A Useful Hillen Cargill
Now that he had persuaded Ernan, it was time to move on to the next step.
How should they send Ernan back to Hilderan in a convincing way?
The best method, of course, was to use Hillen Cargill—Berze and Gordon had reached that conclusion.
But that didn't mean there were no issues.
"For Hillen Cargill to rescue Ernan Hilderan, he ultimately has to come to the Tower."
And the only methods to do that were through a Heroic Expedition, or an assault squad.
But would anyone believe it was wise to attack the Tower—which had just been discovered and had devoured countless people—with only a small strike force?
Some might say it was possible because it was Hillen Cargill, but not everyone would agree.
Berze had invested tremendous effort into Hillen Cargill.
He must not become a target of suspicion before Berze could even make proper use of him.
"But if not Hillen, it makes even less sense."
"Indeed."
For a Demon King to release a princess for no reason—such a thing was unheard of.
Humans would be shocked, of course, but even other Demon Kings would consider it suspicious.
"This is maddening."
At times like this, establishing the Tower in Ergest was a problem.
If it had been built on an open plain, easy for anyone to enter, they could have spirited the princess away quietly and no one would have complained.
'No… then we would've been exterminated long ago.'
It was a meaningless fantasy.
Just then, one of the communication orbs began to glow.
"Speak of the orc and he arrives."
"Hillen Cargill?"
"Yes."
Berze infused mana into the communication orb.
"What is it?"
『Demon King, I have a request.』
"A request?"
『Please, do not be angered, and allow me to speak until the end.』
"What story could you possibly need such a long tongue for?"
『···Well…』
"I despise roundabout talk."
『Please.』
On the other side of the orb, Hillen Cargill lowered his head deeply.
『···Please give Ernan Hilderan to me.』
***
He had discovered the Tower.
He had been part of the journey and played a significant, central role.
Hillen Cargill had been at the heart of everything.
The 3rd imperial prince and the 2nd prince of the Korzen Kingdom had nominally been the commanders, but the ones who actually led the expedition were Hillen and Daphner Philian.
And with Daphner dead, all the fame flowed straight to Hillen.
But he could not enjoy any of it.
Hilderan had immediately summoned him.
"The king of Hilderan has called for you?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Hilderan must be eager. Go, then."
"My apologies."
"No need to apologize. You don't plan to skip my Heroic Expedition, do you?"
"Never. My resolve to subjugate the Infernal Tower has not changed."
"I'll trust in that."
After bidding farewell to Martin, Hillen returned to Hilderan.
"Hail Hillen Cargill, our hero!"
"A great hero!"
Upon entering the capital, a parade awaited him.
The people cheered and called his name.
It was genuinely joyful. He had always wanted to receive the awe and respect of the crowds.
But he couldn't relax, because he could already guess what would follow.
The parade stopped before the royal palace. Hillen dismounted, and knights approached him.
"His Majesty awaits."
"···Yes."
If only he weren't waiting.
The red carpet spread across the corridor looked like a path leading straight into hell.
'It's obvious. Now that the Tower's location is known, he'll command me to rescue the princess.'
Then Hillen would have no choice but to go, whether he lived or died.
Unless he intended to sever ties with Hilderan entirely.
A mission to rescue the crown princess, performed by the kingdom's greatest hero—there was absolutely no justification for refusing.
'Justification isn't the issue…'
If the king learned that Hillen had become the leader of the Heroic Expedition solely to kill him on behalf of Berze—
'There are many ways to commit suicide, it seems.'
Would Berze simply explode his head on the spot?
'I need to stop them. Somehow, by any means necessary, I must stop Hilderan's Heroic Expedition itself.'
With grim determination, Hillen Cargill entered the king's audience chamber.
"I greet the great king of Hilderan."
"It has been a while. Have you been well?"
"Yes."
"Yet your expression does not seem so well."
"That is not the case."
"Well, fine. I assume you know why I summoned you."
"Yes. I have a guess."
"Your words lack clarity."
"What exactly does Your Majesty desire of me?"
"Are you asking about something obvious?"
"I am the sword of Your Majesty and the sword of Hilderan. I will be swung according to your will, but I must know that will precisely so I may carry it out without a single misstep."
"The sword of Hilderan danced well enough in the hand of the Empire, didn't it?"
"Was that not also Your Majesty's wish?"
Heh—
the king burst into laughter.
"As expected, you're a sly one. Well, better that than a soft, useless fool."
"It pleases me to hear that, Your Majesty."
"I want my daughter—the crown princess of this nation, Ernan Hilderan."
"Do you not wish to kill the Demon King and destroy the Tower?"
