Bribed by the Demon Lord Right Before the Ending

■ Experienced Rookie □

After Grand Mage Caldlasth disappeared down the corridor following Seneca, the Demon King left alone in the audience chamber fell deep into thought.

‘What on earth is he thinking?’

At first, it was a reckless statement made with nothing to lose, simply to buy time until his subordinates who had sensed the Hero’s intrusion could arrive at the audience chamber. He never for a moment believed that the rigid companion of such a steadfast Hero would fall for his proposal.

But unexpectedly, the offer was accepted.

Truly an unforeseen event. ‘The Executioner’ Caldlasth.

In this vast landmass, there exist only seventeen Hexa Spell users, and Caldlasth is one of them.

Known for his specialized area-of-effect destruction magic and merciless hand, despite having a reputation of his own, he is called the Executioner by allies and the Butcher by the Demon Tribe—a notorious Mage.

While an unbearably difficult opponent when faced as an enemy, he proved to be an equally awkward ally.

‘…Should I be pleased or worried?’

A Grand Mage wielding Hexa Spells, classified as tactical-level magic, can essentially be described as a walking army.

If managed properly, there could be no better asset than him, but judging from his past actions, Caldlasth was akin to an uncontrollable time bomb.

Moreover, there were undoubtedly individuals within the Demon King’s Army who harbored personal grudges against him, and if the Demon King were to defend him merely because he was a subordinate, his political standing might diminish.

‘For now, I must keep the fact that he has defected to the Demon King’s Army hidden.’

If word of Caldlasth’s existence got out, it would surely cause much unrest.

Regardless of whether it turned out to be beneficial or detrimental, it would undoubtedly take an undesirable form.

After pondering for quite some time, the Demon King took out the copy of the Gears Scroll he had received from Caldlasth and promptly stored in his bosom.

“One, I, Caldlasth, shall receive half the conquered land if the Demon King conquers the world.”

“One, I, Caldlasth, shall not betray the Demon King until the above clause is fulfilled.”

“One, the Demon King Nero shall honor the promise made to me, Caldlasth.”

“One, the Demon King Nero grants me, Caldlasth, the right to request assistance at any time.”

“One, should any of the above terms be violated, the party at fault forfeits their right to life or death to the other.”

The five solemn oaths exchanged just a few hours ago.

But could these mere words truly rein in that ferocious beast?

Though concerns lingered, there was no other option.

For now, he would have to trust Caldlasth’s words.

Fortunately, with the troublesome Hero out of sight, he could now focus on internal affairs.

A grand plan naturally formed in the Demon King’s mind.

He would spend the rest of the year inspecting the lands ravaged by prolonged war, reorganizing the front lines, and then rise again with the army next spring.

It was perfect.

‘Once things settle down, I’ll send him on a solo mission.’

Sending Caldlasth to the eastern front, the site of the fiercest battles between the Kingdom’s army and the Demon Tribe, where he could run rampant, didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“Kukuku…”

The image of the Kingdom’s army suffering at Caldlasth’s hands filled the Demon King with such delight that he sat on his throne and laughed wickedly before carefully folding the scroll containing the oath, fearing it might tear in the wind, and placing it back in his bosom.

This would be stored in the safe in his bedroom.

The morning after betraying his comrades dawned refreshingly clear.

As per my usual habit, I woke up early, tidied the bedcovers, and sat cross-legged on the floor to begin my daily meditation routine.

“Ssuu…”

As the imaginary magic circuits within my body began to rotate, mana was drawn in from around them, naturally circulating throughout my body.

It was akin to the Circulation of the Week in martial arts novels.

While toxins accumulated overnight in my body were expelled, I briefly reminisced about the past.

Most of the year spent with the Hero was mostly about sleeping rough on the streets.

Truthfully, I rarely had complaints about it.

I’m the type who can fall asleep anywhere, and discomfort from sleeping rough isn’t unique to me—it’s something all party members feel equally.

What I truly couldn’t endure, however, was during our travels when we stayed in towns.

When the Hero Party visited a town, the local authority inevitably focused most attention on the Hero, as they are the center of the party. This is unavoidable. However, I disliked being neglected simply because I was just another party member.

Knock, knock.

