The Hero’s Mentor is a Demon (King) Witch

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Late at night.

‘They’ve finally fallen asleep.’

While the two of them were deep in slumber, I quietly set a chair beside them and sat down.

‘It was a struggle to get them to sleep.’

Lucius adamantly refused to share a bed with Rosmas. He argued that it was disrespectful to sleep in the same bed with an elf woman when they weren’t even married yet.

He was worried that it might spoil Rosmas’s prospects for marriage later on.

– Tch, how annoying. Sleep!

– No, but—

– …is the sleep magic effective on the Hero?

– It works on me.

– How so?

– Well.

As he babbled a bunch of nonsense excuses, I simply used sleep magic to force him to doze off.

– Rosmas, I’ve set the table, so take care of it.

– …What about you, Witch?

– I’ll be meditating over here. Why? Need help?

– Ah, no. Um, is it really okay to sleep?

– Sure.

I was a bit hopeful.

Would Rosmas really go for it?

‘Go for it, Rosmas! You can do it!’

Just like watching a dying hero pouring all his mana into his sword for a final strike, I genuinely hoped that Rosmas would just go for it.

And then.

– E-eh…!

Rosmas stretched Lucius’s arm to the side and laid her head on it.

…Is that it?

There should have been more than just that, right?

At first, I was so flustered that my heart raced, but Rosmas quickly closed her eyes and fell asleep.

“…….”

Could it be I was too tense?

Or maybe she just hadn’t learned about such things yet.

‘I’ve never seen any elves behave like this.’

In my time, people would recklessly charge forward in situations like this, but it seems things have changed quite a bit and the way elves are taught has shifted too.

Crack, crack.

“…sigh.”

Seeing her sleep so peacefully was nice, I suppose.

After all, sleep is meant for those who need it.

Lucius suggested that I sleep in the bed with them, but for me, who didn’t need sleep, it was merely a form of meditation—closing my eyes for a moment, then opening them again.

‘If sleep restored mana, I would sleep.’

Even if the undead close their eyes, their bodies don’t recover or relieve fatigue in any way.

Neither the brain nor any of the organs would function anymore; they’ve all shut down.

Since they’re forced to act through the power of mana, for me to enjoy effects similar to sleep, absorbing mana is far more effective than mere sleep.

From where?

Nature?

Magic stones?

No.

From people.

‘I’ll have to tell these fellows how the dream demons absorb mana later.’

“Ugh hehe.”

Absorbing mana through dreams.

I would absorb mana from Lucius and Rosmas’s dreams.

For that, Lucius would have to sleep next to Rosmas.

To be precise, I needed to put them both to sleep in the same place, then slowly siphon off the mana from their dreams.

‘It’s easier to absorb mana when they’re together.’

Although draining mana through dreams was the way of the dream demons, there is a magical method that produces a similar effect.

Whether human or elf, all living beings dream when they sleep.

Although each species has different sleep patterns, if the moment they dream aligns, the dreams can be connected.

The dream of a living being is the ultimate manifestation of the unconscious, where everything can be expressed in imagination.

Within that fantasy, where all imaginations of a single life are concentrated, the being can resolve their desires through dreams.

Of course, the content of dreams can be silly or filled with desires.

It’s a little awkward to specify, but I can gain power based on those dreams.

‘Asmodeus told me about it.’

Through a deal with the Demon Lord of Lust, I learned how dream demons absorb mana from human dreams.

I learned how to absorb the mana released from the bodily reactions that come from merely unleashing the unconscious desires within humans, gaining the resulting catharsis.

‘There’s a reason I made the Hero Party into Lucius’s harem party.’

As someone without mana, I have to use any means necessary.

In that light, if Lucius and Rosmas sleep in the same bed, I can gain magical power from the strength flowing out from their dreams.

Of course.

I’d be focusing on Rosmas’s and not Lucius’s.

In terms of pure mana capacity, Lucius would have more, but 99% of that power is from the Holy Sword.

And the power of the Holy Sword cannot be ‘absorbed’ by any means, dream or otherwise.

With the power of the orb Bearnes gave me from the Normans, I could borrow that power temporarily for one-off use.

But I can’t convert that power into my lifespan.

If I could, I would have already dashed into Lucius’s dream and swept all the power of the Holy Sword.

And there’s another physiological reason.

‘I have no desire to absorb a scraggly man’s mana.’

This body is that of a woman.

While the energy from a man’s dream—Asmodeus called it ‘libido’—might benefit me as a fellow human, it doesn’t suit my body.

But what about Rosmas, who is also a woman?

