Chapter 125 - Persuasion

While Berge was preparing to use his entire tower as a weapon and the two Demon Kings were having their grave discussion, the Empire sent envoys to three kingdoms.

“You want our cooperation in finding the Tower of Hellfire?”

“Yes. Here is a personal letter from His Imperial Majesty.”

An attendant received the letter and presented it to the king of Korzen. After reading it, the king questioned the envoy.

“Do you know what this says?”

“I have merely delivered His Majesty’s letter as his imperial envoy.”

“Katarina Jespine.”

The envoy flinched.

“Do you know how I know your name?”

“You seem to take a keen interest in the Empire.”

“Who doesn’t take an interest in the Empire? But I am not so well informed that I could recognize the Eleventh Princess at a glance when she so rarely appears in public.”

“Was it the letter?”

“When I first heard the Empire’s proposal from your lips, I welcomed it, but I also had reservations.”

No one welcomed the presence of a Demon King’s tower right on their doorstep when its precise location was unknown.

Naturally, it would be good if the Empire offered to strap on its swords and take care of it. Yet he could not simply accept in good faith. There was precedent for the Empire devouring other countries under the pretext of a hero’s journey.

Even if that had happened hundreds of years ago, the Empire was still a hyena that could not be trusted lightly.

“The letter bears the emperor’s seal alongside several promises. It also says he sent you as a token of good faith.”

“...”

“What answer do you think I should give?”

“I believe you should hold me here.”

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The knights approached. The other members of the delegation instinctively moved to resist, but stopped when Katarina Jespine restrained them.

“Then may I take Your Majesty’s answer as an affirmative?”

“I thought I had already answered.”

Katarina bowed her head.

“Thank you for your wise decision.”

Then she walked willingly toward the knights.

“Let’s go.”

It was not only Korzen. The same thing was happening in the other two kingdoms.

Three imperial princes and princesses were detained.

* * *

There was no perfect secret in this world.

That was especially true as more people learned it, and more organizations or countries became involved.

The Jespine Empire did everything it could to maintain secrecy, but it could not conceal the fact that it was assembling a search party.

“The Jespine Empire is searching for the Tower of Hellfire, is it?”

An attendant poured a 1311 vintage of Anturua Pornin into the empty glass. The fragrant aroma of wine filled the room.

News of the Empire’s flurry of activity had reached even Hilderan.

The king studied the report carefully.

“The Tower of Hellfire.”

And the Demon King of Hellfire.

The lair of the vermin who had abducted the kingdom’s heir.

Unlike the other Demon Kings’ towers, it was hidden, and remained undiscovered more than a year after his descent.

The Demon King had thoroughly disgraced the kingdom by kidnapping Elena again mere days after her rescue from the Adamant Tower.

The Demon King of Hellfire and Hilderan had crossed a river from which there was no return.

Hilderan would have to destroy the tower to rescue its two princesses. If the Demon King did not want that, he would have to destroy Hilderan first.

Their enmity would not end until one killed the other.

And the Demon King of Hellfire had started it all.

“What do you think?”

“If the Empire is willing to take the reins, we have no reason to object. I believe we should lend a hand,” the chief chamberlain advised.

“There is, however, something that raises questions.”

“Questions?”

“The dark mage’s confession. I have never once heard of a dark mage betraying a Demon King.”

“Do you think the Empire doesn’t know that?”

The king gave a short laugh.

“They must.”

“Yes. Setting aside whatever they are plotting, let us return to the matter at hand. Would the Empire readily accept our outstretched hand?”

Relations between Hilderan and Jespine were not bad. But that did not mean they were particularly good, either.

They got along well enough, yet neither could stand to see the other prosper.

They did not go out of their way to interfere, but neither did they go out of their way to share anything.

“They have no particular reason to refuse, either.”

The hero’s journey had not officially begun yet. For now, all the Empire intended to do in cooperation with the three northern kingdoms was locate the tower. No one knew how much time and effort that would take in the vast, treacherous Erjest Mountains.

