Chapter 33 The Bargaining Chip and the Monster Summoning
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The grand hall of the elven chief’s house was quiet. The air felt heavy.
Wooden pillars stood tall around the room. Sunlight came through the leaves above and made small spots on the floor. I stood in the middle and introduced myself as the oldest son and heir of Margrave Grimlock. I faced the old chief, Elysion Elfheim.
The smell of wood in the hall helped me stay calm.
I didn’t need to play games. I stayed seated, sat up straight, and looked into his deep green eyes. His gaze was still and deep, like looking into the oldest part of a forest.
”I’ll be direct. I truly want to be friends with the elven race. —I want an alliance with you.”
Elysion’s face did not change. But I saw a sharp flash in his eyes. It was cold, like a predator studying its prey.
”An alliance, you say. …Xenos-dono, we thank you for saving our princess and our people. But an alliance is different. It is a very serious decision for our clan.”
He tapped his staff lightly on the floor. The quiet sound filled the hall.
”Yes, it’s not something we can agree to lightly. What if the kingdom orders the Grimlock family to kill the elves? Does your father, the current patriarch Gaius Grimlock, even want an alliance with elves?”
It was a fair question. I expected it. Saving their princess did not erase the long history of war and hate between humans and elves.
I told the truth.
”My father, Gaius Grimlock, would never want an alliance with elves. This idea is only mine.”
When I said that, Elysion let out a long sigh.
”I thought so. If that is true, then there is even less reason to agree. We gain nothing. We cannot help you just because you ask for our strength.”
He stopped. The silence in the hall was heavy.
”I thank you again for saving my daughter. If you want a gift, I will give you anything from our clan’s treasure room. But we cannot make an alliance.”
He refused because there was no gain. Since I had his daughter, Lyphia-hime, he wanted to settle things with valuables and get her back safely. He would not risk his whole clan on an alliance with a noble’s child who had no real power. It was a smart, rational choice.
(But damn it. I don’t want gold or things. I need their strength—the elven race itself.)
Their archery, their magic, and their skill in the forest were all good. But turning a group that was always an enemy of humans into an ally had huge value.
Normally, that was something only Prince Liam did. He wanted to unite with demi-humans. But I knew the game script, so I could do it first.
A bold smile spread on my lips.
”What you say is fair. But there is a lot of gain in an alliance with me. —Now, I will show you that gain.”
I snapped my fingers. A single butler appeared from the shadows without a sound.
”You called me, Xenos-sama?”
When Ashraf appeared, the elves gasped. They probably already knew I had a strong demon as a servant.
But he was not my real card for this talk.
”We will go to a monster spawn point in this forest. I want to show you my power there. This man will guide us with Teleportation Magic. Please choose who will come.”
Tension spread through the elves. Finally, Elysion spoke.
”…Very well. Let us see this ‘power’ of yours.”
We asked for volunteers. Five men stepped forward: Elysion, four warriors, and Kyle from earlier. I was impressed. Even as chief, he went to a dangerous place to see the truth.
They stepped into Ashraf’s Teleportation Magic circle and disappeared in the light.
I used the leftover Mana from Ashraf’s spell to teleport to the same spot.
* * *
We arrived in a place where the air felt dead, even for the deep forest. The smell of wet, rotting leaves hit my nose. Cold wetness came up from the ground. The trees were short and sick, with black leaves.
No sunlight reached here. This dim place felt like a sickness in the world.
”Now, Xenos-dono. What do you want to show us?” Elysion asked, his voice careful.
”My ability, of course.”
I dropped to one knee. The black soil was cold and wet. I pressed my right palm flat and pushed my huge Mana into the earth.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The ground shook hard, like a big heart beating deep below. I felt my Mana connect with the earth. A strange pulse went into the deepest parts of the forest. It felt exciting, like electricity running through my whole body.
Right then, evil presences appeared from every corner of the forest.
The ground swelled. From the cracked soil, undead climbed out with bloody fingers. Tree shadows twisted as slimy beasts showed themselves. Goblins with yellow eyes, orcs with thick hides, giant bugs with grinding sounds… In the sky, gargoyles with black wings flew, casting dark shadows.
In one instant, a giant number of monsters covered the earth around us.
It was a picture of hell. Pure darkness and filth.
The elves, who were supposed to be strong fighters, lost their words. They forgot to even draw their bows.
This was the signature ability of the game’s ‘Final boss’—the thing Xenos Grimlock did best: [Demon Summoning].
”Don’t worry. These creatures are all my loyal servants.” I stood up, brushed dirt off my clothes, and smiled with total confidence.
”But they are monsters, so they aren’t very smart. If you provoke them, they might ignore my orders and attack you. Everyone, please stay where you are.”
I mixed in a light threat, then turned to my monster army and shouted.
