< 170. Those Aiming for the Flame Demon Tower >
【Monster Assault Plunges Empire into Chaos—Is the Flame Demon King the Culprit?】
The incident Berge had stirred up was making front-page headlines day after day.
Berge smirked as he scanned the newspapers. Thanks to Ernan, the public outrage focused on him was starting to spread.
There were articles he didn't like, but it was a natural progression.
'As expected, Jason's strings lead to the 1st Prince and the House of Duke Osrian.'
Since the Black Toad Merchant Group was also under Osrian's umbrella, it was now certain.
'I'd love to stir up more chaos...'
If he decided to fight, he had to crush them in one go.
That was Berge's way.
But not right now. Doing something else at this point would only fuel the rage aimed at him.
The magic points he'd gather from that were welcome, but he didn't want to swallow up the suspicion that should head toward Jason.
Yeah, so save that for later.
For now, the best he could do was fan the humans' flames against each other—like casting a wind spell.
Above all.
'They're here.'
He had other matters to handle first.
Berge caressed the vibrating communication orb. A faint chill emanated from it.
"Berge Dayas!"
The Frost Demon King, who had unwittingly aided Berge's rampage, roared.
"This is insane. Utterly, completely insane!"
"Calm down first." "How can I calm down?!"
Crack—
She slammed the table. Frost encased it in white ice.
"No one saw the monsters frozen. The humans don't know you cooperated."
"That's not the point! I can hear the hatred and rage toward you echoing all the way here. Voices calling to kill you and subjugate all Demon Kings are ringing across the continent."
"I know."
"What in the world were you thinking? Was it a mistake for this lady to trust you?"
Surely not just to gather negative emotions...?
Reina regretted it. She shouldn't have given him the magic orb back then. If she'd known this would happen, she never would have cooperated.
Her eyes turned icy cold.
"You repay this lady's expectations and mercy like this."
"Sorry."
"Sorry? The flames you've ignited will consume not just you, but this lady and all Demon Kings."
"I can't guarantee zero fallout for you. But I can assure you it won't escalate into a major issue."
"What do you mean?"
"Their rage will focus on me and Jason."
Reina closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. She calmed her emotions and opened them again.
"Explain in detail. Make this lady understand."
"I was sponsoring a merchant group."
"A merchant group?"
"Yeah. You know Jason meddles in human affairs, right? I was approaching them the same way."
"...And?"
"But recently, that group was attacked."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"And among the attackers, there were beastkin demons mixed in."
"...Drakson is dead."
"Yes, dead. But can you be sure every single beastkin was wiped out back then?"
"...Ugar."
"Even if Ugar took in beastkin as kin, he's holed up in his tower right now. He's not bold enough to send them out causing trouble for no reason."
"...Jason."
"Right, Jason. At least, that's my take."
Berge's explanation didn't end there.
"Rewinding a bit: the merchant group took damage but held them off somehow. Then soon after, they got into a dispute with another group and were on the brink of ruin."
"Another group?"
"That group was tied to the Empire's House of Duke Osrian. And even the 1st Prince."
And.
"That 1st Prince is the final human string Jason's holding."
"...The 1st Prince? You mean..."
"It means Jason schemed to destroy my merchant group."
"That's a stretch. If you sponsored it, how would Jason know it was yours...?"
"What money did I have to sponsor a group? Jason was the one who lent me funds in exchange for magic points."
"...Are you certain the 1st Prince is connected to Jason?"
"Certain enough. That's why I borrowed your power to attack the merchant group's headquarters."
That was the assault now heating up the continent.
"Even so..."
"Not long after, I got a reaction from Jason. A very intense one. For the first time, that ever-smiling face vanished."
"...What?"
"He said he'd kill me. Channel all the rage spreading among the Demon Kings onto me alone, make me the scapegoat. Save the other Demon Kings that way."
"...!"
"Get it? This isn't a war between humans and Demon Kings."
It's between me, Berge Dayas, and Jason Cockmond.
"It's a war."
Neigh—
The horse snorted roughly. A knight following behind opened the carriage door.
"We've arrived, Your Highness."
"Trapalta is a first for me."
Rufus stepped out of the carriage.
"This way, please."
"Thanks."
Rufus glanced around briefly. Dozens of carriages were parked in neat order. The crests adorning each one belonged to those who built civilizations across the continent.
"Looks like everyone's here."
"Greetings to the 1st Prince of the Jespain Empire. I am Doris, vice-captain of the Lotus Knight Order."
"Pleased to meet you."
"Allow me to escort you to the banquet hall."
"Lead on."
"Yes."
Doris bowed her head, swallowing dryly.
Was it nerves? Cold sweat trickled down.
'Damn... the Black Dragon Knight Order.'
The crest on the knights' armor guarding the carriage was a vivid black dragon that seemed ready to spring to life.
A crest too famous to miss.
One of the Empire's five swords: the Black Dragon Knight Order.
Sending the 1st Prince and the Empire's symbol to a mere conference showed how seriously the Empire was taking this.
'The kids better not cause trouble.'
She'd warned them ahead, but the razor-sharp aura of the Black Dragon Knights sharpened her nerves anyway.
Fortunately, no issues arose, and the 1st Prince arrived safely at the conference hall.
Just before the doors opened, Doris fulfilled her duty.
"Only two knights may accompany you into the banquet hall."
"......"
Her eyes met the 1st Prince's. She felt the gaze of the Black Dragon Knight Order's captain behind him.
Cold sweat poured out; she nearly reached for her sword.
"Very well."
Fortunately, the 1st Prince acquiesced easily. And so, the doors opened.
"The 1st Prince of the Jespain Empire, His Highness Rufus Jespain, has arrived!"
The herald announced his entrance.
