An Ancient Custom
“Is this really okay with you all!”
“Yeah! Send us back!”
“You wicked scum!”
“Spare us, please!”
Natalia Iasin, the first, second, third, and fourth princesses of the Iasin Kingdom, simply couldn’t wrap their heads around their current predicament.
Just a few days earlier, they’d been lounging in the palace annex, savoring elegant tea parties with the nobility while steadily expanding their influence in high society and the political sphere.
But it had all vanished in the blink of an eye.
Kidnapped.
By the infamous Flame Demon King and his Flame Demon Tower.
The fact that all the sisters had been snatched together offered no solace.
Even more astonishing was the tower’s interior. Far from the nightmare den swarming with monsters and demons they’d imagined, it was filled with spirits and elves.
If not for the demons occasionally descending from above, they might have doubted it was a Demon King’s tower at all.
At first, they’d assumed those elves and spirits were fellow prisoners.
But no—they showed no resistance to the demons. Instead, they collaborated in tormenting the Iasin princesses.
It was unbelievable, and denial swiftly turned to rage.
“Traitors to humanity! You’ll all face divine retribution. The tower’s location is already known! Once the hero expedition launches, there’ll be no more... Kyaaak!”
“Sister!”
A sharp slap echoed as Natalia’s head snapped to the side. The blow had been so fierce her lip split open, blood trickling down.
“You, you...!”
“Shut your trap already.”
“Do you even know who I am!”
“Yeah! Do you know who we are!”
“Then do you know who I am, you bitches!”
Boom!
A massive battle axe whistled past, slicing between Natalia and the other princesses.
The deeply gouged earth and the debris stinging their cheeks felt utterly unreal.
“You think you’re the only ones snatched? Where’s this lowborn trash getting off with the attitude?”
“I’m Natalia Iasin, first princess of the Iasin Kingdom! How dare you swing an axe at—”
“If you’re Natalia Iasin, then I’m Luize Berft, you bitch!”
“What?”
“Send word to Berft Kingdom later. Tell ’em their princess backhanded this one—cough up medical fees!”
“...Lu, Luize Berft?”
“Aye. And that one glaring over there? Ninth imperial princess of the Jespain Empire—bill the empire too. Princess gets smacked and they just watch?”
“Ka, Kaede Jespain too?”
“Now shut it if you get it. Weakest bitches always got the biggest mouths—fuckin’ pains in the ass.”
The parade of heavyweight princesses left the Iasin sisters rolling their eyes back in shock before passing out cold.
“Was gonna spar proper, but these nobodies ruined it.”
Luize tsked, hoisting her axe again.
“Cleared the trash—let’s go!”
“You don’t tire?”
“Tire? Feelin’ great! You got no idea how antsy I got, holed up in that annex playin’ the good girl.”
“...Very well. Sparring you benefits me too.”
“But what’s the plan for these? Gonna shove weird orbs down their throats again?”
“I trust His Majesty the Demon King has profound intentions.”
“Full-on loyal now, eh? All knights like that? Emperor’d be thrilled.”
“The same goes for you and Berft Kingdom.”
“Hmph!”
Luize swung her axe in a wide arc.
Kaede met it head-on.
With the fainted princesses shoved to one side, their duel raged on until the captives stirred.
The Iasin Kingdom refrained from declaring a hero expedition despite the kidnapping of its first four princesses. It was almost suspiciously quiet, as if they weren’t sure four princesses had really been taken.
But while the palace stayed mum, the rumors swelled, inevitably drawing some attention away from the Golden Moon Merchant Guild.
Seizing the opening, Berge paid the guild another visit.
“Materials?”
“Gonna need a few more round trips, sir.”
“Make it happen.”
“But we’ve got issues piling up.”
Aman spoke cautiously.
“Issues?”
“Selling off those Demon King horns... and quietly lining up other guilds to peddle mana cannons.”
Demon King horns went without saying, but mana cannons were strategic assets treasured by every nation.
No country would sit idly by while a single merchant guild produced and hawked them.
