Chapter 129 : Found It
Chapter 129: Found It!
After descending upon Arein.
There was only one time Berje had seen the crimson sword aura.
Before awakening his rarity, just before death.
It had been red like the blood that pierced his heart, and its heat had been unbearably intense.
After regression, he had looked into whether there were heroes who wielded red swords, but nothing in particular had turned up.
But to think it was actually in the Empire?
‘It sounds plausible.’
The fundamental cause that had driven Berje to his death back then was the kidnapping of the Crown Prince.
If the Empire, enraged by the Crown Prince’s abduction, selected an outstanding hero and bestowed upon him the Empire’s sword—
Then everything was explained.
‘No, even so, I can’t be absolutely certain.’
It was nothing more than a hypothesis.
‘I need to confirm it. If that sword is indeed that sword, it will become a clue to take one step closer to that hero bastard.’
The sworn enemy who had mocked Berje and stabbed through his heart.
“A crimson sword aura?”
“That is correct.”
“If it is the Empire’s symbol, shouldn’t it be gold?”
“Do you know the history of the Empire?”
“Do I need to?”
“When the Empire was founded....”
“Get to the point.”
“Originally, there were five swords, but they were lost, and the only one remaining is the Red Dragon Sword.”
So it was the sole symbol.
“And you expect me to believe you would hand that over to you so easily? A man who claims he wants to become Emperor.”
“A symbol is merely a symbol. The Red Dragon Sword is extremely important, but compared to my life, compared to becoming your puppet outright, this is preferable. In the end, it is nothing more than an object.”
Well.
It did not seem to be just that. Still, between Martin, who said that becoming a retainer was impossible even if it meant death, and Berje, who had to grasp his hand somehow, it was the most reasonable compromise.
However, the fundamental problem had yet to be resolved.
“I can’t trust you. How am I supposed to believe you won’t just run away after promising the Red Dragon Sword? You’re a man who says he’d rather die than become my retainer.”
“I understand. I also cannot trust you.”
“If you wish to live, if you hope your younger sibling remains unharmed.”
Put forward something I can accept.
“....”
Martin closed his mouth for a moment.
He had spoken with Kaede, but the information about the Demon King had been fragmentary. What the Demon King wanted, what he himself could give—he could be certain of nothing.
Nor of what he should give to minimise his own losses.
“Then let me ask the opposite. What do you want?”
“I’m the one asking the questions.”
“....”
Without a word, Martin bit his thumb. The dripping blood fell onto the ring on his left hand.
The ring trembled, and a small subspace opened its door. He reached into the subspace and took out a single token.
“This is a pass that allows entry to the Empire’s archive. It was crafted from a single piece of solid orichalcum, and it bears magic engravings and circuits engraved by a great mage.”
Berje accepted the token. The intricate magical formulas made his vision swim.
“The tokens were all produced long ago, when the archive was first created—five in total. For hundreds of years, the number has neither increased nor decreased. That alone makes it proof and a symbol of the Empire. Among the imperial family, only my two elder brothers, my elder sister, and I possess them, and the moment I lose it, I become guilty of high treason.”
He would not truly become a traitor. However, his honor would be stained. His reputation would collapse, and the disappointed Emperor could strip away the rights he had granted him.
In other words, he would be completely eliminated from the line of succession.
“All this for something like that?”
“It is not ‘something like that’. It is a symbol passed down through generations of the imperial family.”
The archive contained everything of the Empire. Because of that, only the Emperor, or those extremely close to the Emperor, could possess the key to that place.
Since at some point, it was never strange for that key—once a mere sign granted to imperial family members with the possibility of succession—to become the very will to inherit the throne.
Berje glanced sideways at Kaede.
“That’s right. It’s that kind of symbol. If it’s said that my elder brother betrayed the Demon King and had it taken by the Demon King, and that we should prepare for it, it would instead become a symbol of incompetence, and he would lose everything.”
“And if I spread that rumor?”
“It would be the same.”
Hmm.
Kaede did not lie. That trust stemmed partly from her disposition, but it was also reinforced by the fact that Berje could check her physical condition using Armani’s Orb.
‘So it’s a key that can drive the Third Prince to ruin.’
A kind of leash, was it?
“...Fine. But.”
“But?”
“Hand over your blood as well. Who do you think you’re fooling?”
