Became the Emperor of the Demon Realm Empire Chapter 21

Became the Emperor of the Demon Realm Empire

Chapter 21: The Blade of the Holy Radiance 

“Rebellion fell in just a single day! We must raise an army and retake the fortress at once!”  

“Are you insane? You want to start a war with the Demon Empire now? And without even a formal declaration?”  

In the audience hall under the watchful eyes of the King of Lodeland, the nobles’ heated arguments turned vicious.  

To them, Gideon’s downfall felt uncomfortably close. These were lords whose lands bordered Rebellion or wealthy elites who had built their fortunes through close ties with the Holy See.  

This meeting had been called to discuss the kingdom’s future, yet not a single noble had come out of loyalty to Lodeland…  

‘Ugh, I’m exhausted. I want pudding.’  

…At least, that was how King Mordor of Lodeland felt.  

“Your Majesty, this is an outright act of aggression. The Emperor of the Demon Empire is said to be blinded by conquest. We must mobilize our forces immediately!”  

“That is a rash judgment! Had the Emperor truly sought conquest, he would not have bothered with such a one-sided diplomatic treaty!”  

It was strange.  

The Demon Empire could have swallowed Rebellion whole, yet they agreed to an unfair treaty that only brought them losses.  

This lent credence to the theory that the fall of Rebellion had been an orc-led blunder.  

“Your Majesty, the orcs are prideful and refuse to bow—they must have incurred the Emperor’s wrath. This invasion likely had no direct involvement from the Demon Empire.”  

“Nonsense! A Behemoth Titan from the demon realm participated in the attack! What more proof do you need?!”  

“…Enough.”  

The King waved his hand dismissively.  

He couldn’t tell how much longer he had to endure these nobles squabbling over their own interests.  

The hardliners demanding a preemptive strike against the Demon Empire were especially revolting.  

That bastard doesn’t even have his own army.  

“Before we argue, shouldn’t we first determine why Rebellion fell so quickly? We cannot allow this to happen again.”  

Truthfully, the King was the most anxious person in the room.  

Lodeland and Rebellion had long maintained active trade, even carving roads through mountains to facilitate tax collection.  

If the Demon Empire marched down those very roads, Lodeland could find itself face-to-face with a demonic legion by morning.  

Moreover, unlike the absolute authority of the Demon Emperor, the King’s power was entangled with the nobility.  

In short, he had to tread carefully to avoid upsetting them.  

In situations like this, he had to mediate between factions and propose compromises.  

“The Behemoth Titan shattered the walls, making a prolonged siege impossible, and Lord Gideon never requested reinforcements from Lodeland… What a reckless fool he was.”  

“……”  

“But what I don’t understand is why every mage from the Magic Tower abandoned Rebellion. Had they stayed, they could have countered the Titan.”  

The King scanned the nobles for answers, but none came forward.  

Though everyone had a vague suspicion.  

If the Great Sage Laplace had withdrawn all the mages, she must have either foreseen this disaster or known from the start that humanity stood no chance.  

‘Oh, gods.’  

Realizing this, the King felt a chill.  

‘Suppose Lodeland declares war first.’  

What if Rebellion’s fall wasn’t even the full extent of the Demon Empire’s might?  

What if they were hiding weapons far more terrifying than a Behemoth Titan?  

Only then did the King grasp how reckless—how insane—it would be to wage war against the Demon Empire.  

‘The Demon Emperor… What a terrifying man!’  

In fact, the Demon Emperor might want Lodeland to strike first.  

While the world hesitated, any preemptive attack would be seen as folly.  

But if the Demon Empire invaded first?  

The other kingdoms would unite in defiance, eager to fight back!  

“I—I declare martial law! All knight commanders present, fortify Lodeland’s defenses!!”  

“Your Majesty! No! While the Demon Empire is drunk on victory, we must strike first and catch them off guard!”  

“Arrest that bastard at once!”  

“…Huh?”  

“This fool has been screaming for war without even his own army! He must be a demon spy or a foreign agent!!”  

“Y-Your Majesty! No! I’m not a spy—How dare you lay hands on me! Do you know who I—?!”  

“Daring to question the King’s orders! This confirms he’s a spy!”  

“Your Majesty! I’m not—Ah, how did you know?”  

“……?”  

“It was the perfect chance to ruin Lodeland.”  

“Execute him! Execute that bastard!!!”  

As the King shot to his feet, veins bulging, the doors burst open.  

He expected knights dragging the traitor away—but instead, a woman in pristine white armor strode in, her golden hair gleaming.  

She was no knight of Lodeland.  

“Hero Leticia… What brings you here at this hour?”  

Like the stunned King, all eyes turned to her.  

Leticia, the Hero.  

She was covered in dust, her armor dented, her hair soaked with sweat.  

