Maou ~ Sou da, Yuusha wo Yome ni shiyou ~ Volume 1 Chapter 1

TL Note: There has been some confusion over the gender of the demon king and the hero, this should clear it up. I’m sorry if you’ve been mislead by some of the descriptions, but if you stick with me till at least chapter 4, it’ll all make sense! I promise. Don’t worry, there will be gender bending~

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North of the Diurnal Empire's capital - Eins, inside the royal castle sat the 「Demon King」Avant resting on his chin.

Covered by jet black bangs, Avant slowly brushed them back.

The revealed eyes were crimson red. Dignified eyebrows, and sharp eyes, with a high nose and fine shaped lips, the current 「Demon King」was turning 27 years old this year.

With a calm personality, and a lovely appearance that were loved by both men and women, the Avant was praised as a 「Wise King.」

In the audience room - stretched from the door to the throne was a large red carpet, and kneeling with one knee on the ground wearing silver-rimmed gla.s.ses was this country's Prime Minister - Helgena.

Summoned by the previous king that died young, he continued to serve as the prime minister even now.

This year he was 40 years old, with white hair. It wasn't from stress, white hair and red pupils were natural for their race.

Looking over him while wrapped in a black robe, Avant responded with a fed up tone.

「And so… In a few days, this so called「Hero party」will come kill me huh? 」

If you listened carefully, you could hear a feminine voice, it had a charming tone. Even as a child, for the imperial guards that followed him, all the men shuddered at his voice.

All of the previous 「Demon Kings」were black haired red eyed bishounen, but once it got to the current king, his loveliness and femininity caused a lot of chaos. By the time the rumors had reached the Athena Empire, the people heard that he was the strongest and most wicked 「Demon King」to have ever existed, manipulating dark mage to his heart's content.

The prime minister that he knew since he was a child just expressionlessly nodded.

「That's right. Shall we declare war? 」

「But, the hero party coming to subjugate me is just… Five people, right? 」

Avant got a little angry.

He became the king of the Diurnal Empire at the age of 25. Both of his parents were in good health but his father suddenly decided that he wanted to retire while throwing a tantrum, since he couldn't help it, it's now been two years since he ascended to the throne.

In these two years, he worked incredibly hard.

In his inauguration year, there was a drought, in order to stabilize he gather all the mages from every providence and revitalized the soil with magic.

But taking advantage of this situation, the mages started negotiating a wage increase. Without the mages, they can't produce crops. Stuck in a deadlock without having to make some kind of compromise, the tough decisions were of course left to the king, and he felt into a tight bind with this negotiation.

The weather this year seems stable but, while he was feeling relieved, this time it came time for Avant to pick his consort.

In the villa established east of the royal castle, lived his carefree parents who had too much time on their hands.

「it sure is boring, let's look for Avant's wife or something」, his mom suggested and his father immediately nodded in consent. With silver hair stretch down her back and bright red eyes, his mom once was exalted for being the most beautiful maiden in the country. Seeing mother at a banquet the castle had opened up, with once glance he proposed to her, and just like that, even till today they love each other very much.

For the children of the two, Avant was popular with women and dated many women.

However, he was always hesitant about marriage.

All of the women he dated were very lovely. However, no matter who, generally once they saw his face, they would start quivering, tear up and recite something with a blushed face. At a glance it seems that I was well loved but, due to my voice I can't make any conversation. While completely ignoring everything I'm saying they would always end with 「I love you, Avant-sama」.

Getting together with a girl he can't talk with is, a little unpleasant.

The one who would marry Avant would be the future queen, and so they should be highly educated and n.o.ble. Since Avant thinks that no matter who it is, he won't be able to talk to them, the talk about finding a suitable wife has died down.

And so, he now considers that, perhaps he should give up on marriage and adopt a child or something.

Now, bringing back all the talk about marriage is going to delay his government affairs. Already stressed about all the marriage interviews, now he has a 「Hero party」coming to kill him thinking he's a bad person.

— It would be strange if he didn't get angry.

However, going to war with just five people is seriously a waste of troops and to the national treasury.

Helgena disinterestedly looks over a letter.

「According to the report, the hero party are planning to exterminate the demon king with a surprise attack, conquer the Diurnal Kingdom, and seal away dark magic - is what it says. The hero, Flint Savaela, is a 17 year old male light mage. The remaining four people were left over hero candidates in the deciding match, all light mages. The four are also all female, age 15, 18, 23, and 28.」

Avant leaked out an astonished sigh.

「What's with this party. Why are they all mages? They should've included at least one soldier right. Even if you use magic, if you don't completely overpower them, you'll lose. If it was me, with only the hero as the mage, I would've made the rest general cla.s.s soldiers instead.」

Moreover, everyone other than the hero is female. - is it a harem?

So absurd.

Avant continued,

「I'm more surprised by this so called 'surprise attack.' Are you sure our troops didn't mishear them? Is the hero actually even strong? You didn't misread did you Helgena.」

「Among light mages, he's exalted as the strongest of them all. Also excelling at swordsmans.h.i.+p, he received the t.i.tle of being the army's commander.」

「Did they think I could be killed by a commander cla.s.s personnel…」

— It's unpleasant.

Avant listlessly gazed to the west - in the direction of the Athena Empire.

— If the 「Hero」actually makes it here, I'm definitely going to hara.s.s him.

After swearing in his heart, he returned his gaze to Helgena.

「It'll be annoying if this 「Hero party」wounds our soldiers. During their journey, I forbid any of our troops from interfering with them. Let them come to the castle unharmed.」

「What… ? 」

Helgena furrowed his eyebrows. Avant continued without noticing it at all.

「Moreover, before they arrive at the castle, call off all the guards. Even the royal guards for the throne room, before the hero party arrives, call them off as well.」

Helgena swift stood up while extremely perplexed.

「Please wait! That's too excessive, we're going to be beyond defenseless! I can't allow for your majesty to get injured, even by chance! 」

Avant returned a suspicious gaze and then reluctantly complied.

「Fine, I will permit at most two guards to be with me.」

「I won't allow it! You must have at least five of the royal guards with you, please issue the command! 」

「– Quiet. Just who do you think I am.」

His crimson red eyes, burned with irritation. Receiving the glare, Helgena lost his words and turned pale.

Diurnal Empire's king, Avant - called the jet black magician, he was the general of the Diurnal royal army.

Trained in swordsmans.h.i.+p as a child, his strength had no equal. Even now, there was none that rivaled him in martial arts, and even in magic he was peerless.

At the inaugurations - silencing the conceited mages, his technique was very simple.

If they won't listen, they'll be killed - was all he threatened them with.

No matter how defiant the mages can be, in the face of a death sentence from the king, they immediately became docile.

To a certain extent, Avant was truly a 「Demon King, 」reigning over the entirety of the Diurnal Empire.

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