Chapter 44 - There Will Be No Second Time

Officially, a Demon King could not kill another Demon King. Must not kill one.

That was no mere unwritten rule or established convention. It had been enacted into the laws of the Demon Realm.

But nothing was absolute.

Ortan, the royal capital of Ormus, felt little different from a house in mourning.

The sorrow and fear spilling from every corner of the city gave Berge the pleasant sensation of being back in the Demon Realm.

'If my tower were nearby, I could have harvested a rich haul of demonic energy points.'

That was his only regret.

"... I never imagined you would come in person."

As a member of the expedition, Granada was staying in lodgings arranged by the Ormus branch of the Heroes' Guild.

"What losses did your people suffer?"

"The Red Hawk Mercenary Company is unscathed."

"... Not a single man?"

"Yes, not a single man."

"... You must be more skilled than I thought."

"... I'm not sure you can call that skill. Not that it's a bad thing, either... But whether that kind of skill counts as skill..."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. As long as there were no losses, that's enough."

He had expected the mercenary company to suffer heavy losses too, yet every last member had survived.

"Where's Hillen?"

"He was summoned to the Heroes' Guild. To deal with the aftermath of the failed hero's journey and discuss the next one..."

* * *

"I'm telling you, I'll burn that bastard Drakson to ashes right now!"

Raised voices flew back and forth. Hillen silently watched the woman raging with veins bulging.

Roselle Charnt. A black patch now covered the eye she had lost in their defeat. It further accentuated a wild beauty quite unlike that of a mage.

"I failed, so I'll take responsibility. Didn't you hear me tell you to organize a second hero's journey immediately?"

"Calm yourself, Lady Roselle. It is not that I fail to understand your feelings, but that is impossible at present."

"There's no need to drag this out. The Demon King's strategy is simple. Gather his forces and hit us all at once."

That alone put the expedition at a disadvantage.

There was a clear difference between tackling portions of the enemy's forces as they advanced step by step and facing every last one at once.

But if the enemy massed its forces, they simply had to bring more of their own.

"We just have to push harder than they do. We don't even need that many more. I retreated without taking his head, but I wiped out most of them myself!"

"That is far too hasty a judgment. There is no guarantee one failure will not become two. We must be more cautious."

"We wouldn't have failed in the first place if it weren't for this fucker!"

Roselle Charnt pointed at Hillen.

"If this overhyped, weak-ass bastard had held out just a little longer, Drakson would have lost an eye, not me!"

"Lady Roselle! Mind your words. Sir Hillen is a hero of the Guild as well."

Hillen sighed at the vicious abuse.

"I admit that I failed to hold Drakson off adequately. But there is no reason for me to endure these insults."

"No reason? Want me to give you one?"

"I understand your anger, Lady Roselle. But a hero's journey cannot succeed every time."

"You think having a mouth means you can spew whatever you want? Would melting your lips shut stop your excuses?"

"... If you continue, I won't stand for it either."

"Now that's something I'm glad to hear."

Roselle Charnt rose from her seat.

"Go on, draw your sword. The moment you do, this day next year will mark the anniversary of your death."

Hillen gripped his sword's hilt. Roselle murmured an incantation.

"Stop. Both of you, stop! This is the Heroes' Guild, and you are heroes. I will not stand by any longer."

At the branch master's intervention, Hillen sat back down as though he had no choice. Roselle turned her attacks on the branch master.

"Right, well said. What the hell are you people at the Heroes' Guild doing? If that damned bastard Balaf hadn't suddenly withdrawn, things never would have gotten this bad."

"Sir Balaf's withdrawal was unexpected for us as well."

"You call that an excuse? Isn't persuading and managing heroes your job? You fail at your work, say you didn't know, and that's supposed to be the end of it?"

"... I can offer nothing but an apology for that. On behalf of the Guild, I apologize once again."

"Who is it?"

Roselle Charnt folded her arms and leaned back.

"Who's behind this? Who can sabotage us so openly that you can't say a word?"

"... Nothing of the sort happened."

"Then a man who came all this way and even attended strategy meetings suddenly withdrew, and there's nothing going on behind the scenes? Do you take me for an idiot?"

"... Headquarters takes this matter very seriously as well. Further instructions will arrive soon."

"Changing the subject? Fine. We've already failed. What good would finding the culprit do now?"

That was not what mattered to Roselle Charnt. She wanted to restore her shattered pride and avenge her fallen comrades.

"You'd better prepare the second hero's journey as quickly as possible. Before my patience runs out."

Otherwise, she would go on her own authority.

She sprang to her feet. Her sharp gaze flicked over Hillen.

