Chapter 69 - Shattered Resolve

“Absolutely not! Absolutely not! I can't do it!”

The dwarf shed tears.

“You can't do this to me!”

Whatever he found so unfair, he was sobbing at the top of his lungs. But the sight of a squat little dwarf carrying on like that was anything but pretty.

“Shut up before I rip out your tongue.”

“... Yes. Hic. B-but...”

“But?”

“If Princess Louise discovers where I am, she'll tear me in half! Are you saying you don't mind losing someone as loyal and devoted to you as I am, my lord?”

“Spout that nonsense one more time, and I'll personally unblock those ears of yours.”

“... But if she finds my equipment, she'll stop at nothing to hunt me down.”

“She probably will. I forgot to mention it, but there's already a bounty on your head.”

“Eek...! Then I definitely can't!”

“Fine. Then I'll have to kidnap the princess.”

“... What?”

The hands tearing at his hair froze.

“Which princess do you mean?”

“Who else but Louise Berft?”

“Th-that really would be killing me!”

“If you don't want that, hand over the equipment.”

“...”

“This is a Demon King's tower, and my domain. Unless I bring her here, who would dare come inside and kill you?”

“...”

Logger swallowed hard. It was a threat: disobey, and Berge would bring her here to kill him.

“... Will you really refrain from kidnapping Princess Louise if I give you the equipment?”

“It must bear your maker's mark.”

“Of course.”

“Do not doubt a Demon King's word.”

“Yes, understood.”

He had no choice. Logger hung his head and entered his workshop. When he emerged again, he was carrying two swords and a shield.

“When did you make all these?”

“Making nothing but mana cannons got boring, so I tried making a few other things.”

“What about the golems?”

“I'm researching them, but since I'm using corrupted mana stones rather than ordinary ones, I expect it will take some time.”

The tower converted mana into demonic energy. That meant a golem made with a mana stone as its core would become useless over time.

“Keep at it.”

“Yes. Please make sure you keep your promise. I beg you.”

“Don't worry. You're still useful.”

“Yes, I'm very useful! I'll always be useful! You mustn't cut open the goose that lays the golden eggs! That would be terribly foolish!”

“I won't cut open a goose, but I could cut off an insolent dwarf's head.”

“I-I'm sorry!”

Leaving the ashen-faced, shouting Logger behind, Berge climbed the stairs.

* * *

“... Are you seriously saying that?”

Hillen Cargill sighed.

“I'm an Argan. You may not understand this, but an Argan can't simply go wherever he pleases.”

The position carried symbolic significance and responsibilities.

『It is our lord's command.』

“It was also our lord's command that I become an officer at Guild headquarters.”

『An earlier command and the current one. Surely you know which takes precedence?』

“What is the reason for this? Why do I have to go to the Kingdom of Berft?”

『It isn't a bad deal for you, either. The Demon King of Carnal Desire, the Demon King of Bitter Cold, and the Adamant Demon King. One of those three will kidnap Louise Berft.』

“...!”

『Our lord does not want that. He wants you to stop the other Demon Kings, protect the princess, and become a hero.』

Why were royals so easily kidnapped by Demon Kings?

The Demon Kings' concealment was the biggest reason, but it was also impossible to provide every royal with airtight protection at all times.

Detecting a concealed Demon King required at least one of the Stars, or someone on that level. Heroes like that were hardly common. Assigning such a hero to guard royalty against an abduction whose time and place were unknown would be absurd.

But what if they knew when and where?

“... The hero who prevented a princess's abduction.”

That was rare. Hillen Cargill recognized its symbolic value.

『Sounds rather tempting now, doesn't it?』

“Then how am I supposed to get close to Princess Louise without raising suspicion?”

That Demon King wouldn't tell him to stay beside her without some sort of plan.

『Logger is a wanted criminal in the Kingdom of Berft, and Louise Berft wants to find him more than anyone.』

『Our lord has decided to give you equipment bearing Logger's maker's mark.』

“... That would certainly be enough to secure an official invitation to the kingdom as an Argan.”

