Chapter 182: They Grow Alike
Archduke Arkaine flew into a rage, shouting that he would sever the trading rights with the Demon Realm, and Vivian retorted that he should do as he pleased, the old man.
Just like that, Vivian was completely cast aside.
“Now the last thread is really gone. Our Demon King will take responsibility, right?”
“Stop giving me a headache and get lost.”
After sending Vivian away, Berje sank into thought.
Archduke Arkaine did not even contact him. That meant he had drawn a clear, unmistakable line.
Now there truly was no turning back.
“...This pisses me off.”
He had anticipated it, but was he really never going to be able to return to the Demon Realm?
‘No, that’s not certain.’
A Demon King was not the end. They were merely called Demon Kings to inspire greater terror in lower-dimensional life-forms; originally, they were vanguards.
Above the Demon Kings were the Archdukes, and above them was the Emperor who ruled the Demon Realm.
‘My goal was the Demon Emperor from the very beginning.’
The highest seat of the Demon Realm.
The Demon Realm was ruled by the law of the strong. Demons bowed before power.
Demon King, Archduke, Demon Emperor—it made no difference. The strong became Emperor.
So all he had to do was become stronger.
Strong enough to smash through all of Archduke Arkaine’s restraints, devour the other Archdukes, and even swallow the Demon Emperor whole.
‘And I…’
He was already stronger than he had been before regression.
Despite releasing less interference power than before.
By absorbing the Phoenix and the dragon, his demonic energy had fused with them, raising the power of his true body, and by merging tower with tower, he had increased the efficiency of releasing interference power.
The Demon Dragon race, already strong and magnificent, had grown even greater wings.
“...They say the Demon Dragon race tends to fall deeply into their own worlds. Looks like it’s true.”
“Shut up.”
Only then did he realize Gordon was there.
“Then what will you do about the First Prince?”
“That’s Kaede’s problem to deal with.”
“I thought the Demon King would personally intervene.”
“Why?”
“He is the First Prince, after all.”
“....”
It was not quite what Gordon meant, but when Berje had first decided to kidnap the First Prince, he had been extremely excited.
It was inevitable.
The First Prince meant something special to him.
His abduction had marked the beginning of ruin. To Berje, the First Prince was the key that hastened his own destruction.
The image of the First Prince before regression—shouting at him that he would regret it, that a mere Demon King should know his place—sometimes surfaced faintly in his mind.
Yet once the kidnapping was actually done, he felt nothing in particular.
Because someone even more exciting had appeared.
The False Demon King, Jason Kokemundo.
‘Come to think of it, the First Prince did nothing.’
The First Prince had merely been kidnapped. It was the Emperor and Jason who had manipulated everything from behind and driven him into a corner.
Perhaps that was why, when he faced the First Prince again, he was surprised at himself for feeling so little.
He was merely excited that the same situation had arisen again, and that this time he held the initiative and could wield it freely.
For now, how Jason would move and how the Empire would be shaken mattered more than the First Prince.
“Now that I think about it, where’s Kaede?”
“She went down to the underground prison.”
“...I’m curious about the siblings’ reunion.”
“How about it, shall we go watch?”
“Shall we?”
It was not because he was particularly curious. It would be a disaster if Kaede got carried away and killed the prisoner.
To prevent any possible accidents in advance...
“Demon King.”
“What is it.”
“A transmission has arrived.”
“I know.”
He knew exactly where it was coming from, from the faint chill he felt.
“Today is truly a busy day.”
He pressed his stirring hips back against the throne.
『A hero’s march targeting me is being planned.』
It was a message that could not be taken lightly.
* * *
Before the door leading down to the underground prison. Kaede took a deep breath as she ran her hand over the cold metal door.
It was her first time seeing her older brother in a long while. But their relationship was not something that could be called good, even as a joke.
Rufus had always divided the world into those who were useful to him and those who were not.
To him, Martin Zespine was a rival who threatened the imperial throne he believed should rightfully be his, and Kaede was a thorn who aided that rival.
When they were young, there had been little interaction. But once she began to distinguish herself as a knight, his grasp reached out to her.
‘Become my sword. Serve me.’
A single attempt at persuasion, a refusal, and then a series of schemes.
During subjugation missions, she had been poisoned; at other times, she had found herself facing monsters after being deliberately separated from fellow knights.
There were many more. The more she distinguished herself and earned merit as a knight, the more frequent it became. She had garnered the support of quite a few knights, and that support flowed straight to Martin.
Of course, not everything targeting her could be attributed solely to Rufus. But she was certain he held the largest share.
‘Killing him....’
It was not right. In the end, it would only make her the same kind of person. She had also promised the Demon King she would not do that.
By habit, she slipped her hand into her clothes. She felt the chocolates the Demon King had given her. As the sweet taste filled her mouth, her heart calmed a little.
Creeeak—
She opened the door. Damp moisture and a musty stench greeted her.
