211. Marching Out Again
“Waaahhh...!”
Vivian Blunt, having unilaterally cut off communication with Alkain Daegong, shed bitter tears.
“Just a little... just a little faster, and...!”
She could have escaped this wretched place!
“Does that mean you regret becoming my subordinate? You brought it on yourself, you know.”
“You call that an appropriate thing to say right now? Strictly speaking, I took the fall for your mess! I got wrongly framed!”
“Skip the trivial details.”
“Trivial? They cut off my tail and my horns! Trivial? And then you plop that greedy lunatic right next to me—how could I not regret it?”
“But Alkain Daegong wants nothing from you.”
The Tower, that is.
“...You took it! It's your responsibility...!”
Vivian, who had been shouting at the top of her lungs, suddenly clamped her own mouth shut.
She quickly scanned the surroundings.
“What are you doing by yourself?”
“...No one's here, right?”
“Reina's here, though.”
“No, not Reina. I mean, like...”
“Like what?”
An elf, perhaps, or a spirit, or another princess. Especially someone like Elena Hildean.
Fortunately, no one else was around.
“What I mean is, as your subordinate! Strictly as a subordinate, you should take responsibility!”
“Of course that's how I took it.”
“No, I mean...”
Vivian rambled incoherently.
“...Forget everything I said. I'm just your loyal subordinate. It's a shame I can't go back, but that's all it is.”
“...What does that mean?”
“Nothing! It means nothing!”
Vivian flashed an awkward smile. Berge found it suspicious but didn't press further. It wasn't the first day Vivian had acted strangely.
“Then Reina, expect contact from him again soon.”
“I expect so.”
“In that case, since the strategy using Vivian failed, we'll use Dorche Astrin instead.”
He had heard a bit about Dorche back in Ma-gye, but due to the dragon demons' near-total lack of interaction with their kin, it was just a vague “Oh, that guy exists.” Nothing in detail.
“Using Dorche will let you kill Jason Cockmondo?”
“Who knows.”
“According to that hero Daniel Dayrus, he's stronger than Daniel. You barely scraped by against Daniel after a fierce battle, didn't you?”
“‘Barely’ is the wrong word.”
“Wasn't it?”
“No.”
“Fine. But you can't deny that this Jason—or whatever his real name is—surpasses both your and this lady's common sense.”
“Certainly.”
Humans grew stronger the longer they trained. The same went for demons.
Hundreds of years, no less.
Heroes grew by hunting demons, and demons grew by hunting heroes. And that was just the start—demons could gain power by devouring their own kind too.
So he had spent centuries devouring heroes and Demon Kings alike, building his strength.
Unlike ordinary demons who merely absorbed fragments of another demon's magic, a doppelganger that parasitized and fully drained its host... how strong had he become?
No one could even guess the extent.
But for some reason.
Berge didn't feel like he'd lose.
The three merged Towers boosting interference efficiency.
The empire invasion and repeated hero defenses had ignited fury, fear, sorrow, despair, and death across the continent—unprecedented Magic Points pouring in from it all.
Plus the phoenix corpse and Red Dragon heart.
He had already surpassed his pre-regression peak.
And he was still growing stronger. Interference fully negated at triple efficiency, but his base power kept rising.
Magic Points weren't just for negating interference—that was why all demons dreamed of becoming Demon Kings and descending to conquer dimensions.
To grow stronger. Because they could.
“But Jason's the same. He's been at it even longer.”
“True enough. But he's alone, and I'm not.”
Sure, he had hordes of high demons rotting at his side. But in Ma-gye, a few absolute elites crushed the masses.
Even excluding Vivian Blunt, the non-combat succubus queen, Reina Sordain could devour dozens of high demons.
“High praise from you—I'm flattered.”
“Never thought I'd say it, but the Four Heavenly Kings make a difference.”
“Indeed, that Spirit King contractor is stronger than most Demon Kings. It's astonishing that such a human is your subordinate.”
“Yeah, heavenly luck... subordinate?”
Berge tilted his head.
Come to think of it, was Ernan Hildean really his subordinate?
Had he fed her the orb? Made the contract?
“...She's not my subordinate?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“She's not?”
Reina and Vivian gasped in shock.
But it was true.
With Ernan...
He had never formed a subordinate contract with her.
Berge realized a fact he himself hadn't fully grasped.
I trust a human without even a subordinate contract...?
Trust? Trusted? Do trust?
Why?
...It just happened.
Yeah, it just naturally happened that way.
From the first crisis, fighting together; her constant help; the faith she inspired.
The bond formed organically.
“Why didn't you make her a subordinate?”
“Yeah, exactly. A Spirit King contractor? What were you thinking?”
Humans can't be trusted.
That belief hadn't changed. But with Ernan...
“Never crossed my mind.”
He didn't want to.
Didn't need to.
“You turn a fellow Demon King into a subordinate but leave a princess unbound? You think that makes sense...?”
Vivian pictured Ernan—wearing a crude mask, summoning the Water Spirit King to toy with heroes.
Did that look like someone acting out of resentment?
“Yeah, you're right. I think so too. No need.”
“This lady trusts your choice.”
The two Demon Kings agreed.
“Reina, handle contact from Alkain Daegong yourself. Agree to join forces against Jason gladly.”
“Understood.”
“I'll go interrogate Daniel again.”
The doppelganger revelation had rushed things, but he hadn't heard everything yet.
Daniel Dayrus still had plenty to confess.
Then.
