The Weapon Trade
The 70th floor had been furnished with a massive forge, in accordance with Nahen’s plan to conquer the 69th floor. Its purpose was to analyze human weapons and produce equivalents crafted by the demon realm’s blacksmiths. That was the forge’s reason for existing, and its goal.
That morning, after considerable time had passed since the plan was drawn up and research began, Nahen received a report from Kain.
“The prototype sword has been completed, my lord.”
Upon hearing those words, Nahen immediately took Seere with him to the 70th floor. Ever since the last time he had gone alone without a word and Seere had thrown a tearful tantrum, Nahen made it a point to bring her along whenever possible.
“Teacher, Teacher.”
“Hm?”
“Where are we going?”
“To the forge. It’s hot and sweltering, but brimming with passion all the same.”
“Passion?”
Nahen chuckled lightly at Seere’s tilted head. When they arrived at the forge, Doomgrick came out to greet them before Nahen could even announce his presence. Unlike before, his eyes now held a spark of confidence.
“You have arrived, Your Majesty Seere.”
“Hello…”
Seere instinctively began to bow her head, then stopped. She pulled out the Training Journal Nahen had written for her and received Doomgrick’s greeting once more.
“Y-yes! You’ve worked hard!”
Doomgrick blinked at Seere’s adorable gesture and tone, trying to make sense of the situation. Nahen spoke to the puzzled blacksmith.
“Her Majesty wishes to see the prototype.”
“Ah… Yes, understood. I already instructed them to bring it out.”
Doomgrick had prepared everything in advance. Nahen nodded in satisfaction and stood to one side of the forge. Doomgrick then said,
“There is a room inside. It would be better to wait there…”
“It’s fine. I’ll need to swing it anyway.”
“Ah, yes.”
At Nahen’s mention of testing the sword, Doomgrick pondered the meaning for a moment before recalling what Nahen had said when he gathered the blacksmiths earlier.
‘…He intends to clash sword against sword.’
The thought made Doomgrick tense slightly. What if the prototype shattered pathetically? They had conducted strength tests, of course, but never against actual human-forged blades. Human weapons were precious research materials that could not be damaged.
Watching Doomgrick’s slightly anxious expression as he waited for another blacksmith to bring the prototype, Nahen spoke.
“Failure is acceptable.”
“Pardon?”
“Of course, a good result would be ideal, but failure is not without value. There are experiences and emotions that can only be gained through failure. If that becomes your driving force, you will achieve something even better next time.”
As Nahen spoke, he glanced at Seere. These words were meant for Doomgrick, but they were also words he wanted to give to this child. As long as Seere was still growing, she would face many hardships and trials ahead. He hoped that even when she experienced such things, she would not break, but accept failure and make it her own nourishment. Watching someone’s will crumble under failure…
‘…I’ve had enough of that.’
Nahen fell briefly into his own thoughts before collecting himself and addressing Doomgrick again.
“So there’s no need to be too nervous.”
“…Yes. I am deeply grateful for your words alone.”
Just then, a blacksmith walked out from the entrance of the forge—the very one Nahen and Doomgrick had been waiting for. It was an Ammut tribesman whose face resembled a crocodile.
“Doomgrick, I brought—oh my, Your Majesty and Lord Nahen are here as well. Have the two of you been well?”
“Ah, hello!”
At Seere’s awkward greeting, the Ammut blacksmith, Krus, tilted his head in confusion.
“The prototype?”
“I’ve brought it here.”
Krus placed a long object wrapped in cloth before Nahen. Nahen set Seere down for a moment, accepted it, and unwrapped the cloth.
“Oh?”
“The sword is sparkling!”
Honest admiration escaped them the moment they saw it. Seere liked it too. The prototype they had produced was a sword whose outward quality did not appear significantly different from human craftsmanship. It might have been an illusion caused by it being brand new, so Nahen said to Krus,
“Krus, bring me any one of the human swords I passed along as reference material. A high-quality one.”
“Yes.”
Krus quickly retrieved a sword looted from the human realm. Nahen accepted it and planted it into the ground.
“I’m going to test it, so stand back. Seere, you should move away too—it’s dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
Once Doomgrick, Krus, and Seere had stepped a safe distance away, Nahen picked up the sword forged by the demon realm’s blacksmiths. He raised it diagonally in a proper stance. If the sword made by the demon blacksmiths was significantly weaker than the human one, the blade Nahen held would break. Even with Nahen’s strength, he was controlling his power so the hilt would not snap. There was no way a sword embedded in the ground would break from sheer force alone.
Whoosh!!
Nahen swung the sword.
