Chapter 150 – If You Tell Me This Isn’t a Demon in Disguise, I’ll Go Back and Be Demon Lord Myself!

Translation by: Weebsread👹

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“Haha… oh, gods… stop, I can’t—”

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Iresha was completely undone, laughter spilling from her lips. It took her more than a few moments and several steadying breaths to process exactly what Lin Wei had just proposed.

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“So—wait. You’re saying we simply leave now, and come back in a couple of days?”

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Honestly, Lin Wei’s suggestion was odd—if not outright bizarre.

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Oshu's heroes were the sorts of people Lin Wei normally had little reason to seek out. Yet, if he was putting forth the idea, he must have had his reasons.

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Still fighting off the remnants of her laughter, Iresha drew herself up, smoothing her composure with the practiced grace of a royal princess, and nodded decisively.

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“Very well. Since these buffoons have managed to amuse me so thoroughly today—”

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“I, as Crown Princess, will show mercy—for just this once—and overlook their earlier insolence. Let them cease their extortion in this village and depart; that shall suffice.”

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She turned, her tone sharpening into something cold and imperious. “Did you all hear me? Well? What are you standing around for? Take your men and leave this village—immediately!”

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Lin Wei wheeled to face the imperial officials, his own voice biting with a raw, thunderous fury.

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These two, for reasons utterly beyond him, had dared to intervene on behalf of mere peasants.

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Just because they carried lofty titles, they thought they could trample Duke Ous’s authority within his own domain.

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But on matters like these…

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For mere tax officers, there was simply nothing they could do.

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This princess—she even mocked Duke Ous’s lineage, brazen and without the slightest restraint.

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The laughter bursting from her lips was unfeigned and utterly scornful—scorn directed squarely at Duke Ous.

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Confronted with a noblewoman of such stature, backed by her formidable companion, it was no surprise the tax officer faltered. Even without knowing which kingdom the princess represented, he could read unmistakable confidence in her gaze—an aura that marked her as utterly untouchable.

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Especially, too, since… wasn’t she also a mage from the Hero’s Party?

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“I understand,” he said at last, voice stiff.

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Judging by their exchange, the princess and her companion intended to leave soon, unsettled by news of demons in the region. Such tidings would offer plenty of reassurance for the village; after this show of support, not one villager was likely to pay taxes ever again. If anything, they would hail these two as saviors.

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Weighing the situation and likely outcomes, the tax officer reached his conclusion: time to move to Plan B.

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“Since Her Highness is so resolute, it would be improper for me to press the matter further.”

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His smile was forced, his words practiced. “Let us do this, then: we will withdraw for today. Your Highness, if you should find yourself with the time and inclination, I hope you will grant us the honor of a discussion at the Governor’s Mansion.”

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To his mind, the villagers were already as good as dead.

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He swept his hand in the air, signaling his men. The soldiers fell into line, and in less than a minute, not one remained in the square.

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A heavy hush settled over the ruins.

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Lin Wei's gaze swept the village. The tax officer’s troop was truly gone.

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As for the villagers—apart from a handful whose professions had carried them to somewhere around Level 40, most were utterly ordinary, barely worth mentioning in terms of strength.

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For commoners, personal levels typically rose with age from ten years old, plateauing around Level 25 by adulthood.

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Whether they advanced further, though, depended on their daily work. Those without regular labor or active professions would even see their level decline as they grew older.

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So—a village full of folk clustered in the low thirties, level-wise.

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Early on, those of the mainstream races grew swiftly. But simple leveling up wasn’t nearly enough—for true strength demanded skill mastery, magic, or combat training. Without that, their fighting capabilities were pitiful at best.

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Villagers like these—against the scattered remnants of the demon armies, they wouldn’t stand a chance. Even a small, trained party of Level 50 adventurers could wipe them out completely with minimal effort.

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“Um, excuse me… Thank you so much, truly. Thank you, Your Highness, and, uh, kind sir—from the Hero’s party...”

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Lin Wei, deep in thought, looked up as one of the bolder villagers approached, visibly nervous but determined. Even though this pair didn’t look like villains, their noble bearing was daunting enough. But the memory of how they had just driven off the tax collector emboldened the man.

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The villagers glanced around, hesitated, and finally gathered their courage to voice their gratitude, one after another.

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“It’s quite all right,” Iresha answered with a faint smile.

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“I’m here because of the demon incursion I heard about.”

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“And with such bullies running wild, I could hardly stand by and do nothing.”

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If there was one thing every seasoned member of a Hero’s Party quietly relished, it was the simple pleasure of being thanked for justice well done.

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Seeing the villagers—the people she had just helped—bowing in heartfelt gratitude, Iresha permitted herself a soft, satisfied smile. There was a subtle pride in her bearing she could not conceal.

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“So, what really happened last night?” she continued lightly. “Did demons truly attack?”

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Let her enjoy her moment in the sun, Lin Wei decided. If the ever-proud mage wanted to bask in the afterglow of triumph for a bit longer, he was content to let her. At least, outwardly, he would address her as "Princess" for now.

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But inwardly, he turned keen and attentive, ready to grill the villagers in detail about what had transpired.

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That tax officer’s retreat—so abrupt, so absolute—had been all too convenient. Were he simply cowed by their display, he might have tried to bargain or delay. Yet he’d yielded at once, almost as if he had steeled himself in advance.

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Initially, Lin Wei had been seventy percent sure the demon attack story was a sham. After seeing this, his suspicions rose to ninety. The last ten percent, he reserved for the faint possibility that the Headless Horseman and Duke Ous were secretly in cahoots—a conspiracy possibly lurking somewhere within imperial territory even now.

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Prompted by his question, the villagers hurried to describe the previous night’s events.

