Where Is Hillen Cargill?
Watton's return. A half-success.
After that news spread, there was only one question everyone wanted answered.
So where is Hillen Cargill?
"He's still wandering the Ergest Mountains, searching for the Demon King's Tower."
Watton had given an answer, but as more time passed with no further news, more and more people began to feel uneasy.
"He must be dead. A failure."
"Don't be ridiculous. He's the one who killed the Demon King of Lust. There's no way he'd lose to some newly descended Demon King."
"Sure, maybe he wouldn't lose to a 'Demon King'. But think about it. Is Ergest some ordinary mountain range? Monsters everywhere, blizzards every other day, infamous for being harsh and deadly. He's been wandering around there for weeks. Even if he's a hero—can anyone survive that?"
No—at that point, even finding the tower would be another problem.
"Could he even defeat the Demon King in that condition?"
Even if the descent was recent, a Demon King was still a Demon King.
No one could answer that question with confidence.
Ergest was Ergest, and a Demon King was a Demon King for a reason.
Hillen was a hero, but in the end, still human. And among the heroes who went to the Demon King's Tower, "no news" had never once been good news.
"He must be dead."
"Hillen Cargill failed!"
"The fact he hasn't returned is proof enough!"
Misfortune spreads quickly.
Rumors grew larger with every retelling—and someone's pockets grew with them.
[125,412 pt]
"Excellent."
Berze looked at the rapidly rising magic points and laughed with satisfaction.
Humans may not know it, but the hero expedition had been completely crushed. Peace had returned to the tower.
Normally, after a war ends, there is a lot of cleanup to do, but Berze himself had nothing in particular to handle.
Organizing the tower's interior was Gordon's job, managing the prisoners was Granada's responsibility.
The shattered mana cannons and ballistae were Logger's task, and the fourth floor belonged to the Princess.
For now, it was simply time to wait for the prisoners' spirits to break. As the Demon King, he enjoyed that wait.
While the hero had been approaching, each day had quietly eaten at him; after Regression, he hadn't rested even for a moment—so this brief leisure was precious.
The accumulating points were merely a bonus.
"An invitation has arrived."
It was then that a guest arrived—one that marked the end of his leisure.
"An invitation?"
"A message from the Beast Demon King. 'One week from now, at noon, a banquet will be held at the Tower of Falsehood to celebrate the descent and victory of the new Demon King. Attendance is mandatory; refusal will not be accepted.'"
"He won't accept refusal? One wonders if he felt any shame saying that out loud."
A banquet.
Unlike Demon Kings from other dimensions, the Demon Kings of Arein knew their positions were not absolute. They knew they could become prey rather than hunter.
So, to survive—to continue existing—they strengthened their bonds with each other.
That was the banquet: the Unity of the Towers. The gathering where the five Demon Kings met and interacted.
It was held once a year, rotating between towers—except when a new Demon King descended.
The pre-Regression banquet had been held shortly after Berze's own descent. He had ignored that invitation.
Back then, he thought gathering together was unbefitting of a Demon King.
But even so, receiving an invitation only a few months after his descent was strange.
Another butterfly effect, no doubt.
By insulting the established order and earning the reputation of a troublemaker.
Draxon had opposed him from the beginning, slandering him intentionally. Draxon wanted Berze dead.
"And since the one they expected to die succeeded instead, of course they'd be curious enough to want to see my face."
"What will you do?"
"They sent an invitation. I should show proper manners."
Berze was walking a path completely unlike his previous life.
Relationships and events were shifting accordingly, and to avoid repeating the same end, he needed to change his own behavior as well.
The relationship between Demon Kings and humans… I need to grasp it more clearly this time.
In the past, Berze had formed no real connections with humans. He was a conqueror, and they were merely trophies to be taken through battle and struggle.
A solitary tyrant.
He'd interacted with no Demon King.
He laughed at humans requesting negotiation.
He looked down on all heroes.
Which was why:
Not a single Demon King helped him.
When he chose war instead of negotiation, the humans formed an alliance.
Heroes toyed with him instead.
Back then, he believed that was right. He thought it was natural.
