< 183. Back to the Snowfield >
Frost Demon Tower.
It would be a lie to say it wasn't tempting.
To Berge, who had absorbed Vivian's tower and gotten a taste for it, the other Demon Kings' towers looked like the sweetest forbidden fruit.
But everything had its order. Even if he demanded they become his subordinates on a whim, none would comply.
Conflicts between Demon Kings were strictly forbidden, and fighting another inside their tower was a problem in itself.
The tower bolstered its master's power and hindered intruders—battling its owner within was like fighting without wings or scales.
Those three Demon Kings weren't pushovers who would optimistically expect victory in such a state.
So he shelved the idea. He'd seize them when the opportunity arose someday.
But not now. Berge barely suppressed his surging desire.
"...Do you know my method?"
"Not exactly. It wasn't just simple concealment, like I mentioned last time."
But whatever it was, he couldn't deny the results were impressive.
"No intention to fight?"
"I will fight. As a Demon King, this lady will face them head-on with pride."
For nearly a century, she had slowly lifted the dimensional interference and fortified her tower.
She had summoned monsters and demons, turning the tundra's beasts into her subordinates.
She was confident she could rival any kingdom.
As a Demon King, she couldn't turn her back on the enemy without a fight—not when it came to upholding the honor she proclaimed.
"But your foes are an empire."
No, it was the entire continent, poisoned by rage after falling into Berge's trap.
"Failure gets buried under success. Balaf Disrod chose you as the scapegoat. This won't be some ordinary hero crusade; another grand alliance is likely forming."
They had to succeed, no question.
Two failures? Even they wouldn't tolerate that.
"Who knows how many Stars will be among them."
Of course, it was different from when they hunted for Berge's tower.
The Frost Demon Tower's location was already exposed; they just needed to select elite heroes to kill her.
But what if there were hundreds of them?
Berge couldn't picture Reina winning. Especially not with Balaf Disrod leading.
And failure meant death.
"Are you worried about this lady?"
"We're allies, for now."
"It doesn't matter if this lady dies."
Becoming a Demon King and descending to a lower dimension meant staking your life on conquest.
Death was always at your side. Even if Demon Kings held the advantage in most worlds, "what if" always lingered.
She was prepared for that.
But.
"Your vassals and subordinates aren't."
They staked their lives too, to stand with her. But from her position, she couldn't just let them follow her to the grave.
These were the ones who trusted and followed her. Sending them into an obvious defeat wasn't respectful—or right.
"This lady wants to save them. That's why I'm asking you for a way."
"......"
Berge pondered her sincere words.
Then he decided to lay it all bare. If he stoked her desire to save her subordinates, making her realize there was only one path, wouldn't she choose it herself?
"There is a way. But you can't use it."
"Why not?"
"No time."
"Time?"
"I used the dwarves. While helping Vivian, I got aid from the dwarves she'd kidnapped."
"I know you built a fake tower as a trap. I'm asking how you hid the real one."
"I didn't hide it. I moved it."
"...For real?"
"I had the dwarves craft an artifact. Massive and magnificent enough to relocate the tower."
"...My god."
"It took months. Only possible because it was me. Because my tower was hidden."
The alliance had wasted time preparing expeditions to unexplored regions, buying me that window.
"But your situation's different."
Her Frost Demon Tower was already pinpointed—no need for games.
"Materials are an issue too. Back then, I controlled a merchant guild, but after clashing with Jason, it slipped my grasp."
"Golden Moon, was it?"
"Yeah."
"...Then no choice."
Reina gave a bitter smile.
"May I ask for other aid?"
"Anything I can do."
"Support me with the monsters and beasts I gave you."
"Just give me storage orbs infused with freeze magic, and you've got as many as you want."
They'd walked before, but a large monster horde now would draw human eyes.
"And mana bombs."
"Mana bombs? Didn't expect that from you."
"No canon rule says I can't use mid-world goods."
"Fine. Want traps too?"
"Grateful. One last thing."
"Speak."
Reina drew a deep breath and exhaled heavily.
"If I fail to stop them, take in the surviving frost demons as your subordinates."
"...Don't think the worst."
"Blind optimism now would be foolish and naive."
Berge swallowed the urge to say they'd live if they became his subordinates.
Not now. Proposing it to Reina, who'd just steeled herself, would only make things worse.
"The frost demons won't accept that."
"This lady will convince them."
"...If that's what you want."
"Thanks. But only if. This lady has no plans to die easily."
She'd prepare her utmost. Greet the enemy with her best, deliver death to as many as possible.
Balaf Disrod, the Stars—heroes hailed by humans—she'd drag them from the heavens, etching a Demon King's greatness into their souls.
"That's this lady's role as a Demon King."
"...Makes me feel guilty for some reason. This hero crusade is partly my fault."