"It would be a lie to say I have no such desire at all."
But the unspoken question lingered: must he?
"Hilderan has suffered a great wound to its pride. Naturally, it must be restored. Killing the Demon King and toppling the Tower would reclaim that shattered pride. But must I shed my own blood to do so?"
Even if a Demon King had difficulty exerting full power in Arein, a Demon King was still a Demon King.
And the Infernal Demon King had, luck or not, repelled multiple expeditions and search teams.
"You are considering the Empire, then."
"The Empire will shed its blood on our behalf. Why should I waste mine?"
"In that case…"
"But."
The king cut Hillen off.
"To make that work, our own kingdom must rescue the crown princess before those imperial bastards."
Not that they couldn't rescue her, but that they wouldn't—that was the impression they needed to give.
"And I will never tolerate seeing the lifeblood of this nation rescued by the Empire's filthy hands."
On a small scale, it was pride; on a larger scale, it was national dignity.
Therefore—
"You shall retrieve Ernan Hilderan."
This was a royal command.
"There is no right to refuse."
"······."
Hillen could not answer.
He could not answer.
"Your Majesty, we have only just located the Tower. Even so, the Infernal Demon King has devoured countless heroes, knights, and mages. No one knows what kind of demonic den it is."
Oh, he knew very well. The 1st floor held a dwarf hero who worshipped mana cannons and firepower.
But he had to pretend ignorance—had to exaggerate.
Only then might the king give up or at least delay.
"The Demon King did not devour them—Ergest devoured them. They wandered, unable to find the Tower, and suffered heavy losses."
"It was a demon who killed Daphner Philian. If the Demon King's subordinate has that much power, how strong must the Demon King be?"
"There are rumors that Daphner Philian did not face him alone. He was pursued by hundreds of monsters and ambushed by two high-rank demons—one of them a Four Heavenly King, they say. High-rank demons are not weak. In a surprise attack, such a thing is possible. But now you know about them."
And if one knows, then one can prepare.
"However."
"I believe their strength is exaggerated. It is known that the longer a Demon King remains here, the more power he regains. But the Infernal Demon King has been here barely a year. Those two demons—perhaps four, if the Four Heavenly Kings are counted—constitute the Tower's strength."
That was everything, in the king's view.
"Meaning that except for those demons, there is nothing else significant."
Completely wrong.
The Four Heavenly Kings weren't even all assembled—and none of them were actually demons.
One was the national treasure the king himself wanted back, one was an imperial princess, and one was Dora of Acan.
'There's one prerequisite.'
Ernan Hilderan must willingly follow Hillen.
Would she?
Would the Ernan Hilderan who had once smacked him in the back of the head and made him into the Demon King's pawn willingly go with him?
What nonsense.
"Your Majesty…"
"I do not mean to send only you and the Red Hawk assault unit. I will dispatch Hilderan's elites as well. Climb the Tower in secret."
"We may have to fight the Demon King."
"That is precisely why you are being sent. I did not command you to kill the Demon King."
The great hero who had slain two Demon Kings.
"Surely, against a Demon King who has been here barely a year, rescuing the princess and escaping is not beyond you?"
"······."
Hillen Cargill could not bring himself to say I cannot.
Because by common sense—
the king was right.
The reputation of Hilderan's hero became a shackle. A hero rescuing the princess was too natural, too expected.
"···Yes."
In the end, he had no choice but to nod.
***
『···And that is what happened.』
"So you basically boasted you would kill me and rescue Ernan."
『I never said it like that! And it sounds like an excuse, but I truly had no choice.』
Demon King or human—this was a forced choice.
And in front of the king of Hilderan, he could only choose the side of humans.
Ridiculous as it sounded, he at least had room to negotiate with the Demon King.
Before the king: saying he served the Demon King meant instant execution.
Before the Demon King: saying he would temporarily side with humans meant the Demon King would listen—and understand.
There was room for persuasion.
"So you think I'm easy to deal with."
『You know I didn't mean it that way!』
『This isn't a bad deal for you either. If I rescue Ernan Hilderan, the kingdom will withdraw and merely observe the situation.』
『One of the two powers threatening you will be removed.』
"Spare me the nonsense, Hillen Cargill. Before you're a human hero, you are my subordinate."
『Demon King, please···!』
"There is nothing realistic about your proposal. You will rescue Ernan? This is Ergest."
『I will not be alone! The king of Hilderan promised support. Elites—enough of them—will accompany me.』
"That's all?"
『It is not 'all.' The Empire and Acan may be strongest, but Hilderan is not far behind. Especially the royal knight order—comparable even to the Empire's Five Dragon Orders.』
"So they aren't equal."