“Even invoking Lord Hillun’s name has its limits. Some Iasin nobles are branding us Hildean puppets outright. The royals are moving to rein us in too—though kidnapping four princesses has weakened them some.”
It was just a temporary stall.
“That’s beyond my control.”
“We’re lobbying the nobles hard to hold the line for now.”
“What about relocating the guild to Hildean?”
A massive backer would solve everything. With crown princess Ernan’s full support, no problems.
“Abandoning our foundation? That’s as good as folding the guild.”
“Headache.”
“Not hopeless, though.”
“Out with it.”
“Donate a batch of mana cannons to the royals and high nobles. Get their protection.”
“You’ve got the connections?”
“Cost a fortune, but we’ve linked up with the crown prince.”
“Hold on—so in the end...”
“Yes. We need more mana cannons.”
“I’ll bring extra next time.”
Infinitely better than the guild crumbling.
“Much appreciated!”
“But how do you explain the missing stock?”
The golem materials Berge had demanded—piled mountain-high. Their disappearance would raise eyebrows, especially under current scrutiny.
“We’ll ship dozens of wagons to our guild workshops. Claim they turned into mana cannons courtesy of His Majesty the Demon King.”
Hundreds of cannons wasn’t trivial. Could pass as prudent material use, but...
“Mana cannon parts and golem stuff differ wildly, though?”
Some overlap, sure, but plenty didn’t match.
“Say some went to golem R&D. Lock it down tight, claim massive research costs—who’s gonna know?”
“The executives? They think we’re selling.”
“Handled via Lord Hillun, like before. Decade of putting guild first with their fathers—they bought it hook, line, and sinker.”
Officially, Hillun Kargil was the investor. Heavy shareholder pressure? Executives folded naturally.
“End product’s mana cannons—they’ll buy it. Might unravel quick, but it’s the best play now.”
Hillun really is a miracle worker.
Feeding him Drakson was the right call.
Even for Hillun Kargil, none of this flies without finishing off Drakson first.
Berge let out a faint chuckle.
“...What’s that supposed to mean?”
Hillun couldn’t process it.
Arrogant as it sounded, he was the only hero who’d slain two Demon Kings. Consensus held he could snag even Balaf Disrod’s neck, guardian of the top spot for years.
For him—who’d forged deep ties with the third prince—to be cut out?
“What happened?”
“So the imperial family’s all...”
Why the sudden shift?
It clashed with the empire’s actions so far. Wasn’t the emperor the type to ignore everything post-ascension?
“Understood.”
“Yes.”
“Not sure what you mean.”
“Ordinary. Like the Frost or Diamond Demon Kings—princess stashed on the first floor. For one who toyed with us so badly, it felt surprisingly mundane.”
Martin nodded.
“Naturally. Before rescuing Her Highness the crown princess, our shared mountain climb to the tower is unforgettable.”
“Yes.”
The connection severed.
Beyond the crystal orb, the prince in the Jespain Empire let out a scoff.
“Ordinary.”
A Demon King who’d turned a kingdom’s crown princess and an imperial princess into subordinates, negotiating with a prince like himself.
“As if.”
It’d make for a dreadfully dull farce.
“Clever Demon King.”
Releasing Hildean’s crown princess to preempt their assault.
“Somehow...”
He had a strong hunch the Demon King would survive this expedition too.
“No questions about the Demon King horns or mana cannons?”
Sir Cawell, standing silently behind, inquired.
“The guild’s burying it all. They don’t wanna talk. Hillun’s no different. No point poking the bear and souring ties now.”
“But they’re no trifles.”
“What’s it matter? Plenty besides me can squeeze the Golden Moon.”
“Fair point.”
“And the empire won’t quake over some guild-brewed mana cannons.”
Impressive for a kingdom merchant guild to crack the tech, but the empire—bar Berft—boasted the finest workshops alongside Akan. More than a few.
Worth watching, but no overreaction needed.
“Still curious how they scored that Lust horn, though.”
Regrettably, no answers yet.
