My words left the elves in shock.
A few even rose to their feet in outrage.
They had come all this way clinging to hope, and now they were told they would be rescued only if they became slaves.
They must have felt their hopes utterly shattered.
Their anger was entirely justified.
But in this situation, it was an unnecessary emotion.
If they attacked, I would have no choice but to fight back.
Slaughtering every elf here would be a waste.
There was one in the back who had quietly begun chanting, so I used a silencing spell to temporarily strip them of their voice. The one who had drawn a bow had their arms restrained by a chain of magic.
Neither had been killed, so that should be fine.
Facing the clamoring elves, I spoke with calm authority.
"Originally, I have no obligation whatsoever to save the elves. The Empire is the one we are dealing with. A reward would only be natural."
"So it is our elves that must serve as that reward…" the acting chief said through gritted teeth.
Unfazed by the difficult demand that had been placed before them, not a few elves wavered.
I continued addressing the disheartened elves.
"I don't particularly care whether the Empire tramples the elves or not. It means nothing to the Demon King's domain. This proposal is nothing more than a whim."
It might sound cruel, but that was the reality.
The Empire laying claim to the World Tree Forest and its elves was certainly infuriating.
However, even if left alone, it would not become a major problem.
There would be no immediate consequences.
If the Empire grew too arrogant down the line, I could always crush them then.
There was no need to go out of my way to play the role of the elves' savior.
That was the conclusion I had reached from my position as Demon King.
"If you submit to my rule, I will crush the Empire's army. I will turn tens of thousands of soldiers into mountains of corpses."
Simply saving the elves out of the goodness of my heart would undermine my standing as a being of evil in this world.
Word would spread that the Demon King had sided with a demihuman race.
But if I were lending a hand to elves who had become my subjects, that was a different story.
They would become my property.
If a third party attempted to take them from me, it would only be natural to take measures against them.
The point was not that I was helping them because they were demihumans.
It would be that I was helping them because they were my property, and that framing left no room for criticism.
Furthermore, protecting the elves simultaneously meant safeguarding the World Tree Forest.
That land imbued with sacred power would, of all things, fall under the Demon King's control.
Humanity would be alarmed by yet another threat.
This would not deviate greatly from my policies thus far.
On top of that, it would purely serve to bolster the Demon King's army.
The elves commanded the power of spirits and were master archers as well.
Bringing them under my banner would broaden my strategic options considerably, which was convenient.
The current Demon King's army consisted mostly of mindless undead.
When looking at the overall proportions, the number of monsters Luciana had brought was vanishingly small.
I had been looking for living subordinates, so this was a timely opportunity.
An elven clan would be more than sufficient.
I had already been planning to invade the Empire eventually.
They were the masterminds behind sending small nations to harass the Demon King's domain.
My spies had seized several pieces of evidence, and the Empire apparently still administered a portion of the fallen small nations' territory.
They had been working in the shadows all along and were thoroughly self-serving.
They were a nation unnecessary in the world going forward.
One might even call them a cancer.
For all these reasons, I had intended to deal a decisive blow to the Empire sooner or later.
If all that had changed was the timing, then the move to protect the elves was not so bad.
Either outcome left me with nothing to lose.
"…If we submit, will our clan truly be saved?" the acting chief asked haltingly.
Judging by her words, she was gradually leaning toward acceptance.
The other elves murmured among themselves but raised no objections.
They understood their position and held their silence.
I answered the acting chief's question.
"Of course. I guarantee that. However, the elves living in the World Tree Forest ought to consider how the world will perceive them."
"What do you mean…?"
"For all eternity, you will be spoken of as the clan that fell into the Demon King's hands. The elves of the World Tree Forest will surely be called base demonfolk. You will bear the brand of those who chose wickedness out of fear for your lives, and that mark can never be erased. Can the prideful elves endure such humiliation?"
"…………"
The acting chief fell silent.
It would require considerable resolve to give her answer.
In her mind, the pride of her clan and their very lives were being weighed on a scale.
Whichever she chose, the loss would be immense.
"Trust in the elves' power alone and risk your lives challenging the Empire? Or accept the stigma of being the Demon King's vassals and choose certain survival? It is one or the other. If you find both unacceptable, I can exterminate the elves myself right here and now."
"P-please give us some time! We must return to the forest and hold a council—otherwise it won't be the collective will of the clan…"
"No. I cannot wait. Decide right here, right now. I will take your answer as the will of the entire elf clan."
I cut her off and pressed for an answer.
It was harsh, but there was no other way.
There was no luxury of time to spend on councils and deliberations.
The Empire's army was still advancing into the World Tree Forest this very moment.
"Ngh… nnh…"
The acting chief groaned in agony.
Sweat ran down her face.
Right now, without exaggeration, she bore the fate of her entire clan on her shoulders.
The responsibility placed upon her was crushing—she could not possibly give an answer lightly.
But she had to declare her will to the Demon King here and now.
A long silence filled the room.
The other elves watched with bated breath.
I said nothing more.
From here on, it was her decision to make.
After a long wait, the acting chief finally opened her mouth.
"…Our elven clan hereby pledges fealty to the current Demon King."
"That is your answer—and by extension, the elves' answer."
"Yes…"
The acting chief nodded firmly.
Between the Empire's tyranny and the Demon King's dominion, she had chosen the latter.
She had placed survival above pride.
It must have been an agonizing decision.
But it was, without question, the wise one.
There was nothing to be ashamed of.
Inwardly, I praised her choice.
With that decided, things moved quickly.
The Empire's army was still pressing into the forest with calculated intent.
I needed to act swiftly myself.
To the elves, who were still immersed in a heavy atmosphere, I spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.
"You are now my property. Next, we will finalize the plan to kill the Empire's army."
First, I would return to the Royal Capital and relay everything to Grom and Luciana.
Then I would assemble a force to dispatch to the World Tree Forest.
Henry had been looking bored lately, so he would probably be eager to join the fight.
At this point, victory was practically a foregone conclusion.
I would be going myself, so defeat was out of the question.
Come to think of it, crushing the Empire's army here was a good opportunity.
If it became known that the military of that powerful empire had been annihilated single-handedly, the shock to every nation would be enormous.
It would serve as a perfect demonstration of the Demon King's domain's expansion beyond its borders.
I would end up hated by both the elves and the Empire, but that did not bother me in the least.
That was precisely what I had been aiming for.
To become an enemy of all—therein lay the ideal image of the Demon King.
I was certain I was not wrong.
I activated the teleportation spell and transported the elves along with me.