The Heroes Who Executed Me Are Obsessed With Me

—Geshkafor.

—I’m counting on you to carry on after me.

“Gah?!”

Geshkafor jolted upright in shock.

“Just a dream… huh.”

Copetal, one of the former Four Generals. It was he who had taken Geshkafor in when he was shivering in the barren north, born into nothing but frost and cold.

Crack.

Before the Demon King appeared, Copetal had even suggested cooperation with the humans who bordered their lands—out of sheer desperation to survive in the wastelands.

But what he received in return were blades and spears. The humans who ruled the North—especially their leader, Selvaro—saw demons as nothing more than irrational beasts.

And to be fair, that view wasn’t entirely wrong. Demons were born for battle, after all.

Precisely because of that, however, Copetal had done everything he could. He had attempted what no ordinary demon would have considered.

In the end, his proposal was rejected and blood was spilled. It was that betrayal which ignited his fury and led him to become one of the Four Generals.

—If I’m gone, then take my place.

That foolish request echoed in Geshkafor’s mind, and he clenched his fist tightly once more.

“Take his place, my ass.”

If someone half-witted was sitting on the throne of the Demon King, he’d beat him down and restore order among the demons himself.

He wasn’t afraid of a war with humans. Just like Copetal had once believed, Geshkafor had faith in his own ability.

‘Stupid… I got taken down like a fool.’

He didn’t even get a proper fight against the Demon King. Everything had gone sideways when that woman, Athanasia, interfered.

‘She was strong.’

She had overwhelmed him without even laying a finger on him, knocking him unconscious. She wasn't Copetal, but she had crushed someone deemed his successor.

‘I don’t get it.’

Where had Clay even found someone like her? However strong she was, it was clear Clay had a real talent for recruitment. If he even got Beatrice to join him, there was no more to be said.

“You’re awake?”

Startled by the voice, Geshkafor snapped his head to the side. There stood a small girl with twin-tails.

“W-what?!”

As he fully rose, Geshkafor finally realized that his wrists and ankles were shackled.

“What is this now?!”

“What do you think? It’s to keep you from rampaging around.” The girl introduced herself, “I’m Lin. A Magical Scholar. I mostly conduct forbidden research…”
“What?”

“Kehehehe!”

Just then, another voice cut in.

“Knew it. Trying to dig around in his head without me, were you?”

A hulking figure approached with a lumbering gait, stitches covering his massive body like he’d been sewn together.

“The Demon King told us to work together.”

“Ugh, seriously.”

Lin grimaced at the sound of his voice.

“Gross! Stay away from me!”

“Kheheheh. You saying that only makes me want to torment you more.”

“Yaaaah!”

As the two chased and fled from one another, Geshkafor watched, dumbfounded.

“What the hell is going on here…?”

Clunk.

Suddenly, the door swung open and another figure appeared.

“You’re awake.”

It was the figure of death itself.

The Demon King who hadn’t fought him properly—Clay—had returned.

“Demon King!”

Geshkafor immediately shouted in fury.

“How shameless of you to win like that!”

“Shameless?”

“Yeah! You brought in someone else, didn’t you?!”

At that, Clay gave a slight nod.

“Not entirely wrong.”

“So you do understand words! Then—”

“And what do you want me to do about it?”

Clay tilted his head with a questioning look, causing Geshkafor to frown.

“What?”

“I asked what you expect me to do about it.”

Clay’s face was devoid of expression. Geshkafor found himself momentarily speechless.

He finally came to his senses and opened his mouth to respond, but Clay spoke first.

“Geshkafor. I don’t waste time on fools who can’t comprehend things.”

He stepped forward until he was right in Geshkafor’s face.

The sheer pressure paralyzed Geshkafor. He couldn’t move a muscle.

“Athanasia came here thinking she could defeat me. What about you? Do you think you can beat her?”

That question left Geshkafor dumbstruck.

He had assumed Clay merely recruited Athanasia. But the way Clay spoke made it sound like he had subdued her himself.

Geshkafor almost laughed and snapped back at such nonsense, but he stopped.

Because Clay’s foot had landed atop his own.

“What the—gah?!”

Geshkafor screamed as he felt his foot being crushed under the weight.

Rumble—

Clay’s foot pressed in deeper, burying itself into the top of Geshkafor’s foot. Geshkafor twisted in agony and flailed his arms.

Even though he was shackled, the distance between them was so close that he managed to grab onto Clay.

‘He’s not even budging…!’

Like he was nailed to the ground, Clay didn’t move an inch.

All Geshkafor could do was scream and struggle to push him away.

“Get off! Get off me!”

Geshkafor pounded on Clay’s body. Realizing it was useless, he screamed with bloodshot eyes.

“F-fine! I yield! I lost!”

Only then—

Sshk.

Clay lifted his foot and stepped back.

Geshkafor, unable to support his body on his mangled foot, collapsed onto the floor.

“Kgh… guh, my foot…!”

Groaning in pain, he mumbled pitifully.

Nearby, Goltche the Butcher picked up a saw.

“If it hurts that much, we can just replace it. Kheheh.”

