The Demon King Who Was Supposed to Lose Ended Up Defeating the Targets, and Now the Heroine Has Been Sent as a Sacrifice - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Demon King Supposed to Lose, Captures the Target

Dott von Caiman.

He’s a young knight of the Kingdom of Alvera, known for his charm and experience with women—a typical “player” character.

I say “was” because Elsia managed to reform him.

He’s a handsome guy with long, tied-back purple hair.

“Phew, glad he didn’t get caught in the meteor strike.”

The love interests are Elsia’s primary targets for revenge.

If I accidentally killed one of them, Elsia would definitely be upset.

Thank you for staying alive, Dott.

But if any of the other love interests were among the kingdom’s army I just wiped out, that would be a serious problem.

I quickly descended to the ground and approached Dott, who was tending to the few remaining soldiers.

“You… You’re the Demon King!”

Dott recognized me and immediately drew his sword.

The few knights who survived were all injured to some degree and didn’t seem eager to fight.

In fact, it looked like their spirits had been completely crushed.

“You’re the one who stormed my castle with Elsia to take my life. Did those who came with you die in that attack?”

“They’re on a separate mission. It’s none of your business.”

Despite his trembling body, Dott tried to maintain a defiant attitude.

“Fair enough. I’ll take my leave for today.”

“…You’re not going to kill me?”

“I’m not interested in your lives. It’s Elsia who wants you dead.”

All I really care about is leveling up.

I’ve already avoided the original goal of being sealed, so now it’s just a hobby for me.

And, of course, there’s my time with Elsia and the others.

As for everything else related to the Demon King’s army, I leave that to Balzac. Oh, and I do enjoy dungeon exploration too.

Beyond that, I’m not particularly interested.

The only reason I’m involved with the love interests or the Kingdom of Alvera is because Elsia wants to, and I’m just helping her out.

“Oh, right. You’ll make a good gift for Elsia this time. Don’t worry, I won’t kill you.”

“T-Try it if you can!”

Dott charged at me, sword raised.

Too slow. Way too slow. It’s almost like he’s moving in slow motion.

I caught his sword with just my fingertips.

“W-What!? My sword… it won’t move!”

“You’ve gotten a bit stronger since last time, but it seems I’ve become much stronger.”

“Damn it, then how about this!! —Lightning!!”

“Hm.”

Dott unleashed a lightning spell, landing a critical hit right to my face.

Oh, right. I’d completely forgotten.

Dott is a character who can use both sword and magic—a magic swordsman.

“Cough… That was surprising.”

“I-impossible. That spell pierced even wyvern scales!”

“Guess my skin is tougher than a wyvern’s.”

When I think about it calmly, I realize I’m really just a monster.

Well, I am the Demon King, so being a real monster makes sense.

But still, the fact that a direct hit from lightning didn’t even scorch my hair… that’s some serious durability.

I’m starting to scare myself a little.

“Gah.”

I knocked Dott out with a silent punch to the gut.

…Just like with Misha, I seem to be kidnapping people a lot lately.

Well, it’s not a big deal.

◆

Side: Kingdom of Alvera

“Dott has been captured by the enemy!?”

Julius von Alvera, the crown prince of the Kingdom of Alvera, was stunned by the report from his subordinate.

Julius listened to the report again.

“Y-Yes, Your Highness. The fifty thousand troops that just left the capital were decimated by a rain of giant boulders falling from the sky. Less than a thousand survived.”

“Raining boulders from the sky? Is… is that even possible?”

“According to the surviving mages, it was an immense magic requiring overwhelming power—something beyond human capability.”

Hearing that it was beyond human capability, Julius couldn’t help but think of the girl he once loved.

Could it be the work of someone who has ceased to be human?

“So, I see. And what happened to Dott?”

“Yes, well… While we were searching for survivors and providing treatment, a man appeared from the sky and took him away.”

“A man? What kind of man?”

“He had gray hair and was so powerful that Lord Dott couldn’t even put up a fight.”

“A gray-haired… man!?”

Julius had someone in mind.

It was the figure who awaited them in the deepest part of the Demon King’s castle when he and Elsia led the assault.

In other words, the Demon King.

“…I see. So that’s how it is.”

“Your Highness?”

A scenario that suited Julius’s thoughts began to form in his mind.

“It finally makes sense. Elsia must be under the control of the Demon King! There’s no way the kind-hearted girl I knew would cause so much suffering otherwise!”

“I-I see…”

“I have to go see her. I’ll talk to her and break the Demon King’s spell!”

Without realizing how misguided his sense of justice was, Julius rushed out of the room.

As he did, he ran into someone.

“Julius. Where are you going?”

“F-Father!! Don’t stop me! I’m going to rescue Elsia from the Demon King!!”

“…You must not.”

“Why not!?”

“What must not be done, must not be done.”

As Julius rushed out of the room, he found himself face-to-face with none other than King Alvance von Alvera, the ruler of the Kingdom of Alvera.

Julius, determined, pleaded with the king, who was trying to stop him.

“Elsia is being controlled by the Demon King! If we can bring her back to her senses, I’m sure she’ll help us defeat him!”

“…Even if she is being controlled, how do you plan to bring her back to her senses?”

“We have love! The genuine love we developed while spending time together at the academy!”

Julius truly believed this.

He had no idea why Elsia harbored such intense hatred for him and the Kingdom of Alvera, and he was completely sincere in his belief.

“…No. You are the prince, the future of this kingdom. I can’t allow you to take such a risk.”

“Then what will you do!?”

“I intend to awaken ‘it’—the holy dragon.”

“What!?”

The Holy Dragon.

It is both the guardian that has slept beneath the kingdom for ages and a disaster with a will of its own.

Simply awakening it requires the life of one royal family member, and while it can repel disasters, it often does so at the cost of many lives. It is the kingdom’s ultimate trump card, a true last resort.

In a previous council meeting, the sage Naria had urged them to delay the decision to awaken it, and they had agreed to wait… But now, it seemed Alvance had made up his mind.

“If we awaken the holy dragon, the kingdom will suffer immense damage. But the witch Elsia is dangerous enough to warrant it.”

“B-But she’s being controlled by the Demon King!”

“That’s irrelevant. The woman who was supposed to be a sacrifice for the kingdom somehow aligned herself with the Demon King and is now turning against us. Whether she’s brainwashed or not, that’s the reality. We must eliminate her, or the kingdom has no future.”

Alvance’s resolve was unshakable.

Julius knew better than anyone that once his father made up his mind, nothing could change it.

“I will sacrifice my life to awaken the holy dragon. After that, the future of the kingdom will be in your hands. I came here to say my final goodbye.”

“W-Wait, Father!!”

“Farewell, my son. Guards, restrain Julius until the holy dragon is awakened. He must not interfere.”

“”Yes, Your Majesty!””

“Father!! Please wait!! Father!!”

Following Alvance’s command, the royal guards moved to restrain Julius.

And so, Alvance prepared to awaken the holy dragon, a creature sleeping deep beneath the kingdom, at the cost of his own life.

―――――――――――――――――――――

Afterword: Just a little side story

Author: “Next time, it’s Elsia’s revenge time!! Get ready for the duel!!”

If you thought, “The protagonist is getting way too comfortable with the kidnapping,” “The king’s death might be in vain,” or “It took a long time to get to this comeuppance,” please leave a comment, bookmark, give a rating, or write a review!