Chapter 22 - How Am I Supposed to Take This?

"..."

Hillen opened his eyes.

Dark. Pitch-black. Damp and filthy.

The foul smell made him frown involuntarily. The back of his head throbbed. He instinctively reached for it, but his chains clanked, stopping his hand.

Ah.

Only then did Hillen fully grasp his situation. His limbs were bound, and his mana was sealed.

He had been a hero. Now he was nothing more than a prisoner.

He recalled the last moments.

The woman who had greeted him wore an eye mask more suited to a ball. She had introduced herself as the Demon King's subordinate, the Dark Spirit Summoner, but how could he fail to recognize her?

That platinum-blond hair, practically a symbol of Hilderan's royal family. Those strangely striking violet eyes, not easily forgotten once seen.

She was unmistakably Ernan Hilderan, the Crown Princess of Hilderan. The very person he was supposed to rescue.

'Why would the princess...?'

He couldn't understand it.

The Demon King abducted the princess. The hero fought the Demon King to rescue her.

That was the truth. It had been the truth.

Hillen had visited countless towers as a hero, but this was a first.

"Are you awake?"

"... Granada."

Hillen wasn't the prison's only guest. Looking much the same, his limbs also bound, Granada opened his weary eyes.

'Damn it.'

Why did he have to do this?

Granada grumbled inwardly. His mission should have ended with Hillen's capture. Instead, the Demon King had thrown him into prison alongside Hillen.

["No one has a looser tongue than a human brought low. Stay locked up with him and see what you can dig up."]

'What does he intend to use the hero for?'

This was Hillen Cargill, of all people. A hero who had already slain a Demon King.

They had captured him relatively easily this time by using the princess, but there was no guarantee they could do it again. It wasn't something an elf ought to say, but from the Demon King's perspective, leaving him alive would inevitably spell trouble.

'Surely he doesn't intend to take him on as a subordinate like me.'

The idea was so absurd that Granada was dumbfounded by his own thoughts.

A hero serving a Demon King?

'But what was that little runt doing here?'

Why was a dwarf making things like mana cannons in a Demon King's tower?

He had even seemed to be a hero.

"Are you all right?"

"My head is throbbing. I can't move, and my mana won't respond at all."

"Neither will mine."

"I remember Her Highness the Crown Princess appearing. But I don't remember what hit me."

"I'm not sure either..."

"What a mess. All of it."

Hillen sighed. Everything had been going smoothly until they reached Hortonwork. How had it come to this?

"This tower. There's something wrong with it."

Hillen had only truly begun making a name for himself after killing the Demon King of Lust, but he had climbed towers numerous times before that. And every tower had something in common.

"The first floor has demonic creatures and traps."

"The second has stronger demonic creatures and traps."

"The third has even stronger demonic creatures and traps."

That was normal. It wasn't merely his personal experience. It was a rule that had never been broken in the hundreds of years since Demon Kings first descended.

So why was this tower...

"The first floor had mana cannons and ballistae."

That single, utterly unexpected blast had wiped out everyone except Hillen and Granada.

"Why the hell would a tower have those things?"

"... I'm not sure."

"Of course. There's no way you would know, Granada. No one would."

Had that been all, he might have accepted it. In the end, mana cannons were just another danger. Once he slew the Demon King and rescued the princess, even that would become a fond memory of the old days.

But...

"After putting that nasty surprise on the first floor, he left the second completely empty."

"The third was the same. Then, when we reached the fourth..."

GRIND

A trickle of fresh blood slipped from the corner of Hillen's mouth.

"Why the hell would the princess!"

Unbearable rage set his heart pounding.

"Why would she turn against me when I came to rescue her, and take the Demon King's side!"

His quiet complaints turned into loud shouts.

"After everything I went through to get here!"

"After all the lengths I went to!"

"After everything I did to make this hero's journey succeed!"

The torrent of indignation soon subsided.

"Heh heh heh."

Then he began laughing like a madman.

"Do you realize something?"

"... Pardon? What...?"

"Since entering this tower, we haven't encountered a single demonic creature or demon."