The darkness posed no obstacle to her vision. She descended over a hundred steps. Dozens of iron bars came into view. And at the very end was the only prince in the prison.
Tap, tap—
Kaede did not hide her presence. The silent prison filled with the sounds she made, and its occupants began to wake one by one.
Rufus Zespine was no exception.
“...Kaede?”
Even in the darkness, he recognized his younger sister. She did not hide herself either.
“It’s been a while, Brother.”
“...Is that really you, Kaede?”“If by Kaede you mean Kaede Zespine, then yes.”
—!
The chains rattled. Rufus’s face was yanked violently closer to the bars.
“Then hurry and free me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I heard you are one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings. Is that true?”
“It is.”
“At first I didn’t believe it. How could you, who follow upright chivalry even in the Empire, become a minion of the Demon King?”
He agonized over it again and again, then reached his own conclusion.
“You had no choice to survive, right? The Demon King threatened you, leaving you no option? You’re biding your time to strike at the Demon King’s weakness.”
“...That is true.”
At first, it certainly had been.
But if asked whether she now followed the Demon King merely to survive, Kaede would shake her head.
She herself was surprised by the change, but it was reality. Like being soaked by a drizzle, she had slowly found stability in the tower. Rufus, however, could not understand such circumstances.
“There’s no need for that! Nothing would deal a heavier blow to the Demon King than freeing me and escaping together! Release me and let’s flee together! We’ll return to the Empire and take revenge!”
Rufus, who was desperately trying to produce a result he could accept and steer it in the best possible direction, felt a strange sense of unease.
He was the only one shouting in excitement. Kaede said nothing, merely gazing down at him calmly.
Her eyes were chillingly cold, mixed with contempt and mockery.
It was a look he had never once seen from his younger sister.
“...You?”
“It seems you are under a misunderstanding, Brother.”
“What do you mean.”
“I will not free you, nor will I escape the tower with you.”
“You mean you can’t do it right now? Then....”
“Not now, not tomorrow, not ever for the rest of your life. It will never happen.”
“...Why?”
Rufus swallowed dryly. The unease he had tried to ignore pricked at the back of his neck.
No way.
“It’s because I am one of the Four Heavenly Kings.”
“You’re just complying because you have no choice to survive!”
“At first, that was true.”
“And now it’s not? Have you truly thrown away your pride and dignity as royalty to become the Demon King’s dog!”
“And what if I have?”
“What?”
“Brother, you are unsightly.”
Kaede knelt down to meet his eyes. She slipped her hand through the bars and gently stroked Rufus’s cheek.
“To beg for help now from the sister you tried to kill dozens of times. If you truly have pride, wouldn’t accepting reality with dignity be the pride and grandeur you speak of?”
“...You’ve really become the Demon King’s dog. You’ve betrayed humanity.”
Rufus ground his teeth.
“At the very least, I did not betray you, Brother. We were never on the same side to begin with.”
“The Empire will not leave you alone. Once I get out of here, you will never again be allowed to use the name Zespine!”
“‘Once you get out,’ you say.”
“What?”
“Why do you think you’ll be able to leave?”
Kaede whispered.
“You will spend your entire life imprisoned here. Trapped in the darkness, unable to return to the Empire.”
No matter how much you crave it, the moment you desire will never come.
“The heroes will find the tower and kill the Demon King. You’ve grown arrogant just because you gained a brief advantage by clinging to him.”
“No.”
Kaede shook her head.
“This is not some fleeting advantage. The heroes will not find the tower. Naturally, they will not kill the Demon King, and you will not leave this prison.”
If that happens, what do you think will become of the Empire?
“With you gone, Brother Floyan, Sister Marlene, and Brother Martin will be delighted.”
“The succession to the throne will focus on the three of them, and there will be no place left for you.”
Ah, by then, I think I could speak to the Demon King and have you released.
“When the next Emperor is decided, and there is no place for you anywhere. Will you be able to calmly accept that your place no longer exists?”
“You bitch...!”
“If you do not want that, there is only one way.”
Beg.
“Beg and beg and beg again. Pray that the heroes find the tower and rescue you. If you pray for a thousand years, perhaps one might come by chance.”
—!
——!
The chains convulsed. Unrefined rage poured toward Kaede.
“You bitch! You’re not Kaede—you’re a succubus in disguise! Kaede would never do this!”
“Is that what you wish to believe?”
“How dare you...!”
“I wanted to see that look on your face, Brother. Seeing it in person, it’s just ugly, and not as impressive as I thought.”
Kaede stood back up. Leaving behind her utterly unsightly brother, she turned away.
Behind her, his shouts did not cease. Despite saying it was unimpressive, she felt an indescribable exhilaration.
“....”
Kaede touched the corner of her mouth. She was shocked at the smile creeping upward.
As a knight, she had never mocked or ridiculed others.
“...A succubus.”
It was an insult no different from disgrace to a knight.
Since entering the tower, she had known she had changed a great deal. And she knew it was not entirely for the better.
