< 180. Recognition >
Haha.
Hahaha.
Hahahaha.
"Isn't it just too damn funny, Lady Aina?"
"......"
Aina Diaphrin couldn't respond right away. She could feel her lord's rage just from standing beside him.
"I have to admit it. I really have to admit it. The Demon King, Berge Dayas, is greater than this Jason Cockmond!"
"That one is nothing compared to Lord Demon King..."
"No. How dare I even compare myself to Lord Berge."
He laughed self-mockingly.
"I don't have the guts to wage all-out war against an empire. I lack the courage to unite the entire continent, slaughter hundreds of heroes in traps, and then kidnap the empire's first prince to make things even worse once everyone's in a panic!"
His voice grew louder. The twisted fury shattered his mask.
"Do you know how stupid that is? Do you know what happened a hundred years ago and what became of the Demon Kings? I've experienced what that kind of shortsighted thrill leads to!"
That's why he'd held back. He'd been cautious, oh so cautious.
Soothing the Demon Kings, fostering coexistence with humans—that's how he'd endured until now.
The networks and forces he'd secretly built were steadily infiltrating the continent. Given enough time, he was confident he could bring Alein into Ma-gye's embrace.
"But that! That goddamn Dragon Demon bastard ruined it all!"
One slippery eel had wrecked everything.
The fragile atmosphere of coexistence among Demon Kings was utterly gone.
Calls to subjugate all Demon Kings were cropping up everywhere.
The key connections he'd carefully nurtured had been kidnapped.
This was bad. Very bad.
"I should have dealt with him sooner. Should have killed him right away!"
Back when he'd first kidnapped Hildean Kingdom's crown princess—no, even when he'd learned the bastard was defying the Demon King's Canon by hiding his tower.
He'd thought the stubborn Demon Kings might actually listen to reason and extended a hand first. What a fatal mistake that had been.
"It's not too late yet."
"...You're right."
Hoo. With a short sigh, Jason reclaimed his mask.
"Not yet. It's not over. Even if hundreds of heroes died to Lord Berge, even if he's regained his power at an astonishing speed in just over two years."
"Lord Demon King."
"We just need to nudge public opinion, redirect their rage fully toward him. Use the empire to push from behind, stir the Hero Guild, and let the dwarves know it was Lord Berge who kidnapped their princess and craftsmen..."
"Will that work? Magic points are already flowing to him in droves. If we don't block it in time, we'll just be feeding him."
"We can't let humans take out their anger on me and the other Demon Kings in his place."
No more failures allowed.
"We must kill him. No matter what."
"But we still don't know the tower's location."
"Exactly. That's the problem."
──!
Jason hurled his wine glass. Shards flew everywhere.
Aina deftly cleared the pieces and poured fresh wine. It happened twice, then three times.
Only after smashing two more glasses did Jason regain his composure.
"No results from the investigation team in the Erjest Mountains?"
"I'm sorry."
"What do you have to apologize for, Lady Aina? It's just that Lord Berge hid his tower that well."
He had no idea how the man had managed it.
"Do those uppity Dragon Demons have some special authority to manipulate towers?"
"It's not impossible. The first Mahwang was..."
"A Dragon Demon, yes. I know."
Jason's lips twisted.
"But that's just a slim possibility at best. Dragon Demons have descended as Demon Kings before, and I'm more inclined to think Lord Berge is something special."
"Yes."
"I'll handle the tower somehow. Call in all the shadows. If they get spotted moving around again, it'll be a bigger mess."
"Understood. But what do you mean you'll handle it yourself...?"
"Exactly what you're thinking."
"No...! That's not a good idea."
"The time for good or bad choices is past. It's worst versus lesser evil now. Human fear and rage are already focused on Lord Berge."
Too much magic had concentrated on Berge already.
His intent had been simple: he'd expected the man to die quickly.
He knew the fleeting magic points from continental rage couldn't stop a united front. It was meant to be a final sweet dream.
Who could have foreseen this?
Jason berated his own complacency.
"...Even so, the Archduke won't let it end easily. He'll exploit the weakness and milk it forever."
"I know."
But.
"Weaknesses aren't exclusive to him."
"...Yes. I'll trust you, Lord Demon King."
"Good. Oh, and how's that wolf who got me in trouble by letting Berge catch on?"
"Still hanging on."
"Tough one. Test her one more week—if she endures, let her go."
"Wouldn't it be better to just kill her? Her carelessness let Lord Berge go berserk. Useless wench can't even do her job right."
"That's one thing, this is another. If she's useful, use her. That wolf will make a fine blade."
By revealing the true culprit behind the Beast Demon King's death.
