156. The Tower's Whereabouts
It was.
Enormous.
And majestic.
Grriiind—
Emitting bizarre mechanical whirs, it radiated mana—no, magic points.
Magical circuits glowed, and the cold metal heated red-hot. Steam from melting snow billowed in all directions.
Clank—grrrind—
Legs extended. The colossal frame, dozens of meters tall and thought immovable, slowly—ever so slowly—rose into the air.
"It—it worked! It really worked!"
"N-not yet! Don't jump the gun! It's just standing up. You can't call a toddler's wobbly steps a success!"
"Even if it fails, this is huge! A golem tens of meters tall! And I made it with my own hands!"
"Watch your words—my share's about 99%. Yours is like 0.0001%."
"What? You big-headed bastard!"
"What'd you say? The guy who can't even swing a hammer properly 'cause of frozen shoulder!"
The dwarves' voices were soon drowned out by an even greater roar.
—!
—!
The legs moved. The massive, heavy bulk stepped forward through the snow, planting one foot after the other.
One step, two steps, three.
The chattering dwarves fell silent. Witnessing a miracle they'd never see again in their lifetimes, tears of awe streamed down their faces.
"...Ooh."
"...Beautiful."
"To think I contributed to creating this."
"I bled from the nose twenty-three times, but not a drop was wasted..."
"This is all thanks to me! We built it exactly to my blueprints!"
The tower's vast base devoured the street in an instant. It crossed 50 meters in a flash before halting, then thudded back down to earth.
The doors opened. The Demon King emerged.
"Everyone, board."
Today, we leave this place.
—!
—!
The tower moved.
It left deep footprints and deafening noise in its wake, but the monsters drawn by the vibrations cowered before its majesty and slunk away with tails between their legs.
Berge sat on the throne at the summit, watching it all. The walls, transparent only from inside, offered a panoramic view of the outside world.
"So, where are we headed?"
Vivian half-draped herself over the throne's armrest. Berge shoved her off in annoyance, but she didn't budge.
"...I've already scouted a spot."
Berge summoned a hologram and pointed to one location.
About 80km from here. Another basin, surrounded by rocks—the perfect hideout for the tower.
"What about going all the way down the mountain?"
"Impossible."
The tower was too massive. Its size was an asset, but it also made them a glaring target.
"Fair enough. But what about the trail behind us?"
"Already ordered Krutoo to handle it. The Frost Orcs will erase the tracks."
The tower's weight left deep impressions. The Frost Orcs would take care of them all.
"Wouldn't it be better to head even further north from here? The deeper in, the harder it is for humans to search. Monsters get tougher too. This spot looks pretty good."
Vivian peered at the hologram and pointed to one area.
"Can't go there."
"Why not?"
"Something we shouldn't mess with is sleeping there."
"What's a Demon King got to fear from messing with something?"
"Don't you remember getting framed for touching Luize Berft and ending up as my subordinate?"
"You were the one who framed me!"
"Never did."
Vivian's eyes narrowed petulantly.
"Oh, really?"
Her face screamed she wanted to snap back but couldn't. Berge snorted and ignored her.
"What?"
"What do you mean, what? It's dangerous."
"A monster?"
"Less a monster and more..."
Berge hesitated on whether to explain, then shrugged. No real need for secrecy. Better to warn them to steer clear.
"A symbol."
"A symbol?"
"Yeah. Like..."
Berge's gaze shifted to Kaede, standing rigidly behind him. Ravinia's head turned to follow.
"Why me...?"
"The empire's symbol or whatever."
"...What?"
"...Pardon?"
"...Oh?"
Ravinia's eyes sparkled.
A hero party composed entirely of heroes. One including four Stars.
No one had the guts to block the empire's force, forged over three months.
The party passed through the empire without incident, crossed Hotenwork in Horton Kingdom, and only paused for a brief rest upon reaching Hotenwork in Corzen Kingdom.
No networking or extra funding like a typical hero party might seek.
They had the empire's full backing from the start, and the emperor's will was clear: kill the Flame Demon King as fast as possible.
Some heroes grumbled at passing up more rewards.
But Balaf Disrod, leading the party, shut it down.
"Anyone unhappy, leave. But deal with the consequences yourself."
The great hero famed for slaying one Demon King already.
Hillon Kargil had killed two and risen to fame, but most still believed he couldn't match Balaf Disrod yet.
No one dared ignore him.
With the empire behind him, and poised to soar higher after this Demon King, everyone knew it.
The grumblers shut up, and the party's pace quickened in response.
"Welcome."
They received a warm reception in Hotenwork but stayed only two days, just enough to shake off travel fatigue.
"Cold here too."
Gillian Aint, the great Star leading the White Eagle assault team, breathed white mist into the Erjest blizzard.
Not much different from the tundra. But the harsher terrain made it feel even more wretched.
"What's the tundra like?"
"Eh, a gloomy place."
Gillian smiled bitterly. The bid to leash the Frost Demon King and escape imperial sway had failed, leaving his tribe more dependent than ever.
Why he'd come this far. Couldn't refuse the empire's orders.
"You've been to Erjest before, right? Feels familiar?"
"Well, second time."
Waton Colro, who once partied with Hillon Kargil, failed, and now shone as a new Star, wore a grim smile too.
"You get used to a hellhole like this after just twice? Do you think this hero party will succeed, Sir Gillian?"
"Obviously. Five hundred all heroes. Four Stars to boot—no offense to myself. Even the Demon King's grandpappy couldn't survive."
"True, but..."
From Waton's view, scarred by the first party's memories, unease lingered.
"We didn't find the tower back then, but we faced endless monsters."
"I know. The Flame Demon King doesn't wait politely in his tower for heroes, right?"