"And leave this vermin out of it."

She left. Silence settled over the meeting room in the storm's wake.

"This meeting is adjourned. Everyone, leave!"

The heroes, who had been cowed into silence by Roselle Charnt's force of presence, departed one by one.

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right. My abilities were indeed lacking. If I had kept the Demon King occupied more effectively, the hero's journey would not have failed."

"You are not weak. We were simply too complacent. We have underestimated the Demon Kings for too long."

They had briefly forgotten the obvious fact that Demon Kings grew stronger just as heroes did.

Was it because the peace had lasted so long? Because they had not failed a single hero's journey in nearly a hundred years?

Whatever the reason, the fault lay with them.

"What will happen with the next hero's journey?"

"Headquarters is in an uproar as well. There will not be a second failure. And I am sorry to say this, but..."

"There is no place for me."

"Lady Roselle carries too much influence."

Roselle Charnt and Hillen Cargill. Their fame was comparable, but in other respects, the gap was vast.

It was not simply a matter of fighting strength. Everyone in the Heroes' Guild's leadership was quietly aware that Roselle Charnt enjoyed the Kingdom of Akan's patronage.

It was not something that could be concealed merely by trying. Thus, many considered her wishes to be those of the Kingdom of Akan.

And what of Hillen Cargill? He had risen swiftly after killing the Demon King of Lust, but his excessive confidence had led him to sever ties with all his patrons. Then came the failed Erjest expedition.

His reputation had plummeted, and his backing was gone. Choosing Roselle Charnt over Hillen Cargill was only natural.

"... I suppose it can't be helped."

With superhuman patience, Hillen Cargill kept his slipping mask in place.

"... I'll be going, then."

"Do not be too disappointed. You are an excellent hero. Even if it is not this time, another opportunity will come."

"Yes."

Another opportunity would come?

There were many heroes. Hillen Cargill was not merely one of countless interchangeable heroes, but ultimately, it was a matter of trust.

Once, then twice. What would happen if word spread of two whole failures, accompanied by Roselle Charnt's abuse?

That would become his image. Hillen Cargill, who couldn't properly face even one Demon King. Hillen Cargill, all show and reputation. Hillen Cargill, whose slaying of the Demon King of Lust no one could explain.

'Anything but that...’

He had to prevent it. Whatever it took.

'After everything I did to get this far.'

He had long known his abilities were somewhat lacking. He was not weak, but he fell short of competing with the greatest heroes. So he had worked harder in other areas.

He had built connections and lobbied. Yet now, every last bastard who had gobbled up his money was turning away from him.

'I can rise again.'

But who would compensate him for those long years of endurance?

'There must be some way...’

Struggling to hold himself together, Hillen slowly made his way out of the Heroes' Guild.

"Become my comrade."

And he witnessed an argument between someone familiar and someone even more familiar.

* * *

'A hero.'

Heroes led hero's journeys, but the Heroes' Guild managed those heroes.

Every hero belonged to the Heroes' Guild, so it was no exaggeration to say that the Guild ultimately managed hero's journeys.

In a sense, it was only natural that Berge, who needed to make a second hero's journey happen somehow, was wandering around the Guild as he pondered his options.

BANG!

Just then, the front door burst open. A woman with a black patch over her left eye stormed out, fuming.

An instinctive revulsion stirred in him. She was a hero, a being with the power to interfere with the dimension.

An extremely powerful one, at that. Berge instinctively assessed her and compared her strength to his own.

'If we fought now, defeat would be certain.'

The Phoenix's power was not entirely Berge's yet. He had confined it within his second heart and was gradually assimilating it, but because it was not demonic energy, his control remained clumsy.

'If I fought at full strength in my tower...’

Even then, he could not guarantee victory. No, he would lose nine times out of ten.

It could not be helped. This was the price of converting all his demonic energy points into money instead of using them to reduce dimensional interference.

"And what are you?"

Their eyes met. Her sole remaining crimson eye narrowed viciously.

But it soon widened. She strode over and looked him up and down.

"Quite something..."

Roselle Charnt was an archmage bearing no fewer than seven engravings. Even without being a hero, she was powerful, and at least when it came to fire, she competed with the very best of humanity.

That was why she sensed the pure, scorching warmth faintly emanating from Berge.

"Ah..."

She exhaled an excited breath.

Berge stared at her silently.

'... Is this bitch insane?'

He could guess who she was. Even at a branch of the Heroes' Guild, there could hardly be many heroes this powerful. And there was only one one-eyed hero who radiated such intense heat.

Roselle Charnt. The archmage of fire.

'Do all these hero bastards have a screw loose?'

