I Became a Burden to the Conscienceless Party

The center of the demon realm.
And there, the castle Pigritia of the Demon King, Belphegor.
The Demon King, Belphegor, sat on the throne and listened to her subordinates’ reports with her usual bored expression.

‘Hmm, how boring.’

The Demon King, Belphegor.
She, who had overthrown the previous Demon King Leviathan by force and usurped his position, only belatedly realized that she lacked a sense for politics.
Above all, there was too much to do.
Isn’t it absurd that someone called the Demon King of Sloth has to work this hard?
Therefore, the Demon King, Belphegor, set her course in a direction that could maximize her epithet.

“The 5th Corps on the eastern front has encountered the Ancient Red Dragon ‘Agni’! Commander Five managed to cut off its wings, but our losses are also substantial. Immediate reinforcements are needed.”
“Hmm, what do you think we should do? Lieutenant General Lilith.”

She just needs to nod her head while sitting on the throne and listening to reports.
She can pass the work off to her capable aide, Lilith.
All she has to do is sit on the throne with a bored expression and maintain her dignity.

‘Still, it’s boring.’

Belphegor started to think about other things while listening to her subordinates’ reports with one ear. The Emperor of the Human Empire, with whom she had a secret meeting recently.

‘Come to think of it, doesn’t the Empire’s Emperor not listen to each of these things?’

He was truly impressive. How should I put it… He had an imperial dignity.
Unlike her, he was of imperial bloodline from birth.
Belphegor, who had a secret meeting with such an emperor, had many new realizations.
She had become the Demon King simply because she was strong, but the dignity befitting that position was necessary.

‘First, the first-person pronoun…’

Let’s emulate the Emperor!
As she was listening to her subordinates’ reports with one ear and letting it out the other, Belphegor suddenly came to her senses.

“…Extra Lieutenant Colonel, who failed to rescue the lieutenant, has died, and the small unit he led also couldn’t avoid annihilation. Your Majesty, I believe continuing this operation might cost us too much…”

Belphegor, who was organizing her thoughts like that, frowned at the report that happened to reach her ears.
She is the Demon King. She’s the only one who should lead all these subordinates.
But does she, the Demon King no less, have to listen to reports about matters as trivial as a mere lieutenant, not even a lieutenant colonel?

“Ahem, ahem.”

Belphegor cleared her throat to express her dissatisfaction metaphorically. This is a good opportunity, isn’t it?
It’s a good time to imitate the solemn appearance of the human Emperor she had seen.

“We are a special existence.”

Do I, such a person, need to care about each and every such report?
The court fell silent at Belphegor’s roundabout statement conveying such meaning.

‘What’s this? Is there something about that lieutenant?’
‘Could he be the Demon King’s illegitimate child? Is that why she assigned him such a task?’
‘Damn, I think I broke that bastard’s joints at least six times…’

Belphegor’s sudden declaration of “We,” when she had been consistently using “I” as her first-person pronoun, was enough to throw everyone into confusion.
Unexpectedly, the ordinary demon lieutenant Jim was transformed into something special acknowledged by the Demon King and saved his life.

‘It seemed fine, but the atmosphere is a bit off… Was it premature?’

Of course, Belphegor, who had been listening to all reports with one ear and letting them out the other, pondered as she saw the court bewildered by her first change in first-person pronoun.
Perhaps it doesn’t suit her? Should she keep this up?
She might still lack dignity.
And then. There was a brave retainer who opened his mouth to hear the exact truth.
He was one of the corps commanders.

“He, he didn’t seem particularly special, but is there perhaps something…”

A loyal subordinate’s question!
Belphegor couldn’t believe her ears.

“What the hell is with that bastard?”

Belphegor, who never imagined such blatant insubordination, cried out with tears in her eyes.
The solemn act had long since disappeared.
The court fell into sudden silence at the sight of Belphegor shouting loudly with a voice choked with resentment.

“Hey, drag that son of a bitch out! Purge him! Purge! How dare you insult us?!”
“Your Majesty? Your Majesty! Just a moment, give me a chance!!”

Belphegor, who immediately dragged out the subordinate who committed insubordination, spoke without hiding her displeasure.

“Is there anyone else curious?”
“…No, Your Majesty.”
“Good, then I’ll take it that there are no objections. We… no, I will take my leave now.”

Belphegor reverted to her first-person pronoun, thinking that “We” still didn’t suit her. Not a single demon in this place could notice the gap.

“These bastards…”

Not a single demon understood Belphegor’s hurt feelings.

The Lieutenant Colonel who came to rescue me was defeated by the hero. I knew well what that meant.

“My life is ruined.”

Although I ate ravenously, tempted by the soup, my current situation is precarious.
Me, who infiltrated the hero’s party, and the Lieutenant Colonel and operation team who came to rescue me but ended up annihilated instead.
Will the Demon King’s army be eager to rescue me even in the face of such a big failure?
If it were me, I wouldn’t.
Isn’t the merit that can be gained too little compared to the manpower that needs to be poured in?
If it were me, I’d abandon them. Cut them off cleanly. I’d be lucky if they threw flowers into a coffin without a body in the unit, saying Jim, you were truly a valuable existence.

“…Should I just defect?”

