184. Alternative
Of course, the snowy plains were cold.
"Ugh, so c-cold."
"Y-you're a pure dwarf, aren't you? J-just tough it out."
"M-my head feels like it's gonna split open."
Regardless of whether the Erjest Mountains were a little less cold or even colder, the dwarves hadn't stepped outside the tower since being kidnapped.
They weren't a race native to frigid lands in the first place, so they had virtually no immunity to the cold.
"I-if only we'd made some winter gear..."
Berge had frozen them solid and dragged them along before they could prepare for the cold. What he'd "packed" from his perspective was stuffed with nothing but mana bombs and trap components—no winter clothes in sight—which only made it worse.
"You blaming me?"
"I didn't say anything!"
"That self-proclaimed pure dwarf did!"
Were these dwarves born to pass the buck?
Tsk. Berge clicked his tongue and conjured a few small flames. The pure flames born from phoenix and dragon mana were more than enough to drive away the chill.
"I-I'm alive..."
"Ahhh, warming up..."
"Roger."
"Yes, Demon King."
Berge unrolled a map. It was the one of the snowy plains that Reina had given him. He jabbed at a few spots.
They were prime terrain spots for digging traps, as per Reina's intel.
"Set up appropriate traps at these locations."
"Twelve spots. What level of quality are you aiming for?"
"The best."
He was just helping Reina out, but Berge didn't want her to die. And he wanted to inflict maximum damage on those human bastards.
That was when it happened.
"Monsters!"
"M-monsters!"
The dwarves panicked. The ground rumbled. Dozens of drakes were charging toward them in a pack.
"Calm those runts down. A Demon King is right here—scared of some basic monsters?"
Were they idiots?
"They're only used to holing up in workshops making stuff."
"Like you?"
"I've at least gotten used to you, haven't I, my lord?"
"True. Swinging that hammer at Hillun Kargil when he said you couldn't dismantle the tower—that was impressive."
"P-please forget that ever happened!"
Moments later, the drake pack arrived. A frost demon atop the largest drake hopped down lightly.
"Greetings, Lord Berge. I am Klein, a frost demon in your service."
"Good to meet you."
"Thank you for aiding our lord."
"I'm just returning the favor."
"Too many demons don't even bother with proper reciprocity."
"Yeah, pretty much."
"Real dwarves, huh."
"Not a single one dies."
"Understood. Of course."
Berge dumped all the supplies from his subspace and gathered the dwarves.
"Build sleds now and load these up. The drakes will pull them. Use those to set traps at the key points on the map. Questions?"
"Yes."
One dwarf raised his hand.
"Once this is done, really...?"
"A Demon King doesn't lie."
Lie.
Roger swallowed his urge to blurt it out. Good call. He'd just saved his own skin.
"Safe?"
"Klein?"
"You'll all be under my protection. As retainers serving Lady Reina, whom I serve, I won't let any harm come to you."
"Hear that?"
"Yes."
"The faster you work, the sooner you leave this snowy hell. Now go."
The promise of quicker return to the tower lit a fire under the dwarves. They swiftly started building dozens of large sleds.
"Faster, faster!"
"Don't let your hands idle! My grandma could do better!"
With Roger there, they'd handle it fine.
Berge tossed them a few magic storage orbs filled with flames, then dashed toward the Frost Demon Tower.
The tower buzzed with activity. Thousands of monsters prowled nearby, while beasts and demons overflowed everywhere.
"Lord Berge. Good to see you again."
"Nina, right?"
"Yes."
"Where's Reina?"
"Waiting above."
He ascended to the summit. Reina, issuing orders to her demons, welcomed him.
"The dwarves will set traps per your map. But what's the exact plan?"
"I suspect their numbers will be vast."
"Likely."
"That's why we can't just fight inside the tower. We need to use the open plains, like you did. And conveniently, you're helping."
"Ambush the humans once traps throw them into chaos?"
"Most effective approach. But those monsters you brought—they're all... altered. What did you do?"
There were no chimeras in the Demon World. Chimera craft was a human invention for handling beasts and monsters.
The noble queen of frost demons was clueless about such things.
"Just a little modification."
"Possible?"
"Gordon researched it."
He couldn't exactly say he'd put a human princess on it.
"Dark elves are fine mages."
Fortunately, Reina bought it.
"But your adjutant isn't a mage—he's a sword..."
"Oh, right—heard the latest?"
"I'm on high alert. The hero expedition's scale is set."
While Reina prepared to counter the hero expedition, the humans mobilized swiftly.
The Flame Demon Tower failure had hit like a bombshell, spiking hatred and wariness of Demon Kings to the max.
Even a simple expedition ballooned beyond imagination.
Reasons abounded.
Cover failure with success. Nations that tasted bitter defeat against Berge needed to prove humans still held the edge.
Thus, they backed Balaf Disrod's Frost Demon Tower assault. To quell public fear—and extreme calls to exterminate all Demon Kings pushed them further.
Of course, not all saw the Frost Tower raid positively.
