< 123. Countermeasures Meeting >
All the tower's members had gathered on the fourth floor.
It was the first time since the tower had appeared.
"The empire will come to the Erjest Mountains looking for my tower. We have to stop them."
"So the imperial army is coming. Led by the imperial family."
"Yeah."
Ernan Hildean was the first to speak up.
"I don't think it's a good idea to use the Golden Moon Merchant Guild or Hero Hillun just to block the empire."
"Because we can't stop them anyway?"
"Yes. We could lose everything."
Before the hero expedition had been decided, maybe. But now that the emperor's edict had been issued, nothing mattered.
If there were obstacles in their way, the empire didn't compromise or evade—they smashed them.
"Don't worry, Demon King. I'll handle it all!"
The dwarf hero pounded his chest.
"You?"
"I have 321 mana cannons!"
"...That's a lot."
Before, he hadn't fully grasped the significance of mana cannons. But after seeing the imperial army operate them firsthand, it hit home.
How incredible Roger was. How valuable the mana cannons he'd made were.
And how devastating the power of over 300 cannons truly was.
'If we unleash a full barrage from 321 mana cannons...?'
No matter how elite the imperial army, wouldn't they all get swept away?
And those hundreds of heroes making a fuss about the expedition—they could be wiped out entirely.
Hope suddenly sprouted.
'No. We can't rely on mana cannons alone.'
Mana cannons were destructive, but not absolute.
Above all, he couldn't picture Balaf Disrod dying no matter how many barrages they fired.
'And the empire's scary because it's not just one hero expedition.'
The more they failed, the angrier and more vicious they got.
If they repelled them once, next time they'd come back stronger with countermeasures for the mana cannons.
They had to think long-term.
"May I share my opinion?"
Gordon Dirik quietly raised his hand.
"Speak."
"I don't know how strong this imperial army you're talking about is."
"A head-on clash would be certain defeat. Their forces are mighty, and they won't be deterred by one or two failures."
"In short, they're resilient enemies we can't face right now."
Then.
"I believe we should fight them in the field, not defend the tower."
"The field?"
Berge Dayas's pupils dilated.
He was surprised enough that someone suggested abandoning the tower for field battle, but even more shocked that it came from Gordon.
"...What's with that look?"
"Not something I'd expect from your mouth."
"Didn't I tell you? I now believe your ways are right, Demon King. And this is part of that. I'll do my utmost to help you conquer this world."
"Why field battle?"
"To break them psychologically."
"Psychologically?"
"One moment..."
Gordon went up to the fifth floor and returned with a crystal orb.
He infused it with magic points and set it on the floor, summoning a massive hologram.
It was a map of the Erjest Mountains, accumulated over the past year.
"Living here for a year, I've come to understand what these Erjest Mountains mean to humans."
A harsh land, forbidden zone. A place humans weren't allowed. A treasure trove of monsters. An eternally snow-covered frozen wasteland.
"Wandering such mountains wears them down on its own. Searching endlessly for the tower in the snow is bad enough, but add monsters, and it's worse."
It gnaws at the body and the mind. Back then, he hadn't understood, but building the tower in Erjest had been the best choice.
"But if they find the tower? A spark of hope ignites. Sure, the tower's brimming with magic points, so we might have an edge. But endless uncertainty versus reaching the summit and seeing the end—which would you prefer?"
"Field battle we can win? But the field has constraints. Someone always slips through."
Unlike other Demon Kings, Berge had filled his tower with princesses, other races, and heroes.
It shocked newcomers effectively, but once exposed to the world, it wasn't better than a standard tower.
Especially if the elves and princesses were revealed publicly—Berge's plans would crumble.
An elf, a hero, a princess following a Demon King would upend everything humans believed.
In a tower, you just eliminate intruders. But in the field, you can't hide it.
"The moment it's exposed, it's not just humans' problem. The other Demon Kings will freak out."
"First, dye the elves' skin black—they can pass."
"That won't fool anyone."
"Grind tainted mana stones into dye, mix it, and engrave it into their skin. Temporary, but they'll look like dark elves."
The elves listening flinched.
Berge stroked his chin.
Infusing dye with magic points was common in Ma-gye. The points lingered subtly, making it popular.
"Not bad. And the princesses?"
"Call them the Four Heavenly Kings."
"The princesses?"
"Tch."
"Masks. Engraved to naturally emit magic points. In the heat of prolonged battle, no one will nitpick. They won't suspect Hildean princesses anyway."
"Too complacent."
That complacency had caused this mess. Berge didn't want to repeat it.
Especially when lives were at stake.
"It's certain."
"Certain?"
"No one would think princesses would call themselves Four Heavenly Kings and aid the Demon King."
Gordon scanned the room for agreement.
"...That's true."
"Even I think..."
"Honestly, me too..."
The elves nodded one by one. Given elves couldn't lie, it was genuine.
"Why?"
Ernan tilted her head.
"Yeah, why?"
Sharlot, who had first answered the two Hildean princesses' joint attack, swallowed hard.
"Because in what world would a princess help the Demon King who kidnapped her fight the heroes come to rescue her...?"
Four victims sat right there. One looked reluctant, but the other three? Not at all.
As Sharlot hesitated, Ernan shook her head.
