Chapter 213 - Lavinia and the Mages

Hillen Cargill was summoned by the king.

After repeated failures, anxiety and fear of the Demon Kings were growing, and claims that the Heroes' Guild was useless were once again gaining traction.

“Isn't it because heroes who know nothing but fighting are put in command that they keep falling into traps and making foolish decisions?”

“The problem began when we gave a mere guild far too much authority.”

“I heard the heroes attacked first without waiting for the coalition army.”

“The nations must be the core of the coalition! Only if the nations take the lead and seasoned veteran generals with wartime experience command the army can we avoid repeating the same mistakes!”

One person's fear was another person's opportunity.

The king of Hilderan was one such person. He resented having lost all his heroes and authority to the Heroes' Guild and wanted to reclaim those powers.

“Even the Empire has withdrawn of its own accord. Isn't this a fine opportunity?”

At his sly smile, Hillen realized that the king had a hand in the seditious rumors circulating through the streets.

Of course. He would never let an opportunity like this slip by.

“Do you want me to become the commander?”

“Nonsense. With rumors circulating that the heroes' foolish leadership is causing these failures, I have no reason to entrust command to you.”

“Then you wish for me to slay the Demon King of Lies myself.”

“Precisely. The first great hero to kill three Demon Kings—and that hero is the Hero of Hilderan. Wouldn't that make a splendid picture?”

As it happened, Balaf Dislord, reputed to be the strongest hero, had died, leaving that position vacant.

Most people tacitly agreed that Hillen Cargill, who had been close on his heels, was the natural successor. But tacit recognition was one thing; killing the Demon King of Lies and making it indisputable was another.

“If Ernyan, who has contracted with a spirit king, joins you, our nation's standing will rise even higher. A princess and a hero, working together to defeat a Demon King. Isn't that a beautiful picture?”

“I will do my best.”

“This is not about doing your best. I want results.”

Of course, Hillen Cargill wanted that too.

But he could not be certain, because he had already heard what sort of monster the Demon King of Lies was.

["You had better be careful. With your abilities, you will never be able to handle him."]

And what sort of monster was coming because of him.

["The Demon King is making his move. And he has no intention of letting anyone else have the Demon King of Lies."]

From the outset, the Demon King of Lies had been a prize in a picture, never within Hillen's reach.

But if that were all, he would have counted himself fortunate.

'This is the first time the Demon King has given such a grave warning.'

And that was not all. The Demon King was coming in person, accompanied not only by Hilderan's Crown Princess but by Lavinia Akan as well.

That spoke to just how difficult this would be.

'Success...'

It should be possible.

Otherwise, the Demon King would never have asked his lover, Ernyan Hilderan, to join them.

Yes. Hillen Cargill struggled to suppress his anxiety with that thought.

'But surely he isn't coming in person just to save the princess?'

“You haven't answered. Do you lack confidence?”

The king's voice broke his reverie. Belatedly, he remembered that they had been in the middle of a conversation.

“No, Your Majesty. Together with Her Highness the Crown Princess, I will most certainly take the Demon King's head.”

“Good.”

Only then did the king smile in satisfaction.

“Have faith.”

“Is faith all I need?”

“You're the Demon King's servant, aren't you, Hillen? How can you have less faith than I do, when I'm not even his servant?”

“That's true, but... You weren't his servant?”

“You didn't know?”

“I didn't.”

“I'm not.”

“Then why do you help the Demon King?”

“Why? Am I not allowed to?”

“... Of course you are.”

He had forgotten that he should never try to understand the Crown Princess before him.

“In any case, I was a little worried because this is the first time my lord has given such a grave warning. And I heard what that monster truly is.”

Not merely a Demon King, but a doppelganger that had lived as a parasite for three hundred years. A being whose power had no known limit.

“The Demon King is stepping in to keep that warning from becoming reality, isn't he? So am I.”

“That is true, but...”

“There's something else that bothers me more.”

“What would that be?”

“Why did he go to Akan first?”

“... Pardon?”

“After we parted like that, why Akan instead of Hilderan...?”

“Hmm.”

Hillen left her absorbed in thought and slipped out of the office.

At times like this, the best course was simply not to engage.

Roselle Charnt's warning had failed to make much of an impact.

“Are you saying the Empire has some ulterior motive? That it will betray us?”

“I understand what you mean, but surely that couldn't happen unless the entire Empire had gone mad.”

Faced with that response, Roselle had nothing more to say to persuade them. In truth, their argument was reasonable.

“I couldn't exactly shout, ‘Actually, the emperor has gone mad!’ at them.”

“But he has.”

“Really?”

“It's a guess.”

“See? Even you aren't certain.”

“I would say he went mad the moment he joined hands with a Demon King.”

“You do realize you're a Demon King yourself?”

“I'm different.”

“How? Are there good Demon Kings and bad Demon Kings now?”

“I didn't join hands with them as equals. I made them all my servants.”

“... You leave me speechless.”

Roselle laughed incredulously. Berge changed the subject.

“Incidentally, is there no trouble between you and Hillen Cargill?”

“What trouble? You sound as though you're hoping there is.”

“You left the tower looking ready to kill him on the spot.”

“I've only put it off because I haven't had the time. Don't tell me you're ordering me not to touch him?”

“A dispute between two people should be settled by those two. A third party's interference only makes things worse.”

“A third party? I think you dropped your conscience somewhere.”

Roselle snorted.

She had set off on the hero's journey as soon as she left the tower, so she had been unable to seek Hillen out. That brief interval had given her time to cool her anger.

