Chapter 227 - The Fourth

"... Left me. Left me behind. Mean."

The Demon King had abandoned her.

Lavinia sat gloomily on Cher's shoulder, kicking her feet.

YELP!

YELP!

Cher's body shuddered under the light blows from her heels. His cries of pain made Lavinia stop.

"... Sorry."

GRROOOAR!

"... I know. Didn't leave me."

At Cher's comforting words, Lavinia rested her head against his neck.

She knew perfectly well she hadn't been abandoned. She simply didn't like it.

"The Empire..."

She looked far to the east, where the Empire lay. The culprit responsible for separating her from the Demon King's embrace and keeping her in Akan.

"Sky tower. Want to see..."

GRROW?

"And ride..."

She wanted to.

Her eyes narrowed sulkily.

"Sister, there you are. S-Sister?"

Cain, who had come looking for her just then, nearly had a fit.

'Wh-whenever she makes that face...'

She always caused trouble.

Cain swallowed hard.

"Sister, has something upset you?"

"Pale."

"Didn't Lord Pale say he had some business to attend to and would be away for a while?"

"Me too."

"You can't. As a princess of the kingdom, you..."

"If no Empire?"

"If there were no Empire..."

He considered it for a moment. The Empire's declaration of war was indeed the main reason the king had forbidden Lavinia from leaving.

Her identity as a princess of Akan was so widely known that she might fall into the Empire's clutches if she wandered about alone.

But that was only the main reason, not the only one. The king had never approved of Lavinia's habit of going off in search of monsters to research chimeras.

He would try to use this opportunity to keep her home indefinitely.

'But even if His Majesty tries to stop her...'

Lavinia wasn't the sort to stay put. Nor was Akan's king a cold-blooded man who would kill his daughter for disobeying his orders.

When angry, he might use harsh words and snap at her, but in the end, he always worried about her and looked after her in one way or another.

He was a father who cherished his family.

'He did leave her to fend for herself in Erjest last time, but...'

That was because she had caused trouble again so soon after being rescued from The Beast's Tower and confined to her quarters. He had also trusted that she would survive.

So, provided they repelled the imperial army this time, there probably wouldn't be much of a problem.

"... Yes. Without the Empire, you should be able to go wherever you please, Sister."

"... Empire's bad."

"Yes, the Empire is bad."

"Empire's bad."

"That's right."

"Empire's bad!"

Lavinia's shout made the air around them vibrate. Cain was taken aback by her agitation; she usually spoke calmly, without ever raising her voice.

'S-Sister has become so expressive? Does she care that much for Lord Pale...?'

At the same time, he was moved.

But first he needed to soothe the fuming Lavinia. He had watched and learned how Berge calmed her down.

"Sister, would you like some chocolate?"

"Chocolate?"

It was handmade chocolate from a famous confectionery in the royal capital. He removed the elegant wrapping and gave it to Lavinia.

She took one bite, then spat it out.

"Sister?"

"... Sweet."

"Well, isn't chocolate supposed to be sweet?"

"Sweet."

"Didn't you enjoy the chocolate Lord Pale gave you?"

"That wasn't."

"That wasn't sweet?"

Impossible.

"But this shop is run by a star pupil who trained for twenty-five years at the handmade chocolate workshop in Hilderan's royal capital. Everyone says it tastes exactly the same."

Of course, he knew how particular Lavinia's palate was. He hadn't brought just anything.

"..."

But Lavinia offered no reply.

"..."

An awkward silence settled over them.

Then she took another bite of chocolate. Again, she spat it out.

"Sweet."

Lavinia huffed and lightly tapped Cher's shoulder. Cher spread his single wing and rose into the air.

"Sister! We're marching at dawn tomorrow to help Iasin! You have to come too! That's what I came to tell you!"

"Okay."

With that quiet reply, she disappeared into the distance in an instant.

Left alone, Cain opened a fresh wrapper and savored the chocolate.

It was sweet and smooth, with an exquisite, delicate aroma.

"... Strange. It tastes exactly the same."

It was no different from the chocolate he'd asked Pale for, intrigued by the way Lavinia ate it without a word.

"... Is my palate dull?"

He concluded that the chimera-researching mage simply had an exceptionally sensitive tongue.

"Should I get some from the original shop in Hilderan instead?"

* * *

Dorche Astin's death.

