204. Recruitment
Reina melted the salt sea once more. Berge ignited flames of mana, purging every last trace of magic points.
After shoving the surrendered heroes into the tower, they pulled the buoyancy ship into the depths of the ocean.
Just like that, the sea returned to its serene calm, as if nothing had happened.
"We're short on cells."
"We should cram all the heroes onto one floor."
They fitted every hero—save for the Stars—with mana-restraining handcuffs and assigned them to the tenth floor.
The deep sea made escape from the first floor unlikely anyway, but this was just in case.
The frost demons handled surveillance.
Berge entered a meeting to decide their fate.
All Four Heavenly Kings were present, along with the two demon kings turned subordinates and his adjutant.
"So your stance is to take them all in as subordinates?"
"The more, the better. Especially if they're all heroes."
Berge pondered Ernan's argument. The first time was the hardest; the second and third came easy.
Having already taken heroes—and even princesses—as subordinates, absorbing a group that had shrunk from a thousand to around eight hundred was tempting.
Eight hundred subordinates made of heroes.
And if those subordinates rallied around Hillon Kargil to seize control of the Hero Guild?
The guild master disguised as Balaf Disrod was already captured. What reason was there for Hillon not to claim the now-leaderless Hero Guild?
"If we bring in even the Stars as subordinates, it might actually work."
"Might? It'll work. We can put the Hero Guild right in the Demon King's palm."
And that was just the start.
The Hero Guild was the continent's undisputed top organization—the strongest by far. Over centuries since its founding, it had woven itself into the fabric of the continent. These days, you couldn't discuss continental politics without it.
Nations tied to the guild. Royals, nobles, merchants.
Demon king subjugations had become excuses for invading other countries, leading to treaties to prevent repeats. To slay a demon king now, you needed heroes and the Hero Guild.
Connections deepened inevitably, spreading like a spider's web across the continent.
"Won't it be hard to manage that many?"
Vivian asked.
"What does it matter? Make them subordinates, and it's done."
Subordinates couldn't betray. Over time, they instinctively learned that death meant their souls belonged to the Demon King—eternal torment worse than oblivion.
Except for that one idiot dark wizard who got cornered too fast to realize.
"But how?"
"Armani's Orbs."
"Impossible. Connections to Ma-gye are severed."
Berge's had been cut long ago, and Vivian had suffered the same for cursing out Alkain the Archduke.
"You idiots. Reina's not a demon king anymore, is she?"
"Oh, right. Yours isn't cut yet?"
"What nonsense is this? My tower is gone. My demon king privileges vanished. How could I connect to Ma-gye?"
"You can buy them with magic points. The tower wasn't destroyed—it was absorbed. Part of your authority lingers."
"Really?"
"If you're touching the jade throne."
Reina placed her hand on the throne, linking to Ma-gye through her lingering authority.
"...It works."
"While you're at it, buy Armani's Orbs. Lots. Tons."
"Magic points are at zero."
"Ah, right—all yours transferred to me."
Could you even pass magic points after the tower vanished?
Berge checked the tower system briefly, then grasped Reina's hand.
"That should do it."
Magic points flowed through the contact. Ernan's eyes sparkled for an instant, but no one noticed.
Hmm. Better stay quiet. Good luck, Demon King. I'm rooting for you.
Except Elena beside her.
"Too many."
"Buy them all as Armani's Orbs. If Alkain the Archduke finds out you're my subordinate, he'll sever your link for sure."
"Got it."
Thousands of orbs poured before Berge. He finally cracked a satisfied smile.
"But can we even convince them?"
"Start with the Stars. Use them to sway the rest."
"Ralph."
Ravinia raised her hand.
"You want to convince Ralph?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Secret. Promise. Can't kill."
"You pinky-swore, broke it by not killing him, and now want to make it right?"
"Yeah."
Since when did Ravinia have this side?
"Pinky swear."
"A pinky promise means you have to uphold it somehow, got it."
What was this? Was a single pinky swear that big a deal to Ravinia?
No promises I've ignored involved pinky swears.
Berge mulled it over and concluded as much.
"Fine."
"Yeah."
"I'll help too."
"I know your skills well enough."
"Why are you looking at me?"
"I didn't say a word."
"Nor did I claim you did."
Kaede's glare sharpened. Berge turned away.
"But Balaf Disrod—no, Daniel Dayrus—is off-limits."
"The guild master I knew wasn't called that."
