the letter in one breath, he hurriedly opened the box.
A wave of unpleasant energy surged upward, and he gasped.
The merchant who brought the box collapsed in instinctive fear.
"Wh-what is that…?"
"What else…"
A brilliant blood-red horn reflected in his pupils.
It was indescribably beautiful.
"A treasure that will make us the ones in power."
"···What are you doing?"
"Lip exercise. Gotta loosen up before I talk."
After stretching his jaw, Jetoson stood.
"Prepare the carriage. We're going straight to the Mage Tower."
If this was truly what the letter claimed it to be, there was no need to involve the guild at all.
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