Demon Lord's Reincarnation

As Ren was telling the others about his plan to make Iselv king, he was thinking of multiple things.

'I didn't really want to move this fast, but I can't take it slow anymore. Even if I try controlling the flow of information, somehow, someway news of me destroying an undead army will leak. Also, I guess this is a good time to promote Iselv. People are anxious and they want some sort of hope, Iselv will become that hope. While I'm establishing him as the king, I can also take over the other underworld organizations within the kingdom. Once I have total control, I can smoke out all those powerful individuals within the kingdom. This will also help Valdel go against the will of those that wrote the script. Four birds with one stone.'

As Ren's thoughts got deeper and deeper, his smile got wider and wider.

"How do you know he's the third prince? Last time, all we knew was he was related to royalty. When did you get the information that he's the missing third prince?" Valdel couldn't help but ask.

"Well, I don't know if he's the third prince."

"What do you mean you don't know. You just said that he's the missing third prince."

"You see Val, we already know that Iselv is a royal, but with his memory gone we can't confirm what his real relationship to the king is, he could be his brother, his cousin, he could even be his uncle. We don't know and the public doesn't know as well. Now, all they know is that the third prince is missing and no one aside from the king knows what he looks like. Even the king's other children don't know what the third prince looks like. So, it could be entirely possible that Iselv is that missing prince."

"So you want to lie to the public, and start a coup?" Valdel was struggling to not get angry as he tried to understand what Ren was doing here.

"I'm doing this for the greater good."

"The greater good? Killing is for the greater good? Care to explain what you mean?"

"Yeah, you see Val, right now the people of Grenton have lost a lot. Their fathers, their mothers, their sons, their daughters, their husbands, their wives a lot of people lost someone important to them in this battle. Most of them lost the will to live, and what did the nobles who were tasked to protect them do while their family members were dying? Nothing, that's what they did. If I didn't come to save them do you think this town would be able to survive? No, this whole town would have been razed to the ground by Alfred and his undead army. I want to change that, I want to give these people something to hope for."

"Many people will die won't they?" Valdel could understand a bit of what Ren wanted to do, but the price to pay was too high.

"Many people die every day Val! They die without meaning, without purpose. In this way, they die for a just cause, for a brighter tomorrow. I won't deny that people will die in what I'm about to do, that's what a coup is, but I promise you this Val, once we take over, we'll be able to do a lot more good. I won't ask you to trust me on this, I won't even ask you to help me Val, but I will do this, with or without you. I believe this is the right thing to do." Ren didn't really believe some of what he said, but he knew this is how to convince Valdel.

Valdel closed his eyes and remembered all the sorrow he saw throughout Grenton for the past day. He knew that he wasn't strong enough to change anything, he knew that the hero he wishes to become was still an ideal that was too far away to achieve... But here was his best friend giving him an option to do some good, but one that comes with a price.

Valdel gritted his teeth, he knew that there was nothing he could do and with his current abilities he would once again be helpless. As usual, Ren sounded like he was giving him a choice but in truth, there was only one answer available.

"Fine, do as you wish Ren. But I cannot willingly join a plan that would harm innocent people. I need time to think... I might find a better way to save as much as I can." After saying what he wanted to say Valdel was about to leave, but he stopped before exiting and without looking back spoke.

"Are you sure there's no other way?"

"This is the only way I know."

"I see..." Once he said that Valdel left the room. Ren couldn't help but chuckle as he saw Valdel leave. 'At least he's trying to think for himself. He just needs a bit more time to think, I'll give him a bit of a push later.'

After Valdel left, Ren began to explain to the people present the next steps to his plans.

...

Valdel was walking around the town and saw numerous sorrowful faces. The once bright town turned into this depressing state. He kept on walking and reached the knight academy. In the distance, he saw a wolf girl running towards him.

"Master!" It was Kuro the slave girl he saved.

"Kuro, it's good to see that you're alright."

"Thank you for caring master." Kuro's tail was wagging happily as she answered. The two then started talking while walking. Kuro explained that Galius ordered the students and their servants to move in groups of six and patrol the town. She was assigned to one of the upperclassmen.

While they were talking Valdel reached his dorm room and upon entering didn't see Noel and the others. Valdel was confused as to where they went. Most of the other students seem to be resting in the dorm rooms, so why weren't his friends doing the same?

Valdel walked out and asked around and when he finally got the answer he couldn't believe his ears.

"Noel, Kurt, David, Sarah, and Lisa had formed a team, and they all died while protecting some citizens from the undead knights that got in. They died valiantly like true knights."

The one who told Valdel this was a teacher, and the moment he heard the answer he shook his head in shock. A pain like no other assaulted Valdel who was now clutching his chest tightly.

...

While Valdel was processing what happened to his new friends, Ren was about to finish explaining the next steps of his plan.

"I'm going to cast a spell on you Iselv, which will allow me to talk to you in your mind. Once we gather some townspeople to the square, I want you to say what I tell you, and I want you to say it word per word. I need you to act like a very passionate leader, can you do that?"

"I'll try..."

"There's no try Iselv, it's either you can do it or you can't, so which is it?" Ren approached the bigger Iselv and glared at him, which pressured Iselv.

"I'll do it!" Hearing the answer he wanted to hear, Ren looked at Stephan.

"Stephan I want you and all the other fallen nobles to gather as many people as you can to the town square."

"As you wish my liege." Stephan bowed and left the room.

"Kithra tell all your men to spread a rumor about the third prince. I want you to concoct a rumor that makes it possible that the third prince has memory loss and ended up here in Grenton. Can you do it?"

"Of course," Kithra smiled seductively as she answered Ren with a wink, she then left the room leaving only Lara and Iselv with Ren.

"Now then, Iselv do you have any better clothes?" Iselv was currently wearing a poor man's tunic.

"This is the best I got." Hearing Iselv's answer made Ren frown a bit. 'Hmm, well we can't find anyone that he can borrow clothes from, considering his size... Oh, I got it!'

"Iselv changed into the battle armor you were wearing during the battle against the undead army, bring your Warhammer as well. No need to look like a noble, the people don't need a noble with fancy clothes right now. What the people need now is a warrior that would protect them. Make them feel safe."