As Hildean Kingdom's crown princess, Ernan had plenty of intel and ties to the Hero Guild. The guild master was never known by that name.
"Daniel Dayrus for real? The legend who slew two demon kings centuries ago and vanished with the third tower?"
"He admitted it himself. Gotta be true."
"But the shell..."
"Balaf Disrod. Probably just one of many identities. Who knows how deep it goes."
"...I never sensed the shells on him."
"Me neither."
That was the chilling part. No demon king, no Star had known.
Above all, Berge was stunned he hadn't noticed—him, the sense transcendent Ma-ryong.
Whether it was Daniel Dayrus's power or not, it demanded respect.
"I'll interrogate him personally."
"Yes. What about the main force that'll follow?"
The buoyancy ship's speed had outpaced the heroes, but the hero campaign wasn't over.
"Why bother? Without the ship, they can't find the tower."
"Are you ignoring them completely, or merging the stragglers before they leave?"
"The latter needs conditions."
"At least two days till the main force arrives, plus days more scouring the sea for the ship."
They'd never imagine the hero army and ship annihilated, all captured. Just a mix-up.
"The longer it drags, the more suspicious—they'll retreat. Then merging heroes gets tricky. You won't return the ship, right?"
"Obviously."
He'd dismantle it entirely, extract the buoyancy stones, fuse them with the tower for a Sky Tower.
The dwarves' grand ambition had become his too.
"Convince them in those few days. Align stories: Balaf Disrod lost to the Demon King and retreated."
That justified heroes surviving the open ocean after the ship vanished.
No one swims hundreds of kilometers—Stars or elites maybe, not seven hundred grunts.
"Oh, you won't release Balaf Disrod, right?"
"Obviously."
Berge and Ernan's debate heated up.
Reina listened quietly, then whispered to Vivian beside her.
"If I'm sensing right, that princess is leading the meeting."
"Yep."
"Why?"
"She's Berge's lover."
"...A human? Even if you're taking humans as subordinates, isn't that separate?"
"Don't expect normalcy from Berge."
"...Fair. His tower and actions are nothing like what I knew."
"And we're subordinates now? If Berge dated an orc, what could we do?"
"...That's a bit."
Reina valued her own dignity and honor as much as Berge's—the one she served.
Everything he did became his subordinates' pride. He had to set the example.
In that light, Ernan was acceptable. Human, but a Spirit King contractor—she'd grow strong enough to solo most demon kings given time.
But a mere monster orc? No.
"Kidding. Berge'd have to lose his mind. Frost demons really can't take a joke, huh?"
"Wasn't funny enough to register as one."
"What?"
"Your jokes are vulgar and worthless. Not worth a laugh."
"You done?!"
"Quiet down. We're in a meeting."
The chat started civil, devolved into spat, and ended with Berge's roar.
Ralph Shmitz couldn't believe his situation.
"Subordinate."
"Become the Demon King's subordinate."
"Fine."
"Says it's fine."
"Rozel."
"You, me."
"You know the princess's true identity now."
"Rozel."
"No choice."
"No choice—subordinate or die."
"Rozel!"
"Jeez, why yell?!"
Rozel Charnt irritably covered her ears.
"What the hell is this?"
"Convincing you."
"Why?!"
The princess and you, pushing me to serve the Demon King?
"You lost to the princess. Right?"
"Yes."
"Still not grasping reality?"
"...Her Highness really."
"Yeah, subordinate to the Flame Demon King. Silly name, but one of the Four Heavenly Kings."
"Then why you?"
"Kinda happened..."
Rozel Charnt gave an awkward smile.
"Go on."
"Keeping your honor? Then you die."
"Can't betray humanity as a hero."
"Harsh. So me and the princess are traitors?"
"Aren't you?"
"Not—not really."
"Nonsense."
Rozel racked her brain desperately. Ravinia insisted on convincing Ralph; the Demon King agreed, promising extra blood if successful.
"The Flame Demon King is different from others."
"Different? She slaughtered heroes, wrecked everything, ruined the peace."
"That's why—restore peace. The century of it came from shadow wars with demon kings anyway."
"False and Flame are different."
"They are. Flame could crumble the continent if she wanted."
"What?"
"Four Heavenly Kings. Think only Ravinia's a princess?"
"...What."
"Dark Knight is Kaede Jespain."
"Jespain's Ninth Princess...!"
"Hell Giant—or Dwarf—is Luize Berft."
"......"
"Question: Who's the Dark Spirit Summoner?"
