< 166. Chains of the Past >
"Sell Roger. And use the third prince."
It was the decision Berge reached after grasping the gravity of the situation and agonizing over it.
"That would expose my connection to you, my lord Demon King, to the third prince."
Hillun had learned of Roger through the Demon King's tower.
"No, we'll tweak the story a bit. We're not saying we met at the tower—Roger was never kidnapped by me in the first place."
Only a tiny handful even knew Roger had been kidnapped, and they were all firmly under Berge's thumb.
If he decided to hide it, it could be done easily enough.
"He was fleeing Luize Berft's clutches, running from place to place, and ended up throwing himself on your mercy."
"He volunteered to craft mana cannons to help you out, but deliberately held back their power out of fear the dwarves would notice."
"...It's a plausible tale, but if things go wrong, it could spark trouble with the Berft Kingdom and lead to even bigger problems."
"If the third prince lets slip Roger's existence to Berft..."
"If he does, then yeah."
But would he, though?
"He won't. Once he learns Roger is in your hands, he'll do anything to get aid from him or claim him for himself. He'd use Roger as a dagger to stab Prince Rufus or Prince Floyan with."
Kaede's advice, forged from over a decade at Martin's side, bolstered his certainty.
"I think the same. I've only met him once, but the hunger in his eyes was no joke."
"If there's solid proof Roger exists, he'll definitely team up with you, Hillun."
"Solid proof means showing Roger himself."
"Make excuses that it's hard to bring him out directly. Say the trauma from being hunted by Luize Berft makes him deathly afraid of exposing himself to the outside world. Then show proof of Roger."
"Does such proof even exist?"
"Mana cannons."
The root cause of this whole mess.
"Tell him we'll hand over proper dwarf-made mana cannons."
"...Indeed."
Mana cannons were originally a dwarven invention.
Refined and advanced from the moment of creation, they were leagues beyond the human versions that were only just starting to catch up.
"Berft Kingdom has absolute control over mana cannons. No mere trading company could possess dwarf-made ones."
"Unless a dwarven craftsman defected from the kingdom."
"Exactly. And if we throw in one weapon Roger made on top of that?"
"Infusing it with dimensional interference would scream Roger's handiwork."
Not every hero craftsman was Roger. There were hero dwarves too. But none matched Roger's brilliance while being a hero. No, there were no heroes who focused solely on crafting like him.
"Even if they buy it for now, eventually we'll have to let them meet Roger."
"Yeah."
But that could be delayed for a good long while.
By then, anyway...
"It wouldn't hurt to show him once. The princess who tried to kill Roger in the first place is one of the tower's own now."
It was a bargain for properly pitting the two princes against each other.
"But we absolutely cannot let Berft Kingdom find out, right?"
"Obviously."
"Understood. We'll handle it that way."
The connection cut off, and Kaede, who had been listening, spoke up.
"We should hand it over as soon as possible, so giving him my sword would be best."
The blade Kaede currently wielded was one Roger had made for her.
"Sure. Mana cannons are a dime a dozen here, so give him one of those, and you can just ask Roger to make you a new one."
"Yes."
A few dwarves were churning out mana cannons nonstop, dead set on plastering the entire tower with them.
"True, it doesn't have to be Roger's specifically. But is that even possible? Turning the barrels outward to fire from inside the tower?"
"Who knows."
The tower had no windows by default. And its sturdy outer walls showed not the slightest scratch.
Why else would heroes climb the tower instead of smashing it from outside?
They'd tried it and failed.
"Theoretically, to even dent the tower, you'd need at least a dragon's breath or grand magic..."
Even that could be nullified with magic points fueling tower defense spells or self-repair.
"Eh, it'll work out somehow."
The goal wasn't destroying the tower—just turning the barrels inward to outward.
Just like how legs had sprouted on their own, the tower's power would probably handle it somehow.
"If not, we can use them inside or export them as-is."
"Right."
"Oh, here—take these."
Berge pulled out five massive bundles.
"What are these?"
"Chocolate. Ernan said to pass them along."
"...Please tell her she's too kind."
"Will do."
Berge chuckled dryly.
"Roger Friedri..."
The man who once set the continent abuzz.
Berft's second princess had chased him across the land, only to get swept up in the Beast Demon King's schemes and suffer greatly. After that, Berft issued a full-scale manhunt, with the prince himself leading the search.