And would that be all? If this gave him connections to the Kingdom of Berft, his standing within the Guild would rise as well.

“But that isn't enough justification for becoming her bodyguard.”

『For that, blackmail her.』

“...?”

『Louise Berft killed Ormus's Second Prince. Your story will be that you heard it directly from a demon at The Beast's Tower who witnessed it...』

“You're saying Louise Berft killed Max Ormus?”

『You didn't know?』

“I didn't!”

『I thought our lord had told you.』

Apparently not. The dark elf shrugged.

『Isn't it enough that you know now?』

“Are you seriously saying that?”

『In any case, our lord's orders are to use that information to blackmail Louise Berft, persuade her, or do whatever you please.』

『Stay at her side by any means necessary and prevent her abduction.』

“...”

The connection was abruptly cut off from the other end. Hillen Cargill gave a hollow laugh.

“These fucking lunatic demons, seriously...”

His mask of courtesy cracked a little. But he quickly patched it back together.

“It isn't all bad...”

The problem was that it wasn't all good, either. In particular, there was an almost 99% chance that his relationship with Louise Berft, the kingdom's darling, would become disastrous.

'No, there's no need to go that far.'

He had to carry out the Demon King's orders, but he had no intention of risking his life to do so.

'Nothing matters more than my life and reputation.'

Why had he gone so far as to let a foreign object be implanted in his head? His life. His reputation.

Blackmailing Berft's princess in the Kingdom of Berft was tantamount to suicide.

'If need be, I'll just give the princess a lead on Logger. The best outcome is to make a good connection and leave.'

If he said he had done his best but there was nothing he could do, what would the Demon King say?

He would probably throw a fucking fit. He would torment Hillen with the foreign object implanted in his head.

'But that's all he can do.'

Unless he had another “Star” and “Argan” who could perfectly replace Hillen.

'Take what I can gain and discard the rest. The Demon King may hold my life hostage, but I can't let him drag me around too much.'

Hillen Cargill nodded to himself.

* * *

The continent had countless mountains and mountain ranges.

Asked which range was the largest and most treacherous, nine out of ten people would name the Berft Mountains. The remaining one would say Erjest.

The Berft Mountains.

The dwarves had made their home in this exceedingly rugged land. They dug into the barren, hard rock and built cities underground. Thus Berft, the kingdom of the dwarves, was born.

WHOOSH

In Bertyann, the royal capital and largest underground city, Princess Louise Berft swung an enormous battle-axe in the garden of a detached palace reserved for royalty.

Fierce aura raced through the air and split the sword coming toward her.

“Gah!”

The dwarven knight spat blood as he was sent flying.

“Just when it was starting to get worthwhile...”

Louise frowned.

“Next!”

The waiting knights helped their injured comrade to the infirmary. Another knight stepped forward with sword and shield, his expression tense.

“Well, look at that. What did I do to make you tremble? Does the knight order really have so little talent?”

“We have plenty of talent, Princess. You are simply too exceptional.”

Volbov sighed as he watched the sparring.

Ever since causing trouble in the Beast's territory, the princess had dwelled endlessly on how Max had gotten the better of her.

'The soldiers died because I was weak. Yes, that's it. If I'd been stronger, I could have swept them all away.'

It was her own way of easing her guilt. Mourning the knights and soldiers who had died because of her greed, Louise pushed her body to its limits and transformed that grief into fervor.

She drove herself even harder.

Perhaps that was why Volbov, who had watched her from her side, could be certain: the Louise of before her seclusion and the Louise of now were entirely different dwarves.

Louise beckoned with a finger.

“You should come out yourself after all.”

“I am your guard knight, Princess. I will never point my blade at you.”

“It's just a light spar.”

“The problem is that your sparring is never light.”

“There's no point unless we treat it like a real fight.”

“I agree to an extent, but at that point, it is no longer sparring.”

Just then, a knight hurried over and whispered something. Before Louise could say a word, a dwarf stepped into the detached palace's garden.