“Goltche.” Clay calmly reined him in, “Save your fun for later.”

“Yes, understood. Heheheh.”

With Goltche stepping back, Clay sat down beside the collapsed Geshkafor.

“Geshkafor.”

“……”

“Answer me.”

“Y-yeah.”

Smack!

Suddenly, Lin rushed over and smacked Geshkafor on the head.

“Still not coming to your senses?! How dare you talk so informally?!”

“S-sorry.” Geshkafor apologized reflexively.

“Geshkafor. I have a question.” Clay addressed him directly, “What’s the state of the North right now?”

“Huh? The s-state…?”

“Exactly what it sounds like.”

The North, already a barren and desolate land, had only barely been unified under Copetal’s influence.

Now that Copetal was no longer in the picture, the situation was obvious, but Clay wanted to confirm it himself.

“I’m asking if you succeeded Copetal and brought the North under control.”

“That is…” Geshkafor averted his gaze and answered after a pause, “No. I didn’t.”

“What a pathetic excuse for a demon.” Clay sneered at him, “Copetal entrusted you with that role, and this is all you could manage? To think you came after me without even securing the North first—you’re worse than a beast.”

Crack.

Even in his humbled state, Geshkafor couldn’t help but scowl at that remark.

“Good.”

But that reaction was exactly what Clay had been waiting for. He smiled.

“If you’re going to submit to me, you should at least have the pride to fulfill your duties.”

Then, he asked again.

“Now tell me everything you know about the North.”

♧

“Did Geshkafor really go to meet the new Demon King?”

“Copetal supposedly named him as his successor among the Four Generals. That’s probably why.”

“No way. He looked like he was ready to throw hands.”

The North buzzed with talk about the possibility of a battle between the Demon King and Geshkafor.

“Bet that new Demon King’s getting beat to a pulp right now.”

“Right? He looked fake as hell. Probably dead already.”

Most of the rumors were filled with mockery, predicting the Demon King would be reduced to rags.

Boom!

A distant explosion rang out somewhere, but the demons nearby only scoffed. Explosions were a daily occurrence in the North.

In fact, many stood up with excitement, hoping for some entertainment.

“Let’s go check it out. Maybe we can scavenge something.”

In the middle of chaos, no one cared if you knocked someone out from behind or rifled through their pockets.

As the demons moved toward the commotion—

KRAAAASH!

One demon came flying like a rock and slammed into the ground.

No—“came flying” didn’t even begin to describe it.

A mangled heap was embedded in a chunk of ice, its form so disfigured it was unrecognizable.

Every demon’s gaze turned to the same direction.

The border with Hanumayer.

“What the hell…”

Ever since the Hero’s death, even the soldiers of Hanumayer hadn’t crossed this boundary. So no one had been paying much attention.

“Sh-shit!”

“A knight from Hanumayer?!”

As the demons scrambled to ready for battle, a single figure emerged through the pale white mist.

“…What the?”

It was a woman.

Long white hair down to her waist. A tiny crown resting atop her head.

“Royalty?”

The moment someone muttered those words, the expressions of the demons changed.

“She’s Hanumayer royalty!”

“Royalty crossed the border!”

The demons of the North had long held a grudge against Hanumayer, which occasionally crossed the border to massacre demonkind.

And now, a seemingly delicate royal had come herself—likely leading knights in tow.

No one wanted to miss this opportunity.

“I’ll kill her! She’s mine!”

“Move! She’s mine!”

“I saw her first!”

The demons shoved one another aside as they charged toward the woman.

But they were far too complacent.

“How uncouth.”

The woman raised her palm with a look like she was gazing upon filth.

“This land isn’t fit to be ruled by him just yet.”

CRACK! SHATTER! CRUNCH!

Something materialized midair and flew straight into the charging demons.

“Gah?!”

Demons with gaping holes in their chests looked down in disbelief, only to realize too late what had hit them.

Ice blades.

When they looked up again, countless ice blades were swirling above the woman.

“Bloom, like flowers.”

CRUNCH! CRASH! SLASH-SLASH-SHATTER!

Dozens of ice blades impaled the demons before they could even scream.

“G-gyaaaah!”

“Run!”

Flowers of ice blades continued to bloom.

And bloom.

And bloom again—

Until finally,

“……”

Silence.

“…Still doesn’t feel like I’ve fully recovered my strength.”

She had reached this place not with knights, but completely alone. Clenching her small hand into a fist, she muttered,

“If I want to recover before he arrives, I’ll need to make this land my own.”

With that firm resolution, she nodded decisively.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

Sheets of ice spread out beneath her feet.

“S-s-spare me…”

One remaining demon tried to crawl away, but was caught and instantly frozen beneath the advancing ice.

CRUNCH!

She stepped forward and crushed the frozen demon’s head beneath her heel.

“You dared to insult him? The one who promised to marry me?”

Hssssss—

As the land turned into a frozen wasteland, she stared off into the distance.

“I’ll take care of the trash.”

Her voice dripped with frost.

“There’s no need for soldiers. I’ll be enough.”

(End of Chapter)