058. Where From
Alein’s Demon Kings all created variables within the bounds permitted by the Demon King's Canon to survive.
Like Frost Demon King Reina Sordain, who placed princes and princesses frozen into ice statues on the lower floors so heroes would climb just enough and then leave.
Diamond Demon King Ugar Belbek’s method was to kidnap princes and princesses with as few issues as possible.
It was like blocking potential fires in advance so even if flames rose, they wouldn’t spread into a blaze.
Of course, among Demon Kings, kidnapping those higher in the line of succession was considered virtuous, but that wasn’t explicitly stated in the Canon.
Such virtues, not even part of the Canon, meant nothing to Ugar compared to his own survival.
“...What’s that supposed to mean?”
But it wasn’t something to embrace positively. It wasn’t Demon King-like, so Ugar denied it outright.
“No need to be ashamed. The Canon works well in other dimensions, but things are different here, right?”
“Don’t insult the Canon.”
“You’re the one twisting and ignoring the Canon—trying to paint me as trash?”
Berge extended a finger.
“Fine, considering your circumstances, I’ll mercifully let this slide once. But you still haven’t answered.”
“Do I have to entertain your nonsense?”
“Nonsense, huh.”
From that word, Berge caught on. Ugar’s “nonsense” wasn’t about him never using such loopholes himself.
It was how Berge knew about them.
It made sense. Berge was a rookie Demon King, not even a full year since descending.
“Gaina’s third prince, Trapatra Alliance, Bellos Duchy’s seventh princess, Machiel’s fourth prince. All of them fit your ideal conditions—pushed out of succession, low priority, no real capacity to rescue even if kidnapped.”
“You expect me to believe that? Where’s your proof?”
“Proof. Right, proof matters. But is it really necessary?”
“What bullshit is this?”
“You’ve already suspected it yourself. You’re just being extra cautious without certainty, aren’t you?”
“...How did you—?”
Simple: all three had already been kidnapped by Ugar.
They’d caused minor issues, but compared to other royals, it was barely a breeze.
“Does it matter how I know? More than me confirming your hunch?”
“How do I know if it’s truth or lies? Hell, the premise that you’re being friendly is already suspect.”
“What’s stopping me from being friendly? Got some grudge against you?”
“We’re not exactly buddies.”
“Relationships are built from now on.”
“That coming from a Demon King?”
“I know one Demon King who cowered from humans, only picked weaklings, couldn’t even live up to his size—and you’re mad over some lip?”
“You little shit. Wanna go for real?”
“Sit down. My neck hurts.”
Ugar radiated killing intent but sat back down. Timid as he was, he wouldn’t break protocol in rage unless cornered.
“We’re revising the contract.”
“Contract?”
“The Ma-gye contract.”
Berge snatched the contract from Ugar’s hand.
“...First, let’s hear your terms.”
Ugar replied in a slightly milder tone.
Demon Kings were still Demon Kings, huh.
Before regression, he’d seemed like an idiot, but he was more Demon King-like than expected.
Well, he’d graduated from Demon King Academy without dying amid Ma-gye’s top demons swarming him, so incompetence didn’t fit.
It just meant pre-regression Berge had been arrogantly clueless.
Or maybe Ugar was a real idiot who occasionally acted smart.
“Hildean’s thirteenth princess. Hand her over.”
Ugar scowled.
“Don’t joke—give me real terms.”
“That is the real term.”
“You seriously want the thirteenth princess?”
“Yeah.”
“You know how absurd that sounds?”
Demon Kings spread rumors when kidnapping royals. Even without, they ensured witnesses.
Beyond the Canon, it was essential. Kidnapping royals gathered Magic Points from negative emotions—witnesses spread rumors, clarifying the target for human rage.
Ugar had done the same. Not flashy in public, but he’d left her guarding knights alive.
Rumors spread: Diamond Demon King kidnapped Hildean’s thirteenth princess. Fact.
“I know. I’m not asking as a Demon King, so relax.”
