069. Shattered Resolve
“Absolutely not! Absolutely not! I can’t do it!”
The dwarf shed tears.
“You can’t do this to me!”
Whatever injustice burned in him, he wailed and sobbed uncontrollably.
But the sight of the pint-sized dwarf carrying on like that was anything but dignified.
“Shut your trap before I rip out your tongue.”
“...Yes, hic. B-but.”
“But?”
“If they find out where I am, Princess Luize will tear me in half! Are you saying it’s fine for me, who’s loyal and devoted to you, my Demon King, to just vanish?”
“One more word of that nonsense, and I’ll personally drill open your clogged ears.”
“...But if they discover my equipment, they’ll come hunting me with fire in their eyes.”
“Probably. Oh, I forgot to mention—you’re already wanted.”
“Eek...! See? No way!”
“Fine. Then I’ll just have to kidnap the princess.”
“...Pardon?”
His hand froze mid-tear at his hair.
“Which princess?”
“Who else but Luize Berft?”
“Th-that’s really killing me off!”
“If you don’t like that, hand over the equipment.”
“......”
“This is the Demon King’s tower—my domain. Unless I bring her here myself, who dares enter and kill you?”
“......”
Roger Friedri swallowed dryly.
It was a threat. Refuse, and he’d drag her here to die.
“...If I really hand over the equipment, you won’t kidnap Princess Luize?”
“It needs your mark on it.”
“Of course.”
“Don’t doubt your Demon King’s word.”
“Yes, understood.”
He had no choice. Roger bowed his head deeply and shuffled into the workshop. When he emerged, he clutched two swords and a shield.
“When did you make these?”
“Making nothing but mana cannons got boring, so I tinkered around.”
“What about the golem?”
“Still researching, but since it uses corrupted mana stones instead of regular ones, it’s taking time.”
The tower converted mana to magic points. A golem powered by mana stones would eventually become useless.
“Work hard.”
“Yes, please keep your promise. I beg you.”
“Don’t worry. You’re still useful.”
“Right! I’m very useful! Always useful! You can’t cut open the goose that lays golden eggs! That’d be utter folly!”
“I won’t gut the goose, but I could lop off a cheeky dwarf’s head.”
“S-sorry!”
Berge ascended the stairs, leaving the pale, shrieking Roger behind.
“...And you call that a report?”
Hillun Kargil sighed.
“I’m an Argon. You might not know, but that position isn’t one I can just up and leave lightly.”
Its symbolism and responsibilities bound him tight.
『It’s the Demon King’s command.』
“Even becoming a guild executive was by the Demon King’s order.”
『The previous order versus this one—which matters more? You know.』
“What’s the reason? Why do I have to go to Berft Kingdom?”
『It’s not bad for you. The Lust Demon King, Frost Demon King, or Diamond Demon King—one of them will kidnap Luize Berft.』
“......!”
『Our Demon King doesn’t want that. He wants you to stop the other kings, protect the princess, and become a hero.』
Why were royals so easily snatched by Demon Kings?
Stealth was key, but no kingdom could provide ironclad guards around the clock.
To detect a Demon King’s stealth required at least Star-level power—and such heroes weren’t exactly common.
Assigning one full-time to a royal on the off-chance of a kidnapping? Absurd.
But what if you knew the when and where?
“...A hero who thwarts a princess’s kidnapping.”
That was rare—and valuable. Hillun Kargil saw the angle.
『Now it piques your interest?』
“So, how do I naturally end up by Princess Luize’s side?”
The Demon King wouldn’t just say “stick close” without a plan.
『Roger’s a wanted criminal in Berft Kingdom, and Luize Berft wants him more than anyone.』
『The Demon King’s giving you equipment marked with Roger’s signature.』
“...That could get me an official invitation to the kingdom as an Argon.”
And beyond that? A connection to Berft Kingdom would boost his standing in the guild.
“But it’s not enough pretext for bodyguard duty.”
『Blackmail her.』
“......?”
『Luize Berft killed Ormus’s second prince. Match your story with the demon who witnessed it in the Beast Tower...』
“Luize Berft killed Max Ormus?”
『You didn’t know?』
“No!”
『I thought the Demon King told you.』
He hadn’t.
The dark elf shrugged.
『Now you know.』
“And that’s your report?”
『Anyway, use it to blackmail or persuade Luize Berft however you want—that’s the Demon King’s order.』
『Stick to her and stop the kidnapping, by any means.』
“......”
The communication cut off abruptly. Hillun Kargil let out a hollow laugh.
“These crazy demon bastards...”
His mask of decorum cracked—just a bit.
But he patched it quickly.
“It’s not all bad...”
Though far from all good, either.
Especially the near-certain 99% chance his relationship with Berft Kingdom’s precious golden child, Luize Berft, would go straight to hell.
‘No need to go that far, though.’
He’d carry out the Demon King’s command, but without throwing his life away.
‘Nothing’s more precious than my life and honor.’
Why else endure a foreign object implanted in his skull? Survival. Reputation.
Threatening Berft’s princess in her own kingdom? Suicide.
‘If push comes to shove, toss her Roger’s trail and bail. Best to leave on good terms.’
If he tried his best but failed? What would the Demon King say?
