Chapter 90 : Either Way
Chapter 90: Either Way
Raymon did not understand Lavinia’s words.
He raged that they had to escape immediately, but instead of persuading him further, Lavinia had Cher seize him and drag him before the Demon King.
“···Y-You’re, Demon King of Dark Flame!”
“Choose. Will you make the golem and receive your compensation, or···.”
“What glory or wealth could I possibly crave so much that I’d betray humanity for the Demon King?!”
“It seems you misunderstood something. The compensation I spoke of is not riches.”
“···Then?”
“Your life.”
“···Hic.”
“I will spare you.”
And a short additional conversation (threat) followed.
“Do it.”
“But Your Highness, I cannot help the Demon King···!”
“Do it.”
“But—”
“Do you want to die?”
“······.”
“Order. Do it.”
When Lavinia Akan even added coercion in the form of an “order,” Raymon finally lowered his tail.
Lavinia and Raymon went together down to the Demon Realm workshop on the first floor.
And Raymon was stunned.
“···Good heavens. Why are you here?”
Roger Friedrich.
Raymon gaped at the appearance of one of the top three greatest artisans in the entire Berfht Kingdom.
As a golem artificer, Roger was someone he couldn’t not know—an absolute authority.
“···Ahem.”
For the first time since entering the Demon King’s Tower, Roger cleared his throat as he received genuine respect. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to shamelessly lean into it.
“Is it strange that I’m here?”
“This is the Demon King’s Tower!”
“An artisan is not bound by location.”
“Maybe not by location, but you should be bound by species! You’re even a hero!”
“···Prejudice must be abolished.”
“···And what does that mean?”
It didn’t end there. The Demon King’s Tower, which should have been filled with monsters and demons, was instead overflowing with mana cannons.
“Surely… you made all of these?”
“Yes. Now you are to add golems here as well.”
“Good lord···.”
Raymon clutched his face and sank to the ground. He could not believe this horrific reality.
“Have you never considered that the heroes will die to the mana cannons you made?”
“If I don’t do this, I’ll lose my life before any hero dies to a mana cannon. Same goes for you.”
“···That’s—”
“You already finished talking with the Demon King, didn’t you?”
“···Akan’s golem-making technique is the best in the world! This is top-secret!”
“In the face of death, there is no such thing as top-secret. Just give up and let the situation carry you. You’ll find it easier.”
Roger spoke with the expression of a man enlightened to the ways of the world.
“···What exactly do I have to do?”
Raymon finally resigned.
Right—if even the kingdom’s greatest artisan and a hero-level dwarf was playing servant to the Demon King, what reason did he have not to?
On top of that, Raymon had the princess’s orders. A vassal obeying the sovereign was only natural.
Thus, Raymon entered the Demon Realm workshop.
He admired the view of the Demon Realm’s workshop, completely different from that of humans—but only briefly.
“···So, what am I supposed to do?”
“You must create a golem core using demonic energy instead of mana.”
“···A golem core with demonic energy? That’s impossible!”
“Do it.”
“Your Highness! This isn’t a matter of willpower! The fundamental principles—!”
“Do it. Already. Compensation.”
“······.”
---
After abducting Lavinia Akan and the golem artificer, Berje paid closer attention to Hortonwork.
How Cain and Akan’s group acted was of utmost importance.
But fortunately, the world sided with Berje.
『A return order was issued, and they withdrew this morning.』
『It seems Lavinia Akan’s usual behavior helped.』
Lavinia Akan had a record of fleeing the palace and acting on her own whims to satisfy her desires.
She had traveled alone into monster-infested danger zones, and had recently been found inside the Beast’s Tower.
So they concluded this incident the same way.
Lavinia Akan’s deviation.
They did not submit a request to the Hero Guild, nor did they go around claiming the princess was kidnapped by the Demon King.
They simply withdrew quietly.
“Then bring the elves. Be careful of people’s attention.”
『Yes, I will.』
Of course, he couldn’t fully relax. Human hearts were fickle—while they saw this as a mere act of rebellion now, they might turn it into a Demon King abduction for the sake of the kingdom’s honor.
Caution was always necessary.
『I can finally reach you now.』
In place of Granada, who had vanished from the communication sphere, Hillan Cargill appeared.
“I’ve heard most of it.”
『What would you have me do?』
“You want to step forward.”
『To be honest, yes. Jesica Horton is a beloved princess of the Horton Kingdom.』
『I don’t want to miss a chance to build a good connection with her.』
“Jesica Horton, huh.”
Indeed, she was an outstanding hero and a widely respected princess. Rumor said that if not for good sibling relations, the king might have cast her aside simply because her prestige surpassed his.
‘Hm.’
Berje pondered.
For Hillan Cargill’s sake—and for Reina Sordein’s sake—it was better to stop him.