The name had faded amid the pirate archipelago wars, but the bounty was still active.
'Roger Friedri is one of Berft's top craftsmen, fingers on one hand.'
His value went beyond that. The anomaly of being a hero. Specialized not in combat, but creation.
The special trait of infusing weapons and gear with dimensional interference.
That was Roger's worth. Why Berft Kingdom hunted him with fire in their eyes.
'Avoids outsiders due to the wanted poster.'
Made sense.
The mana cannons and sword from Hillun's Golden Moon Company were proof enough.
'It's Roger Friedri.'
Superior dwarf-made mana cannons no one else could craft, and a masterfully interference-infused sword beyond ordinary artisans.
'Roger Friedri was with Golden Moon Company.'
Martin trembled with ecstasy.
If his hands could hold—and wield—the countless masterpieces Roger had made, and would make?
"...This works."
The one caveat was Berft Kingdom.
'As long as they don't find out.'
Even if the risk was high, it had to be done.
'To catch up to my brothers, I have to leap ahead.'
No choice.
And even if caught, there might be a way to smooth it over.
Berft was flooding Dormut, Akan, and Hessen with massive strategic gear under the pretext of rescuing their kidnapped princess and craftsmen.
The empire had warned it was unseemly for dwarf weapons to flow to those kingdoms, but Berft stayed silent.
Cracks were forming between the empire and Berft.
If he persuaded the nobles well and steered public opinion, he could avoid the worst.
Overly optimistic, mere self-justification. But it didn't matter.
'The problem is...'
Before Hillun's contact, he'd looked into the feud between Golden Moon and Black Toad companies.
And he was certain. No escaping this.
'Brother didn't just sharpen his knife lightly. Can't stomach me and Hillun joining hands, huh?'
Nausea welled up.
Not a elaborate trap, but flawlessly precise, no gaps. With nobles aligned to the first prince and Duke Osrian pitching in, Ias Kingdom had already abandoned them.
No kingdom aid either. They were a lantern before the empire's storm.
Forged evidence or not, it was irrefutable. They held the justification. Paying reparations and returning the craftsmen was inevitable.
But.
'Golden Moon's value isn't those measly craftsmen.'
With Roger, it was worth any price.
"Anyone outside?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I'm going out. Prepare."
"Where to?"
"To see Grandfather."
This was too big for Martin alone.
Having dumped the company mess on Martin and handed over the mana cannon and sword, Berge returned to the tower.
"Should've made someone else who can come and go from the tower besides me."
Even trivial errands meant going out himself—annoying as hell.
"If you'd planned that, you wouldn't have sunk the tower in the sea."
"You know you're getting mouthier lately?"
"Am I?"
"You're starting to sound like Ernan."
Quiet when Ernan was around, but bolder without her.
"...That's not true."
Kaede's face hardened.
"Sure it is."
"It's probably because of Luize."
Unlike Ernan's occasional chats, Luize stormed in axe in hand several times a day, fierce as ever.
Kaede had to spar and play conversation partner, naturally loosening her tongue.
"What do you think your brother will do?"
"Try to save the company, or at least salvage what he can."
"Does Roger warrant that?"
"He does. Even in this tower... well, his treatment aside, Roger's one of the continent's best, and his hero status makes him exceptional. Berft's refusal to lift the bounty proves it."
"That good, huh."
Honestly, Berge had no clue. He'd just snatched the shiniest dwarf from the workshop.
Roger delivered when asked, but until recently, he was the only dwarf under Berge's thumb—so he'd assumed all dwarves were like that.
"The other dwarves don't seem that far behind, though."
"They're royal workshop elites, aren't they?"
The royal workshop gathered Berft's finest. Meaning Berge had looted the kingdom's core talents wholesale.
"Anyway, we watch Martin's move first, then respond."
"Yes."
"Got it."
Kaede headed downstairs as someone knocked.
"Can I come in?"
It was Vivian, dragging a corpse-like body.
"Dead?"
"Still breathing. Got everything out of him. Nasty curse, but who am I?"
Vivian flashed a seductive smile.
"Name's Otor Croian. Age forty-three. Captain of Duke Osrian's Black Lion Knights."
"Black Lion Captain, huh."
Figures—he looked familiar. Those Hamstline Gorge bastards.
"Confirms the first prince, then."
