Bribed by the Demon Lord Right Before the Ending

■ A Toast to Your Eyes □

To cut to the conclusion, the land south of the fortress was completely flattened due to the aftermath of two Hexa Spells colliding.

The baron who had gallantly charged forward wrapped in a tidal wave had his limbs torn off and died, and due to being caught in the storm, his body could not even be found.

It was truly an anticlimactic ending for one of the two pillars that had supported the kingdom’s magic community for decades.

I reunited with Dorothea, who had taken refuge in a place untouched by the spell’s effects, and headed toward the central mansion of the fortress where other soldiers had rushed earlier. There, I learned from Eva that the Male Lord of Hamburg had escaped through another secret passage inside the mansion.

“Should we send pursuers now?”

“No, it’s fine. Let’s be content with having captured Hamburg Fortress. Our side is quite exhausted as well.”

Saying this while casually waving her hand to dismiss Eva from the office, Dorothea sighed deeply after casting a glance at me standing beside her.

“Honestly… I can’t believe that someone I was risking my life fighting against just half a year ago is now on the same side.”

I shrugged nonchalantly.

“If you have any complaints, take them up with the Demon King. I was recruited by your Demon King.”

“Shut up! I was about to say that anyway!”

Dorothea glared at me with narrowed eyes and crossed her arms before speaking.

“First, you need to explain how you ended up joining the Demon King’s Army.”

“That’s not difficult.”

Sitting on the couch alongside her, I spent about an hour summarizing the events that had transpired so far for Dorothea.

Since there was nothing to hide anyway, if it could ease her somewhat hostile attitude toward me, why wouldn’t I do it?

Having no way of knowing each other’s personal circumstances until now, when we met as enemies we were always too busy fighting, so after hearing everything, Dorothea let out a word with an expression that seemed to suggest disbelief.

“Isn’t the Hero just completely ridiculous?”

Well said, indeed.

Smiling contentedly with satisfaction at the expected reaction, I nodded.

“I think so too.”

“How could he lose sight because of a woman and neglect the mage, who is the core of the party?”

As one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King’s Army, which has always been short on talent, Dorothea apparently couldn’t understand the Hero’s trolling behavior.

“If you were my subordinate, we would’ve shattered the Kingdom long ago.”

“Hmm? Are you saying you highly evaluate me?”

This was somewhat unexpected.

Didn’t she dislike me?

At that, Dorothea reluctantly nodded while showing a disapproving look and added,

“Well, you are skilled, but your personality deducts all those points.”

That makes sense.

Maybe because every time we meet, she strips me down to my soul, her gaze toward me still wasn’t favorable.

Smiling confidently while accepting her stare, I extended my right hand to her first.

“Anyway, since I’m now part of the Demon King’s Army, creating unnecessary conflict will only inconvenience the Demon King. So, let’s just reconcile appropriately.”

Then, Dorothea pointed at herself and me alternately with her finger, as if hearing something absurd.

“Me? With you?”

“Why? Don’t you want to?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Saying that, Dorothea slouched deep into her chair.

“I’ll repay the debt of life I owe you in some other way, so don’t get too friendly with me. You know it’s awkward for you too, right?”

While saying this, she stared intently at me with her red eyes, as if trying to peer into my inner thoughts, which made me uncomfortable.

Actually, I didn’t have any intention of becoming close to her either.

Since I’ve already contracted with the Demon King, I thought it would be enough as long as I did well myself, so expanding interpersonal relationships further here felt bothersome.

But people tend to develop a spirit of defiance when their attempts at friendship are so overtly rejected.

After pondering what to do, I recalled advice I’d heard yesterday during a conversation with Eva.

“Dorothea, don’t you like alcohol?”

“…How did you know that?”

“I overheard it yesterday while talking with Eva. She mentioned what kind of gift would please the Commander-in-Chief.”

“Tch, that woman…”

Though I feel sorry for Eva, whether Dorothea grinds her teeth or not, I crossed my arms and asked,

“How about a drinking contest with me? If you win, we pretend we don’t see each other. If I win, we try to reconcile.”

