044. No Second Chances
Officially, one Demon King could not kill another. They were absolutely forbidden from doing so.
It wasn't merely an unspoken rule or part of the Demon King's Canon—it was enshrined as law in the Demon World.
But nothing in the world was absolute.
The king of Ormus Kingdom, Ortann, was steeped in an atmosphere no different from a house of mourning.
The grief and fear spilling from every corner of the city brought Berge a pleasure akin to returning to the Demon World.
If my tower had been nearby, I could've racked up some thick magic points.
That was the only regret.
"...I never imagined you'd come in person, sir."
Granada was staying at lodgings provided by the Hero Guild's Ormus branch, under the guise of a hero expedition member.
"How did your side fare?"
"The Red Hawk Mercenary Corps is intact."
"...Not a single casualty?"
"Yes, not one."
"...Guess you're better than I thought."
"...I'm not sure if 'better' is the right word. It's not bad, either... but that level of skill is that level."
"I have no idea what you're saying. No casualties? Good enough."
He'd expected the mercenaries to take heavy losses, but they'd all survived.
"Where's Hillon?"
"He's been summoned to the Hero Guild. To handle the fallout from the failed expedition and discuss the next one..."
"So you're saying you're going to burn that bastard Drakson right now!"
Shouts flew back and forth. Hillon silently watched the woman bulging veins in her neck.
Rozel Charnt. The socket of the eye she'd lost in the recent battle was covered by a black eyepatch, which only accentuated her uncharacteristically feral beauty for a mage.
"I failed, so I'll take responsibility. Didn't you hear me say to assemble the second expedition right now?"
"Calm down, Lady Rozel. I understand your feelings, but it's impossible right away."
"No need to drag it out. Demon King strategies are simple. They gather their strength and clash all at once."
That alone put the heroes at a disadvantage.
There was a world of difference between picking them off bit by bit and facing their full force head-on.
But if the enemy gathered, they could just bring more on their side.
"Just push harder than that. Don't need a ton. I couldn't take his head, but I swept most of them myself before retreating!"
"That's too hasty a judgment. There's no guarantee one failure won't lead to two. We need to be more cautious."
"We wouldn't have failed at all if it weren't for this piece of shit!"
Rozel Charnt's finger jabbed toward Hillon.
"If this weak-ass bubblehead had just held out a little longer, it'd be Drakson who lost an eye, not me!"
"Lady Rozel! Mind your words. Lord Hillon is a hero of the guild as well."
Hillon sighed at the crude insults.
"I admit I failed to hold Drakson properly. But I don't deserve this humiliation."
"Don't? I'll make you deserve it."
"I understand your anger, Lady Rozel. But expeditions don't always succeed."
"Shut your hole with that nonsense. Should I melt it shut so you can't make excuses anymore?"
"...Keep this up, and I won't hold back either."
"Music to my ears."
Rozel Charnt rose from her seat.
"Draw your sword. The moment you do, next year today will be your death anniversary."
Hillon gripped his sword hilt. Rozel murmured a low incantation.
"Enough! Stop this! This is the Hero Guild, and you're both heroes. I won't stand by any longer."
At the branch chief's intervention, Hillon reluctantly sat back down. Rozel's fury turned to the chief.
"Good call. What the hell is the Hero Guild doing anyway? If that damn Balaf hadn't bailed out of nowhere, we wouldn't be in this mess."
"Lord Balaf's defection was unexpected for us too."
"Making excuses now? Isn't managing and convincing heroes your job? 'We didn't know' and you're done?"
"...On that matter, I can only apologize on behalf of the guild. Once more, we're sorry."
"Who?"
Rozel Charnt crossed her arms and leaned back.
"Who the hell struts in here for strategy meetings and then defects, and you have nothing to say about it?"
"...Nothing like that happened."
"So a guy who came all the way here for meetings just bails with no aftermath? Who do you think we're fools?"