News of the tower's return was immediately delivered to Grand Duke Alkain in the Demon Realm.

"That bastard Jason! He actually...!"

Grand Duke Alkain, who now knew the whole story, ground his teeth.

Dorche was dead. He had never even imagined it possible.

The man had conquered no fewer than five dimensions and been singled out as a candidate to become the next grand duke.

'Dorche's death can mean only one thing.'

Whoever had killed him, Jason hadn't given him enough demonic energy points to lift all the interference.

'Besides, Jason is the only one who could have killed him.'

No—the Doppelganger wearing Jason's skin. Now that everything had come to light, the other Demon Kings had no reason to kill Dorche.

"... That is the sort of place you're going to."

"Entrust this to me, and I will surely take the head of Jason, who has made fools of the Demon Realm and Your Grace."

Bruno Cole, Grand Duke Alkain's servant, bowed his head.

He was a lord commanding tens of thousands of vampires, a Demon King who had conquered seven dimensions, and a chosen candidate for the next grand duke.

"Once you descend, Reina Sordein will assist you."

"The daughter of bitter cold."

"She hasn't been there as long as Jason, but a century has already passed since she began rotting in that place herself. That should be enough to lift most of the interference imposed on you. Go and subjugate Jason Cockmundo together with Reina Sordein."

"Yes. But what of the others?"

"... I dislike Berge Deias, but that is all. In truth, he committed no crime. Make him cooperate as well."

And as for Vivian Blunt...

GRIND!

Grand Duke Alkain's face twisted viciously.

"Your Grace?"

"... Ignore that bitch. She's no help whatsoever in battle anyway."

"I will capture her and make her apologize to Your Grace."

"That would be welcome, but Jason comes first."

"Yes. I will not disappoint you."

Bruno Cole resolutely completed all his preparations.

The great vampire destined to become a grand duke descended into Arain with thousands of his servants.

* * *

"... So this is Arain."

Cold air enveloped his lungs.

The dimension's hostility poured in from all sides, greater than in any dimension he had visited before.

"Indeed."

So this was why it was called the worst dimension.

Even the interference itself was extraordinary. Most of Arain's Demon Kings had come here as their first dimension and wouldn't know the difference, but this dimension was a breed apart from the outset.

Then he heard footsteps, soft and light. A figure emerged from the blizzard.

"Are you the ones His Grace spoke of?"

"Are you Reina Sordein?"

"I am."

"I am Bruno Cole, descended here on His Grace's secret orders."

"I've heard of you. You conquered no fewer than seven dimensions, didn't you? His Grace has put considerable care into this."

"How could I have done that alone? It was an achievement shared with other Demon Kings. Just as you and I must work together from now on."

Bruno shrugged.

"So, where are we?"

"The summit of Mount Erjest. A forbidden land, almost untouched by human footsteps, where they are not permitted to tread."

"Not bad. It violates the Guide, but executing a traitor takes priority over acting as a Demon King for now. Shall we erect the tower first, then?"

He took an orb from inside his clothes. When a Demon King died, the tower connected to that Demon King was automatically recalled to the Demon Realm.

All the demonic energy accumulated within it reverted to the Demon Realm, and the tower returned to its original form.

That form was a seed. Once blood was dripped onto it and demonic energy injected again, it accepted a new master and prepared to fulfill its role anew.

It happened then.

WHOOSH!

Snow-white cold froze Bruno's hand solid.

"... I don't understand what you're doing."

"Unfortunately, you cannot become a Demon King of Arain."

"I came here on Grand Duke Alkain's secret orders. Surely you understand what your actions mean."

"I understand very well. This is not something I particularly wish to do either. But there are times when one must act, regardless of one's wishes."

"You, a Demon King, must do something against your wishes? Don't tell me..."

Bruno's face contorted.

"Who? Who made you their servant, bitch?"

"Does that matter?"

"It matters! They're a traitor who dares rebel against the Demon Realm!"

The answer came quickly. Jason. There was no other explanation.

"Everyone, kill this bitch!"

Thousands of vampires unleashed their killing intent at once. But Reina was untroubled.

"In the Demon Realm, I might have knelt before you."

The servants of a Demon King who had conquered seven dimensions could hardly be ordinary.

But this was Arain. They had only just descended and hadn't even erected their tower.

Even if tens of thousands rather than thousands swarmed her, they would be nothing but lumps of ice before Reina.

