021. The Demon King's Tower
“Welcome to Hotenwork, heroes!”
“Long live Hillun Kargil!”
As they passed through the gates of the fortress town, the people cheered.
Granada exhaled a puff of white breath. The emotions were fresh and new.
Finally, I'm back.
Hotenwork.
The place where he had first met the Demon King.
The place where he had been bought by the Demon King and decided to become his subordinate.
It had been a long journey. Nearly half a year of playing the hero had felt endless.
But it hadn't been meaningless time.
Long live Hillun Kargil!
Long live Waton Colro!
Granada!
The fact that his name was being called subtly amid those illustrious heroes proved it.
“Lord Granada. What are you doing? Let's go inside.”
Hillun, who had grown quite close over the past few months, gently patted his shoulder.
“Yes.”
Leading the way with Hillun and Granada at the forefront, the five hundred-strong hero party finally set foot in Hotenwork.
One hundred heroes and four hundred nobles, knights, or mercenaries.
Contrary to the Demon King's expectations, there had been minor squabbles, but no major desertions that would shrink the party's size. Naturally, the hero's march had proceeded without a hitch.
It was all thanks to Hillun Kargil's reputation.
He had rallied the knights and soothed the fleeing mercenaries to bring them this far.
Granada thought the Demon King had underestimated Hillun.
“Kuh, it's been a while here too.”
“See? The rumors were true. There really was a Demon King in the Erjest Mountains. But someone wanted to keep hanging around here because they didn't believe it.”
“Shut up. I was drunk then, okay?”
“Idiot.”
“Wanna die?”
The Red Eagle mercenaries, returning to their familiar post, chuckled familiarly. The hero party's members received a warm welcome from Hotenwork's lord and unpacked in one corner of the lord's castle.
“As the lord responsible for Hotenwork, it is my honor to be part of this historic page in the fight against evil and the establishment of justice!”
The feast began with the lord's greeting. He sat at the head table alongside famous heroes like Hillun Kargil and Waton Colro.
“Our destination is finally within reach. We've made it here without any major incidents. The Demon King, terrified by our might, hasn't mounted any real resistance and is cowering.”
“But we must not grow complacent. He is a Demon King, after all, and the vile kidnapper of princesses.”
“I hope we can all laugh together when the Demon King subjugation is over. For the peace of the continent!”
“For peace!”
“Long live the heroes!”
At the lord's request, Hillun raised a toast, and the members cheered. Their morale was sky-high.
Faith in the hero Hillun.
A hero's march free of monsters or demons so far.
Intelligence that the newbie Demon King who had just descended used fire magic.
The perfect combination of these four elements filled the entire party with confidence of certain victory.
Granada found the atmosphere awkward.
Isn't this almost the complete opposite?
At first, things had seemed to be going according to the Demon King's will. But Hillun was a far more capable hero than he had anticipated. He had produced the exact opposite result.
Can he stop them?
Granada seriously pondered whether he should betray them now with a blow to the back of the head.
It had only been a little over two months since he joined the hero's march. And the last image of the tower he remembered was a lone princess standing in an empty clearing.
No. There's no need to worry. If they succeed, great.
He hadn't become the Demon King's subordinate by choice.
If the Demon King died, the chains binding him would break.
“......”
Still, he couldn't help the reluctance gnawing at a corner of his heart. In his frustration, he stepped out to the terrace and infused mana into the crystal orb.
Fortunately, there was a response.
“We've arrived at Hotenwork. After a short rest, we'll head up the mountain soon.”
『I see.』
A nonchalant voice returned, utterly devoid of any sense of crisis.
『Once you start climbing the mountain, you risk being discovered, so you can stop contacting me.』
“Should I continue assisting the heroes to the best of my ability?”
『Previous orders remain in effect until you reach the tower and I give new ones directly.』
『Perfect timing. Let me tell you what to watch out for.』
『Be careful of avalanches when climbing the mountain.』
『Don't let your guard down at night.』
『And finally, when opening the tower door, stay far away and brace for impact.』
“...Pardon? What does that mean?”
