030. Finding the Runaway Blacksmith
"By any chance, are you Seniel?"
"...What kind of nonsense is that?"
"Nah, just curious."
Berge ignored Ernan Hildean's sour glare.
"This is the princess of Jespain, who'll be staying with you on the fourth floor from now on."
"...P-pleased... to make your acquaintance."
Kaede Jespain wondered if those were even the right words.
As she climbed the mountain, everything she knew about the world had shattered bit by bit.
Why had she been kidnapped? Why were they scaling this peak? Why was the tower hidden in a basin?
One question after another. By the time she snapped out of it, she was already inside the tower.
"...Did you kidnap another hero?"
"Princess."
The first thing she spotted was a "dwarf hero" fiddling absentmindedly with a mana cannon.
And now, spirits fluttered about as a "human" spirit summoner welcomed her.
Was this really a Demon King's tower?
Was he really a Demon King?
But that chilling mana...
Her hero's instincts screamed that nothing else could explain it if he wasn't a Demon King.
The Demon King vanished without another word. Kaede couldn't comprehend his nonchalance either.
The fourth floor instead of a dungeon? Sure, she'd heard some Demon Kings treated certain princes or princesses with lavish hospitality.
But she wasn't a princess worth that kind of value.
Maybe this is my chance.
Kaede scanned the fourth floor's interior. Ernan, who had been watching quietly, spoke up.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm planning to escape. Help me. If you're human, you can't possibly want to be here in this tower, right?"
No true human servant of a Demon King existed. At least, that's what Kaede believed. They were invaders, after all.
"If you want to go, just go. No one's stopping you."
"What...?"
"Did you see any monsters or demons on the way up? There are no guards to block you. Whether you can survive out there is another matter entirely."
"Ah."
Kaede understood. This was the Erjest Mountains, and she lacked the skill to endure its brutal cold and monsters.
Demon King indeed. Ironclad thoroughness hidden beneath apparent carelessness.
"You're a Demon King through and through..."
Kaede bit her lip.
She'd come to slay the Demon King alongside Hillun Kargil, only to end up captured herself. The futility gnawed at her.
"Don't think of it too badly. The tower's master is pretty gentlemanly, all things considered."
"Kidnapping someone strips away any claim to being a gentleman."
"Fair point. But he doesn't toss princesses into underground dungeons. He lets them live freely on the fourth floor."
Ernan waved her hand lightly. Responding to her will, an earth spirit raised a wall.
"You can stay over there. Meals aren't on a schedule—when you're hungry, just grab something from that window over there."
"Understood."
Kaede decided to play along for now. Even captives in an ogre's den could survive if they kept their wits sharp.
A Demon King was incomparable to an ogre, but patience would eventually reveal an opening.
In some ways, this might even be better...
She recalled why she'd chased after Hillun in the first place to hunt the Demon King, and a bitter smile crossed her lips.
"But what about that dwarf hero on the first floor?"
A Demon King's tower should teem with monsters, yet it was filled with... other things.
"He's a dwarf hero."
"No, I mean..."
"Beats me. I'm a prisoner too."
"...A prisoner?"
Kaede had assumed she was a human who'd turned to the Demon King's side. A watcher assigned to monitor her.
Especially since she'd been free to roam the fourth floor.
"Oh, did I not mention? Let me properly introduce myself."
Ernan bowed gracefully.
"Crown Princess of the Hildean Kingdom, Ernan Hildean. Just like you..."
...I was kidnapped.
"......"
Kaede seriously wondered if this was a succubus carrying out the Demon King's secret orders to deceive her.
"Never thought I'd be standing here again."
Hillun Kargil straightened his attire. His reflection in the mirror was impeccably neat.
"Are you ready, sir?"
"As ready as I'll ever be, though I'm still tense."
"Haha, you're the hero with the most experience in situations like this, aren't you?"
"This time, it's not exactly good news."
"How could this be your fault, Hero? It's that bizarre new Demon King. If anything, you've raised awareness about him—shouldn't we call that a win?"
Hillun wasn't so sure that qualified as a win.
Still, no one could have guessed a hero would become a Demon King's dog. So they overflowed with joy just at his survival.
That was the picture he and the Demon King had painted.
