168. Blueprint
It's a trap.
Jason halted the hand reaching for the communication orb.
What he'd targeted was none other than the Black Toad Merchant Group. The first prince.
If he contacted them in a rage?
They'd suspect a connection. Perhaps it was an act committed with that very possibility in mind.
But.
'If he doesn't, that's a problem in itself.'
Jason had warned Berge every time he stirred up trouble. It was only natural. The issues Berge caused weren't just his alone.
As long as they were bound under the single banner of Demon King, his mistakes became the faults of all Demon Kings.
If he caused an incident to heighten their threat, humans would grow wary of every Demon King.
A loach was kicking up a fuss, undoing nearly a century of diminished fear and vigilance toward Demon Kings.
"……."
Now, he'd crossed a line that truly should not be crossed.
Whether his goal was Jason or something else didn't matter. He had to deliver Berge's head to the empire and proclaim that Demon Kings were nothing special.
Before human anger turned on all Demon Kings.
Before his preparations unraveled.
He had to fix it now. Redirect the skewed path back to the right one.
"Alein isn't conquered that way, you disgusting dragon spawn."
Why were the lizard whelps who lived the longest so utterly lacking in patience?
"Lord Berge."
In the end, he made the call.
『What's this about? Jason Cockmondo.』
The black dragon's eyes fixed on him completely.
"No long talk. Why did you do it?"
『Do what?』
"Why did you unleash monsters on the empire?"
『No idea what you're on about. I'm busy fending off hero parties attacking my tower. As you know, its location's been exposed.』
『You think I'd have time for side gigs? Blocking heroes would be far more effective if I did.』
Berge's words seemed reasonable at first glance. Yes, for a fleeting moment.
"The heroes haven't found the tower. They're still wandering the mountains somewhere, and not a speck of monster or demon traces has been found."
『Ho ho.』
The Demon King beyond the orb chuckled.
『And how do you know that?』
"We're both guessing, so no need for explanations."
『How intriguing.』
To think he'd admit it so brazenly. Berge was impressed.
But this wasn't good news. Quite the opposite. Berge realized Jason had made up his mind about something.
"What you did was a declaration of war."
Unleashing monsters on imperial territory—no, on a ducal estate—laying it to waste.
『On the empire?』
"On humanity."
It wasn't just the empire's problem.
The fear that Demon Kings could strike anytime, anywhere. The dread Jason had worked so hard to erase was rearing its head again.
Fear would soon turn to rage.
They'd claim they had to strike first, before it happened to them.
It was the harbinger of chaos and ruin.
"The anti-war sentiment I'd barely suppressed will boil over again."
"Humans will tremble in fear and cry out to exterminate the Demon Kings."
"Kings and nobles will exploit that to expand their armies and attack us."
"Heroes will gladly lend a hand for fame and power."
"The snowfields will be assaulted, the gorge, the lake."
"All because of your single act of recklessness."
『Should I fear that?』
『We're Demon Kings. Conquerors, not the conquered.』
『You think the dimensions will hand us victory if we tuck tail like scared dogs and bow to humans?』
"Confidence without countermeasures is recklessness. And recklessness destroys not just you, but everyone."
『So?』
"No talking sense into you."
Fine.
He hadn't expected a proper answer anyway.
"Do you have countermeasures?"
『Not to the point where you need to worry about my life.』
"I see. So that's it."
Jason adjusted his monocle.
The limit of his long-suppressed patience had been reached.
"You're just impossible to reason with."
"Arrogant and dictatorial."
"A dragon through and through."
"Expecting understanding or compromise from you was my mistake from the start."
The mask shattered.
Pent-up emotions erupted like an explosion.
『No more minding manners, I take it?』
"Manners are for those who deserve them. Not lizard brats like you."
『Says the one who used the first prince to attack the merchant group and sent beast demons.』
"So that's why? The Black Toad Merchant Group raid?"
『No intent to hide it, huh.』
"None. Not anymore."
A smile curled Jason's lips, growing darker, more sinister.
"Look forward to it."
He murmured softly. Berge felt a chill.
You started this "everyone dies together" game, but I won't let it stand.
"The fury headed for the Diamond Tower."
"The Frost Tower."
"The fury headed my way."
"I'll redirect it all, straight at you alone."
All human emotions aimed at you, every hero moving solely to kill you.
『Can a Demon King like you pull that off?』
"I'll make it happen. Whatever it takes."
Each word dripped like venom.
"Dragon, Berge Dayas."
You'll become humanity's enemy, the continent's public foe, and surely.
"You will die."
Embracing all the karma you've sown and humanity's fear of Demon Kings.
The dragon, facing his rage head-on, laughed.
『I wondered about that. Five seats, yet one keeps changing.』
『You've been using human hands to eliminate those who didn't suit you, haven't you?』
"And if I have?"
『Ugar and Reina would love to hear it.』
"If that's your last gasp, go ahead."
