Chapter 108 - Chimeras

Before the south reached its dramatic agreement, Cain Akan, the Kingdom of Akan’s Fifth Prince, returned safely to the royal capital.

“His Majesty is waiting.”

Before he could even recover from his journey, he was summoned to the throne room.

“Cain Akan, the kingdom’s Fifth Prince!”

“Let him enter!”

At the chief chamberlain’s cry, the doors opened. Cain walked down the long red carpet, passed the rows of ministers, and reached the throne. He knelt and bowed his head.

“Your servant, Cain Akan, has returned after carrying out Your Majesty’s orders.”

“Raise your head.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The king’s face came into view.

“Well done.”

He asked no particular questions.

“You must be tired. Go and rest.”

He showed no interest whatsoever in Lavinia Akan.

“Your Majesty.”

“Have you something more to say?”

“If it concerns Lavinia, the matter has already been discussed. Say no more, Prince.”

‘Already discussed?’

The mage tower’s nobles quietly avoided Cain’s gaze.

Why?

He was puzzled, but without their support, his words carried no weight.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

In the end, he had no choice but to withdraw helplessly.

* * *

“The search party has already departed.”

“What?”

After the royal council ended, Cain could not help being surprised by what Ekain Volbov, an elder of the mage tower, told him.

“It happened just before Your Highness returned to the capital. His Majesty was displeased, but he, too, is a member of Akan. He is not unaware of how important Princess Lavinia is.”

And Akan’s king was not foolish enough to let personal feelings derail the greater course of affairs. Had he been, he could never have become king in the first place.

“But he clearly told me...”

“It is because of events in the northern Empire.”

“You mean the snowfields?”

“Yes. The Demon King of Bitter Cold has taken action and is sweeping away the northern barbarians. Before that, the Demon King of Carnal Desire unleashed succubi upon the Kingdom of Dormund, and before that, the Demon King of Hellfire abducted two princesses of Hilderan. The Demon Kings are behaving differently than before.”

Nor was that all. The Adamant Demon King had suddenly begun abducting royals indiscriminately. Although he showed some regard for human reactions by choosing those far removed from the throne, the abductions themselves were what mattered.

“Every Demon King except the Demon King of Lies is behaving unusually. This may be a leap, but perhaps...”

“Perhaps?”

“Perhaps they intend to return to the way things were a hundred years ago.”

“... Surely not. That would only work against them. Unless they are fools.”

Demon Kings and humans coexisted through a tacit agreement, but underlying it was the belief that humans held the upper hand. It was possible because humans viewed Demon Kings as tools they could use. What if the Demon Kings changed their behavior and proved that was no longer possible? What if humans saw them not merely as a danger, but as formidable enemies that had to be eliminated immediately?

Humans would not tolerate the Demon Kings. The Demon Kings would not survive.

“Who knows? A hundred years may mean something different to them.”

“Hmm.”

“In any case, with the demons behaving so unusually, Princess Lavinia has become even more important. His Majesty acknowledged that as well.”

“Who makes up the search party?”

“The mage tower’s own mages have taken the field.”

The mage tower and the royal household were separate. Though it nominally followed the king’s orders, the mage tower was an independent institution. Its armed forces were by no means inferior to the crown’s. The mage tower and the royal household were the two driving forces of the Kingdom of Akan.

“Do not worry. The mage tower will find Her Highness, one way or another.”

“But that is a Demon King’s domain. It will be anything but easy.”

“Even so, must we not try?”

“I only hope my sister has not been captured by the Demon King.”

Cain clicked his tongue in dismay.

* * *

Back in the royal capital, Cain resumed his duties. He attended social gatherings, hosted banquets, and built ties with mages, knights, and nobles. He also practiced with his sword and received instruction in a wide range of subjects, from kingship, diplomacy, politics, and economics to swordsmanship.

He was the Fifth Prince, but he had his sights on the throne. Unlike other countries, Akan put ability first. Even a First Prince often failed to become Crown Prince, while those lower in the succession frequently became king.

No, in truth, Akan had no higher or lower place in the succession at all. Everyone born into the royal family had an equal claim, and only the one who proved their worth shone brightest could become king.

‘This mission was a failure.’

Viewed in that light, his failure was painful: he had not even found the tower, and had returned after losing Lavinia Akan. At a time when every achievement mattered, he had made a substantial blunder.

Of course, he was more worried about his sister’s safety than any of that.

‘I simply can’t imagine anything happening to her.’

Mages were more obsessive than ordinary people could imagine, and Lavinia Akan was an oddity who surpassed even them. By any measure Cain understood, he could not imagine Lavinia Akan dying.

CLANG!

A stinging impact ran through his palm. He lost his grip on his sword, and the abandoned blade plunged into the ground.

“Your Highness, you seem rather distracted.”

The elderly knight sparring with him sheathed his sword.

