085. Big and Huge
When Akan began their ascent, Berge had climbed the mountain around the same time.
The difference was that Akan had to proceed cautiously, savoring the climb like a delicacy, while Berge had encountered Frost Orcs midway and ridden a Frost Wolf the rest of the way.
By the time Akan was struggling at the mountain's base, Berge had already reached the tower.
"You've arrived?"
"They've started moving. Deploy the orcs to each sector and lure the monsters in."
"Understood. However, while you were away, there was a message from Demon King Vivian."
Vivian?
"What was it?"
"She didn't explain the exact reason. She insisted on speaking to you directly, so I told her you were busy and to contact us later before hanging up unilaterally."
"Good call."
It wouldn't do to let them know he had stepped outside the tower.
Berge entered his office and contacted Vivian. Moments later, her face appeared.
『Why haven't you been picking up! What the hell have you been doing?』
Berge grimaced at the piercing voice that rang in his ears.
"Spit it out."
『I need your help.』
Vivian's opening line was such nonsense that it didn't even warrant a chuckle.
"Why should I?"
『Because it means I live, and you get your chance too.』
"Chance?"
『You haven't been in this godforsaken dimension long either, have you? I heard you pissed off Archduke Alkain and got forced here. Don't you want to go back?』
"Go back?"
『Yeah.』
"Is that even possible?"
『If it weren't, I wouldn't bring it up.』
Vivian flashed a seductive smile through the crystal orb.
『Archduke Alkain promised me. Once we catch the culprit, he'll use his authority to summon me back to Ma-gye.』
『If you help me, I'll pull strings to take you back too. What do you say?』
"Archduke Alkain made that promise?"
『Yes.』
"I thought it seemed too reckless. So this is what you were banking on?"
『That's right.』
Berge let out an involuntary sigh.
"Really..."
『Really?』
At this point, he almost felt sorry for her.
"Your head really is completely empty, you idiot."
『...What did you say?』
"Even stupidity has its limits. This makes me question how you even conquered a dimension. Were you just cheering from the sidelines while the other Demon Kings did all the work?"
『...Watch your mouth. Before my patience runs out.』
"What patience? Do you even have the brains for that?"
『You bastard!』
"Archduke Alkain's going to summon you back to Ma-gye? Have you forgotten that a Demon King who descends can't return until they're dead or they've conquered the dimension?"
『Do you think I don't know that? But the ones who made that rule are fellow demons. And the ones enforcing it are demons too.』
He understood what she meant.
There were two main reasons a Demon King couldn't leave a dimension.
One was the demon clan's intolerance for failure and their sense of honor. The other was purely practical.
They wouldn't turn tail and disgrace Ma-gye's honor, nor show weakness by fleeing—that was their pride.
And then there was the enormous energy cost to cross dimensional barriers. Magic points.
Dimensional barriers were tricky things.
The higher the rank, the more energy it took to cross, and the cost varied wildly between dimensions.
And it wasn't just that. Moving from a higher dimension to a lower one cost relatively little.
But the reverse? It skyrocketed exponentially.
Ma-gye was a clear higher dimension compared to the conquered mid-worlds.
Of course, it just cost a ton of magic points—it wasn't impossible. But why would Archduke Alkain bother?
"He's going to burn through massive magic points and take the hit for recalling a subordinate Demon King who not only failed but fled like a coward? Why would Archduke Alkain do that?"
『Because it's a promise.』
"You actually believe he'll keep it?"
『Hmph, you wouldn't understand, but my clan and his are deeply intertwined. He can't break it. This isn't personal—it's a deal between families.』
So she had some backing for her confidence. Berge briefly recalled Ma-gye's clans.
It was true that House Blunt, representing succubi, and House Blamip, representing vampires, were heavily entangled. They wielded massive influence in Ma-gye that neither could ignore.
'But still...'
Was that reason enough to uphold it?
No one could blame a Demon King for dying in the dimension they'd descended to—only themselves.
In other words, if Vivian Blunt died cleanly, there'd be no issue skipping the recall.
This idiot apparently hadn't thought that far.
Of course—that's why she'd accepted the offer and come this far.
'Or maybe he really would reverse-summon her to Ma-gye.'
But even if it was all true, would Archduke Alkain go out of his way for Berge too? Absurd. Besides, Berge had no intention of going back.
"I'm swamped, and here you are whining about nonsense."
『You...! You really live like there's no tomorrow.』
"You should try living in the now for once. Keep living for tomorrow, and you might not make it to one."
It was sincere advice. Berge hoped Vivian would survive long enough to draw plenty of human attention.
That way, things might get a little easier for him.
Berge cut off the communication unilaterally. A mob was charging from the mountain's base with knives to his throat—no time to leisurely listen to drivel.
"Gordon, you guard the tower. I'll personally lead the orcs to block them."
"Have you found a way?"
"Not really."
He'd infiltrated as "Pale" to uncover their plans but came up empty.
They'd hidden it too thoroughly.
But ignorance didn't mean he could slack on defenses.
"For now, I'll poke around a bit."
"How, exactly?"
"The opposite way."
"Opposite?"
"Last time, we let them climb partway before trying to stop them. This time, from the start. They think monsters come at night, so send them during the day—and at night..."
"At night?"
"We'll trigger an avalanche."
Time to test what preparations they'd made.
Berge smiled faintly.