"Exactly."
Not just Hillon Kargil's party— Akan searches, allied sweeps, all the same.
But.
"Then and now are different."
The power gap was vast.
"I won't spill my kin's blood on foreign soil. We'll end this quick."
The northern tundra's Star exuded confidence.
"Besides, with that guy here, the Demon King's tricks are pointless anyway."
Gillian's eyes fixed on the silently advancing knight's back.
"Right you are. Once Balaf Disrod sets a goal, retreat's not in his vocab."
Aina smiled brightly.
"Isn't he cool?"
"...Yeah."
"Our new Star's surprisingly timid? Most strut around poking everything, full of themselves."
"N-no, that's not—"
"Cute. So fresh."
"Th-thank you!"
"Hope you keep that freshness. Advice: stay away from Rozel."
"Rozel—you mean Rozel Charnt?"
"That bitch ain't worth the honorific. Maybe if she were just crazy."
"......"
"Get it? We're sworn enemies who can't stand each other."
"Y-yes..."
"Wanna see great mages duke it out? Tell her exactly what I said. Spectacle for sure. Ideally right in front of the Frost Demon Tower—may the fallout kill the Frost Demon King outright."
"...Uh."
Gillian's "advice" left Waton's head in chaos.
This is a Star?
Illusions shattered.
He hadn't expected infallible perfection. But.
Hillon Kargil wasn't like this.
Even if they'd clashed at the end, Hillon was Waton's ideal Star.
Kind to all, ever calm, merciful and benevolent.
I won't end up like them.
Waton vowed.
I'll claim the Flame Demon King's head myself.
Even with Balaf Disrod there, slaying the Demon King was every hero's dream.
The fame, the Demon King's power as gain—and for Waton, redemption from failure.
Even if I miss the Demon King, one of the Four Heavenly Kings at least.
Waton resolved to make this party his soaring moment. Like Hillon, who rose after failing by slaying the Beast Demon King.
"Never drop your guard!"
"Beware the Four Heavenly Kings!"
Balaf Disrod and the heroes pegged guerrilla tactics as the biggest threat.
Countless attempts to find the Flame Demon Tower, each thwarted by the Demon King's monsters, beasts, and Four Heavenly Kings harassing search parties.
Avalanches always hit. Monsters always struck amid chaos.
The Demon King exploited Erjest's terrain masterfully.
"The Four Heavenly Kings to watch especially: the Dark Spirit Summoner. Estimated high demons, likely the tower's top force."
Only the Dark Spirit Summoner was confirmed, but they'd unleashed a tsunami of snow to wipe out a search team.
"If the Four Heavenly Kings show, each Star takes one."
"Of course."
They had four Stars too.
Steeling themselves, they pressed toward the tower.
But contrary to expectations, no signs of Demon King activity.
No monster swarms, no avalanches.
It could have ended there—better luck even.
"What the hell?"
"Wrong spot?"
"This is it! Matches the record orb perfectly!"
Empty.
The site Daphne Philian had risked life for, where the tower had to be per records: only fierce winds and pristine snow.
"N-no way..."
"The—the tower's gone?"
"Nothing here!"
The confident heroes, chasing the record orb, fell into panic.
"Can't be gone! Search again!"
"Nothing! Something that big wouldn't hide!"
Even heroes were human.
Entering forbidden Erjest tensed them. Snow, brutal terrain, monster fights ratcheted it higher.
Who'd easily accept void at the end? Admit being duped?
"This a dream?!"
"Did it even exist?"
"Daphne lied!"
Balaf Disrod set camp in the basin, ordered rest, gathered the other Stars.
"...Thoughts?"
"No clue. First time for this."
"If we chase possibilities?"
"Two options. Daphne recorded wrong, or missed it."
"Impossible. Hillon Kargil rescued Hildean's crown princess from the Flame Demon Tower there."
Yes, that cemented their certainty for the party. Daphne's location was legit.
"Then..."
"Daphne was chased by a Four Heavenly King. Hard to record precisely, but roughly right."
"Tower's nearby, then."
"Makes sense otherwise."
"Agreed."
The Stars nodded in turn.
Their common sense didn't include towers moving.
The party fanned out to search. No one expected to hunt anew upon "finding" it, but it wasn't dire.
At least they were sure it was close.
Three days later, hope crumbled.
No tower, not even a shadow.
Morale plummeted daily amid unseen hope.
"...Maybe the Demon King's already dead? Like the Lust Demon King."
"Who?"
"Hillon Kargil, obviously."
"Would he stay quiet if he did?"
"...No."
Hillon chased honor and fame. No reason to hide a third Demon King kill.
"Assault team testimonies match too. Not Hillon."
"Third party, then...""No, he's alive."
"Pardon? How—"
"Alive. Definitely."
Under stares, Balaf Disrod insisted.
"Unlike Lust, who got snuck up on after troubles. Him vanishing quietly doesn't add up."
"Fair, but..."
"...We'll retreat for now."
No one said they couldn't go home without a Demon King kill.
Even heroes were human; the blank despair darkened the mood.
The grand expedition returned empty-handed, descending the mountain.
Their failure—thought impossible—shook the continent.
Balaf ignored the chatter, stayed silent. He slipped away to contact Hillon.
Balaf cut the communication.
In pitch darkness, his eyes flickered with rage.
The Demon King isn't dead.
He's alive. Word from a reliable source confirmed it.
But... truly reliable?
Couldn't deny their decent ties so far, but...
Balaf frantically activated another orb. Long wait later, he snarled at the connected face.
"Where's the Flame Demon King? You didn't lie to me too, did you?"
The figure on the other end adjusted their monocle.
< 156. The Tower's Whereabouts > End