Demon Lord's Reincarnation

After hearing about Gregory's death, Ren decided that he needed to reassess his findings of the marquis that governs the territory where his village resides. Last time when he gathered information about the marquis he only knew the name and the rumors about him. The marquis was supposedly called Harold with the family name Resteti. It was reported that their family started from being mercenaries that helped the kingdom turn into what it was today. The first king of Reschbauch gave the patriarch of the family at the time the noble rank of Marquis and even granted them an exclusive right. 

They had the right to assign a new king if the current king was found to be lacking. Yet this special right of theirs was revoked by the seventh king of Reschbauch. Since at that time the head of the Resteti family was full of ambition and wanted the throne for himself. Before he was able to initiate his coup the other warrior families of the time suppressed them. Even though what they did was treason of the highest order, the seventh king pardoned the Restetis, because of all their past accomplishments. 

The military might of the Resteti family at the time was an equal match to the entirety of the kingdom's force. With their might, they had protected the kingdom countless times, and they have even helped the kingdom conquer a few lands. With these kinds of accomplishments, they were pardoned, but all their special rights have been revoked. They were also forced to send half of the men in their family to the capital as hostages, where they are treated as slaves to the royal family. 

From then on, the Resteti family slowly fell from grace. From the fearsome mercenary group that helped the first king create the kingdom of Reschbauch, into a family rumored to be full of degenerates. It is said the current head was someone who kidnaps beautiful maidens in his territory and r*pes them. There are other rumors that the current Resteti family has zero warriors left, and they were all corrupt people. 

Now after receiving this message from them, Ren knew that all those rumors about the Resteti's were most likely false or simply half-truths. It was obvious that they weren't the degenerates that the rumors claim them to be. They must be planning something huge that they've been hiding in infamy for generations. Yet why show their hand now? This was the question that was bugging Ren.

"Kithra hire some adventurers from the neighboring cities for a long term job. Place them at the recently made base we have near Carto Village. I want them to protect the village for the duration of six months. Give them triple the normal pay, and tell them any misconduct will be met with the a sword to their neck. Use my name, I'm sure by now some of the adventurers know of my infamy in the underworld."

"As you wish." 

"Oh, also increase the pay on rumors people hear about the Resteti family. If any new information is gained, I want you to tell me immediately." 

"It will be done."  Seeing that Ren wasn't going to say anything more Kithra bowed her head and left. 

'Hmm, things are about to get interesting.' While thinking that, Ren decided to check on Hilda. 

...

After asking around it wasn't hard for Ren to find Hilda's home. When he arrived he, of course, noticed the broken door. He could pretty much guess what happened here, as he slowly approached Hilda's home. 

Upon entering the house, Ren saw Hilda holding the hands of two little girls. Beside them was the dead body of an older lady. 

"Hilda?" Ren who went near saw that Hilda was in a trance-like state, where she was unable to perceive him. She was mumbling something as she held the hands of the two little girls tightly. Ren came a bit closer and heard what Hilda was mumbling. 

"It's going to be alright, I'm here now. Please wake up, your big sis is here now." Hilda kept on repeating those words over and over again. 

'Hmph, was I wrong about her? The first time I saw her, I was sure she was going to be a maiden of steel. But now I see she wasn't one...' Ren clicked his tongue as he saw what happened to Hilda which irritated him for some reason. 

"Hilda Kirche!" Ren couldn't hold it in anymore and shouted at Hilda, but there was no response. He then picked her up by the collar and lifted her into the air. 

Hilda then looked at Ren with eyes that showed nothing but emptiness. The pride that sparkled within those eyes no longer present. This just made Ren even more enraged. 

"Hilda Kirche! I do not know what happened here, and I do not care! But showing me such an unsightly demeanor is unforgivable!" Ren knew what he was saying doesn't make sense, but even though he couldn't understand why he was so irritated, he allowed his irritation to take over. 

Hilda even though she saw Ren being angry at her remained unresponsive. Ren then tossed her aside and summoned his scythe. 

'Oh, that's right... There was that option. I see I can finally rest...' Hilda who saw Ren summon his weapon knew that for some reason she pissed Ren off, and he was about to kill her. That's what she thought, but the next thing Ren did surprised her. 

"Hmph, you're acting like you're dead even though you still breathe. Then I guess I better send you to the next life, and so that you won't be lonely I'll send them with you. They won't be able to survive without you anyway." 

Ren then raised his scythe and was about to cleave Hilda's little sisters. When Hilda saw this she roared as she dashed forward and blocked Ren's attack. She then glared at Ren as she used her hands to catch the death scythe. 

The killing intent she exhibited and the anger in her eyes, made Ren smile joyfully. 

"You see that! I knew you weren't dead yet!" Ren then kicked Hilda's abdomen pushing her away. She then hit the wall. As she was about to rush at Ren again, she saw Ren holding both of her little sisters' necks. 

"Don't you dare touch them!" Hilda was about to attack in a rage but was stopped by what Ren said next. 

"Oh, this is interesting, these two are under a curse. A very powerful one at that." Ren studied the flow of mana that was invading the two little girls. It was a very interesting spell that he has never seen before, but based on its characteristics Ren knew that it was some kind of curse. 

Hilda who was pleasantly surprised to know Ren knew something about what happened to her little sisters, approached him. She held onto his hand and with a shaky voice asked, "can you save my little sisters? If you can, please save them! I will do anything you want if you save them... I will give you, my everything!" Hilda spoke beggingly as she held tightly onto Ren's hand.

Moments ago she was trying to kill him, but now she was asking for help, the absurdity of the scene made Ren chuckle a bit. He then looked at Hilda's eyes and saw the empty expression she had minutes ago, was replaced with hope. 

'How interesting... It's so easy to change her despair into hope, and it will be easy for me to change that hope back into despair.'

"Fine, then I accept your offer. If you grant me your heart, body, and soul, then I have no problem saving your sisters."