The Heroes Who Executed Me Are Obsessed With Me

A woman who can turn you into the Demon King.

Clay couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh at the bold introduction.

The woman frowned, clearly displeased.

“What’s with that attitude?”

Clay quickly wiped the amusement from his face.

“Apologies. I’m just not used to being talked about in that way.”

“You’d better adjust if you want my help.”

She placed the vial back onto the desk and said,

“I’m Lin Siart. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I’m Clay… though I guess you know that if you’ve heard a lot.”

Lin nodded.

“Of course. It’s impossible to live in this world and not know your name.”

Clay’s expression darkened slightly.

Lin Siart, huh…

Even as a Hero, he had never heard of her.

She seems like a magical scholar.

He had seen those types often while facing the Demon King’s army—scholars who modified or enhanced demonic beings through research, crafting tools and methods to support the battlefield.

But if I’ve never heard of her…

She probably wasn’t that capable. So how could she speak so boldly?

This is getting awkward.

Lin grimaced under Clay’s gaze.

“Feels like you’re thinking something pretty rude about me.”

“…Not quite.”

“Sure. It's obvious.”

She tossed her golden bob hair with a huff.

“You’re wondering if I’m really that skilled, aren’t you?”

“……”

“Don’t act cocky just because you used to be a Hero.”

She leaned in, her blue eyes sharp.

“There are plenty of hidden talents in the Demon King’s army.”

“And you’re one of them?”

“Don’t make me say it out loud!”

Blushing, Lin turned sharply and stomped back to her desk.

“Anyway, I’m preparing a lot of things for you. I still need more time, so come back later.”

“I don’t recall agreeing to anything…”

“Then are you not going to be the Demon King?”

She suddenly looked anxious.

“If you won’t, then there’s really no one else who can. You have to do it.”

“Is there even such a thing as being ‘fit’ for the role?”

“Of course!”

She pointed at Clay.

“You have immense mana and the natural instinct to control it! It’s something you share with all Demon Kings!”

“But I used to wield divine power.”

“And I’m going to change that!”

“…What?”

Clay blinked, startled, and Lin crossed her arms confidently.

“You’re transforming your mana into divine power, which is why the priests’ seals restrict you. If we stop that conversion and let your mana manifest as demonic magic, you’ll regain your full abilities.”

Clay’s eyes widened.

“That’s possible?”

“Whoever triggered your demonic magic to manifest didn’t finish the job. All I need to do is open the path a little more.”

Clay swallowed hard.

Right… my body suddenly started producing demonic magic.

Because of his automatic conversion from mana to divine power, the appearance of demonic magic had caused a painful internal clash.

It’s fine now, since the divine power is being suppressed…

But thinking back, why had the priests only suppressed his divine power?

“They didn’t try to suppress the demonic magic in your body either… that makes it more likely you were framed.”

Lin spoke up again, right on cue.

“Framed?”

“Yeah. They only restricted your divine power, meaning they figured that would be enough to kill you. If you were really a puppet of the Demon King, they’d have worried you could use demonic magic too.”

Clay’s face stiffened.

If her reasoning was sound, then it meant the Holy Nations Alliance had tried to eliminate him on purpose.

“No need to look so glum. You’re alive, aren’t you?”

Lin approached and took his hand.

“Become the Demon King. Everything will fall into place.”

“…Sure.”

“Whoa!”

She jumped in delight.

“I didn’t think you’d say yes so easily!”

“I just… figured it’s better than doing nothing.”

After hearing both Beatrice and Lin out, Clay felt a strange emptiness. It made him want to just say whatever came to mind.

“Anyway, I’ll be counting on you.”

Lin eagerly shook his hand up and down.

“I’ll do everything I can to make you the Demon King!”

She looked more like someone thrilled with a new lab experiment, but Clay only offered a slightly awkward smile in return.

“Yeah. I’m counting on you.”

♧

“Did you enjoy your conversation with Lin?”

Back in the Demon King’s office, Beatrice had returned from wherever she’d gone and asked with a smile.

“It was… fine.”

“She’ll be a big help going forward. Try to get along with her.”

“I’ll try.”

Beatrice chuckled at his reply.

