Chapter 230 - The One Who Must Go

The tower traveled throughout northern Hilderan, completely halting the demonic creatures' offensive before coming to a stop.

Naturally, public interest exploded.

【The Mysterious Tower That Appeared in Hilderan's Skies: What Is It...?】

【Mysterious Tower Appears Like a Comet, Saving Hilderan from Crisis.】

【Equipped with Hundreds of Mana Cannons and All Manner of Magical Engravings. It Was a Fortress unto Itself.】

【Soldier at Froin Castle Testifies: “The tower's bombardment swept the demonic creatures away. Flocks of gargoyles were annihilated before they could even approach. It was a catastrophe.”】

【“Demonic Creatures” Attacking “Demonic Creatures”? Bad Blood Between “Demon Kings”?】

【Count Pagan: “It was a Demon King's tower. It was the Demon King of Bitter Cold.” Veteran of a Hero's Journey and Raiding Party...】

【The Demon King's Tower That Suddenly Appeared to Save Hilderan: “Good” or “Evil”?】

【Retired Dwarven Artisan: “A Demon King? Only dwarves could build something like that. I've never heard of a Demon King's tower flying through the sky and firing mana cannons.”】

【Does the Tower Actually Belong to the Kingdom of Berft?】

【After Losing Its Levitation Ship, Has Berft Built a Sky Tower?】

【King of Berft Denies Ownership: “It isn't ours!”】

【“Then whose is it?” “I don't know either!” Reply Sparks Uproar. If Not Berft's, Whose?】

【Hillen Cargill Sparks Controversy: “Whatever the case, it did help us.” Gratitude to a Demon King So Long as It Helps? A Reckless Statement from the Heroes' Guildmaster...】

News outlets busily churned out articles.

That was how profoundly the continent had been shaken.

A tower flying through the sky.

A tower that appeared armed with hundreds of cannons and swept away demonic creatures.

A Demon King's tower.

Demonic creatures attacking other demonic creatures.

Everything was unknown. This was not something they could readily trust—or should trust.

“Come on, surely there's no such thing as a flying tower...”

“I'm telling you, I saw it clearly with my own eyes! Everyone there saw it, not just me!”

“It wasn't just Ain Castle. Garkin, Horan, Bion, even Feln. The soldiers at every castle under attack by demonic creatures received that tower's help. The Demon King of Bitter Cold came down in person, swept the creatures away, then disappeared.”

“I'm asking whether that makes any sense. Not a prince on a white horse, but a Demon King aboard a sky tower? How does that make sense?”

“Then what does this mean? Is a Demon King really on our side...?”

“Since when is a Demon King on our side? Don't you remember how many people the Demon King of Hellfire killed? They must've just fallen out with each other.”

“True. That sounds more realistic.”

“But if that tower attacks Hilderan...”

“... Just imagining it is terrifying.”

Hilderan's marketplaces buzzed with talk of the Demon King and the sky tower. The rumors quickly spread throughout the continent.

The Hilderan royal court, directly involved in the matter, was no exception.

“How are we supposed to make sense of this?”

A Demon King's tower had flown in and swept away Demon Kings.

“Is it the Tower of Bitter Cold?”

“That seems likely, given that the Demon King of Bitter Cold took action, but we cannot be certain.”

“You cannot be certain?”

“Because of the mana cannons. The Demon King who abducted dwarves and used mana cannons was the Demon King of Hellfire.”

“Then are you saying the Demon King of Bitter Cold is in the Tower of Hellfire?”

“Once, that would have been absurd, but recent events suggest it is not entirely impossible. During the failed expedition to Lake Grasical, someone on par with a Demon King was reportedly serving the Demon King of Lies.”

“Someone on par with a Demon King?”

“A new Demon King.”

Hillen Cargill stepped forward.

“He was a Demon King who had newly descended after the Adamant Demon King's death.”

“Is that true, Guildmaster?”

“I can swear to it as a hero.”

“Ha. A Demon King fighting for another Demon King...”

“Hasn't Lies helped Hellfire before, as well?”

“That makes it even more absurd. According to you, Hellfire and Lies are fighting. Why would two Demon Kings who were helping each other until recently be fighting now?”

“Well...”

