Chapter 46

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Chapter 46: Rescuing the Residents of Hillenbrand Town Is Our Duty

The mayor stood before the gathered townsfolk, a look of helplessness shadowing his weathered face.

He had once been a soldier—a fact he took pride in—but those days were twenty years behind him. Now, at sixty, with streaks of white running through his hair and beard, he was no longer the man he had been. Age had dulled the sharp edge of his youth, though a few scars and his still-impressive muscles hinted at a strength that set him apart from other elderly men.

But strength alone isn’t enough. He sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of his limitations.

The simple combat skills he had learned in his youth were long forgotten, buried beneath decades of peace and administrative duties. All he had left were fragmented memories and the faint echo of his adventures. Yet those adventures had not been without purpose—they had taught him much about the world, including rumors of the demon race and their terrifying power.

Those experiences had also humbled him. He understood clearly just how insignificant his official strength was on this vast and dangerous continent.

If I were truly powerful, he thought bitterly, I wouldn’t have allowed the magical beasts in the river to the west to wreak havoc. Nor would goblins and corroding mud monsters run rampant in the southern mountain forests.

But the mayor knew better than to entertain such thoughts for long. Even the nobles and the western frontline guards—those with far greater resources and power—couldn’t handle the Abyssal Demon. What could someone like me do against a threat like that?

All he could do was step forward, clear his throat, and say a few comforting words to the frightened residents of Hillenbrand Town.

“Residents of Hillenbrand,” he began, his voice steady but laced with weariness, “there is no need to panic. The demon race did not begin their campaign with slaughter, and they will not suddenly come to kill us now. Their goal is to conquer the land, not destroy it, so there is no reason for us to flee!”

Whether his words were true or not, the mayor didn’t know.

He had heard conflicting accounts over the years. Many powerful adventurers claimed, “Although demons are fierce by nature, they can actually communicate, unlike mindless magical beasts and monsters.” This stood in stark contrast to the Holy Alliance’s propaganda, which painted demons as “bloodthirsty humanoid magical beasts.”

But reality, as always, was more complicated.

There was a second part to that sentence, one the adventurers often added: “However, they are alien beings from the abyss. Even if they can communicate, they see the other races on our continent as nothing more than slaves or livestock.”

The mayor understood the grim truth. His efforts to comfort the residents were hollow because… escaping was utterly useless.

Ordinary humans simply cannot escape the clutches of the demon race. His thoughts grew darker. As for resisting, that’s just nonsense.

He recalled a chilling rumor he had heard during his adventuring days—back when the Abyssal Passage was still unstable. Even then, the weakest demons to slip through possessed the strength of a formal-ranked warrior or mage.

Even at my peak, I couldn’t have defeated one. The mayor clenched his fists at the memory. And those who run or resist? They’ll be the first to die.

He could only hope—no, pray—that whoever came from the demon race this time would be among the less cruel of their kind.

……

Not far away, two others shared the mayor’s concerns for the townsfolk: Tina and Isabella.

The two had been transported to this remote area along with the Torture Tower under Lolth’s instructions. For now, they were confined to the tower’s attic, where small windows offered a view of the surrounding landscape. It wasn’t long before they noticed the quiet little town nestled nearby.

To Tina and Isabella, the over two hundred residents of Hillenbrand Town had already become possessions of the despicable succubus, just as they had.

To a succubus, humans aren’t “subjects,” Tina thought bitterly, clutching the windowsill as she peered out.

Lolth’s choice of this remote town wasn’t due to any sense of moral restraint.

She doesn’t care about ruling over humans like some benevolent monarch.

No, Tina and Isabella were certain of her true intent. Lolth intended to transform the town into a living hell—an abyssal playground for her sadistic whims.

In this secluded and defenseless town, she would torment, transform, and enslave every single resident.

“Truly evil…” Tina muttered, her voice filled with disgust.

“Despicable succubus!” Isabella echoed, her tone bitter.

Both women imagined the same terrifying scenes, their minds painting vivid pictures of torment and despair. Sympathy and sadness for the helpless residents of Hillenbrand Town weighed heavily on their hearts.

If this town had fallen into the hands of another demon race… Tina thought, it might not have been so hopeless.

Other demon races would exploit the townsfolk, certainly, but their cruelty had limits. At most, they would drain the value of the common people while flaunting their superiority over the nobles. As high-ranking members of the Holy Alliance, Tina and Isabella understood that the Abyssal Demons’ ultimate goal was to conquer and rule the continent—not to wipe it out completely.

From their time as captives in the Demon King Castle, they had overheard enough to learn that even the demon races operated with purpose. As the Little Devil had mentioned during one of his conversations with Lolth, the western regions had been divided into “territories,” each controlled by a different legion or demon faction. These factions managed resources, collected taxes, and maintained industries to sustain their war efforts.

But Lolth… Lolth was entirely different.

This succubus didn’t care about legions, taxes, or even wealth. Her lifestyle was oddly frugal. She spent her days tending to the farm and the kitchen, living more like a leisurely noble than a ruler. Yet Tina and Isabella were certain this simplicity masked something far darker.

Lolth didn’t need a legion. She didn’t desire riches. Her interests were far more sinister.

“She’s obsessed with breaking the taboos of life,” Tina whispered, her voice trembling.

“She tempts souls to fall,” Isabella said, her face pale.

“And she revels in causing immense suffering to people!” they both concluded, a shiver running through them.

Lolth’s actions weren’t about ruling or profiting from Hillenbrand Town. To her, this place was nothing more than a personal playground—a remote corner of the world where she could transform lives into nightmares.