072. Fleeting Dream
Rozel compounded the magic reagents.
A small flash went pop. Franz asked,
"Isn't this dangerous?"
"All magic comes with risks."
She set the crimson-tinted reagent aside and reached for the other materials.
"Did you hear?"
"Hear what."
"Her Highness went out again."
Rozel's hand paused for a moment.
"Which princess?"
"You know."
"Our princess really keeps herself busy with official duties, doesn't she? How long has it been since she was rescued from the Beast Tower?"
She infused mana. Flames roared to life with a whoosh.
"Where to this time?"
"The Erjest Mountains, they say."
"Is she planning to tour every so-called Demon King's territory? It's amazing the Demon Kings just let her."
"They didn't exactly let her."
"Trading with a beast for money is hilarious too. A Demon King, of all things. But you're not asking me to go fetch her, right?"
"This time, His Majesty approved it. The royal knights and mages are with her."
Rozel turned her head without realizing it.
"What's the occasion?"
"They figure they can't break Her Highness's stubbornness, so they might as well use it to their advantage."
"Ah."
She let out a sharp chuckle.
"Betting on whether our princess can find the tower or not?"
"Yes, but is that okay?"
"My reagent! This is your fault for distracting me!"
Rozel hurriedly blew on it. The mana-infused wind suppressed the flames that had spread sideways.
"So, how do you plan to use that thing?"
"That's what I'm researching right now."
At Franz's fingertips hovered two massive orbs.
Storage orbs that emitted a beautiful scarlet glow and subtle heat, their color shifting based on the mana they held.
It contained Phail's mana.
"This is only the second purest mana I've ever seen."
"Isn't it usually the first?"
"Spirits."
That's why it was even more astonishing. How could a human's mana resemble that of a spirit, mana incarnate?
"I dug around out of curiosity and found old texts mentioning 'living beings' with mana similar to spirits."
Rozel caressed the storage orb. She shivered lightly at the heat transmitting through her hand.
She extracted a drop and let it fall into the reagent. Far larger flames erupted than when she'd used her own mana.
"What is it?"
"A familiar."
"The familiars I know are just slightly stronger beasts."
"Not all familiars are like that. There are dragons, right?"
"That dragon only appears in texts from two thousand years ago."
"True."
"So you're saying Phail is a dragon now?"
"Are you insane?"
She had considered familiars, but a dragon was too far-fetched.
"Dragons are the pinnacle of familiars, but familiars aren't limited to dragons."
"As I said..."
"I know. I've never seen a familiar like that either. And I'm not even calling Phail a familiar."
She was just searching for the closest match, and that's the vibe she got.
"So what are you going to do with it?"
"Well, there aren't as many options as I'd hoped."
"Because it's just mana, right?"
"That's the problem. Watching him fight, he's more mage than warrior, so his heart must be a mana heart. I'd love to rip it out and study it."
"That statement."
"What."
"It's loaded with issues. Please don't say that in public."
"Who do you take me for, some mad scientist?"
Tsk. Rozel clicked her tongue and extracted more mana. She fully absorbed it and examined her own body.
"It's still amazing no matter how I look at it."
She murmured with her eyes closed.
"What's amazing?"
"It harmonizes with my mana without any resistance. The amount is small, so it fades quickly, but..."
Whoosh.
She formed the hand seal for Fireball. Nothing felt different from the countless times she'd done it before. Yet the size and quality of the fireball were utterly changed.
"I really want to dissect him."
"Again, again..."
"How can I make my mana like this?"
No.
"How can I have this?"
A greed surpassing even that for a Demon King's corpse seized her heart.
"Yes, it seems difficult for now."
『As expected. Wrap things up properly. Luize must not be kidnapped.』
"Yes."
The communication cut off. Hillun, who had been watching, asked,
"Lord Berge?"
"Yes."
Having grown conscious of his speech, the formal address had now stuck completely.