On reflection, Hillen Cargill had merely carried out Berge's orders. He was hardly to blame. Above all, his own Crown Princess had been there too.

And Berge was blaming Hillen?

This was nothing more than an attempt to goad them into fighting.

“What are you plotting?”

“Nothing in particular. I merely want to know which of my hero servants is strongest.”

“Ha. Now that you've put it that way, I can't just let it slide.”

Roselle steeled herself for battle.

'Hillen needs to be kept in line now and then.'

He was a rebellious sort, liable to entertain other intentions the moment he had any breathing room. With the servant bond strengthened by Berge's growing power, he could no longer act on them, but his will still needed breaking from time to time.

Berge smiled slyly.

“Where have you been all this time, and what have you been doing?”

“Er. Research.”

“Research in Erjest. I hear you modified Cher?”

“Yes.”

At her innocent gaze, the king of Akan sighed.

He could never fathom what his daughter was thinking. If only she would speak properly, like his other children.

And stop that damned chimera research, too.

However much she displeased him, she was still his daughter. She always vanished like a ghost before returning, but this time she had been gone especially long. Of course he had worried.

At this moment, however, his concern was not for his daughter, but for the new problems she had brought home.

“I'm told Cher's energy is far stronger than before. Many mages are curious about how you modified him. Can you share your findings?”

“No.”

“No?”

“Yes.”

“You are both a princess of this kingdom and a mage of the mage tower. Giving back to the kingdom for all you have received is your duty, both as royalty and as a member of the tower.”

“No.”

But Lavinia shook her head again.

The king's brow furrowed.

His daughter was a little unusual, but she was not utterly unreasonable. Knowing how much she had received as a princess, she had freely offered the results of her research to the kingdom.

He knew well that she was obsessed solely with research and new knowledge, with no desire to monopolize that knowledge.

Yet she was refusing?

And so firmly?

Having been told how many mages had high hopes for Cher's changed appearance, the king's head already throbbed at the thought of their reaction.

“Why?”

“Can't. Tell.”

“You can't even tell me why? Lavinia Akan, I am not playing games.”

“Other things.”

“Other things are important too, but what the mages truly want is Cher.”

“No.”

“I command you as your king.”

“No.”

“I ask you as your father.”

“No.”

“...”

Faced with her resolute gaze, he rubbed his face. Once Lavinia made up her mind, not even her father could overcome her stubbornness.

And he could hardly torture his own daughter.

But would the mages understand that?

Akan was not an absolute monarchy. Though all its people were nominally subjects of the royal family, the mage tower's authority rivaled that of the royal house, and the Tower Master's that of the king.

Akan was a kingdom built together with mages. Even its king could not treat the tower's mages lightly.

“Are you certain you cannot?”

“No.”

“Then I have no choice. You will have to tell the mages yourself.”

The king finally resorted to his last option.

“Tell?”

“Attend me! Summon the mages of the tower at once!”

At his summons, the Tower Master, the Deputy Tower Master, and dozens of senior mages descended en masse.

“Your Highness! We are relieved you have returned safely. Did your recent endeavor go well?”

“Yes.”

“Would you share your research findings with the tower? We will offer appropriate compensation.”

Appropriate compensation meant monsters, monster materials, or elixirs that Lavinia desired.

Until now, that arrangement had always worked.

“Yes.”

“Oh!”

“Just as we'd expect of Lady Lavinia!”

This time was no different. Her agreement filled the mages with anticipation.

“Except. Cher.”

Or it had, until precisely one second ago.

“Pardon?”

“What do you mean?”

“Cher. No.”

“Didn't you say you would share your research findings and results?”

“Yes.”

“Then Cher as well...”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“But what do you mean, Your Highness?”

“No.”

“Your Highness!”

“Your Highness, please have mercy!”

“Cher. Is. Off. Limits.”

Their questions, repeated hundreds upon hundreds of times, made not a single step of progress against her firm refusals.

And then...

“Leaving.”

It ended with a fed-up Lavinia making her escape. She pushed through the crowd of mages and fled the royal capital.

“Cher!”

Cher dropped down from somewhere, and the mages could only stare blankly as she rode away on him.

“... That enormous body can fly with just one wing.”

“Oh, beautiful.”

“How on earth did she do it? A drake? No, that's no mere drake.”

“What monsters or demonic creatures did those materials come from?”

“She flees for all she's worth whenever we try to examine him. Damn it.”

The mages marveled at Cher, not even thinking to give chase.

Belatedly coming to their senses, they turned to the king.

“Your Majesty.”

“She wouldn't answer me either.”

“Cher's transformation surpasses every precedent. He is the very pinnacle of chimera science, capable of taking the kingdom's chimera research to an entirely new level!”

“Indeed! If we could learn the spells used to strengthen Cher, Akan's name would rise even higher in the coming campaign against the Demon King of Lies.”

“I know that. But I tell you, she won't speak even to me. You know, don't you? No one can overcome Lavinia's stubbornness.”

If he could, he would have made her stop meddling with chimeras long ago.

“Ugh.”

The Tower Master and the mages groaned.

They would have liked to interrogate Lavinia, but none of them had the nerve.

And if they hounded her any more persistently, she might run away again.

But these were not mages who would simply give up.

“She won't grant our request, but what if we approached her through someone closer to her?”

“Someone like Prince Cain?”

“His Highness is one option, but there's also that man Pale who returned with her, or Lady Roselle.”

“Oh, a fine idea.”

“Of course. We can't simply do nothing!”