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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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With the final battle looming, the Demon Lord, seated upon his throne, addressed me.
“What do you say, Archmage Kaldrash? Betray humanity now, join forces with me, and I’ll give you half of this world!”
“…What?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Do you think he’ll fall for such a flimsy trick?!”
That outburst came from the righteous fool, the Hero.
The Warrior and Sage standing beside him gave me pointed looks, urging me to agree with them. However, I found the Demon Lord’s offer incredibly tempting, and couldn’t help but feel conflicted.
I mean, come on.
Half the world?
Split down the middle?
Something a commoner like me could never obtain even after a lifetime of back-breaking labor?
My mind, unnecessarily enhanced after my reincarnation into this world, quickly began calculating the pros and cons.
But no matter how I thought about it, this was a no-brainer.
Become the Demon Lord’s lackey and receive half the world
vs.
Kiss the Hero’s ass and inherit the kingdom’s magic tower
After careful consideration, I made up my mind.
“Bind.”
As soon as I muttered the activation word, rings of light appeared, binding the limbs of my companions who had journeyed with me to the Demon Lord’s castle for the past year.
“Hey! You madman!”
“How could you betray us?!”
“We trusted you, Kaldrash!”
I glanced at the faces of my former colleagues, then shrugged.
“Now, now. Watch your language. Who’s Kaldrash? From now on, I’m Patrasche, the right-hand man of Demon Lord Nero.”
Kaldrash had died on this expedition. For the sake of a comfortable retirement, I could easily discard my previous identity.
Rubbing my hands together obsequiously, I approached Demon Lord Nero.
Nero, who had witnessed this entire spectacle live, blinked in disbelief, then, belatedly grasping the reality of the situation, erupted into uproarious laughter.
“Ha, hahahaha! As expected of me! To dismantle the hero’s party with mere sweet talk! Serves you right, Hero Artorius!”
I cautiously addressed the laughing Demon Lord.
“Um… Demon Lord? The offer you just made… that was real, right?”
“Of course! Why would I refuse the Archmage Kaldrash, the powerhouse of the hero’s party, offering to become my right hand?”
“Then, if you could just sign your name at the bottom of this scroll, please. Verbal agreements make me a little uneasy.”
As I said this, I presented the Geass Scroll I had pulled from my pocket. Nero’s gleeful expression froze.
“Th-this…?”
“Yes. Just sign here, and the talent you desire will be enlisted in your ranks.”
As I smiled, imagining my rosy future, the Demon Lord carefully read the penalties for breach of contract written on the Geas Scroll. Then, with a hesitant expression, he asked,
“W-well, on second thought, giving you half the world seems a bit excessive. How about we renegotiate your salary?”
“Surely the great ruler of the Demon race isn’t going back on his word?”
I pushed the scroll forward again. The Demon Lord groaned, perhaps wounded by the blow to his pride, but then signed his name with a flourish.
“Fine! What the hell! After the world conquest is complete, I’ll give you half!”
“As expected of the Demon Lord! So magnanimous!”
Now that he was my future boss, I diligently flattered him before turning to my former companions with a look of feigned regret.
“So, sorry about this, Hero.”
“K-Kaldrash! How could you do this to me?!”
“Well, maybe you should have toned down the womanizing. The Warrior and Sage, I can understand, but even the Priestess who took a vow of chastity? Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
The Hero’s inappropriate relationships with the female party members were practically a fantasy cliché, but as one of only two men in the party, I found it irritating. While I had to visit brothels in every town we passed through to relieve my pent-up desires, the Hero could pick and choose from the attractive party members whenever he felt like it.
The party wasn’t Baskin-Robbins, for crying out loud.
“Anyway, this is how it is. Enjoy your stay in the Demon Lord’s dungeon. I’ll come visit sometimes.”
As I turned away, the Hero, his face red with rage, shouted my name.
“KALDRASHHHHHHH!!!!”
I paused.
I turned my head slightly and said,
“Ahem, it’s Patrasche.”
Didn’t our Hero read any fairy tales as a child?
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Wait doesn’t this have a pornwha that got rushed and axed or something?
Yes
I mean… it’s a good offer right?
Wait a minute, this is the novel of the Pornwha, I remember reading the first chapter.
Yes
He wouldn’t just give him a plot of land and call it half of this world would he?