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

Chapter 91: The Little Creatures of the Swamp...

Mud clung to everyone’s boots, making each step a little harder than the last.

The swamp air was thick, humid, and reeked of rotting vegetation.

Ahead of the group stood the abandoned church.

Its walls were covered in moss, roots pierced through the stone, the windows had long since shattered, and the massive cross atop the roof leaned to one side, as though it could collapse at any moment.

Nox walked at the front.

He still carried several wounds from his battle against Gabriel, yet he continued forward without slowing.

Behind him, Tessa walked with one hand resting on Claws.

From time to time, small golden Phoenix flames flickered into existence, continuing to heal the giant bear’s wounds.

Misty still limped slightly.

Dawn kept one hand on the hilt of her katana, just in case.

Audrey constantly scanned the trees.

And Catherine looked especially nervous.

Then...

Rustle...

Something moved inside the bushes.

Claws immediately raised his head.

"Grrrr..."

Another sound.

Rustle...

Rustle...

Nox stopped.

The entire group did the same.

The demon took a deep breath before raising his voice.

"Come out."

Silence.

"If you’re going to attack us..."

He smiled.

"...then do it head-on."

Dawn immediately turned toward him.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting."

"We’re not in any condition to fight."

The princess looked at the group.

"We barely survived Saint Gabriel."

Nox nodded calmly.

"I know."

"Then..."

"Trust me."

Dawn frowned.

"Do you actually know what you’re doing?"

Nox smiled.

"More or less."

◇◆◇

Several seconds passed.

Then...

Several small figures slowly emerged from the mud.

They were all tiny humanoids.

Their skin was completely blue.

Small white horns protruded from their heads.

Their bodies were covered in mud, and they barely reached Nox’s knees.

The little creatures stared at the group with overwhelming curiosity.

They didn’t seem hostile.

Just...

Curious.

Claws growled again.

"Grrrr..."

Audrey gently rested a hand on his massive head.

"Easy."

The bear obeyed immediately.

Nox stepped forward.

Then...

He knelt down.

Dawn’s eyes widened.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to show them we didn’t come here to fight."

The little creatures immediately began whispering among themselves.

One of them cautiously stepped forward.

Eventually, it stopped right in front of Nox.

Slowly, it raised both arms.

The demon tilted his head.

"...What do you want?"

No one answered.

Until Catherine spoke.

"I think..."

Everyone looked at her.

"...it wants to touch your horns."

Nox blinked.

"My horns?"

The cat girl nodded.

"It seems really interested."

The demon smiled.

"Well..."

He lowered his head a little further.

"Go ahead."

The tiny creature placed both hands on one of Nox’s horns.

It slowly felt its shape.

Then it touched its own horns.

It reached for Nox’s again.

Then back to its own.

As if comparing them.

Nox couldn’t help but laugh.

"What a curious little creature."

The little blue being let out a delighted squeak.

Then it began saying something incomprehensible.

The other creatures reacted immediately.

And they all ran toward Nox.

◇◆◇

Less than ten seconds later, the demon was completely surrounded.

Some of the little creatures hugged his legs.

Others touched his boots.

Several remained fascinated by his horns.

And every single one of them repeated the exact same word.

"Aude!"

"Aude!"

"Aude!"

"Aude!"

Nox blinked several times.

"...What’s going on?"

Tessa summoned her spear.

"If you want, I can eliminate them."

Audrey and Catherine burst into laughter.

"I don’t think that’ll be necessary."

Audrey said.

Felix emerged from Catherine’s body.

The little spirit cat floated around Nox.

Then he looked at the tiny beings and spoke.

"I think I figured out what they’re saying."

Nox raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I think they believe you’re..."

He hesitated for a moment.

"...their father."

Silence filled the swamp.

Then Audrey shook her head.

"More like..."

She looked at the little creatures.

"...they’re worshiping you."

The huntress watched as every single one pointed at Nox’s horns.

"They think you’re some kind of god."

Nox froze.

Then...

A huge smile slowly spread across his face.

’...This.’

He looked at all the tiny creatures surrounding him.

’This is so much better than I expected.’

◇◆◇

The little creatures continued hugging him.

Nox crouched down even further.

One of them even climbed onto one of his feet and sat there.

Misty smiled.

"They’re adorable."

Catherine immediately nodded.

"They really are."

Dawn crossed her arms.

Then she looked at Nox.

"Well."

She smiled.

"Looks like you’re the mother of all these little blue guys now."

Nox burst into laughter.

"I’d rather be the Demon Lord."

Then he turned toward Audrey.

"Can you talk to them?"

The huntress hesitated for a few seconds.

"I can try."

"Perfect."

Nox pointed at the creatures.

"Tell them to stop calling me... whatever they’re calling me."

"And what do you want them to call you?"

The demon smiled.

"Demon Lord."

Everyone raised an eyebrow.

"That’s it?"

Misty asked.

"No."

Nox raised one finger.

"And explain..."

His smile grew even wider.

"...that I came here to conquer these lands."

Audrey let out a long sigh.

"I knew you were going to say something like that."

◇◆◇

The huntress slowly approached one of the little creatures.

It immediately hid behind Nox.

Audrey smiled warmly.

"Don’t be afraid."

She crouched down.

"We’re friends."

The little creature looked at her.

Then answered with several strange noises.

Audrey began responding.

For several minutes...

No one understood a single thing.

The only sounds that could be heard were incredibly bizarre.

"Aude."

"Krrrk."

"Bli."

"Aude."

Even Nox started wondering if Audrey was simply improvising.

Eventually, the huntress returned to the group.

"I think I understood most of it."

Nox raised an eyebrow.

"Tell us."

Audrey pointed at the little creatures.

"They’re called Peeks."

The tiny creatures proudly raised their arms.

"Aude!"

"They survive by hunting together."

She continued.

"But..."

Her expression became slightly more serious.

"Not long ago, a monster attacked their village."

Misty’s smile disappeared.

"And?"

"These are some of the ones who managed to escape."

She looked down at the muddy ground.

"They’ve been hiding here ever since."

Catherine lowered her gaze.

"Then..."

"Yes."

Audrey replied.

"They’re completely lost."

The group fell silent.

The Peeks continued hugging Nox’s legs, completely unaware of the conversation.

The demon watched the little creatures for several long seconds.

Then he smiled.

"Perfect."

Everyone looked at him.

"Perfect?"

Dawn asked.

Nox nodded.

"They know Mireveil."

He pointed at the Peeks.

"We don’t."

He looked around.

"They need protection."

Then pointed at himself.

"And we need allies."

Misty slowly smiled.

"That..."

Catherine finished the sentence.

"...is actually a really good idea."

Nox nodded.

"They know the paths. The dangerous areas. Where to hunt. Where to hide. Where to live."

He looked back at Audrey.

"Tell them I want to form an alliance."

The huntress walked back over to the Peeks.

She spoke with them for quite a while.

The little creatures became more and more excited.

Until finally...

They all raised their arms at the same time.

"AUDE!"

"AUDE!"

"AUDE!"

"AUDE!"

Then they pointed at Nox and started jumping around him.

Audrey returned, laughing.

"They accepted."

Nox smiled in satisfaction.

"Perfect."

He looked at the old abandoned church.

Then at the swamp.

And finally at the tiny blue creatures.

"Then..."

He took a deep breath.

"They’ll be the first inhabitants of our empire."

The Peeks didn’t understand exactly what that meant.

But they looked happy anyway.