『Even if those two turn against you, you don't care?』
"It'd hurt. I'd be pissed."
But even if it came to killing those two Demon Kings too.
"You, I'll tear apart with my own hands."
Berge had to die. He couldn't be left alive any longer.
The reply.
Came after a long pause.
『Kuhahahahaha!』
In booming laughter.
『This'll be fun. Who falls first—you or me.』
『Good luck.』
The connection cut off.
──!
Jason hurled the glass beside him.
"Berge...! Berge Dayas!"
For a long while. Dozens of glasses shattered.
* * *
"……."
Berge stood silently for a long time.
"Touch him lightly(?), and out comes his true colors."
The effect was better than expected.
"Redirect all fury from other Demon Kings to me alone?"
"Every hero gunning for me?"
It implied a lot.
From the empire, other nations, and the Hero Guild.
Jason Cockmondo's influence was greater than thought.
The forces he'd built over a century might be the continent itself.
And perhaps, really.
"You might've meddled in it after all."
His death before the regression.
"The whole continent attacking me?"
What to do. Berge had already been through it once.
Before regression, under the empire-led order, most Hero Guild heroes stepped up, joined by elites from every nation.
He'd endured it time and again.
Of course, the Berge of then and now were very different...
The first time was hard; the second was easy.
This wouldn't be easy either, but having experienced it once gave him leeway.
'No.'
This wasn't leisure from experience.
It was confidence rooted in the certainty that his tower wouldn't be attacked, no matter what.
"Search all you want."
Like the tower would appear before you.
"Well then."
This confirmed the collusion between the first prince and Jason.
How to sever their bond and exact revenge.
"I don't know Jason's level."
Much was hidden about him. Even meeting face-to-face through the harmony, he couldn't gauge it.
Of course, he didn't think it was a gap in class. Probably the nature of Jason's power.
But denying an instant loss in a direct clash was impossible.
No matter how many magic points he'd amassed in a short time compared to other Demon Kings, the opponent had survived over a century in Alein.
In that span, he could've not only fully regained Ma-gye's power but grown stronger.
Just speculation, of course. He'd never lived over a century in a lower dimension.
'Even if he's superior in raw power, I can't kill him myself.'
A Demon King killing another was an absolute taboo. If he had no plans to return to Ma-gye, maybe—but otherwise, never.
'Then I need to borrow human hands too.'
Hillon Kargil, after all.
Berge stroked his chin.
If Jason had the empire, the first prince, and even Balaf Disrod, he had Hildean, the crown princess, and Hillon Kargil.
'Is this really a Demon King squabble?'
Then.
"Too many calling for me."
This time, the empire's prince.
"What is it?"
『...Just checking, but.』
"Your 'just in case' is probably spot on."
『It really was you! Why the hell would you...!』
Martin sighed.
『This is on another level from before! The whole empire will rise up!』
"Heroes are already hunting my tower. How much worse can it get?"
『So you're just giving up, dragging us down with you?』
"If I die, isn't that good for you?"
『How can you say that...!』
"I'm a Demon King, and I'll outlive you by dozens of times, so don't worry."
『You really that confident?』
"Who do you think you're questioning? Do your part."
Martin bit his lip beyond the orb.
『If anything happens to Kaede, I won't let it slide.』
"Suit yourself."
Berge cut the connection unilaterally.
He understood, more or less.
No one knew better than him the ripple effects of his actions.
He'd been through it once.
How vicious and repulsive it was to awaken the sleeping empire.
They'd scour for the tower and return to the Erjest Mountains. More fiercely than now.
And it would end in Berge's death.
But.
If he didn't know, he'd take it lying down—but he wasn't fool enough to fall when he could foresee the future to some extent.
Especially since this incident was his own design.
Seated on his throne, Berge summoned Roger.
"Roger Friedri."
"Yes, my lord Demon King."
The dwarf, quietly summoned, bowed.
"How's it coming?"
"Here."
Roger handed over intricate blueprints.
"Height around 50 meters, two stories. Can't make the inside sub-space like the real thing, so two stories is perfect for realism."
A real Demon King tower looked 50m from outside due to space magic, but each floor neared 20m inside.
To avoid suspicion upon entry, Roger's design was right.
"Doesn't matter."
"Size means lots of materials, but luckily no rares needed. Just dyes and bulk steel, copper, zinc, that sort."
"Get 'em somehow."
"We'll source as much as we can locally."
"Source?"
"Erjest is untouched. Mountains like these have veins galore. Give us escorts, we'll prospect. Or procure if you can."
"Got it."
"Issue's the float stones. Money can't buy those. Best for building nearby and moving."
"Make it hollow. Looks convincing on the outside—that's enough. We've got monsters for propulsion. They can carry it."
"Ah... Then I'll tweak the blueprints. Lighter."
"Do it."
Berge absorbed the blueprints, savoring every detail.
It was.
The tower's blueprint.