Chapter 211: Departed Once Again
“Huuaaaaaaah...!”
Vivian, who had unilaterally cut off communications with Archduke Arkaine, shed bitter tears.
“If only, if only it had been just a little faster...!”
She could have escaped this godforsaken place!
“So you regret becoming my vassal? That was something you brought upon yourself, you know?”
“Do you call that something to say right now? If we’re being precise, I was the one who took the fall for your mess! I was framed unfairly!”
“Let such trivial matters go.”
“Trivial? You cut off my tail and my horns! Trivial? And on top of that, you shamelessly dumped that greedy lunatic bitch right next to me—how is it strange that I’d regret it?!”
“But you don’t have what Archduke Arkaine wants.”
That game piece called a ‘tower’.
“...You took it! Responsibility...!”
Vivian, who had been screaming at the top of her lungs, clamped her mouth shut herself.
Then she quickly checked her surroundings.
“What am I even doing talking to myself?”
“...There’s no one around, right?”
“There is Reina.”
“No, not Reina. I mean, like....”
“Like what?”
Elves, or spirits, or other princesses. Especially someone like Ellena Hilderan.
Fortunately, there was no one.
“So what I meant was, as a vassal! Since you took me in as a vassal, you should take responsibility, that’s all!”
“That was how I understood it.”
“No, I mean.”
Vivian rambled incoherently.
“...Forget everything I said. I’m just your loyal vassal. It’s a shame I couldn’t go back, but yes, that’s all it is.”
“...What do you mean?”
“Nothing! It means nothing!”
Vivian forced an awkward smile. Berje was suspicious, but he did not bother prying further. It was hardly unusual for Vivian to act strange.
“Then Reina, you’ll likely receive contact again soon.”
“I believe so.”
“Then since the strategy using Vivian has failed, we’ll use Dorche, that one.”
Berje had heard about Dorche several times while in the Demon Realm. But due to the nature of Demon Dragons rarely interacting even among their own kind, he only knew that ‘such a being existed’, nothing in detail.
“Can using Dorche kill Jason?”
“Who knows.”
“According to the hero Daniel, that one is stronger than Daniel. Didn’t you yourself barely seize victory after a close battle with Daniel?”
“There is an issue with calling it ‘barely’.”
“Is there?”
“There is.”
“I understand. Still, I believe it cannot be denied that Jason—no, that nameless one’s power—far exceeds the common sense of both you and this woman.”
“Indeed.”
The longer humans trained, the stronger they became. The same was true for demons.
Several hundred years.
Just as heroes grew stronger by hunting demons, demons grew stronger by hunting heroes. And not only that—demons could also gain power by hunting their own kind.
Thus, after devouring heroes and Demon Kings for several hundred years, and amassing strength.
Unlike ordinary demons who merely absorbed a portion of another demon’s demonic energy, how strong would a Doppelgänger have become—one that parasitized the interior of demons and absorbed their power in full?
One could not even imagine the limit.
But why was it?
He did not think he would lose.
The tower formed from three combined pieces, and resulting increase in the efficiency of interference power.
The unprecedented, massive quantities of demonic energy gained and still being gained from attacking the Empire and blocking the hero’s marches multiple times—the rage, fear, sorrow, despair, and death that engulfed the entire continent.
And even the corpse of a Phoenix and the heart of a Red Dragon.
He had already surpassed the realm just before regression.
And even now, he was growing stronger. With triple efficiency, all interference power had already been released, yet his true martial strength continued to rise.
Demonic Points did not merely serve to release interference power; they were the fundamental reason all demons wished to become Demon Kings, descend, and conquer dimensions.
To become stronger. Because they could become stronger.
“But the same applies to Jason. In fact, he’s been doing so for a much longer time.”
“Yes, that’s correct. But he is alone, and I am not.”
There were countless high-ranking demons rotting at his side. But the Demon Realm was a place where a small number of absolute powerhouses overwhelmed a large number of strong ones.
Even excluding Vivian, the Succubus Queen who was not specialized for combat, Reina Sordein alone was a giant capable of devouring dozens of ordinary high-ranking demons.
“Thank you for holding this woman in such high regard.”
“I never thought I’d say this, but there are also the Four Heavenly Kings.”
