Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

News of the lost cities and defeated armies soon reached the capital's royal palace.

BAM

Ikarion slammed his fist on the conference table, golden hair whipping against the veins pulsing on his crimson forehead. His bloodshot eyes pierced the councillors and generals staring at their feet in shame.

But he inhaled, the fresh air cooling his mind. This was not the time for anger or recrimination—not with demons occupying the eastern part of his kingdom.

"Can someone explain how a thousand fiends and the weak remnants of Elden defeated us?" His fist trembled in suppressed anger over the table.

After his most trusted general reported the events, a deep furrow creased his brows as he knocked on the table pensively.

"Any suggestion to subdue them?"

"Crush them with an overwhelming number!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Many of the younger councillors nodded. What were a mere four thousand men when they could gather over ten times that number?

However, the oldest ones all shook their heads.

"They've set up ambush teams in the wilds to slow us down." Melarkos rose from his seat and swept his hand, his red cape fluttering behind him. "Do I need to remind you of their attacks on our defenseless cities? No! The answer isn't in aggression."

Everyone pondered his words as he turned to the king and met his gaze.

"I know you wish nothing more than to wash this humiliation in blood, my king. But we'll suffer unneeded losses. Bolster our defenses. Wait for them to strike, then send troops from other cities to pincer them."

Ikarion entangled his fingers before his parting mouth as his voice reverberated.

"Oikos never suffered such shame. But you're right, Melarkos. We must play by our rules, not theirs." He pushed himself off his seat, his heroic stature dwarfing everyone as his regal commands echoed. "Conscript soldiers and recall our Western armies. Focus on manufacturing equipment and cannons. Melarkos and the other generals, I want you to form elite teams to hunt down the ambushers and investigate their origins. I won't stand by doing nothing!"

The councillors offered him solemn nods before departing to carry out his orders.

Left alone, Ikarion clenched his fist and jaw as he gazed at the bright sky through the window. Even if Hestia couldn't intervene directly, surely she could have offered some guidance by now. Days had passed, and still, nothing.

From Olympus, Hestia observed him sigh and retrieve the divine artifact she had offered Oikos' first king. But she shook her head.

The warm flame of home driving away winter's nightmares had long extinguished in this realm. The hearts of its rulers and citizens had darkened to become what she had tried to ward off. A realm like that...

Her long brown hair caressed her arms as she cradled her legs, crumpling the fabric of her white dress.

"I'd rather not have it." She muttered to herself, her eyes drifting to Harmony. That town's peace was what she wanted for the people, not a kingdom where inequalities divided families and made friendship an abstract concept based on benefits.

As the doubts that had plagued her in the past month cast a shadow over her thoughts, Tiamat's voice echoed in her room.

"I told you Adam would put a smile on your believers' faces. So, what are you waiting for?"

"That's why I opened the passage to my realm for him, but... I'm disappointed, Tiamat." She sighed and massaged her temples. "I told myself that everyone had flaws and accepted my family's. Not anymore. Not after Zeus commanded me to let demons in, not after he tried to break the balance so many times."

A steely glint flashed in her eyes as she made her decision.

"On my heart and name, I leave Olympus and renounce my rights in this game."

"What are you doing?!" The sky roared, lightning collapsing around her house as Zeus' raging voice echoed.

The anger distorting his face into a grotesque grimace flashed inside the room Hestia had been in. Yet he found nothing but the dissipating remains of the portal she had crossed to leave Olympus.

"Hestia..." Golden lightning flashed in his eyes as his rage engulfed the divine mountain, terrifying the other ten Olympians

Meanwhile, Tiamat grinned in her room and stretched her palm out.

"Welcome to the team, my first ally."

Hestia's eyes trembled as she gazed at Tiamat's kid body for the first time, the desire to hug her snuggling into her heart. A warm smile spread across her face the next moment.

"It's good to meet you in person after a month of observation."

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She shook Tiamat's hand, making her squint and shake the handshake off.

"My poor Hestia. You're so outdated! Look, that's how we do nowadays!" She high-fived herself, causing Hestia to blink and her brow to raise.

Still, she didn't dislike her mischief and chuckled as her palm met Tiamat's.

"I never thought I'd ally with chaotic divinities one day. But I can't continue watching this game passively." She lowered her head, her smile twisting. "But Zeus forced my hand against my beliefs. Even if he's my brother, I won't forgive him! But Tiamat, promise me you won't threaten the realms' peace."

She saw Tiamat roll her eyes and click her tongue.

"Why would I care about the realms? If Ea didn't kill my husband, I'd still be sleeping with him in the depths of the universe. Never forget this, Hestia. Unlike other divinities, I'm neither good nor bad..."

Her voice trailed off, grief flashing in her eyes. But she rapidly concealed it by changing the subject. With a smirk, she crouched and lifted Hestia's antique dress and chuckled at her reddening face.

"Your clothes are outdated, too. Follow me! I'll introduce Miranda to you. You'll fall in love with her fairy fingers and dresses."

Without waiting for an answer, she took Hestia's hand and dragged her out.

Despite her flushed cheeks, Hestia followed with a sigh. Those godly stories were always about killing family members. That's why she gave her Olympian throne to Dionysus long ago to tend to the earth. Learning that Tiamat grieved enough to take up arms against the one who killed her husband reassured her. After all, she had a valid reason to wage war—one she found beautiful.

'Am I truly changing clothes now? I thought I would need to bless the land or meet Adam first.'

She chuckled as she strolled the streets and discovered the town she enjoyed watching from Olympus.