< 088. The Deal >
“My god, sis! This isn't funny!”
“Find the princess!”
Fire rained down on the instep of Cain Akan, who was trying to flee the blood-and-corpse-strewn battlefield as quickly as possible.
“Cher is missing too.”
“You saying Sis hid herself on purpose? With a massive by product like Behemoth right in front of her?”
“...That's impossible. Not unless something even more interesting showed up.”
“Right now, nothing's more interesting than Behemoth.”
The knights and soldiers scoured the area. The mages deployed detection spells.
But their search didn't last long.
Krrrng—
Kroooaaar!
The mountain's resident beasts began gathering one by one, drawn by the sounds of battle and the scent of blood.
“...Your Highness, we need to retreat first.”
“......”
“Princess Ravinia vanished with the Titan. That's not her in danger—it's her finding something on her own. She's not the type to get taken out in a place like this, right?”
“True, but...”
Cain bit his lip.
He had to find Ravinia, no matter what.
She was his sister and the spiritual pillar of the chimera school. Countless mages didn't want her dead. Many more would do anything to save her.
But he couldn't endanger his forces right here for her sake.
They could hold out here for a while.
They still had golems left, and their forces were strong. But they couldn't wait endlessly for her, not knowing where she'd hidden.
Considering the battle and the trek back down the mountain, it was undeniably a rotten hand.
“...Let's retreat.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Cain's group began their withdrawal.
Krrrng—
The monsters, drawn by the battle and blood, licked their chops at the sight of the scattered Frost Orc and human corpses.
But they soon hesitated and backed off.
The massive presence that appeared after the humans left made them wary.
“Scram, you dumb beasts.”
Even the Demon King's stern command didn't fully scatter the monsters. Berge clicked his tongue at the hostility in their eyes.
“I've killed a lot of them too, huh.”
To be looked down on by trash like this.
“Last warning.”
Krrrng—
The Demon King unleashed his magic power. His eyes turned pitch black. Dragon scales rippled across his skin.
“Get lost.”
Dragon Fear.
The monsters tucked tail and fled before the aura of the noble apex predator.
The Frost Orcs formed a circle, guarding the wreckage like sentinels.
“Golem! It's a golem!”
The dwarf threw himself at the golem half-buried in the snow, rushing past them.
He inspected the golem's body with his eyes, then rapped it with his fists. He poked and prodded, letting out a gasp of admiration.
“This iridescent sheen! Definitely an orichalcum alloy!”
Drawn by the blood, the monsters' arrival had prevented Cain's group from fully recovering everything.
The shattered golem remains were proof of that.
'More accurately, they were too fixated on Behemoth.'
They'd completely vanished the allied corpses and Behemoth's body without a trace. They'd planned to grab the priorities first and clean up later.
It had worked out perfectly for Berge.
His gaze shifted elsewhere. A human lay there, seemingly dead—unconscious. It was the golem sorcerer Krutoo had kidnapped on his orders.
Cain's group would probably assume he'd just been swept up and killed by the orc horde.
A huge haul, along with the golem.
That was when it happened.
Berge, surveying the battlefield, froze. Something odd prickled his senses.
“......”
He casually extended a hand. Black flames clung to the pristine snow. They burned hot, melting everything.
3m, 5m, 10m, 20m. It burrowed into the earth. And a monster emerged. Utterly pale, utterly still—it was more corpse than creature.
“......”
“......”
The woman curled in the monster's embrace lifted her head. Their eyes met.
“Demon King.”
“Princess?”
No, why the hell is this girl here?
“Why are you...?”
“Magic power.”
“You sensed my magic power?”
She shook her head.
Her finger pointed past Berge.
Krutoo.
“Orc. Didn't run.”
Her fingers crossed into an X.
She'd sensed Krutoo lurking nearby instead of fleeing. Even amid Behemoth's rampage.
Ravinia patted the Titan. The chest of the lifeless husk began to stir faintly.
At the same time, the barely detectable magic power twitched.