At this very moment, the token in his hand was generating a repulsive force. Berje saw through the spell. This would not function unless it carried the blood of the one who had engraved it.
In other words, unless it bore the Third Prince’s blood, this token was nothing more than a symbol.
Even if everything the Third Prince said was true, Berje needed, at the very least, a way to use the token himself in case of contingencies.
“...Very well.”
The Third Prince took out an empty glass vial from subspace and filled it with his blood. He handed it to Berje.
“Then, may I ask one last thing?”
“In celebration of becoming business partners, I’ll gladly answer.”
“Ever since earlier, you’ve looked so similar that my mouth’s been itching to ask—do you know someone named Pale?”
The Demon King’s face crumpled.
“Do you know someone named Balkasis?”
“I do not. Who is that?”
“A demon of the Demon Realm.”
“And how would I possibly know that....”
“Then how, and why, should I know something like a human?”
“...I understand.”
And with that, the deal was struck.
* * *
‘I will live.’
Martin Zespine wanted to live.
He wanted to become Emperor.
Rather than dying lonely on a snow-covered mountain range, he wanted to become the Emperor of the Empire and rule all under heaven.
But his chances of becoming Emperor were low. The First Prince, the Second Prince, and the First Princess—there was not a single one among them who was inferior to Martin. The mountains he had to overcome were too high and too steep.
That was why he had come to Ergest, braving the danger. To earn merit and somehow overturn the situation.
He failed and ended up like this, but his desire had not diminished in the slightest.
“I do not want my elder brother to die.”
“Kaede.”
Kaede had told him to use the Demon King.
That the Demon King would definitely be of help.
Her earnestness further fueled his desire, and so he accepted it.
With only one exception—becoming the Demon King’s retainer.
‘If I become someone’s puppet even after becoming Emperor, can that truly be called an Emperor?’
An Emperor was supreme. A ruler who commanded all under heaven. And yet, for such an Emperor to be nothing more than the Demon King’s puppet?
He would rather die than tolerate that. He refused—and fortunately, they found a compromise.
‘The Red Dragon Sword, Barstain.’
There was not a shred of falsehood in his words.
That Barstain’s blade was red.
That it symbolized the Emperor, the imperial family, and the Empire.
That without it, legitimacy would be diminished.
That it slept within the imperial treasury.
That Martin possessed one access pass and could escort guards as far as the entrance—all of that was true.
He simply had not mentioned that the treasury had been designed and constructed by a great mage who, for the first and last time in human history, engraved nine sigils, and that it had been continuously improved ever since.
Nor that, because of this, it was nearly impossible for the Demon King to safely steal the Red Dragon Sword.
In the end, the Demon King would fail. But Martin would have kept his promise, thus providing a foothold to continue cooperation between them.
‘Cooperating with the Demon King of Dark Flame can become a means to elevate my prestige.’
Humans and demons were enemies.
But precisely because they were enemies, there were things they could give each other.
A clandestine relationship with the Demon King, as long as it was not discovered, would clearly become a great source of power for him.
The problem was the massive backlash if it were discovered—but if it wasn’t discovered, that was all that mattered.
“Then please release me now.”
Martin set his expression with resolve.
* * *
“I will go and look for His Highness the Prince.”
“Lord Daphne?”
“Yes. He likely hasn’t gone far yet. If it’s me, I can catch up easily. But moving as a group would draw the monsters’ attention and prevent us from gaining speed. Retrieving him myself is the most appropriate course.”
The opponent was at least a high-ranking demon. The only one who could chase the fleeing target and rescue the Prince alone was Daphne.
“There is no one faster than me. There is also no one as skilled as I am at finding and pursuing someone.”
No one could refute it, and Jacksimus, the commander of the Blue Wyvern Knight Order who had temporarily taken command of the soldiers in place of the kidnapped Prince, agreed.
Belof nodded as well. Regardless of whether the Prince could be rescued or not, the moment they opposed it, it was obvious that the Empire would push back.
“Please save His Highness.”
“I will do my utmost.”
Daphne left the search party.
‘Find him.’
He had said he would definitely rescue Martin, but in truth, he did not consider the Prince himself to be important.
‘The Prince was kidnapped. In other words, that demon will definitely take the Third Prince to the Tower.’
Therefore, if he chased that demon—
The Tower would appear.
It was a very simple deduction.
‘Find it. This time, I will definitely find it.’
There could never be a second failure.