Especially the Empire. Its people demanded Berge first, unconditionally.
The crown princess—the Empire's symbol—had been kidnapped. Yet for some reason, influenced by Balaf perhaps, the Empire prioritized the Frost Tower.
"Balaf Disrod, Aina Diaphrin, Rozel Charnt, Ralph Shmitz. These four Stars will join the assault."
"How'd you know?"
"Ways and means."
Hillun Kargil had told him. True to Berge's will, he wasn't joining this expedition, but his Argon rank let him access intel fast.
"The Empire's sharpening its blades fully. Roughly 30,000 troops estimated. Three hundred heroes alone."
"Far fewer than yours."
"Empire's 30k, plus allied forces—50k total?"
The Empire was normally isolationist, hating foreign troops on its soil.
But citing the ongoing alliance, it unusually reached out this time.
Thus, a massive force formed for the Frost Demon Tower conquest.
Less than the 110k sent after Berge's tower, but more than those who'd chased the fake.
"...Despairing."
"No rosy assurances I'll hold them off."
"Wouldn't buy them anyway."
Reina smiled bitterly.
Berge, who'd been biding his moment, broached it slyly.
"Not like there's zero options."
"You have one?"
"First, one thing clear: This isn't me underestimating or mocking you. Remember that."
"What could warrant such a preamble?"
Berge paused, then spoke.
"Right before Vivian's tower vanished, she messaged you—what'd she say?"
"Begged for her life. Pathetic and vulgar, unworthy of a Demon King."
"And?"
"And?"
Reina pondered. Truth be told, she hadn't dwelled much on her last chat with Vivian.
"Take me as a retainer, even..."
Reina shut her mouth. Her eyes chilled.
"I hope what you're about to say to this lady isn't what this lady suspects."
Don't disappoint me for real.
"Afraid it is. I don't want you dead. But if it offends, I apologize."
"For a Demon King, death holds greater value sometimes. Did this lady misjudge you?"
Chill permeated the air. Berge explained his stance as calmly as possible.
"At least in my view, it's the only way."
"...This lady is a Demon King. No Demon King becomes another's retainer—never heard of it."
"Never heard doesn't mean the canon forbids it."
"No cases exist. What Demon King would?"
"Vivian Blunt."
"...Aiding her meant taking her as retainer?"
"She wished it. And she's alive now. Dying nobly as a Demon King is fine, but living for revenge—better, no?"
"Perhaps."
Surprisingly, Reina nodded readily.
"Demons value different things atop their hierarchy. This lady finds Vivian pathetic and vulgar, but doesn't deem her priorities inferior. Life is precious. However."
"However?"
"Vivian prizes life above all. For this lady, Demon King's dignity reigns. This lady will face foes proudly as one. 'Tis the duty this lady bears, descending to this dimension for the Demon World."
"I respect that. But..."
"But?"
"It means I can't honor your request."
"Meaning?"
"If—no, hoping it never happens—but if you die, didn't you ask me to take your frost demons as retainers?"
"Yes."
"You dead—would they meekly become mine?"
"...!"
Reina fell silent, then forced a reply.
"If this lady commands it..."
"Lucky if so, but you know them best?"
"..."
"I too think facing foes proudly as a Demon King is right. But must it end in jade annihilation?"
Would he drag them all to death over petty duty and responsibility?
"The Demon World won't shelter them."
Berge's words rippled through Reina's heart.
* * *
『I need the dwarves' help.』
The Flame Demon Tower lay at sea's bottom. No ordinary ship could reach it.
"What help?"
『The Buoyancy Ship. Their national treasure.』
The Buoyancy Ship was the dwarves' pride. A massive vessel seating over a thousand, powered by buoyancy stones and their tech to fly the skies.
But if it only flew, Balaf wouldn't need dwarven aid.
『The Buoyancy Ship can coat itself in a thin submersible membrane to roam ocean depths. If his tower's at sea, it's essential.』
"No way the runts hand it over."
『Making them is your job.』
"Lord Balaf."
『Jason Cockmondo. All raged at the Flame Demon King as you intended. The result?』
『Worst of the worst. Rage mixed with fear, fueling his power. Must kill him ASAP.』
Balaf knew negative human emotions empowered Demon Kings. The next Flame Demon King would be stronger.
That's why he pushed killing the Frost Demon King first. Time wasn't on his side.
『Can't fail this time. The Buoyancy Ship is key.』
Balaf's logic was flawless.
"I lack ties to Berft."
『But the Empire has many strings. Enough to pull.』
"Understood."
Jason adjusted his monocle.
"I'll persuade the dwarves somehow. So please, succeed in severing the Frost King's head."
『Doubting me now? I am...』
"I know who you are. But humans say: Once is mistake, twice coincidence, thrice inevitability."
"You've failed thrice already. Or twice, excluding the dragon instead of Demon King."
『Amusing.』
Balaf's lips twisted.
『I'll show you why I'm called the great hero.』
『Don't fail again yourself.』
"Naturally."
The Demon King and hero smiled at each other.