“......!”
Berge was stunned.
It was an astonishing sight. A Titan with all bodily functions halted, emitting no energy, coming back to life.
That it had fooled even a Demon King, if only briefly.
And that a mere 'human' had done it.
“How'd you do it?”
“Death.”
“I know you made it death-like.”
“Good?”
Berge barely suppressed his murderous urge.
“My lord. I'll kill her.”
“No, stand down.”
He stopped Krutoo from drawing his blade.
Berge cut to the root of it.
'They couldn't have missed something burrowed this deep.'
They wouldn't have just left with the princess missing. So her bizarre behavior here was approved by Cain Akan.
And the prince's approval was the king's.
In other words, Akan knew she was lurking here.
'Why?'
To find the tower?
Or.
'They knew I'd come?'
Chills ran down his spine. It wasn't impossible.
Berge had appeared before Ravinia to protect Krutoo once. If Akan had set a trap based on that?
If they'd known Frost Orcs would show up after their retreat, and Ravinia approached to lure Berge?
Berge reached one conclusion.
He absolutely could not kill Ravinia Akan.
She absolutely could not die mysteriously.
'That damn...!'
He recalled Drakson, who had strangled himself after Max Ormus's death.
“Why are you here?”
“Even if... I leave...”
“Come out.”
Tok tok—
Ravinia tapped the Titan. The once-corpse rose, its massive body heaving. With a single leap, it burst from the 20m pit.
Ravinia hopped down from the Titan's shoulder.
“Did Cain Akan ask you to wait for me? Figured I'd show up?”
“No.”
“No?”
“Yeah. Just me.”
“Just you?”
Not coordinated with the prince or Akan's leadership?
It was absurd, yet somehow not incomprehensible.
Ravinia Akan. Anyone who knew her even a little would know it wasn't impossible.
She was an uncontainable bomb.
But he couldn't rule out a trap entirely.
“Why wait alone?”
“Deal.”
“You want a deal?”
Her finger pointed at Berge.
“Monsters, demons.”
Then at herself.
“Money, help.”
“Money for monsters?”
“Yeah.”
Her pupils burned with pure passion. Madness. Greed.
He recalled her rescue from Drakson's tower. She'd traded money for monsters with Rozel Charnt.
And Berge knew that was just the tip of the iceberg.
'That explains hiding from her brother, I guess...'
“Ah, help means maybe a bit with the golem—”
“Shut it.”
“...Yes.”
Roger deflated at the oblivious interruption.
“You knew I'd come?”
“Guessed. Magic power.”
Sensed the magic power and guessed.
'Hold on. If she pulled this off alone...'
Akan would think she'd just gone missing in the Erjest Mountains. Meaning they wouldn't immediately link her death to Berge.
He had no intention of kidnapping her. Locking her in the tower would be a bad move.
But.
'What if she just returns a little late?'
Ravinia Akan was a chimera-making authority. A human proficient in magic power. And in mana too.
Undeniably perfect for Roger's golem core, as the dwarf said.
Complete the core with her help, then send her back?
They'd chalk it up to her wandering the harsh Erjest wilds.
“I can deal with you if you want.”
“Happy.”
“But on my terms.”
“......?”
“I'll take you to my tower. You'll cooperate there.”
“Yeah.”
“And you keep everything secret: meeting me, seeing the tower, finding it. Tell no one.”
“Why?”
“Because I want it that way.”
“Yeah.”
She nodded readily.
Berge knew she'd keep it.
'She did before the regression too.'
He'd never dealt with her directly. But he'd heard legends of her feats.
'Even when her collaboration with Jason was public knowledge, she never spilled what they did.'
Asked why, she said it was a promise. She kept her mouth shut despite pressure from countless kingdoms.
Berge decided to trust that precedent. Her unique mindset.
“Let's go.”
The orcs gathered the golem wreckage. They returned to the tower with the added princess and Titan in tow.
“Tower...”
“Yeah, the tower.”