A failure pinned not on the hero, but on the freakish Demon King—preserving his fame. And ultimately, ascending to the greatest hero.
"Shall we go?"
He smoothed out the last wrinkles by hand.
With his assisting secretary at his side, he set off.
What could the Demon King's intentions be?
How does he plan to use a hero like me?
Don't tell me he wants me to kill other heroes?
He didn't seem that simplistic. Hillun knew his own worth, even if admitting it sounded a tad arrogant.
He wasn't a pawn to use once and discard.
Think positively.
This Demon King, Berge, seemed different from others, but every Demon King who'd descended over the past few centuries had been "different."
Yet Alein had never once faced true annihilation—and now viewed Demon Kings as profit machines.
The continent won't crumble.
The world was vast, heroes plentiful, nations abundant. A single traitorous hero wouldn't topple it; it would have fallen long ago if so.
And now I've got 90,000 gold to my name.
The generous Demon King had handed over the full sum, 100,000 gold slumbering in his subspace. Even after repaying his 10,000-gold debt, 90,000 remained.
Most of it would go straight to the Golden Moon Merchant Guild as investment capital the moment Amana Katrashu took over as heir.
The massive funds would breathe life into the faltering guild.
With Hillun Kargil fully committed to supporting them, growing it into a powerhouse wasn't a pipe dream. That powerhouse would then serve as the Demon King's front, becoming Hillun's steadfast backer.
That was the vision Hillun envisioned.
Money didn't lie, separate from the Demon King. And Hillun knew exactly how to wield it.
The grand hall's doors swung open.
"He's here!"
"It's really Hillun Kargil!"
The waiting reporters' eyes locked onto him. Hillun savored their attention as he ascended the podium leisurely.
Click—
Click—
Flashes from ornate magic cameras stung his eyes.
"Greetings, everyone. I'm Hillun Kargil. I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad to face you all here like this. First, I'll recount my tale from the moment I began climbing the mountain. Questions after."
The room fell silent.
Hillun calmly spun his experience, embellished just right.
"I sought the tower. I yearned to rescue the princess by any means. But the Demon King was cunning."
"No tower anywhere. What greeted us were biting cold, blizzards, and fiercer monsters."
"My men screamed. They fell bleeding. I wandered those forbidden lands for weeks, desperate to save even one more, to honor their sacrifice."
Cool and calculated at times, appealing to emotions at others—he gripped the crowd. A single tear rolling down his cheek sealed it.
When his tale ended, the reporters, swept up in the mood, offered him their pity.
Hillun, the heroic underdog, had become the tragic protagonist undone by vile trickery.
"Now, questions."
That was when the hall's doors creaked open. People peeking inside hurried to the reporters' side.
Murmurs swelled abruptly.
What's going on?
Fresh news?
From their faces, it doesn't look minor...
A foreboding chill tapped Hillun's chest. Then a hand shot up.
"Yes, your question?"
"What do you think about the Demon King you failed to subdue kidnapping Jespain's princess this time? No guilt that it wouldn't have happened if you'd succeeded?"
"......?"
What the hell kind of bullshit question was that?
The kidnapping of Jespain Empire's Ninth Princess, Kaede Jespain, came to light purely due to rotten luck.
The Demon King had blatantly unleashed his mana, shaking Hotenwork to its core.
"Insane mana!"
"If it's felt around here..."
"The newly descended Erjest Demon King. Has to be fury over the hero expedition."
The city went on high alert. The belated security force found only collapsed mercenaries.
Deeming it a demon attack, they treated them—until one mercenary awoke, shouting.
"The princess!"
"......"
"......"
A minor hiccup. But with a Demon King involved, it ballooned into massive rumors.
"Mana detected in Hotenwork."
"Surroundings trashed, mercenaries down. Clear signs of battle."
"The Demon King appeared to kidnap someone."
"Those mercenaries were actually knights."
"The Demon King kidnapped a princess!"
It all fit perfectly. The mercenaries denied it and vanished.
"A new princess kidnapped right after the hero expedition failed? No way unless it's mad..."
Some dismissed the rumors, their logic sound.
But the timing was abysmal.
Hero Hillun Kargil's team had failed, exposing this Demon King as unprecedented.
"That new Demon King bastard's always been insane!"
"He definitely nabbed a Jespain princess!"
