Chapter 184: Alternative
It went without saying that the snowfield was cold.
“Brrr. C-cold.”
“Y-you said you were Peul Dwarves. J-just endure it.”
“M-my head felt like it was about to split.”
Regardless of whether Ergest was less cold or more cold, the dwarves had never gone outside the tower since being abducted.
They were not a race that lived in cold regions to begin with, so they practically had no immunity to the cold at all.
“I-if only we had made winter clothes.”
Before they could even prepare for the cold, Berje had frozen them all and brought them along. From Berje’s perspective, what he had “prepared” consisted entirely of things for making mana bombs or traps. There was nothing for winter clothing, which made it even worse.
“Are you saying this is my fault?”
“I didn’t say anything!”
“That self-proclaid Peul Dwarf over there said it!”
Was blaming each other a racial trait of these dwarf bastards?
Tsk. Clicking his tongue, Berje lit several small flas. Pure flas born of phoenix and dragon mana were enough to drive away the cold.
“I’m saved....”
“Uuugh, I’m thawing ouuut....”
“Roger.”
“Yes, Demon King.”
Berje unfolded a map. It was a map of the snowfield he had received from Reina. Berje tapped several spots on it.
They were terrains Reina had identified as suitable for digging traps.
“Set up appropriate traps at these locations.”
“Twelve locations. What level are you aiming for?”
“The highest.”
Although he was simply helping Reina, Berje hoped she would not die. He also wanted to inflict as much damage as possible on the human bastards.
That was when it happened.
“Monsters!”
“M-monsters!”
The dwarves made a fuss. The ground shook. Dozens of drakes were approaching in a pack.
“Calm those dwarves down. The Demon King is right here, and they’re scared of re monsters?”
Were they idiots?
“They’ve only ever been holed up in workshops making things.”
“Like you?”
“At least I’ve gotten fairly used to Your Majesty, haven’t I?”
“Well, you did swing a hamr at Hero Hillan Cargill when you couldn’t dismantle the tower. That was fairly impressive.”
“T-that’s sothing I’d rather you forget!”
Soon after, the drake pack arrived. A Frost Demon standing atop the head of the largest drake lightly leapt down.
“I greet Demon King Berje. I am Klein, of the Frost Demon race, one who serves the Demon King.”
“Nice to et you.”
“Yes. Thank you for aiding the Demon King.”
“I received sothing, so I’m just returning the favor.”
“There are plenty among the demon race who don’t even do that much.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“They really are dwarves.”
“Not a single one is to die.”
“Yes. Of course.”
After pouring out all the supplies he had brought from subspace, Berje gathered the dwarves.
“From now on, build sleds and load these supplies onto them. The drakes will pull the sleds. Using that, set traps at the key points on the map. Any questions?”
“I have one.”
One dwarf raised his hand.
“When this is over, will you really....”
“The Demon King does not lie.”
‘Lie.’
Roger forcefully suppressed the impulse to jump in. Good. He had just saved his life.
“Will it be safe?”
“Klein?”
“All of you will be under my protection. As a retainer serving Demon King Reina, there will absolutely be no harm to those helping her.”
“You heard that, right?”
“Yes.”
“The faster you do this, the less ti you’ll have to spend in the snowfield. Now go.”
At the words that finishing quickly ant returning to the tower sooner, the dwarves found their motivation. They imdiately began making dozens of large sleds.
“Hurry it up!”
“Your hands are too slow! Even my grandmother would be faster than that!”
With Roger there, things would sort themselves out.
Berje tossed several magic storage orbs filled with fla, then ran toward the Tower of Frost.
The tower was bustling. Thousands of monsters loitered around it, and both monsters and demons overflowed everywhere.
“Lord Berje. We et again.”
“Was it Nina?”
“Yes.”
“Where’s Reina?”
“She’s waiting above.”
He went up to the summit. Reina, who had been issuing orders to the demons, welcod him.