“Cannons.”
“Mana cannons.”
“Lots.”
“All my work! Princess!”
Roger cleared his throat proudly, puffing his chest.
“I...”
“Help Roger with the golem core. Convince him yourself.”
Ravinia nodded. Then extended her hand.
“Monsters.”
“Core first.”
“...Promise.”
She stuck out her pinky.
“Fine.”
“Promise.”
Her finger stayed out. Berge had no choice but to hook his pinky. He was the desperate one.
“Yeah, promise. Then you keep the tower, the cooperation, everything here secret too.”
“Yeah. Promise. I'll keep. You keep too.”
She nodded.
Then, a faint unease stirred.
She was pure. So she didn't lie.
If he asked her to keep the tower's location secret, she would.
Even with a knife to her throat.
But if Akan asked.
Would Ravinia Akan say “I don't know” or “Secret”?
The thick dread made Berge probe cautiously.
“If your brother asks if you found the tower, what'll you say?”
“Secret.”
“...Fuck.”
“When the hell will we get a response?”
『Wait.』
“We've been waiting days already.”
『So?』
Hillun ground his teeth inwardly at the dark elf's curt reply. But crumbling over this would waste his built-up image.
“Still dealing with Akan?”
No word from the Demon King side was frustrating. Especially when he wanted to hear about the frosty lands ASAP and act.
『Not your concern.』
“Understood. Please pass on that I request a reply soon.”
『Got it.』
Communication cut. Hillun immediately sent a servant to the guild's annex. Nobles from various nations lingered there for the banquet connections.
Many heroes gathered, so plenty stayed to network.
“They invite you to lunch today.”
“Tell them I'll gladly come.”
The appointed time arrived swiftly.
Hillun donned a crisp suit and entered the annex. Guard knights recognized his face and opened the door.
He followed the corridor to the ornate, spacious dining hall. Guests were already there.
“Count Tomhal.”
Hillun bowed.
“Good to see you, great hero Hillun Kargil!”
Count Tomhal welcomed him warmly.
“Sit.”
“Yes.”
He clapped, and servants brought food. Warm tomato soup came first.
“Surprised you wanted to talk suddenly.”
“Really?”
“And pleased. First time you've approached me?”
“Yes.”
“Heh, eat up. The chef's a genius.”
The tomato soup was perfectly tangy, salty, with a nutty depth.
“Delicious.”
“Main'll be better.”
The main was roast chicken stuffed with seasonings between skin and meat, perfectly grilled. The juices burst ideally.
The count set down a chicken bone and spoke.
“Now, out with it.”
“Know what's happening in Hotenwork?”
“Hotenwork, eh.”
Hmm. Count Tomhal hummed thoughtfully. His odd gaze swept Hillun, who pressed on.
“I know Akan's forces reached Hotenwork.”
“...How?”
“Not exactly a secret, is it?”
“It was. Even if it's spreading. And not something you'd easily learn.”
“I'm an Argan of the guild.”
“Akan led this. No guild cooperation.”
In other words, no info leak to the Hero Guild.
“No guild branch in Hotenwork either.”
“After failing to find the Demon King's tower and retreating, we planted people there.”
“People?”
“Just in case. Might spot demons descending to kidnap royalty.”
“Odd excuse.”
“But true.”
“Then ask them.”
“Akan's camp is chaotic, but secrets are tight. That's why I'm asking.”
Hillun leaned in intently.
“Count, between us, you can share this much, right? Who knows? I might help you.”
“Hmm.”
The count pondered, then nodded.
“Don't forget this.”
“Of course.”
“I don't know details, but I hear...”
“You hear?”
“Akan's Third Princess went missing. In the Erjest Mountains.”
“...Third Princess? You don't mean...?”
“Yeah, the chimera princess.”
“......!”
This was insane.
Some things you touch, some you don't.
The dwarves' proud bloodline.
The mages' fanatic idol.
And Berge had touched both.
< 088. The Deal > End