Not hard. That's why it was so absurd.
"Ernan Hildean."
"Right. Hildean's crown princess, summoner of Spirit Kings—one of the Demon King's Four Heavenly Kings. And that's not all. Hillon Kargil's a subordinate too."
"What...?"
Ralph's brow furrowed.
"Since when?!"
"Before we first met."
"...Completely played. But that was the Beast Demon King's hero campaign."
"Exactly—fed him the Beast Demon King on purpose to raise him. That's what I noticed."
"Meaning?"
"Not all demon kings are equal. They don't all hate each other either. Word is, Flame Demon King and others are at each other's throats. Especially False Demon King."
Rozel Charnt whispered.
"You wanna rip the False Demon King apart. Isn't this your best shot? Those humans you protect would keep False alive till the end."
Since that peace stemmed from False.
"......"
Ralph shut his mouth.
"...Need time to think."
"No. Now."
"Your Highness, I need time too..."
"Now."
Ralph eyed Rozel for help. She shook her head.
"No time. Demon King's goal: convince you lot, send you up when main force arrives."
"...Most natural, yeah."
"Accept, bone."
"Princess, really?"
"Yeah."
"What?"
"You're lucky. Accept now, he'll make you a dragon-bone shield."
"Roger."
"Through Roger Friedri."
"Roger? He's here?"
"Yeah, been the Demon King's dog for ages, cranking out mana cannons and weapons."
"...Utterly vile. Dragon bone, though?"
"Guaranteed. I vouch."
Ralph nodded.
"I accept."
Even Ralph Shmitz, humanity's champion, couldn't resist revenge and a dragon-bone shield from Roger Friedri.
Such persuasion played out for every Star hero.
"Convinced Ralph Shmitz?"
"Yeah."
"Good work."
Berge handed over chocolate. Ravinia took it gleefully.
"Others?"
"Aina Diaphrin was easier than expected."
Ernan, tasked with Aina, smiled.
"Easy?"
"Mage through and through—furious at first, but wilted when I let her feel the Water Spirit King's power up close."
Spirits were pure nature's force, the holy grail for attribute mages. No mage would pass up experiencing a Spirit King firsthand.
Jealousy toward Ernan lingered, but resolved.
"How?"
"Promised the same reward you gave Rozel. She wanted in."
"What? Who decided?! My tail's off-limits!"
"Human mages lack honor and grand purpose—greed rules them."
A thrashing demon king and a musing one traded words.
"Rozel's gotten stronger lately too. Rivalry's old and deep, she said."
"Ho, intriguing."
Spurring each other to join Berge's fold. Most amusing.
His gaze shifted.
"Vivian."
"Don't eye my tail."
"Shut it and report."
"...How'd I end up like this."
Vivian grumbled, then composed herself.
"Success, naturally. My specialty. Strong will to live without achievements. Idolizes that Hillon guy. So I asked you?"
"The comms with Hillon."
"Yep. Few chats with him, and she flipped."
With constant "it's fine, natural" suggestions, of course.
"Good job. Hm."
"Something wrong?"
"No, just easier than thought."
"That's how it is. Few heroes live by grand convictions."
Chosen as heroes, they became heroes. In a world coexisting with demon kings for a millennium, did they truly see demon kings as mortal foes?
Did they dream of slaying demon kings to save the continent?
No. Hero was a title, a job. Blessed with much, their lives felt more precious.
How many dove into the role with lofty duty or mission?
"Sure, some have ideals. But most don't. Hence 'chosen mercenaries' as a slur."
"I see."
"Everyone values their life most."
"Got it. Kaede, you?"
"She proposed first."
"What?"
"Spare me, and I'll reveal Balaf Disrod's identity. A trade."
"Trade?"
Berge's brow furrowed.
"Trading info I already know? Pablo Barkat's an idiot?"
"Knocked out before your fight with the guild master—didn't see."
"True? Guess I'll check."
Curious what bullshit he'd spout.
Might have leverage on Daniel Dayrus too.
Her turn, Luize bellowed.
"Convinced all the dwarves!"
"You?"
"Nah, just rested my axe on 'em. Roger did the rest. Freaked at ship-smashing, then bit when we said the tower's cooler. Promised dragon byproducts and tower scraps too. I'm a dwarf, but artisans are simple. But..."
"But?"
"We're really building that Sky Tower? I cooperated hard to see it..."
"Don't worry."
Now he was serious about the Sky Tower too.
Berge muttered.
< 204. Recruitment > End