The knights bowed in unison.

“Greetings, Your Highness, First Prince!”

“Raise your heads.”

“Brother.”

Louise welcomed him.

“Working hard again today, I see.”

“It's only a little light morning exercise.”

“Could we talk for a moment?”

“Yes.”

At a glance from Louise, the knights withdrew. A table and chairs were set out in the garden, and refreshments were served.

“I have good news.”

The prince downed his hot tea in one go.

“What is it?”

“Logger Fridri. You know His Majesty and I placed a bounty on him, don't you?”

“Yes. Don't tell me...?”

“We haven't found him.”

Disappointment spread across Louise's face.

“But someone has come forward with a lead.”

“Who? No, what is the lead?”

CLACK

The prince set a sword on the table. Louise examined it.

SHING

The blade that emerged from the scabbard was perfectly smooth. Its sharp edge was infused with mana, making it exceptionally hard. And mingled with them was another power.

“Dimensional interference...”

A power reserved exclusively for heroes, which only they could wield.

Equipment made by hero artisans, including Logger Fridri, always contained that power. They mingled the power unique to heroes with mana, however faintly, to produce greater strength.

“Look at the hilt.”

At the end of the elegantly old-fashioned hilt was a familiar cloud design in relief.

“It's definitely Logger's. Where did you get it?”

“At the very least, it isn't from the palace storehouse or someone who bought it before he disappeared.”

Logger belonged to the Artisans' Guild rather than serving the kingdom directly, but the kingdom kept careful tabs on him. It knew everything he had made, but not this sword.

There was only one answer.

“Did he make it recently, while hiding somewhere?”

“They say old habits die hard.”

The prince grinned.

“Where?”

“Don't be so impatient.”

“We have to catch him. We must seize him right now and...!”

Louise growled. The prince stroked his younger sister's head, reining in her outburst.

“Calm down.”

“... But...”

“Catching Logger won't be that difficult.”

“The mark. Since he left his mark, it should be easy to trace him?”

“Yes. Having shut himself away in a workshop and done nothing but craft since childhood, he can't help having his limitations. But even if he had removed the mark, it would have been the same. Hero artisans who don't use a maker's mark always attract a great deal of interest.”

Ultimately, it was a matter of time.

“So where is he?”

“He didn't tell us that.”

“What? How insolent...”

Louise frowned.

“He set a condition. He insists on seeing you in person.”

“Me?”

By this point in the conversation, Louise had caught on.

“He's someone even you can't easily dismiss, then?”

“It's Hillen Cargill.”

“... Hillen Cargill.”

Though she was secluded in the detached palace, she hadn't cut herself off from the outside world. Louise knew how much Hillen Cargill's standing had risen.

“The hero who killed the Beast Demon King.”

“You could say he cleaned up your mess.”

“That's going too far.”

“... When you were little, you were so shy and sweet when you called me Brother. Of course, you're still sweet and pretty.”

“... Please stop.”

“Will you meet him?”

“I will. I don't know what he wants, but now that we've come this far, I will catch Logger no matter what. I don't want to miss even the smallest lead.”

“He requested a private meeting, but I can join you if you wish.”

“I'll be fine on my own.”

“He is no longer merely a hero. He's also an Argan of the Heroes' Guild.”

“I'll be careful.”

“Very well. Wait here, and he will come.”

“Yes. Thank you, Brother.”

The prince paused as he waved and walked away.

“... Just in case. If he falls for your sweetness and tries anything funny...”

“Brother!”

“Ahem. I'll be going.”

The prince left. About ten minutes later, the most talked-about man on the continent appeared before her.

“I understand you wished to see me?”

Louise decided to be as courteous as possible. He had brought a lead that could help her find Logger, and, as her brother had said, he was an Argan of the Heroes' Guild.

Even without that, being one of the Ten Stars meant he was not someone she could treat lightly.

But that resolve...

“Princess Louise. I hear you killed Max Ormus.”

...was mercilessly shattered by Hillen Cargill's very first words.