Chapter 246

[It’s a gate that’s hard to create with human skills, and the level of magic is very high. At this level, it’s indeed worthy of being called the Demon King.]

The small dragon, who had been touching the gate, muttered. Every time the dragon’s palm brushed over the surface of the gate, magical patterns that I couldn’t understand appeared and then disappeared shortly after.

[It’s clearly not made by our kind, but the craftsmanship is no less impressive. For a land-dwelling creature to wield magic at this level is truly astonishing.]

And the scary part is, that’s not all.

The fact that Grimudo is a great magician isn’t widely known on the continent. We only realized it after directly confronting him.

“Well, I don’t need to explain, but this gate was originally used by Epirna, and beyond this door lies… the residence of the most powerful being in the world.”

Though it shouldn’t happen, this might be the last time we see it, so people we know, including Sir Leon, have gathered in droves.

They’ve come to bid farewell. Some were worried, some were concerned, and others accepted it somewhat calmly. In any case, no one looked happy. And for good reason—it’s the Demon King. The one and only Demon King who has been passed down through history for eternity.

There have been countless who claimed to be the king of the demon race, but most of them were just pretenders. Far from plunging the entire continent into terror, they couldn’t even control their own kind, merely ruling over their territories as kings in name only.

Even Emperor Harmail, who managed to unite all the demon races and ascend to the throne, instilled fear in the continent, but that fear was more of a different kind. The leading powers of the continent, including the Three God Faith and the Empire, are wary of Harmail, but being afraid is another story.

If she were to lead her forces into war, it would be a drain on already strained national resources, but few actually believe they would lose. Moreover, now that we’ve become allies, there’s even less reason to fear.

“No authority can stand before him. No title in the world holds any meaning. What you’re about to meet is a being who has subdued all the world’s power with sheer force. Even a king of a nation could die tomorrow if he so wished.”

-It’s not just the king; the entire nation could be destroyed.

But Grimudo is different. He is the Demon King in every sense of the word, a being of terror that even the Evil God fears. It’s no wonder his name remains etched in the hearts of all on the continent for eternity.

Many overlook him because he’s been holed up in the Arctic, but once he decides to move, no one can stop him. Even we, as we are now, wouldn’t be able to.

A dragon, a saint of the Evil God, and Roka, who has surpassed even the typical master level. We should be able to overwhelm any opponent, but against the Demon King, we have no idea. We’ve crossed swords with him, but we’ve never seen the depths of his power.

‘That’s why, until now, we’ve never known what he’s thinking.’

Still, with this force, we’re definitely superior to the Hero Party. Even if we face the Demon King Grimudo, escaping with our lives shouldn’t be too difficult.

We’re not going to fight him, let alone subjugate him. But in the first place, that’s not something we can choose. The decision to fight will likely be his.

“Are you really going? Even if the Guardian Dragon is going with you, it’s still too dangerous.”

“Of course, we have to go, don’t we?”

“If that’s what you think, then there’s no helping it… But you’re still our king. If something happens to you, the entire Beastman Kingdom will face an unprecedented crisis.”

Roka pouted her lips. She looked like she didn’t understand why that topic was brought up.

“So what I’m saying is, why not decide on a successor before you go? Of course, I believe our Roka will return safely. But even so, having a designated successor is different from not having one. Look at Epirna. With no successor, the country just fell into your hands when she disappeared.”

“The lady is right. After all the trouble we wolves went through to seize the throne, we can’t let it pass to someone else. So, how about designating me as the successor? This old man has some experience in this area, you know.”

Roka, realizing the situation, scratched her head. It might have been an unexpected turn of events, but neither of us had anticipated that these two would have such ambitions.

“No, that’s not it. The next Beast King should be decided through the Beast King Tournament. Robo, if you’re confident, let’s settle it with our fists.”

“Times have changed. Are you Epirna? The era where the strongest fist makes the king is over.”