And then—
Clang!!
“…Doomgrick.”
“…Yes.”
“You’ve done well.”
Nahen lowered the sword. A satisfied smile appeared on his face. Krus, too, was beaming with genuine emotion.
“W-we did it, Doomgrick!”
The sword had not broken. While it had not shattered the human blade, the fact that the demon-forged sword remained intact meant their strengths were now comparable.
“If we just refine the edge a little, it’ll be ready to release as a finished product.”
Nahen approached Seere and lifted her into his arms. With his free hand, he gave Doomgrick’s shoulder a light pat.
“I’ll leave the other weapons to you as well. I have high expectations.”
Doomgrick bowed his head deeply. Krus followed suit.
“Yes, we will do our utmost!”
Nahen nodded and turned away from the forge. As he headed toward the portal to return to the 72nd floor, Seere asked,
“Are you going to do ‘that’ now?”
“Hm? Yes, I suppose we can.”
Seere frequently observed and learned from Nahen’s work. In the process, she had also watched him formulate the plan to conquer the 69th floor. Nahen smiled faintly.
“Now we can finally start doing proper business.”
The 69th floor of the demon realm. This place was known as the “Generous Layer.” It was not generous to everyone, but the nickname came from Dantalion’s commerce-friendly policies that favored merchants. As a result, the 69th floor was a gathering place for many merchants of the demon realm.
Recently, however, strange rumors had begun circulating among the merchants here.
“Listen, Count Bennett.”
“What is it?”
“Have you heard the latest news? Apparently, they’re selling extremely rare weapons on the 70th floor.”
“Weapons?”
Information was lifeblood to merchants. Normally, they would never share information they could monopolize, but this rumor was different. It was clearly the kind of rumor someone had deliberately released into the market. Merchants did not easily believe such rumors, as they lacked “credibility.” Bennett was one of the merchants who paid no mind to them.
“Word is they’re human weapons.”
Yet rumors varied. Regardless of whether the information was reliable, if it stirred merchants’ curiosity and greed, they would react to any rumor. That was the nature of their kind.
“What? They’re selling weapons made in the human realm? Is that true!?”
“More precisely, they’re not only selling looted ones but also ones they’ve produced themselves.”
“…Aren’t all demon realm weapons basically the same anyway?”
When Bennett showed a hint of disappointment, Wayne, the merchant who had brought the story, continued.
“The thing is, the weapons being made on the 70th floor are said to be on par with human ones.”
“…What did you say?”
“I don’t know if the rumor is true, but it’s already becoming well-known among merchants. So I was thinking of going to check it out myself…”
“I’m coming with you!”
“I knew you would, Count.”
“Of course! What kind of question is that?”
The rumor was worth verifying. “If it’s true, the entire weapon trade market in the demon realm will change completely!”
“Right. Let’s go take a look.”
The plaza district of the 70th floor. In the past, when Andromalius ruled, it had been a place where he displayed the heads of those who opposed him as warnings. Now, under Sitri’s rule, it was developing into the central district of the layer. Merchants who had visited the 70th floor during Andromalius’s reign openly expressed their admiration.
“My word… This used to be a place where severed heads were always hanging.”
“It’s certainly changed a lot. To think so many people are walking around now.”
Amid the throng of merchants, Bennett voiced his honest impression.
“I can understand why Count Raiders abandoned Andromalius and sided with Sitri.”
“Indeed. It’s much more pleasant to look at now.”
“Excuse me.”
Just then, a man approached the merchants gathered in the plaza. Bennett and Wayne looked at him questioningly.
“Are you merchants who came after hearing the rumor?”
“That’s right… How did you know?”
“Ah, my apologies for the late introduction.”
The man bowed his head.
“I am a messenger of Her Majesty Sitri. I was ordered to escort merchants who came after hearing the story to the Demon King’s castle.”
“We’re being invited to the Demon King’s castle?”
Bennett and Wayne exchanged a quick glance before nodding. This was clearly a rumor Sitri herself had spread to gather merchants.
‘So it was a venture run by a Demon King.’
They had worried that if it was a private venture, someone might have beaten them to it, but that no longer seemed to be the case. The merchants who had gathered in the plaza followed the man, moving briskly.
“You may enter.”
Guided to what had once been Andromalius’s audience chamber, the merchants stepped over the threshold. Then they froze in disbelief.
“…Huh?”
Inside the chamber stood countless soldiers. The atmosphere was hardly conducive to discussing business. The oppressive mood made the merchants shrink back. Besides Sitri’s trusted subordinates, there were others present as well. While some merchants did not recognize them, larger figures like Bennett and Wayne did.