Like a warrior who had crawled out of hell—a far cry from her usual noble bearing.  

Yet no one dared criticize her disheveled state. 

Instead, they scrambled aside as she stormed in like an enraged bull.  

“Why didn’t you send reinforcements?!”  

“Leticia! Wait—!”  

A short figure hurried after her, trying to hold her back: Lorian, the Hero.  

Everyone in the palace knew him.  

The half-marked Hero even the Holy See shunned.  

Normally, they would have mocked him, picking at every flaw.  

CRASH!  

Had Leticia not slammed her bloodied helmet onto the floor, the tension might have snapped differently.  

“Why didn’t you send help?!”  

“P-Please calm down! Just listen—!”  

“We could have held the orcs back! If you hadn’t hesitated and sent reinforcements immediately, we would have stopped them!”  

The nobles recoiled under her fury.  

In every way—physically, socially—Leticia outclassed them. 

Especially as the first Hero in 300 years.  

“Hero Leticia! Please understand our position! A fortress that fell in less than a day—what good would reinforcements have done?!”  

“Don’t make excuses!”  

Leticia’s aura flared as she glared around the room.  

Rebellion had a Hero. 

It had noble warriors. 

While these cowards debated, real heroes had bled and fought.  

The thought of Ron, whose fate was unknown because of these fools, made her blood boil. 

She was starting to doubt if demons were truly humanity’s enemy.  

“…Leticia, this isn’t like you. Why the anger?”  

Just as tensions peaked, a young man and woman strolled in arm-in-arm.  

His flippant voice doused the flames—not through mediation, but sheer disruption.  

Kyle, Inquisitor of the Holy Radiance.  

A member of the Blade of the Holy Radiance, he was an unwelcome guest to all present—especially Lorian, who regarded him with utmost wariness.  

“Still, you’re sexiest when you’re angry.”  

As Kyle tried to sling an arm over Leticia’s shoulder, Lorian stepped between them.  

They weren’t involved.  

No, they had never even been close.  

But some injustices were too much to bear.  

Kyle paused, smirked, then backhanded Lorian across the face.  

“…!”  

Lorian went flying.  

The sharp crack drained the color from every face.  

Leticia shouted:  

“What the hell are you doing?!”  

“What’s it look like? This trash was getting in our way. Worthless bastard.”  

Kyle chuckled, drunk on his own audacity. 

That smug grin had always disgusted Leticia.  

“Kyle. You’re sick.”  

“So what? You’re not by my side anymore.”  

“……”  

“We were so close… Then you had to go and get chosen as a Hero. But it’s fine.”  

As Lorian clutched his swelling cheek, he realized—Kyle was eyeing him like prey.  

That vile, petty gaze.  

The precursor to countless netorare scenes he’d witnessed through screens.  

Kyle planned to use him as leverage against Leticia. 

Even if they weren’t close, Leticia was the type to fall for such manipulation.  

“Let’s have a private meeting later. I’ve got work today.”  

Ignoring all protocol, Kyle stepped before the King. 

As an emissary of the Holy Emperor Regius, proxy of the Goddess, he could do as he pleased.  

“Pathetic, the lot of you. All you know how to do is cower behind locked gates.”  

“…Even the Holy See cannot condone war with the Demon Empire.”  

“Who said anything about war? No one told you to pick up swords.”  

With a mad grin, Kyle laid out his plan.  

At first, the King and nobles shrank back, unwilling to listen—but gradually, they straightened, ears perking up.  

In short:  

There wasn’t enough evidence to pin the orc invasion on the demons, and Rebellion had already signed a treaty, muddying any justification for retaliation.  

While there were grievances, the Demon Empire was simply too powerful to confront directly.  

Lodeland had only one option.  

Punish the Lord of Rebellion for breaking their oath of fealty—by executing them as heretics.  

“I’ll kill the Lord of Rebellion for you.”  

Color returned to King Mordor’s face.  

This was a chance to restore the monarchy’s dignity.  

With the Holy See offering to handle it for free, there was no reason to refuse.  

“Leticia. Stop hanging around these losers and come with me.”  

“No.”  

“Huh? Didn’t you want to save Rebellion?”  

“……”  

“Ah! Too embarrassed now? Fine. I’ll give you time to think. Decide, then come to my room. I’ll be waiting.”  

With that, Kyle sauntered out, groping the woman at his side.  

Lorian glared at his retreating back, seething.  

‘Damn it… I’m so fucking jealous.’  

Lorian was furious. Leticia was conflicted.  

But the King and nobles? They looked as if a weight had been lifted.  

If the Holy See assassinated the Lord of Rebellion, it would serve as a warning—no one would dare ally with the Demon Empire after this.  

However…  

“Your Majesty, did you say assassination just now?”  

“The Holy See will act soon.”  

The Demon Emperor had already anticipated their every move.