“Indeed. The contractor of that Spirit King is stronger than most Demon Kings. It’s astonishing that such a human is your vassal.”
“That’s right, a stroke of heavenly luck...vassal?”
Berje tilted his head.
Come to think of it, was Ernan Hilderan his vassal?
Had he fed her an orb and formed a vassal contract?
“...She’s not a vassal.”
“What does that mean?”
“She’s not a vassal?”
Reina and Vivian were shocked.
But it was true.
‘With Ernan....’
He had never formed a vassal contract.
Berje realized a fact he himself had not consciously acknowledged.
‘A human with whom I didn’t even form a vassal contract, I....’
Trusted? Had trusted? Was trusting?
Why?
‘...It just happened that way.’
Yes, it had simply happened naturally.
They had been together since the first crisis, she had helped him a great deal, and she had given him trust.
Naturally, a relationship had formed.
“Why didn’t you take her as a vassal?”
“Yes, exactly. She’s the contractor of the Spirit King. What on earth were you trusting?”
‘Humans are not to be trusted.’
That thought had not changed. But when it came to Ernan—
“I have no intention of doing so.”
He did not want to.
There was no need to.
“So you take me, another Demon King, as a vassal, but just let a princess go like that? Do you think that makes sense...?”
Vivian recalled Ernan’s 모습. Wearing a crude mask, summoning the Water Spirit King, and toying with heroes.
Did that truly look like a human being forced to act against her will?
“Yes, you’re right. That’s what I think too. You’re right. There’s no need.”
“This woman trusts your choice.”
The two Demon Kings agreed.
“Reina, when Archduke Arkaine contacts you, handle it appropriately. Say that you’ll gladly join forces to deal with Jason.”
“Understood.”
“I should return to interrogating Daniel.”
He had rushed out and set things in motion upon hearing the word Doppelgänger, but he had not yet heard everything.
Daniel Deyrus still had much left to confess.
At that moment—
Knock knock—
Someone knocked on the door. Berje knew it was Kaede.
“What is it?”
“Are you busy?”
“I have time to hear you out.”
“Uh....”
Her gaze swept over the two Demon Kings standing to either side.
“What, is it hard to speak with them here?”
“No. On the contrary, this is something the others should hear as well.”
“What happened?”
“I received contact from my older brother.”
“Martin? What is it?”
“An abnormal situation has arisen in the Empire.”
* * *
After hearing the full story, Berje let out a hollow laugh.
“What do you think?”
“It’s a bit extreme, but I agree with my brother’s opinion that the Empire has gone mad. This is not right. Whether they win or lose, nothing remains. I can’t understand why His Majesty and the nobles made such a choice.”
At least, the nobles of the Empire she knew were not like that.
Though many were driven by greed, there were also many who were not. In particular, it was hard to believe that her maternal grandfather, Marquis Aincheil, who had always advocated peace over war, would have agreed to it.
No matter how absolute an imperial command was, not even the slightest hesitation?
“So Martin’s proposal is....”
“To help the Alliance and subjugate the False Demon King.”
“And the price?”
“He said they cannot promise anything immediately.”
“Brazen bastard.”
“But he did convey important information.”
“That Jason’s connections aren’t limited to the First Crown Prince?”
“Yes.”
Indeed, Berje’s very premise had been wrong.
The First Crown Prince was not his connection. The Empire itself—the Emperor and the high-ranking nobles—were his connections.
‘That makes sense.’
He was not merely the False Demon King but a Doppelgänger. If he had been operating in the shadows of the continent and the Empire for several hundred years, forming ties with the Emperor would have posed no problem.
“Would it be fair to say the current situation is his handiwork?”
“That’s what I believe.”
“As a seduction specialist, what do you think?”
“Didn’t I say it felt the same yet different from usual? Without seeing it directly, I can’t be certain, but it feels like light suggestion. Or since he’s a Doppelgänger, it could be another one wearing the shell.”
“In any case, it’s certain that Jason intervened in some way.”
That alone made Martin’s proposal worth accepting. The greatest enemy at hand was Jason, and if he could be eliminated using humans, it was right to jump in wholeheartedly.
‘It’s annoying to leave without fully interrogating Daniel or killing him, but....’