After sniffing with her eye closed for some time, Roselle Charnt opened it. She thrust her face toward Berge.

"Who are you? I've never felt heat this pure. How did you build up such energy?"

"Am I obliged to answer?"

"Of course you are. I'm asking, aren't I?"

Her expression suggested she genuinely believed that, leaving Berge speechless.

"Unbelievable."

"You don't know who I am?"

"No. But I know what to call you."

"What?"

"A pervert."

"A pervert?"

Roselle's face twisted.

"If you don't want to be called that, stop sniffing other people."

"If you were anyone ordinary, you'd be roasted whole by now."

But she couldn't simply let heat this pure go to waste.

"Be grateful for my mercy."

Having asked and answered her own questions, Roselle nodded.

Only then did Berge understand what sort of person Roselle Charnt was. Self-centered—one of the most irritating types of people.

And the best policy was not to get involved with someone like her. If only she had been weak, he would have killed her outright.

'I've really mellowed.'

After suffering at the hands of heroes once, he felt he had become much better at controlling his anger.

'First, I'll avoid her and discuss plans for the next hero's journey with Hillen...’

Without a word, Berge moved to go around Roselle.

"..."

"..."

But Roselle blocked his path again.

"... Move."

"I never said you could go."

"Did you rent out this entire street?"

"This won't be a bad deal for you either."

"... Let's hear it."

"You interest me. I've never felt mana so pure, or heat like this."

"And?"

"Become my comrade."

Berge frowned. It was difficult to understand what she meant.

"As you know, we failed to slay the Demon King, and the Crimson Hellfire raiding party I lead suffered heavy losses. I need to replenish our strength."

"You're offering to recruit me?"

"I pride myself on the Crimson Hellfire raiding party being one of the continent's top ten. Above all, I, Roselle Charnt, am its leader. I'll offer you the best terms in the business."

"Based on what?"

"The purity of your mana. And its sheer magnitude."

Roselle Charnt was accurately perceiving the Phoenix's energy. She even had a vague sense of the dormant power Berge could not fully wield.

"You're weak now, but I see a brilliant future ahead of you. And I need comrades like that."

"Why?"

"Because I have to kill the Beast Demon King."

Roselle Charnt revealed her killing intent. That piqued Berge's interest.

"The second hero's journey will begin soon. I'll climb the tower again and have my revenge, without fail."

"...!"

Berge had expected a second hero's journey and had come to consult Hillen about making it happen sooner. He had never imagined he would become entangled with another person directly involved like this.

He considered it briefly, then shook his head. It was not even worth deliberating over.

"Very well."

"A wise choice!"

"But I have conditions as well."

"Let's hear them."

"First, I want the hero's journey to begin as soon as possible."

"That's exactly what I want. We were driven back, but we wrecked the tower. We have to kill him before he restores it completely. If the Heroes' Guild drags its feet, I'll assemble an expedition of my own and go."

That answer was quite satisfactory.

"And second, that man over there."

Roselle Charnt's gaze followed Berge's pointing finger. Her expression immediately twisted.

"I'll accept if he climbs the Beast's Tower with us."

Hillen Cargill stood there.

* * *

"How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"I had been excluded from this hero's journey. Because Roselle Charnt opposed my participation."

"It was simple. Do you think I'm a Demon King for nothing?"

He had not become the top graduate through luck.

He had dealt with many people like Roselle Charnt. Blunt and self-centered, they pushed through to the end with anything they believed was right.

Conversely, whatever they thought was wrong remained wrong even if it killed them.

"I heard Roselle Charnt was furious with you. That means she believes you caused the hero's journey to fail. There's no way she'd take you along again."

But that was not what Berge wanted. Hillen Cargill was a useful chess piece. He had to gain renown and rise high once more.

"And I want this hero's journey to begin as quickly as possible. In those circumstances, leaving a fighting asset like you idle would be foolish."

"Do you intend to participate yourself?"

"Yes."

Why? The question came naturally. Why did this Demon King, who had appeared looking nothing like one, want to kill another Demon King?

'Perhaps it's only natural.'

Humans waged wars, committed murders, and hired killers. Would demons be any different? Merely because Demon Kings had never been hostile to one another before, he had assumed they never would be.

Much as the Heroes' Guild had deduced the conventions the Demon Kings held sacred from centuries of their behavior, used them as a guide, and in turn come to trust them blindly.

"... Thank you."

Whatever the circumstances, Hillen Cargill had regained the opportunity he had lost.

"There will be no second time. We must kill Drakson this time."

"Yes."

The Demon King and the hero began their desperate struggle to survive.