< 175. Only >
The allied forces that arrived in Iasin stayed for three weeks, finalizing their formations and devising more detailed plans.
The 110,000-strong army was divided into three formations, each commanded by one of the three heroes.
Balaf Disrod (Dormut front) - Jespain Empire, Dormut Kingdom.
Rozel Charnt (Corzen front) - Akan Kingdom, Corzen Kingdom, Hessen Kingdom, Iasin Kingdom, Machiel Kingdom.
Hillun Kargil (Horton front) - Hildean Kingdom, Horton Kingdom, Traparta Union, Ormus Kingdom, Gaina Kingdom.
"So you're Hillun Kargil."
Hillun Kargil, advancing into the Horton Kingdom, arrived at the capital and met another Star.
Jessica Horton. The princess of the Horton Kingdom and one of the rare heroes affiliated not with the Guild but with a kingdom.
She was the sword guarding Horton and its final shield. That was why she had hoped not to leave the kingdom, and though the Horton Kingdom had joined the alliance, she had stayed out.
"Your Highness."
"No need for such formalities between fellow Stars."
"I must insist."
"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
"Yes."
"I'm truly grateful for what happened back then. It gave me something to say to Gillian. But thinking that your life was put in danger because of me... I feel sorry about that."
"Not at all. It was simply my duty as a hero. What hero wouldn't risk their life fighting a Demon King?"
"Not everyone does what they should. And it wasn't even something obvious for you."
"It was a failure due to my own lack of ability."
"No, it wasn't your lack of ability. It was because we all underestimated the Frost Demon King. Who could've imagined that Demon King had hidden so many monsters and demons, digging traps everywhere?"
Hillun barely swallowed the words that there was also a Demon King preparing mana cannons.
"I still haven't given you the reward I promised—that's my failing. Is there anything you desire now?"
"I'm fine."
"Everything has a price. You risked your life to help Gillian Aint at my request, and I staked my honor on promising you fair compensation."
"...It's so sudden, nothing comes to mind right now."
"Then it's fine even after the subjugation ends. Talking like this, it feels like I'm scolding you. Sorry."
Jessica gave a wry smile.
"Not at all. Thank you for your consideration."
"No, thank you."
Having finished his private meeting with Jessica, Hillun returned to the palace quarters assigned to him.
"A request promised on the princess's honor."
Honestly, he'd forgotten about it. In the first place, he'd agreed to Jessica's request not because he wanted anything grand.
Fame as a hero, and a connection with her.
The request was just a bonus.
And though his fame had plummeted after the failed subjugation, he'd recovered it well, and he'd succeeded in planting a favorable impression in her.
Then, with one crisis after another and being toyed with by the Demon King, he'd clean forgotten.
'A good card.'
It was a request he could make of a princess—a hero who held a Star position. She called it a request, but given her personality and status, she'd grant just about anything.
Depending on how he used it, the effect could vary wildly.
'Should I ask her to push for me in the Guild?'
'Or research on mental magic?'
Though he was now the Demon King's lackey, Hillun always dreamed of escape.
He didn't deny that the Demon King had helped him greatly and made him who he was now. But humans were creatures that yearned for freedom, weren't they?
No matter how great a hero he became, or how many four or five Demon Kings he slew—what did it matter? He was still the Demon King's possession.
'...Think about it later. Focus on this mission first.'
Over 110,000 search forces and more than a thousand heroes had been mobilized.
Even so, Hillun Kargil couldn't be certain that Berge would die.
That confidence.
It was due to the inexplicable confidence Berge had shown.
'No, what kind of Demon King is he? There must be a reason.'
He just wasn't sharing it with him.
'The opponent is Balaf Disrod.'
Could that reason from the Demon King really land a blow on the dragon slayer sharpening his blade?
Hillun was convinced that was the focus of this hero expedition.
'But...'
Naturally recalling last night's private meeting, Hillun's brow furrowed.
'Balaf Disrod suspects my connection to the Demon King...?'
He hadn't said it outright, but there had been a strange atmosphere.
A tiny fragment, but Hillun could sense it instinctively.
'Because I moved the tower, after all.'
He had found it, but Balaf hadn't. Moving a tower was an unprecedented event that had never happened before.
Rather than the tower moving, it seemed more plausible that Hillun was hiding something.
'But why...'
He doesn't think I killed and hid it? Without the tower, they'd first assume the Demon King was dead?
Like with the Lust Demon King.
'No idea.'
Hillun shook his head after pondering briefly. Whatever it was, this matter had long left his hands.
He closed his eyes and prayed fervently.
'Please, let the outcome be beneficial to me.'
Either Berge severs Balaf's head and cuts out the seed of suspicion entirely.
Or Balaf Disrod severs Berge's head and frees him from servitude.
Either way, Hillun Kargil would have one less worry.
To the countless monsters, humans were nothing more than tasty prey, easy to hunt.
The Fur Griffins, who held their own territory in the monster paradise known as the Erjest Mountains, were no exception.