“You seem a little worn out.”

“She insisted on examining me since I was there.”

Lin had run a full body examination on him—from height and weight to allergy tests, magical compatibility, and more.

“Put up with it for now. It’ll benefit you later.”

“I know what she’s aiming for, so don’t worry too much.”

“Then you’ve agreed to become the Demon King?”

Clay let out a small groan at her question.

“So you did.”

“Well, I guess I kind of just went with it.”

“Sounds like you’re still hesitant.”

“I don’t really know what it means to be the Demon King yet.”

Throwing everything away and becoming the Demon King might be easy, but if it meant taking responsibility for the demons… that gave him pause.

“You don’t have to worry too much about that.”

Beatrice spoke softly.

“As long as you’re in that seat, the rest will fall into place.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Clay sat in the large chair behind the Demon King’s desk.

“If it weren’t for you, I’d be locked up or worse.”

He spoke with resolve.

“So I’ll do it—I’ll become the Demon King.”

That moment would mark the turning point for everything to come.

“I’m counting on you, Beatrice.”

This time, he was the one to extend his hand. Beatrice gently took it and smiled.

“I’m counting on you, Clay.”

And so, the world stood on the brink of another era of upheaval.

♧

“Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it!”

Supporting the injured Lilien on their way back, Nael the beastkin warrior couldn’t hold back her rage.

“Even the body… even his body was taken!”

She was furious. Understandably so, as Lilien had just told her that Clay’s corpse was missing.

Of course, she hadn’t shared the full story.

She merely explained that when they went to the burial site, the ground had been disturbed and demonic traces were left behind.

But that alone was enough to make Nael grind her teeth in fury.

“Damn those demons! I’ll kill every last one!”

“……”

Lilien said nothing as she watched her.

Better not provoke her any further.

She’d already had to stop Nael from charging off recklessly.

If I die, I can’t report anything back.

Lilien had told Nael that they needed the imperial family's help to find Clay’s body.

She also mentioned that Tia had wanted to confirm the body herself.

Nael remained wary, saying Tia would never let her steal the body, but Lilien reassured her. Tia had simply wanted to quietly give him a proper burial.

If Nael took the body, Tia would likely turn a blind eye.

Nael clearly disliked Tia, but she seemed to agree with that reasoning.

So she decided to bring Lilien back to Tia first, and that’s how the current situation had come about.

“I’ll kill them all…”

Still fuming, Nael’s temper showed no signs of cooling, and Lilien could only sigh.

I just hope we make it back to the capital safely…

Fortunately, that hope was fulfilled.

Nael returned with Lilien to the imperial city of Ezer, where they finally met Tia.

Slide.

Nael gently laid Lilien on the floor before Tia.

“She’s badly injured. Please see to her.”

“I'm ashamed of myself, Your Majesty…”

Lilien bowed low as she spoke. Tia looked down at her coldly.

“Tia, you were trying to retrieve Clay’s body, weren’t you?”

Her expression grew even frostier at Nael’s question.

“I’ll search for it myself. But it’ll go faster if you help me. If you find it, report it to me, immediately. That’s why I brought her.”

Nael pointed at Lilien, then turned to leave.

“I’ll be going now. Don’t forget what I said.”

Thud.

After she left, Tia turned to Lilien and asked, “Did you tell her everything I was planning?”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty!”

Instead of answering, Tia walked to the corner of the room and picked up a sword.

“I’m not looking for apologies. That’s not what I need.”

“…There’s something I had to tell you personally. That’s why I came back, even at the risk of disobedience.”

“Something you had to tell me?”

Tia frowned.

“What is it?”

“Clay was… walking. Alive.”

“What…?”

Tia’s eyes widened in shock.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m not sure if he was undead. It’s hard to believe something could look that intact. But one thing’s certain. He wasn’t alone.”

Lilien paused.

“There was someone beside him.”

She finally revealed the name to the silent, frozen Tia.

“Beatrice.”

Beatrice.

One of the Four Demon Generals of the Demon King’s army.

“The Four Demon Generals of the Demon King—that Beatrice.”

At that moment, Tia stood frozen in place, as if the air itself had been sucked from the room.

(End of Chapter)