One could not ignore the sea monster planning to attack his ship just because the fish had already been caught.
‘No, leaving him behind will only make his insides burn.’
He would be hoping desperately to tell everything and be released, believing he would be freed.
‘Being released is impossible.’
After Hillan Cargill had once broken free from confinement, Berje had mobilized dwarves to reinforce it further and continued strengthening it.
‘But how do I help the Alliance?’
He was a Demon King. He could not legally assist a hero’s march. They would not accept it willingly either.
He had taken several hundred heroes as vassals, but they were individuals who would participate in the hero’s march anyway.
‘And helping with half-measures would be meaningless.’
So what about joining with a small but elite force? Even if they failed to kill him, seeing his true nature would still have meaning.
‘Should I participate as Pale?’
Participate in the hero’s march as Pale. With the help of Rozel or Hillan, it would be easier to blend in.
‘And if possible, more....’
As long as Jason’s strength and forces were uncertain, the more blades aimed at him, the better.
“Tell him I accept.”
“You’re going personally?”
“Yes.”
“I want to help too.”
“No. You’re known to have been kidnapped. If you’re suddenly released, it’ll raise suspicion.”
But—
“Lavinia Arkan is different.”
* * *
“...I go out?”
“Yes, you go out.”
“I not go.”
“No, you go.”
“Chimera.”
“You made fewer chimeras? That doesn’t matter. You’re going no matter what.”
“...Me, abandoned?”
Lavinia’s pupils trembled.
“What?”
“Me, vassal. Abandoned?”
“No. No.”
What was this, a child? He tossed her some chocolate, and she munched on it obediently.
“I’m going with you.”
“Together?”
Only then did her face brighten.
“We’re joining the Alliance attacking the False Demon King. You’re not officially kidnapped, so there’s room.”
“Demon King, horn?”
“He didn’t seem to have horns.”
“Wings?”
“Who knows.”
“None?”
“He must have something.”
A Doppelgänger’s shell crumbled the moment it was stripped away, making it useless for proper study or use.
That said, Berje himself didn’t truly know much about Doppelgängers, who had gone extinct several hundred years ago.
“Mine.”
“Yes. If we catch him, I’ll give you a portion.”
“Yes!”
Lavinia smiled brightly.
“Cher?”
“Yes, Cher is going too.”
“Yes.”
Thus, the Demon King’s departure was decided in an instant.
“However, there is also the possibility that Jason knows about Lavinia Arkan.”
“I can’t be certain that he doesn’t.”
This was the first time that the princesses other than Ernan had fully revealed their power as Berje’s subordinates.
All the heroes who had witnessed and experienced it had become Berje’s vassals, but knowing that Jason was a Doppelgänger who had parasitized the world for several hundred years, it could not be guaranteed that the secret was safe.
“But it doesn’t matter. Whether he knows or not, adding another blade changes nothing.”
Even if she could not become a hidden dagger, her strength was objectively undeniable.
“What if Jason spreads rumors that the princess is your vassal?”
“There’s no clear evidence. And we can prove otherwise by using heroes.”
Because several hundred heroes were Berje’s vassals. If they all said it wasn’t true, who would be insane enough to insist otherwise?
Six stars, no less.
“I see. This woman spoke out of turn.”
“No, it was a reasonable question.”
Leaving Reina behind, Berje spoke to Gordon.
“Gordon. Take good care of the tower while I’m gone.”
“Yes, of course, Demon King.”
“If anything urgent arises, consult with Reina and handle it.”
“Yes.”
“What about me? Why am I left out? I’m a Demon King too?”
Berje ignored Vivian.
“Please take care, Demon King.”
“Have a safe journey.”
“Ah, I’m jealous. I want to go fight too.”
“Please return quickly! I’ll have the blueprints completed perfectly!”
To create something and merge it with the tower required divine authority. The dwarves obsessed with the Sky Tower wished fervently for the Demon King’s swift return.
“Sister Lavinia. Please be careful.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t pick up and eat random things.”
“Yes.”
“Please help the Demon King well.”
“Yes.”
“When you meet my sister, please give her my regards.”
“Yes.”
The brief yet lengthy farewells ended.
The Demon King, the princess, and the chimera modified by the princess left the tower and began heading toward the Kingdom of Arkan.