Chapter 195: A Gift
She received a sudden visit.
It was an elf from the Golden Moon rchant Company.
“His Majesty the Demon King told to deliver this to Lady Ernan.”
“To ?”
What was sealed inside the magic glass was a crimson heat. It was incomparably resplendent, incomparably intense.
- Wow, isn’t this dragon blood?
The high-ranking water spirit imdiately recognized its value.
- If you eat this and absorb it properly, summoning the Spirit King won’t be that far off.
That substance, called dragon blood, was a treasure containing pure, violent, and imnse mana.
If there was one problem, it was that it carried scorching heat and did not match Ernan’s disposition, but that could be resolved through several rounds of refinent.
Although a large amount of mana would be lost in the process, the value of the dragon blood would still shine.
However, the dragon blood was only part of it.
“This is a robe made from dragon scales. His Majesty ordered Roger to make it with top priority.”
“...It’s beautiful.”
The cloak carried a faint crimson glow. It was incomparably noble and beautiful.
Ernan put it on. It wrapped around her softly and concealed her figure.
“Lady Charlotte personally engraved the magical Sigils together with the dwarves. Normally, it hides its form with invisibility magic, but it will reveal itself when Her Highness wishes. It has high magical resistance and enchanted magics....”
The elf explained its various other functions.
“...Please convey my thanks.”
“Yes.”
“No, I suppose I should do it myself.”
“Understood.”
To think she would receive such a gift.
A smile ford on Ernan’s lips. A faint blush rose.
“...Is there nothing for ?”
Hillan, standing beside her, asked. A treasure made by dwarves from dragon remains—he desperately, desperately wanted one.
“There is none.”
“What?”
Hillan’s expression stiffened.
“That can’t be right. I am His Majesty’s first vassal and his most loyal vassal. There is no way he wouldn’t have made arrangents for —.”
“That’s a lie. He told to give it to you once you started rambling like that.”
“...As expected, I believed in His Majesty the Demon King.”
The elf drew a sword. It was dull and grayish, yet it felt as though it could draw one in.
Its sharp edge seed restrained, yet violent.
“This is?”
“To hide that it was made from dragon bones, the sword was forged by mixing dragon bone powder with various alloys. However, Roger took pride in the result, saying it surpassed—or at the very least, never fell short of—a sword made purely from bone.”
“...That crazy dwarf would say sothing like that.”
“Yes?”
“No, nothing.”
Hillan smiled and accepted the sword.
“Please convey my thanks to His Majesty.”
“Yes, I will. Ah, and also.”
“There’s more?”
“He asked to procure chocolate and candy as well.”
“Chocolate too?”
“Yes.”
“I rember giving quite a lot....”
There were several large bundles. Even eating one a day, it would last for years.
“His Majesty has a tendency to hand things out rather liberally....”
“I told him to get closer to the princesses, and he ended up getting close to everyone in the Tower. Did you receive so as well?”
“...Yes.”
It was a good sign.
That an elf could casually accept chocolate from the Demon King ant that the distance between them had closed that much.
It felt like the Tower—ford by forcibly gathering different races together—was slowly falling into harmony.
“Please wait a mont. I have sothing prepared as well.”
“Thank you.”
That was when—
“HILLAN CARGIIIIILL!”
A booming voice shook the entire annex palace.
“You can’t just barge in here!”
“Let go of ! Won’t you let go?”
An anxious voice followed.
“...That voice is?”
“Rozel Charnte?”
“Are you there!”
─!
With the sound of rushing footsteps, the door burst open. Red hair fluttered in the wind. Crimson pupils found Hillan and sharpened like a hawk’s.
“Found you.”
“You show up out of nowhere. What do you think you’re doing?”
“We’re close enough for this, aren’t we?”
“What kind of relationship do you think we have?”
“Very close—close enough to have beaten up the Demon King together.”
Rozel Charnte laughed. The ominousness of that smile prevented Hillan from laughing back.
Good connections were always one of the values he pursued. A grand mage seated among the Stars with seven Sigils engraved was certainly a valuable connection.
Even so, he felt uneasy, because instinctively he realized she had not co to him with pure intentions.
“Please observe proper decorum. This is where Her Highness the Crown Princess is present.”
So he invoked the Crown Princess. Ernan’s gaze burned into him, but he blinked desperately, silently begging for help.
