From Trash to Demon Lord: I Can Turn Heroines Into Villainesses

Chapter 103: The Swamp Hunters...

The Phoenix’s golden flames slowly enveloped Yuri’s side.

The woman took a deep breath.

For the first time since the battle, the burning pain was beginning to fade.

The mud-covered men watched the scene without taking their eyes off the demon.

No one lowered their weapons, because no one truly trusted him.

They simply...

Waited.

The man with the axe took a step forward.

"What are you doing to her?"

His voice was tense.

Nox didn’t even look up.

"Healing her."

"And what if it’s some kind of curse?"

Yuri closed her eyes for a few seconds.

Then she smiled.

"No..."

She slowly moved one of her arms.

"...the pain is disappearing."

The man with the axe froze.

Nox kept the flames going for a few more seconds.

The black burns caused by his own daggers slowly faded until they disappeared completely.

Her skin was flawless once again.

Nox slowly withdrew his hand.

"I’m sorry."

Yuri looked at him in surprise.

"What?"

"For attacking you."

He scratched the back of his head.

"I thought you were monsters."

The woman let out a quiet laugh.

"And we thought exactly the same thing about you."

They both ended up smiling.

◇◆◇

"Help Nash!"

A shout echoed from another platform, and everyone turned their heads.

Inside a house built atop another tree, several men surrounded the hunter who had been shot by the Ashbringer.

They were making him drink some kind of greenish liquid.

"He’s not responding!"

"It must be some kind of curse!"

"Bring more herbs!"

Nox raised his voice slightly.

"Don’t worry!"

Everyone looked at him.

"The effects should wear off soon."

The men exchanged uncertain glances.

One of them answered with obvious suspicion.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I’m the one who shot him."

Silence spread once more.

Nash was still clutching his head.

"Everything keeps spinning..."

"You see?"

Nox raised both hands.

"He’s already getting better."

◇◆◇

The old man rested both hands on his staff and carefully studied Nox.

"Out of curiosity..."

His voice remained calm.

"...who exactly are you?"

Nox smiled.

The old man slowly shook his head.

"I’ve never seen a creature like you."

He stepped closer.

"You look like a Little One."

His eyes drifted to Nox’s black horns.

"But bigger."

Then he looked at his reddish skin.

"And considerably..."

"...redder."

Several of the men chuckled.

Nox laughed as well.

"Well..."

He pointed at his chest.

"I’m a demon."

Everyone present froze.

"More specifically..."

He smiled.

"...the new Demon Lord of Mireveil."

The man with the axe immediately raised his weapon.

"I knew you were up to no good!"

The others tensed as well.

But before anyone could move...

Yuri slowly stood up, stretched both arms, twisted her torso, and then smiled.

"...It doesn’t hurt anymore."

Everyone looked at her.

The woman gave a small hop.

Her side had healed completely.

Not a single burn remained on her skin.

Yuri turned toward Nox.

"You were telling the truth."

"Always."

She lowered her head slightly.

"Thank you."

Then she looked at everyone else.

"I’m sorry about earlier."

She scratched the back of her head.

"We thought you were prey."

Nox burst into laughter.

The man with the axe still refused to lower his weapon.

Nox decided to speak before things escalated again.

"I didn’t come here to hurt anyone."

He gestured around him.

"I don’t want any trouble either."

Then he took a deep breath.

"And I certainly don’t intend to force you to become my servants."

Everyone looked confused.

Nox continued.

"I just want you to know one thing."

His voice became firm.

"I’m going to build an empire here."

He pointed toward the forest.

"In Mireveil."

The man with the axe snorted.

"So?"

"And if these lands become part of my empire..."

Nox smiled.

"...then they’ll also be under my protection."

No one answered immediately.

The old man was the first to break the silence, letting out a soft laugh.

"That sounds nice."

Nox raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"But I don’t think we need protection."

He rested both hands on his staff again.

"We’ve lived here for generations."

He looked toward the forest.

"Hunting. Surviving. We’ve never had any major problems."

Nox slowly nodded.

"That’s good."

Then he remembered something.

"I thought you were Marauders."

Several people laughed, including Yuri.

"No."

She shook her head.

"The Swamp Marauders are something else."

"Something else?"

"Yes."

She pointed toward the darkest part of the forest.

"They live much deeper inside. Where sunlight barely exists. They only come out at night, and no one knows exactly how many of them there are."

Nox immediately remembered the masks.

’So... the real Marauders are even farther ahead?’

That only made him even more curious.

Just then...

"Aude."

"Aude."

Soft noises began coming from inside Nox’s coat.

Three tiny blue heads peeked out from his pockets.

The man with the axe jumped backward.

"Little Ones!"

The others looked just as surprised.

Nox chuckled.

"You can come out now."

The three Little Ones immediately jumped down onto the platform.

They proudly walked around the demon.

As if they were showing everyone that they belonged to him.

The old man watched the scene with curiosity.

"What are they doing with you?"

Nox crossed his arms.

"They were the first inhabitants of Mireveil to accept my protection."

The Little Ones immediately began pointing at Nox while happily repeating,

"Aude."

"Aude."

"Aude."

Nox smiled.

"They also agreed to become part of my empire."

The old man laughed.

"Then maybe you really are an evolved Little One."

Several people burst into laughter.

Even Nox.

"It’s not the first time someone has compared me to them."

◇◆◇

The atmosphere had completely relaxed.

Weapons were slowly lowered.

The man with the axe was still suspicious.

But he no longer seemed ready to attack.

Nox decided to take advantage of the moment.

"Back to the matter at hand."

He looked at the old man.

"I’d like to speak with your leader."

The old man raised an eyebrow.

"What for?"

"I want to propose an alliance."

The man with the axe answered immediately.

"No."

He pointed toward the forest.

"You’d better leave."

But Yuri stepped forward.

"No."

Everyone looked at her, and she smiled.

"I’ll take him."

"What?"

The man with the axe asked.

"He just saved my life."

She replied.

"The least I can do is hear him out."

The old man remained silent for a few moments.

Then he finally smiled.

"Very well."

He looked at Nox.

"I wish you luck, Demon Lord."

He pointed deeper into the forest.

"If our chief decides to hear you out..."

His smile became a little more amused.

"...then that’s his business."

Yuri gestured for him to follow.

"Come with me."

Nox nodded.

The three Little Ones immediately ran after him.

As they began walking along the wooden walkways built high among the treetops...

Nox couldn’t help but smile.

He had come to Mireveil expecting to find nothing but monsters.

And yet...

He was already beginning to meet the first inhabitants of the lands where he intended to build his empire.