Chapter 193: Cherry-Flavored Candy
“I could not understand it. The hero’s march was currently being led and carried out by .”
He gathered heroes and coordinated with each nation.
Normally, it would have been common to involve rcenaries, but the subjugation of the Demon King of Dark Fla had been the long-cherished wish of the entire continent, and the kingdoms cooperated without resistance.
The supre commander was Hero Hillan Cargill. He had received fervent support from the guilds led by the Hero Guildmaster, from the Kingdom of Hilderan, and from the Empire’s Third Prince.
And yet, a hero’s march was being prepared without his knowledge? One that even knew the exact location of Berje’s tower?
『They must have excluded you.』
“I am Hero Hillan Cargill.”
『Jason Kokemundo has ties with the Empire and the Hero Guild. The most representative examples are the First Prince and Balraf Dislode, but that raccoon-like bastard would never have dug only a single burrow.』
That was an overly naive thought.
『And now that things have reached this point, he must have guessed it. That you were connected to in so way.』
『He simply could not be certain because he lacked clear evidence.』
“So I am bait, then?”
Most of the information regarding Berje passed through Hero Hillan Cargill. Berje believed that by entrusting Hillan Cargill with the heavy responsibility of commanding the hero’s march, they had diverted attention and secretly prepared a separate force to strike the tower.
And in truth, it was not a bad strategy.
If the pirates had not co looking for Vivian Blunt.
If they had not encountered a storm and been pushed back to the continent, failing to et various navies.
If they had not learned that the Dwarven Kingdom possessed a floating battleship.
They would have been completely caught off guard.
“But that is just speculation, isn’t it?”
『Speculation whose possibility cannot be completely ruled out.』
“I will look into it once.”
『No. Do nothing. Just pretend you know nothing, and continue doing what you have been doing.』
“Are you trying to set a trap?”
『Being passively played with does not suit my temperant. You know nothing.』
“ too?”
Ernan suddenly stuck her head in.
『Why are the two of you together?』
“It is because of the preparations for the hero’s march. We must coordinate with many kingdoms, and in Hilderan, Her Highness Ernan personally ca.』
『I see. That is only natural, Ernan. This matter must never be revealed to the outside.』
“I understand. But do I need to buy and send cherry-flavored candy?”
『Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?』
“Cherry-flavored candy. You need it, don’t you?”
『....』
Berje swallowed his dry saliva.
It was a bad on for the Demon Dragon’s senses.
Who was it? Ellena? Kaede?
No, wait.
‘Why was he shrinking back?’
She was just asking.
He had only taken Reina Sordein in as a retainer because he needed her.
There was no reason not to be confident.
‘No, but why did he need to be confident in the first place?’
He could just act normal, couldn’t he?
“Demon King?”
『...It is not necessary.』
“I heard the one called Frost liked cherry-flavored candy. You promised to give it as the price for becoming a retainer.”
Berje saw the faint smile that brushed across Ernan’s lips.
“I happen to know a specialty shop for high-end candies. Since they are such an esteed person, shouldn’t we give them sothing good?”
『...Then I will leave it to you.』
“Yes.”
The communication ended. Berje noticed Ernan’s sharp gaze directed at him.
“What is it?”
“It is nothing. Just....”
“Just?”
“I was thinking that no matter what happens, I should stick right next to Her Highness the Crown Princess.”
Berje could not picture Berje failing at all. And when the dinsion was conquered by Berje.
No matter what happened.
Even if Berje led every nation to ruin.
He beca convinced that at least Hilderan would remain safe.
“...What is this all of a sudden?”
* What do you an, what is it! You and Berje’s...ugh...!
Ernan forcibly shoved Nairuniel back in as she tried to jump out.
“There is no other aning. I am rely a loyal knight to Her Highness the Crown Princess, and I intend to do my utmost in fulfilling that duty.”
“...What we just talked about is a secret. You understand, right?”
“A knight has a tight mouth.”
* Spirits have tight mouths too! So do not worry...mmph!
With a sigh, Ernan left the room.
“...Is this the Demon King training the princess, or the princess training the Demon King.”
After pondering for a mont, Hillan shook his head.
“Trying to understand the incomprehensible makes my head feel like it is about to split.”
Hillan briefly offered condolences to the foolish king who still believed he could entangle Hillan and Ernan.
---
“My lord.”
Torniel Borgis, the Grand Elder of the Hero Guild, asked.
“Why do you not step in personally?”
“Do you want to step in?”
“Yes. If you were to act, my lord, the Demon King of Dark Fla would lose his life in an instant.”
Torniel was the only ‘person’ who knew the true nature of the Hero Guildmaster.
What kind of life he had lived, and what kind of power he possessed.
That was why he held an unshakable belief. That if the Guildmaster stepped in, everything would be over.
“You could put an end to the current chaos and further enrich not only your honor, but also the power of the Guild and yourself. Yet I do not understand why you do not.”
“If I simply step in, everything will be resolved. Do you truly think so?”
“Of course.”
“You are wrong.”
The Guildmaster crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair.
“Humans desire heroes. They always long for them, yearn for them, and admire them.”
“Yes. You are already a hero, Guildmaster. You are the symbol of the Guild and the hope of humanity. Cutting down Dark Fla would make you an even greater hero.”
“However, the hero humans desire has a concept of good.”
The mont one crossed that line, admiration turned into madness. Or into jealousy and fear.
“When humans encounter sothing they cannot understand, they split into two kinds.”
They either revered it as sacred and served it.