"A group made of elves. You never cease to surprise me."
"Likewise."
"Is it alright from an elf's perspective?"
"It's better than becoming slaves and dying miserably, at least."
"Fair point."
Not a welcome topic, so Granada changed the subject.
"Did the talks go well?"
"For now. But it depends on the king's reaction. Everything hinges on the Second Princess."
"Feels like it might work out."
The king and royals doted on their late-born Second Princess so much, it was the talk even in other kingdoms.
"Don't talk nonsense. The King of Berft has slipped up over Princess Luize before, but never to this extent."
Of course.
"This goes beyond the line a hundred times over, so he'll cooperate unless he's unreasonable."
"You just don't like me, do you?"
"If Princess Luize doesn't hide the Demon King's arrival."
But Luize wouldn't reveal the kidnapping as Hillun demanded. Even if she did, there was no good explanation for how she knew.
'Well, since she's confident, she must have her ways.'
Strangely, he wasn't worried.
Ahem.
The King of Berft revealed his discomfort.
His late-born daughter munched on cookies with an innocent expression.
"You gave Hillun Kargil the annex palace?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Hillun Kargil had visited the capital officially as an envoy from the Hero Guild.
Not just an Argan of the Hero Guild, but a promising hero who had slain two Demon Kings, so the kingdom welcomed them with utmost sincerity.
His purposes were varied, but no need to start with a bad impression.
When Hillun suddenly requested a private audience with Luize, he'd thought nothing of it.
How could he refuse when he claimed to have clues on Roger and wanted to deliver them personally? But holding it with everyone present wouldn't do, given Hillun's fame.
Yet how did that lead to handing over the annex right next to his own palace?
It was already assigned.
"He liked it."
"..."
Shouldn't have asked.
The king's heart twisted at her words, and he ground his teeth.
"What's so great about that guy?"
"Do I have to tell you?"
"Of course! What about him caught your eye? What tricks did he pull? Tell me everything!"
"Why?"
"'Why'?"
"Father, I'm not a child anymore."
"To me, you're still...!"
He swallowed "a child." Luize hated that.
"...Even so, keeping a foreign man by your side for a month doesn't make sense. As your father and King of Berft, I forbid it."
"It's absolutely necessary."
"Why? Don't tell me you're really fa, fa..."
"No."
The king sighed in relief. Luize sighed too at his reaction.
"Then?"
"Because I need him."
"That's what I'm asking—why do you need him?"
She couldn't tell the truth. No one but the knights present knew she'd killed Max herself.
"I felt a shortage."
"Shortage?"
"That day in Ormus, I couldn't protect my knights. I lost the dwarves pointlessly because of me. I don't want that again."
"Righteous mindset."
But that was it.
"The kingdom has plenty of talent. Even stronger than Hillun Kargil."
"But no 'hero' like Hillun Kargil."
"It doesn't have to be a hero..."
"The ones who humiliated me that day were demons."
"There are heroes stronger than Hillun! Rozel Charnt at least..."
"Father."
"...Yes?"
He faltered under her sharp gaze.
"Rozel Charnt is a mage."
"...Right, she is. Still!"
"A month at most. Father, please."
"..."
"It's not that kind of relationship you imagine."
"...Fine."
In the end, the king had no choice but to grant his daughter's request.
"You."
But he hadn't fully vented his anger.
He couldn't win against his daughter, but as king of a nation, he held the upper hand against a Hero Guild Argan.
"You're the one?"
"I don't follow."
"I heard Luize gave you the annex right next door."
"Yes."
"Even though I assigned you separate quarters?"
"...Her Highness requested instruction."
"Yes, I know. My daughter 'begged' you first?"
"Yes."
The king itched to smash that smiling face. Thinking of how that sly tongue had swayed his daughter made his blood boil.
"Hero Guild Argan Hillun Kargil."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Can a hero like you really stay here a whole month?"
"Of course, Your Majesty. For Her Highness's request, I could stay two months if needed."