Fur Griffins were monsters furrier than regular griffins, living in packs ranging from dozens to hundreds.
They smelled sweet prey while flying through the sky. Salivating at the sight of countless humans, they hungered.
The lead griffin ordered preparations for the hunt.
Some griffins protested that there were too many humans, but the leader ignored them.
To him, the humans were numerous, but that was it. Humans were fragile prey anyway. Some put up a fight, but if they swooped in all at once and snatched a few, the rest would panic and flee.
Thus, the griffins flapped their wings. They began diving toward the humans en masse.
And that was—
─────!
The lead griffin's final memory.
Slash—
A massive slash cleaved his body in two. As the griffins panicked at their leader's death, countless arrows and auras overwhelmed them.
Thud thud thud—
Kieeeek!
The Fur Griffins' screams shook the silent snowfield.
"Some welcome."
Balaf Disrod, who had bisected the lead griffin in one stroke, shook the blood from his sword. Without him needing to advance further, the griffins were turned into bloody pulp in an instant.
Only about ten escaped. Balaf didn't bother chasing them.
In this place, raids by packs of around a hundred griffins—rare elsewhere—were just everyday occurrences.
"We'll split the forces from here."
After entering the Erjest Mountains, this was their first real battle. The combined forces of the empire and Dormut nodded without relaxing their tension.
Balaf divided the 40,000 troops into four groups of 10,000 each, assigning regions accordingly.
1st Army: Balaf Disrod himself.
2nd Army: Gillian Aint.
3rd Army: Aina Diaphrin.
And 4th Army: A hero named Bueren from Dormut.
For a 40,000-strong alliance of 30,000 imperial troops and 10,000 from Dormut, it was a perfect lineup.
"Search from the bottom up, inch by inch. No more failures. We will find the tower."
"Understood."
"Got it."
"I hate failing twice too, so I'll do my best."
The search parties split into four, then dozens more, combing the mountains from the base upward.
Monsters whose territories were invaded puffed up in rage, but all ended up as piles of corpses, vanishing with screams.
And from afar, a Demon King watched it all.
"Planning to wipe out every last monster?"
What idiots. Berge clicked his tongue.
"Any familiar faces?"
"Quite a few."
"Most of them will die."
"They won't all make it to the tower."
"Correction: most of the heroes will die."
"You'll spare the rest?"
"If they tuck tail and run on their own, I won't push it."
"That's a relief. Thank you for your mercy."
"Mercy, huh."
Berge gave a self-mocking smile at Kaede's thanks. It wasn't mercy—it was letting them flee.
The traps wouldn't close the overwhelming gap in forces.
Even if he massacred the heroes in one go, tens of thousands of soldiers would remain. If they pressed on recklessly, they'd face concentrated fire and retreat in disgrace.
Each one wasn't some dime-a-dozen soldier—they were elites.
"Krutoo, what would you do?"
"If you command it, my lord, I will punish them in your name."
"Forget it. You'd get annihilated."
What could a mere few hundred orcs do?
"Just let them come back."
"Is that okay?"
"I originally planned to lure them nicely to the tower, but..."
If they combed every inch from one to ten like this, things changed.
Their speed would slow, frequent clashes with monsters would increase casualties, but they'd definitely reach the fake tower.
That was enough.
"What kind of hero is Balaf Disrod?"
"I have no direct connection with him, so I can't say much. But I know he's incredibly strong and represents the empire."
Balaf Disrod had long ties with the empire. The empire had connections with several Star heroes for ages, and Balaf was one they sponsored.
"Deep ties, huh... Then, how likely do you think it is that Barstain has passed to him?"
"...Pardon? That's impossible."
"Why?"
"The Crimson Dragon Sword is the empire's symbol. No, the imperial family's symbol. They wouldn't hand it to someone outside the bloodline."
Kaede hadn't even heard rumors of Barstain falling into anyone's hands.
"If it were exported and a new owner decided, the entire empire would be in an uproar."
"And if he has it anyway?"
"That..."
"And if he has it."
Berge emphasized each word deliberately.
"Despite everything?"
"...The Crimson Dragon Sword isn't like ordinary relics in storage. They wouldn't export it just because an owner was chosen."
"Then?"
"And yet, if they smuggled it out without anyone knowing and gave it to someone not of imperial blood..."
"And?"
"...Only Abbamama could do that."
Not the crown prince, not the second prince, not the first imperial princess, not the third prince.
Only the emperor of the empire could fool them all.
"...!"
Meanwhile.
"Alright, let's go! To our Demon King!"
"Lust be praised! We're coming!"
In the Ceratin Archipelago, where pirates and kingdoms clashed in war, some could no longer endure and fled.
Alkan of the Black Eyepatch Pirates, Miriel of the Waterfall Beard Pirates, Lui of the Night Sea Pirates.
The pirate captains, seduced by Vivian and made her minions, set sail their fleets in search of their vanished master.
End of < 175. Only >