His gaze followed the traces left by the demon.
* * *
After Daphne disappeared, the search party reoriented itself.
The Empire sought to rescue the Prince, and the Kingdom sought to find the Tower.
In the end, the goals of the two groups were the same, and Belof could not afford to miss this opportunity.
‘If we fail even this time, we may never find the Tower of Dark Flame.’
Now that the Empire was stepping forward in earnest, this was the chance. The Third Prince had been kidnapped, but their overall strength remained relatively intact. If they found the Tower, everything would be resolved.
No matter what losses were incurred, they had to find the Tower.
Then, Jacksimus brought up a rather tempting piece of information.
“Your Highness. There is a place where Sir Hillan said he found Princess Kaede’s necklace. How about we head there first?”
“A necklace?”
Belof brightened upon hearing this. In his view as well, the place where that necklace had been found could only be a route leading to the Tower.
“...I will guide you.”
Hillan, without hesitation, began leading them in the exact opposite direction of the Tower.
* * *
“My Lord Demon King. They are heading northwest.”
“Hillan is doing well.”
Since the clue of the necklace had been provided, Hillan was bound to get involved. That was why he had already been told that if anyone asked Hillan for directions, he should unconditionally lead them the other way.
Toward the depths where stronger monsters lurked.
With forces that were far from weak, and with Hillan among them, it would not lead to total annihilation, but they would suffer quite a bit.
“Krutu, first take Roger and Kaede and bring the mana cannons back to the Tower. After that, immediately move to keep the other two kingdoms in check.”
“Yes.”
It was not only Korzen that had set out on this search. From Dormunt and from Horton as well, search parties allied with the Empire were climbing Ergest.
For now, everything had been focused on keeping the closest threat, Korzen, in check. But now that some leeway had been gained, it was time to restrain the other two kingdoms as well.
“Especially Horton. Jessica Horton has personally stepped in. You will go that way, but never take it lightly.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Originally, there had been no way to know anything about Horton’s or Dormunt’s formations. However, thanks to kidnapping Martin, they had obtained quite valuable information.
“Ernan. You will follow me.”
“Are you planning to follow the search party?”
“The situation is not over yet.”
He had merely blunted their momentum; nothing had been conclusively finished.
Though it had turned into chaos through the chain of avalanche, mana cannons, and monsters, the actual damage was, in truth, not as great as expected.
That was precisely because their level was high.
“We won’t let our guard down until they come down the mountain.”
There was something he had realised after coming to Arein. The moment one relaxed, one would be stabbed in the back.
Back when he had kidnapped Ernan and laughed gleefully, thinking he had kidnapped the 13th Princess, it had been the same.
When he kidnapped Roger and returned to the workshop to obtain the Ghost of Mana, when he obtained the Phoenix’s corpse, it had all been the same as well.
There had always been problems afterwards, and each time he had to run around to clean up the mess.
He could not repeat the same mistake.
And right now, there was one most likely possibility.
‘The Third Prince, failing to join up, encountered a monster and died a miserable death. That much must be prevented.’
If the Prince, who was known to have been kidnapped, ended up as a corpse rolling around in the snow, it would become irreversible.
In the end, it would only finish when either the Empire died or Berje died.
“Demon King, it’s here.”
“Hurry up.”
Krutu dragged over a gigantic frost wolf. After Ernan climbed onto its back, she patted the rear seat twice.
“...I’m not sure who the Demon King is anymore.”
He should have made it clear who was in charge from the start.
From the moment he had asked her to directly stop the hero, he admitted that the buttons had already been fastened wrong.
* * *
“....”
Daphne Phillian slowly eased his steps. He held his breath and lowered his body.
Completely blending into the pure white snow, he peeked his head out.
Below, he could see monsters wriggling about.
They were Peul Orcs. Orcs numbering in the hundreds, each carrying something on their shoulders.
‘What is that?’
He injected mana into his eyes and sharply narrowed his field of vision.
‘Mana cannons?’
If his eyes were not mistaken, those massive barrels were mana cannons.
‘Orcs handling mana cannons?’
It was absurd.
Even as he watched it himself, he could not believe it.
‘The demon race is intelligent as well. But even so, I’ve never seen a Demon King who used mana cannons.’
Mana cannons were products of magi-engineering created by the dwarves. And while there were many among the demon race who excelled at magic, they were by no means proficient in engineering.
