The Time I Betrayed the Busty Hero Party That Power-Harassed Me ～The Demon Lord Gave Me Land, So Now I’ll Live Free, Develop My Territory, and Punish Those SSS-Rank Bitches～ - Chapter 05: Making the Busty Hero Party Turn on Each Other

Chapter 05: Making the Busty Hero Party Turn on Each Other

“—So in short, it seems they tried to use a scroll to call for outside help.”

“Those damn busty heroes!! Not an ounce of remorse in them!!”

I exploded after hearing Cyril’s report.

Apparently, Lunatia’s micro bikini armor still had a hidden pocket. Inside it was a scroll meant for emergencies—something that could summon aid.

Thankfully, Cyril had already intercepted it and switched the destination.

If she hadn’t noticed… things could’ve gotten ugly.

“Looks like this calls for some punishment.”

“My? Does that mean you’ll finally pin them down and ravish them?”

“W-Wait, not that far! Not yet, anyway.”

“…I see.”

For some reason, Cyril sounded almost disappointed.

Still, there was no way I’d let those busty bitches—who openly declared they’d make me their slave or magical guinea pig—get off scot-free.

“Got any ideas on how to make them understand their place?”

“What’s this about?”

“Ah, Ark. We were just talking about how to put those arrogant big-tits in their place—wait… Ark!?”

“Yo, Hyuga. Thought I’d drop by.”

“C-Cyril!! Tea!! And snacks!! Hurry!!”

“Already prepared.”

As expected of Cyril—always a step ahead.

“So, just now… what were you two discussing?”

“Uh, well, it’s like this—”

I explained the busty heroes’ little stunt to Ark.

He listened calmly, then nodded.

“Then why not just drug them with aphrodisiacs, tie them up, and leave them like that until they break?”

“…Huh?”

“I had a wife who was pretty rebellious at first, but once I tried it, she was done for. Watching a cheeky little succubus brat begging, ‘I can’t take it anymore♡’—man, that really gets the blood pumping.”

“…You’ve got some pretty extreme kinks, don’t you?”

Well… I guess that was fitting for a Demon Lord.

Still, for me—a virgin—there was no way I could pull something like that off.

Besides, I wasn’t trying to make those four my wives.

What I wanted was revenge.

I wanted to see them grovel, begging me for forgiveness, and crush them under the weight of sheer humiliation.

In that sense, their constant defiance was actually welcome. If they gave in too easily, it’d just be boring.

“If that’s too much for you, then… oh. Come closer, lend me your ear.”

“What is it?”

“…whisper whisper… whisper whisper…”

After hearing Ark’s idea, I was left completely speechless.

“Ark… are you sure you’re not a devil?”

“I’m the Demon Lord.”

His method was so twisted, so brutal, it made me shiver on the spot.

But it would work.

Even more effective than my “favor Marie and drive a wedge” tactic.

I thanked Ark, and immediately set out to put the plan into action.

Destination: the cramped room where Lunatia and the others were holed up.

“I’m coming in, you lot!!”

““““!?””””

Lunatia and the others shot me sharp, suspicious glares.

“…What do you want?”

“Don’t look at me like that. I just thought we’d play a little game.”

“A game, you say?”

Teresia eyed me warily, and even Marie looked confused by my sudden declaration.

“I call it… the ‘Confess Honestly and Get a Reward’ Game.”

“…A reward?”

“Simple rules. I’ll take you one by one into another room, and you’ll tell me if you’re hiding anything from me.”

““““!?””””

For a split second, their faces stiffened.

No doubt their thoughts went straight to that little rescue message they’d sent out.

Of course, they didn’t realize I already knew about it. So they scrambled to act calm, pretending nothing was wrong.

Honestly, the fact they thought they could trick me was infuriating—but seeing them try so hard now? It was almost… cute.

“Anyway, here’s the deal: whoever answers truthfully will be rewarded. I’ll release them from the slave-binding magic and set them free.”

“R-Really!?”

“It’s true, Marie. But—if more than one of you tells the truth, the reward’s void.”

“W-What the hell kind of nonsense rule is that!?”

“Listen to the whole explanation before you complain, Mei. Or do you want another spanking?”

At my words, Mei immediately clutched her butt with both hands, her tail drooping flat.

“So here’s the twist. If nobody confesses, then I’ll give all of you the right to walk freely around the mansion.”

“W-What!?”

“Basically, you’ve got three options: stay silent as a group and win a little freedom inside the mansion. Or let one of you betray the others and gain true freedom. Or, if two or more betray, then nothing changes at all. That’s the game.”

Honestly, Ark was a devil for coming up with this on the spot.

Because here’s the thing—since I already knew they’d used that scroll to call for help, it was impossible for them to actually win.

Even if all of them stayed silent, I could just claim, “At least two of you confessed, so no reward.”

And then? Suspicion would eat them alive.

Each one would start thinking, “Even though I kept quiet, at least two others must have betrayed us.”

Their precious bond would crumble.

Maybe one of them would even realize the truth—that their little rescue message had already been intercepted. But that only meant despair: no help was ever coming.

No matter how the game played out, all that awaited them was paranoia and hopelessness.

Ark really was terrifying.

“So then… who wants to be the first to spill their secrets?”

I’ll skip straight to the conclusion.

Not a single one of them said a word about the rescue message.

As expected of a hero party.

Their bond really was strong—strong enough that not one of them tried to cut a deal for themselves.

Honestly? That surprised me.

I thought for sure at least one of them would try to break ranks…

Well, not that it mattered. The truth was never coming out anyway.

“Time for the results!! Unfortunately, in this round… nobody gets a reward!!”

““““!?””””

Lunatia and the others blinked in shock, like they couldn’t even process what I’d just said.

A beat later, Mei erupted with furious meowing.

“W-Who was it!? Who’s the one that talked!?”

“I-It wasn’t me!!”

“Nor I!! Which of you traitors did it!?”

“Y-You fools, believe in each other!! Hyuga’s obviously making this up—”

“You tried to secretly call for help with the scroll hidden in Lunatia’s armor, didn’t you?”

““““!?””””

At my words, the whole room froze solid.

Ahh, perfect. The looks on their faces were priceless.

“…You seem to be enjoying yourself, Lord Hyuga.”

“Oh, totally, Cyril. This is the best. What about Ark?”

“He left just a moment ago. Said he’d come visit again soon.”

“I’ll have to thank him properly next time.”

Watching the busty hero party seethe with suspicion and mistrust, I couldn’t help but grin.

―――――――――――――――――――――

[Afterword]

A Random Tidbit

Ark has a simple rule: if he finds a flat-chested loli succubus—even if she’s married with kids—he’ll snatch her up and make her his wife by force. Any other kind of woman? Zero interest.

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