034. Water Spirit, Nairuniel

Screech!

Slash!

Sword flashes scattered in all directions.

A sharp aura blade slammed into the wall. But the wall showed no sign of damage whatsoever.

Ernan watched the scene calmly, munching on the cookies she'd baked herself and taking in the beads of sweat dripping from Kaede.

It had been several days since cohabitation with the imperial princess began, and her training had become a familiar part of their routine.

"Is that the swordsmanship of the Jespain Empire?"

"It's a secret technique passed down only to the direct line of the imperial family."

The fact that she'd learned it wasn't exactly a secret.

"Yet you waited until my training was over?"

"Yeah. I've got something to do, and you dancing around with your sword would just get in the way."

Kaede frowned.

Calling the empire's secret swordsmanship a sword dance.

She didn't like this royal princess's flippant way of speaking. That inscrutable, enigmatic glint in her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes was annoying too.

But she held her tongue. After all, she was one of only two humans—and princesses—in the entire Demon King's Tower.

It was almost laughable that the humans inside the tower could boast numbers equal to the Demon King and his demons.

"What are you planning to do?"

It wasn't curiosity, really. Just the natural flow of conversation.

"Make a contract with a spirit."

"Here?"

"Yeah. Got a problem with that?"

Problems? Plenty.

The Demon King's Tower was mana-poor and overflowing with magic points. In her eyes, it was the absolute worst place for contracting a spirit.

But instead of arguing, she clamped her mouth shut. It hadn't been long, but she instinctively knew this line of questioning wouldn't lead anywhere good.

"Mind if I watch?"

"For a spirit summoner, contracting with a spirit is more intimate than anything else. Surely you know that much."

"Didn't you watch my training?"

"Only because you didn't object."

It was the kind of response that left her without a comeback.

"Fine. As long as you don't interfere, I won't stop you."

"I am an honorable knight of the empire. I won't stoop to such shameless acts."

"Didn't the Demon King ambush you, though?"

"...The Demon King is a different case."

"Your face is turning red for someone who says that?"

"......"

Kaede shut her mouth. She'd already learned the hard way that arguing with her would lead nowhere.

Ernan began slowly drawing a magic circle.

Spirits loved pure mana. The Demon King's Tower was severely lacking in it, and what little there was was impure—making it the worst environment for summoning. But there was something spirits loved even more than pure mana: the blood of someone with exceptional spirit affinity.

Ernan Hildean, said to possess the continent's greatest spirit affinity.

Add in Seniel Powder, an aid for spirit summoning, and the environment became irrelevant. Especially since the top-grade stuff the Demon King had bought was both high-quality and plentiful.

Shhh—

Ernan stood still and poured out all the Seniel Powder. The grains, defying gravity as if following nature's laws, rose into the air.

They swirled around her, dancing with the spirits.

A blade of wind sliced her finger. Red droplets naturally mingled with the powder.

Hummm—

Mana churned around Ernan. The powder and blood began to resonate.

"...Tch."

Kaede took a few steps back.

Incomprehensible words poured from Ernan's lips.

And then.

Space tore open. Pure mana, unbelievable in the Demon King's Tower, spread outward.

The aura of the spirit realm. Feeling that pristine energy was a stroke of fortune in itself.

Kaede hurriedly circulated her aura breathing technique.

But she soon staggered back.

An immense presence.

It was a woman. Incredibly beautiful, incredibly mysterious, incredibly elegant.

Ernan panted from the massive mana drain but held herself upright, extending her hand.

"In the name of Ernan Hildean, I beseech you."

"I wish to form a contract with you, great guardian of water—bound by blood to blood, soul to soul."

Maintaining the summon and conversing was enough to make nosebleed trickle down Ernan's chin.

But the falling blood only empowered the summoning circle further.

Glass-like translucent pupils met Ernan's gaze.

Flash!

Her translucent body shattered into tens of thousands of water droplets, seeping into Ernan's entire being and imprinting her soul.

Space sealed shut. The magic circle vanished. The mana dissipated without a trace.

"Hah... hah...!"

Drenched in sweat, Ernan collapsed from exhaustion. But an irrepressible smile lit her lips.

"Nairuniel."

Mana stirred. Barely a fraction compared to the summoning ritual.

Nairuniel reappeared.

- Finally out!

She let out a bright squeal, a stark contrast to her previous demeanor.

- You know? All the other spirits rejected you. I was the only one who took your hand.

"...What?"

- Duh! No one expected a human to summon a high spirit from inside a Demon King's Tower.

- Even without that, spirits hate demons. But you've been super cooperative with the Demon King despite being kidnapped, right?

- Your reputation among spirits isn't great.

"...I see."

Ernan murmured softly. She'd suspected as much.

- They're idiots. That's actually a good thing.

"...I don't get it."

She felt an inexplicable chill, like opening Pandora's box.

- Because it's a forbidden love story between the kidnapped princess and her captor Demon King! An impossible taboo romance! I love this stuff! Kyaaaa!

"...Could you please go back to the spirit realm?"

'...Hmm.'

For some reason, Kaede saw in the noble high water spirit the madams of the capital's social circles fawning over young nobles' love scandals.

That was Hillun Kargil's opening line in the sudden transmission.

"Disband?"

Who knew such issues existed.

The old Berge had been so ignorant. He'd tried solving everything with sheer stubbornness. If he'd known about these juicy human dynamics, he'd have dived in and sown discord ages ago.

"Can't we exploit that division?"

"'Right now' means there's a crack somewhere."