“I suppose I was. I apologize.”

“Not at all. You have been driving yourself hard every day since returning from Erjest. Might I suggest stopping here for today?”

“Let’s do that.”

Cain picked up his sword. As he was about to sheath it, a knight came running.

“Your Highness, you have a visitor.”

“A visitor?”

“He calls himself Granada.”

“... Escort him to the detached palace at once.”

“But he is not alone.”

“Who is with him?”

“Eleven elves.”

“Eleven elves, you say?”

Elves were an extremely insular race. Their country, Elven, was entirely covered in forest, and the forest’s powerful will did not permit unauthorized intruders. During the great war in the past, humans had forcibly burned their way through it, but now that a treaty had been signed, Elven was virtually an unknown world. Almost no elves left Elven, either, so seeing one was no easy matter.

“I will go at once.”

Granada and eleven elves were waiting in the detached palace’s reception room. At the sight of their striking faces, Cain murmured that they were indeed elves and welcomed them warmly.

“Welcome, Granada.”

“I hope I have not imposed by visiting so suddenly.”

“Not at all. I was the one who told you to visit whenever you wished.”

Though he had not expected it to be quite this soon.

“But who are these people?”

“Elves with whom I have ties.”

“A pleasure to meet you.”

Cain exchanged greetings with the elves.

“If it is not an imposition, might I speak with you privately?”

“Of course. Sir Alburn, please show our guests elsewhere.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The knight named Alburn led the elves away. It was not a task he needed to perform himself, but he had taken the hint and excused himself.

“Now, please speak.”

“They are elf slaves who were scattered across the continent.”

When Granada first received Berge’s orders, he had deliberated. How he planted the elves in Akan was a matter of considerable importance.

Should he lie, or tell the truth?

The elves were slaves. Though humans had forced that status upon them, the person he was dealing with was also human. Their slave status could never count in their favor. Yet he also questioned whether lying was the right choice.

Akan’s intelligence network was by no means poor. A little digging into Hillen would lead to the Golden Moon Trading Company, and it would be easy to discover that the company had recently been purchasing elf slaves.

In the end, Granada chose the former.

“So those are the elf slaves the Golden Moon Trading Company has been buying?”

As expected, Cain knew.

“I will not deny it.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“They are slaves. But that status was ultimately created by humans abducting them. Every one of them is a valued elf of Elven.”

“That is not important.”

However narrow-minded a status humans had imposed, Akan was a human country. Humans had won the war against the other races, and even after signing a peace treaty, they had always held the upper hand. No matter how much time passed, the prejudices accumulated over those years would not disappear.

Of course, that was not the only issue.

“Bringing elves into the mage tower means taking away what has been allotted to humans. Their discontent will fall upon me. Is there a reason I should accept them despite that?”

“Please consider your ties with Pale.”

“That is already covered by a contract. This is a separate matter.”

“They are exceptional mages.”

“Spirit summoners, to be precise.”

“Spirit summoning is also a branch of magic. Surely Akan does not deny that?”

“Of course not.”

“They will lend strength to Your Highness.”

“I wonder.”

Cain doubted that the elves would serve him simply because he had accepted them.

“They will always support Your Highness, provided it does not violate their convictions or oaths. They can swear this upon the World Tree.”

“I hear elves lose all their mana if they break an oath sworn upon the World Tree?”

“Something like that.”

That was rather tempting. Eleven elves bound by an oath not to betray him. Given that all elves possessed exceptional talent, they would surely distinguish themselves in the mage tower. What if they gained recognition there and then supported Cain?

“But if their support depends on not violating their convictions and oaths, does that mean they could betray me if it did?”

“I am referring to oaths they have already sworn before pledging loyalty to Your Highness, and duties they must uphold as elves. For example, they will not act against me, even if Your Highness orders them to.”

“I understand. However...”

Cain’s gaze sharpened.

“What do you and they stand to gain from this?”

“They cannot return to the forest. It pains me to say this as a fellow elf, but elves are insular and will not take back those who have once been human slaves.”

“They have nowhere to go, so they need a home? That home need not be Akan.”

“Nor is there a reason it cannot be Akan.”

“A weak argument.”

“They are also a gift from Hillen.”

“... Go on.”

“I gathered them, but I, too, was acting on the orders of the hero Hillen Cargill. Hillen wishes to maintain good relations with Your Highness.”

“... May I take that to mean I could receive the hero Hillen Cargill’s assistance someday?”

“If you help the elves settle safely, there is no reason you could not.”

“Indeed.” That was somewhat more tempting.

Cain fell silent and considered.

‘Hillen Cargill.’

Rumors of his failure in the northern snowfields had reached Cain, but that did not diminish his worth. He had killed and absorbed two Demon Kings. No matter how often he fell or was beaten, as long as he did not die, greatness awaited him.