Or branded it as evil and exterminated it.
A hero who could not be borne, who could not be controlled, was no longer a hero. Becoming an unknown terror capable of destroying society and humanity at any mont, an absolute evil, did not take long at all.
“Do you know why I went into seclusion? It is because I know human nature all too well.”
If a Guildmaster already superior to any other hero rose to a position beyond anyone’s reach, could he have continued to maintain that fa?
“There would be those who envy and resent . They would slander and try to drag down.”
“That was then. Now is different.”
“It is not different. Human nature does not change.”
“No one can diminish your authority, Guildmaster.”
“There are plenty. The imperial and royal families of each nation who boast of their bloodlines descended from the heavens. There are also nobles who claim to have sacred blood.”
Those who held power rejected change and did not tolerate beings that could threaten their authority.
Thus he disappeared, and the gazes once directed at the Guildmaster gradually faded. The Guild and the continent were lulled into complacency by the ergence of new heroes.
“Balraf Dislode. The appearance of that hero allowed to breathe again.”
As Balraf gained fa and grew stronger, they regarded him as a counterweight to keep in check.
A single untouchable hero beca evil, but heroes who could keep each other in check beca a psychological alternative in the hearts of humans.
“And there is also one bastard who wants to accumulate even greater fa as Guildmaster.”
It seed he had almost abandoned that intention now, but he could not afford to be careless.
Who would really act according to another’s wishes?
He muttered softly.
“Yes? What was that?”
“No, it was just a soliloquy. In any case, the head of Dark Fla must be taken by Balraf Dislode.”
“Ah, so that is why you excluded Hillan Cargill? Because there was a chance he might strike Dark Fla instead of Balraf Dislode?”
“No. That one is a trap. A hero with suitable fa loudly prepares a hero’s march to divert the Demon King’s gaze.”
And above all.
“He is a pawn of Dark Fla. A very good trap.”
“...Are you saying he is the Demon King’s dog?”
The Grand Elder’s face twisted. A vicious killing intent burst forth in an instant.
“Do not touch him.”
“But...!”
“Did I not tell you? He is excellent bait to draw the Demon King’s attention. While he lowers his guard by receiving reports of the hero’s march from Hillan Cargill, he will lose his life to the real hero’s march.”
“Then after the hero’s march is over, we will arrest Hillan Cargill.”
“At that point, it will not matter much. I will leave it to you.”
“I will make him learn what kind of end awaits a traitor who betrayed humanity and colluded with the Demon King.”
The Grand Elder bowed his head.
The Guildmaster nodded languidly.
---
It was interesting.
Rozel Charnte thought so.
She unfolded her fingers one by one.
“One ti, twice, or was it three tis, four tis?”
Humans were creatures that grew accustod to anything. Whether it was success or failure.
How many failures had it been already? Rozel Charnte laughed hollowly.
Up until she killed the Beast Demon King.
Even when she had gained achievent by obtaining the pure blood of the one called Pale.
She had never predicted the present situation.
Who could have dared to imagine it? In less than two short years, the relationship between the Demon King and humanity would co to the brink of reversal.
Repeated failures left deep wounds on the great archmage who bore the star and seven Sigils.
They stirred her with vengeance and murderous intent, the desire to kill without fail.
“I need to beco stronger. Stronger, stronger, stronger.”
Above all, the realization that her current self was insufficient, and the thirst and craving for power that demanded she beco stronger still, tornted her.
“They said the tower is in the sea. An environnt where I cannot properly exert my strength.”
Sea and fire were opposing elents, but her pride would not allow her to tuck her tail and flee.
The answer was simple. Beco stronger. Beco strong enough that neither the sea nor the damned environnt mattered.
Then how?
“...A dragon.”
The Red Dragon with fla power that Balraf Dislode had captured.
Though it was only a tail and a single wing, she had barely managed to request and receive a part of it.
She chewed the flesh and drank the blood. By researching the bones and scales, she achieved a step of advancent.
But it was not enough.
She stood on a precarious boundary where the eighth Sigil seed as though it would be engraved, yet was not.
She needed a catalyst.
A Dragon Heart would be ideal, but she did not have one. And even if she did, she did not have the ans.
“...Blood.”
But she had co up with a fairly good alternative.
“Mana as pure as a dragon’s. No, in so sense, even purer than a dragon’s.”
Pale’s mana.
“That fucking bastard, where the hell did he disappear to!”
She had heard he had ford a contract with the Fifth Prince and was supposed to supply blood periodically. But he had suddenly vanished without a trace.
The blood that had been supplied was also very little. Far too insufficient to satisfy Rozel.
“Kyahhhhh!”
She scread. The glass windows and facilities shattered to pieces.
“...I cannot wait anymore. I cannot wait any longer.”
She would find him. No matter what it took, she would find him, draw his blood, and kill the Demon King of Dark Fla.
Her eyes were dyed with madness.
“Hillan. Hillan will know.”
The first ti she t him had been when he was with Hillan. They were close enough that he defended Hillan, who had made a grave mistake and caused the failure of the subjugation of the Beast’s Tower, and even had him participate again.
She had also heard that when he t the Fifth Prince, he was with the vice-captain of Hillan’s assault unit.
Therefore, Hero Hillan Cargill knew the answer.
Rozel threw herself through the shattered window. She vanished high into the sky.
“Lady Rozel destroyed the laboratory again!”
“Lady Rozel has disappeared!”
“Where did she go this ti!”
The mages who arrived late at her laboratory scread.
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