The elves recoiled at my words, their faces masks of shock.
A few surged to their feet, their rage palpable. They had come here clinging to a desperate hope, only to be told that I would only save them if they became my slaves. To them, it must have felt as if their last shred of hope had been ground into the dust.
Their fury was only natural.
However, in this moment, such emotions were merely an obstacle. Should they choose to strike, I would have no choice but to retaliate, and it would be a pity to slaughter them all here.
Detecting a secret incantation beginning in the back, I cast Silence Magic to rob the caster of their voice. When others notched arrows to their bows, I bound their arms with Magic Chains.
Since I had refrained from taking their lives, there was no cause for concern.
Ignoring the commotion, I addressed the elves with cold solemnity.
"I have no inherent obligation to aid your kind. I would be pitting myself against the Empire. It is only natural that I require compensation."
"And that compensation... is the subservience of the elves...?" the Acting Chief asked, her voice pained.
Faced with a demand so difficult to stomach, she was clearly wavering. I pressed on, speaking to the now-despondent group.
"I care little if the Empire overruns the Forest of the World Tree. It matters nothing to the Demon King's Domain. This offer is born of a mere whim."
It was a ruthless assessment, but a factual one. While it was irritating to think of the Empire monopolizing the forest and its people, leaving them to their fate wouldn't cause any immediate issues for me. If the Empire became too emboldened, I could simply crush them later. There was no practical reason for me to play the savior.
That was the conclusion I had reached from my position as the Demon King.
"If you submit to me, I will crush the Empire's Army. I will pile their corpses high until they form a mountain of tens of thousands."
Simply rescuing the elven race would compromise my role as the World's Evil. I would be known as a Demon King who took the side of demi-humans. However, if I were protecting my own property, the story changed.
They would be mine. If a third party tried to seize what belonged to me, it was only natural to intervene. I wasn't saving them because they were elves; I was protecting my possessions. Framed that way, there was no contradiction.
Furthermore, by saving the elves, I would simultaneously secure the Forest of the World Tree. The fact that the Demon King had seized a land overflowing with Holy Power would strike even greater terror into the hearts of humanity. This aligned perfectly with my established goals.
Beyond that, it would purely bolster the military power of the Demon King's Army. Elves were masters of the bow and Spirit Power. Bringing them under my command would significantly expand my strategic options.
Currently, the vast majority of my forces were mindless undead. Aside from the small contingent of monsters Luciana had brought, I lacked living subordinates. I had been looking for a way to rectify that, and this was an ideal opportunity. As a race, the elves were more than qualified.
I had already planned to invade the Empire eventually. They were the masterminds who had incited the smaller nations to attack the Demon King's Domain. My spies had already secured evidence, and the Empire was currently occupying portions of those fallen territories. They were shadows moving in the dark, driven by an insatiable selfishness.
They were a nation the future world did not need. In fact, they could be described as a festering wound.
I had always intended to deal them a major blow. If that timeline was moved up to accommodate the elves, so be it. No matter the outcome, I stood to lose nothing.
"...If we submit, will the tribe truly be saved?" the Acting Chief asked, her voice filled with hesitation.
Her resolve was clearly beginning to bend. The other elves stirred, but none dared to voice an objection. They understood their position and remained silent observers.
I answered her directly.
"Of course. You have my word. However, you should consider how the world will perceive the elves of the World Tree from this day forward."
"What... what do you mean?"
"For all eternity, you will be remembered as the race that fell into the hands of the Demon King. The elves of the Forest of the World Tree will undoubtedly be branded as lowly demons. You will be marked as those who chose the path of heresy out of a desperate fear for your lives, and that is a stain that will never be wiped away. Can the proud elves endure such humiliation?"
"..."
The Acting Chief fell silent.
It was a question that required immense resolve. She was likely weighing the pride of her race against their very survival. No matter which she chose, the price was high.
"Will you wager your lives and face the Empire alone? Or will you accept the infamy of the Demon King’s subservient race to ensure your certain survival? It is one or the other. If neither option pleases you, I am perfectly willing to personally destroy the elves myself."
"P-please, give us a little time! I must return to the forest and consult the others... I cannot speak for the whole tribe—"
"No," I cut her off. "I will not wait. Choose here and now. I will take your answer as the consensus of your people."
My demand was harsh, but necessary. There was no time for committees. The Empire's Army was invading the forest even as we spoke.
"Ugh... nngh..."
The Acting Chief groaned in agony, sweat beading on her forehead.
She was carrying the fate of her entire race on her shoulders. It was a burden no one should have to bear alone, but she had to announce her will to the Demon King here.
A heavy silence hung over us. The other elves watched with bated breath. I said nothing more; the decision was hers and hers alone.
After a long, agonizing wait, she finally spoke.
"—We, the elven race, swear our subservience to the current Demon King."
"That is your answer, then? For all elves?"
"Yes..."
The Acting Chief nodded firmly.
Between the Empire's slaughter and the Demon King's rule, she had chosen the latter. She had prioritized survival over pride.
It was a bitter choice, but undoubtedly a wise one. I felt no disdain for her; in fact, I praised her resolve in my heart.
Once the decision was made, things would move quickly. The Empire's Army was likely closing in on the forest at this very moment. We had to move.
I turned to the elves, who were still reeling from the weight of their submission, and spoke with clinical efficiency.
"You are now my property. I will now begin the arrangements to slaughter the Empire's Army."
First, I would return to the Royal Capital to brief Grom and Luciana. Then, I would assemble the army to be dispatched to the Forest of the World Tree. Henry had been looking bored lately; he would likely jump at the chance to join the fray.
With that, victory was all but assured. I would be heading there myself, so there was no possibility of defeat.
Thinking on it, crushing the Empire's Army here was a sound move. Annihilating the military of such a powerful nation would send shockwaves through the neighboring countries. It was the perfect way to announce the expansion of the Demon King’s Domain.
I would be hated by both the elves and the Empire, but I didn't care. That was exactly what I had desired from the beginning.
To be the enemy of all—that was the ideal form of a Demon King.
I was certain I was not mistaken.
Activating my teleportation magic, I vanished, taking the elves with me.