But if heroes came to rescue her and she wasn’t there?
If she turned up in another tower?
No big deal. Heroes would rage, trash-talk the Demon King, and move on. But Demon Kings wouldn’t.
Beyond rules or Canon, it was personal pride. Every Ma-gye-celebrated Demon King had that untouchable ego.
If reversed, Berge would’ve cursed too.
“So?”
“Place Hildean’s thirteenth princess on a lower floor, not the top. No need to climb all the way.”
“Like Reina Sordain?”
“Like Reina Sordain.”
“And?”
“That’s it. I’ll handle the rest—you just do that.”
“When did you collude with the Hero Guild?”
“Never.”
“Bullshit. You think I’m stupid?”
“Even if I did, why tell you?”
“Top graduate’s no lie, huh.”
“Thanks for the praise.”
“Revise the contract.”
Berge added clauses. At Ugar’s glance, attendants cleared debris, brought a new table.
“Terms same as before. I’ll name two more beyond those three royals. If kidnapping them causes more than moderate uproar, I pay you a million Magic Points.”
“Not bad.”
“Of course not. You’re kidnapping them anyway—failure means bonus income.”
“Hmph, you’re the one who wanted this first.”
“In exchange, place Hildean’s thirteenth princess on or below floor three.”
“Why three or below?”
“If you want my purchased monsters dying, put her higher. Not my loss.”
“...Fine.”
They signed with blood, infused Magic Points. Contract turned to ash, absorbed into Ugar and Berge.
“Profitable meeting.”
Berge stood.
“When you coming back?”
“Dunno for sure, but I’ll aim not to take over a month.”
“Over that, it’s breach.”
“Idiot. That’s not in the contract.”
Berge sneered, opened a rift to his tower.
“See you again sometime.”
If you live that long.
“Quit yapping and get lost.”
He vanished.
“...A one-year newbie couldn’t have colluded with the Guild.”
But with an intermediary?
“Jason, huh.”
Ugar scratched his gleaming bald head.
“...Not the time. Gotta prep the tower.”
Before whatever killed Drakson reached him.
Ugar hurriedly opened the tower’s information window.
New princess and prince kidnapped? Rising Magic Points in real-time felt satisfying.
* * *
Screee—
The tower door opened.
Berge, shed of Magic Points disguise, with disguised Ernan.
“You sure it’s fine?”
“No issue.”
“...I’ll trust what you’ve shown so far, but please be careful.”
“I will.”
Ignoring Gordon’s worry, they left the tower.
“Thanks for indulging my whim.”
“You know it’s a whim?”
“Yeah.”
Ernan summoned a wind spirit. The wind lightened her body.
“Honestly, never thought I’d leave the tower before heroes rescued me.”
“Escape? Give it up. That necklace’ll neatly slice off your pretty head if unnecessary.”
Ernan wore the same collar Roger once had—a magic tool restraining prisoners.
“Won’t. Asked for Elena’s sake, but my life matters too.”
“If it leaks you and the thirteenth princess are both with me, how’d Hildean react?”
“Same. Father doesn’t know what Elena’s like.”
“Total neglect, you said?”
“Yeah. To him, Elena’s a failure.”
“Even so, if she’s got potential like you say, why ignore her?”
“Because of me.”
“Right.”
Makes sense. A fixable cannon might perform well, but uncertain vs. top-tier proven one? Latter wins.
“First stop?”
“Akan’s Felsenia. The one I mentioned last time.”
“Then?”
“Akan’s Highton. Then more Akan.”
“Clustered, huh?”
“Akan and Traparta are rich, commerce hubs—nobles prefer them for slush funds.”
Less hassle? Not bad.
Teleport array from Hotenwork to Felsenia. Stopped before a large mansion in the inner residential district.
“Here?”
“Yes. Ten guards, five maids and butlers managing. Hidden vault underground.”
Wind spirit, back from scouting, perched on Ernan’s shoulder.
“Level?”