Jackpot.

"Attacking me again?"

Perfect for Berge.

"Then what's the target?"

Frost Demon King, Reina Sordain.

Beast Demon King, Drakson Dolph.

"Why them specifically?"

He hadn't known. But he'd guessed.

Pre-regression, he'd never imagined Demon Kings allying with humans or heroes. But now he did.

Heroes and Demon Kings coexisting oddly only worked out of mutual need.

"Rigged poker, huh. Will those Demon Kings play along properly?"

Temperament?

Hillun Kargil's explanation continued.

"Sounds plausible enough."

"Your brain works well for schemes."

Suddenly, murmurs came through the crystal orb. Hillun's face twisted.

"Do that."

The connection cut. And then.

Rip!

Berge tore up the report Gordon had given him before the call even started.

"Wh-what are you doing?! That's the result of days of racking my brains!"

"No need for it anymore."

"What?! You didn't even read it properly!"

"Got through half, but a better plan came up. Why stick to this?"

"...Tell me."

"Use Hillun Kargil's hero procession."

"The procession?"

"Processions sometimes tour the continent. Slot in Akan Kingdom's capital on the route. Merchants flock to them—big money to be made."

"Send Jetoson to join?"

"His greed will make him. Definitely. Once he's sunk his fortune into it, send monsters disguised as from Reina."

"...?"

"Coordinate with Hillun beforehand—loosen security just enough to smash Jetoson's goods perfectly."

Berge grinned.

"What do you think a penniless con man will come up with?"

Probably that he'd thrown big money at a 'rich sucker' on first meeting.

"Now that it's in my hands, who's the sucker is clear."

"That's... truly demonic."

Gordon was impressed. As expected of the Demon King Academy's top graduate. Better than his own plan.

"Brilliant. That human will dance in Your Majesty's palm."

Could a mere merchant resist when heroes and Demon King teamed up to screw him?

The future was set.

"What are you waiting for? Go flesh out the details."

"...Yes, sir."

Gordon vanished, sulking at Berge's gesture.

"...Hmm, first harmony since then, huh."

He cleared his throat and infused magic points into the communication orb.

"...What is this?"

Hillun peered out the window through the curtains. The lined-up knights were anything but friendly.

"......"

"Sir Kultan. Help me keep calling you 'sir'."

"...My apologies. It's His Majesty's decree to bring you."

Azure Sea Knight Captain Kultan bowed his head.

"What if I don't want to go?"

"The decree commands us to bring you by force if necessary."

Ha. Hillun laughed.

"What's the charge? Failing to subdue the Demon King? Not rescuing the princess? You know how ridiculous that is."

The dimension was accustomed to Demon Kings. They weren't absolute anymore.

But that didn't mean heroes always won. They'd just gotten better at controlling them organically. Demon Kings weren't easy prey to kill on a whim.

More heroes died than Demon Kings descended and vanished.

Countless failures preceded their successes. And failures still abounded.

Yet heroes risked life for it—for wealth and honor.

Not entirely devoid of devotion to nation or world.

But if the reward for risking life was this? Who'd hero for that country?

Especially since Hillun had officially scoured the Erjest Mountains to the end.

"You know what the crown princess means to Hildean, right?"

"Am ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I unimportant to Hildean?"

"...This isn't about blame. Of course not. Just tell His Majesty what happened."

"You really think that?"

"......"

Kultan fell silent.

"I'm not going."

"You must."

"Threats like before won't work. This isn't Hildean soil, and right is on my side."

When a kingdom's heir is kidnapped, heroes must respond. That was the pact between Hero Guild and continental nations. Hillun had no choice before.

But now? He'd given his all and failed. No kingdom could punish a hero for that.

Unless proven intentional sabotage.

'Come to think of it, that's why I became the Demon King's dog.'

And now this. Hillun was growing disillusioned with his homeland.

"How, then."

Hillun's eyes held no goodwill.

"Drag me by force?"

Possible?

Kultan inwardly shook his head.

Slayer of the Lust Demon King. Survived weeks in Erjest without finding the tower—a powerhouse.

Azure Sea Knights were elite, but Hillun's prowess outmatched them.

"...I'll contact the homeland."

"If His Majesty wants my face, request officially through the Hero Guild. Heroes aren't bound to any nation, right?"

Blind man's buff, but useful here.

"Yes."

Kultan had no choice but to bow.

"Cough? Your Majesty."

"Sleep well?"

Reina Sordain awoke to bright sunlight.

Her routine was the same. Frost demon maids helped her dress; she had morning tea with aides.

After breakfast, constructive meetings on strengthening the tower, then lunch.

She toured all floors, encouraging demons and monsters, inspecting facilities.

That was when Drakson's call came.

"What do you want from this lady?"

"You want this lady to play along in your charade."

"This lady would have anyway, even without your reminder."

Suddenly, another orb signaled.

"Berge Dayas?"

"Nothing. Hang up. This lady is busy."

Drakson vanished. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Reina hurriedly infused magic into the other orb. Berge's face appeared.

"You contact first—what's the matter?"

"...!"

How?

Drakson made sense—he had secret Hero Guild ties, open secret among Demon Kings.

So him getting prior intel wasn't odd.

But Berge Dayas was different. Less than a year since descent. Just blocked one procession. No benefits from graduation gaffe.

Truly starting from nothing.

'Heroes hid well by luck. Erjest isn't impossible. But same timing as Drakson...?'

Something was up. She sensed it.

"How did you know?"

"Obviously!"