Hillen fell silent, unable to say, “Because they hate each other, and that rumor was false to begin with.”

The king clutched his throbbing head.

Of course, he was grateful that the immediate danger had been resolved. But he could not readily accept it when a Demon King was responsible.

They did not even know for certain whether the tower belonged to Bitter Cold or Hellfire. If it was Hellfire's, that made things worse.

Lies had temporarily overshadowed the fact, but Hellfire was the original cause of this crisis. They had ended up in this situation because Hellfire had devoured countless heroes and troops.

“Where is the tower now?”

“It is still traveling through northern Hilderan, repelling the demonic creatures invading our territory.”

“Damn it! What in blazes is it plotting?”

“It is the Tower of Hellfire.”

Ernyan stepped forward.

“How can you be certain?”

“Demon Kings' towers may all look alike, but there are small differences. And I spent quite a long time in that tower.”

“... The Tower of Hellfire. Then has the Demon King of Bitter Cold truly become Hellfire's subordinate?”

“I will find out.”

The king's brow furrowed.

“What do you mean?”

“There must be a reason for helping Hilderan. Perhaps he wants us to knock on his door first.”

“That Demon King does?”

“Precisely because he is a Demon King. He knows we are hostile toward him. Rather than appearing uninvited simply because he helped us, might he be waiting for us to accept him?”

“... Hmm.”

"It does sound plausible..."

"But he's still a Demon King, isn't he?"

"Still, he hasn't left Hilderan after helping us repel the demonic creatures. It certainly seems he wants something."

The ministers murmured among themselves. It was less that Ernyan's argument was unquestionably right than that they could think of no other explanation.

“Then you are saying they are waiting for us to approach. Does the Demon King of Hellfire have any reason to do that?”

“That is what we must find out. So I will go.”

“No!”

The king roared.

“Even if your prediction is correct, you are this country's Crown Princess!”

“It is nothing to boast about, but I was held captive in the Tower of Hellfire for quite some time. No one knows the Demon King of Hellfire better than I do.”

“And you could be abducted again.”

“I am a spirit king's contractor. If I choose to escape, not even a Demon King can stop me.”

“The Demon King of Hellfire is different! Look at that tower. Who ever imagined the Tower of Hellfire would fly through the sky and fire mana cannons?”

And the Demon King of Bitter Cold was there as well. Even with a spirit king's contract, Ernyan could not afford to underestimate Hellfire and Bitter Cold. Besides, the tower was their domain.

“That is all the more reason I must go. Can you guarantee that, if the Demon King grows tired of waiting, he won't turn his mana cannons on us instead of Lies' demonic creatures?”

“... That is merely your conjecture.”

“I am certain. I had quite a few conversations with the Demon King of Hellfire.”

“What on earth happened in that tower?”

“Quite a lot happened.”

The king and Crown Princess locked eyes.

“I still cannot send you. If anything happens to you, I will regret this day for the rest of my life.”

“Would that be grief for losing your daughter? Or for losing your heir?”

“Both.”

“Then I will go with Lord Hillen. And the other Stars, if necessary. Most of them happen to be in Hilderan. Surely you do not think that all the Stars and I together would be incapable of escaping.”

“...”

With her going that far, even the king could find nothing to say. He forced himself to turn away and asked the others,

“What do you gentlemen think?”

“... We are uneasy about sending Her Highness the Crown Princess into such dangerous territory, but we cannot deny that it seems the surest method.”

“Learning Hellfire's intentions is paramount.”

Those were not the answers the king wanted. The ministers hastily avoided his furious gaze.

They had excuses of their own.

The sky tower. Whenever they thought of that contraption, which defied all common sense, they could find no solution. So much so that they wanted to blindly believe everything would work out if the Crown Princess went.

“You.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The court mage bowed.

“I ask you as the kingdom's greatest mage. If we fought the Demon King of Hellfire, could you destroy that tower?”

“... I beg Your Majesty's pardon, but it is impossible.”

“Impossible?”

“You saw the recording orb Count Pagan sent, did you not? That tower alone carries hundreds of mana cannons. A simultaneous volley would make an entire city vanish in an instant.”

“I asked whether you could destroy it.”

