Normally, there's a hero, a demon king, and a heroine whom the hero protects. This is the usual plot, but in this work, there is no heroine whom the hero protects. Instead, the main heroine is the demon king, Echidna. While she looks like a young girl, Echidna speaks with a much more mature air. There's a reason for this... Today, I'll introduce the heroine of this work, the demon king, Echidna.
Echidna hated heroes, so much so
After losing the battle against the hero Leo, Echidna holds a recruitment exam for the demon king's army to recruit new members. However, the person who showed up was none other than the hero Leo, who had once been her enemy and defeated her. Leo brought his resume, saying he wanted to join the Demon King's army. However, when Echidna saw it, she turned him away without a word. The reason was simple and clear: the reason the Demon King's army was in such a pinch in the first place was because the Demon King and all four heavenly kings had been defeated by none other than the hero Leo. Echidna called Leo "a social misfit with a twisted personality," and disliked him so much that she said, "If we let someone like that in, the organization will collapse from within," and "Even if he did the work of 1,000 or 10,000 people, I don't need him!"
The reason she came to the human world is to find the Philosopher's Stone
3,000 years ago, when the Demon King's army invaded the human world, they committed numerous massacres and sought to take it all for themselves. However, Echidna's way of thinking differs from previous demon kings, and her only desire in her heart is to "improve her homeland for everyone." The current Demon World is a desolate land with poor sunlight, polluted vegetation, murky water, and a world of constant war and survival of the fittest. However, when Echidna arrived in the human world, she saw a world of warm light, beautiful streams, and swaying grasslands and forests. These were all things she envied, and were lacking in the demon world. Echidna believed that the Philosopher's Stone was essential to bring these things to the demon world, and so she invaded the human world.
Although she invades the human world, she will not allow unnecessary bloodshed.
Echidna invaded the human world to obtain the Philosopher's Stone, but in her speech she made sure to urge her subordinates to absolutely avoid any unnecessary killing. This was because she believed that humans also have homes, families, and friends. Ultimately, Echidna was unable to fully portray herself as the villain. However, Leo (Lord Onyx) said that the reason human casualties were kept to a minimum in this war of aggression was because Echidna's speeches reached her subordinates. Having heard Echidna's true feelings, Leo became convinced that she was, in fact, a kind-hearted king.
Echidna Actually Has a Nice Body
Shtina, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, is the one in charge of sex appeal in the Demon King's army. However, Echidna was originally a beautiful woman with a nice body and immense power (according to the hero Leo). However, after being defeated in battle with Leo, she was transformed into an unsophisticated young girl as "punishment." Her body shape also remained that of a young girl. However, her magical powers seem to be as strong as ever, and she sometimes loses her composure and unleashes Inferno... Although Stina looks like the older sister, Echidna is actually older. Incidentally, Echidna once apprenticed under Stina when she was 12 years old, and although they are now in a relationship of demon lord and subordinate, they also have a master-disciple relationship. (Stina is the master and Echidna is the apprentice)
Echidna: Sometimes a bit of a clumsy, but also silly and cute
Echidna is always serious and thinks about her people and subordinates, but she also has a bit of a gap in her mind, and there are times when she shows a deformed character-like expression. She didn't even realize that Lord Onyx was Leo until his true identity was revealed, and she was frustrated, holding her head in frustration, thinking that it should have been easy to realize given the events that had occurred up to that point. (Even after he reveals his true identity, Echidna is confused at first and doesn't realise that Lord Onyx is Leo.) Then, distraught, Echidna unleashes Inferno in the room, destroying the castle. After that, she continues to ignore what Leo has to say, constantly telling him to "shut up," "shut up," and "die." In the end, she even goes so far as to tell him to "eat a poisonous mushroom right now and suffer for three days and three nights before you die." After that, Lili, the youngest and dumbest of them all, ends up scolding both the hero and her friend, saying "What!".
A special magic that neutralizes Leo, passed down through generations
The Demon King's army, having learned that the Philosopher's Stone is located in Leo's heart, is once again forced to fight Leo. However, the Four Heavenly Kings, unwilling to fight Leo, are unable to take command, and one by one they are defeated. So Echidna resorts to her last resort: a powerful spell called "Anti-Leo," specifically designed to neutralize heroes. This magic was invented by successive Demon Kings to neutralize heroes, and Echidna inherited it from the previous Demon King. It requires a lengthy chant to activate, but its power is so great that even Leo, in his true form, cannot cancel it. (Leo, however, intentionally takes the spell.) Ultimately, the Demon King's army wins due to this "Anti-Leo" and Leo's failure to dodge the spell. However, Echidna chooses not to take the Philosopher's Stone from Leo and instead officially welcomes him into the Demon King's army.
Echidna Easily Adapts to the Commoner's Way
Echidna is a Demon King, but she's not a terrifying demon king; rather, she's more of a commoner-oriented demon king. As a result, when she drinks, she becomes a complete drunkard. Although she can handle her alcohol, she drinks an extraordinary amount, which ultimately leads to her getting drunk. When she obtains dragon meat, she takes the lead and declares in front of her subordinates, "We can eat some meat!", then holds a cooking show. She has become a Demon King beloved not only by the Four Heavenly Kings but also by her subordinates, even the lowest ranking ones.
Summary of the Main Heroine, Demon King Echidna
So far, we've introduced Echidna, the main heroine and Demon King of this work. What do you think? Echidna's original form was that of a truly mature beauty, but her transformation into an unsophisticated young girl is also a bit off-putting... Which Echidna did you prefer?
