Dwarf, Orc, Elf, and Hero
"How in the world did you do it?"
The dwarf flailed his short arms and legs like a freshly caught fish.
His childlike, sparkling eyes were so pure it made one want to squish them.
"My Mana's Phantom actually connected to the tower's core! And then it transformed like this!"
"Aren't dwarves supposed to be attached to their creations?"
So Berze had expected Logar to grumble.
"That isn't the important part! Isn't this a monumental breakthrough?"
"What was once limited to the first floor has now spread across the entire tower."
"I clearly designed it to operate on mana, but some unknown force changed the power source."
"And then it just hid the entire tower? I've never heard of such a thing."
"How did you do it? No—what is this tower?"
Logar fired questions like a machine gun, a complete contrast to the gloomy, passive attitude he'd shown since being kidnapped.
"Did you really think a demon lord's tower would be ordinary?"
"Of course not, but this is astonishing! I'm dying of curiosity—I need to know what principle caused this change!"
"So?"
"…Yes?"
"So what exactly are you trying to say?"
"I… if it wouldn't be rude, could I maybe—just a little—take apart, no, examine the machine and the tower?"
The determination that said this is not negotiable was the brightest expression he'd shown since he'd been dragged here.
Madness?
It was the same look he'd seen in battle-crazed demons. The purpose differed, but the nature was nearly identical.
There was nothing unusual about a dwarf becoming obsessed with a new mystery.
"But before that, don't you have work to finish?"
Logar flinched violently.
"The Hero is approaching. At the earliest, one month. At the latest, three."
According to Granada's report, they were advancing at a steady pace, so unless something major happened, they'd arrive in two.
Long if long, short if short.
"Can you finish according to the design within that time?"
"I can. No— I will! I stake my honor as a Hero!"
"You don't really care about that, do you?"
"Then I'll stake anything! So please…!"
"Fine. If you meet the deadline, I'll let you do what you want. But only if nothing goes wrong with the machine or the tower."
"Of course!"
Logar nodded confidently. The design was complete, and the restriction against using mana was gone.
He could do it. No—he would do it.
A craftsman's madness gleamed in his eyes.
That energy that absorbed far more demonic mana than expected and caused excessive transformation…
The tower could not identify exactly what it was.
But Berze had a guess.
Dimensional interference.
The power that weakened intruders…
And strengthened Heroes.
When he first met Logar, the dwarf had been forging the princess's weapon.
He was very weak, yet his hammer strikes were powerful. Mana danced to his hammer rhythm. Mana flowed into the weapon.
"I don't really understand it, but people kept saying mana fluctuated whenever I hammered. So I tried to find a way to hide mana, and that's how I made Mana's Phantom."
Hearing the story of how Mana's Phantom came to be, Berze became convinced.
Logar lacked combat ability as a Hero, but all that interference power must have flowed into his hammering.
His skill and passion had earned him fame in the kingdom, but the Hero's power must have contributed.
"This might actually be good…"
He had been reluctant precisely because Logar was a Hero—but now it became an advantage.
"What's good!?"
At that moment, Gordon suddenly shouted.
"We need to tear off that ridiculous abomination called Mana's Phantom immediately!"
"And why is that?"
"What do you mean 'why'? Isn't it obvious? A demon lord's tower must stand taller than any structure. It must always exude overwhelming presence and show the dignity of demons and the demon lord. How can you hide it!?"
Because that is demon-like. Because that is demon lord-like.
Yet Berze scowled at the obvious argument.
"You know… I'm really getting tired of responding to your whining."
"..."
"I'm not saying I don't understand demon pride. But look at the current situation. Do you really think we can stop the Heroes right now without this?"
"…We cannot."
"Right. Anyone who shouts ideals with no alternative is an idiot. Don't make me call you one."
"..."
"If you want to keep arguing, then bring me a demon-like alternative—one that I can actually accept."
Even if he hated orthodoxy, he wasn't stupid enough to reject what was right.
Berze murmured,
"You weren't like this before. When did you turn into an idiot?"
He spoke nonsense.
Don't let me call you an idiot, you say…
He'd already said it.
Gordon bit his lip.
"…I will bring one. Without fail."
Demonic pride…
And the chief's pride…
Both began to burn.
Berze ran several tests.
"If I close the door, the mana leakage is drastically reduced."
At first he thought it was complete blockage—but not quite.
Still, in its ability to hide pure mana such as spirit power, its usefulness was undeniable.
"And stealth."
There are various kinds of stealth.
Erasing presence.
Tricking vision with illusions.
Becoming part of nature.
Mana's Phantom granted the tower all three.
It erased the tower's presence.
Blended it into the surrounding environment through illusion.
And made it part of the landscape.
It still felt unnatural, but as the tower grew and dimensional interference weakened, it would become more perfect.
"But I can't use it recklessly."
Twenty demonic mana per second was no trivial cost. Unless efficiency improved, he could only use it in emergencies.
"Oh, right. I had a promise."
Remembering the promise to the princess, Berze opened the tower's storage for the first time in a while. Inside were the three elixirs he'd acquired previously.
"Tch."
Gently soaked in demonic mana, parts of them were tinged violet.
He had intended that, so it wasn't bad—but giving one to Ernan now wouldn't be ideal.
It can't be helped.
He would have to gather more again.
If he wanted her to perform well in the role he'd assigned, he had to give what he'd promised.
Berze descended to the fourth floor.
"Are you heading out?"