“Demon Kings' towers have long been renowned for their durability. Many attempts have been made, and the reason sending heroes inside has become the established method is ultimately that the towers cannot be destroyed from outside.”

Perhaps they could destroy it if they truly gave it everything they had. But the Demon King would never stand by and watch.

“And above all...”

“Above all?”

“Even if we had the destructive power to demolish it, that tower could flee at any moment. It is a sky tower that can fly, after all.”

“... Indeed.”

“I do not believe it wise to provoke it rashly. If the Demon King set his mind to bombarding the kingdom...”

The court mage swallowed the rest, but the king and ministers all understood. They shuddered as goosebumps rose on their skin.

“But it need not be you. In that case, we could simply send the heroes...”

“Do you want the disgrace of having sent heroes to their deaths?”

“Your going will not change that.”

“It will improve their chances of survival.”

“You...”

“I am a spirit king's contractor and Hilderan's Crown Princess. When the kingdom is in danger, it is only natural that I step forward to save it. That is the duty of royalty.”

“...”

The king ran a hand over his head. But his decision was already made.

“No means no. You cannot go.”

“... Understood.”

Ernyan nodded expressionlessly and strode out of the audience hall.

“Lord Hillen. As king of Hilderan, I formally request this of the Heroes' Guild. Will you go to meet the Demon King?”

“Understood.”

Hillen bowed.

The following day, Hillen Cargill and the other Stars visited the Tower of Hellfire.

The tower's door opened silently and swallowed the heroes.

* * *

“... What did Ernyan say?”

Berge savored the aroma of his tea.

“She asked you to throw us out.”

“And?”

“She wants you to fire a few mana cannon shots near a city, at a time when no one is around.”

“A show of force?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting.”

It was not a method Berge particularly liked, but he readily nodded.

“Eat your fill. If a Demon King throws you out, you ought to have a wound or two to show for it.”

“Couldn't you go easy on me? Mages are highly skilled personnel.”

“Me too.”

Roselle and Aina put on pitiful expressions.

“No exceptions.”

“Wouldn't ‘Ralph protected us, so we were unharmed’ make a decent story? We're mages, after all.”

“That would work. Though I don't know whether he'd agree.”

Ralph, who had been eating fruit grown by the elves, looked as though he had bitten into shit.

* * *

That night, the tower appeared at Hilderan's royal capital.

BOOM!

BOOM!

The mana cannons roared. Their targets were not demonic creatures.

The walls of a fortress that had survived thanks to the tower's help were destroyed.

“The enemy!”

“We're under attack!”

The fortress woke from its slumber. The tower stopped after a few shots, but dropped something else instead.

“Something's falling!”

“They look... like people...?”

The soldiers were horrified when they identified the figures that had fallen just outside the walls.

“Th-the heroes!”

“H-Hillen Cargill!”

They were the heroes who had gone on the king's orders to meet the tower's Demon King.

* * *

“... What did the Demon King say?”

Facing the king's contorted expression, the lightly injured Hillen Cargill replied,

“He said that if we wished to talk, we should bring someone of suitable standing.”

“Who could have more suitable standing than you, the Heroes' Guildmaster?”

“... Your Majesty.”

“What?”

“... He said Her Highness the Crown Princess must come in person.”

“...!”

* * *

“Did he let you come without a fuss?”

“I made it impossible for him not to.”

“Then what comes next?”

“You express your willingness to cooperate through me, my lord.”

“Will it work?”

“We must make it work. I've already begun working on the press.”

“Thorough, aren't you?”

“We absolutely cannot afford to fail.”

POP!

Berge uncorked the champagne. Golden liquid flowed into Ernyan's glass.

“Thank you.”

“I'll pour yours, too.”

“Would you like some chocolate as well?”

“Ah.”

“...”

Without a word, Berge placed a piece of chocolate in her mouth.

- Ah, me too.

He tossed a small, tightly packed ball of fire into the waiting mouth.

- Aaaah! My body's evaporating!

Nairuniel ran around the tower, screaming.

“Well done.”

“That spirit is always insolent.”

“By the way.”

“What is it?”

“I heard recently that a strange rumor is circulating in Akan.”

“... I did nothing.”

“I haven't told you what the rumor is yet.”

“...”

Berge shut his mouth.