WHOOOOSH!

Cold mingled with the blizzard and froze every last vampire.

Bruno clenched his teeth, his eyes bloodshot.

"How could a proud frost demon become the dog of a mere Doppelganger?"

"That's a grave insult to Reina."

WHOOSH!

A Demon King descended from the sky.

He spread his black wings and revealed his black eyes, black flames melting the snow.

"She became the servant of a great demonic dragon, not a Doppelganger."

"... Berge Deias?"

"You know me?"

"Of course. How could I not know the bastard who caused that uproar at the graduation ceremony and disappeared?"

"Then this will be simple. Die. That's your role."

"What? Have you become Jason's lackey too?"

"Your assumption is wrong. Neither Reina nor I am Jason's servant."

Quite the opposite.

"We're doing this to kill that bastard Jason."

"... What?"

Berge picked up the tower seed gleaming proudly atop the frozen hand.

"That is not yours to touch!"

"I put you in this state precisely so I could touch it. I gave it some thought."

Whether or not to join forces with the new Demon King when he descended.

"But I don't like Grand Duke Alkain. I decided I'd be better off devouring his arrogant servant and strengthening myself than cooperating with someone who descended on his behalf."

And above all, there was the tower. He needed to obtain it and merge it with his own. Berge knew its importance better than anyone in the Demon Realm.

"And there's no way Grand Duke Alkain would send an ordinary demon."

The secret had to be kept. Naturally, he would entrust the mission to someone reliable. The Demon King sent down could only be Grand Duke Alkain's servant.

"Someone who is already a servant cannot serve a new master until their current master dies. I can't kill Grand Duke Alkain right now, which means I can't make you mine."

"You insolent bastard! Do you think someone like you could kill His Grace? No, even if I weren't serving His Grace, I would never serve a lawless worm like you!"

"Yes. That's why."

Berge dripped blood onto the orb.

"That's why you're dying here today. What matters to me is the tower anyway. If I kill you before it chooses a new master, doesn't that make it mine?"

"You lawless traitor! The Demon Emperor will never let you get away with this!"

"Yes, I'll graciously overlook the barking of a dog about to die."

CRUNCH!

His head fell. Though he was a Demon King who had conquered seven dimensions, under Arain's interference, he was no more than a high-ranking demon.

"G-Grand Duke..."

Berge plunged his hand into Bruno's chest. An immense tide of demonic energy surged into him.

Dimensional interference merely prevented Bruno from wielding his full strength. The demonic energy and power he possessed were by no means insignificant.

"This will be another dagger to strike Jason with."

"Are you all right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Dorche, Daniel, and now Bruno. None of them were ordinary beings, and the energy each held surpassed imagination."

"And?"

"Even demonic dragons have limits."

Every living being had a wall. Demonic dragons simply had exceptionally high limits and special ways of overcoming that wall. It wasn't that the wall didn't exist.

"Well, I'm fine so far, at least. Look, I haven't even yawned once."

Besides.

"Now isn't the time to worry about that."

"True enough. But you must be careful. If something happens to you now, everything will fall apart."

"I'll be careful."

Drained of everything, Bruno crumbled to dust and vanished. His servants wept tears of blood at their master's death, but imprisoned in ice, there was nothing they could do.

Having absorbed that tremendous power, Berge's body convulsed as though it would shatter.

"... Take those ones as your servants. I'll leave it to you."

HAAAAH...

After a long while, Berge exhaled a heated breath.

"Wouldn't it be better to leave them to Vivian rather than me?"

"Well, that would work too. Anyway, it's time I planted the tower."

Once he'd obtained it, naturally he had to use it.

Berge dug a hole and planted the tower inside.

[The tower recognizes the user.]

[Race, Black Flame Demonic Dragon.]

[Name, Berge Deias.]

The familiar notification voice sounded.

[Error. Error.]

[User, Berge Deias, already possesses another tower.]

[The new tower will be incorporated into the existing tower.]

[The tower absorbs the tower.]

RUMBLE!

The five-story tower sprang up, then scattered away somewhere and vanished.

"What have you done?"

"The tower disappeared!"

"Good heavens!"

Reina and the vampires were aghast, but Berge smiled in satisfaction.

"What have I done? It's exactly what I wanted."

At last, he had merged four towers.

Now it was time to go meet Jason.