"I promised you an elixir. I have to keep my word. The ones here are mixed with demonic mana—you can't use them."
Humans could use demonic mana. Dark mages existed. But for spirits, it was pure poison.
"Okay!"
Ernan eagerly dressed herself. With Logar seeing them off, they left the tower.
"This time, let's go in a different direction."
Fortunately, the sky was clear. Ernan sent off a wind spirit.
The footsteps of one demon and one human were pressed into the snowy path.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Good timing. I was wondering something too."
"You go first."
"Why did you accept my proposal?"
"You wanted me to."
"I did. But I thought there was no chance you would."
He had thought about it again and again, but he simply couldn't understand.
Why would the princess accept his proposal?Why would she turn down the possibility of being rescued—
Why would she kick away her chance for rescue?
"Because of the elixir."
"Elixirs are precious, but as the crown princess of Hilderan, you must have had your fill already."
"But more elixir is always better, isn't it?"
"Not enough to make you oppose the Hero coming to rescue you."
"Ah… is it really that unreasonable?"
Ernan shook her head. Berze looked down at her with a blank expression.
"…Would you accept it if I simply said I don't want to return to the kingdom?"
"You must have your reasons."
"Who doesn't have reasons?"
"I see."
"You're not going to ask more?"
"That's enough."
If she had a reason, that was sufficient. He had no interest in prying into her family issues.
All he needed was her continued cooperation while she remained his hostage.
"What was your question?"
"Oh, right. What will you do if you capture the Hero?"
"You sound worried."
"Well… he did come here to rescue me."
"I can't let him go."
"I know. Just from what I've seen, your tower is nothing like those of other demon lords."
"Get to the point."
"Are you going to make Hero Hillen Cargill your subordinate?"
Berze had kidnapped her and made her design a floor.
He had kidnapped a dwarf Hero and put him in charge of the first floor.
So she wondered whether he intended to use Hillen Cargill as well.
"Why are you curious about that?"
"Because I heard no demon lord in hundreds of years has ever done such a thing…"
As she was talking, Ernan suddenly stopped walking.
"I found it."
"Already?"
"But…"
She frowned.
"We have visitors."
Perhaps because they went in the opposite direction from before, they found the spirit herb surprisingly quickly.
But visitors were never a good sign.
Especially when those visitors belonged to the same race that had caused such unpleasant memories last time.
Feral Orcs. A larger tribe than before had built a settlement around the spirit herb.
Between crude wooden walls stood a sentry. Their eyes met.
"...!"
The orc's pupils dilated. A loud horn blast shook the settlement.
"Annoying."
"Should we resist?"
"There's precedent. No rule says it can't happen twice."
Berze casually reached out his hand. Flickering black flames instantly engulfed the wooden barricade.
But—
"..."
"Whoa…"
What greeted them was not hostility or killing intent.
Not crude blades, not filthy fangs.
"Greetings to the demon lord!"
"Oh, demon lord!"
Reverence. Submission.
Dozens of Feral Orcs dropped to their knees. They bowed low, pressing their heads to the snow, paying worship to Berze.
"…What are they doing?"
To his confusion, the foremost Feral Orc raised his head.
"We humbly beg you—please accept us as your vassals, O Demon Lord!"
"Granada, your performance and that of the Red Falcons has been remarkable."
There were minor disruptions, but the hero expedition was proceeding smoothly.
The absence of demons and monsters meant fewer spoils—but it also highlighted the greatness of the Heroes.
The demon lord was so intimidated by Hillen's might that he sent no monsters.
Nothing could stand in the way of the hero expedition.
This expedition would surely succeed.
Perhaps because of that—
Bandits did not dare target them. Not even the usual pests showed up.
Occasionally, a few foolish monsters charged at them, and that was all.
And in those small skirmishes, the group that stood out the most was the Red Falcon Mercenary Corps.
Using Granada's sharp elven senses, they intercepted monsters faster than anyone.
Partly because their demon-lord master had ordered them to stand out—
Thanks to that, Granada frequently interacted with Hero Hillen Cargill.
"It's been a long time since I've seen another elf."
"Is that so?"
"Elves are reclusive. Even with the treaty, they rarely leave their domains."
He wasn't wrong. Most other races were the same—reluctant to leave their territories, largely to avoid humans.
Granada didn't bother reminding him of that.
"But if it's been a long time… does that mean you knew an elf?"
"I did. A comrade."
Hillen smiled sadly.
"He gave his life for mine. Thanks to him, I slew the Demon Lord of Lust, but…"
"I shouldn't have asked."
Granada apologized at the sorrow lingering in his voice.
"It's fine. It wasn't a secret."
Even so, Granada didn't miss the small glimmer of moisture at the corner of Hillen's eye.
"He was someone who led the charge against demon lords. Just like other elves. Just like how you lead the mercenaries against monsters. Seeing something so familiar made me nostalgic. Sorry."
"No apology needed. It's understandable."
"Thank you for understanding. In that spirit… shall we have a drink?"
"Yes."
Their cups clinked.
Hillen laughed cheerfully.
"I look forward to working with you. I feel like I can trust my back to you."
"You flatter me."
The rest of the conversation was trivial.
"Well then, I'll take my leave."
"Yes, I look forward to your continued success."
"Yes."
Granada stepped out.
Left alone, Hillen's smile vanished like a mask falling away.
"Yes. Elves can be trusted. Elves."
Isn't that right?
Smooch—
Hillen pressed a light kiss to his ring.
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