Chapter 156 : Whereabouts of the Tower
Chapter 156: Whereabouts of the Tower
It was.
Enormous.
And magnificent.
Kikikik—
It emitted a bizarre mechanical sound, releasing mana—no, demonic energy.
Magic circuits shone with light, and cold metal was heated until it glowed. Snow melted, and evaporating steam burst out in all directions.
Kikikik—
Its legs extended. The massive body, dozens of meters tall and believed to be impossible to move, slowly, very slowly, lifted into the air.
“I-it worked! It really worked!”
“N-no, not yet! Don’t jump to conclusions! It’s only just stood up. Can you call it a success when it can’t even toddle properly yet!”
“Even if it fails, isn’t this incredible enough! A golem dozens of meters tall! To think I made this with my own hands!”
“Watch how you talk—about 99% of the credit is mine. Yours is about 0.0001%.”
“What? You big-headed bastard!”
“What was that? You can’t even swing a hammer properly because of your frozen shoulder!”
The dwarves’ voices were soon drowned out by an even greater noise.
—!
—!
The legs moved. The enormous, heavy thing slowly crushed the snow beneath its feet and took the next step.
One step, two steps, three steps.
The chattering dwarves fell silent. Faced with a miracle they doubted they would ever see again in their lives, tears of emotion streamed down their faces.
“...Oh.”
“...It’s beautiful.”
“To think I played a part in making this.”
“I had twenty-three nosebleeds, but it wasn’t a waste at all....”
“This is all thanks to me! It was built exactly according to the blueprint I made!”
A width as wide as the massive frame itself vanished. In an instant, the tower traversed 50 meters and came to a halt. Then, with a heavy thud, its body met the ground once more.
And then the door opened. The Demon King emerged.
“Everyone, get on.”
Today, they left this place.
* * *
—!
—!
The tower moved.
Though it left deep tracks and made tremendous noise, the monsters drawn in by the vibrations were cowed by the tower’s overwhelming presence and tucked their tails between their legs of their own accord.
Berje sat upon the throne at the summit, watching it all. The walls, which became transparent only from the inside, allowed the entire exterior panorama to be seen at a glance.
“So where are you planning to go?”
Vivian perched halfway on the armrest of the throne. Berje irritably shoved her away, but she did not yield.
“...There’s a place I already had in mind.”
Berje projected a hologram and pointed to a location.
It was about 80 kilometers away from here. It was likewise a basin, surrounded by rock formations, making it the ideal place to hide the tower.
“What about going down the mountain altogether?”
“That would be impossible.”
The tower was far too massive. Its size could be an advantage at times, but it also had the drawback of standing out far too much.
“Yeah, that makes sense. But what about the trail behind us?”
“I’ve already given Krutu orders. He’ll erase the tracks with the Peul Orcs.”
Given the tower’s immense weight, it left deep marks. The Peul Orcs would take care of all of them.
“But wouldn’t it be better to go farther north than here? The deeper you go, the harder it is for humans to find you, right? The monsters get stronger too. Here—this place looks really good.”
Vivian, who had been closely examining the hologram, pointed to a spot.
“That place is off-limits.”
“Why?”
“Because something that must not be disturbed is sleeping there.”
“What is there that a Demon King can’t disturb?”
“I heard you became my vassal after being falsely accused of touching Louise Berfht.”
“You’re the one who framed me with that accusation!”
“I never framed you.”
Vivian’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“Oh, is that so?”
It was obvious from her expression that she wanted to snap back with something sharp, yet could not bring herself to do it. Berje snorted and ignored her.
“What?”
“What is there, you ask? It’s a dangerous one.”
“A monster?”
“Rather than a monster....”
Berje hesitated briefly over whether to explain it or not, then shrugged his shoulders. Come to think of it, there was no real need to keep it a secret. Rather, it was necessary to warn them to be careful and not head in that direction.
“A symbol.”
“A symbol?”
“Yes. For example....”
