Bribed by the Demon Lord Right Before the Ending

Just before the ending, I was bought off by the Demon King 1-250 (Complete) 19+ [Titch]

■ Betrayal □

On the eve of the final battle, the Demon King seated on his throne spoke to me.

“What do you say! Grand Mage Caldlasth! If you betray humanity here and now and join my side, I’ll give you half of this world!”

“…What?”

“Cut the crap! Do you really think he’d fall for such a sugar-coated offer?”

That outburst came from the hero, a fool for justice.

The warrior and sage standing nearby gave hints for me to quickly agree, but I couldn’t help but be conflicted because the Demon King’s offer was incredibly tempting.

Isn’t it?

Half of the world?

A fifty-fifty split?

This is something a commoner like me could never achieve in a lifetime of hard work.

My overpowered brain, which became excessively high-performing after reincarnating into this other world, began rapidly calculating the cost-benefit analysis.

But no matter how I thought about it, this wasn’t a fair game.

Becoming a lackey of the Demon King and receiving half the world

vs

Sticking with the Hero and inheriting the Kingdom’s Magic Tower

After much deliberation, I made my decision.

“Bind.”

As soon as I muttered the incantation, rings of light appeared on the limbs of my comrades, with whom I had shared hardships for about a year while walking to the Demon King’s Castle, binding them.

“Hey! You crazy bastard!”

“How can you betray us!”

“Caldlasth, we trusted you!”

I casually glanced at the faces of my former colleagues and shrugged.

“Ho ho, watch your words. Who’s Caldlasth? From now on, I am Partarth, a loyal servant of Lord Nero the Demon King.”

Caldlasth died during this expedition.

For the sake of a comfortable retirement, I was more than willing to discard my previous identity.

I approached Lord Nero, rubbing my hands together like a sycophant.

Nero, who had been watching all this unfold live before his eyes, blinked repeatedly in bewilderment, then suddenly burst out laughing maniacally.

“Ho, hohoho! Indeed, I am the master! To dissolve the Hero Party with mere sweet talk—excellent! Hero Arthurius!”

I cautiously asked the laughing Nero.

“Um… My Lord? Was that offer you just made genuine?”

“Of course! How could I possibly regret gaining the allegiance of Grand Mage Caldlasth, the powerhouse of the Hero Party?”

“Then please sign at the bottom of this scroll with your own hand. Verbal contracts are somewhat unreliable, you see.”

As I said this, I pulled out a Geers Scroll from within my robes and extended it towards him. The joyful expression on Nero’s face immediately stiffened.

“T-this?”

“Yes. Once you sign, the talented individual you desire will officially join your ranks.”

Imagining the rosy future ahead, I grinned broadly. Nero carefully read the penalty clause for contract termination written on the Geers Scroll, then hesitantly asked with a cautious look on his face.

“N-now that I think about it, giving away half the world might have been an exaggeration… How about we renegotiate our salary first?”

“Surely, the great ruler of the Demon Tribe isn’t going back on your word?”

“Grrr…”

As I once again pushed the scroll towards his nose, Nero groaned, seemingly due to his pride, but eventually signed his name in the signature field with gusto.

“Fine! So what if it is! Once world domination is complete, I’ll carve off a piece and give it to you!”

“Indeed, my Lord! You are truly generous!”

Since he would become my superior from now on, I diligently flattered him and turned to my former comrades with an apologetic tone.

“I sincerely apologize. Hero-sama.”

“C-Caldlasth! How could you do this to me!”

“Well, well, you should have been more careful. It’s one thing with the warrior and sage, but did you really have to mess with the cleric who took a vow of chastity? Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

The inappropriate relationship between the hero and the female party members has long been a cliché of fantasy, but as the only other male in the party, it was rather embarrassing.

Every time we visited a village, I had to visit the brothel to relieve my pent-up desires, whereas the hero freely indulged with the attractive party members whenever he pleased.

Is the party some kind of Baskin Robbins?

“Anyway, since things have come to this, enjoy your stay in the underground prison of the Demon King’s Castle. I’ll visit occasionally.”

As I said this and turned away heartlessly, the hero shouted my name with a face red with anger.

“Caldlasthuuuuuuu!!!!”

Hesitating-

I stopped mid-step while approaching my Lord and turned my head slightly to speak.

“Ho ho, it’s Partarth now.”

Did our hero not read fairy tale books as a child?