"Yup. He was acting on the first prince's orders to kidnap you."
"Anything else?"
"They think you're tied to Hildean or Hillun Kargil. That you were their envoy contacting Martin."
"Not wrong."
Berge wasn't Hildean or Hillun's envoy—it was the reverse—but close enough.
"More?"
"Haven't asked yet."
"Make him spill everything, start to finish."
"He'll be a total vegetable after."
"Problem?"
"Nah, figured you'd turn him into a familiar or something."
"Not interested."
"Fair enough."
Vivian dragged Otor away again.
"First prince."
The plot against Golden Moon wasn't overly intricate at first glance. But it played like a tight script, no loose ends despite appearances.
Black Toad Company had orchestrated it. Duke Osrian's outfit, and Osrian was the first prince's maternal house.
The empire's top noble backing the first prince.
'Martin thinks it's aimed at Hillun...'
Really?
Suppose—just suppose—this was Jason Cockmond targeting Berge Dayas.
'Few know Golden Moon is mine.'
Mostly his own subordinates. Except Jason Cockmond, who'd loaned the funds and tracked their source.
'And Jason sniffed out the dwarf kidnappings.'
Tower Harmony flashed back.
That knowing gaze wasn't acceptance. It was conviction.
'He thought Vivian snatched the dwarves and blew up at her.'
Then coldly discarded her.
Fellow Demon King meant little to Jason. Useful or not. Hindrance or not. That was all.
'But he realized it wasn't her—and figured it was me.'
So his rage turning on Berge made sense.
'If I were Jason. If a Demon King pissed me off and kept causing trouble...'
Best: kill him. Use hero strings to spark a hero raid and end it.
'Can't? Then gut his base.'
Force him out, no matter how hidden.
Just like now.
The empire had planned to use hero raids for imperial succession games. But it devolved into a desperate all-hero assault.
Berge's company hit twice recently. Once by beast demons, once by human traders.
'Especially those beast demons.'
Only Jason or Ugar could command them. But Berge doubted Ugar had the guts for a preemptive strike.
Still just speculation.
"What do you think?"
Gordon, summoned abruptly and briefed, pondered deeply.
"Same as you, my lord. No hard proof, but suspicions run deep."
Good lord, Gordon sighed inwardly.
"Attacking a fellow Demon King. Jason's too steeped in Alein."
"Arrogant bastard."
Gordon tensed at the viscous killing intent.
"...What will you do?"
"Can't just take it lying down. Time to make them pay."
"No proof. Striking Jason now would reach the Archdukes."
"Don't worry. We smash his frontmen, not him."
Black Toad Company.
"Burn it to the ground."
"That's insane!"
"Insane?"
"If it's Osrian and the first prince's as you say, it's a direct hit on the empire. You said even five Demon Kings united couldn't take it lightly."
"True."
But.
"That was then. Things are different now."
This tower.
"It's moving. Even underwater right now."
"Ah."
"No need to watch our backs anymore. No fear of their retaliation."
Post-regression, Berge had diverged wildly from his past self.
Fear of death, vengeance on heroes, the burning resolve of no second failures—those chains had bound him.
Made him passive, un-Demon-King-like.
But now they were gone.
No reason to hold back like before. Go wild.
"I'll show you why I topped Demon King Academy."
"......"
"If Jason's tied to the company attack, we'll get a reaction."
"And if not?"
"Doesn't matter. Even without him, I can teach those bugs who dared attack me and covet my things a lesson."
The fallout wouldn't be simple. The whole continent might rise.
No—it would. Humans hadn't faced a Demon King preemptive strike in a century. That unspoken superiority? Shattered.
"...They'll swarm us."
"Yeah. And we devour them."
Crush hope, mass-produce despair. Demon King basics.
"Nice in theory, but besides hiding, any real plan?"
Gordon's skeptical look got no words—just Berge summoning Roger.
"...Make it."
"...Pardon?"
Berge got his answer from the flustered dwarf. Gordon was impressed.
"Brilliant! Even the greatest hero couldn't..."
"Next..."
Berge infused mana into the communication orb. Response came late.
"What is it?"
"Got a favor..."
"Favor?"
"Magic orbs that freeze people. Can you get some? I'll pay."
"Again? How many?"
"The more, the better."
Berge grinned wide.
The death-fearing Dragon Demon King was finally shedding his past chains.