“... Very well.”

There would be opposition. If he abruptly placed elves in the mage tower, the mages would inevitably resist. Those serving other princes and princesses would oppose him all the more fiercely. In the end, he would be inviting countless attempts to check his influence.

That was why he needed certainty, too.

“But I must meet the hero Hillen Cargill and hear his firm assurance.”

An assurance that he could support Cain.

No—a demonstration that he did support him.

“That will not be possible immediately. Hillen is currently in the Empire’s northern snowfields.”

“Of course. I can easily wait a few months.”

Hillen’s opinion did not matter. If the Demon King told him to do it, he damn well had to.

Two months later, after firmly establishing his relationship with Margrave Chernian in the northern snowfields, Hillen Cargill came to the Kingdom of Akan and met Cain.

It was just after Berge met Reina Sordein.

* * *

“Wow...”

Lavinia Akan blinked dazedly. Snow was falling, but it could not extinguish the sparks burning hot within her eyes.

There were hundreds of monsters. What was more, they were high-tier monsters from the snowfields, where human hands rarely reached. Even as a renowned chimera maker, had Lavinia ever seen so many high-tier monsters gathered in one place?

“All mine?”

“Trying to gobble them all up without even staking a claim?”

“Chimeras.”

“Yes, you are to make chimeras out of them.”

“So many.”

“Of course there are.”

Truthfully, Berge had not expected Reina to hand over hundreds of monsters so readily, either. It showed how much importance she placed on their alliance.

All the more reason, then.

‘I must be careful.’

If their relationship soured, her sense of betrayal would be just as great. When a frost demon bore a grudge, snow fell even over lava fields. And she was a demon exceptional enough to have risen to the position of Demon King.

“Really?”

“You really may do as you please with them. But there is a condition.”

“Condition?”

“You clearly told me you wanted to make chimeras and let them stay in the tower.”

“Yes.”

“And I want to take the chimeras you make as my servants.”

“No engravings.”

Lavinia gave him the answer he wanted.

From a human perspective, chimeras were combinations of exceedingly violent creatures, and controlling them properly required an appropriate safeguard. That safeguard was an obedience engraving: magic inscribed within them during their creation.

Of course, any such engraving would break when Berge took them as servants, but there was no need to put himself through that extra trouble.

‘Still, I wonder whether this is all right.’

As the elves settled in the Kingdom of Akan, Granada had sent him various pieces of intelligence. Among them was news of the search party Akan had newly dispatched.

Its objective was naturally Lavinia Akan, and its members were currently staying in Hortonwork. They had yet to make any notable moves, but that was merely the calm before the storm. They would certainly climb the mountain and search desperately for Lavinia.

Rationally speaking, releasing Lavinia Akan was the right thing to do.

But...

‘I want to keep her.’

In his previous life, he had avoided her at all costs, but after spending time with her, he had found that she simply had an unusual mind. No, he was not sure “simply” was the right word, but she could be controlled to a degree.

And the usefulness of a controllable Lavinia Akan was difficult to put into words. She was important to both golem production and chimera creation. At least for now, if he had to name the people the tower needed most, they would be her and Logger.

‘At least, not right now.’

Not until the golems were finished and all these monsters had become chimeras.

‘I will leave them alone for now.’

There was no need to stir up trouble. Left alone, the search party would exhaust itself and give up.

“I will station all the monsters on the second floor.”

“Yes.”

“But finish the golem core before making any chimeras.”

“... Why?”

“Because that is obviously more important.”

“No.”

“Chimeras are more important?”

“Yes.”

She nodded and raised her thumb, seemingly trying to express that nothing in the world was more important than chimeras.

Then why not just say so in a full sentence? Had half her tongue been cut off?

“This is my tower, not Lavinia’s tower. My word is law, and my orders come first. Golems matter more than chimeras.”

“... Mean.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Exploitation.”

“That is what I do best.”

“Quickly.”

“Yes, finishing it as quickly as possible will be in your best interest.”

Lavinia trudged into the tower with her shoulders slumped.

“Quickly!”

“Your Highness, this is not something that can be solved by rushing—”

“Excuses!”

“I have not taken even a moment’s break since coming to this tower!”

“Nonsense. Work.”

Lavinia shut the golem controller up. Under her piercing gaze, he was worked mercilessly on the spot, weeping tears of blood.

Leading the monsters toward the second floor, Berge chuckled at the sight. A princess working her kingdom’s talent to the bone for a Demon King. It was quite an amusing spectacle.

‘I should find an elixir and feed it to him soon.’

He could not have the man dying of overwork before completing the golem core.

“... Ugh.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. A sudden chill...”

“Faking.”

“No, I mean it! Princess, aren’t you being far too cruel?”

“Work.”

“... Yes.”

With a miserable look on his face, Raymon, the golem controller, resumed his work.