083. Each One's Circumstances
"……."
"……."
Berge stretched languidly after waking up that morning and opened the door—only to be greeted by an unexpected intruder.
He didn't avert his gaze, and neither did she.
What the hell.
The day before, he'd met Cain and Ravinia, shared dinner with them, and agreed to stick around Hotenwork for a while to chat about this and that before turning in for the night.
So why the fuck was this lunatic standing in front of his door?
"What do you want."
"Wait."
"For me to come out?"
"Yeah. Come in, rude."
"Breaking in uninvited is obviously rude."
"So."
"How long you been here?"
"A bit."
"A bit when."
Ravinia fidgeted and held up her fingers. One, two.
"Two hours?"
She nodded again.
"Why?"
"Cher."
"Cher?"
"See."
"You're gonna show me?"
Cher must be that chimera she was so fond of. No harm in taking a look.
"Let's go."
"Hand."
Ravinia held out her hand.
"No."
"Hand."
He stared at her silently. She didn't back down. With a sigh, he took her hand—then immediately shook it off.
This crazy bitch…
Grabbing his hand and channeling mana through it?
He barely suppressed the surge of killing intent.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Mana."
"Don't."
"Bad?"
"Obviously."
"Sorry."
This wasn't like playing with a kid or anything.
She's a far cry from her regression days.
Back then, Ravinia had been the craziest bitch he'd ever laid eyes on.
The woman who led hundreds of chimeras to sweep entire towers clean.
Especially that titan she'd somehow modded—it had even smashed a balrog to pieces, which blew his mind.
And the bitch herself? She'd dismantled the balrog on the spot and shoved it into a pocket dimension like it was nothing.
She'd had hundreds of demons fighting alongside the balrog back then, too. Handing them all off to a single chimera just to start disassembling? If asked whether that was impressive or insane, Berge would pick insane without hesitation.
"Hey, Cher."
"…That's."
The one from the mountains.
The situation had been too chaotic back then to get a good look, but now he could see it—a titan.
She's had it since this early.
But its appearance and vibe were worlds apart from the regression timeline.
A bit more docile, and way weaker.
She's been tweaking it steadily, huh.
Of course a mere human couldn't whip up a perfect chimera right out of the gate.
"Cher."
Ravinia waved. The titan crouched in one corner of the garden perked up and rose.
It lumbered over with heavy thuds and shoved its head forward like a dog. Ravinia petted it.
…What a pathetic sight.
A titan over five meters tall debasing itself for some puny human. As a fellow demon, it scratched at his pride.
One of Ugar's kin?
Probably not. If it were, Ugar wouldn't have let it end up like this.
Then something slammed into Berge.
Lick—
A massive tongue. Dripping with the titan's slimy, foul-smelling saliva.
"……."
"Cher. Likes."
The ditzy bitch next to him was blabbering that Cher liked him too.
Something snapped in his head.
Berge moved on pure instinct.
Grabbed the tongue.
Hurled it.
Boom!
Cher shrieked as it demolished one side of the annex.
Ding-ding-ding-ding—
The alarm blared, and soldiers came rushing in. Par for the course.
"Haha…."
Vivian let out a hollow laugh. She stepped through the pooling blood, picking up a severed vampire head.
The head hadn't even screamed before losing its body—its eyes weren't fully closed.
How many dead demons? How many dead beasts?
How much gear from the shattered tower?
How many magic points to fix all this?
Worries flooded her. But above all, what crushed her was the fear that heroes might come again any moment.
She's had it since this early, huh?
"…Your Majesty."
"I'm fine. I'm okay."
Vivian forced a smile at her adjutant's concern.
"I'm a great Demon King. I've already conquered other dimensions. This is nothing."
"Yes."
Was it really?
Over a hundred heroes had stormed the tower at once.
Floors 1 through 3 were obliterated. Floor 4 survived only by their whim.
They'd just… left, for some reason.
She hated dying more than anything, but that pissed her off even more.
Her, a Demon King.
Ignored.
By mere humans.
Like she was begging for mercy.
Crunch—
"Jason Cockmond…!"
His last communication flashed in her mind.
"You tried to cross but didn't?"
And soon after, the heroes had swarmed in.
What did that mean? No one but a fool could miss it.
"Jaaaason!"
Vivian lost all composure. She hurled the vampire head and poured magic points into the communication orb.
A brief dial tone.
Then a response.
『What's the matter, Lady Vivian?』
His usual polite tone. It grated on her.
"Heroes stormed my tower."
『Oh dear. How unfortunate.』
"Not surprised?"
『Well, you're talking to me right now.』
"You already knew?"