“The dwarves will make traps according to the map you gave them. But what exactly is your plan?”
“I surmise their numbers will be great.”
“Probably.”
“That’s why I don’t think we should face them only inside the tower. Like you did, we should use the vast snowfield. And you’re helping at just the right ti.”
“You intend to ambush the humans thrown into chaos by the traps?”
“That’s the most effective way. But the monsters you brought have all changed sohow. What did you do?”
There were no chiras in the Demon Realm. Chiras were, after all, a discipline humans created to handle monsters and magical beasts.
The queen of the noble Frost Demon race was ignorant of such things.
“I just made so minor modifications.”
“That’s possible?”
“Gordon researched things like that.”
He couldn’t very well say he was having a human princess do it.
“Dark Elves are excellent mages.”
Fortunately, Reina accepted it.
“But your adjutant isn’t a mage, but a swords—.”
“Oh, right. Have you heard news of them?”
“We’re on high alert. The scale of the hero’s march has been decided.”
While Reina prepared for the hero’s march, the humans rapidly made their own preparations.
The failure to subjugate the Tower of Dark Fla ca as an enormous shock, driving hostility and wariness toward the Demon King to their peak.
As a result, even though it was a simple hero’s march, its scale swelled far beyond imagination.
There were many reasons.
They would cover failure with success. The nations that had tasted bitter defeat at Berje’s hands had to show everyone that humanity still held the upper hand.
Thus, they actively agreed to the subjugation of the Tower of Frost led by Balraf Dislode. It was also to quell public anxiety, and extre public opinion insisting that all Demon Kings must be exterminated played a significant role in pushing them forward.
Of course, subjugating the Tower of Frost was not without negative aspects.
Especially the Empire. Its citizens insisted unconditionally on prioritising Berje.
The First Crown Prince, the symbol of the Empire, had been abducted. Yet perhaps because of Balraf, the Empire prioritised the subjugation of the Tower of Frost.
“Balraf Dislode, Aina Diaphrin, Rozel Charnte, Ralph Schmitz. These four will be the Stars participating in the assault unit.”
“How do you know?”
“There are ways to know.”
He had heard it from Hero Hillan Cargill. Though Hillan did not participate in this hero’s march at Berje’s behest, he was able to access information fairly quickly using his position as Argann.
“The Empire has completely sharpened its blade. Approximately thirty thousand troops are expected to be mobilized. Three hundred heroes.”
“Compared to you, still far fewer.”
“Thirty thousand from the Empire alone, and fifty thousand including the allied forces.”
Ordinarily, the Empire was closed off and did not tolerate foreign troops roaming its territory.
But citing that the alliance was still in effect, they displayed an unexpected flexibility this ti and extended a hand to the alliance.
Thus, a massive force was assembled to conquer the Tower of Frost.
Though fewer than the 110,000 mobilized to search for Berje’s tower, it was more than those who had headed for the fake tower.
“...That’s despairing.”
“I can’t tell you an optimistic story that it can be stopped.”
“Even if you did, I wouldn’t be able to accept it gladly.”
Reina smiled bitterly.
Seizing the opportunity, Berje cautiously broached the subject.
“There isn’t absolutely no way.”
“There is a way?”
“Before that, there’s one thing I want to make clear. Rember that I’m not saying this because I look down on you or disrespect you.”
“What is it?”
After a brief pause, Berje spoke.
“Just before Vivian’s tower disappeared, you contacted her. What did she say to you?”
“She begged to be saved. Ugly and vulgar, unbecoming of a Demon King.”
“And then?”
“And then?”
Reina pondered for a mont. In truth, she had not thought deeply about her final conversation with Vivian.
“To accept her even as a subordinate....”
Reina closed her mouth. Her eyes sank coldly.
“I hope what you are about to say is not what I think it is.”
She felt she would be truly disappointed in him.
