The NTR Hero Knelt Before the Demon King – Chapter 156

“Cheers!”

“To the Empire!”

The Empire Army began raising their glasses in joy after the retreat of the Soldiers of the Magic Kingdom.

The table was filled with drinks and meat, and the lively atmosphere made this moment feel like a victory feast for them.

“Does that mean those Magic Kingdom bastards won’t come back?”

“Of course not! How many witches have fallen to General Helene’s blade? Do you think they have the gall to invade again?”

“That’s a relief; we can breathe a little easier now.”

“Though it still stings to think about the lost territory…”

“Hey! Let’s save that talk for later, just drink for now!”

“Anyway, a win is a win! Let’s put off revenge for now and just enjoy ourselves!”

Although the damages from this war were significant, it was still considered a joyous occasion to have escaped from near ruin.

Additionally, Cassandra and the new leadership were deliberately fostering this festive atmosphere, as Cassandra intended to steer this situation to her advantage.

The details may vary slightly, but overall, Cassandra had seized power during the vacancy caused by the sudden demise of the Emperor.

For her, it was necessary to have means and justification to solidify her rule, which led to Cassandra spreading the following narrative:

-Due to the previous Emperor Kratos III’s greed and incompetence, the Empire found itself in the current crisis, having alienated neighboring countries that were once allies.

In the process, the Emperor was assassinated, and the Empire Army faced successive humiliating defeats across various regions, facing the threat of annihilation.

However, unable to sit idly by, General Cassandra led her soldiers to restore order to the Imperial Capital and successfully commanded the disorganized Empire Army to repel the enemy’s invasion and protect the nation.-

In the midst of this, an unexpected being known as Amun had descended, and the unseen support from the Demon Kingdom played a vital role as well.

Moreover, even if the situation were different, Cassandra had long harbored dreams of rebellion, making many aspects of this tale questionable for those who knew the truth. However, for those unaware of the inner workings, Cassandra appeared as a patriotic hero come to save the nation.

Of course, those knowledgeable about the nature of power couldn’t help but be suspicious of Cassandra’s actions, yet even they could not deny the ‘results’ that came from her interventions in overcoming the crisis.

Thus, although territories were lost, this war ultimately served to cement Cassandra’s power, providing her with ample reason to celebrate her current situation.

*

“Now, have a drink, Helene.”

“…Okay…”

At Cassandra’s words, Helene quietly lifted her glass.

However, despite the surrounding lively atmosphere, Helene’s expression was anything but cheerful.

“What’s wrong? You look upset.”

“…No, it’s nothing… Hah…”

Cassandra expressed concern and curiosity over her long-time comrade and friend’s unsettling face.

Helene considered brushing off the topic, but eventually decided to cautiously speak up.

“Well, you see… There’s someone on my mind lately…”

“Someone on your mind? Who… who is it? A guy, maybe?”

Cassandra’s eyes sparkled with curiosity at Helene’s words.

As someone who had known Helene for quite a long time, Cassandra was well aware of what kind of person she was.

Seeing Helene deep in thought about someone was a first for Cassandra.

“Now that you mention it… Didn’t you have contact with the Demon King recently? Could it be that you’re actually smitten with him since then?”

Cassandra’s train of thought naturally leaned towards that possibility, considering Helene’s enthusiastic support of her coup.

But to that, Helene slowly shook her head.

“No… it’s not him. While there’s definitely an appeal in his strength, I found out that the Demon King is already taken.”

“Oh really? Well, I guess being the Demon King, he must have lived much longer than us. Then if it’s not him, just who is it? Did you meet a handsome demon?”

Although it would be uncharacteristic for Helene to fall for someone based just on looks, Cassandra inquired in a straightforward manner regardless.

However, in response, Helene surprisingly flushed red and began to show visible signs of embarrassment.

“…Huh? W-What? Is there really a handsome demon?”

“Ah… no… it’s not so much that he’s handsome… more like… cute? Or maybe pretty might be a better term?”

“Oh…”

At Helene’s words, Cassandra instinctively conjured an image of a cute and pretty boy in her mind…

A fresh, innocent boy, untouched by the hands of the world… Just like our little emperor.

Moreover, given that he was a demon, even if he looked like a pretty boy, he likely would be older than both of them.

As she contemplated this, Cassandra came to a serious conclusion.

“An eternally legal shota… that’s… quite appealing, right? Ethically no problem, and always looking like a pretty boy…”

Empathizing deeply with Helene’s romantic interest, Cassandra smiled and said to her,

“Well, it might not be easy since he’s a demon, but I’ll support you. If you need help, just let me know.”

“Really? Is that okay?”

Helene’s eyes sparkled as she spoke with excitement.

Seeing her friend so animated, Cassandra beamed with a twinkling smile.

“Of course! Despite my appearance, I’m the most powerful person in this country, you know? They say friends help each other. I can definitely do a lot, so just say the word.”

“Um… um… So, what if…”

Cassandra expressed her intention to actively help her friend in love.

In response, Helene filled with great expectations, asked her for a favor.

And Cassandra gladly accepted her heartfelt request.

“That’s no trouble at all. I was already thinking of officially re-establishing diplomatic relations with the Demon Kingdom. I’ll make it happen as soon as possible.”

“Th-Thank you so much, Cassandra!”

“Just be sure to share some stories later, yeah? And introduce your pretty fiancé too.”

“Of course! I’ll definitely make sure to do that!”

With genuine gratitude, Helene rejoiced.

Watching this rare sight, Cassandra smiled even wider, slowly growing more curious.

“That aside… just how amazing could this shota be for Helene to be so smitten? Could it be that… despite looking young, he has immense strength and Helene just can’t handle him…?”

While such thoughts would never come to pass with Helene, Cassandra couldn’t help but dwell on her overflowing curiosity while watching her happy friend.

*

“Uhmm…”

“What’s wrong, Eliza?”

“Ah… it’s nothing. I just suddenly feel a chill…”

On board the ship returning to the Demon Kingdom.

Unlike when she secretly stowed away, now they were proudly returning on this grand vessel, but Eliza felt an inexplicable shiver run down her spine, making her frown involuntarily.

‘Geez… I already felt awful with everything happening lately. What’s this about? Did I overexert myself lately?’

This campaign had brought considerable benefits to the Demon Kingdom.

However, separate from that national benefit, being tied to a girl who just happened to fall for the Hero intensified Eliza’s unease.

‘It feels like all the people around me are women with no male friends… but I guess that’s just my imagination?’

Thinking such, Eliza slowly made her way up to the deck to shake off this vague feeling, with Nyadan following her closely.

Then…

“Ah… Eliza!”

In the next moment, Eliza’s gaze fell upon Dark Elf Amelda.

As usual, there was nothing special about her presence as a slave, but at this moment, Eliza turned her gaze toward another being accompanying Amelda.

It was the lich who had joined them on this expedition.

“I heard she was one of the Hero Party’s members, right? I’m not sure of the details, but becoming a lich… It’s clear that her future looks grim.”

Eliza had a slight feeling of empathy for the lich, knowing well how they suffered.

However, aside from that, Eliza had no reason to involve herself in the Hero’s affairs, so she simply gave Amelda a slight nod and proceeded to move on.

And so, after Eliza’s group passed by, Amelda headed straight toward the innermost part of the cabin with Eileen, a former comrade from the Hero Party who had now become a lich.

“I brought you here, hero.”

“Alright, then tell me everything. What have you all been through? And what about that bastard Shude and Torare?”