‘Then....’
Someone had to be helping the demon race manufacture mana cannons.
That was the only conclusion he could draw.
‘Just what kind of insane bastard would...!’
There were hundreds of them. There was no way something like that could have been made in a day or two, which meant there had been continuous support.
‘Mana cannons are crucial strategic weapons. Aside from the Dwarven Kingdom, the Empire, and the Kingdom of Arkan, no one can even properly produce them.’
Even then, those of Zespine and Arkan were markedly inferior in quality compared to the dwarves’ creations.
‘It can’t be the Dwarven Kingdom. Those dwarf bastards pour their very souls into mana cannons.’
They were managed so thoroughly that absolutely no leakage occurred. There was no chance that mana cannons had flowed out of the Dwarven Kingdom.
‘Then it’s either the Empire or Arkan....’
Geographically speaking, Arkan was closer. And—
‘Those mana cannons definitely fired on us earlier.’
The explosions that shattered the ice wall and tore through the formation. He had thought it was fire magic, only to learn they were mana cannons. He was so dumbfounded he could hardly speak.
But could the Empire really be stupid enough to send mana cannons for them to use against the Empire itself?
‘That can’t be... it’s not entirely impossible, but....’
Arkan was more likely, but the Empire was in the midst of an intense struggle for succession.
If the Third Prince had stepped forward to gain fame, and another Prince who disliked that had made a move to eliminate him—
‘No, even so....’
At that moment, a demon who had been urging the orcs from the rear turned its head. Daphne hurriedly lowered his head.
‘Damn, that was close.’
Lost in thought, he had let his presence slip. Daphne shoved his worries far into the distance for now.
‘I can’t miss this chance. It’s the first and last.’
One thing was certain about whoever had supported them with mana cannons. If he followed their trail, the Tower of Dark Flame would appear.
‘But the ones at the front don’t look like orcs.’
The vanguard was too far away for him to tell clearly.
Daphne began moving again.
* * *
“...What did you say?”
『Daphne Phillian has moved separately in order to rescue the Third Prince.』
Berje looked at Ernan. She shook her head.
“He wasn’t there.”
That was right—he wasn’t. They had been following the Third Prince and his escort knight, who had been released onto the snowy mountains, and there had been no trace of Daphne anywhere.
In that instant, a deep sense of foreboding flashed through his mind.
Hillan informed the search party of a direction different from that of the Tower.
The Third Prince and his escort knight were following the traces of the search party.
Berje and Ernan were staying by the Third Prince’s side in order to protect him.
In other words, all three groups were naturally moving in the direction opposite to the Tower.
But what if Daphne Phillian had correctly set his course toward where the Tower was?
And what if that was why he had gone unnoticed?
‘No way....’
And if—
Really, if—
“...What if he discovered the orcs transporting the mana cannons?”
“...That can’t be.”
Mana cannons were heavy. Orcs would not struggle much with that weight alone, but because of it, deeper tracks would be left behind.
Those dense traces were something Daphne Phillian could easily detect and follow.
If Daphne was chasing the orcs.
If that was truly the case.
How many days had it been since that operation?
Four days? Five?
Judging by the speed of the Peul Orcs, that was more than enough time for them to reach the Tower.
“Why are you telling me this now!”
Berje’s eyes flared. His fist trembled violently.
If Hillan Cargill had been in front of him, he would have smashed his face in.
『This is the heart of enemy territory. Ever since the Demon King’s assault, security has been extremely tight, and it’s difficult to communicate freely with other locations.』
『Even this communication required barely making an excuse to step outside....』
Hillan voiced his grievance, but none of it reached Berje’s ears.
“The Third Prince and his escort knight are not far from your camp. Take them with you.”
『Yes...? What do you mean...?』
He cut off the communication unilaterally.
“We’re going.”
“To the Tower?”
“Yes.”
He seized the wolf’s reins. The wolf changed direction and began to run at full speed.
Even so, to Berje, it felt painfully slow. He lifted Ernan into his arms. Startled, she instinctively clung to him.
“Hold on tight.”
“What?”
Riiiip—
The clothing on his back tore apart.
Black wings revealed themselves to the world.
“...A dragon?”
Ernan’s murmur could not continue. They were no longer there.
An empty echo filled the space they had left behind.
* * *
“I found it...!”
I found it!
At last, that damned Tower!
“I found it!”