Interrupted by the sudden knocking sound, I broke off my meditation.

Checking the time, about 30 minutes had passed since I started meditating.

“May I come in?”

“Yes, please.”

Upon receiving permission, a maid with white hair cautiously opened the door and entered.

“I’ve brought water for your morning wash.”

“Ah, thank you.”

She was a Succubus.

At first glance, she appeared to be a beautiful human woman, but the bat wings on her back and the tail protruding beneath her hips revealed she wasn’t human.

The maid placed a basin filled with warm water and a towel on the bedside table.

I met her last night.

Señeca, the head steward, informed me that she would handle all miscellaneous tasks during my stay at the Demon King’s Castle, essentially acting as my personal maid.

Using the water the maid had brought, I washed my face quickly, dried it with the towel, and asked,

“What’s the schedule for today?”

“There are no special instructions. You may freely roam around the castle until summoned by the Demon King.”

“Good.”

Satisfied, I nodded and decided to change clothes before heading out.

As I pulled out fresh clothes from the wardrobe, the maid standing by the door approached quietly and said,

“I’ll assist you with changing.”

I gladly accepted her help.

After swapping my sweat-soaked nightclothes for fresh ones, I donned the robe, which was practically formal attire for a mage.

Typically, a mage’s robe carries a wealth of information.

The color, decorations, even the number of buttons can roughly indicate which school they hail from.

“Hmm… Is my hair still okay?”

Traditionally, mages, regardless of gender, tend to have long hair.

Hair, as an extension of the body, serves as an excellent medium for storing magic power.

I once sported long, flowing hair like a rocker, but the arduous journeys involving constant outdoor sleeping made maintaining long hair too difficult, so I eventually settled for a buzz cut.

“Hmm. Not bad.”

I appraised myself while checking my reflection from various angles in the mirror held by the maid.

This was the first time I wore clothes of the Demon Tribe.

However, given that some demons resemble humans closely, there wasn’t much difference compared to what humans wear.

“But, uh… Can I go outside? Earlier you mentioned I could roam freely inside the castle.”

“Unfortunately, the Demon King prohibited it, fearing that ordinary humans might panic seeing Mr. Caldlasth casually strolling through the marketplace.”

“If that’s the reason, I understand.”

Truthfully, there weren’t many places I wanted to visit immediately, so going out wasn’t particularly urgent.

After all, this is the Demon King’s Castle.

Totally uncharted territory for humans.

As a seeker exploring the unknown, curiosity naturally bubbled up.

“By the way, are there any particular places worth visiting in the Demon King’s Castle?”

Upon hearing this, the maid, who had been standing politely with her hands clasped, hesitated for a moment before approaching the window and speaking.

“The current Demon King’s Castle was constructed approximately 800 years ago. Designed and built by the second Demon King, Tiberius, it is a natural fortress carved into a sheer cliff behind and bordered by a bountiful river in front. The breathtaking scenery, achieved through ancient technology, is renowned even among high-ranking demons for its beauty.”

I moved towards the window where she stood.

Peering out through the stone arch-shaped window, the expansive structure of the Demon King’s Castle came into full view.

Typically, the Demon Tribe’s country is depicted in human literature as a cursed land with barren trees, cracked earth, and fierce beasts.

However, the bustling market below the castle in the distance was brimming with vitality that rivaled any human nation.

The only difference was the varied forms of the citizens.

“My personal recommendations are the aerial garden at the rear of the castle, the training ground where the Demon King’s Army soldiers practice, and the Great Library, which houses knowledge from all ages. A place a mage like Mr. Caldlasth wouldn’t want to miss.”

Listening to her, I shrugged.

Indeed, an average mage would likely flip at the mention of the library.

But I am an oddity acknowledged even by the master of the Emerald Tower, the cradle of magic.

“The Great Library sounds nice, but let’s head to the dining hall first. After eating a hearty meal, I’ll take a stroll in the aerial garden to digest. Then, I might drop by the training ground for a light workout. That doesn’t sound bad.”

Upon hearing my words, the maid looked perplexed and asked,

“Aren’t you going to the Great Library?”

“Yeah, well…”

I chuckled awkwardly while subtly avoiding her gaze.

“To be honest, I’m not really into reading books.”