Chapter 121 - You Promised!

When Berge arrived, he found a vast crater where the gorge had once been. Corpses lay strewn everywhere among the battered imperial troops, whose wails filled the air.

At the bottom of the crater, a dark mage gasped for breath in the First Prince's grip.

'Bairif?'

He had already been captured?

Of course, Berge had never expected Bairif to win. But he had never imagined everything would be destroyed so quickly—not when the four imperial contenders hadn't even joined forces.

"... Balaf Dislord?"

An angry voice escaped Roselle beside him.

Berge followed her gaze. When his eyes reached the hero standing beside the prince, he involuntarily caught his breath.

An immense presence. Stronger and more overwhelming than anyone else here.

Balaf Dislord.

The ten most brilliant active heroes were called Stars. And among those Ten Stars, Balaf Dislord was held in the highest regard.

The greatest, strongest hero, in both name and fact.

"I never thought I'd see that son of a bitch's face here."

During the expedition against the Beast's Tower, his abrupt withdrawal had set the hero's journey on the path to failure. Considering the harm Roselle Charnt had suffered as a result, her anger was justified.

But the present circumstances were not ones in which she could act rashly.

"Stop."

Wounded knights and soldiers barred their way. The Second Prince's knights drew their swords.

"The Black Lion Knights."

The Second Prince identified the black lion crests, worn by battle.

"Move aside."

"We cannot."

"Do you think I'm asking?"

"These are His Highness the First Prince's orders."

"So my elder brother's orders matter, but mine don't? How am I supposed to live with such injustice!" Floyan growled.

"But what a predicament. I have knights just as loyal as you."

The White Rose Knights, the symbol of House Bolderbof and the Second Prince's escorts, exuded killing intent.

"Knights who will kill every last one of you and clear a path for me."

The oppressive killing intent put the knights on edge.

Then a voice spoke.

"Let them through. If they wish to see their elder brother, shouldn't I show them my face?"

The knights slowly made way. The Second and Third Princes walked between them.

"Only Their Highnesses may..."

"You have heroes and knights with you, but I'm to go alone? What do you think of that, Brother!" the Second Prince shouted.

"Just let them through."

"As you command."

The way opened. Several dozen people, including the knights and heroes, descended into the crater.

Five people stood inside it: the First Prince and First Princess, siblings who had joined hands for this undertaking alone; two heroes standing as if to guard them; and the dark mage struggling with his throat in the First Prince's grasp.

"That one isn't a Star," Hillen whispered after examining the First Princess's hero.

"It's been a while, Brother."

"Brother."

"Floyan, Martin. You've come together."

Rufus turned only his head, keeping his grip on the dark mage's throat.

"Since you're working with Marlene, Brother, is there any reason I shouldn't work with my younger brother?"

"So you met by chance?"

"And what if, astonishingly enough, we did?"

"It's a pleasure to reunite with a brother in an unfamiliar place. Why not keep enjoying each other's company?"

"How could we, with our objective right before us?"

"But what difference will arriving now make?" Rufus smiled. "It's already over."

"That one dark mage?"

"The only one."

"Impossible."

"Did you see for yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"I did. I even destroyed some of the undead myself."

"Is what he says true?"

Floyan looked at Martin, who immediately turned to Hillen.

"That cannot be."

"Hillen Cargill."

"I saw well over a thousand undead. It makes no sense that a single dark mage could summon them all."

"You should have accepted my offer then. What a foolish choice you made. Well?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you regret it now that things have turned out this way?"

"..."

Hillen remained silent. Floyan abruptly intervened.

"Don't change the subject. If Lord Hillen is telling the truth, how did one dark mage control over a thousand undead?"

"I have no need to convince you."

"Then I'll hear it from the man himself."

"Now that it's over, you dare take the fish I've caught?"

"It isn't over yet."

Floyan revealed his killing intent. Rufus's knights drew their swords in response, and Floyan's knights snarled back at them.

'What should I do?'

Berge discreetly avoided Bairif's eyes. Fortunately, Bairif hadn't realized he was the Demon King who had bound him.

'I can't save him.'

Intervening here, surrounded by imperial elites and heroes, would be suicide.

'Especially with that bastard here.'

Balaf Dislord. His reputation as a great hero was no empty boast. Of all the heroes Berge had met across his previous and current lives, he was the second strongest.

The strongest had been the hero of the Red Sword who had pierced Berge's heart. In other words, Balaf was stronger even than Hillen Cargill, who had consumed two Demon Kings and grown considerably.

'Nothing is going my way.'

The First Prince had distinguished himself far more than expected, leaving the Third Prince no opportunity to shine. And Bairif had been captured all too easily.

'Don't blame me. It's your fault for being weak.'

In the end, Berge decided to abandon him. The man was useful, certainly, but he wasn't worth any more than that.

It happened then.

Bairif's eyes widened, his gaze fixing on a single point.

'... Damn.'

Realizing that he was looking at Hillen Cargill, Berge swallowed a groan.

Come to think of it, Berge hadn't been alone when he visited Bairif.

'Was Hillen Cargill wearing a mask...?'

At that moment—

"My lord!"

With his throat still in the prince's grip, Bairif shouted desperately.