No answer came. The communication cut off unilaterally.
“What the...”
“What are you doing alone?”
At that moment, Hillun emerged onto the terrace with a bottle of liquor. Granada quickly hid the crystal orb.
“Just getting some fresh air. What about you, Lord Hillun?”
“I left the lord with the other heroes for a bit.”
Sure enough, the lord was surrounded by other heroes.
“Care for a drink? It's fruit wine the elves love.”
“Just one.”
He couldn't refuse the hero's offer and accepted the glass. The aroma was pleasant.
“Something bothering you?”
The hero sipped his drink. “Kuh, delicious as always.” He let out admiring sighs.
“That obvious?”
“Yes. Nervous now that the Demon King's tower is close?”
In a way, yes.
“Can we succeed in subjugating the Demon King?”
“Who knows. Others believe in me, but there's no guarantee in Demon King subjugation. Demon Kings are always strong, and towers are hell.”
“But didn't you kill the Lust Demon King? Compared to him, a freshly descended one should be...”
“If it were that straightforward, all the Demon Kings in Alein would have vanished long ago.”
Hillun shrugged.
“Still...”
A cryptic smile played on his lips.
“With your help, Lord Granada, I believe we'll definitely succeed.”
“I'm just a mere elf.”
“Playing weak again. Excluding me and a few heroes, no one has gained more fame than you.”
“That's because I step up first when monsters swarm...”
“Exactly. There are a few stronger than you, but your fame is incomparable now. It's the difference between practicing justice and being able to.”
“As expected of an elf's virtue,” he muttered softly.
“So.”
The hero placed hands on both of Granada's shoulders and locked eyes fiercely.
“I'll lead the way, so stand by my side and support me.”
“...Understood.”
Granada tried to ignore the strange sense of dissonance.
From the southernmost Hildean Kingdom to the northernmost Hotenwork.
The hero party, after the long journey, took a week to rest.
Hillun gathered the leadership and reviewed the plan.
“Mobility and stealth are paramount. The Erjest Mountains teem with monsters. We must avoid drawing their attention to minimize casualties, avoid getting lost in snow, and save time.”
“We'll spot the tower easily once we reach the summit. Demon Kings typically build them in the most visible spots.”
“Probably on the highest peak.”
“It's a snowy mountain range, so progress will be slow. Plan for at least a week.”
“That means more supplies.”
“It uses fire attributes, so fire resistance gear too.”
“Winter gear for the snow means double the baggage.”
They restocked in Hotenwork, made final checks, and finally.
“Move out!”
The hero party charged toward the climax of the march.
The entrance to the Erjest Mountains wasn't too steep.
Gentle slopes. Relatively flat ground and dense trees welcomed visitors.
But as time passed and altitude rose, white snow appeared. Slopes steepened, trees vanished.
And the mountain's residents didn't welcome the intruders.
Kroooaaar!
“Yeti!”
“Five yetis on the right flank! About 300 meters out!”
Yeti, unseen elsewhere, popped up every few hours.
“Twin-headed ogre!”
“Damn it, scatter! Clumping up means we're all dead!”
Massive monsters bared sharp fangs.
Even one was a disaster, but they couldn't break the hero party.
Slash—
Hillun's sword danced gracefully. A flash gleamed, painting strokes of death.
Yeti heads fell.
The ogre's heart burst.
Orcs' lives ended.
Unlike his affable mask, his strikes were swift and sure.
“As expected of a hero!”
“Long live Hillun Kargil!”
Stimulated by his feats, other heroes surged forward. No matter how formidable the Erjest monsters, they couldn't stop them.
Strong monsters and harsh terrain were mere annoyances.
Then slightly different monsters appeared.
“Frost orcs?”
“But the one in the middle looks off...”
Knight and mercenaries voiced doubts at the dozens of shadowy figures atop the ridge.
“It's a demon beast!”
Larger by 1.5 times than other orcs, with horns. Heroes, most sensitive to demonic energy, identified it instantly.