Then Dorothea looked at me with a sullen expression and asked,

“Why should I do such a bet?”

She still wasn’t easily swayed.

But at times like this, there was the simplest method.

I smirked and teased,

“Are you scared?”

People with strong pride cannot bear to have their self-respect toyed with.

And as expected, the simple Dorothea immediately flared up, veins bulging on her forehead, and raised her middle finger in a fierce reaction.

“You’re insane! Spear-bastard! Tell the kids below to bring all the alcohol from the warehouse!”

Great. Hooked.[[#]]Of course, Dorothea, who knows how to distinguish between work and pleasure, didn’t immediately start a drunken revelry.

First, they inventoried the remaining supplies within the fortress and distributed food. Then, as discussed before setting out, everyone gathered together to eat first.

We really skipped dinner after successfully capturing the fortress just to eat.

Thanks to her allowing plunder, the Demon King’s Army soldiers were decked out in jewelry they liked, chatting happily.

Although all the human women they desired had already escaped, it seemed they thought making money was enough.

There was also plenty of food and alcohol left.

Perhaps because the supply of provisions had been limited until now, the soldiers of the Demon King’s Army ate their evening meal laughing and joking.

Once their stomachs were somewhat full and their minds relaxed, they began drinking alcohol, seemingly to forget the worries of the day.

Well, it’s not something hard to understand.

Just a few hours ago, comrades they had laughed and joked with were dropping dead one by one.

The death of a close friend is something difficult for anyone to accept easily.

Even now, somewhere in the fortress, the operation to burn the corpses is in full swing.

While the bodies of humans might be dealt with that way, it seems the plan is to collect the bones of the Demon King’s Army soldiers and send them back to their families in their hometowns.

I finished a simple meal after removing my mask in a place out of sight of the soldiers, then headed to the room where Dorothea was staying, as promised earlier.

Inside, a drinking table was already set up, and it appeared that all the expensive alcohol stored in the fortress’s warehouse had been emptied.

As our gazes met upon entering the room, Dorothea grinned and said,

“You didn’t run away?”

“There’s no reason to run.”

As I said this while closing the door and stepping inside, she filled the glass in front of her with amber-colored liquor.

“Do you really think you can defeat Lady Witch with alcohol, being merely human?”

I shrugged and sat down.

“The length and strength of it can only be determined by trying.”

Don’t underestimate the liver trained under my bombastic master since childhood.

From now on, what unfolds here will be a battle of pride between her and me.

Well, I’m no lightweight drinker either, and I don’t expect to lose to Dorothea, who is much smaller than me.

She handed me the glass filled with liquor.

Judging by the sweet aroma emanating from the glass, it seemed to be liqueur.

After locking eyes, we both cleanly emptied our first glasses.

Glug- Glug- Glug-

Not a single drop of alcohol is allowed to remain in the glass.

That would essentially be declaring defeat.

Without hesitation after finishing the first glass, we immediately poured the next round.

There were some simple appetizers on the table, but no one touched them first.

With glasses once again filled with alcohol, we clinked them together.

Gulp- Gulp- Gulp-

In no time, a 600mL bottle was completely emptied, and another one was opened.

This time it was tequila.

After finishing the tequila bottle, we drank wine.

As the empty bottles on the table increased one by one, the scene gradually turned into one where it seemed like the alcohol was consuming the people rather than the other way around.

I slowly began to feel my mind getting hazy.

That warm sensation only experienced when drunk.

No matter how good one’s tolerance is, there’s no match for reckless firewater cocktails.

Dorothea’s complexion also didn’t look normal as much as I was struggling.

We were laughing and chatting with faces as red as apples by now.

What started as a drinking session fueled by pride turned into something else entirely at some point.

The stiff atmosphere dissipated, and any lingering resentment between us melted away.

With blurred eyes, we toasted each other by staring into each other’s pupils.

And when I came to my senses—

We were both lying on the bed facing each other.

Huh?