"...Headquarters is treating this incident with utmost importance. Directives will come soon."
"Changing the subject? Fine, whatever. What's the point of hunting culprits after failure anyway."
That wasn't what mattered to Rozel Charnt. Restoring her shattered pride. Avenging her dead comrades.
"You'd better prepare the second expedition as fast as possible. Before my patience runs out."
Otherwise, she'd go on her own authority.
She slammed her chair back and stood. Her sharp gaze flicked over Hillon.
"And leave out that pest next time."
She stormed out. Silence hung heavy in the meeting room she'd ravaged like a storm.
"Meeting adjourned. Everyone, dismissed!"
The heroes, who hadn't dared speak under Rozel Charnt's presence, filed out one by one.
"My apologies."
"No need. It was my shortfall. If I'd held the Demon King better, the expedition wouldn't have failed."
"You're not weak. We were just too complacent. We underestimated Demon Kings."
They'd briefly forgotten the obvious: as heroes grew, so did Demon Kings.
Was it the long peace? Or because they hadn't failed an expedition in nearly a century?
Either way, it was their fault.
"What about the next expedition?"
"Headquarters is in an uproar. There won't be a second failure. And... I'm sorry to say this..."
"No place for me, right."
"Lady Rozel's influence is too strong."
Rozel Charnt and Hillon Kargil. Their reputations were comparable, but other differences were vast.
It wasn't just raw power. Everyone in Hero Guild leadership knew—subtly—that Rozel had backing from Akan Kingdom.
You couldn't hide what couldn't be hidden. Many saw her will as Akan's.
Hillon Kargil? He'd surged after killing the Lust Demon King but alienated all patrons with overconfidence. Then the Erjest expedition failure.
Reputation plummeted, backers vanished. Choosing Rozel over Hillon was obvious.
"...Can't be helped."
Hillon Kargil endured the slipping mask with superhuman patience.
"...I'll take my leave."
"Don't lose heart. You're an excellent hero; opportunities will come again, even if not this time."
"Yes."
Opportunities would come again?
There were plenty of heroes. Hillon wasn't irreplaceable; it was a matter of trust.
Once, twice. Two failures, plus Rozel Charnt's venom spreading. What then?
That image would stick. Hillon Kargil, who couldn't handle one Demon King. Flashy reputation only. How'd he even kill the Lust Demon King?
Not that...
He had to stop it. By any means.
How far I've come.
He'd known his skills fell short. Not weak, but not top-tier. So he'd compensated elsewhere.
Built connections, lobbied. Now, those money-grubbing bastards ignored him.
I can climb back.
But who would compensate for that long suffering?
Some way...
Hillon clung to his sanity and slowly exited the Hero Guild.
"Become my comrade."
Then he witnessed a familiar someone arguing with an even more familiar voice.
Hero swarm.
The expedition was hero-led, but the Hero Guild managed them. All heroes belonged to the guild; it wasn't exaggeration to say expeditions were guild-run.
For Berge, who needed the second expedition to happen somehow, lurking around the Hero Guild made sense.
Bang—
Then the main gate burst open. A woman with a black eyepatch over her left eye stormed out fuming.
Instinctual revulsion. A bearer of dimensional interference—a hero.
An exceptionally strong one. Berge instinctively sized her up against himself.
Fight now? Certain defeat.
Phoenix's power hadn't fully integrated. Locked in his second heart, slowly melting it down—but not magic points, still immature.
Full power from the tower...?
Still no guaranteed win. Nine out of ten losses.
No helping it. The cost of converting interference reduction magic points to cash.
"And who the hell are you?"
Their eyes met. Her remaining crimson eye twisted viciously.
But then widened. She strode over, scanning Berge head to toe.
"Impressive..."
Rozel Charnt was a grand mage with seven engravings. Hero or not, she was strong—top human in flames at least.
Thus, she sensed the pure, scorching heat faintly emanating from him.