He’d bitch and torture him via the implant, probably.
‘But that’s it.’
As long as no perfect replacement Star—or Argon—existed.
‘Grab what I can, ditch what I must. My life’s collateral to the Demon King, but I won’t let it drag me under completely.’
Hillun Kargil nodded firmly.
The continent brimmed with mountains and ranges.
Among the fiercest and grandest, nine in ten named the Berft Mountains; the last, Erjest.
Berft Mountains.
The dwarves had carved nests into this unforgiving rock, building underground cities. Thus, the dwarf kingdom of Berft was born.
Fwhooo—
The grandest underground city: the capital, Bertyan.
In the palace annex garden for royals, Princess Luize Berft swung a massive battle axe.
Fierce aura slashed the air, cleaving the oncoming sword in two.
“Gahk!”
The dwarf knight spat blood and crumpled.
“Finally getting interesting...”
Luize frowned.
“Next!”
Waiting knights hauled the injured one to the infirmary. Another stepped up, face grim, shield and sword in hand.
“What’s with the sulk? Did I do something? Running out of talent in the knight order?”
“Plenty of talent, Your Highness. But you’re too exceptional.”
Volbov, watching the spar, sighed.
After her Beast Territory mishap, she’d obsessed over her defeat to Max.
‘I was weak, so my soldiers died. Yeah. If I’d been stronger, I could’ve swept them all.’
Her way of coping with guilt over the knights and soldiers lost to her ambition: self-punishing fervor.
She drove herself harder.
And so, Volbov—who’d watched her closely—knew: this Luize was a different dwarf from the one before her seclusion.
Luize crooked a finger.
“Come on, you take the field.”
“I’m your guard knight, Your Highness. My blade never points at you.”
“It’s just light sparring.”
“Your spars are never light—that’s the problem.”
“No point if it’s not like real combat.”
“I half-agree, but then it stops being sparring.”
Then—a knight rushed up, whispering urgently. Before Luize could respond, another dwarf entered the annex garden.
Knights bowed as one.
“We see the First Prince!”
“At ease.”
“Brother.”
Luize greeted him warmly.
“Training hard again?”
“Just my morning warm-up.”
“Care for a chat?”
“Yes.”
At her glance, knights withdrew. A table and chairs appeared in the garden, laden with tea.
“Good news.”
The prince downed his hot tea in one gulp.
“What is it?”
“Roger Friedri. You know Father and I put a bounty on him?”
“Yes. Don’t tell me...?”
“No capture.”
Disappointment clouded Luize’s face.
“But someone found a clue.”
“Who? What clue?”
Thud.
The prince set down a sword. Luize examined it.
Shing—
The blade gleamed flawlessly. Aura and mana intertwined for unbreakable strength—and another force blended in.
“Dimensional Interference...”
The heroes’ exclusive domain.
Equipment from artisan heroes like Roger Friedri always bore it—mingling faintly with mana for greater power.
“Look at the hilt.”
The ornate grip ended in a familiar cloud emblem, embossed.
“Definitely Roger’s. Where’d you get it?”
“Not from the palace vault or any buyer before he vanished.”
Roger wasn’t kingdom-direct but guild-affiliated—yet tracked meticulously.
All his works were cataloged. Not this sword.
One answer.
“He’s hiding somewhere, making new stuff?”
“Old habits die hard.”
The prince grinned.
“Where?”
“Don’t rush.”
“We need to catch him. Right now—!”
Luize growled. The prince stroked her head, calming her frenzy.
“Easy.”
“...But.”
“Catching Roger won’t be hard.”
“The mark. Easy to trace.”
“Yeah. Holed up in workshops since childhood—his limit. Even without the mark, same story. Artisan heroes without signatures draw endless eyes.”
Just a matter of time.
“So, where?”
“He wouldn’t say.”
“What? That arrogant—!”
Luize scowled.
“He made a condition. Wants to meet you in person.”
“Me?”
By now, Luize caught on.
“Someone even you can’t dismiss lightly?”
“Hillun Kargil.”
“...Hillun Kargil.”
Secluded or not, she hadn’t cut off the world. She knew how far he’d risen.
“The hero who slew the Beast Demon King.”
“Could say he cleaned up your mess.”
“That’s too much.”
“...You used to be so shy calling me ‘big brother.’ Still cute and pretty now, of course.”
“...Enough.”
“Will you meet him?”
“Yes. No idea what he wants, but he’s brought a lead this far—I won’t miss it. Roger’s mine.”
“He asked for a private audience, but I can join if you want.”
“I’m fine alone.”
“He’s not just any hero now—he’s the Hero Guild’s Argon.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“Good. Wait—he’ll come.”
“Thank you, brother.”
The prince paused mid-wave.
“...Just in case. If he falls for your charm and tries something...”
“Brother!”
“Ahem. I’m off.”
He vanished. Ten minutes later.
The continent’s hottest figure stood before her.
“You wanted to see me?”
Luize resolved to be polite.
He’d brought the Roger lead—and as her brother said, Argon status demanded it.
Even without, one of the Ten Stars wasn’t to be trifled with.
But.
Her resolve.
“Princess Luize. I hear you killed Max Ormus.”
Shattered at Hillun Kargil’s first words.