“No one noticed the spirit.”
“Pathetic.”
“Felsenia’s a big city anyway.”
Akan cities famed for security—thanks to magic gear, but it couldn’t detect Demon King stealth.
—Demon King and princess on a heist? Rare sight.
“Nairuniel, please...”
Berge wrapped Ernan’s waist, melting into shadows. Contact needed to fully mask her presence.
“Where?”
“Left. Right from here, right again. Hall end—hidden passage behind wall.”
“How to open?”
“Armor statue ahead is key. Move it, press floor below—mechanism triggers.”
Rumble—
Small noise. Luckily, no one around. Stairs led into darkness.
“No traps.”
“Figured.”
Down deep: massive vault filling one wall, laced with magic treatments.
“This...”
“Blood mediator.”
“Tough.”
But breakable.
“Breaking triggers alarm. Owner gets message too.”
“Doesn’t matter. We bolt.”
“True.”
Whoosh—
Phoenix flames roared.
—Hate those flames. Reminds me of cocky fire spirits.
———!
Shockwave from shattered array swallowed Nairuniel’s grumble.
Vault door melted into slag, revealing heaps of gold.
Berge shoved it all into sub-space, grabbed Ernan. Late-arriving knights gasped.
“My god! Vault’s cleaned out!”
“Contact His Excellency now!”
* * *
Two more in Felsenia, three in Highton—huge haul.
“Slush funds smuggled secretly, foreign soil—they won’t pursue openly. Unless you confess as Demon King, no issue.”
Even open pursuit wouldn’t catch us.
Demons leave Magic Point traces causing trouble. Humans detect demonic culprits easier, respond smoother.
Why Demon Kings’ range shrank.
But Berge was free of that.
Phoenix... intriguing creature.
Not perfect. Meager vs. Demon King might, awkward like ill-fitting clothes.
But transforming demonic nature via mere absorption? Phoenix’s feat undimmed.
“Stop.”
Issue in last city. Same moment fleeing vault.
Scree—
Five arrows sliced air, blocking Berge and Ernan.
Someone leaped from rooftop.
“What’re you doing coming out that house?”
“...”
“Why’s that your business?”
Berge stayed silent. Ernan spoke.
“Take off the robe first? Don’t look like the steward.”
“No reason to tell you.”
“No, you will. Been tailing you—suspicious as hell. Hiding in city? Now I get why.”
Thieving bitches.
Hero Daphne Philian sneered.
Spotted them by chance. In town for magic arrows, noticed high-level stealth. Weird moving hidden in city.
Gut said yes—and it was. No legit reason to sneak in town.
Ernan’s fault?
Berge frowned.
Even Daphne Philian shouldn’t detect this stealth easily. Culprit: one unskilled baggage.
“Don’t fight.”
“You sure? It’s Daphne Philian... and we’re outside.”
“Spirit mages are rare. Show power, you’re pinpointed.”
“Okay.”
“What whispering? Hand over stolen goods now. Won’t harm—just hand to security.”
“Nonsense.”
“What?”
“No lumberjack returns felled wood.”
“Trees vary. Fell uncuttable ones? World’s justice demands punishment.”
“Don’t like justice or Canon much.”
Berge unleashed banked flames. Massive fire pillar devoured mansion garden.
“Think I didn’t know?”
Daphne slashed dagger. Flames parted. He slipped through, fired bow.
Screee—
Ten Aura arrows raced at foes.
Hit? No.
Presence blurred.
Daphne charged. Wall to roof. Distant dots shrinking fast.
Daphne nocked quietly. Steady breath, calm shot.
Flash pierced space.
Crack—
Hit. Foe staggered. That’s all.
Staggering thieves vanished. Late arrival: nothing left.
“Daring to flee me.”
Daphne gnashed teeth.
“...That mana. I’ll remember.”
Impossibly pure, hottest mana.
“But that face feels familiar...”
Tilting head, he crushed a drop of blood on ground.
< 058. Where From > End