Chapter 75 : To Be Remembered in History
Chapter 75-Unedited: To Be Remembered in History
The friend of the woman who had killed her own kind had been strong. Incredibly strong.
Every other chimera that had poured out had been slain, but that was the end of it.
Krutu, drenched in blood, had no choice but to flee.
The subordinates who survived scattered in all directions at his command. Fortunately, both the human and the monster chased after Krutu alone.
“Demonic energy. Monster. Demon race?”
His blood left a trail across the snow-white field. A path of blood was drawn.
Thud, thud, thud—
The massive chimera’s footprints trampled over that trail.
‘I must go to the Demon King.’
Only then could he live.
It was instinct.
“Ah.”
Moments later, Krutu let out a gasp and collapsed when he saw a distant silhouette.
Fwoosh—
Black flames fell, cutting between the chimera and Krutu.
“My Demon King!”
Krutu shouted.
Berje revealed an irritated smile.
“···Forgive me. I failed to carry out your command.”
“Stay back.”
He passed the sniffling Krutu. Berje stepped forward. The chimera shook off the flames. The human perched on its shoulder muttered,
“Demon King?”
Berje suppressed the sigh that threatened to escape on its own.
‘Annoying.’
His earlier suspicion had been correct.
He had seen that face. Before regression, and after regression.
He had hoped never to see her again, but perhaps this was the price for breaking the standard— it seemed the First Demon Emperor had no intention of overlooking his actions.
‘Petty.’
Pointless thoughts ended there. Berje looked her over.
Her long, pale lavender hair, reaching down to her hips, was somewhat matted and dirty. Her red eyes, resembling a chimera’s, brimmed with the purity of passion and curiosity.
But that purity was madness.
That was why she must never be involved with.
‘If I just kill her now?’
There were no witnesses. Meaning no evidence.
She was practically a runaway child; the kingdom might simply overlook it.
‘But they wouldn’t be unaware she climbed up here.’
Her movements stood out too much. At the very least, the kingdom would know she had stepped into the Ergest Mountains.
What came after might be uncertain, but if they caught even a small clue, that would be troublesome in its own way.
“Does the Kingdom of Acan know? That you came here.”
“You, know me?”
“How could I not.”
“I, don’t know you.”
“Is that important?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Father. Knows.”
“Mother knows.”
“Royal Knight Commander.”
“Master of the Magic Tower.”
“Sisters, brothers.”
“Younger siblings.”
It was her answer to the question of who knew.
At that point, it was fair to assume everyone knew.
“Did you not sneak out this time?”
“Sneak, yes. Younger brother. Sneak.”
“Younger brother?”
“Below.”
‘···Don’t tell me.’
Had Acan deliberately assigned escorts to follow her?
If so, the knights would be searching.
Since it was the Acan Kingdom, there would be many mages as well.
With a princess so unruly, they must have dispatched those skilled in tracking.
A chill ran down his spine.
His instincts screamed that further involvement was dangerous.
‘Acan is a nation stronger than Hilderan.’
Moreover, their magical strength was so powerful even the empire coveted it. Although they had suffered considerable losses at the Beast’s Tower, that was still only a small part of Acan as a whole.
“That.”
She extended her hand. Her white fingertip pointed at Krutu.
“Give him. To me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Her finger shifted toward him.
“Need.”
“······.”
What was he supposed to do with this damnably pure princess?
The urge to kill rose again.
He glanced at Krutu’s body. Covered in wounds. Anyone could see the path he had taken was a battlefield drenched in blood.
Erasing all of that would take time.
Would it be faster to kill her and erase the traces, or would the Acan search party— who must have realized her escape— find them first?
Either way, it was a gamble. And Berje had no interest in staking his life on a gamble because of one unhinged human.
‘Fortunately···.’
This place was a fair distance from the tower. If he fled with intent, they wouldn’t catch up.
The moment he finished thinking, he moved. He grabbed Krutu’s body and spread his wings.
“Ah.”
Left alone, the princess’ mouth hung open in a daze.
“······.”
She climbed down from the chimera’s shoulder. Stepping onto the earth where the snow had completely melted, she searched for remnants of demonic energy.
Good.
“Demonic energy.”
Good.
“Material.”
She wanted it.
A pure, rippling greed surged.
* * *
“Don’t move for a while. Keep the orcs in line and absolutely avoid clashes.”
“Yes. Thank you for sparing me.”
After giving Krutu firm warnings, Berje sent him back to the orc tribe.
Berje then went straight up to the 4th floor to find Ernane.
“Do you know about Lavinia Acan?”
“If you mean Lavinia Acan, you mean the 3rd Princess of Acan?”
“Yes.”
“Mm, it feels strange to speak like this about a princess, but she’s completely insane.”
It was the first time Ernane had used such a blunt expression, but Berje agreed with it.
“If she were to be killed, what do you think would happen?”
“I think a hero’s march would happen.”
“I heard she was a child abandoned by the kingdom?”
“Only from the king’s perspective. In the magical community, she’s treated quite preciously. You might not know this, but she’s the top authority in chimera research.”
“She’s only in her twenties, isn’t she? I didn’t think Acan was that lacking in talent.”
“It’s not that they lack talent. It’s that no mage has dug that deeply into chimera research. Even if they study monsters or magical beasts, they’re still dealing with life.”
