006. Dropping the 3 from 13
"The Hildean Kingdom is in an uproar."
"Some punk with balls too big for his britches."
Crunch—
Drakson tore into a hunk of red meat dripping with blood.
"I said kidnap a princess, and he goes and snatches one from Hildean. The crown princess, no less. What do you think that means?"
"Proof he's arrogant and foolish."
His adjutant, Casey, stated flatly.
"Evidence?"
"First, he dared to mock the Demon King's Canon at the Demon King Academy graduation. Second, he bared his teeth at you, my lord. Third, his overflowing confidence blinded him—he didn't even properly scout Alein. He's the type who gets so full of himself he can't see what's around him."
"I figured he wouldn't follow the canon. But kidnapping the crown princess? That's sticking to it to the letter. How do we read that?"
He'd assumed no princess at all. Or if there was one, surely not the crown princess next in line for the throne, straight out of the textbook.
"A typical Demon King might. But this guy's the one who treated the canon like trash. You think he's following it more faithfully than anyone?"
"He broke other rules, though. His tower's in a forbidden wasteland that repels humans, and he skipped nearby kingdoms for a distant one."
"Unpredictable bastard."
Crack—
Drakson irritably gnawed on the bare bone protruding from the meat.
"Still, I think his desire to follow the canon outweighs everything."
"Why?"
"He has nothing but his adjutant. So he's adapting the canon to his situation—picking the optimal path."
No matter how green the newbie, Berge had zero margin for challengers who might actually pose a threat.
"Adapting it?"
"No troops, so he minimizes clashes by building in the Erjest Mountains. But he wants to follow the canon, so he grabs the crown princess."
"Don't forget—he spat on the canon at graduation. But his moves since descending to Alein? Your take fits best."
"Pretending to hate it while loving it more than anyone? Doesn't add up."
"Is he nuts?"
Demon King and adjutant fell silent. After a beat, the Demon King spoke again.
"Contact him first. Up to now, he's done well—gotta toss him some praise as a senior, right?"
And probe his intentions while we're at it.
He sensed something off because the magic converting to points through the tower was excessively abundant.
[13219pt]
······?
He rubbed his eyes. The number didn't change.
Why this much?
It was too generous for just a few days after snatching an illegitimate princess the king himself ignored.
"My lord. Incoming transmission from Demon King Drakson."
"Again?"
That's when Drakson's call came through.
『Just calling to congratulate you. We parted on bad terms, but as a senior Demon King, gotta give credit where due.』
『Hating the canon but following it to the tee? Having a facade different from your true self is a demon's virtue—but you've gone beyond 'fine' into masterful. You totally fooled 'em, huh?』
"What nonsense is this?"
『Wanna play dumb to the end? Fine, I won't pry.』
"Eat raw meat much? Your brain's rotted. What are you talking about?"
『No need to hide it that hard. Alright, I'll spell it out.』
『Don't like you personally, but impressed by your exploits. Said you had a plan—and snatching Hildean's crown princess? Didn't see that coming.』
···Crown princess?
『Planned or impulsive, good luck anyway. A Demon King succeeding benefits us all, right?』
The crystal orb dimmed.
"······."
And he was speechless.
What did I just hear?
Crown princess? Not the 13th?
A thick premonition of doom flashed through his mind. The nape of his neck chilled.
By the time he snapped out of it, he was already sprinting toward the 4th floor.
Impossible.
It was the 13th princess's palace. No one around, matching her illegitimate status.
She wasn't even a knight or mage.
The crown princess is a spirit summoner.
Hildean wasn't his old stomping grounds in southern Alein, but its crown princess was famous.
A genius spirit summoner who'd contracted four elemental spirits young.
Hildean obsessed over her—no Demon King dared touch her.
So impossible.
A crown princess would've brimmed with mana.
Would've been swarmed by guards.
Wouldn't be in the 13th princess's bedchamber.
Self-justifying like that, he set foot on the 4th floor.
And spotted what shouldn't be there.
A 'wall' blocked an empty corner of bare earth.
A 'spirit' patted the dirt wall.
He let out a hollow laugh.
"You're here?"
On perfect cue, a door of earth swung open. Out stepped a princess—disheveled yet radiantly beautiful—utterly nonchalant.
He shoved past her inside.
Dirt bed, dirt furniture, dirt chairs. Beyond what a powerless 13th princess could manage.
Obvious spirit traces—no missing them.
Even funnier?
···Mana's overflowing.
Things absent when he kidnapped her and brought her here now prickled his skin.
"···What are you?"
"Don't get the question."
"13th princess."
He glared.
"···Not her."
"Obviously not Elena."
That short exchange crushed his last hope. Her eyes widened.
"You thought I was Elena···?"
"Name."
"Ernan Hildean."
1st princess. Crown princess. The renowned spirit summoner from his past life.
"Why the hell are you here?"
"You kidnapped me."
Wrong question.
"Wasn't that the 13th princess's palace?"
"Yes."
"Why were you there?"
"Does it matter?"
It did. Big time.
"That's why I asked. Can you handle kidnapping me?"
She had said that. Why hadn't he demanded proof? Asked if she was really the 13th?
"Felt off, but just a mistake? Makes sense—Demon Kings don't touch heirs, no matter how crazy."
She gave a self-mocking smile.
"Gonna send me back now?"
Her fluid, natural words scraped his reverse scale.
"Nonsense."
She assumed he'd naturally return her.
Assumed the man who'd toppled kingdoms and achieved the unachievable cowered.
"Meant to grab the 13th. Doesn't change much with you."
Mere human scum, daring—
I'm not scared.
Just tactical retreat. Biding for ten steps forward.
She said nothing. But her odd gaze irked him.
"I won't be sending you back."