But one failure had made the "natural" unnatural.
This time will be different.
It had to be different. Absolutely.
He changed the tower's operations using the dwarves and the Princess.
Now it was time to change diplomacy and social ties.
The Unity of the Towers.
That was what the Demon Kings of Arein called their gathering.
The first banquet had been held exactly 351 years ago.
Demon Kings fell one by one to the waves of heroes, and new Demon Kings failed to properly settle.
Unable to tolerate it any longer, one Demon King suggested they should band together like humans, and that first meeting became the Unity of the Towers.
"To think Demon Kings would wear such masks and use such sentimental words as 'unity.'"
The term itself showed how cornered the Demon Kings of Arein had once been.
"Shall we depart?"
"Yes."
Only Demon Kings and their vice-commanders were invited to the Unity. So only Gordon could accompany Berze.
[Opening gate to the Tower of Falsehood.]
[The target's agreement is required.]
[Agreement received.]
[100 pt consumed.]
The gate connecting towers could be opened or closed according to each Demon King's will. If either side refused—or lacked points—it would not open, yet no Demon King rejected an invitation to the Unity.
At least in this lifetime.
Crack—
The space split open inside the grand hall of the fifth floor, where the golden throne stood.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Berze stepped into the rift.
"Welcome."
"We greet the great Demon King, Berze Deias!"
The gate between towers always opened onto the first floor of the destination tower.
Thus, once Berze passed through, he stood at the entrance of the Tower. Creak—its doors opened.
Red carpet beneath his feet.
A chandelier lit the interior brilliantly.
Golden statues, beautiful paintings, finely crafted ornaments delighted the eye.
Among them—
Dark elves stood in formation, swords raised.
Succubus maids and incubus butlers bowed deeply behind them.
"Uh…"
Gordon was taken aback; this was not what one imagined of that Demon King's tower. But Berze silently walked down the carpet.
"It is an honor to meet you for the first time, Lord Berze Deias. I am Aina Sermune, vice-commander serving Lord Jayson."
At the end of the first floor, at the end of the carpet and the formation, a red-haired succubus bowed gracefully. Polite, elegant, dignified.
"This is a special welcoming ceremony prepared for you, my lord. Do you find it satisfactory?"
"Not bad."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Especially those golden statues. And those finely worked gem ornaments. Dwarven craftsmanship?"
"···It seems the Demon King is quite a special person."
"You must've heard that long ago."
"I did hear it, yes—but a rumor is still just a rumor, is it not?"
"It's the truth. Not a grain of falsehood."
A faint crack appeared across Aina's gentle expression.
"···I see. The Demon King of Falsehood is waiting for you upstairs. I will guide you."
"And the other Demon Kings?"
"They have all arrived."
"I don't believe I'm late."
"Yes. The others simply arrived a little early."
"Must've had a lot to discuss without me."
"As a mere vice-commander, that is not something I would know."
"People don't usually call a vice-commander 'mere.'"
"······."
Tap. Tap.
Silence followed. Only the soft echo of Aina's high heels filled the air.
Thirteen floors.The Tower of Falsehood rose up to the 13th floor.
Aina stopped before the doors leading into the great hall of the 13th floor.
"The Demon Kings are inside. It is not a place a vice-commander should intrude upon, so may I take your vice-commander elsewhere for the time being?"
Berze didn't particularly care, so he nodded.Aina gently knocked.A dark elf guarding the door shouted:
"The Demon King, Lord Berze Deias, has arrived!"
"Let him enter."
With that response, the doors opened.
"Then please enjoy your time."
Aina bowed with Gordon in tow and disappeared.
Inside was extravagance beyond compare.
Compared to this, the first floor felt like a mere puddle of coin tossed around for ornamentation.
The golden throne had been moved far aside, and in the place where it should have been was a round table—carved entirely from a single, translucent diamond.
And around that table—
Four Demon Kings
welcomed Berze Deias.
"It's been a while."
With a look that carried faint displeasure, the Beast Demon King glared at him.
"So you are Berze Deias?"