Yet Jespain Empire itself made no move.
Smack—
Crack—
Blood sprayed. White teeth scattered across the floor.
The knight bowed silently all the same.
"Enough."
The subordinate's hand halted mid-slap. He dropped to his knees before the jade throne, forehead to the ground.
"Do you know?"
He muttered languidly, but the chill beneath made the knights swallow dryly, heads lower.
"Even the street dogs know. That Jespain's princess was kidnapped by the Demon King."
Because of some knight's sleep-talking.
A tsking chuckle echoed.
"I'm questioning if you lot still deserve to be called knights."
"Kill us, Your Majesty!"
"If you truly wish it, so be it."
"......"
"I despise vermin who start trouble then dodge it."
"We swear by the gods to rescue Her Highness the princess."
"Maybe I should rip out those flapping jaws to spare my ears further filth."
He clicked his tongue.
"Hillun Kargil—one of the Ten Stars—failed. What makes you think a wretch like you can succeed? Words demand thought."
The knights fell mute, trembling solely on their lord's mercy.
"Exter."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"What should I do with you? Incompetence as guards letting the princess flee. Impotence against the Demon King who stole her. Reckless loose tongues."
"...Entrust it to us, and we'll surely retrieve Her Highness."
"How?"
"......"
He rose. Descended the throne slowly and struck Exter's head.
"Didn't I say think before you speak?"
"Forgive me."
"Don't do things worth apology. Don't test my patience."
The emperor snapped coldly, returning to his throne and closing his eyes.
"Go to the Ormus Kingdom."
Moments later, his eyes opened.
"Tell that greedy old fool my prospective bride has vanished. Cooperate fully with him on finding Kaede."
"Yes."
"Send envoys to the Hero Guild too. They've gorged on our gold—time they earned it."
"Yes."
"Go. Remember, this is your last chance."
"We receive your command!"
"Etched into our bones!"
The knights vanished.
"No need to step up ourselves."
Hillun Kargil hadn't even located the tower. No reason to bear the brunt first.
Let Hildean—bereft of its crown princess—and Ormus—missing a concubine prospect—rage it out while he watched.
Kaede being a minor princess helped too.
"Such a hassle. She could've just gone quietly to Ormus."
He tsked.
Berge exited the tower once more. He realized the ripples he'd caused were larger than expected.
Jespain after all.
He'd half-guessed. He loathed the Demon King's Canon from past experience, but he was still a Demon King. How could he ignore a princess right in front of him?
No big issue.
The tower's location remained hidden. A massive advantage.
Even if discovered, Mana's Phantom as a last resort.
It'd cost enormous magic points, but survival trumped all.
Need to stockpile magic points bit by bit.
With the princess kidnapping fueling rumors, incoming magic points would surge.
Been a while since I was here.
Towering buildings scraped the sky. Artificially manipulated mana flows dotted the city.
Flying vehicles zipped about, magic tools everywhere.
The magic kingdom Akan's capital, Amur.
Not his first visit. He'd come once before to kidnap Akan's princess.
And ended up kidnapping a prince instead.
...Not a fond memory.
It... wasn't a failure, per se.
He'd judged from her glare, her aura, the room's state. Like dodging shit, he just dodged.
Silly thoughts.
Ancient history unlikely to repeat. Plenty of kingdoms and even more princesses—no attachment to Akan.
Best would be the magic tower, but...
Magic towers trained mages and sold reagents and materials—easiest spot for Seniel powder.
Problem: they crawled with heroes, inevitably.
Suppress mana fully, and he might fool mid-tier heroes, but a magic kingdom's tower? Impossible undetected.
Check the nearby magic markets.
Inferior goods to the tower, but better than nothing.
Then—
"This is really it?"
"No doubt. What else could a fugitive from the kingdom do?"
"He won't give up his hammer-habits to a dog. He'll grab it again."
"Yes. Absolutely. Easiest places for materials are Akan Kingdom or Traparta Union. But he'll prefer Akan over Traparta."
"Because Traparta's right next door?"
"Exactly. Closest ties mean less kingdom oversight—he'd pick that."
"Sounds plausible."
A booming voice carried. Passersby glanced, but they ignored it.
That was—
Hoo.
Berft Kingdom's Second Princess, Luize Berft.