So he declared firmly.
Hildean and Erjest are worlds apart.
Southern vs. northern continent. Geography defying armies.
Erjest Mountains themselves—a natural fortress.
Treasure trove of untouched monsters—even he hesitated against some due to interference.
Blizzards nonstop.
How many heroes could climb, even?
And it's hidden in a valley. Even if they climb, they won't find it.
So.
"I'm the Demon King. You're the princess. If you wanna go home quietly, stop provoking me."
"···Understood."
Princess Ernan acquiesced.
"But how'd you fool me? No mana at all."
"···That."
Ernan hesitated, fiddling, then slipped on a ring.
Instantly, spirits vanished. Mana fluctuations gone without trace.
"···Artifact."
Fooling a Demon King's eyes, even weakened?
"Heirloom of the royal house. Heard it's an artifact from some hero."
"Hero's artifact···."
Not ordinary if it fooled him post-weakening.
Greed stirred.
That instant.
Lost emotions have found their target.
Great fury directed at Demon King Berge Dayas has been detected.
They'd pinpointed him.
Full-scale magic collection began.
Splendid palace. The grand hall packed with dozens of nobles chilled over.
"What in the···."
The king swallowed rage.
"What were those so-called guard knights doing?"
No shout, but low fury chilled the air.
"···Apologies. Her Highness ditched the knights and headed to Hyacinth Palace."
"So."
The king slammed the throne. Shattered fragments littered the floor.
"Your 'guard knights' didn't notice the kingdom's crown princess vanish?"
"Execute us!"
"Execute us!"
Knights prostrated.
"If you truly wish death, I can behead you myself."
"······."
"Your Majesty, first identify her kidnapper."
"Who else? A Demon King, obviously."
Even if Ernan acted rashly, this was the palace. Only Demon Kings could breach royal guards silently.
Demon Kings were kidnapping specialists.
That's why he spared the knights deserving broken necks.
"But why would Demon Kings break taboo and take Princess Ernan···."
"That's my question. Unless they've lost their minds."
"Lust Demon King touched Akan's crown prince recently—hundreds of heroes beheaded him. With that example··· ah."
The minister gasped mid-sentence. King and nobles pieced it together.
"···A new one's descended."
"Existing Demon Kings? Hero Guild would've spotted signs. Has to be."
"Like parasites. Keep crawling out, tireless."
The king ground his teeth.
"Commission the Hero Guild immediately."
"Hate thinking what those money-grubbers'll demand."
"Must rescue Her Highness first, no?"
"Right."
Ernan was his hope.
Her overwhelming talent and imperial qualities embodied the kingdom's dreams.
Steal the vessel, spill the contents. Must recover her. By any means. And make an example—no one dares covet again.
"Cost be damned. Track him, find the tower. Commission the Guild—behead him, retrieve her."
"As you command!"
Hildean couriers galloped every direction.
"Traces of a new Demon King and presumed princess found!"
"Path north! Teleport arrays through multiple kingdoms!"
"D-Destination··· Erjest Mountains presumed. No sightings after."
Hildean and Hero Guild initially took it lightly.
Outrage at kidnapping the crown princess, but reality? Laughable.
Freshly summoned newbie's blunder.
Acted without scouting Alein. Easy fix, they thought.
"Fresh Demon King? Weak as hell. Send heroes, lop the head."
But destination—presumed tower site—Erjest Mountains? Trouble.
"Why there?"
"Why trek from afar to Hildean?"
"Unlike other Demon Kings."
Demon towers weren't too close or too perilous. Nor too distant kingdoms.
Standard pattern—Alein folk used to it.
This newbie shattered normalcy.
Normally, just a Demon King's whim. But Hildean and Guild had to rescue her.
"Erjest Mountains?"
"Into that mad place?"
Heroes refused.
Erjest: eternal blizzards, snow monsters—nine in ten die.
Even world-blessed heroes had limits.
"Wanna kill Demon Kings, not suicide!"
Rescue stalled.
"I'll go myself. Lead army, bulldoze the peaks."
"Your Majesty!"
"Impossible!"
"Other nations won't sit idle!"
"Abandon the princess?!"
"A suitable hero exists."
"Who?"
The king brightened.
"Remember Lust Demon King subjugators?"
"Two hundred went, half didn't return. Only three faced the king."
"One shone beheading him. Your Majesty knows···."
"Hillon! Hillon Kargil, Hildean's hero!"
"Yes! He can scale the range, take the head!"
"Will he accept? Hasn't surfaced···."
"He craves fame. Send knights to nail it publicly···."
"Hoh."
King and ministers nodded intrigued.
"···Damn it."
[45228pt]
Converting magic surged steeply. Huge gains, but no pure joy.
Meant Hildean's fury was massive.
And their response decisive.
His sole comfort: Erjest's natural defenses.
Problem: Strong heroes ignoring them.
"Climbers who find the tower? Beyond my current level."
Convert all to personal magic?
No, not optimal.
Negative emotion magic intertwined with tower system enabled much:
Reduce dimensional interference for demons, boost personal power, assign magic beasts, rig traps/arrays, expand via demonization.
But none guaranteed immediate wins.
Magic rose fast, but one determined kingdom? Far short.
Need another play.
Like blocking their moves outright···.
Yeah.
Lightning struck—an idea.
Embracing the shadows anyway···.
Can't with his hands? Borrow others'.
Humans prioritize greed above all. Peak greed? Money.
Betray country, group, siblings, parents—humans do it.
Mire heroes in mud via them?
"Gordon!"
"Yes, my lord."
Gordon entered from outside.
"Contact Drakson now."
"What message?"
"Ask if he wants to buy Hildean's magic with human gold."
No Demon King used it, but towers allowed magic transfers.