If Hilderan offered to shoulder some of that burden, they were unlikely to refuse.

“Besides, the Empire’s regular army cannot participate in a hero’s journey anyway. Some might join under concealed identities, but only a fraction. Heroes are, after all, the backbone of a hero’s journey.”

“Indeed. And we happen to have a suitable hero, don’t we?”

“We do.”

A hero born in Hilderan, supported by Hilderan, who was currently deeply involved on the Empire’s side.

The Hero of Hilderan, who had declared before all the people that he would one day rescue both princesses.

“Send an envoy to the Empire and make contact with Hillen Cargill.”

“As you command.”

The king clenched his fist. Unable to withstand his grip, the glass shattered.

He paid it no heed.

“At last.”

At last.

“Is the day finally coming when I can tear that damned Demon King limb from limb?”

The day he would repay the humiliation inflicted on his kingdom—and on himself—was not far off.

Nor was the day he would recover the kingdom’s heir.

* * *

Berge dwelled on his memories from before his regression.

The Empire had come at him relentlessly, and he had tried to repel every attack. He had held them off, again and again, until he could hold them off no longer.

And so he had died.

‘I cannot repeat the same mistake.’

For now, he had decided to stop them. But he knew better than anyone that simply holding them off would not win him the battle.

Defense alone would not suffice. He needed something more fundamental that would prevent the Empire from continuing its hero’s journey.

‘But how?’

The Empire had already begun to act. As the conflict intensified, it would gather momentum and become a carriage that could no longer be stopped.

‘I can’t stop it from starting. I just have to make them give up before things go too far.’

To do that, he needed either to give them a justification for quitting or to leave them no time to concern themselves with him.

‘Cause trouble in the Empire?’

But how?

Then, suddenly, he remembered Hillen Cargill’s words.

‘Martin Jespine.’

He was coming to Erjest with Hillen. His ambitions were far from modest.

What if his desire to become emperor was actually no less than the First Prince’s? What if he had merely concealed it behind a mask of gentleness because the odds were against him, and had died too young to pursue it?

And if Berge himself helped him...

‘What if I follow the original plan?’

Give Martin strength and use him to divide the Empire.

‘I’ll capture him and make him my subordinate.’

It was not kidnapping. He would send him back, after all.

And if Martin returned and stopped the Empire’s hero’s journey by whatever means necessary...

‘Wouldn’t that be perfect?’

Of course, the chances were exceedingly slim. Common sense dictated that the Empire’s Third Prince had absolutely no reason to become a Demon King’s subordinate—

“... Not absolutely none.”

If his hunger for the throne outweighed everything else, and if he understood his own position better than anyone, it was not impossible.

Especially with a little seasoning in the form of persuasion from a beloved sibling.

Berge summoned Kaede.

“... You mean my brother is coming here to take part in the search? Not the hero’s journey?”

“The Empire and the three northern kingdoms will work together to search for the tower. The Third Prince will take part on the Empire’s side.”

“... I see.”

“There is something you must do.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Persuade the Third Prince.”

“... Did I mishear you?”

Kaede’s eyes widened more than they had at any time since she had heard about the Dark Knight.

“You heard correctly.”

“... My brother is an imperial prince.”

“And you are an imperial princess.”

“...”

Kaede worked her lips, swallowing her words.

She plainly had a great deal to say, but was holding back because he was, after all, a Demon King, and she was his servant.

“I am neither ‘asking’ nor ‘ordering’ you. I am simply ‘informing’ you.”

“... What do you mean?”

If he gave an order, Kaede would obey. She was devoted to chivalry, and she was his servant, for now.

But she would never put her heart into persuading Martin or give it her best effort. Berge intended to make her do her utmost.

“Do you know? Killing an army’s commander is the most basic strategy when facing an enemy.”

That was why this was a notification—not a request, an order, or an attempt at persuasion.

“If the Third Prince climbs the mountains with the imperial army, finding him will be my first priority. I will order Krutu to cut off his head.”

“I will send every monster swarming in his direction.”

“I will order Logger to make him the mana cannons’ highest-priority target.”