No matter how many insane mages existed, dealing with living beings always stirred sensitivity.
Yet the chimera school persisted for one reason.
Because in the process of studying monsters and magical beasts, their weaknesses were uncovered one by one.
Currently, the heroes played a major role in the relationship between the Demon King and humans, but the chimera mages’ contributions were certainly not small.
“It’s a kind of necessary evil. Of course, she’s a genius. The Master of Acan’s Royal Magic Tower praises her constantly— saying she would have become an Archmage if she had learned ordinary magic.”
Ernane tilted her head.
“But why are you suddenly asking··· don’t tell me?”
“What you’re thinking is probably correct.”
“···I’ve heard she sometimes wanders alone to rescue monsters or magical beasts, but I didn’t think she’d reach Ergest.”
“I was surprised too.”
“She didn’t reach the tower, did she?”
“She’s a bit far from the tower.”
“Mm, that’s a relief. Then can’t we just leave her alone? Ergest is vast and filled with monsters; she won’t be able to handle it all. Stirring up unnecessary trouble sounds worse.”
Berje agreed. Then, suddenly, he let out a hollow laugh.
‘To think I’m having this kind of conversation with a princess. Something unimaginable before regression.’
He had long known he was changing. Maybe for better, maybe for worse.
But at least so far, it had been right. Ernane’s help had benefited him.
One way or another, he wished this crisis would pass safely.
He still did not want to be entangled with a kingdom like Acan.
* * *
“Now, speak.”
Louise crossed her legs and gestured with her chin.
“You’ve already received everything I promised as compensation.”
The reward for saving the princess was anything but small.
By Hillan’s name, a weapon-supply treaty was established between the Hero Guild and the Berfht Kingdom, and at his request, some of those supplies were to be provided to the Golden Moon Merchant Company.
Personally, he received the right to obtain equipment crafted by the kingdom’s greatest artisan— and money as well.
But all of that was merely extra. The true prize was reputation. The fact that he rescued a princess from a Demon King spread across the continent within days.
Because Berfht intentionally leaked it at Hillan’s request.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t show gratitude with words, but with actions. Where is Roger Friedrich?”
“Before that, may I ask just one thing?”
“What now.”
“Why are you looking for Roger?”
“Now you want to know my personal business?”
“As you may have guessed, I’ve formed a rather good relationship with Roger. If Your Highness intends to kill him, then I cannot tell you.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t kill him.”
“Then?”
“I’ll lock him in a workshop and make him craft my equipment for life.”
Ah. Maybe breaking one leg wouldn’t hurt— to keep him from running.
“···In that case, I cannot tell you.”
“Ha, so you want to go against me now? You got everything you wanted, is that it?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Roger Friedrich disobeyed my orders and fled in the night. Catching and punishing him is my rightful authority.”
It wasn’t fleeing in the night— it was nighttime kidnapping.
“If completing Your Highness’s command removes his crimes, isn’t that enough?”
“Are you joking? That’s not how calculations work. Why would someone like you say something so foolish?”
Louise slammed the table. Tea splashed in every direction.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I want to mediate between Your Highness and Roger.”
This was Hillan’s decision, not Berje’s.
Roger Friedrich was one of the three greatest master artisans in the Dwarven Kingdom— and the only one among them who was a hero.
A craftsman capable of embedding dimensional interference power into weapons or armor. His creations fetched whatever price one called— and Hillan wanted them.
But he could not freely use him because the eyes of the Dwarven Kingdom were on him.
If he asked a Demon King, Roger would certainly craft the equipment. The cloud emblem symbolizing Roger could be changed or hidden.
But there was no guarantee that would last.
Dwarves had sharp eyes for craftsmanship, and artisans capable of embedding interference power were exceedingly rare.
Naturally, all attention would gather, and the Hero Guild and the Dwarven Kingdom would eventually act. No matter the excuse, more excuses would follow, and eventually they would uncover the truth. It might be far in the future, but if this problem wasn’t resolved, it would inevitably happen someday.
“Mediation is fine. But I want only one thing— his custody.”
“If you threaten or coerce him, Roger will never cooperate. You know how stubborn artisans are.”
“No, Roger actually works best when he’s threatened.”
“······.”
Judging from his behavior in the tower, that might even be true— but Hillan should not accept that.
“Please, at least hear my proposal first.”
“As I said, I don’t see why I should negotiate with you over someone who originally belonged to the Berfht Kingdom. You may be my savior, but don’t you think you’re overstepping?”
“You want revenge, do you not?”
“Revenge? Me? Against who?”
“The Lust Demon King.”
“······.”
Though the attempt had failed, it had still been a kidnapping, and Louise had been harmed. Would someone as prideful as her simply accept that?
No.
She would one day be filled with the will to tear that Demon King limb from limb.
‘Louise Berfht is the one who smashed Prince Max’s head. She will not let this matter go.’
Berje might hope the Lust Demon King survived, but if the Berfht Kingdom acted in earnest, he wouldn’t be able to stop it.
“I can help you.”
By saving the princess, he had gained immense fame— and would gain more.
But human greed never ended.
Hillan did not want to lose his chance to become greater.
A hero who captured two Demon Kings was remembered in history— but a hero who hunted three Demon Kings had never existed in a thousand years.
Hillan—
wanted to become the one and only figure remembered in history.