Akan's journey to find the Demon King's tower had begun.
Woof woof—
The five magic hounds created by Ravinia pursued the magic points. But perhaps because it was just the entrance, they couldn't get a fix.
Naturally, Akan's hopes shifted elsewhere.
"Please."
"Of course."
Granada took the lead. His gaze swept the snowy mountains. Slowly, cautiously, he left footprints in the pristine white snow.
"As I mentioned, we couldn't find the tower ourselves. So I can't give you a perfect path to it."
"Yes, of course."
"Also, I can't guarantee the path Hillon and I took has no tower. We were exhausted then, dodging monsters without thoroughly checking every inch."
"Understood."
Granada laid the groundwork first, and Cain nodded agreeably. After all, nothing he said was wrong.
Perfectly searching the Erjest Mountains was impossible from the start. Cain wasn't demanding perfection.
"Just guide us to the most likely spots. We'll handle the rest."
"I trust you."
"My sister says to trust her once we're close."
The Demon King's tower emanated faint magic points just by existing. And there might be demonic beasts around.
Plus, Akan had the magic hounds—and Ravinia Akan, the most sensitive to magic points.
"Got it. Understood."
Granada first headed in the opposite direction from the tower and began the climb.
The occasional low-level monsters at the entrance vaporized under the barrage of magic.
Days passed like that. No real assaults worth noting.
"We'll camp here tonight!"
On the fourth evening, before nightfall, Cain set up camp at a prime spot. The protruding hill offered wide visibility, and the rear rocks guarded their backs—a solid choice.
They pitched magic tents, laid alarm spells. Then installed every magic artifact they had.
'Magic mines, engravings, deployable scrolls. This is insane spending.'
If monsters charged, they'd trigger mines before arriving, get crippled, then obliterated by bombardment.
"That must've cost a fortune. How much did you bring?"
"This is just part of it."
"Impressive."
"We're that invested in this mission. We'll succeed for sure."
They just needed to spot the tower from afar. After that, it was out of their hands.
The sun fully set, night fell. By dinnertime, the light flurries had thickened into a storm.
Cain let everyone except minimal sentries rest in the magic tents.
"Care for a drink?"
Granada was invited to Cain's tent. Magic lanterns made it bright and warm inside. Cain offered steaming hot chocolate.
"Thank you."
Granada sipped, barely suppressing a grimace. Too sweet.
"Elves don't like sweets much, but you seem fine, Sir Granada."
"......"
Looking for a fight?
"Kidding. Sorry."
Cain smiled brightly and offered another cup. The fragrant tea soothed Granada's parched throat, almost painfully sweet no more.
"Now I can breathe."
"How was the hero party's early days?"
"What do you mean?"
"Not that it's been just a few days, but no monsters worthy of Erjest's reputation have shown up yet."
"Expecting some?"
"Hardly. It feels like the calm before the storm—scary. Better to get hit first, right?"
"No different from our hero trek. We didn't face serious assaults until midway up."
The entrance had monsters, but fewer and weaker.
"Then we can take it easy for a few more days."
"But Erjest demands vigilance..."
Granada turned his head. His pointed ears twitched.
"Something wrong?"
"Didn't you hear a strange noise?"
"Strange noise?"
Then it happened.
Rumble—
The teacup on the table rattled.
A soldier burst in frantically.
"Your Highness! Big trouble!"
"What is it?!"
"An, an avalanche!"
"...!"
Cain and Granada rushed outside.
Panicked murmurs from the soldiers. The ground vibrated. Far off, a wave of snow churned under moonlight, charging toward them.
"My god..."
"Does Erjest always do this? You didn't mention avalanches during your hero trek, Sir Granada."
"Not that I..."
"...Not the point right now."
Cain assessed quickly.
Still some distance, but too late to pack up and flee. Abandoning everything wasn't an option.
"Mages to positions! Raise barriers!"
Mages poured mana into pre-set scrolls.
Rumble—
A massive earthen wall enveloped the camp.
"Ice Wall!"
"Ice!"
Blue meteor mages chanted and formed seals. Ice barriers reinforced the earthen ones.
Cain didn't stop there.
"Deploy them!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Deploy what?"
He ignored Granada's question. No need to answer.
Screeech—
Torn sub-spaces spat out massive forms.
"A bolt from the blue."
"Perfect."
From the peak, Berge watched below.
Akan's camp in the avalanche's path was a candle in the wind.
He could predict a midnight raid, but not a midnight avalanche. They'd think it a freak disaster upon waking—perfectly caught off guard.
Earthen walls rose, ice layered on.
Berge snorted at their desperate struggle.
"As if that'll hold."
He dismantled a few cannon emplacements, redeployed extras, and fired them all at once. This avalanche dwarfed the one from Hillon's hero trek.
Humans were insignificant before nature's might.
"...Huh?"
As the avalanche hit Akan's camp, something suddenly protruded.
Boom boom boom—
The snow slammed the barriers. They wobbled on the verge of collapse—then abruptly stood firm.
"What the..."
Krutoo and the orcs gaped in shock.
"Ooooh!"
Roger let out a cry of awe.
They were giants.
But constructed giants.
"Golems! Massive golems! Golems that huge! As expected of Akan!"
Five golems over 5 meters tall and one titan braced the barriers, weathering the avalanche.
< 085. Big and Huge > End