"Haa..."
She exhaled dreamily.
Berge watched her silently.
...Psycho bitch?
He guessed who. Even in a guild branch, not many heroes this strong. Only one one-eyed one with such intense heat.
Rozel Charnt. Grand fire mage.
Do all heroes have something missing?
After sniffing deeply with eyes closed, Rozel opened them and shoved her face into his.
"Who are you? Never felt such pure heat. How'd you build up that aura?"
"Do I have to answer?"
"Obviously? I'm asking."
Her genuine expression left Berge speechless.
"Unbelievable."
"You don't know who I am?"
"No. But I know what to call you."
"What?"
"Pervert."
"Pervert?"
Her face twisted.
"Don't wanna be called that? Stop sniffing people."
"If you were average, you'd be roast right now."
But she couldn't waste such pure heat.
"Thank my mercy."
She nodded to herself, question and answer complete.
Now Berge understood Rozel Charnt. Self-centered, the most annoying type.
Best not to tangle with such. If only she were weaker, he'd have killed her outright.
I've mellowed.
One hero beatdown improved his anger management.
Dodge first, plan with Hillon for the next expedition...
Berge silently sidestepped her.
"......"
"......"
But Rozel blocked again.
"...Move."
"Never said you could go."
"You rent the street?"
"Won't be bad for you."
"...I'm listening."
"You're intriguing. Never felt such pure mana, such hot flames."
"So?"
"Become my comrade."
Berge frowned. Hard to grasp her intent.
"Failed Demon King subjugation hit my Red Flame Assault Team hard. Need to replenish forces."
"Recruitment pitch?"
"Red Flame Assault Team ranks top ten on the continent. Led by me, Rozel Charnt. Best treatment in the business."
"Based on what?"
"Pure mana. And vastness."
Rozel had precisely sensed Phoenix's aura—even the untapped potential Berge hadn't fully absorbed.
"You're weak now, but I see a brilliant future. And I need comrades like that."
"Why?"
"To kill the Beast Demon King."
She bared killing intent, piquing Berge's interest.
"Second expedition soon. I'll climb the tower again and avenge for sure."
"...!"
Berge had anticipated a second expedition, come to discuss hastening it with Hillon—but not to tangle with another principal like this.
He pondered briefly. Then shook his head. No need to deliberate.
"Fine."
"Smart choice!"
"But I have conditions."
"Shoot."
"First, start the expedition ASAP."
"Exactly what I want. We wrecked the tower despite retreat. Kill him before full repair. If the guild drags, I'll form my own team."
A satisfying answer.
"Second, that guy there."
Rozel's gaze followed Berge's finger. Her face soured.
"If he climbs the Beast Tower with us, I accept."
There stood Hillon Kargil.
"How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"I was excluded from this expedition. Because of Rozel Charnt's opposition."
"Easy. You think I got valedictorian by luck?"
Top spot wasn't luck.
He'd dealt with plenty like Rozel Charnt. Blunt, self-centered—they bulldozed what they deemed right.
Conversely, what they saw as wrong stayed wrong forever.
"Heard she rages at you. Blames you for the failure—why take you again?"
But that wasn't Berge's goal. Hillon Kargil was a useful pawn. He needed reputation, to rise again.
"And I want the next expedition fast. Foolish to bench useful force like you in that scenario."
"You're joining personally?"
"Yes."
Why? The question arose naturally. A Demon King appearing utterly un-demon-like, now hunting another Demon King?
Makes sense, maybe.
Humans warred, murdered, assassinated. Why not demons? Just no precedent of Demon Kings clashing, so assumption it'd never happen.
Like deducing centuries of Demon King behavior into sacred canon, using it as guide—while Hero Guild blindly believed too.
"...Thank you."
Either way, opportunity returned for Hillon Kargil.
"No second chances. Must kill Drakson this time."
"Yes."
Demon King and hero began their desperate struggles to survive.