Chapter 5

Chapter 5
## Chapter 5: The Princess of Hildran

—

“Of all the places, why choose Hildran? The distance is immense.”

“That is the point. Their military will find it impossible to mobilize an army that far.”

“But why ignore the first-born and take the thirteenth instead?”

“In the Kingdom of Hildran, the thirteenth princess is viewed as a Grun. Kidnapping her avoids drawing unnecessary heat.”

“So she is worthless? Regardless, she carries the royal bloodline.”

A Grun was a creature from the abyss, despised by demons for being utterly devoid of power or talent.

“Princesses like that exist.”

“It violates the Standard, though.”

The second commandment of the Demon King’s Standard was clear: a Demon King must abduct a royal. While no specific clauses were written, an unspoken law governed the demonic realms.

* Capture a royal high in the line of succession with a prestigious reputation.

The logic was simple: the more vital the hostage, the more intense the kingdom’s fury. For demons, that rage was the primary source of high-grade demonic energy. Since their power depended on the quality of this energy, aiming high was the logical path.

“I assume you aren’t interested in listening to reason.”

“Precisely.”

‘I heard he was a scholar of the Standard during his academy days.’

Gordon wondered what madness had gripped him after graduation to cause such a radical shift. However, he didn’t lose hope entirely.

‘Looking at his behavior since the ceremony, he hasn’t discarded the Standard completely. If I can nudge him back toward the path, perhaps he will return to his senses.’

Berge had been the most brilliant graduate in the history of the demon world. If he reclaimed his potential, the subjugation of Aren was a certainty.

‘I must support him diligently.’

Gordon began to formulate a long-term plan.

‘Besides, His Majesty might actually be onto something here.’

The surrounding lands were eerily devoid of the usual monsters and kin. If they provoked a powerful kingdom now, they wouldn’t be the ones doing the conquering—they would be annihilated. Gordon’s goal was victory alongside Berge, not a suicide mission.

“I will stand by your side, Your Majesty.”

“No, stay here. Someone has to maintain the tower while I am gone. You are in charge.”

“…Is there anything actually here to manage?”

“It is the seat of the Demon King. It shouldn’t look abandoned.”

With those words, Berge began his descent. As he moved through the frozen wastes, the beasts of the snowfields, sensing his presence, fled in terror. Even though his power was currently dampened by the world’s interference—leaving him vulnerable to a physical struggle—his natural sovereign aura was enough to clear a path.

‘My current vessel isn’t ready. A confrontation with a Hero now would be disastrous.’

This made a low-ranking princess from a distant land the ideal target. Hildran was too entangled in foreign diplomacy to send a legion, and her low status meant the King wouldn’t bankrupt the treasury hiring elite Heroes. The second-rate mercenaries they did send would never survive the trek through the Erjest Mountains.

“Flawless.”

It was a perfect opening move. He could gradually harvest the kingdom’s resentment to fuel his growth. It would be slower than using a first-born princess, but safer.

‘A royal isn’t the only way to gain power, anyway.’

Abduction was just the most efficient method for gathering negative emotions, not a strict requirement.

‘If all else fails, I can ransom her for a fortune.’

Having lived through a past life, Berge felt he understood the humans of Aren better than anyone.

‘Even if she is a Grun, she is a royal. They will negotiate. I can use that gold to mask my tracks, hire human agents, and act as a puppet master. It’s a solid strategy.’

The “Shadow Mastermind” archetype was even mentioned in the Standard, so it wouldn’t draw the ire of other Demon Kings. It meant less scrutiny.

But.

“I won’t be the fool who reveals his hand again.”

He had learned from his past mistakes.

“To succeed, this first move must be perfect.”

Berge increased his speed.

—

A sliver of the moon peeked through heavy clouds as a biting wind swept over the battlements. Soldiers crowded around braziers to keep their limbs from freezing.

“It’s freezing out here.”

“I’d kill for a bowl of hot tomato soup right now.”

“With a thick piece of bread to dip in it.”

“Stop, you’re making it worse.”

Berge scaled the walls silently, the voices of the guards fading as he moved inward. The defensive wards were formidable, but they paled in comparison to the traps at the Demon King Academy. The palace interior was illuminated by glow-stones, showing signs of nighttime activity. He found a dark corner and waited. Soon, a servant carrying a tray walked by.

“Wh-who are you…?”

The servant collapsed in a heap, trembling with fear.

“Where are the princess’s quarters?”

“I… I can’t tell you!”

Berge touched him lightly with a trace of power. The man’s eyes rolled back as he confessed everything. Once the information was out, Berge tucked the unconscious man into a shadowed alcove. He didn’t bother erasing the man’s memory—he wanted to leave a trail that suggested he was following the Standard.

‘They certainly aren’t hurting for money.’

Hildran was a southern power, and the fact that fifteen princesses each had their own palace was a testament to their wealth. He located the thirteenth annex, a structure decorated with hyacinth carvings. He slipped through a window.

“……”

“……”

He found himself staring at a woman sitting on the edge of a bed. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with shimmering platinum hair and eyes like deep amethysts. The rumors of Hildran’s beauties were clearly accurate. Berge climbed inside and shut the window. She remained silent.

“…An intruder? Or are you a Demon King?”

Her voice was remarkably steady. Her lack of panic caught his interest. He cast a silence spell to ensure no screams would alert the guards.

“Does it matter?”

“It dictates how I will act.”

“And if I am just a common thief?”

