Fragment 1: The Traitor
When I first heard that a hero named Ares had appeared in The Kingdom, I thought it was utter nonsense.
Prince Carlos is the one and only true hero. Ares was nothing but a fraud. That much was certain.
They say Ares defeated a demon that appeared in the Rozolof Forest, but so what?
The prince has slain countless demons on the battlefield. To call himself a hero over such a meager feat was nothing short of arrogance.
But reputation is a finite thing. Ten parts cannot become twenty. And foolish masses always flock to what’s new. If Ares’ fame rose, the prince’s would inevitably fall. Already, voices that once praised the prince were now whispering hopes for Ares.
This was unacceptable. The prince needed more glory—lest that upstart Ares steal the title of hero from him.
…There was no choice. I couldn’t afford to be picky about methods anymore. Monsters. I would let them into our lands and have the prince slay them before the people’s eyes.
That way, his name would echo across the land once more.
Frankly, neither the king nor the people understood the true horror of the Demon King’s army. They only saw defense. They needed to learn—there was no solution but to strike first and crush the Demon King himself, the root of all evil.
So, I went to meet the demons. I knew they weren’t unreasonable.
After slipping out of Ludonia territory and into lands controlled by the Demon King’s army, a demon appeared before me, just as expected. They were sharper than humans—likely sensing I had something to discuss.
[What do you want?]
A blue-skinned demon, likely one of their commanders, addressed me.
“I’ll show you a route past Ludonia’s defenses. A full-scale invasion would be noticed, but small groups of monsters could slip through.”
[Why would you tell us this?]
“Because I’m confident we’ll crush you even if you invade.”
The demon frowned, deepening the crease between his brows.
[Even so, it’s foolish to endanger your own land. What’s your aim?]
“To grant my lord, Prince Carlos, the chance to amass feats of arms—to become the hero who slays the Demon King. You are nothing more than stepping stones.”
Demons don’t lie, and they see through lies as well. So, I told the truth.
[So your master can gain glory? He could do that on the battlefield.]
“On the battlefield, the prince’s achievements are those of a commander. He must prove himself as a warrior.”
Besides, making the threat of monsters tangible would instill fear in the people and nobles alike. If things continued as they were, disaster loomed. The Demon King had to fall.
[…Your words don’t seem false, yet I don’t understand. The war here is at a stalemate. Even if the monsters we send are wiped out, the chaos in your rear benefits us—while clearly harming you.
Moreover, I’ve heard The Kingdom’s hero was foretold by prophecy. Your master has no chance. And if he ever showed signs of it, we’d hunt him down with everything we have. Still, you persist?]
Every word the demon spoke was logical.
“I don’t care. The Kingdom’s so-called ‘hero’ is just another pretender. The true hero is Prince Carlos. Scum like you could never kill him.”
I had staked everything on the prince. There was no turning back now.
[—Very well. Humans are irrational creatures. Perhaps this is just how things go. But there’s one condition.]
“Condition?”
[We’ll reveal your existence. ‘There is a traitor among the humans,’ we’ll say—without naming you. Suspicion will fester, and your kingdom will rot from within. Even so, will you proceed?]
The demon was ruthless. He intended to exploit me to the fullest. And perhaps—just perhaps—what I was doing would doom The Kingdom.
(Am I wrong?)
The doubt flickered in my mind. But I couldn’t bring myself to stop.
Was I insane? No. The real me died long ago. What remained was a monster possessed by obsession.
A monster willing to betray humanity for its goal.
“Fine. But I am no traitor. I am no longer human. Yes—a shapeshifter who replaced one. Call me that if you must.”
For the first time, the demon laughed—amused.
[Ah, so you claim to be inhuman. A shapeshifter sowing chaos while wearing a human’s skin. That makes sense. Very well, ‘Shapeshifter.’ We’ll play your game. In return, use the monsters as you please. Your path leads only to ruin—and that suits us just fine.]
And so, the pact was struck between the demon and me.
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My plan progressed smoothly.
When monsters appeared within The Kingdom, the terrified king ordered Prince Carlos to exterminate them.
And the prince did—crushing every last one I had ushered in. Sometimes even before the people’s eyes.
Just as I’d hoped, his fame soared once more.
My only concern was whether the demon would object. But he remained indifferent.
“True, the monsters we sent were destroyed. But in exchange, we’ve pulled Carlos from the frontlines. The tide of war now favors us. The gains far outweigh the losses. No issues here.”
As he said, Ludonia’s forces were thrown into disarray, and the war turned against us. Still, our army clung to its advantage.
What did it matter if the battlefield suffered? Once the prince became the hero and slew the Demon King, all would be resolved. If anything, The Kingdom needed to grow accustomed to his absence from the front.
The border wars had lulled the king and people into complacency. Only when pushed to the brink would they understand—the only solution was the Demon King’s demise. And for that, the prince had to become the hero. This was necessary. For the true hero to be chosen.
Before long, rumors spread that Ares, The Kingdom’s hero, had embarked on a quest to slay the Demon King.
The prince speculated he might pass through Ludonia to avoid danger. Avoid danger? What cowardice. Proof Ares was a fraud.
Yet many still clung to hope in him. Though Ludonia’s people rallied behind the prince once more, the rest of The Kingdom and beyond hailed Ares as their hero.
He was an eyesore—the greatest obstacle to the prince’s rightful place.
So, I told the demon.
“The Kingdom’s hero may come to Ludonia.”
His reply was simple.
[If the hero sets foot here, we’ll end him.]
Our interests aligned.
I set out to find Ares.
A party of four—two warriors, a mage, and a priest. If they hid their identities, they’d pose as adventurers.
Recent arrivals in Ludonia, skilled ones at that.
Soon, I had my targets. They flaunted their prowess, slaying monsters across the land as if proud of their fame. How disgusting.
With the demon’s help, I smuggled as many monsters as I could into The Kingdom.
All that remained was to study Ares’ quests and set traps ahead of them.
Once they were dealt with, the prince would mop up the remaining monsters.
And when he slew the beasts that killed Ares, all the glory of a hero would be his alone.
But—unexpectedly, the hero’s party proved formidable. Even the Demon King’s elite monsters struggled to bring them down. Worse, the prince arrived at the battlefield sooner than anticipated.
The sheer number of monsters must have tipped him off. Truly, Prince Carlos’ insight was nothing short of heroic.
And then—he invited Ares and his party to the castle.
No doubt to uncover the traitor.
To uncover me.
TLNOTE:
Because of that volume 1 and 2 fan translation in this site will be removed in the near future
otherwise check the internet archive
As usual, please consider reading other novels written by Daken sensei listed below :
- Monster Meat Led Me to the Throne
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Castle of Canaan ~ The Lost Kingdom’s Princess, the World’s Hidden Treasure, and the Grand Adventure of the Mightiest Band of Thieves Versus an Empire ~
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
- The Last Magic (translated by my friend narwhal)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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