Normally, absurd. So much could be done in a month—why waste it on princess escort duty?
But considering the feats and fame after a month, he could gladly endure.
And the king took it differently.
"You have designs on Luize?"
"...Pardon?"
"I'm asking if a hotshot hero like you can stick around a month or two because you have the hots for my daughter."
'What now.'
They said he doted on the Second Princess, but interpreting it this way?
Witnessing the rumored doting firsthand was refreshingly novel. He stifled a hollow laugh, keeping his expression steady.
"A misunderstanding."
"Misunderstandings need grounds to misunderstand."
"So it's not a misunderstanding?"
"Far from it. I'm certain."
That wasn't the gaze for an envoy. It was a father eyeing his daughter's suitor.
"...How can I earn your trust?"
"Refuse Luize's proposal and leave the kingdom."
"Impossible."
"Impossible?"
"I came here officially as an envoy. I can't return empty-handed."
"I'll provide your 'results'."
The king tsked. It felt like a bribe, but better than watching him cling to his daughter.
"Her Highness won't want that."
"Are you threatening me now?"
"How dare I. I merely beseech Your Majesty's mercy."
"Hmph."
The king swallowed a groan.
He'd snapped at Hillun out of temper, but it was a fight he couldn't win.
Hillun was an Argan and Star, with Luize's request as justification.
He could force it, but the fallout wouldn't be good.
Still, it was just a father's heart for his daughter.
"...Be careful. I'm always watching."
"Nothing to worry about will happen."
"That irks me too. Saying my daughter isn't pretty?"
"...Of course, Her Highness is more beautiful than anyone."
"Then you do have designs on her!"
"..."
Hillun endured another hour before being released.
"Understand. His Majesty dotes on Luize so much."
"It's fine."
The kingdom's prince comforted the mentally exhausted Hillun Kargil.
"But you don't really have designs on Luize, right?"
"..."
Doting on the Second Princess wasn't just the king.
Reina Sordain's proposal was intriguing.
But it also raised questions.
'Why?'
Cooperation and demons didn't mix well.
Especially among Demon Kings descended to each dimension, individualism ran deep. Racing toward dimensional conquest, they saw each other as rivals.
But they didn't actively sabotage.
No cooperation, but no malicious interference unless provoked.
Thus, Reina Sordain helping her was suspicious.
'Reina Sordain involved?'
Starting with Berge Dayas, whom Alkain Daegong warned to watch closely, then Reina Sordain, Ugar Belbek, and Jason Cockmondo who threatened her.
Vivian suspected all Demon Kings.
Naturally. The high demon Drakson mentioned before dying couldn't be commanded by anyone but a Demon King.
"Two possibilities."
Reina Sordain didn't act alone. Ugar Belbek was with her.
Meaning the two Demon Kings had joined forces.
Tower Harmonies were rare enough, but two Demon Kings uniting for one goal?
Astonishing, yet it underscored the incident's gravity.
Exaggerating, it was tantamount to one Demon King killing another, so desperate to clear their names, cooperation made sense.
"Or..."
One was the culprit, covering it up or framing another.
Vivian leaned toward the latter.
'Kidnapping the princess herself is suspicious enough.'
Just sharing info would suffice, yet too proactive.
Made her wonder if they kidnapped the princess to tamper and hide info.
'The Archduke is deeply interested, so pretending to cooperate to avoid maximum suspicion.'
Reasonable doubt.
Thus, she refused Reina's offer to kidnap Luize Berft herself.
"Who do they take me for? Alein's Demon Kings are all so arrogant."
On a night when the full moon hid behind clouds, Vivian Blunt spread her black wings.
She slipped cautiously into the Berft Kingdom.
'I hope that dwarf girl Luize has solid proof... Archduke Alkain, surely you won't betray our deal after deceiving me.'
Vivian indulged in sweet dreams of returning to Ma-gye.