Cold eyes holding a hint of curiosity—this was the Frost Demon King.
"The infamous troublemaker has arrived."
Despite his 5-meter frame, the Diamond Demon King was flapping his mouth in a foolish, noisy manner.
"Welcome."
Gracefully bowing his head was the Demon King of Falsehood.
Berze took the seat prepared for him. Four pairs of eyes stabbed into his expressionless face.
"A pleasure."
The Demon King of Falsehood raised his monocle with a soft smile.
"A pleasure?"
Berze slowly turned his head. Ugar Velvek. The Titan's enormous eyes fixed upon him.
"Everyone here is your senior. Show some respect, you idiotic brat."
"Idiotic, huh."
Berze tapped the table.
"I'm the First Seat. What about you?"
"You little—!"
"Is this how hosts treat their guests?"
He turned not to Ugar, but to the Demon King of Falsehood.
"I come because I received an invitation, but you put a pig in front of me to grunt? Are you telling me to leave?"
Murderous intent exploded.
"···Do you want to die?"
"Ugar, this is a banquet. Please do not defile this sacred hall."
"But—!"
"Ugar."
With the Demon King of Falsehood's mediation, Ugar grimaced and withdrew his killing intent.
"Lord Berze seems more like a Demon King than anyone here."
"I'll graciously accept the compliment."
"Would you like to say more? I will accept anything you say, at least for now."
Berze shook his head silently.
He wasn't close enough with any of them to exchange pleasantries, and this was his first time attending the banquet. He had no idea what to do, so for now he intended to observe.
"I see. That makes sense."
As if understanding, Jayson nodded exaggeratedly.
"This place may feel unfamiliar, but this gathering is for the unity of the Demon Kings. To understand one another, to share bonds, and to coordinate more effectively in dealing with humans."
"It's not merely sentimental—it's revolting."
He knew it wasn't wrong.
In the end, results were what mattered. Right before Berze's regression, he had failed—while Jayson and the other Demon Kings had not.
They hadn't succeeded either, but they hadn't failed. And that distinction mattered.
However, agreeing with them from the start would be a mistake. To them, Berze was a deviant who spit on established norms—being too agreeable would only seem suspicious.
"Of course. It is a natural opinion for a Demon King to have."
Even with blatant criticism, Jayson's expression didn't change.
He was always like that—always wearing a smiling mask, always polite.
"But the dimension of Arein is not as simple as Lord Berze imagines. As shameful as it is for a Demon King to say so, this world requires compromise even from Demon Kings."
"Compromise does not suit a Demon King."
"True. But nothing in the world is absolute, is it? Just as you criticized the demons' so-called 'absolute doctrines.'"
"Are you mocking me?"
"I'm simply saying that's how it is."
Jayson shrugged. Berze didn't bother pressing further.
What followed was trivial conversation.
"Since this is your first time, you must not know the others well. As the host of this year's gathering, allow me the responsibility of introducing them."
The Demon King of Falsehood explained the other three to Berze.
"This is Lord Ugar Velvek. Humans call him the Diamond Demon King—the Titan."
"Hmph. A name wasted on your ears."
The massive beast snorted. The stench of rot seemed to waft, making Berze frown.
"You are already acquainted with the Beast Demon King. Lord Draxon Doldov, a wolf-beastman."
"You're still insolent."
As expected, hostility rained down.
"And this is Reina—"
Berze let the introduction flow in one ear and out the other, sinking into thought.
The Unity of the Towers.
Judging only by the surface, the Demon Kings' banquet wasn't anything special. Like humans, they drank, ate, and conversed.
That was all.
But was that really it?
The Unity of the Towers has lasted for centuries. And ever since it began, fewer Demon Kings died at the hands of heroes.
Could simple camaraderie accomplish that? Never.
If that were all, this event wouldn't have lasted hundreds of years.
If that were all, every Demon King except him wouldn't attend without fail.
"Our introductions are done, so now we should hear yours… Actually, there's something I'm far more curious about."
Of course.
"Berze Deias."
Barely after Jayson finished speaking, Ugar growled:
"Where is Hillen Cargill?"
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