116. March Out
『Are you insane?』
"Such foul language."
『Only a madman would tell me to march into the empire and help their prince.』
"You're a hero. When there's a black mage and a Demon King, it's only natural to charge in, no matter the country."
『Cut the textbook bullshit.』
"I'll give you mana."
『That's a given.』
『You've already contracted with the fifth prince, haven't you?』
"The kingdom comes second. You come first."
『And?』
"And?"
『Even if I go to the kingdom, pulling you out would be no big deal. Sure, some whiny, dissatisfied humans would complain, but it's not like it's the first time.』
『You're not gonna call something you're obligated to give me 'payment,' are you?』
『Or are you that much of a thug?』
Rozel Charnt licked her lips through the communication orb.
"What do you want?"
『Well, to rush to an empire I don't even like and work for their prince? No ordinary reward would cut it.』
"Don't make me ask twice."
『Something thicker than mana. Something closer to the source.』
Rozel's eyes gleamed with madness.
『Your blood.』
『Your hair.』
『Your mana road.』
『And your mana hole and heart... too much?』
"I admit it. You're definitely a crazy bitch."
Berge stroked the goosebumps rising on his skin. It was the first time since becoming a Demon King that he'd felt chills like this.
And from a mere human, no less.
Anger surged alongside it.
How dare some arrogant human hero covet a Demon King's body?
"Just get lost."
『What?』
"And the contract's off. I'll eat the penalty fee. Reason for termination: Rozel the Mad Charnt. Got it?"
Berge realized something.
This wasn't just about ties with Akan. The madness radiating from Rozel Charnt was far from normal. And people like her always dragged trouble in their wake.
If her target was Berge himself, the deeper the entanglement, the more it would become a ticking bomb.
Better to cut it off now.
Penalty fee? A bit of money lost, but cheap in the long run. And ties with Akan Kingdom could be maintained through the elves.
Of course, it wouldn't be easy to sever completely. Rozel Charnt's obsession wouldn't yield easily.
But at least he had to draw a clear line—one she couldn't cross, or if she did, she'd think twice unless it was her last resort.
『No, wait a sec.』
"Why so surprised? Did you think I'd tolerate that crap? I'm not the one who's desperate."
『No, no. It was a joke, right?』
"I'm dead serious."
And you were serious from the start, too.
『That'd be a problem. The king and the tower lord would throw a fit.』
『All the mages in the tower, too.』
"That's your mess to clean up. A mage wouldn't blab without thinking, right?"
『...Playing hardball, huh?』
"What of it?"
『Fine. Just mana, like my first offer. How's that?』
"Spilled water can't go back in the cup."
『Bullshit! There's no magic that can't fix it!』
...Fair point.
『Okay, I'll concede. Free. As an apology, I'll work for free. So stop the termination!』
"...Hmm."
『This chance doesn't come every day. Miss it, and you're an idiot.』
"...If you want to help me that badly."
The corners of Berge's mouth curved into a sly grin. Realizing she'd been had, Rozel wore a blank expression.
『...You bastard?』
"Join the Red Flame Assault Team and head straight to Hillun Kargil. I didn't think the great hero-mage would go back on her word. See you."
『You damn dog—!』
Berge cut the connection.
Rozel's final words faded into the air.
The emperor of Jespain knew the importance of grand gestures and spectacles.
The imperial family embodying noblesse oblige, personally leading the purge of the black mages—servants of evil.
Why hide it and proceed in secrecy?
For the continent's mightiest empire?
Absurd.
Better to flaunt it openly, spread the rumors, and make a spectacle.
That way, the people would know.
That way, loyalty would soar.
That way, everyone could see.
Nobles and commoners alike—the royals undergoing trials.
Only those who proved their worth under their gaze could claim the throne.
Shring—
The emperor drew his sword.
The dragon blade symbolizing the Jespain imperial line and the empire.
He raised it high toward the sky. The radiant blade reflected the sunlight.
"Purge the insolent black mage horde that dares tarnish the empire's name."
"March out!"
Small but mighty.
The voice, amplified by magic, struck every ear in the capital.
Roooaaar—
In response to their fiery cheers, the four royals knelt and bowed their heads.
"We shall obey!"
"We shall obey!"
Thoom-thoom-thoom—
Drums beat, trumpets blared. The swelling cheers were so fervent, one could mistake the war for a festival.
It was only natural. No one thought the empire could lose.
Thus, the Hamstline Gorge black mage purge commenced.
The four royals each received the emperor's decree before the masses, flanked by their attendants, key nobles.
Hillun and Berge blended into the crowd as commoners, watching the spectacle. Rozel Charnt, who'd joined them, was there too.
