With the final battle looming, the Demon King, seated upon his throne, spoke to me.
"How about it, Archmage Kaldraash! If you betray humanity right here and now and join my side, I'll give you half this world!"
"…What?"
"Don't make me laugh! You think this guy would fall for such cheap tricks?!"
That outburst came from the Hero, that justice-obsessed idiot.
The Warrior and Sage standing beside him shot me glances, urging me to chime in quickly, but I couldn't help but feel internally conflicted because the Demon King's offer struck me as incredibly appealing.
I mean, wouldn't you?
Half the world?
A fifty-fifty split?
Someone like me, a commoner, couldn't achieve that even if I worked my fingers to the bone my entire life!
My brain, which had become ridiculously overpowered after reincarnating into this world, quickly started crunching the numbers.
But no matter how I thought about it, it wasn't even a contest.
Becoming the Demon King's lackey and getting half the world
vs.
Playing the Hero and inheriting the Royal Magic Tower
After much deliberation, I made up my mind.
"Bind."
No sooner had I uttered the activation word than threads of light appeared around the limbs of my comrades, with whom I had shared joys and sorrows for about a year on our journey to the Demon King's Castle, binding them.
"Hey! You crazy bastard!"
"How could you betray us!"
"We believed in you, Kaldraash-nim!"
I casually glanced at my former colleagues' faces and then shrugged my shoulders.
"Hmph. Watch your mouth. Who's Kaldraash? From now on, I'm Patraash, a minion of Lord Demon King Nero."
Kaldraash died during this expedition. I could easily abandon my previous identity if it meant a comfortable retirement.
Like a groveling lackey, I clasped my hands together and approached Demon King Nero.
Demon King Nero, who had witnessed this entire scene unfold live right before his eyes, blinked dumbfoundedly for a moment before belatedly realizing what was happening and bursting into maniacal laughter.
"Fu, Fuhahahahahat! As expected of me! To shatter the Hero's party with mere honeyed words! Serves you right, Hero Artorius!"
I cautiously asked Demon King Nero, who was still laughing hysterically.
"Um… My Lord Demon King? Those conditions you just mentioned, are they real?"
"Of course! Why would I begrudge giving half the world when Archmage Kaldraash, the heavy hitter of the Hero's party, has agreed to become my subordinate!"
"Then please provide your handwritten signature at the bottom of this scroll. A verbal contract makes me a bit uneasy, you see."
As I said that and pulled out the Gear Scroll I had kept hidden, thrusting it right under his nose, Nero's triumphant expression froze solid.
"Th-this?"
"Yes. Just sign it, and the talent you desire will be recruited into my ranks."
As I grinned widely, imagining the rosy future ahead, the Demon King carefully read the penalty clause for contract violation written on the Gear Scroll, then asked with a timid expression.
"On second thought, giving you half the world might have been a bit of an exaggeration. How about we renegotiate our salary first?"
"Surely you aren't going back on your word, great ruler of the Demon race?"
"Grrr…"
As I pressed the scroll closer to his face again, the Demon King groaned, perhaps out of pride, before boldly signing his name in the signature field.
"Fine! What the heck! Once world conquest is complete, I'll carve off half and give it to you!"
"As expected of you, My Lord Demon King! So bold!"
As he will be my boss from now on, I buttered him up shamelessly with some lip service. Then, looking at my former comrades, I said apologetically.
"In that sense, I'm sorry about this. Hero-nim."
"K-Kaldraash! How could you do this to me!"
"Well, you should've kept your screwing around in check. Never mind the Warrior and Sage, but what the hell were you thinking messing with the Cleric who swore a vow of chastity? Did you think I wouldn't notice?"
While the Hero's inappropriate relationships with the female party members were practically a fantasy cliché, it really pissed me off as the party's only other guy.
Every time we visited a town, I had to visit brothels to relieve my pent-up lust, but the Hero got to pick and choose from the hot party members whenever he pleased.
Is this party some kind of Baskin Robbins?
"Anyway, that's how it is, so take care in the Demon King's Castle's underground prison. I'll visit sometimes."
As I turned away coldly, the Hero called out my name, his face flushed crimson with rage.
"KALDRASSSSHHHHHHHH!!!"
Pausing-
I stopped beside the Demon King and glanced back.
"Hey, I said Patraash."
Didn't you even read fairy tales as a kid?