“Him.”

“Without fail.”

“I will kill.”

He stressed every single word. Kaede’s face looked pale, and that surely was no trick of the eye.

“... My lord.”

“There are several futures awaiting him. Krutu might behead him. Monsters might devour him. An avalanche might crush him to death. A mana cannon might blast his body apart.”

“My lord.”

“But there is only one outcome. He will never leave Erjest alive. I will make certain of it.”

“My lord!”

Kaede shouted, her agitated face flushed red.

“... I will try to persuade my brother.”

“There is no particular need for that.”

“No. I will... I will succeed, without fail.”

“Just as I would expect of my loyal knight.”

Berge smiled in satisfaction.

“There are two things I will promise him.”

“Two things?”

“One is his life.”

“Yes.”

“The other is the Empire.”

“... Pardon?”

“I swear upon the great first Demon Emperor and the Guide that, if the Third Prince becomes my ally, I am willing to make him emperor.”

“... Lady Ernyan has a saying.”

“What is it?”

“That I should be most wary when you swear upon the first Demon Emperor and the Guide...”

“...”

Oh, fuck.

Had he overused that?

“... And in exchange, he becomes your servant?”

“Well.”

Since Martin was not a hero, he could make him a dark mage or dark knight.

But either would reveal demonic energy the instant he used his power. That was far from a good approach.

‘I’ll have to use an Armani Orb.’

Unlike dark-mage and dark-knight contracts, which involved exchanging demonic energy, the Armani Orb was merely an artifact that imposed restrictions on the soul.

It neither revealed demonic energy nor made someone use demonic energy simply because they had swallowed it.

Its drawbacks were that he could not grant power through it, it cost a great many demonic energy points, and it was so fragile that even the slightest resistance would melt it immediately. But if Kaede could persuade him properly...

“... But my lord, you do not have the power to make my brother emperor, do you?”

She was not belittling Berge. She had watched him long enough to know how calculating and vicious a Demon King he was.

She simply knew the Empire’s strength well. There was pride in it, too: not Berge, nor any other Demon King, could dare interfere in the imperial succession.

“Of course not.”

Berge admitted that much himself. Despite what he had said, no amount of effort would let him place whomever he wished on the imperial throne.

But...

“I am a Demon King. As long as humans and demons are officially enemies, I can help him earn more merits. Surely the Third Prince could find some way to make use of that assistance?”

“... I will obey your command, my lord.”

“Just what I would expect of the Dark Knight.”

“... I would prefer that you not call me that.”

“Ernyan already thinks of you that way.”

“... If you told her to stop...”

“I can make no promises on that front.”

“...”

Kaede seriously wondered whether this really was the calculating, vicious Demon King she had come to know.

* * *

‘With my own hands, I would make my brother...’

Persuade him to become the Demon King’s dog?

‘My brother is different from me.’

They shared the same father and mother, but unlike her, with her little interest in the throne, Martin had a powerful desire to become emperor.

He was unquestionably a good brother to her, but he was by no means merely kind and free of ambition.

Having watched him from his side, she knew better than anyone how much he wanted to become emperor.

That was why she had wanted to lend him strength. As a knight. As his sword.

If even that was impossible, she had wanted to help him through a political marriage.

But the proposed husband had turned out to be the dying king of Ormus, and she could not possibly accept it.

She had not been willing to give up being a hero and a knight merely to become an ornament in Ormus.

So she had escaped, intending to become a great hero and lend Martin her strength. That had failed, leaving her kidnapped by a Demon King and serving him instead, but her feelings for Martin had not changed.

That was why she was torn.

When Berge Deias said he would do something, he did it. He never lied.

‘To save my brother’s life, I have to persuade him, no matter what.’

But would her brother want that?

Would his desire to become emperor, his yearning to live, outweigh his aversion to becoming the Demon King’s dog?

That much, she did not know.

‘Still, for now...’

As she had told the Demon King, she intended to do her utmost.

For her, Martin Jespine was the only warmth to be found in the frost-cold imperial family.