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But confronted by nobility—by a princess, the woman that also rumored to be with the Hero’s Party—and still shaken by the memory of the chaos, most faltered. Their recollections tumbled out in a panicked heap; voices overlapped, stories diverged, fear and confusion mounting into a jumbled clamor.

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Lin Wei felt a headache coming on. Just as he prepared to shout for silence and organize their account one at a time—

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“Why don’t you let me explain instead?”

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A familiar voice drifted in from beyond the ring of villagers.

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“Ah, it’s Doctor Kinson!”

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“Doctor, how are the wounded faring over at the clinic?”

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“Has the worst passed? I heard Her Highness had already—”

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The moment they saw Kinson, the village doctor—still in his medicinal robes—the villagers latched onto him, their questions tumbling out.

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No one seemed to have forgotten what Lin Wei had told the tax collector moments before.

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“The injuries have all been treated and contained,” Kinson replied in his calm, reassuring way—the very answer everyone was desperate to hear.

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Facing Lin Wei, Kinson took a measured breath and gave a deep, grateful bow.

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“The medicine you gave us—everyone’s had a dose, and the results are remarkable. The wounds have stabilized.”

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“On behalf of the entire village, let me thank you both for everything. When the attack struck last night, I happened to be out fetching medicine, so I saw how it unfolded with my own eyes.”

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It was easier by far to have one calm voice speak than to untangle the villagers’ anxious shouting.

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Lin Wei let out a silent breath of relief and gestured for the doctor to continue.

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“Her Highness was happy to help,” Lin Wei said smoothly. “Now, can you describe exactly what happened last night? I’d also like to see the scene for myself.”

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“How about you explain as you lead us there?”

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The plaza was crowded and noisy—no place for proper investigation. Lin Wei’s suggestion was met with a ready nod from Kinson.

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“Of course, not a problem at all. Please, this way. I’ll show you where it happened and share everything I know.”

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As Lin Wei and Iresha set off, the villagers parted instinctively, opening a path. In minutes they left the bustling plaza behind, passing out beneath the looming shadows of the nearby mountains.

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Here, the devastation was starkest—just as it had been when they'd first reached the village. The earth was carpeted with blackened ash—the charred echoes of the previous night’s flames. Shattered beams and collapsed houses littered the ground. Ahead, what was left of fences lay splintered, fields trampled and churned, cellars bludgeoned open. Here and there, animal corpses remained, not yet cleared away.

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Even the ground itself recorded the carnage: deep gouges, compressed earth—a tale told in trampled mud, as though by horses or massive beasts. The traces, when pieced together, painted a scene of chaos and terror.

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“I was hiding just over there when the attack came,” Kinson said, pointing to a large boulder no more than a hundred meters from the village’s edge. He glanced back at his companions, steadied himself, and began his account.

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“I had just returned from gathering medicine in the hills. I was halfway down the mountain when I saw them: a band of armored figures—faces concealed in heavy cloaks and masks—charging into the village. Instantly, they began slaughtering everything in sight.”

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He paused, voice trembling as he relived it. “Some were massive, and I saw the glint of horns—demonfolk, I’m certain, from the frontier’s army. They looted everything—gold, supplies, livestock. They put homes to the torch, and anyone in their way was cut down without mercy.”

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“I waited there—ten minutes at least—unsure if I should risk slipping out for help. Then, just as I’d resolved to try, Lord Beran’s soldiers appeared and drove the attackers off. The rest… well, you can see the ruins for yourselves.”

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Demon soldiers, faces hidden, sweeping through the village with fire and blood—could it really have happened just last night?

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If the destruction were truly the work of a small demon raiding party, it wouldn’t have been unbelievable.

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Stray remnants of the demon armies—starving, desperate—certainly wouldn’t hesitate to plunder a human village.

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But the details… just from what the doctor described…

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As the former Demon Lord, there were so many discrepancies that leaped out at me, plain as day.

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“Demon soldiers don’t bother disguising themselves to raid a village.”

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“In fact, even if they wanted to, their builds don’t resemble humans—and spreading terror is practically a point of pride for them.”

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“Huh?”

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The certainty in my voice was that of someone who had studied the demonfolk their whole life—or, more accurately, led them. Iresha shot me a quick, searching look—then, suddenly, realization struck her too.

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“Oh, right! If it really was demonfolk, why would they try to hide?”

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“Raids are quick and brutal—no one lingers or takes time for masks. Someone would have noticed for sure!”

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“And one more thing: according to the doctor, the 'demon' band had barely arrived when the lord’s soldiers showed up—just in time to drive them off?”

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Every trace here had been cleaned of demonic presence—almost suspiciously well.

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Right then, as ex-Demon Lord, I pieced together all the evidence, and the conclusion was inescapable.

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I gave Iresha a long look; by now, my doubts had vanished. My suspicions hit a resounding hundred percent.

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“With the attitude that tax collector showed, do you actually believe the lord’s soldiers just happened on the scene at the perfect moment?”

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“Guards conveniently withdrawn—then a ‘demon raid’—then the guards ‘rescue’ everyone, only to immediately begin tax collection? Stack that many coincidences and only a fool would buy it.”

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“Duke Ous's men aren’t even trying to hide their scheme, are they?”

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The arrogance was so blatant it was almost laughable, as if they expected the world to play along with their charade purely because of the Duke’s power.

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This journey to the City-State of Brook, I realized, might resolve itself sooner than we'd thought.

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“Care to stir up a little real trouble with me, Lady Iresha?”

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The haughty young mage was still collecting herself from the last shock. Lin Wei grinned and made his proposal without a hint of hesitation.

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“How about we stage a grand rescue—the Battle to Save the Village?”