“The Crown Princess?”
“Nice to et you, Lady Rozel.”
Ernan rose from her seat.
“I am Ernan Hilderan. Is this the first ti you’ve seen in person?”
“You are the Crown Princess of Hilderan? I never imagined you would be here.”
“I ca representing Hilderan in cooperation with the hero’s march. I was in discussions with Sir Hillan. But may I ask for what reason you interrupted our conversation, Lady Rozel?”
Rozel, who had been about to pressure Hillan, flinched imdiately at the unsettling feeling.
“Uh....”
It wasn’t because she feared being rude to the future queen of Hilderan.
It was because, from the gaze directed at her, from the presence she exuded, she realized that Ernan was by no ans beneath her.
‘So this is the genius everyone talks about.’
How old was the Crown Princess again? She thought she was still in her twenties.
Her thirst for pure blood deepened.
“I apologize. I have been discourteous.”
“I’ll accept the apology.”
“I am looking for soone.”
“Soone?”
“?”
“Not you. Hillan Cargill. Soone you’re acquainted with.”
“And who would that be?”
“A man nad Pale.”
“Pale?”
Ernan and Hillan exchanged glances.
‘If it’s Pale, that would be Lord Berje, right?’
‘Yes, Lord Berje.’
“Why are you looking for Pale?”
“Because I need him.”
“May I ask why you need him?”
“This is a matter between Hillan and .”
“But you’re the one who barged into a discussion between Hillan and . And I, too, have ties with Lord Pale.”
“Are you saying this as the Crown Princess?”
“Is that not allowed?”
Hmm. Rozel swallowed a groan. Ernan showed no sign of backing down, and as she said, the uninvited guest here was indeed Rozel herself.
‘It should be fine to say it.’
It wasn’t a secret anyway.
“There is a contract between Pale and our kingdom’s Fifth Prince.”
“A contract?”
Ernan looked at Hillan.
“Yes. A contract made in Arkan to formally pay a price and purchase Lord Pale’s blood.”
“Why?”
Hillan covered his mouth so Rozel couldn’t see and exaggerated his lip movents.
‘Because of the Phoenix.’
‘Ah.’
Ernan nodded. She had heard about it. Berje’s mana, having absorbed the Phoenix’s corpse, was so pure that mages went mad over it.
However—
“There’s no compulsion in that contract. If Lord Pale gives it, you buy it; if not, you don’t. That was the agreent from the start. There’s no reason for you to go as far as seeking out to find Lord Pale—.”
“That’s exactly it!”
Rozel shouted.
“I want to fulfill that contract. I need that blood right now!”
“Lady Rozel, acting so recklessly won’t resolve anything. Lord Pale is—.”
“I’ll pay! Tell him to shut up and take my money! That bastard—when I saw him back then, he liked money an awful lot!”
She roared.
* * *
Instead of getting angry at Rozel’s rudeness toward Berje, Ernan thought she could make use of her desperation.
“A desperate person can do anything to grasp what they want.”
And there was no substitute for Berje’s blood.
Because no one else had consud the corpse of a Phoenix.
“Of course, that makes sense, but what exactly are you planning?”
“What you’re thinking, Sir Hillan?”
“That’s....”
That’s madness!
Hillan barely suppressed the words that almost burst out of his throat.
“...It’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“It’s Rozel Charnte. A hero of Arkan, the hero of Arkan. The woman who always stood at the forefront of subjugating the demon race would never serve Lord Berje, who made her taste bitter failure ti and again.”
There was no need to even bring up Berje. A hero serving a Demon King was sothing that could never make sense.
“Then are you not a hero, Sir Hillan?”
“...I’m a different case, am I not?”
He had been captured by the Demon King and made an unavoidable choice to survive.
“Isn’t Her Highness the Crown Princess the sa?”
“No, I was voluntary.”
“....”
“Anyway, if that’s the case, we just have to push her into the sa situation as you. Rozel Charnte will certainly participate in the ‘real’ hero’s march. If we turn a Star like her into His Majesty’s vassal, wouldn’t His Majesty find things much easier, or not?”
“...Sotis I can’t tell whether Your Highness is human or demon.”
“That’s not sothing to say when you call yourself the Demon King’s most loyal vassal. And whether I’m demon or human, what does it matter?”