“No, closer to a demon. A demon is controlling the frost orcs!”
“No demon beasts until now, and they send a demon right away.”
The heroes tensed at the first demon's appearance. Hillun charged first, followed by part of the party.
Granada joined too.
If it's a demon, definitely summoned by the Demon King. Should I pretend to fight and let it escape?
No, that would arouse suspicion. He said give it your all, so best to do just that.
Then, their eyes met.
Smiling...?
Granada saw the demon's lip curl faintly.
“Smiling?”
“That bastard.”
Hillun and the heroes saw it too.
That instant.
Bwoooo!
The demon blew a massive horn trumpet.
Trap?
In the moment of hesitation from the inexplicable unease.
Kaboom!
An unidentified explosion roared.
And then.
Rumble rumble rumble—
“Uh, uh...”
“R-run!”
An avalanche began.
Amid the white wave crashing down, Granada thought.
Fuck, how the hell do you watch for snow like this!
Cough cough—
Granada spat out snow from his mouth and barely escaped.
“Everyone okay?”
“Y-yeah...”
Fortunately, the avalanche wasn't as massive as feared, and the party members weren't weak. Casualties were lighter than expected.
But.
“Damn, using an avalanche with a demon?”
“What kind of bullshit is this?”
First setback after smooth sailing. A dip in morale was inevitable.
Crazy bastard. I'm right here, and he just sweeps everything?
Not entirely casualty-free either. Weak mercenaries especially—the entire Red Eagle mercenary group was wiped out.
They weren't the type to get annihilated by this...
As Granada felt both unease and anger, Hillun gathered survivors and laughed hollowly.
“Never imagined the first attack like this.”
“...What now?”
“Regroup first, camp somewhere sheltered from snow, wait for any more survivors. Damage isn't huge, but better to rest before pushing up.”
Hillun calmly managed the situation. But the avalanche was just the beginning.
“Assault!”
“Frost orcs herding yetis!”
“Hold the line!”
“You bastards!”
Sunset came quick in the mountains. They set up camp, but before completion, guests arrived with dusk.
Monsters' stench and raging beasts charged. Sudden ambush, party mentally fatigued.
Hillun, Granada, and heroes repelled relatively easily, but no one could deny morale chipping away.
Day one, two.
Unlike initial plans, progress slowed. Frost orcs struck whenever they slacked.
“These damn bastards!”
“Let's just fight fair and square!”
Heroes vented frustration, but chasing frost orcs herding monsters at night was suicide.
“Are these really orcs?”
“Why so cunning?”
Party members grew exhausted.
“This Demon King is truly insidious.”
“We can't play his game. Push through even if it means sacrifices.”
“Agreed.”
With venomous resolve, they advanced rapidly. Less sleep, jerky on the march.
Their murderous march deterred frost orc raids. Other monsters too.
Good, but harsh forced march increased stragglers. By summit, less than half remained.
But bigger problem.
“...No tower?”
“Can't see the tower!”
All Demon King towers were in obvious spots, places you'd assume “of course here.”
It was natural, centuries-old truth.
Cracks in that truth panicked heroes.
Day one, two at summit. Cold and assaults swelled casualties daily.
Finally, deserters.
“I can't do this anymore. This Demon King is too different. Won't waste time and lives on an invisible tower.”
“It's close. Not highest peak, but somewhere on summit.”
“How many more sacrifices to find it? This is Erjest. Survive first. No thanks to pointless deaths. Better prepare thoroughly for next time.”
“No. Fail now, worse later.”
“Better than total wipeout.”
Waton, second in fame to Hillun, opposed him.
Problem: his words stimulated exhausted, frustrated members.
“I'm going! Follow if descending with me!”
Over half the party followed.
Morale plummeted exponentially.
“......”
“I'll stay with you.”
“Lord Granada... I will, I will kill that Demon King.”
Granada saw affable Hillun grit teeth and curse for the first time.
But tower search dragged. Casualties mounted, weary deserters continued.
Ironically, just when abandoning the march seemed wise, they found it.
“In the valley...”