“...It’s only with my brother. Only with him.”
Kaede forced the smile away. She was not tainted by Ernan.
“...Still, that’s a relief.”
At least she had not said she would smash her brother’s skull.
She did not even want to imagine herself like that.
Kaede decided she should spar with Louise a little less.
* * *
Berje visited the snowy plains for the first time in a while.
The plains were colder than when he had come to obtain the magic storage device.
“You’ve changed quite a bit.”
“A lot has happened.”
“So it has.”
After quietly savoring her tea, Reina brought up the main topic.
“Your achievements were truly astonishing. I heard you slaughtered hundreds of heroes and more than ten thousand humans.”
“That’s right.”
“As expected, my judgment was not wrong. The Demon Realm’s evaluation of you as an unprecedented top candidate was the same.”
However.
“You lied to me.”
“What do you mean?”
“You swore upon the great First Demon Emperor and The Demon King’s Standard that you had never kidnapped the dwarves and the princess.”
A frigid chill settled in.
Reina had twisted the Standard out of necessity to conform to reality, but she had never violated it outright.
That was because she was a devout believer in the First Demon Emperor and the Standard, more than anyone else. She revered them as sacred, matching her nobility and towering pride.
That was only natural for a demon.
Thus, for a vow sworn upon the First Demon Emperor and the Standard to be false was an insult Reina could not tolerate.
‘As expected.’
Berje swallowed dryly. He had not failed to anticipate this situation. All he had to do was proceed according to plan. According to plan.
Now, all he could rely on was his tongue.
“I swore. And that was not a lie.”
“There are rumors that you are the culprit. And if not the dwarves, how would you have used mana bombs?”
“I joined hands with Vivian.”
“...Vivian Blunt is already dead. Are you trying to deceive me with a lie that won’t even work, just to get out of this situation?”
“Who said that? Who said Vivian is dead?”
“That’s because the tower....”
“The tower disappeared. But no one saw Vivian die.”
“I also heard that Vivian’s horn fell into human hands.”
“That was spread by me. To make them believe Vivian was dead.”
“...What does that mean?”
“You remember Vivian begging multiple Demon Kings to spare her. You refused, but I helped her then. So she could live.”
“...So you moved the tower?”
“To be precise, I hid it. I already told you the method, didn’t I?”
“...And the dwarves?”
“That was indeed Vivian’s doing. In return, she lent the dwarves to me.”
The truth was unnecessary. All that mattered was dressing it up plausibly enough for Reina to believe it.
“....”
Reina closed her mouth. Her troubled expression showed it had worked to a reasonable degree.
‘So Archduke Arkaine didn’t even tell Reina?’
What did that mean?
‘Probably because the justification to restrain me is Demon King slaying, and since there’s no solid evidence yet, he’s holding back.’
That would be entirely in character for Archduke Arkaine, who prioritized his own safety above all else.
‘If so, he must have delegated full authority to Jason, and given the circumstances, instead of informing the other Demon Kings and trying to execute me, Jason plans to borrow the heroes’ hands.’
Ironically, that suited Berje just fine. It meant Reina was not becoming an enemy for now.
“So, the hero’s march is starting?”
Berje changed the subject.
“Yes.”
Reina nodded with an uneasy expression.
“It’s not something I should be saying to you, who fight humans on the front lines, but I need help.”
“You should be able to stop most hero’s marches without trouble.”
“I hear Balraf Dislode is at the forefront.”
“That bastard?”
Berje crushed his lips together. A bitter memory of tucking his tail and fleeing resurfaced.
‘He’s suddenly targeting Reina?’
Filled with rage and hatred toward him, yet he turns his eyes to another Demon King?
‘Why?’
Hundreds of heroes had died by Berje’s hand. Tens of thousands of soldiers had perished.
Humans needed someone to resent, and naturally that resentment turned toward Balraf, who had led the alliance.
His honor. His prestige. His achievements.
All of them were slammed into the dirt.
That sense of loss should have transformed into fury, driving him mad to kill Berje, yet...
‘Because he thinks I’m no easy opponent?’
Berje and Balraf had fought on equal footing. Neither had gone all out, and though the extent of their hidden power was unknown, on the surface, that was the case.
So if he wanted to be more certain?
‘There’s no surer method than having heroes kill a Demon King.’
Yes, now it made sense.
Before killing Berje, he chose Reina as the target.
“How did you find out?”
“I heard it from Jason and looked into it separately. It was true.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Your method.”
“My method?”
“The method that kept the tower’s location hidden through multiple hero’s marches, and made everyone believe Vivian was dead. I want you to tell me that as well.”
As humiliating as it is, in my current state, I cannot defeat them.
“I cannot allow those who trust and follow me to die in vain. I ask you.”
“Uh....”
Berje hesitated.
‘There’s no way to hide the tower while deceiving Balraf.’
Well, there was one way.
It was quite different from hiding it, though.
The problem was that there was no way Reina would ever accept it.