By dropping monsters on the Black Toad Caravan, he'd spiked fear of Demon Kings, birthing this massive alliance.
Repelling them turned that unresolved fury toward the snowfields.
The gale Berge stirred had become a storm crashing on Reina.
It'd be a lie to say he felt no guilt. She'd always helped him, after all.
"...Yeah. Seen that way, maybe."
Reina murmured softly, then shook her head.
"No, you just did your duty. I won't fault a Demon King fulfilling his role. The problem is this world's heroes and humans—too many, too strong."
She murmured calmly.
Berge admired her poise. The polar opposite of Vivian, who begged before death.
"I'll help as much as I can. Snap Balaf Disrod's neck myself."
"Thanks."
Berge gathered the freeze-magic orbs and returned to his tower.
Reina sat on her jade throne and summoned her subordinates.
"War is inevitable. The heroes come for this lady's head."
"That'll never happen. We'll freeze every bastard eyeing you, Ma'am—turn 'em into snowfield ornaments."
"Reliable."
Reina smiled. Vitality stirred the frigid tower.
"Arman."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Summon every tundra monster. No fighter left behind."
"Yes." "Nina."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Berge will arrive soon with dwarves. Ensure no monsters or beasts target them."
"Dwarves?"
To the puzzled frost demons, Reina explained.
"Berge helped Vivian Blunt. In return, her kidnapped dwarves went to him."
"My god, so that's how they survived."
"Explains the oddity."
The demons clicked their tongues.
"But they'll help now. They'll craft mana bombs and plant them across the snowfields."
"Yes."
Reina issued detailed orders. Much later, her demeanor shifted.
"Understood?"
"Yes, Ma'am!"
"They must see this lady as an easy mark."
Chasing her after Berge—that explained it.
Not wrong, really.
She lacked Berge's tricks: no hiding her tower, no fake-trap towers.
But she had a century.
The lifted interference unleashed her true power.
Ten thousand monsters. A thousand beasts. A hundred demons.
Reina's chill deepened.
"I'll show them."
How wrong their choice was.
Why she was called the Frost Demon King.
"The snowfields will become a hell that devours them."
"As you will it, Ma'am!"
The demons bowed in unison.
Reina composed her haughty expression.
No matter the peril, a Demon King couldn't show anxiety before her subordinates.
* * *
"...So the Demon King says we're heading to the snowfields?"
Roger echoed uncertainly.
"No denial. You and every dwarf are going."
"Why?"
"Reina—frost's more your turf. To aid the Frost Demon King."
"Th-that's..."
"No!"
An elderly dwarf objected.
"Why?"
"We're busy retrofitting the tower. The sooner we—"
"Dismantling it?"
"...Ahem, not exactly, for the Demon King's sake—"
—!
Berge's flames erupted. Crimson heat melted part of the tower.
"...How's it melt so easy?"
"When I tried, it wouldn't budge no matter what..."
Only natural. The tower's interior was as tough as its exterior. This was the tower weakening itself against its master's will.
"You lot, trying to rip apart my tower on your own?"
"N-no, that's not—"
"This guy's the one! I had no part!"
As the dwarves babbled, Berge snorted and tossed Roger the scattered shards.
"As promised."
"Th-thank you!"
Roger's face lit up; greed gleamed in the others' eyes.
"You lot."
"Yes!"
"Snowfields or no? Make mana bombs and traps, or not?"
"If... if my thinking's right, we'll go...?"
"That's right. I'm not a stingy king. Work, and you'll get paid well."
"I'll go!"
"No! I'm better at bombs than this fool!"
"I'm a Frost Dwarf! Cold don't faze me!"
"Where's your fur, you runt?!"
"Hair's fur too! Oh, you bald?"
"You dented-shield reject!"
"Take off the hat—can't hear you sniveling!"
In the instant chaos, Berge silently hurled a magic orb. The dwarves froze into ice statues.
"Ravinia."
"Me too?"
"No. Gather all the monsters here."
"Okay."
Truth be told, monsters weren't plentiful. Most died fighting heroes at the fake tower.
But better than nothing.
"Me too."
"Wanna scout tundra monsters?"
"Yeah."
"Listen. Heroes are coming. Humans. Plenty with real pull—they'll spot your face quick."
"Mask."
"Four Heavenly Kings in a mask? Rejected. Besides, imagining Reina's reaction is nightmare fuel."
"......"
Ravinia puffed her cheeks.
Berge shoved a chocolate in her mouth.
"...Sweet."
"Told you it's chocolate. If I get the chance, I'll snag some tundra beasts for you."
"Really? Promise!"
"That childish bit could stop anytime."
"Promise."
"Don't we have that trust by now?"
"Promise!"
Damn, how'd I end up babysitting?
Berge hooked his pinky with hers.