The number of humans killed by humans far exceeded the number killed by demons.
“I don’t distinguish between good and evil. I distinguish between my people and those who aren’t.”
“Am I Your Highness’s person?”
“You are His Majesty’s vassal and my knight.”
“...That’s a relief.”
“And think about it. If Lady Rozel refuses, do you think she’ll just nod and let it go?”
“...Indeed.”
He was convinced at once.
“Then what is Your Highness’s plan?”
“It’s simple. If she wants blood, we give her blood. If she wants to find Lord Berje, we let her go before Lord Berje.”
“You an you’ll set a trap so Lord Berje can capture her?”
“Yes. After that, he’ll take care of it himself. After all, he’s the one who accepted you as a vassal and created the Four Heavenly Kings.”
“...It wasn’t His Majesty, but Your Highness who made the Four Heavenly Kings—.”
“Let’s gloss over the small details. Lady Rozel is waiting, isn’t she?”
The two had left Rozel Charnte in the office and entered a small inner room, using the excuse of asking Pale’s intentions. They wrapped the room in mana to block all sound.
“There’s one problem.”
“What is it?”
“If Rozel Charnte disappears after eting us for the last ti, the suspicion might—.”
“Fall on us, yes. That’s why I plan to use Ergest. It’s also where she t Arkan’s Fifth Prince, so if we give a plausible explanation, she’ll accept it.”
Regardless of whether the Demon King was present or not, it was a perilous land where even a Star couldn’t afford to let her guard down. Suspicion might arise, but no one could be certain they had deliberately laid a trap to kill Rozel.
That was enough. There was no reckless human bold enough to provoke the greatest hero aside from Balraf and the Crown Princess of the powerful kingdom of Hilderan, nor any foolish nation willing to take such losses.
“That’s an overly optimistic view. Considering the value Rozel Charnte holds in Arkan, we must consider even worse possibilities.”
“Then His Majesty can persuade her and send her back out.”
“You’re confident that’s possible?”
“Did you ever once think you’d beco His Majesty’s vassal, Sir Hillan? I think you’re an even greater hero than Lady Rozel.”
If Hillan had beco a vassal, how could soone like Rozel possibly fail?
“...I truly think it’s fortunate that I am Your Highness’s knight.”
“I’m glad you’re my knight, too.”
Ernan opened the door and stepped out. Rozel, who had been waiting, brightened.
“What did he say?”
“He said he’ll et you. But since it’s difficult for him to move right now, he asked you to co to him if you wish to et.”
“That’s perfectly fine.”
Rozel nodded.
“But I don’t recomnd it.”
“Why is that?”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
“I am Rozel Charnte.”
“It’s Ergest. No matter how great you are, it’s not a place you can let your guard down. So I would prefer that you wait until Lord Pale returns. About half a year should suffice.”
“You’re telling to wait half a year?”
That was absurd. Half a year was more than enough ti for the hero’s march to end.
“I can’t do that.”
“Then there’s a condition.”
“Please say it.”
“Before you go, stop by Arkan and clearly inform them of your destination. If sothing happens to you after eting us, where do you think the suspicion will go?”
“Understood.”
Shortly after, Rozel Charnte, having received the location, hurried away.
“Then shall we report to His Majesty now?”
* * *
“You sent Rozel Charnte off?”
『No, she’s already gone.』
“So you made it so Rozel Charnte will soon co to my Tower?”
『No, to the northwestern part of Ergest.』
“Why?”
『To find you, Demon King. More precisely, you under the identity of ‘Pale’.』
『She didn’t seem like she would back down easily. She looked rushed, as if being chased by sothing. She would have tried anything to find you.』
And above all—
『There’s a high chance she knows about the ‘real’ hero’s march.』
“So you’re telling to....”
『Turn her into a vassal. Just like you did with Roger and Hillan.』
The reason she deliberately compared her to Roger and Hillan was simple.
『Because you possess what Lady Rozel desperately wants.』
The pure fire mana born from consuming a Phoenix’s corpse.
The dragon blood obtained from a dragon’s remains.
『Mages, especially high-ranking mages, are in so ways similar to dwarf craftsn.』
“Obsession and madness, you an?”
『Exactly.』
Berje nodded.
“I’ll gratefully accept the gift.”
『It was nothing.』
Ernan smiled brightly.
User Comments
0 comments from readers