"Nothing burns as fiercely as the rage and hatred from betrayed loyalty. For revenge, she'll do anything."
"...So Lord Berge killed Drakson Dolph?"
"Ah, I didn't mention. He meddled a bit, steered things that way. Close enough. But does it matter? What counts is making the wolf think what I want."
Jason smiled thinly.
Moments later, Aina left the office. Jason pulled out a well-preserved crystal orb.
It was far larger and denser with magic than the others.
"I didn't want to resort to this if I could help it."
Lord Berge. You'll pay dearly for this.
He infused magic. The tower trembled. It pierced dimensional space, reaching the higher dimension.
A while later, a response came.
"It's been a while, Your Excellency Alkain the Archduke."
"......Mm."
When he opened his eyes, only pitch blackness greeted him.
It was damp, reeking, filthy. His nose wrinkled instinctively.
Clank—
His arms and legs wouldn't move. Massive chains bound them. He tried summoning mana, but it refused to obey.
"Awake?"
He flinched at the unfamiliar woman's voice.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Natalia Iasin. And you?"
"...The kidnapped Iasin princess."
"And you?"
"None of your business."
Rufus licked his dry lips. Being kidnapped as the empire's first prince was humiliating.
He wasn't in the mood to chitchat laughingly with some kingdom's princess.
"Where is this? The tower's prison?"
"You won't answer but expect answers?"
"Answer me."
"Yes. This is the Flame Demon Tower's prison."
The reply came from another direction.
Only then did Rufus realize Natalia wasn't alone.
As his eyes adjusted to the dark, his vision cleared slightly. Countless pupils blinked in the gloom.
"...A lot of you."
"The Flame Demon King kidnapped plenty. Princesses from Ormus, Gaina, Hesan, Carmenia."
Lots of kingdoms. But something felt off.
"Where's Jespain?"
No Kaede. His half-sister, kidnapped by the Demon King long ago.
"That damn bitch is up top."
"Up? Multiple prison levels?"
"Higher than the prison."
"It's just a tower."
"Exactly. Kaede Jespain's become the Demon King's lackey, living as one of the tower's own."
"...What?"
Unbelievable.
Kaede Jespain, his half-sister—not close, no familial warmth.
But as a rival imperial pushing Martin, they'd crossed paths often. He'd never dropped his guard around her.
A self-righteous knight pledging to righteousness, turned Demon King's dog?
"No way."
"No way? Not just Kaede Jespain—that dwarf bitch Luize Berft too."
"Luize? So it really wasn't Lust who kidnapped the dwarves, but Flame!"
Rumors had swirled subtly. He'd dismissed them as baseless. But true?
Jason, you goddamn bastard!
Jason had to know. The snake had deceived him. Should never have trusted a Demon King.
No, that's not the point now.
"Kaede as the Demon King's lackey? Really?"
"Lived in denial?"
"Your strong reaction—you must be the empire's prince. We sisters saw it ourselves. Something called the Four Heavenly Kings—ridiculous title."
"My god..."
The Four Heavenly Kings weren't demons, but Kaede?
Rufus panicked.
"Uncomfortable?"
"Not particularly."
Siblings in name only, worse than strangers. The first prince saw her as a rival power-grabber, and she'd backed the third prince over him.
"Seeing someone always so aloof and arrogant reduced to that is just surprising. But I never expected you'd kidnap Brother Rufus."
"That one's tied to Jason, the Demon King humans call False. As I said, this is my war with Jason—kidnapping him severs our biggest link."
"Shocking. So many colluding with Demon Kings."
"A whole century. Weirder if a Demon King stayed quiet that long."
"True enough."
Kaede bowed silently. No words, but unease lingered.
Makes sense. Learning the top heir was the Demon King's puppet must sting.
She probably wanted to snap, but as a lackey herself—with her brother the third prince turned too—complicated feelings.
"This boosts Third Prince's odds for the throne."
Strongest rival gone—three-way fight down to two.
"Plan to keep Brother locked up?"
"Probably. At least until succession ends."
Better than death for him: handed to Emperor Martin already.
Past life's torment from the first prince? Child's play by comparison.
"Then, may I handle Brother's treatment?"
"...What for?"
Was that faint killing intent his imagination?
"No good memories of Rufus. Nearly died by his hand a few times."
"......"
Her conflicted eyes—holding back murder?
"Don't kill him."
"Won't hit him either. Don't want to become like him."
"Then?"
"Just talk a few times."
Kill with words, huh.
"...Want some chocolate?"
"Thank you."
Her expression softened.
Yeah, that's the Kaede I know.
Relief washed over him.
< 180. Recognition > End