Knock knock—
Someone rapped on the door. Berge knew it was Kaede Jespain.
“What is it?”
“Are you busy?”
“I have time for a quick talk.”
“Uh...”
Her gaze swept over the two Demon Kings flanking him.
“Hard to say with them here?”
“No, sir. It's something everyone needs to hear.”
“What happened?”
“Contact from my brother.”
“Martin? What's up?”
“There's been an incident in the empire.”
* * *
After hearing the full story, Berge let out a hollow chuckle.
“What's your take?”
“A bit extreme, but I agree with my brother—the empire's gone mad. This isn't right. Win or lose, nothing good comes of it. I can't understand why His wise Majesty and the nobles chose this.”
At least, not the nobles she knew.
Sure, plenty were greed-driven, but many weren't. Especially her grandfather, Marquis Aintcheil, who always preached peace over war—hard to believe he'd go along with this.
Even under imperial order, not a hint of hesitation?
“So Martin's proposal is...”“To help the alliance subjugate the False Demon King.”
“And the price?”
“He said he couldn't promise anything right now.”
“That guy's got some guts.”
“But he shared crucial info.”
“That Jason's strings go beyond the first prince?”
“Yes.”
Right—Berge's assumption was off-base.
The first prince wasn't his puppet. The empire itself was—the emperor and high nobles.
Makes sense.
He wasn't just the False Demon King; he was a doppelganger. Centuries of lurking on the continent and in the empire? Child's play to hook the emperor.
“Safe to assume this is his doing?”
“I think so.”
“As an expert in seduction, what do you say?”
“Same as usual, yet different. Can't say for sure without seeing it, but light suggestion maybe. Or another doppelganger in a shell.”
“Either way, Jason's involved somehow.”
That alone made Martin's proposal worth it. Jason was the top threat; removing him via humans was ideal.
Annoying to leave without fully breaking or killing Daniel, but...
Couldn't ignore the sea monsters about to gut his prized catch.
No—better to leave him. It'll eat him alive.
Expecting quick release after spilling everything.
Release? Impossible.
After Hillon Kargil escaped before, he'd mobilized dwarves for upgrades—and kept at it.
But how to aid the alliance?
He was a Demon King. Couldn't legally join hero expeditions. They wouldn't accept him anyway.
He had hundreds of hero subordinates, but they were expedition participants anyway.
And mediocre help is no help.
So why not a sure elite few? Even if they couldn't kill him, glimpsing his true face had value.
Disguise as a failure and join?
Enter as a Fail. With Rozel Charnt or Hillon Kargil's help, blending in would be easy.
And if possible, more...
Unclear on Jason's power and forces—more blades the better.
“Tell him yes.”
“You're going yourself?”
“Yeah.”
“I want to help too.”
“No—you're officially kidnapped. Sudden release raises suspicions.”
But.
“Ravinia Akan's different.”
* * *
“...Me go out?”
“Yeah, you're going out.”
“No go.”
“No, you're going.”
“Chimera.”
“Made fewer chimeras? Doesn't matter. You're going no matter what.”
“...Abandon me?”
Ravinia's pupils trembled.
“What?”
“Me subordinate. Abandon?”
“No, no.”
What was this? She wasn't a kid. She'd munched the chocolate he'd tossed just fine.
“I'll go too.”
“Together?”
Her face finally brightened.
“We're joining the alliance attacking the False Demon King. You're not officially kidnapped, so there's room.”
“Demon King horns?”
“Didn't see any on him.”
“Wings?”
“Maybe.”
“None?”
“Something's there.”
Doppelganger shells crumbled on shedding—useless for study or use.
And Berge knew little of the long-extinct doppelgangers from centuries back.
“Mine.”
“Sure, if we catch him, you get some.”
“Yup!”
Ravinia beamed innocently.
“Cher?”
“Yeah, Cher too.”
“Yup.”
And so the Demon King's outing was swiftly decided.
“But, my lord. Jason might know about Ravinia Akan.”
“Can't say for sure he doesn't...”
This was the first time princesses besides Ernan had openly shown power as Berge's minions.
The heroes who'd witnessed it were all his subordinates now, but with Jason as a centuries-old parasitic doppelganger, secrecy wasn't guaranteed.
“Doesn't matter. Known or not, it's one more blade.”
Even if not a hidden dagger, her objective strength was undeniable.
“If Jason spreads rumors she's your subordinate?”
“No hard proof. And heroes can disprove it.”
Hundreds of them, his subordinates. Who'd believe a madman claiming otherwise against their unified denial?
Six Stars, no less.
“I see. This lady overstepped.”
“No, valid question.”
Leaving Reina behind, Berge told Gordon,
“Gordon. Mind the Tower while I'm gone.”
“Yes, of course, my lord.”
“Consult Reina for emergencies.”
“Yes.”
“Me? Why exclude me? I'm a Demon King too?”
Berge ignored Vivian.
“Take care, my lord.”
“Safe travels.”
“Ah, jealous. Wish I could fight too.”
“Come back soon! I'll have the blueprints perfect!”
Integrating creations needed authority. The Tower-crazed dwarves prayed for the Demon King's swift return.
“Ravinia sis. Be careful.”
“Yup.”
“Don't eat anything weird.”
“Yup.”
“Help the Demon King properly.”
“Yup.”
“Tell sis I said hi if you see her.”
“Yup.”
The short yet drawn-out farewell ended.
The Demon King, the princess, and her modded chimera left the Tower for Akan Kingdom.