Berje’s gaze turned toward Kaede, who was standing stiffly behind them. Lavinia’s head followed.
“Why me...?”
“Like a symbol of the Empire.”
“...What?”
“...Huh?”
“...Oh?”
Lavinia’s eyes sparkled.
* * *
A hero’s march composed entirely of heroes. A hero’s march that included four Stars.
There were no people bold enough to stand in the way of the military power the Empire had forged over three months.
The hero’s march left the Empire without incident and passed through the Kingdom of Horton. Only after reaching Hortonwork of the Kingdom of Korzen did they take a short rest.
They did not build the connections normally formed during a typical hero’s march, nor did they receive additional investments.
From the outset, it was a hero force that had received the Empire’s full backing, and the Emperor’s will was to kill the Demon King of Dark Flame as quickly as possible.
Even so, giving up ways to gain greater rewards could cause dissatisfaction among some heroes.
However, that too was cut off by Balraf Dislode, who served as the captain of the hero force.
“Those with complaints may leave. But you will bear the consequences entirely on your own.”
A great hero already known to have taken the head of one Demon King.
Hero Hillan Cargill was building his fame by killing two Demon Kings, but the prevailing opinion was that he still could not catch up to Balraf Dislode.
There was no one who could ignore his words.
Behind him stood the Empire, and everyone knew that if he killed the Demon King of Dark Flame this time as well, he would soar even higher.
The malcontents shut their mouths, and as if in response, the pace of the hero’s march quickened even further.
“Welcome.”
They were welcomed at Hortonwork, but their stay lasted only two days—just enough to shake off their fatigue.
“It’s cold here too.”
Gillian Aint, the great Star who led the White Eagle Assault Unit, exhaled white breath amid the blizzard of the Ergest Mountains.
Compared to the snowfields, there was not much difference. However, it was impossible to deny that it felt even more miserable due to the harsher terrain.
“What kind of place is the snowfield?”
“Well, a bleak place.”
Gillian Aint smiled bitterly. After the attempt to break free from the Empire’s influence by putting a leash on the Frost Demon King failed, the tribe had instead been forced to rely on the Empire even more.
That was also why Gillian had come this far. He could not refuse the Empire’s order.
“Come to think of it, this must feel familiar to you, since you’ve been to Ergest before?”
“Well, this is only my second time.”
Watton Colo. The hero who had once departed on a hero’s march with Hillan Cargill and failed, now reborn as a new Star, also wore a not-so-bright smile.
“Can anyone get used to a place like this just by coming twice? Do you think this hero’s march will succeed, Gillian?”
“That’s an obvious question. All five hundred are heroes. And on top of that, though it may sound like self-praise, there are four Stars. Not just a Demon King—even the Demon King’s grandfather would have no choice but to die.”
“That may be so, but....”
From Watton’s perspective, with the memory of his first hero’s march etched deeply into him, it was inevitable to feel uneasy.
“Back then, we didn’t manage to find the tower, but we encountered countless monsters.”
“I know. The Demon King of Dark Flame isn’t the type to quietly wait in his tower to receive heroes, is he?”
“That’s correct.”
Not only during Hero Hillan Cargill’s hero’s march, but also during Arkan’s searches and even large-scale allied searches, it had been the same.
However.
“Then and now are different.”
The very calibre of their forces was different.
“I have no intention of spilling the blood of my own people on foreign soil. I intend to end this as quickly as possible.”
The Star of the northern snowfields displayed his confidence.
“Above all, with that man there, whatever the Demon King does will be meaningless.”
Gillian’s gaze turned to the back of the knight who advanced in silence.
“That’s exactly right. Once Balraf Dislode sets a goal, he doesn’t know how to retreat.”
Aina smiled brightly.
“Isn’t he impressive?”
“...He is.”
“Our new Star is surprisingly timid, huh? Usually they’re brimming with confidence and poking around everywhere without fear.”
“N-no, that’s not it.”
“How cute. You have a fresh, innocent feel to you.”
“Th-thank you!”