"God, I hate these empire bastards. We need heroes, but they hate drawing eyes at official events?"
"This is the empire. Insulting it isn't wise."
"Shut it, Demon King thief."
"You're louder."
"Shut up, you con artist."
Rozel Charnt, roped into free labor with a ring through her nose, had been in a foul mood since arriving in the empire.
The empire's disdain for heroes only fanned the flames.
"It's over. Let's head to the east gate."
"Wonder how many troops and heroes the other royals gathered."
Berge and Hillun headed for the capital's east gate. Rozel Charnt trailed behind.
The outer east gate was already swarming with people.
In the distance, the purge force assembled: four knight orders, four mage squads, eight hundred soldiers.
Modest compared to the empire's five signature knight orders, but far from inadequate.
As the royals appeared, they formed ranks and bowed.
The funny part? They were the only ones.
"A game of chicken."
"Yes. Most will probably join midway."
The competition had begun the moment the purge was assigned to the royals.
Hiding your strength and inflating weaknesses was basic strategy.
Newspapers had buzzed daily about which heroes contracted with whom, yet only a select few stood here now.
Deliberate concealment.
"We should've hidden too, but..."
"Want me to gouge your eyes?"
Hillun shot Rozel a side-eye. She growled back.
The third prince had wanted to keep Rozel hidden and join near Hamstline, but she'd refused.
She'd sent the Red Flame Assault Team ahead and come whining for a storage orb refill.
Of course, he'd refused, and now it was the day of.
At least her robe hid her face decently.
"Where's the third prince's group?"
"Over there."
At that moment, a knight bearing the imperial dragon emblem galloped up and dismounted before Hillun.
"Are you the famed Hillun?"
"I see the Sixth Prince."
"To lay eyes on the hero who felled two Demon Kings! Delighted! I've longed to meet you!"
After a minor commotion, the four royal-led detachments marched toward Hamstline Gorge.
Hamstline wasn't one gorge. Dozens of branching paths spiderwebbed outward, with the empire fortifying the largest, most vital one.
Four fortresses encircled it from east, west, south, north—the same number as the lead royals.
The groups dispersed to their respective fortresses, agreeing to converge inward from the encirclement.
"So this is Dortin Fortress."
A massive castle blocked the gorge entrance in the distance.
The purge force—starting with fifty knights, thirty mages, a hundred soldiers—had swelled threefold with five hundred from Marquis Aintheil, twenty-one Red Eagles, and fifty Red Flames.
"White Eagle Knights—the Aintheil's strongest, right?"
"We're Eagles too."
"You can't compare us."
"You're the Red Eagle Assault Team. What's inferior about Red Eagles?"
"Of course, Captain. Not like our mercenary days."
"Still, the White Eagles are a bit..."
"Yeah, we haven't grown that much since then."
"Can't you shut up?"
The Red Eagle Assault Team members whispered at the sight of the knights in gleaming platinum armor.
Hillun clicked his tongue silently at their crawling pride.
"Forming an assault team from mercenaries was a mistake. Should've recruited proper talent from the ground up."
"That would've taken ages. And it sounds like you're blaming me for providing the mercenaries?"
"Of course not, but if it came across that way..."
"Shut up."
"Yes."
The elite of Marquis Aintheil, representing the empire. The third prince's forces weren't objectively weak.
But he couldn't relax.
Everything was relative. Strong on paper, but lacking compared to the others.
Brother and sisters got more support.
The first prince and first princess likely led ducal elites—superior objectively and subjectively to Aintheil's.
The second prince, backed by Marquis Boulderbop's vast funds, had hired hordes of mercenaries—plus their knight order.
I expected that much.
Family backing was a given. Hiding troops for mid-join was to conceal heroes.
Heroes are key in the end.
In mana-saturated Hamstline, against undead and black mages, only heroes could shine brightest.
I wonder who they got.
Stars, probably. Empire's hero guild disdain aside, heroes knew allying with royals meant wealth and power.
Should've hidden ours better.
All exposed. Hillun had been out since the capital; Rozel, despite pleas, showed up anyway.
Hiding? Yeah, right.
Still...
His gaze shifted to the Red Eagles—and their lead hero.
Preparations are set. They don't know this trump card.
Thanks to Hillun. His advice forged the ace.
"Entering the fortress."
"Yes!"
The gates opened. Welcoming castle lord's entourage in sight.
I'll slay the black mages myself. And help Hillun assault the Flame Tower.
He resolved deeply.
Become emperor, save his brother, avoid bloody succession strife.
His eyes burned with grim determination.