Come to think of it, aren’t I half human too? Abandon the Demon King’s army that will surely abandon me and live as a human from now on.
Yes, that’s the only way.

Beeeeeep───

“Gasp! I’m sorry!”

The ringing in my ear at that moment.
Like a thief startled by his own footsteps, I immediately apologized where no one could see.
It was too perfect timing, just as I was thinking about betraying.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Belatedly realizing my mistake, I pretended to clear my throat.
This is our army’s current main communication method that only demons can hear.
It seems the moment of judgment has come.
If they say to escape on my own because a rescue operation is impossible, I’ll immediately defect to the human side.

“…I’ll be right back, just going to the bathroom.”
“The bathroom? Shall I escort you?”

Just as I was about to leave with a suitable excuse, the hero Esmeralda’s shocking statement hit me.
Looking at her grinning expression, she’s clearly trying to tease me.

“We have to be careful because you might get kidnapped again like yesterday. Don’t you think? We still have a while before we meet up with our companions, so we need to be thorough.”
“…It’s fine.”
“Then if you don’t come back in 10 minutes, I’ll come looking for you!”
“Yes, let’s do that…”

For some reason, I feel like the hero’s control has become stricter, but this too is unavoidable.
Although I was able to make the excuse of being kidnapped, I’ll have to bear the consequences fully.

“Hehe.”

I entered the middle of the forest, leaving behind the hero who was staring at me with a silly-looking smile.

“Communication security, this is Lieutenant Jim. Lieutenant Jim. Please identify yourself.”
-Nice to meet you, Jim.
“…Who is this?”

A cold female voice, different from the usual gruff-voiced communications officer.
And above all, an attitude that completely ignores the rules of military communication.
It’s certain. This woman is not from the military. Has the communication network been hijacked? Does such magic exist?

-Excuse me, please forgive my unfamiliarity as this is my first time communicating in this form. I am Lieutenant General Lilith, belonging to the Demon King’s Army Operations Staff Department and the Demon King’s direct aide.
“Lieutenant General Lilith… ma’am?!”

I belatedly realize that the other person is a vastly superior officer to me.
By the way, Lieutenant General Lilith, isn’t she the Demon King’s direct aide?
A being who received a drastic parachute appointment due to being the Demon King’s cousin.
But no one objected to it. Because she’s capable?
Of course, being capable is part of it, but that’s not important. What’s important is that she’s one of the few women in the Demon King’s army, which is 95% male.
Moreover, it’s also an important factor that she never had a chance to get damaged, as she only diligently performed her role as an aide without participating in difficult training.
Black hair that falls to her waist and cold yellow eyes. A black suit and stockings the same color as her hair.
I still vividly remember that appearance. She was the one who set the hearts of many soldiers on fire, making them lose sleep at night.

“How come Lieutenant General Lilith…”

To think that such a demon would contact someone like me?
She who doesn’t even know the regulations for military communication because she doesn’t have a chance to talk to anyone except high-ranking officials?

-First, I’d like to say that this incident is deeply regrettable. You’ve somehow become the only survivor of Extra Lieutenant Colonel’s platoon.
“No, that can’t be. Rather, I’m the one who should be sorry. For not being able to completely deceive the hero…”

More than that, was the Lieutenant Colonel’s name really Extra… It’s a sad thing.
I’m not in a position to talk, but I’m curious about what bastard gave him that name.

-Wasn’t she a person of such skill that Extra Lieutenant Colonel couldn’t even touch her? Our military’s fault is great for allowing a rash approach while overlooking this point.

An unexpected humble attitude.
I never imagined they would care about me this much.
Was it such an important task to uncover the secrets of the hero’s party?
I’ve already leaked almost all the information there is to leak, and all that’s left is the future schedule of the hero’s party?
I don’t know how to react when Lieutenant General Lilith, the Demon King’s aide no less, contacts me to commend my efforts.

-Although there’s some delay now, we’re reorganizing a new organization that can safely bring Lieutenant Jim back.
“Is, is that true?”

They’re doing that much for me? It’s almost suspicious?
What am I, really? It’s awkward to say this, but there are many replaceable parts in the Demon King’s army besides me.

-It’s natural to be suspicious, but there’s no need to worry. This is a decision made directly by His Majesty the Demon King. I think he must have foreseen the threat of the hero.
“Ah…”

As expected, the Demon King is different. When I first infiltrated the hero’s party, I was thinking of quitting the Demon King’s army if things went wrong.
But it seems the Demon King was paying attention to each of these matters.
As expected, long live His Majesty Belphegor, the great Demon King, ruler of ten thousand demons.

“As expected of Lord Belphegor… I’ve been believing in him.”
-…I, I see. So you did have some kind of relationship with the Demon King…
“Pardon?”
-No, I was just giving orders to a subordinate for a moment… Ahem, anyway, we’ll contact you again soon. Until then, please hang in there safely.
“Yes, Lieutenant General Lilith!”

I’m moved that the Lieutenant General Lilith is worried about me.
And I’m glad that the Demon King’s army is not as cold-hearted as I thought.
Thanks to that, I’m relieved.
A group that does this much for me.
Let’s completely abandon the idea of defecting to the human side.
Those bad human bastards.

“Mr. Jim, it’s been 5 minutes! I’m coming to look for you now! Starting now!”