“I hope you keep that freshness to the very end. If I were to give you one piece of advice, it would be to avoid getting involved with Rozel.”
“By Rozel, do you mean Lady Rozel Charnte?”
“That bitch doesn’t deserve a ‘Lady.’ If you want to call her anything, call her a crazy bitch.”
“....”
“Try to understand. We’re sworn enemies who would devour each other if given the chance.”
“Ah, yes....”
“If you want to see a battle between archmages, just repeat exactly what you heard today to Rozel Charnte. It’ll be a spectacle. Better yet, do it in front of the Tower of Frost. Maybe the Frost Demon King will croak from the aftermath of the fight.”
“...Uh.”
At Gillian’s advice, Watton’s head filled with confusion.
‘This is a Star?’
His illusions shattered to pieces.
It wasn’t that he had expected someone solemn and nearly omnipotent. But still.
‘Hillan Cargill wasn’t like this.’
Though opinions had diverged toward the end of the hero’s march, Hillan Cargill had at least been the ideal Star Watton envisioned.
Kind to everyone, always calm, merciful and benevolent.
‘I won’t become like them.’
Watton Colo made a vow.
‘I’ll be the one to take the Demon King of Dark Flame’s head.’
Even with Balraf Dislode present, taking the Demon King’s head was every hero’s goal.
The fame of killing a Demon King, the tangible gains of the Demon King’s power, and for Watton Colo, even the past of having risen again after failure.
‘Even if I miss the Demon King, then at least one of the Four Heavenly Kings.’
Watton Colo resolved to make this hero’s march his springboard. Just like Hillan Cargill, who had likewise failed once, then soared after killing the Beast Demon King.
* * *
“Never let your guard down!”
“Watch out for the appearance of the Four Heavenly Kings!”
Balraf Dislode and the other heroes identified guerrilla warfare as the greatest threat to be wary of during this hero’s march.
There had been numerous attempts to locate the Tower of Dark Flame, and each time, the Demon King had harassed hero marches and search parties using monsters, beasts, and the Four Heavenly Kings.
Avalanches always occurred, and monsters always appeared amid the chaos.
The Demon King had exploited the environment of Ergest to the fullest.
“What you must be especially wary of are the Four Heavenly Kings, the Spirit Sorceress of Darkness. All of them are presumed to be high-rank demons and represent the greatest fighting strength of the Tower of Dark Flame.”
Aside from the Spirit Sorceress of Darkness, little had been revealed, but she had a record of wiping out search parties by unleashing tides of snow.
“If the Four Heavenly Kings appear, each of us will take one.”
“Of course.”
They, too, happened to have four Stars.
Thus, they steeled their resolve and hastened their steps toward the tower.
However, contrary to expectations, there were no signs that the Demon King was making a move.
There were no collective monster movements, no avalanches.
If only it had ended there, it would have been a blessing.
“What’s going on?”
“Is this not the place?”
“This is the place! According to what’s recorded in the record orb, this is definitely it!”
It was empty.
In the spot where the tower was supposed to stand, according to the recording Daphne Phillian had left at the cost of his life, there was nothing but fierce winds and pure white snow.
“Th-this can’t be....”
“Th-the tower is gone?”
“I can’t see anything!”
The hero force, which had confidently followed the record orb, fell into panic.
“There’s no way the tower wouldn’t be here! Search again carefully!”
“There’s nothing! If something that big were here, how could we possibly not see it!”
Even heroes were still human.
As they set foot into the forbidden land known as Ergest, they could not help but remain tense, and as they fought through snow, treacherous terrain, and monsters, that tension rose to an extreme.
But how many people could calmly accept that the end of it all was nothing but an empty void—that they had been deceived?
“This has to be a dream!”
“Did it really even exist in the first place?”
“Daphne Phillian must have been lying!”
Balraf Dislode first ordered a camp to be set up in the basin and commanded them to rest. Then he gathered the other Stars.
“...What do you think?”
“I can’t get a read on it. I’ve never experienced a case like this in my life.”