“That son of a bitch...!”
About fifty. A tenth of original. They gnashed teeth.
“What now?”
“We came for justice. Can't flee evil before our eyes just because numbers dwindled and morale low. That's true heroism. Even alone, I'll behead the Demon King.”
“Well said.”
“Cowards.”
Chewing escaped comrades, they regained confidence at the mere five-story tower.
“Freshly descended indeed.”
“I'll open the door.”
“First floor's gotta be weaklings anyway.”
Elated heroes opened the door.
That instant—
Flash—
Dazzling light enveloped them.
A massive explosion shook the world.
“Kuh...”
Granada gasped for breath.
“You okay?”
Battered Hillun extended a hand. Granada barely rose.
“What was that?”
“If my senses are right... a mana cannon.”
“Mana cannon?”
This madman.
Mana cannon instead of demon beasts on the first floor?
Even an eccentric Demon King who bought him as subordinate was still a Demon King. Mana cannons?
That's why he said stay away and brace when opening the door!
“Strange. Should've sensed mana buildup for that power...”
Especially in a Demon King's tower, mana scarce, demonic energy thick.
“And the others...”
“No deaths... but...”
Hillun trailed off. At the blinding light pouring out, he instinctively cast defensive magic.
It enveloped the whole party, saving lives but not fully absorbing shock.
Finger-pointing to unconscious members like corpses.
“Sudden ambush, poor response.”
“So just us two.”
“Yes, regrettably.”
“Now what...”
“Checked inside right away. Five massive mana cannons, then ten ballistae behind.”
“My god.”
“Smashed them all, but nothing else inside. No demon beasts, no gunners.”
Hillun frowned.
“Still, we go on.”
“Better to quit? Just us two...”
“I killed the Lust Demon King. A newbie's no match.”
Hillun's eyes turned resolute.
“Our march got tons of love and attention. Can't fail to respond, can't abandon evil before us.”
However.
He added.
“I really hope you'll come with me, Lord Granada.”
“Not sure one elf makes a difference.”
“Nonsense. You're the most trustworthy. Please stay by my side.”
To his earnest plea, Granada nodded.
First floor done, but Demon King prepared more. Hero's in bad shape, better take him.
Thus, one elf and one hero entered the Demon King's tower.
Hillun bit his lip. The metallic tang of blood sharpened his mind.
Stay calm.
This hero's march couldn't fail.
He had to behead the Demon King or loot the tower—gain something.
He'd drawn crowds with fame and achievements. Betraying their expectations and trust wasn't light, even for a hero.
The merchant guilds that invested believing in me...
Fire resistance and cold resistance gear on everyone wasn't dug from earth.
Months of supplies weren't free.
He'd made secret deals with nobles: trust only me.
Luxuries demand payment.
Death buries it, but survival means creditors swarm.
This march must not fail.
Right, the elf. With the elf...
Worst averted.
“Let's go.”
Composed, Hillun ascended stairs to the second floor with Granada.
“Huh...?”
“Hm?”
They found an empty clearing.
“Trap...?”
“Doesn't seem so. Really nothing here.”
What the hell is this tower?
First floor greeted with mana cannons and ballistae instead of beasts.
Second floor empty. Bigger mystery: no lifeforms yet.
“...On to next.”
Only after thorough second-floor check did Hillun head to stairs.
Third floor same devastation, then fourth.
No way empty to fifth?
Fortunately, unfounded worry.
Wind blew.
Fresh forest scent tickled nose.
Warmth caressed skin.
“...What is this.”
Water flowed.
Trees swayed in breeze.
Semitransparent birds and animals flitted.
It was an ecosystem. Slice of nature.
And amid it, she appeared.
“Welcome to the Demon King's tower, strangers. I am the Fourth Heavenly King serving the Demon King, the Dark Spirit Summoner.”
“...Princess?”
“Wrong person. I'm subordinate number one to the Demon King.”
“You just said Fourth Heavenly King...”
“You don't listen well. Time for punishment.”
That was.
Bang—
Hillun's final memory.