『I cannot deny that, but… with Arghan's authority I can request help from the Hero Guild. With several additions, our strength will be enough.』
"You can withstand the firepower of hundreds of mana cannons?"
『That is…』
Impossible.
The firepower of mana cannons—especially those crafted by a dwarf artisan—was beyond imagination.
Hillen himself might survive them, but others? Impossible.
The moment they stepped onto the 1st floor, at least half the force would be obliterated.
『···If I may be so bold… perhaps Your Majesty could move the 1st floor's weapons to the next floor?』
"So you want a free advantage?"
Berze almost laughed in disbelief.
But he tilted his chin—continue, meaning he wanted to see how far Hillen would go.
『If the 1st and 2nd floors are filled only with a few monsters, I can sweep them aside and rescue Ernan Hilderan.』
『…If Your Majesty places her on the 1st or 2nd floor, that is.』
"You told the king of Hilderan all sorts of bold claims, yet you have many demands. And now you want me to pull a Reina-style stunt? Don't you find that ridiculous?"
『It is not just the Demon King of Frost. Recently, Watton Collo, who found the Tower of Diamondsteel, rescued the 3rd prince of the Gaina Kingdom.』
『And that prince was not at the top of the Tower—he was on the 3rd floor. Just like the Frost Tower, imprisoned within stone.』
Ugar?
He gave Ugar advice once when they rescued Elena—and apparently Ugar had learned well.
Well, it would be stranger if a coward didn't use such a method.
"And so?"
『Since two Demon Kings already do it, it won't seem strange if you do the same, Demon King.』
『If Ernan Hilderan is rescued that way, you will be freed of one more burden!』
"You mean you will survive."
『Normally that would be true, but this time, it is purely out of loyalty to you, Demon King…』
"Loyalty, is it. I have always doubted your loyalty. Even now you could have consulted me first. Instead, you are informing me. A subordinate informing his Demon King."
『That is not true! My loyalty to you has never wavered! The situation was simply too urgent, so I could not ask Your Majesty's intent in time.』
『But I am certain this path is the best for you, Demon King!』
"Then do it."
『…Truly?』
So easily?
Hillen had created the most convincing plan he could to persuade the Demon King, but he never imagined Berze would grant approval instantly.
His eyes widened.
"If you don't want to, then forget it."
『No! I will do it without question!』
"When your preparations are finished, report back."
『Yes!』
The communication cut off. Gordon, who had been listening quietly beside Berze, curled his lips in a sly smile.
"Your Majesty, you were correct. Hillen Cargill truly is useful. To think he would bring an alternative plan himself."
"The king of Hilderan issued a royal command. That resolves one major problem."
No one would now wonder why Hillen was forcing himself to climb the Tower.
The suspicion was erased completely.
"Hillen Cargill will never know. That the Demon King had already devised a similar plan and persuaded Ernan Hilderan beforehand."
"It doesn't matter whether he knows."
What mattered was—
Hilderan had been dealt with.
***
"What—what are you saying! Do you know how much effort I put into designing the 1st floor!?"
The dwarf shrieked.
"You want to tear all this apart and move it to the 3rd floor? This makes no sense!"
"Your role is to make the impossible possible."
"Demon King!"
"Do you not understand?"
Berze growled.
"This is not a request. It is an order."
"B-But…!"
Even under killing intent, Logar refused to back down easily.
This stubbornness, rare for him, was about to irritate Berze—
"When Your Majesty's plan succeeds, we won't be able to annihilate them with mana cannons!"
"···Right. You're insane, too."
"I prepared more than three hundred mana cannons! And we won't even get to fire them! They'll rust before they see use!"
"The ones you fired the other day—were those toys, then?"
"That was only two or three shots! The true brilliance of mana cannons appears only when you unleash dozens—hundreds—without hesitation!"
Firepower.
Annihilating, obliterating, overwhelming firepower!
"That is the true essence of mana cannons!"
His proud, forceful declaration made Berze click his tongue.
It was irritating—but somehow hard to stay angry.
'He always exceeds expectations, after all…'
In the end, Berze decided not to handle him harshly, but to appease him instead.
"I'll allow you to dismantle part of the Tower while moving the entire 1st floor to the 3rd."
Instantly, Logar's expression changed.
"I will uproot the entire 1st floor and plant it into the 3rd! Thoroughly! Perfectly! Without any flaw! With utmost combat efficiency!"
"That's enough."
"Yes, sir!"
Logar shut his mouth—but the greed glittering in his eyes did not disappear.
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