”Listen, my servants! Start the march! Our target is the southwest, the Blanchefort Margraviate! Attack every ‘soldier’ you see, and destroy the ‘lord’s castle’!”
”GRAAAAH!!!”
The forest shook. The roars of hundreds, thousands of monsters became one wave of sound. It caused a small earthquake in the whole woodland.
It was a roar that hurt the ears. It was also a song of victory, proof of my absolute power. Then, that huge horde—like a black wave that knocked down trees, trampled the ground, and blocked the sky—
Began to move all at once. Straight toward the Blanchefort lands.
I turned to the elven chief. He was watching in shock. I gave him my best smug face. Then I said my line.
”This is ‘my power,’ Elysion-dono.”
—
Summary:
Xenos directly confronts the elven chief Elysion to demand an alliance by utilizing his custody of the elven princess as unstated leverage. Facing structural rejection due to his lack of official political power, Xenos relocates the diplomatic party to a corrupt forest node via his demon butler’s teleportation magic. He unleashes his hidden final boss ability to summon an immense monster army, shifting the baseline variable of military leverage as the horde is ordered to march upon neighboring human territories.
—
Trivia:
Elysion values the strategic balance of his clan so highly that he offers a full treasury exchange to safely repatriate his daughter rather than risking a political alliance with a rogue human heir.
The default game narrative casts Prince Liam as the sole character who historically reconciles human and demi-human factions, a critical plot milestone that Xenos is actively highjacking.
Xenos’s monster summoning ability [Demon Summoning] requires massive mana projection directly channeled through physical physical contact with a tainted earth node, which immediately transforms the ecology of the surrounding area.
The summoned vanguard consists of diverse units including undead, goblins, orcs, and a flock of flying gargoyles, all moving as a unified force toward the Blanchefort Margraviate.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Grimlock – As head of the influential Margrave noble house, Xenos manages the family’s vast assets and military legacy in the Royal Capital. Alongside his father, Gaius, he leverages their prestigious standing to defend the nation’s borders and uphold their name. Their deep bond and shared duty to the frontier ensure the continued dominance of the estate inherited by Xenos.
• Elfheim – The royal elven surname Elfheim, borne by Princess Lyphia and Elysion, symbolizes the highest leadership of the elven race and marks their shared identity as members of the ruling family.
• Elysion – The elderly leader of the elves and bearer of the Elfheim lineage. A wise chief with long white hair, emerald eyes, and a vine-wrapped staff who seeks peace after witnessing Xenos’s military strength.
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Xenos – Reincarnated as the “Zero-Mana” heir of House Grimlock, he hides his immense power—including teleportation and monster command—behind an incompetent facade. Using deep knowledge of the game’s script, this calculating strategist manipulates the underworld, forms political alliances, and rescues the marginalized while ruthlessly dismantling enemies and orchestrating an annulment with his fiancée.
• Gaius – The physically imposing Margrave of house Grimlock is a stern, authoritative patriarch obsessed with mana. Burdened by nobility, he is cold toward those lacking magical talent and deeply disappointed in his son, Xenos. Opposed to elven alliances, he leads a secretive rebellion against the royal family, maintaining an icy, demanding demeanor while prioritizing magical superiority above all else.
• Lyphia – Princess Lyphia Elfheim is an elegant elven princess with platinum-blonde hair and emerald eyes. Rescued from the Blanchefort dungeon, she endures hardship with noble grace and an iron will. Committed to interspecies harmony, she offers herself as Xenos’s political bride to secure a vital alliance, blending her dignified identity with a selfless dedication to peace between their peoples.
• Liam – As the influential, idealistic First Prince, he advocates for harmony between humans and demi-humans while opposing the Grimlock family’s warmongering. His role is complicated by Xenos, his engagement to Princess Elisabeth, and his secret love for Cecilia. A calm, detached leader, he rallies his academy allies to maintain peace while balancing complex political duties against his personal desires.
• Ashraf – As Xenos’s powerful demon butler, Ashraf carries the family name and serves with elite decorum and absolute obedience. Clad in a formal uniform with pitch-black sclera and golden pupils, this teleportation expert acts as a silent, independent anchor. Though he masks his pleasure-seeking nature and dark, experimental past behind perfect grace, he remains a loyal, shadow-bound servant to the household.
• Kyle – A loyal elven warrior with short golden hair, emerald eyes, and a muscular build. Skilled in archery, swordsmanship, and forest warfare, he insists on verifying Princess Lyphia’s safety before trusting Xenos.
• Demon – A mysterious, high-status being who appears after the duel, appearing as a beautiful, pale humanoid with teleportation abilities.
• Blanchefort – The Albion family, margraves of the southwestern frontier, serve as formidable guardians against both hostile neighboring elves and the encroaching monster army led by Xenos. As a notorious noble house defined by constant conflict, their rule is marked by a legacy of martial intensity and the immense pressure of defending their border territory from persistent external threats.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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