Even Sir Leon seemed to have aspirations for the throne. Being a traditional beastman, he had ascended to the throne through the Beast King Tournament and had never shown such ambition while Roka, who surpassed him in strength, was on the throne.

But it seemed he couldn’t stand the idea of Robo, who was weaker, inheriting the throne just because he was of the same race. In any case, what seemed like a minor incident soon escalated into a heated argument between the lion and the wolf. All the while, Roka didn’t say a word.

“Roka, do you trust me? You’ve seen me all this time. You know I take care of my people really well. That’s what I’m saying.”

Indeed, Lady Kisea was clever. While her father and Sir Leon were shouting and turning red, she quietly sidled up to Roka and started whispering.

But Roka didn’t choose the wolf or the lion. Instead, the child pointed to someone entirely different.

“I think Grandpa should be the next king. He does a good job.”

Chancellor Rambus, who had been pointed out, blinked in surprise.

“Are you referring to me?”

“You don’t like it?”

“Yes. I don’t like it.”

With a single firm refusal, Roka was momentarily embarrassed.

Meanwhile, the two who had been grabbing each other’s collars muttered in shock.

“No, even so, we’re both wolves, of the same blood. How can you give the throne to an outsider? Aren’t wolves all one family, one pack?”

“Hey, Beast King! We trained together, right? I taught you the Water Technique, didn’t I? Haven’t I always treated you well? Are we strangers?”

Appealing to blood and regional ties, the two continued, while Lady Kisea kept pestering Roka, who now had a resigned expression. Since Roka had no children or relatives, she had to designate someone else as the successor. The only question was who…

This isn’t something I, not even a beastman, can interfere with. I believed Roka and I would definitely return alive, so even more so.

No matter who is designated as the successor, the throne won’t change hands immediately. If Roka returns safely, the throne will still be hers.

“If no conclusion can be reached, I would like to recommend someone.”

Chancellor Rambus, sipping his tea, suddenly pointed to someone. Given his position and experience, his recommendation wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

Soon, everyone’s eyes followed his finger, and all were visibly stunned. The person pointed out was also taken aback, blinking in disbelief. Robo, Sir Leon, and Lady Kisea were no exception. They glared, trying to see who the Chancellor had chosen, only to look utterly baffled.

“Are you referring to me?”

“Yes. Princess Ardein. It’s you.”

“No, this is ridiculous. This would no longer be the Beastman Kingdom!”

People’s thoughts are truly diverse. While it didn’t matter who became king, Urban, who believed the king must be a beastman, stood up and raised his voice.

And the Princess herself waved her hand in refusal. Being of high royal lineage, she had no desire for the throne of the Beastman Kingdom.

If the threats of the Death God and the Arctic variables are resolved and the world returns to normal, even if she doesn’t inherit the throne, she could easily be granted a fiefdom and live as a duke.

She seemed to have no interest in becoming the king of the beastmen and enduring the hardships. If the king and all the subjects are of different races, being king wouldn’t be easy.

“No, no, I am far too unworthy to be your kingdom’s ruler. I fear my abilities are insufficient to properly lead the Beastman Kingdom. Please withdraw your recommendation.”

“Enough! Enough! Everyone, stop! What is all this? Ugh, I don’t know anymore. If I’m not here, just let my sister be the king. Stop fighting and listen to Lady Kisea.”

Finally, Roka exploded. So, while others were still vying for benefits that hadn’t even come their way, Lady Kisea, who had steadfastly stayed by Roka’s side, pleading her case, emerged victorious.

With fists clenched and tail stiff, she seemed overjoyed but was desperately suppressing a smile because her defeated rival was none other than her own father. Robo held his head, trembling.

“This can’t be! Kisea, your father’s lifelong dream was to be the Beast King once. You’re still young; you have plenty of opportunities. Can’t you just give me this one chance?”

Watching Lady Kisea desperately avoiding eye contact, Sir Leon muttered with a resigned expression.

“After all, a wolf is a wolf.”