106. Horrific Hybrid

He had no idea what exactly had been said in the negotiations.

It was just a sudden announcement—a one-sided declaration from the empire.

- A vein of ore had been discovered in the Pillerium Mountains.

- The Southern Alliance had illegally occupied imperial territory, but the empire had reclaimed the vein.

- Due to the harsh environment of the Pillerium Mountains making it uneconomical, the empire had decided not to develop it for now.

And the Southern Alliance hadn't raised a single objection.

They had simply withdrawn their forces and returned to their posts. There was no mention anywhere of the Crimson Dragon Knights' defeat.

No, they hadn't even mobilized in the first place.

"Unbelievable."

He truly hadn't expected it to end like this.

"Don't the empire's bastards have any pride? The Crimson Dragon Knights got beaten. Their captain was injured. And they just let it slide like this?"

"It's because the captain was injured."

"What?"

"If it had just been one of the regular knights, it would've been fine. The opponent was Pablo Barkat, after all. Even an imperial hero isn't invincible. But the captain hovering between life and death? That's not okay."

A regular knight and the captain carried different weight. Just like a typical knight order differed from the empire's heroes.

That was the nature of symbolism.

"Plus, Your Majesty, from their perspective, there was interference from a third party. That probably played the biggest role."

"Did I go too overboard...?"

If he'd known, he wouldn't have cut loose at the end.

His excessive zeal had backfired.

After regressing, he'd thought he could do whatever he wanted, but nothing ever went his way.

This incident, Hillun, all of it.

"Collect the temporary tower and withdraw."

The Demon King returned to his tower.

* * *

These were the Magic Points gained from the clash between the empire and the Southern Alliance.

For a skirmish involving merely hundreds, it was an astonishing amount. Likely because their mutual hatred, killing intent, and rage ran deeper and fiercer than usual.

Adding in the reserves from the main tower, plus the steady influx of negative emotions from Hildean and Jespain...

Finally, enough to summon a single balrog.

In just over a year. An incredibly rapid pace.

No, 'incredibly' doesn't even cover it.

Factoring in the Magic Points he'd traded to Jason Cockmondo for cash, it was even more overwhelming.

He checked the tower's status for the first time in ages.

Kaede Jespain and Elena Hildean, who had consumed Armani's Orb, along with the elves sworn to the World Tree—all had been integrated as tower members.

The once barren tower, with only Berge and Gordon, now bustled with life.

It was ironic that there were more humans and elves than demons.

I never could've imagined this before.

Back then, he'd have scoffed at housing mid-world vermin in his tower and slaughtered them all for Magic Points.

"Whoa, does this show the tower's status?"

Perhaps because he'd checked it the moment he entered without a second thought, Ernan, following behind, lit up with excitement.

Eh, no big deal.

It wasn't a secret anyway, and even if she knew, there was nothing she could do without authority.

"Yeah."

"The assignments are weird."

"What do you mean?"

"The Four Heavenly Kings should be placed from the weakest on the lower floors, one by one..."

"Not worth considering."

Four Heavenly Kings? She said it so sincerely just because he'd humored her.

Am I the weird one, or is she?

Judging by Kaede's horrified reaction, probably the latter.

"Ah, you've arrived?"

Navigating the not-quite-maze-like corridors, the workshop came into view. Roger, who wasn't hammering away—perhaps on a break—greeted them.

"Demon King, hello."

"......"

The princess missing something essential waved, while the kidnapped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠golem mage shrank back in fear, bowing his head.

"Any progress?"

"Not quite soon, but I'm confident I can show you results within a few months. Princess Ravinia has been a great help."

"My merit."

Ravinia cleared her throat and shrugged proudly. Then she politely extended both hands.

"Beast."

"Left it with you?"

"Core."

"A tail's sufficient payment. Do you know what that is? It's the Demon King's. You'd have to work here another century to earn it."

"......"

Ravinia puffed out her cheeks sulkily.

What was that—a protest begging for a pinch on the cheek?

Berge's face twisted.

"Chimera."

"You want to make a chimera?"

"Yeah."

"Finish the golem first."

"If I make it. For Demon King."

"You'll make it and give it to me?"

"Yeah."

"Princess!"

Ravinia nodded. The golem mage was aghast.

"No! What are you thinking?!"

He scolded her, forgetting the Demon King was right there.

"Making them. Fun."

"No, even if you love making them... urk!"

Berge hurled the golem mage far away.

"So you just enjoy the making itself, huh."

"Yeah."

"No real attachment once it's done?"

"No. Here. Good."

"The chimeras would prefer it here?"

"Yeah."

Of course. Chimeras were demons, beasts, or monsters remade to human tastes. Their essence didn't change, so they'd naturally prefer a mana-rich tower.

"Cher."

"Cher said that."

Cher—the titan chimera's name, right?

She'll convert a beast into a chimera?

From what he'd seen of Cher, her skills were beyond doubt. Turning beasts into chimeras for the tower could be...

Pretty useful.

It tempted him. But he wouldn't decide rashly.

"I'll think about it. Oh, did you attach a tail to Cher?"

"Yeah!"

Ravinia's face brightened instantly.

"Cher, slim."

"Slimmer?"

"Yeah!"