Before the regression, the White Eagle and Gillian Aint had tried to seize the Frost Tower and use it like a farm.
Would Gillian Aint not have asked Jesica Horton for help back then?
Would she not have sought help from another hero, using her circumstances as justification?
No.
‘The one who stepped forward then was probably···’
Daphne Phillian.
Daphne did not command a raid team or a faction, but even alone he performed admirably.
But the result?
Defeat. he underestimated Reina Sordein, caused trouble, and could not handle Reina’s fury after being helped by Jason.
‘The odds of failure are high this time as well.’
Even if Hillan Cargill replaced Daphne Phillian, the outcome would be the same. Hillan Cargill as he was now was still unfinished.
Berje predicted failure.
In the end, the victor would be Reina Sordein. For Hillan’s reputation, stopping him was best.
But—
‘Is that really the best choice?’
He considered the scenario where Hillan Cargill failed.
A hero was like a berserking gladiator.
As victories piled up, fame and authority rose—but a single defeat could take everything away.
Hillan Cargill had not secured his future just because he killed the Lust Demon King. If he had failed to find Berje’s Tower, he would’ve been finished.
There were countless heroes in Arein who could replace him.
‘But Hillan Cargill is different.’
A hero who absorbed two Demon Kings could not be the same as ordinary ones.
The reason he didn’t lose his Star position even after failing to find a tower in Ergest was because he killed the Lust Demon King.
So one more failure wouldn’t cause a huge problem. Sure, he’d be ridiculed, but that was his burden to bear.
‘This brat’s been getting cockier lately.’
After killing Draxon and becoming Argann, he had grown arrogant.
He needed his nose broken at least once—to learn his place. Who was master and who was servant.
“No.”
But first, Berje forbade him.
“Reina Sordein is far stronger than you imagine. The loss outweighs the gain.”
Knowing that this alone wouldn’t break Hillan’s will, he allowed the boy to persist—so that when his wings broke, he would look all the more pitiful.
『···But—』
“You still want to do it?”
『This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put Jesica Horton in my debt.』
“Then do it.”
『I may go?』
Hillan blinked.
“You said you wanted to.”
『But I didn’t expect you to allow it so easily. Is your relationship with the Frost Demon King similar to the Beast Demon King?』
『Or is there something else···?』
This was why perceptive types were irritating.
“If it seems suspicious, are you not going to go? Let me be clear: I have not personally done anything.”
『But you admit there *is* something?』
“You’ll find out as you go. Whether you push through it and become the great hero you wish to be, or end up a pitiful failure—that’s up to you.”
A brief silence followed. But soon, Hillan nodded.
『···Understood.』
『I am Hillan Cargill. I will succeed no matter what.』
“Pray that you do.”
『Thank you. Then I’ll take my leave.』
Hillan bowed his head. The communication cut.
“Thank me? I should be thanking you.”
Berje’s lips curled upward.
He swiftly manipulated the communication sphere.
“Reina Sordein. I have very beneficial information for you.”
It wasn’t simple personal spite that made him hope for Hillan’s failure.
When weighing success against failure, failure had the higher probability. But Berje wanted profit even out of failure.
‘If I use this opportunity to make Reina owe me a favor?’
And if Hillan succeeded anyway, that in itself would be another gain.
‘With Hillan’s level, as long as he doesn’t reach the top of the tower and face Reina directly, he won’t die easily.’
Either way—
In the end, the one laughing would be Berje.
---
“I think the Demon King might secretly love *The Demon King’s Standard* more than anyone.”
When he reached the 5th floor, Gordon was wearing a sulky expression.
“What kind of nonsense is that.”
“Even in all this chaos, you’ve brought back yet another princess. Isn’t that exactly the problem you always talk about?”
“It’s not that the problem doesn’t exist, but it’s close enough to none.”
“···How does that make sense?”
“Officially, Lavinia Akan wasn’t kidnapped. She just separated from her group on her own.”
“······.”
How in the world did that become the conclusion?
The princess left her group on her own?
In the Ergest Mountains?
Was the princess insane?
Gordon wanted to ask many things, but dismissed them all with a single remark.
“···You’ve picked up another strange princess.”
“If she weren’t strange, she wouldn’t agree to cooperate with the Demon King.”
“···That does make sense.”
It was oddly reasonable.
“Lavinia Akan and the golem artificer will help Roger make golems. They say they’re the most knowledgeable about demonic energy among humans. They’ll find an answer.”
“I see. Then Akan has completely withdrawn?”
“Yes.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Gordon let out a sigh of relief.
Berje had been fairly busy, and the tower was gradually gaining more inhabitants.
But even so, all he could trust on the first floor were the cannons and the strange princesses. Gordon found it impossible to rely on them.
“A moment ago, we received a message from the Golden Moon Merchant Company.”
“What is it?”