‘Why is the 72nd floor’s faction here?’
The reason they could identify them was simple: Rin El Laza, one of Seir’s Four Swords, whose face was widely known, was present in the chamber. Most belonged to Sitri’s forces, but some from the 72nd floor were clearly mixed in.
“Why is the 72nd floor…”
“The story that the two Demon Kings formed an alliance has become quite well-known.”
As Bennett and Wayne muttered this, the chamber doors slammed shut with a heavy thud.
“Welcome, everyone.”
A woman sat upon the throne. She was stunning, with brilliant golden hair and a voluptuous figure—Demon King Sitri. Beside her, on another throne, sat an adorable little girl. The child wore a crown that seemed slightly too large for her head, giving her a somewhat dazed yet cute appearance.
‘Seere von Devata…?’
Even the Demon King of the 72nd floor, Seere, was present. Quick-witted merchants could deduce one fact from the situation.
‘This venture isn’t Sitri’s alone.’
Sitri raised her hand slightly and spoke.
“You all came after hearing the story, correct?”
The merchants nodded. Just as she said, they had come solely because of the rumor. One merchant stepped forward and asked,
“Your Majesty, is it true that you intend to distribute human-realm weapons?”
“Strictly speaking, they are demon-realm weapons.”
“Then…”
“Of course, their quality is on par with human ones.”
Sitri’s crimson eyes gleamed.
“I guarantee it in the name of a Demon King.”
“!”
The merchants stiffened. They knew all too well what it meant for a Demon King to stake their name on a guarantee. It meant that if their words proved false, no merchant—neither themselves nor others—would ever trade with them again. It was a declaration that they were wagering the Demon King’s entire credibility.
“Your Majesty Sitri, are you speaking in earnest?”
“Yes. Someone else will explain the details, but it is certain.”
At Sitri’s words, one merchant raised a hand.
“What is it?”
“Then I would like to hear the explanation.”
“Unfortunately, that will not be possible. I only intend to share information with merchants who will definitely conduct business with us in this venture.”
“…We cannot make a deal based solely on such a rumor, Your Majesty.”
“Then you may leave through that door right now.”
Sitri kindly pointed to the chamber doors.
“Let me make this clear. Anyone who does not wish to participate in this transaction should leave through that door now. Those who remain will be considered as having agreed to trade with us.”
“Such…”
“And if anyone stays, hears all the information, and then later claims they won’t make a deal…”
In that instant, the atmosphere among Sitri’s soldiers and Seere’s subordinates shifted dramatically.
“You will not leave here alive.”
“A-are you threatening us, Your Majesty?”
“Threatening? I’m giving you an opportunity. Merchants who don’t want to trade may leave through the door now. I won’t harm you. The warning I just gave was only for those who intend to stay and deceive me.”
At Sitri’s words, the merchants began to murmur among themselves, debating whether to stay or leave. Wayne turned to Bennett.
“Count Bennett, what will you do?”
“Haa… Well, it must be true, right? A Demon King is staking her name on it.”
“That’s true. But even if the information is real, we won’t even get to hear the transaction terms. Isn’t it a bit much to demand that only those willing to trade stay? It’s like saying we have to accept whatever terms they offer.”
“You’re right, but…”
Bennett swallowed hard. He could instinctively feel it—this choice would have a profound impact on his life as a merchant. Things would change, one way or another. For better or worse.
“…I’m going to stay and see.”
“…I see. A shame, but I’ll be going, Count Bennett.”
“Yes. That’s not a strange choice either. In fact, it might be the wiser decision.”
Bennett gave a self-deprecating laugh.
“Honestly, I’m the crazy one here.”
One by one, Wayne and the other merchants began to leave. By the time the doors had closed behind them, only about twenty merchants remained—far fewer than the number that had entered.
Sitri looked at the remaining merchants and smirked.
“My, how well my prediction turned out.”
Sitri gestured behind her, as if beckoning someone forward. A man who had been standing at the back stepped out.
“I will assume you have all decided to trade with us. If I am mistaken, I will give you one last chance. You may leave through the door now.”
“……”
Only merchants who had already made up their minds remained. None of them moved toward the door. The man nodded and spoke.
“I am Nahen. I am Seere von Devata’s teacher, and the one who conceived this venture.”
“…Was this not Her Majesty Sitri’s venture?”
“That is also true, but I am the one who planned and executed it. Therefore, I will be the one to explain the details of the business to you.”
Upon hearing Nahen’s words, Bennett and the other merchants were shocked. What the man was saying could be interpreted as follows:
‘…He used a Demon King as a figurehead!’