“Then I will fight you with everything I have.”

“And if I am a Demon King?”

“Then do you think you can manage me?”

The question was bold, almost mocking. It was amusing that even in a world as accustomed to demons as Aren, she would be so casual.

“Indeed. I am a Demon King.”

“Understood. I will go with you quietly.”

“You are surprisingly composed.”

“Demon Kings taking royals is a story as old as time. I suppose I always expected my turn would come.”

She whispered the last part as if to herself.

‘What is this?’

Berge was confused. Even if Aren was a world where demons and humans occasionally shared a table, this level of indifference was bizarre. No princess in his previous life had ever behaved this way. To humans, a Demon King was a walking nightmare, a concentrated mass of evil. He wondered if this was an elaborate trap.

“If this is a ruse to lure me into an ambush, stop. I am not in the mood for games.”

“It isn’t a trap. How could I have prepared for your arrival tonight?”

She had a point. He scanned her with his senses, but as the rumors of the “sickly thirteenth princess” suggested, she possessed no hidden power. It was unlikely she could hide anything from him; even weakened, he was a Demon King.

Seeing his silence, she spoke up again.

“How did you even find me?”

“It was simple.”

“…Simple?”

She nodded to herself, as if confirming he was the real deal.

“What is my fate as your prisoner?”

There were many paths. The Standard allowed for variety. Some demons were chivalrous; others were monsters who broke their captives for sport. In the demon world, cruelty was encouraged to maximize the kingdom’s rage. However, in Aren, a more civil approach was common. Perhaps that was why she was so calm—or perhaps she had simply given up.

“I will provide for you as a princess. If you cooperate, I will be reasonable. If you resist, I will match your hostility.”

“How frightening. I suppose I have no choice but to obey my King.”

She stood up and walked toward him, holding out her slender wrists.

“Shall we leave?”

“Let’s.”

He grabbed her and vanished into the night.

—

The abduction had been shockingly easy. Berge cleared the borders of Hildran before the alarm could be raised. Using high-priced teleportation arrays, he traveled north in record time.

“I am glad to see you back, Your Majesty.”

A week later, they arrived at the tower in the Erjest Mountains. Gordon was there to meet them.

“You actually brought the princess.”

“Prepare a room for her on the fourth floor. In the corner.”

“Not the cells?”

Gordon stopped mid-motion, having prepared to drag her to the basement.

“She has been compliant. I will show her some leniency for now.”

“As you wish.”

“Wow, it’s empty in here. I thought these places were crawling with monsters,” the princess remarked, looking around the fourth floor with genuine curiosity.

“It is a minimalist aesthetic.”

“It’s just a shell.”

“This is your room.”

“There isn’t even a bed.”

“The floor will suffice.”

“Even for a royal…”

“You act as if you are here on a holiday.”

Leaving the complaining girl behind, Berge retreated to his private study.

—

The princess watched him leave.

A Demon King. She had been startled when he broke in, but the initial shock had worn off. In Aren, royals were always the targets of such plots. It was a known occupational hazard.

However, something felt off. The faces of the known Demon Kings were well-documented by the Hero guilds, yet she didn’t recognize him. Usually, a Demon King’s every move was tracked, yet there had been no warnings. At first, she thought he was a fake, but the weight of his demonic aura was undeniable.

The tower in the snow confirmed it. It seemed a new King had risen to take the place of the recently fallen Lust Demon King.

“…I’ve actually been kidnapped.”

The reality finally settled in.

“Escape…”

It was a pipe dream. Even without guards, the environment was her jailer. No one could survive the Erjest Mountains alone.

“Well.”

She was a captive. Expecting luxury was foolish, but…

“This is quite rough.”

She poked the floor. It was cold and covered in dust.

“No pillows.”
“No blankets.”
“No servants.”
“No garden.”
“No plumbing.”

She frowned slightly.

But then.

“…Actually, this isn’t so bad.”

For the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of peace. The suffocating expectations of the palace were gone. She smiled to herself. Taking off her ring, she began to circulate her mana. Tiny spirits of the earth began to emerge.

Gently, she stroked the rising mounds of soil, shaping the earth into the form of a bed.

—

“How did the mission go?”

Berge entered his office and nodded at Gordon’s query.

Everything had proceeded according to plan—the infiltration, the capture, and the retreat. While it might look like he was acting under Alcaine’s pressure, this had been his intent from the start. To regain his power, he needed the fuel of human emotion, but he needed to avoid becoming a target for a holy crusade too early. The thirteenth princess was the perfect middle ground.

He was satisfied. The first phase of his plan was a success.

—

*Knock. Knock.*

Inside the grand palace of Hildran, Escile, the royal guard, stood outside the princess’s door. There was no response.

“Princess, it is time for breakfast.”

Silence.

“Is she still asleep?” the chef asked from behind.

“That’s unlike her.” Escile frowned. “Pardon me, I’m coming in.”

He pushed the door open. The room was deathly still. He approached the bed and pulled back the heavy silk curtains.

There were pillows. There were blankets. But the bed was empty.

‘What…?’

He threw the covers aside in a panic. Nothing. He checked the wardrobe, the balcony, and the washroom. The princess was gone.

“This… this can’t be…”

Escile felt his knees go weak. Servants rushed into the room as he stumbled. Their faces turned ashen when they saw the empty bed.

“Emergency! The Crown Princess has been taken!”

The news that the heir to the throne had vanished ripped through the palace like a gale.