* * *

Bairif couldn't believe what was happening.

He had detonated all his undead, accepting the losses. He had been certain he could kill them all. Even if he couldn't, he had thought the survivors would at least be too gravely injured to move.

He had been wrong.

Was it because he had spent too much demonic energy controlling the undead lesser dragon? Or because the Empire's strength was greater than he had expected?

There were more survivors than he had anticipated. Worse still, the hero who had slaughtered his masterpiece hadn't stopped there. He had burrowed straight into the earth and destroyed Bairif's entire dungeon, then snatched him by the throat and brought him to the surface. He had tossed him to the imperial prince.

Bairif found himself facing hundreds of surviving imperial troops.

Their fury heated the air, their killing intent promising death.

"It's you. You're the one."

The prince's rough hand clamped around his throat. Bairif wanted to resist, but had no strength left. He struggled, barely managing to breathe.

"Where are the others?"

Did he think there were others?

Bairif understood. Who but Bairif himself could possibly imagine that one man had created all these undead, the work of well over a decade?

It was the worst possible situation, yet he felt a certain pride. He had lost, but it felt as though his achievements had been acknowledged.

And so he spat.

PTOO!

There was no particular significance to it. He simply disliked the prince's face, so clean and pretty.

"How dare you!"

"Your Highness!"

The knights were appalled. The prince stopped them and wiped away the yellow phlegm.

"How amusing."

He smiled, but there was nothing pleasant about it.

Bairif felt goosebumps rise. Even so, he forced himself to appear calm. In truth, there was no need to be frightened. Whatever happened, the Demon King would save him.

"You don't seem afraid."

The pressure on his throat eased considerably, as though the prince wanted an answer.

"I am a dark mage. Death is always at my side."

"You misunderstand."

CRUNCH!

"Why would I..."

The grip tightened again. Bairif's face turned red, and he gasped raggedly for breath.

"...let you die an easy death after you killed my soldiers, laid my knights to rest, and insulted my mages—and me?"

"... It doesn't matter, foolish imperial prince."

It truly didn't matter. However great the prince's fury was, whatever he intended to do to Bairif.

"The great..."

His lord, the Demon King, would save him. Having sworn by the first Demon Emperor and the Guide, he was certain to do so.

Just then, a knight hurried down into the crater.

"Your Highness."

"Speak."

"Their Highnesses the Second and Third Princes are almost here."

"Those two?"

No sooner had he spoken than a commotion arose above the crater.

"Let them through!"

'This is bad...'

He hadn't lost faith in the Demon King. But if more imperial troops arrived, if security grew tighter, could the Demon King still rescue him unharmed?

'My lord, if you don't act now, there may be no other chance!'

Despite his silent cries, the Demon King didn't appear. Instead, more princes arrived, accompanied by more knights and mages.

"So you met by chance?"

"And what if, astonishingly enough, we did?"

The princes raised their voices at each other, apparently not on good terms.

'... Huh?'

Then Bairif spotted the Demon King among the newcomers. No, it wasn't the Demon King.

He looked like him, at least, but Bairif couldn't sense even the faintest trace of demonic energy. Instead, he was filled with mana so pure it was nauseating.

But it wasn't the human who resembled the Demon King that gave him hope. It was a hero standing beside him.

'That's definitely him.'

The hero who had visited him with the Demon King.

Then the Demon King had to be nearby as well.

'Where is my lord? Is he watching me?'

Taking advantage of the commotion, he looked around. But he couldn't sense the Demon King's presence anywhere.

'If you're going to save me, now is the time! While they're fighting among themselves!'

He prayed desperately, hoping the Demon King whose soul was connected to his would hear his wishes and appear.

But however heated the princes' dispute became, however much the fallout threatened his life, the Demon King didn't emerge.

In the end, he had no choice but to shout to the Demon King who must be watching him from somewhere in the gorge.

"My lord!"

He shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Your servant is here! Please keep your promise!"

His voice echoed.

"A Demon King? Yes, that explains it. That's why you can be so arrogant."

Everyone's eyes turned toward him.

"Go on, call him."

The First Prince sneered at him.

"I'm curious to see the face of that verminous demon who supported you and dared interfere with the Empire."

He looked down at Bairif arrogantly.

"Go on."

He slapped Bairif across the face.

"I said, call him."

"My lord!"

His throat tore. Blood came out. But there was no answer.

"Th-this can't be..."

"Has your Demon King abandoned you?"

"N-no. That's impossible!"

He had sworn by the first Demon Emperor and the Guide. There was no way the Demon King would break that oath.

"Hurry and save me! You promised you'd at least spare my life!"

"Yes, hurry and save him. Isn't your servant making a disgraceful spectacle of himself!"

Even the prince's mockery drew no answer.

By then, Bairif realized something was wrong. The Demon King had no intention of keeping his promise. He was going to die here.

"N-no...!"

He couldn't die here.

"Save me! I said, hurry and save me!"

He screamed.

"Demon King of Hellfire, you son of a bitch!"

You promised! You promised you'd save me! You swore by the Guide and the first Demon Emperor!

His final cries were swallowed by tears, but the first scream had already escaped.

"... The Demon King of Hellfire?"

It had given the imperial family's fury a target.