A twisted smile formed on his lips.

"In a Demon King's tower! Instead of what ought to be here, a princess is attacking heroes! What the hell is this fucking tower!"

"... I understand."

He certainly did. Granada had found it absurd even as he heard about the arrangements in real time. He couldn't begin to imagine how the man who had actually suffered through them felt.

"A Demon King's tower. And I am its master."

The answer came from outside the cell.

He stood amid the prison's dim lights. Black eyes, black hair. He looked almost exactly like a human, yet radiated an oppressive presence that made it impossible to regard him as one.

"A pleasure, Hillen Cargill."

Berge smiled.

This was new. Delightful.

'Hillen Cargill.'

Across both his past and present lives, this was the first time Berge had seen him in such a wretched state.

Originally, Hillen had never been destined to lose. He commanded greater esteem than anyone and always succeeded. Right up until the day Berge was killed, he had reigned as one of the greatest heroes.

But not now.

Berge couldn't hide his smile.

He hadn't merely captured a hero. He had broken the wings of a hero who would have soared even higher.

This had never happened in the past. Fate had changed.

That was why Berge felt a rare surge of excitement. This was his first meaningful accomplishment. Proof that his choices hadn't been wrong.

At last, he was certain he could change the future.

Certain he could exact his revenge.

"It's you."

Hillen's eyes flashed wildly.

"You! It was you!"

"If you mean the master of this tower, then yes, as I said."

"Son of a bitch. You fucking piece of dogshit. Tearing you apart with my teeth wouldn't be enough."

"I heard Hillen Cargill was always well behaved, courteous, and respectful of others."

"Bullshit. I'm about to die, and you're talking about manners? Why the hell did you build your tower like this! If you're a Demon King, act like one and put in demonic creatures and traps!"

"I did set a trap. There were no demonic creatures, but it caught you quite effectively."

"Nothing about it was like a Demon King, you bastard."

Hillen sneered.

"I'm ruined because of you. Even if I make it back alive, there'll be creditors lining up to hound me."

"It's absurd that a single failure would bankrupt you. You're Hillen Cargill, after all."

"You demons wouldn't understand. Those money-grubbing bastards are worse than demons. Do you have any idea how much money I've poured into maintaining my connections, or how much more I'll have to spend? Just thinking about what I owe right now makes my head go numb."

"I didn't know that."

It was something Berge had never realized. He knew humans were obsessed with money and killed their own kind—even their families—for it. But to think even a successful hero was shackled by money.

He had learned something.

And at that moment, a possibility occurred to Berge.

'Could this one, too...?'

Killing intent seethed within him.

His Demon King's blood and memories from before his regression still screamed at him to kill every last hero.

This was different from Logger. Unlike that man, who hardly resembled a hero at all, Hillen Cargill was a genuine hero. If they faced each other head-on at full strength, even Berge couldn't guarantee victory as he was now.

Yet he could restrain himself because Hillen wasn't one of those who had killed and mocked him.

Because Logger had set a precedent.

'If I used heroes to bring Arain down...'

If he used a hero to stop the heroes who had mocked him...

Wouldn't that be the best possible outcome? The ultimate revenge?

The thrill that swept through him at the mere thought made him shudder.

But Berge didn't bring it up immediately. There was a time for everything.

A wounded beast was wary enough to trust no one but its parents. He would have to wait until it grew weaker.

"It seems you haven't lost enough of your teeth yet."

"Planning to use me to bargain with the kingdoms? Why not just kill me?"

"That is for me to decide. For now, I'd better take some more time to break your spirit."

Berge left the prison.

"Let's escape."

Once Berge had disappeared completely, Hillen returned to his former self.

"I apologize for that disgraceful display. Given the circumstances, I showed you a side of myself you should never have had to see. Still, letting it all out has cleared my head a little."

"Ah, yes."

Granada nodded blankly.

"Since he's kept us alive, I doubt he intends to kill us right away. He probably wants to hold me hostage and bargain with the kingdoms. We must exploit that opening."

"Do you have a way out?"