"A horrific hybrid."

Attaching a succubus tail to a titan, really.

A muscleless titan. What was the difference from grafting dwarf stubs onto an elf?

No one but Ravinia Akan could've conceived such a bizarre idea.

"I'd like to see it."

"Cher, sulking. Won't listen."

"Obviously."

"But handsome."

"Handsome?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry, but titans' aesthetics are the opposite of humans'."

They preferred bulky over pretty. So from Cher's view, sprouting a freakish tail overnight made him ugly.

"Ah...?"

Ravinia Akan blinked in total ignorance. Berge chuckled and headed upstairs.

There, in the corner, he found Cher slumped with his back turned.

"You."

Kruk?

The creature slyly turned his head, instinctively cowering before the Demon King's presence.

Berge flinched.

"My god, is that really the titan?"

Ernan gasped.

Sized for a Demon King, the tail had grown to fit the 5-meter titan. The giant appendage writhing from his hips was grotesque, but Berge focused elsewhere.

This is actually...

Succubi and incubi seduced by color and form, draining essence for sustenance.

Naturally, to seduce, they evolved into beauties. Vivian, peak of succubi with her queen title, was among the fairest—meaning her tail influenced appearance.

Cher's form had changed dramatically. Muscles weren't gone, but the ogre-like bulk was.

Not quite incubus, more like a burly vampire.

Balanced and handsome, even. Vampires weren't incubi-level, but pretty enough. Not from a titan's perspective, of course.

Berge patted Cher's back.

"Chin up."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Kruk—

His teary eyes reflected Berge. An amusing thought struck.

Wish I could show this to Ugar.

What would Ugar, titan elite, think? Kill him as a disgrace? Deny reality?

Anyway.

Berge stroked his chin.

Ernan was right—real talent.

Grafting a Demon King's tail onto a titan seamlessly? Even for a chimera maker, impressive.

He couldn't help but admire human—no, Ravinia Akan's—skill.

Worth considering.

Not as a joke, but filling the tower with enhanced chimeras? Not a bad idea.

* * *

Hillun crunched through fresh snow. More flakes fell from the sky, burying his footprints.

A familiar sight by now.

Already two weeks.

His grand plan to hunt in the Frost Demon King's tower had failed.

Gillian lost an arm, five northern tribes were wiped out, and Hillun Kargil barely survived.

A painful lesson in his inadequacies.

"You've arrived? Come in."

A now-familiar servant opened the door.

A feast of delicacies spread out. The Border Count sat at the head, surrounded by vassals and nobles.

"Welcome."

"Thank you for the invitation."

"Always so formal. Time to relax a bit, no?"

"This is relaxed."

"Heh, what a guy."

Sit. The Border Count murmured. As always, the seat next to his direct heir.

Telling of how the count viewed him.

"Welcome."

The count's eldest son greeted him. Hillun smiled back at the admiring gaze.

"All present. Dig in."

The count took knife and fork; dinner began. Hillun silently chewed his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠salad.

Never imagined it'd turn out like this.

Berge had escaped, but the count hadn't raged. He'd asked why, accepted it, and supported Hillun fully.

Like Hillun, he sought mutual benefit.

Not bad.

A quid-pro-quo contract, sure—but trust made it possible.

In that sense, two weeks in the north had been fruitful.

"Oh, Father, interesting news from the south."

The eldest son spoke up. The count nodded for details.

"What is it?"

"You know about the clash between the homeland and the Southern Alliance."

"Mana stone vein in the Pillerium Mountains."

"Yes. The empire claimed it first, but the alliance ambushed. Fierce fighting followed. Empire won but deemed it uneconomical due to monsters and terrain—no mining."

"I know all that."

"Isn't it odd? They say the alliance backed down after one loss, ending the war. But a mana stone vein? Not something to abandon easily. Empire has others, but the alliance doesn't. They fought tooth and nail, then folded too quick."

"Fair point."

"Rumor has it the alliance proposed peace first."

"After defeat?"

"No—before losing it back."

"Before? That's suspicious."

Securing a base in that wasteland was a huge edge. Why surrender it?

Especially a mana stone vein.

"Pillerium's monsters must be worse than thought."

The count muttered. The typical view.

"No, another reason."

"What?"

"Heard from the heir of Viscount Taiz family."

The Taiz viscountcy—southern nobles, rich from mines and trade, tied to Chernian Border Count.

"A third party intervened—not empire or alliance."

"Demons, then."

Battlefields drew blood. Demons craved it.

Demons escalating wars was commonplace.

"Thought so too, but no."

"No?"

"Young master, stop teasing. Tell us—the old man's dying here."

Prodded by a longtime retainer, he continued.

"One cried out to a god."

"......!"

"......!"

"...Those roaches still linger?"

"Can't say for sure. But with a god's name invoked, they couldn't ignore it."

The nobles' faces darkened.

Hmm.

"One of three."

The count pondered, chewing steak.

"Deception to sow chaos between empire and alliance."

"Real roaches scheming survival."

"Or Demon King using fanatics."

Either way.

"Can't let scum mocking the empire slide. Crush them thoroughly. South made ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the right call."

Cold killing intent filled the air.

< 106. Horrific Hybrid > End