‘It’s more about gender than race.’

Absorbing libido from Rosmas’s body, as a fellow woman, would be more effective than draining it from Lucius, a fellow human.

The soul doesn’t matter.

What matters is the physical body.

“Sss.”

I don’t even need to stretch out a hand.

Just by sharing the same space and breathing the same air, I can enter their dreams.

‘I’m awake for the sake of now.’

In a peaceful state with no threats around me, I could access Rosmas’s dreams and absorb tremendous libido.

‘Sorry but, Rosmas, I’ll have to make use of your feelings a bit.’

Because I am a Demon Lord.

I’ll use anything I can.

Even if it’s pure love directed at the Hero.

“……I’ve linked up.”

Their dreams became one.

While Lucius would have his own dreams, Rosmas would be different.

Why did I place Rosmas next to Lucius?

It was all to direct Rosmas’s repressed desires towards Lucius instead of somewhere else.

So now, if I access Rosmas’s dream, I can see her desires and aspirations—her true ‘dream’—connected to Lucius.

‘Link, start.’

With the activation word of magic, I closed my eyes.

My body remained awake, but my divided consciousness entered Rosmas’s dream.

And then.

As my vision clouded like fog rolling in, moments later.

I opened my eyes in a plaza organized with white marble bricks.

My body was in the Ether form.

Even in a dream, my physical base as the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus meant that my Ether form was still female, but as an observer in this dream world, it didn’t matter.

Clank, clank.

The passing carriage didn’t notice my presence, and nobody recognized me.

I was nothing but an observer here, unable to exert any physical force.

But.

“…wow.”

This was Rosmas’s dream world.

Dream or not, it was the manifestation of her unconscious desires, no matter how well-hidden.

“This is totally a pure freak show, isn’t it?”

Rosmas’s dream world was an empire of half-elves.

Every half-elf and quarter-elf had blond and silver hair, blue and brown eyes all mixed together, and they all looked like stunning beauties.

In the center of the plaza.

The figures who would likely resemble an emperor and empress were none other than Lucius and Rosmas.

“Well, well.”

This is amusing.

Amusing and a little sad at the same time.

“In the dreams they are a couple, but in reality, they aren’t.”

Dreams are wishes for realities that haven’t yet come true.

In other words, Rosmas ardently hopes to be with Lucius.

She’s even thinking about filling the entire empire with children of her and Lucius, dreaming of creating an everlasting empire with their offspring.

The empire probably symbolizes Lucius—the most ideal pinnacle of humanity—the thought behind it was probably for Lucius’s consideration.

“……sigh.”

Seeing this, Rosmas is just pitiful.

Watching this scenario made me think I should push Rosmas more actively.

‘Why is Lucius trying to push Rosmas away?’

It was clear at a glance.

Lucius was aware of Rosmas’s feelings, but was stuck in a limbo unable to act on them—if he didn’t know, he’d be a fool.

‘Is it because of me?’

I might be the reason.

Seems like that’s 100%, no, 140% certain.

“Scared that the Hero Party might fall apart, huh?”

If he were to strengthen his relationship with Rosmas, Lucius would surely be caught between the responsibilities of being a Hero and those of being a man.

‘Many heroes have been swayed or frustrated by that.’

Is it for the greater good of humanity?

Or is it for love?

Ultimately, most humans tend to choose the latter.

Especially if the elf is as beautiful and well-endowed as Rosmas, a high elf, they’re more likely to choose their love over their duties.

‘That sure was fun to watch.’

– I heard your childhood friend waiting back in your hometown went to the mill with the guy next door?

Just with that single statement, I once blew up a hero party.

The hero dashed back to his hometown, and right then, the hero party fell apart.

For some men, love is a reason for living.

At times, they abandon everything they’ve built for love.

The emotion of love, for all living beings, can lead them to make decisions that dramatically alter their destiny in an instant.

Yeah.

Love is truly a terrifying thing.

‘But for a Demon Lord like me, it’s a different story.’

If I can harness this love, I can make the Hero Party stronger in no time.

Then I could swiftly deal with Zephar and Asydia and return to the Demon World.

I am Demon King Belphegor.

The archdemon who will even make use of the love between young men and women.

“Wonder what Rosmas is doing now~”

To absorb her libido within the dream, I headed toward the imperial palace.

Naturally, as the empress, Rosmas should be strolling around the palace with Lucius.

“Aah, Lucius…!”

“…….”

…The sight of Rosmas I encountered in the palace was one I couldn’t bear to see with open eyes.

Ah.

Rosmas Terbation.

“Poor, pitiful soul.”