"I've had one for some time."

SCREEECH

The shackles and handcuffs enchanted to restrict mana were torn apart by brute force.

"...!"

"Artifacts like these can't restrain me completely. I gathered mana little by little while speaking with the Demon King."

"Good heavens."

He truly was a monster.

Hillen tore away all of Granada's restraints as well.

"But I can't face the Demon King in my current condition. We need to escape as discreetly as possible."

"What about the princess?"

"Who gives a damn about that crazy bitch? I came to save her, and she lured a hero into a trap? If only I had proof, I could have squeezed Hilderan for a hefty compensation payment. That's my only regret."

Muttering under his breath, Hillen bent the iron bars as well.

"It's a blessing that the stupid Demon King was too full of himself to even post a guard. Let's hurry."

"Y-yes."

'What do I do?'

He had to stop him. But Granada wasn't in good shape either. For now, he decided to follow quietly and watch for an opportunity.

"Shh."

Hillen cautiously pressed his ear to the iron door.

"I don't hear anything for now. Would you open the door? I'll keep listening."

"Yes."

Granada slowly opened it.

"... Fuck."

"You have quite a way with curses. It would be amusing if the humans learned your true nature."

"Why are you back...?"

"Did you think I wouldn't notice your little trick? Still, it's impressive. I never imagined you'd actually tear those apart. Hillen Cargill indeed."

"Damn it!"

Hillen swung his fist. But the attack was stopped effortlessly. A powerful hand clamped around his fist and hurled him away.

"Granada!"

Hillen shouted as he rolled across the floor. At his desperate voice and resolute gaze, Granada unwittingly kicked at the Demon King.

WHACK

"Aaaaargh!"

For his trouble, he was sent flying, coughing up blood. And then he saw it.

"I'm sorry, Granada! Please fight the Demon King as an elf should! I promise I'll avenge you!"

The hero who had urged him to stay together turned his eyes away and fled.

"..."

"Now that's something new."

"... Isn't he a complete fucking bastard?"

"A dog trying to bite its master, and a hero abandoning his comrade. It's difficult to say which is worse."

"... I was merely carrying out my mission to the best of my ability. Weren't you the one who ordered me to help the hero, Your Majesty?"

"Let's call it that."

"Aren't you going after him?"

"I was so dumbfounded that I forgot for a moment."

With a hollow chuckle, Berge began trudging after the hero.

* * *

Hillen hurried up the stairs. His wasted body soon grew breathless, but he had no time to spare.

'Fortunately, there aren't any demonic creatures in sight.'

He was certain of it. There had been none all the way to the fourth floor, not even an ordinary prison guard. Perhaps this Demon King's tower had no demonic creatures at all.

'I can't let my guard down. This tower has mana cannons and a princess fighting for it. Who knows what other bullshit he's hidden here.'

Whatever appeared now, he wouldn't be surprised. He was confident of that.

'Fortunately, the tower's layout isn't much different from those of other Demon Kings.'

The prison was underground. If he climbed just one floor and got out of the first floor, now filled with shattered wreckage, he could survive.

"I need the elf to hold out as long as possible...!"

He would be trembling with betrayal, but elves loathed demons. He was probably faithfully performing his duty.

"This is why I like elves."

Still, his promise to avenge him hadn't been a lie. He would return without fail and repay this disgrace and humiliation.

He opened the door to the first floor. He had expected it to be empty, but someone was already there.

"Was it you?"

Short stature. Plump hands.

"The hero who reached the fourth floor? The bastard who smashed my creations?"

The dwarf standing in the middle of the first floor muttered, his eyes full of bitter hatred.

"The Demon King said the mana cannons weren't as good as he'd expected and hadn't done their job. So he'd have to postpone my reward."

The dwarf tightened his grip on his hammer.

"Because of you!"

"I can't take the tower apart!"

The dwarven hero charged, hammer firmly in hand.

Hillen stared blankly at the sight. It was so absurd he couldn't even sigh.

He had been so sure nothing could surprise him anymore.

"Fuck, now it's a hero?"

How was he supposed to take this?