All eyes focused. The pupils of the envoys seated around the massive round table dilated.
"...The 1st Prince?"
"My god, the 1st Prince himself?"
Basking in the attention, Rufus sat naturally at his seat.
"Pleased to see you all. I am Rufus Jespain, 1st Prince of the Jespain Empire."
The envoys gathered here were all prominent diplomats and nobles from their nations.
Yet none pointed out his rudeness. The backdrop of the Empire, the closest to the next throne, and his natural air of intimidation silenced them.
"...Mind your manners, Your Highness."
Except for Perian Marquis of Akan Kingdom, called the Empire's nemesis.
"Manners? My apologies. My mood's quite foul right now. Not intentional."
He shrugged toward the nobles.
"I've shown my unseemly side."
His words clashed utterly with his attitude.
"Not long ago, calamity struck the Empire's shining city of Brittian. It came without warning."
He cut straight to the point. An act forbidden in conferences—denying others the floor—but the already-captured atmosphere tolerated it.
"Ever imagined it? Giant monsters falling from the sky."
Citizens trampled by monsters, crushed beyond recognition.
Roofs collapsing.
Main streets shattering.
Ordinary daily life crumbling.
"You probably haven't. Monsters falling from the sky? Sounds absurd."
Harpies, wyverns, greenwings—flying monsters existed, sure. But their numbers were few, and they had territories.
This couldn't happen in the Empire's heartland, where surrounding monsters had long been purged.
"Yet I, we, the Empire."
Rufus intoned each word low and deliberate.
"Saw it. Endured it. Suffered it."
The unimaginable became reality.
"Buildings collapsed."
Hundreds upon hundreds toppled.
"Citizens screamed."
Thousands dead or wounded.
"The lord perished."
Briant County's lord, Count Briant, met his end.
"The Empire suffered massive losses, and the people tremble in fear."
Thus, the Empire rose willingly.
To repay this humiliation and disgrace.
"I regret it. Have we..."
Become too...
"lenient?"
"What do you mean?"
A diplomat from Horton Kingdom asked.
"Think back. When Demon Kings first descended and kidnapped royalty and imperial kin."
We fought tooth and nail. Hostility soared endlessly; no compromise, no quarter.
"No need to go far. It was just over a century ago."
Yes, barely over a hundred years. Two or three generations. Demon Kings grew familiar, trivial.
Humans thought they'd placed them underfoot. Believed it.
"Even when Demon Kings caused trouble, we showed mercy and turned a blind eye."
Kidnapping royalty? We didn't always kill the Demon King. Minor issues? Stopped at a reasonable line.
Then they dared kidnap imperial heirs, sent succubi to seduce nobles.
Planted dark wizards in the Empire's core, abducted dwarf artisans.
Even snatched four princesses from one nation recently.
And now, they go for the throat.
"...Are you suggesting a return to the extermination of a century ago?"
"Not that far. Those Demon Kings and today's are different."
A century ago, humans slew four Demon Kings. All but the so-called False one fell to heroes' blades. That's when humans began scorning Demon Kings.
But those four had descended less than 50 years prior. Unlike Frost and Diamond, nearly a century old.
"Just one. One example, shown clearly."
"The Flame Demon King."
"Exactly. Conferences? Meetings? No need."
The 1st Prince grinned.
"This is a declaration. The Empire will take the Flame Demon King's head, no matter what. We'll hang it in Brittian for ten years to soothe the souls of those who died agonizingly."
So.
"Join the Empire if you will. Refuse, and no matter."
Even if no nation joins, the Empire presses on.
"But if you interfere."
Rufus's eyes chilled. Nobles meeting his gaze swallowed hard.
"You'll face the Empire's blade before the Flame Demon King."
"Are you threatening us now?"
Rufus shrugged at Akan Kingdom's protest.
"Threat? If you call it that, sure. But you know what?"
Rufus leaned toward the Akan noble.
"Dragons have a reverse scale. Touch it, and they go berserk."
And the Empire's symbol is a dragon.
"Brittian is the Empire's reverse scale."
The Black Toad Merchant Group was Rufus's reverse scale.
"Thus, the Empire."
Thus, he.
"Sees nothing in its path right now."
Nothing at all.
Rufus's statement was utterly radical.
But while Akan mildly criticized his attitude, no one opposed the idea itself.
It showed every nation was alarmed by the Flame Demon King's actions.
"Why can't we find the tower? Because of the unwritten rule against crossing borders under pretense of Demon Kings and towers. Without that? Flood the land with tens, hundreds of thousands—however hidden, it'd end up in the Erjest Mountains!"
Rufus Jespain's proposal drew cheers, and the alliance formed.
Its term: until the Flame Demon King's death.
Rufus, who played a pivotal role in forming the alliance, returned to the Empire's capital.
Long live Prince Rufus!
Long live the Jespain Empire!
Long live the Continental Alliance!
The people's cheers, the nobles' welcomes—a triumphant return.
'If this succeeds, no one can challenge my position anymore.'
Forming a pan-continental alliance army, led by him from start to finish.
Success in subjugating the Demon King, and the scales would tip unmistakably.
'And failure's impossible.'
Out of the question.
'Wonder what faces...'
He itched to see Floyan, blatantly eyeing the crown, or Martin, who suddenly invested in the Golden Moon Merchant Group to sabotage him.
"...What?"
But a single report swallowed all his achievements, striking the capital.
"...That."
Even Count Kahnil reporting it looked uneasy.
"They brought back dragon wings and tail. Said they hunted a dragon."
"......"
The hero party sent to subjugate the Flame Demon King had inexplicably slain a dragon and returned.
With massive wings and tail as trophies.
< 170. Those Aiming for the Flame Demon Tower > END