After rescuing Ernan Hildean, Hillun Kargil’s already blazing fame erupted like a volcano.
Dozens of ball and tea party invites were standard; his mansion swarmed daily with visitors.
Yet he didn’t attend every event or greet everyone.
Forging bonds and turning them into networks of power was his joy—but having allied with Ernan Hildean, he couldn’t rub elbows with just anyone.
“Th-this one’s fine. We can attend that ball.”
“As you wish.”
“Ah, your fine brother’s hosting. What say you? Go together? Escort me, Hillun.”
“Vile taste.”
“A snake eyeing others’ seats? This is child’s play.”
Day by day. Hillun cultivated ties with nobles Ernan vetted, while keeping distance from the second prince’s and Duke Heinz’s factions.
Just as everyone pegged his moves as pro-Ernan, the king summoned him.
“Come in.”
The king slid his papers aside. A servant poured tea.
“Partake.”
“My thanks.”
A brief silence, broken only by the soft clink of teacups.
The king shattered it first.
“They say you’re high society’s brightest rising star these days.”
“Undeserved praise.”
“Even with nobles scrambling to link arms with you?”
Not just nobles.
“My own children taken with you.”
“Likely from rescuing blood kin, Her Highness Ernan.”
“Spare me. If it were poaching, maybe.”
“......”
The king chuckled ruefully. Hardly shocking. As king, he knew royal entanglements all too well.
But willfully ignoring them? Baffling.
“Doesn’t Your Majesty dote on Her Highness Ernan?”
“Dote? She’s the only one among my children fit to lead Hildean.”
“Yet...”
“Yet why ignore it—that what you want to ask?”
“...No, sire.”
“Sure it is.”
The king smirked. Then spoke deliberately.
“To raise her strong.”
“Strong, sire?”
“Ernan’s the queen who’ll forge Hildean into an empire. If she can’t weather petty sibling rivalries, how handle great power’s intrigues and diplomacy?”
“......”
Hillun couldn’t grasp the king’s mindset. But it explained Ernan Hildean’s twisted edge.
In some ways, worse than the empire.
He swallowed a hollow laugh, keeping his face neutral.
“In that light, her tower kidnapping was a blessing in disguise. Feared her palace life would narrow her horizons—now she’s seen the world.”
What face would he make learning that woman became a Demon King’s Four Heavenly King?
Hillun felt an itch to spill it.
“I...”
Hillun schooled his expression. The king’s tone deepened.
“Know why I’m telling you this?”
“......”
Odd indeed. Admitting deliberate neglect of royal feuds was a scandal best kept buried.
An eerie foreboding stirred in Hillun. The king’s gaze grew clingier.
“...No clue, sire.”
“Then why I summoned you?”
“Social circles?”
“I dislike heroes meddling in politics, true—but alas, no. Wouldn’t call a great hero for trivia.”
“Then...?”
Cold sweat beaded.
“Ever hear of an ancient custom? Back when towers first rose, royals snatched, Demon Kings still terrorized. Ages ago—centuries, easily.”
“No idea what you mean.”
“Fitting. It’s a forgotten relic of old laws.”
Old era? Laws?
Why the long wind-up?
“Long ago, humans couldn’t best Demon Kings. They were objects of dread.”
“I know.”
“When they kidnapped royals, kingdoms plunged into chaos. Kings desperate to save them, but few stepped up.”
Unlike now—different stature, hero counts, power levels.
“Had to reward those who braved the towers. And station trusted powerhouses at their sides to deter repeats.”
No.
A suspicion flashed through Hillun’s mind.
“A hero storms a tower, rescues a royal—perfect, no?”
Really no.
“Your thoughts?”
“...So you’re saying...”
Hillun swallowed dryly. Prayed it wasn’t, prayed harder.
“Yes. How about a betrothal to Ernan? Hildean’s crown princess and her heroic rescuer—match made in heaven, no?”
Perfect excuse too—relations warmed post-rescue.
But the gods had forsaken him.
“......”
Gods, no.
In Hillun’s mind flashed a vision: himself slain by Berge.