『Seems like a strange misunderstanding.』
"Or maybe you orchestrated it."
『Didn't I tell you? I did nothing. Absolutely nothing.』
"And heroes show up right on cue? Who do you think you're fooling!"
『Who knows. From my view, you are a fool.』
"What?"
She bristled, but Jason didn't flinch.
『Didn't I warn you?』
『Alein isn't like that flimsy dimension you 'conquered.'』
『You started by unleashing succubi in Dormunt, causing chaos. Now you try kidnapping a dwarf princess? If anything, be grateful heroes only came now.』
"…!"
Only then did Vivian grasp what Jason meant by "doing nothing."
"You didn't just manipulate humans from behind the scenes…."
『You should thank Hillun Kargil.』
『Beg him for saving the princess and failing.』
That.
『Saved your life.』
"Shut up…!"
『Lady Vivian, I don't know what Archduke Alkain promised you to make you thrash about so blindly, but this is my last warning.』
『Please.』
Jason adjusted his monocle through the orb.
『Make a wise choice.』
『I understand hunting the culprit on the Archduke's orders.』
『But.』
『Interfere in continental affairs and cause trouble one more time.』
『There won't be a second.』
『Don't test my patience.』
"……."
His cold gaze, burning with fury—Vivian was speechless.
Cold sweat soaked her back.
"…What."
Her lips trembled as she barely pried them open.
"What are you plotting?"
The reply came after a long pause.
Seconds that felt like hours to her.
『Think you could understand if I explained?』
Even laced with mockery, she had no retort.
The connection cut.
"…Fine. Doesn't matter to me."
I'll escape this shithole eventually.
She bit her lip.
While the Flame Demon King was tangling with Akan Kingdom.
And the Lust Demon King struggled against the hero alliance.
Hillun returned to the Hero Guild.
Before leaving, he'd spread rumors through his people: He'd safely signed a pact with Berft Kingdom and rescued a princess nearly kidnapped by a Demon King.
As a result, when he arrived in the guild city, a massive crowd welcomed him.
"It's Hillun Kargil!"
"The great hero who saved the princess!"
"No hero rivals Hillun!"
Over-the-top praise poured in. Some from plants, sure—but none untrue.
The cheers swelled, and Hillun basked in it.
Exactly.
Feels good.
Claim credit for achievements. No one notices if you stay mum like an idiot.
He passed through the adulation and entered the guild.
"The Grand Elder awaits."
No time to rest—he headed straight to the upper floors.
"Grand Elder, I've brought Hillun Argon."
"Wait a moment."
The Grand Elder finished scanning documents through his glasses. After about five minutes, he removed them and set the papers aside.
"It's been a while."
"Yes."
"Tea?"
"Coffee, please."
"Fetch it."
"Yes."
The attendant left to prepare refreshments.
"Quite the flashy stunt."
"A 'stunt'? Or an 'achievement'?"
"If pressed, I'd say achievement."
The Grand Elder chuckled.
"The crowd outside calls it your handiwork?"
"Apologies. Got tipsy and let a word slip at drinks—it spread."
"Fair enough. No reprimand intended."
"Understood."
The attendant returned with refreshments.
"Partake."
"Thank you."
"I heard the report. Truly impressive."
Berft Kingdom had been uncooperative with the Hero Guild. Dwarf isolationism meant bare-minimum collaboration, nothing more.
A headache for the guild.
Heroes were precious, no matter how many. To grow stronger, survive longer—they needed top gear. Dwarf standoffishness always left supplies short.
Thus, Hillun's pact was no small victory.
"Well done. The guild grows stronger thanks to you."
"Just doing my duty."
"Your duty, eh. Fitting for an Argon. Still, credit where due. We'll honor you in three days—with a guild banquet. Enjoy."
"Thank you."
"Ah, saved the princess?"
"Luck."
"Heard roughly, but pure chance? Hard to buy—never happens."
"Chance. How else?"
"True enough."
The Grand Elder bellowed a laugh.
"You've exceeded expectations. Keep it up, and I'll meet yours too."
"Yes, sir."
He bowed to the blatant offer.
"Held up a fresh arrival too long. Rest."
"Until next time."
Hillun left.
"Something's off…."
But he couldn't pinpoint it.
"Keep him close, watch."
Either way, his feat boosted his standing—and with a push, it'd skyrocket.
Perfect check against empire and kingdom influence.
The Grand Elder resumed reviewing his papers.
"Full of ways to use me."
No matter. Mutual exploitation. Grab what you can while played.
Like this time.
Hillun Kargil's lips curved up.