“Unfortunately, it probably is. I don’t want you to die. But if you dislike it, I will apologise.”
“To a Demon King, there are values worse than death. Have I misjudged you?”
A chill flowed through the air. Berje calmly explained his stance.
“At least from where I stand, it’s the only way.”
“...I am a Demon King. I have never heard of a Demon King becoming another Demon King’s subordinate.”
“You’ve never heard of it, but there is no passage in The Demon King’s Standard that says it must never be done.”
“That’s because such a case never exists. What kind of Demon King would beco another’s subordinate?”
“Vivian Blunt.”
“...So helping her ant accepting her as a subordinate?”
“That’s what Vivian wanted. And she’s alive now. Dying as a Demon King is fine, but isn’t living to take revenge better?”
“Perhaps it is.”
Unexpectedly, Reina nodded.
“Each demon race places priority on different values. I find Vivian ugly and vulgar, but I do not think the value she prioritises is inferior. Life is precious. However.”
“However?”
“Just as Vivian values life, I value the dignity of a Demon King. I will face the enemies proudly as a Demon King. That is the duty I bear as one who descended into this dinsion representing the Demon Realm.”
“I respect your will. However....”
“However?”
“If it cos to that, I don’t think I can grant your request.”
“What do you an?”
“If—though I hope not—if you were to die, didn’t you ask
to accept the Frost Demons as my subordinates?”
“I did.”
“If you die, would they really submit to
so easily?”
“...!”
After a mont of silence, Reina forced out a reply.
“If I give the order....”
“That would be fortunate, but you should know them better than I do, shouldn’t you?”
“....”
“I, too, believe that facing the enemy proudly as a Demon King is right. But does it necessarily have to an annihilation?”
Would she drive them all to death over hollow duty and responsibility?
“The Demon Realm does not take responsibility for them.”
The stone Berje threw sent ripples through Reina’s heart.
*
*
*
『We need the dwarves’ help.』
The Tower of Dark Fla lay beneath the sea. Ordinary ships could not enter it.
“What kind of help?”
『The floating ship. Their national treasure.』
The floating ship was the dwarves’ national treasure. A gigantic vessel capable of carrying over a thousand people, infused with floating stones and their technology, allowing it to fly through the sky.
But if it rely flew through the sky, Balraf would not have needed the dwarves’ help.
『The floating ship can also traverse the sea by enveloping itself in a thin underwater barrier. If his tower is in the sea, that vessel is absolutely necessary.』
“The dwarves won’t just hand that over.”
『Making that happen is your job.』
“Lord Balraf.”
『Jason Kokemundo. Just as you intended, everyone’s rage turned toward the Demon King of Dark Fla. And what was the result?』
『The worst of the worst. Rage mixed with fear, and those emotions will only fatten him. We must kill him as soon as possible.』
Balraf knew that humanity’s negative emotions beca strength for the Demon King. That was why he knew the next ti they t, the Demon King of Dark Fla would be even stronger.
That was why he insisted the Demon King of Frost must be killed. Ti was not on Balraf’s side.
『This ti, we must not fail. For that, the floating ship is absolutely necessary.』
There was not a single flaw in Balraf’s argunt.
“I don’t have deep ties with Berfht.”
『You have plenty of connections within the Empire instead. Enough to move things.』
“Understood.”
Jason adjusted his monocle.
“I will persuade the dwarves by any ans necessary. So please, you too must succeed in severing the Frost’s neck.”
『Are you doubting
now? I am....』
“I know very well who you are. But there’s a saying among humans.”
Once is a mistake, twice is a coincidence, but three tis is inevitability.
“You have already failed three tis. No—if we exclude capturing a dragon instead of a Demon King, then twice.”
『Interesting.』
Balraf’s mouth twisted.
『I will show you why I am called a great hero.』
『You, on the other hand, make sure you do not fail again.』
“Of course.”
The Demon King and the hero smiled at each other.
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