“Then if you were to chase possibilities?”
“There are two, right? Either Daphne Phillian recorded the wrong location, or he never actually found it in the first place.”
“That can’t be. Hillan Cargill rescued the Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Hilderan from the Tower of Dark Flame.”
Yes, that was what had given the hero force even greater certainty—the certainty that the tower location Daphne found was correct.
“Then....”
“Daphne Phillian was being pursued by one of the Four Heavenly Kings. In that case, it would’ve been hard to record the exact location. But the rough area should be right.”
“So the tower should be somewhere around here.”
“That’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“I think so as well.”
The Stars nodded in agreement one after another.
Within the bounds of their common sense, the idea that the tower itself had moved did not exist.
The hero force spread out in all directions and began searching. No one had expected to search again after already finding the tower once, but the situation was not entirely bleak.
At the very least, they were convinced the tower was nearby.
However, when three days passed, that hope was shattered.
The hero force could not find the tower—not even its shadow.
With each passing day spent chasing an invisible hope, morale plummeted rapidly.
“...Could the Demon King already be dead? Like the Lust Demon King.”
“By whom?”
“Maybe Hillan Cargill after all....”
“If Hillan Cargill had done something like that, would it have stayed quiet?”
“...No, it wouldn’t.”
Hillan Cargill pursued honour and fame. There was no reason for him to hide the unprecedented achievement of killing a third Demon King.
“And the claims of the assault unit that accompanied him all match. This wasn’t Hillan Cargill’s doing.”
“Then a third party....”
“No, he’s alive.”
“Yes? How can you be sure....”
“He’s alive. Without a doubt.”
Faced with the gathering gazes, Balraf Dislode hastily explained.
“He’s different from Lust, who caused trouble repeatedly and got taken down. The idea that this one was quietly subjugated without anyone knowing is what doesn’t make sense.”
“That’s true, but....”
“...For now, we’ll withdraw.”
No one said they couldn’t return without killing the Demon King.
No matter how much they were heroes, they were still human, and amid the despair of not seeing the tower, the atmosphere had grown grim.
Thus, the hero force that had marched out so majestically descended the mountain without achieving a single result.
And the failure of a hero’s march—one they had believed would never fail—struck the continent as an even greater shock.
【Another failed hero’s march...?】
【Hillan Cargill rescued the Crown Princess of Hilderan, but what of Balraf Dislode, who confidently set out to kill the Demon King?】
【Why did Hillan Cargill succeed while Balraf Dislode failed?】
【Gillian Aint, ‘It was wrong from the start. The tower was nowhere to be found.’ Repercussions....】
【Is the Demon King of Dark Flame already dead? Who defeated him?】
【How did Hillan Cargill find the tower? How did he kill the Demon King...?】
【Hillan Cargill, ‘The tower was there. I merely followed the guidance of the recording orb.’】
【Controversy over Hillan Cargill’s remarks—are hero forces that can’t even follow the recording orb incompetent?】
【Hillan Cargill, ‘I never said anything like that....’】
Balraf ignored all the noise and maintained his silence. Then, avoiding others’ eyes, he made contact with Hillan.
『That location is correct. I found the position through Lord Daphne’s record orb, discovered the tower, and rescued Her Highness the Crown Princess.』
『Not only I, but everyone in the assault unit that accompanied me can testify to this.』
『Rather, I wish to ask you. Was there truly no tower?』
Balraf Dislode cut off the communicator.
In pitch-black darkness, his eyes flickered with rage.
‘The Demon King is not dead.’
He was alive. He could be certain of it, as he had heard it from someone trustworthy.
‘No, is that person truly trustworthy?’
Though he could not deny that they had maintained a fairly good relationship up until now...
Balraf hurriedly sought out the communicator again. After a long while, he snarled at the party, who finally connected.
“Where is the Demon King of Dark Flame? You didn’t lie to me as well, did you?”
『...Was our trust really that light?』
The person on the other end of the communicator pushed up his monocle.