“Just a routine report. Weapon prices have risen as much as they can, so they intend to sell everything. And they’re planning to expand into a new business···.”
“Tell them not to sell.”
“Pardon?”
“The northern barbarians picked a fight with Reina. Hillan Cargill is joining them too. The situation will continue for a while.”
“Hillan Cargill? Don’t tell me you intend to have him kill the Frost Demon King too···?”
“No. This time it’s the opposite. I’m fixing the increasingly arrogant Hillan Cargill’s attitude.”
“This is my favorite plan you’ve ever made, my lord.”
Gordon smiled faintly.
“Ah, may I make one suggestion?”
“Speak.”
“Now that the Golden Moon Merchant Company and Hillan Cargill have settled into their roles, how about filling the tower properly?”
“I *am* filling it.”
“Not with princesses. Properly, like a Demon King!”
“I was planning to do that soon anyway.”
“Truly?”
Gordon brightened.
“Yes. I plan to station monsters on the 2nd floor.”
“What kind of monsters?”
“Balrogs.”
“······.”
“I’m dying to see what expression the heroes will make after enduring the mana cannons’ firenets only to face that.”
Right, of course.
He had never intended to keep *The Demon King’s Standard* even for a moment.
Gordon uttered a soft curse.
---
“A new princess arrived.”
“I saw.”
She had only seen her in passing during training. The massive demon following behind her left a strong impression.
‘Lavinia Akan.’
When the Demon King brought her in, she had been utterly shocked.
There wouldn’t be a single noble of either the Empire or any kingdom who didn’t know her.
The king of Akan’s troublesome child.
And at the same time, the treasure of the Akan Kingdom.
That dual evaluation described her perfectly.
“Akan Kingdom won’t sit quietly.”
The king might find it refreshing, but the Mage Tower would not.
“Are you worried about the Demon King?”
“···Is that what it sounds like?”
‘Worried about the Demon King? Me?*’
No, impossible.
If the Demon King died, it would actually be for the better. She’d be free of this tower and her empire’s honor would remain unstained.
But she gave a small nod.
“I am the Demon King’s knight.”
A knight’s oath was a symbol of honor and trust. If she could not uphold that oath, could she still call herself a knight?
Even if the one she served was the Demon King. Even if she had been forced.
She had spoken the oath with her own mouth. For at least five years, she would live as the Demon King’s most loyal knight.
“You truly are perfect material for a Dark Knight.”
“···I have something to say about that.”
“Yes.”
“The Demon King never wanted the Four Heavenly Kings—”
“Oh, right. But don’t worry about that.”
“No, that’s not what I— The Four—”
“The Demon King said Lavinia Akan wasn’t kidnapped.”
“···What does that even mean?”
“He said it was voluntary joining, not kidnapping.”
“That’s impossible—no, I guess it *could* be?”
She couldn’t understand it, yet somehow it made sense.
Lavinia Akan was known to be wanderlust-driven. The last time she was seen, she was in the Beast’s Tower.
“What do you think?”
“Pardon?”
“Lavinia Akan is a chimera creator. The continent’s greatest chimera creator.”
“I don’t understand your point.”
“There are four in the Four Heavenly Kings. The Spirit Sorceress of Darkness.”
Ernan pointed at herself.
“The Dark Knight.”
Then at Kaede.
“The Giant of Hell.”
Lastly, toward the direction of the first floor.
“And the Commander of the Legion of Death.”
“···You truly are—”
“Truly what?”
“Certifiably insane.”
More insane than Louise Berfht or Lavinia Akan.
“That’s a rude thing to say.”
“Compared to you tricking me, that is extremely light.”
“I arranged a glorious position for you.”
“Not even slightly.”
“But you can’t deny you’re already the Dark Knight.”
“If one out of four is missing, it hardly seems like a problem.”
“You called yourself the Demon King’s knight, didn’t you? If you’re the Demon King’s knight, of course you’re the Dark Knight. Would a knight break her own oath?”
“···Haa.”
Kaede rose. She wiped the sweat from her face and picked up her sword again.
“I have to continue training. Please leave.”
“It’s rude to do something else in the middle of an important conversation.”
“It’s not important at all, and you’re the one who came during training.”
“Let’s overlook such trivialities.”
“Yes, so please go.”
She began swinging her sword.
But Ernan did not leave. She squatted and simply watched Kaede slice through the air.
“When we went out of the tower to kidnap Ellena—after Ellena reached the palace and the banquet preparations began, there was a brief moment of free time. The Demon King allowed it, so I listened to a rumor from one of my information contacts. Ah, she didn’t know I was a princess because I had my face covered.”
Kaede did not react. Ernan continued anyway.
“They say the 8th prince of the Zespine Empire died. I heard he was riding a horse when it went wild and he fell to his death···. But isn’t he a mid-grade aura knight?”
“······!”
Kaede’s sword froze.