"Exactly. I learned the world is vast—you can't view it from one angle. As expected of an elf like Lady Sharlot!"
"......"
Sharlot clamped her mouth shut, at a loss. Watching their banter, Berge realized.
'Sharlot's right.'
A princess aiding a Demon King defied common sense. Actively fighting rescuers? Even more absurd.
So why had he taken it for granted?
His gaze naturally fell on Ernan.
'...She's been corrupted.'
To the point she couldn't accept common sense as such.
Berge felt a renewed sense of caution.
"Fine. Princesses pass."
"Huh? I still don't get it."
"Your understanding isn't needed."
Berge dismissed Ernan's complaint.
"Frost orcs led by Krutoo are fine. Same for the monsters from Demon King Reina. The issue is..."
"The mana cannon corps."
"Yes."
Mana cannons were unmistakably not Demon King tech. In a millennium of descents to Alein, no Demon King had used them.
But using them as a Demon King wasn't a problem.
The Demon King's Canon didn't mention it. Ugar types might bitch about using lowly human tech, but ignore them.
The problem: exposure meant losing the advantage.
Still.
"We proceed."
"Is that wise?"
"It'll be exposed eventually. Better mana cannons than the tower. But once revealed, sweep them thoroughly. Confident?"
"Of course! I'll show those arrogant humans the dwarf-made mana cannons are on another level!"
Roger snorted fiercely.
"And in the chaos, kidnap some imperial family?"
"What?"
"Backchannel deals if we nab imperial family..."
"Rejected."
"Pardon?"
"Impossible."
It was still covert, but once the hero expedition started, it'd be continent-wide news.
If they not only failed to topple the tower but lost more imperial family?
That proud emperor and empire would disown the captives as trash and push harder.
It eliminated even the slim chance of a messy resolution.
"...I see."
"Field battle it is, then. Let's plan details. Above all, elves and princesses must stay hidden."
Kidnapped royalty waited in underground cells to greet heroes at the tower—that was canon.
Often "with the Demon King at the summit."
Some Demon Kings placed them elsewhere due to Alein's environment, but only inside the tower as per canon.
Using princesses outside, commanding heroes? Other Demon Kings wouldn't stand for it.
Ugar might overlook it, too busy surviving. Jason could be negotiated with, yielding much but turning a blind eye for now.
But Reina. Not rigid, but stubbornly traditional in some ways—that Frost Demon princess.
"She won't stand by."
First persuasion, then threats, then action.
And she was the closest Demon King to Berge now.
"We'll do our utmost to keep it hidden. But to do that..."
Gordon's gaze swept Ravinia Akan and Sharlot. He wasn't magic-illiterate, but needed expert mages.
Especially Ravinia, skilled in magic points.
"Ravinia."
"Yeah."
"I need your help."
"Yeah. Lotsa monsters. Help ya."
Fortunately, the monsters from Reina had her in a good mood.
"Oh, and I forgot to mention—the imperial family will split into four groups. They might merge midway, but for now, separate, so consider picking them off one by one."
"Yes!"
"“Got it!”"
The Demon King and his subordinates steeled their resolve.
"Demon King."
Berge had set the broad strokes and left details to Gordon. Now in his office, he clutched his throbbing head.
Then Kaede Jespain knocked.
"Come in."
She entered hesitantly.
"What is it?"
"...Well."
He knew already.
The third prince. He'd seen him dote on his sister. And Kaede felt the same.
"You can't fight the third prince, right?"
"...I'm sorry, but yes."
"You swore loyalty as my subordinate. But you'll defy orders for personal reasons? Is that your knightly code?"
"......"
Kaede bowed her head. A knight's lord's command came first. No excuses.
"Just the third prince?"
"Pardon?"
"Can you only not attack the third prince?"
"...Second brother Floyan too."
The second prince. He and the third got along; Kaede too, apparently.
"What about the first imperial princess?"
Kaede's eyes changed.
Sharp, venomous. Seeming furious.
"...Entrust her to me, and I'll give my all."
"How?"
"As you command, Demon King."
"Smash her skull, gut her, drag out her entrails? She's your sister."
"...That's too far, but limbs... I can manage."
"Pass. Your loyalty's proven. Guard the tower."
"...Pardon?"
What.
"You're an imperial daughter, but also a hero. Need to broadcast a hero as my subordinate?"
"...Ah."
Kaede blinked blankly.
As Berge pondered facing the empire.
The longest-lived Demon King in Alein heard of the empire.
『I'll ask once.』
A subtle anger underlay the voice from the crystal orb.
『Did you plant a dark mage in Hamstline Gorge, dreaming of toppling the empire?』
"No. You know I have no reason. I know the empire better than any Demon King."
『...So you tried weakening it more?』
"If so, I wouldn't have botched it so sloppily."
『......』
Silence.
『Last question. Truly not you?』
"No. If certain, you wouldn't ask."
『I'll believe you for now.』
But.
『This won't end easily like Lust. You've crossed the line.』
Communication cut off.
Jason Cockmond gripped his forehead. Crack—the oak desk splintered under his grip.
"Berge, Berge, Berge, Berge!"
What the hell.
"What have you done?"
Why provoke the worst possible things.
Why.
"Ruin my plans?"
His eyes turned ice-cold.
< 123. Countermeasures Meeting > End