Logar's Trap?
"At last."**
The time had come.
Ernan Hilderan had safely fallen into the hands of the Hilderan Assault Corps.
The 3rd Prince might or might not be faithful to the mission entrusted to him, but at the very least, there was still no talk of the Empire launching a Heroic March.
Even if this was merely the calm before the storm, time gained was still time gained.
And that golden time was the final opportunity given to Berze.
"Have you finished the blueprint?"
"To cross the rough Ergest Mountains safely, bipedal or tracked forms like caterpillars won't work. Because of that, I'm designing eight legs so it can move anywhere like a spider. Even across cliffs!"
He had been negative at first, but once he saw even a sliver of possibility, Logar's professional spirit exploded.
If they were going to build it, then more beautifully, more reliably, more perfectly.
The result of several days and nights spent awake, heads pressed together with the golem artificer.
"Each leg will be 22 meters in size. When folded in half during movement, considering the joints, the actual operating height will be just over 10 meters."
"For smooth, fluid movement, each leg will contain 211 joints, and for unobstructed flow, 315 magical circuits will be drawn…"
"And accordingly, the required expected materials are…"
The materials pouring out of Logar's mouth were staggering.
The only fortunate thing was that, in a sense, this was close to attaching legs to a tower that might as well be a golem—meaning they didn't need to create a core.
A core was the most important heart of a golem. If there were no substitute like magical energy (magi), it wouldn't be a matter of needing more materials—they simply wouldn't have been able to make one at all.
Because even the Kingdom of Verft had yet to develop the technology to create a power source capable of moving a tower—or a golem—tens of meters tall.
"How long is the estimated time?"
"The blueprint isn't finished yet, so it's not perfect."
"So how long?"
"It's the pinnacle of cutting-edge magi-engineering—something that's never been made before, never even attempted. It's a delicate machine, so we'll need many highly skilled artisans, and naturally depending on the number and level of the artisans…"
"So in other words, it depends on what I manage to do. That's what you're saying?"
"...Haha, I wouldn't say it quite like that."
"I'll keep it in mind."
"Ahaha…"
"Gordon."
"I've already spoken with the Golden Moon Merchant Guild. But it won't be easy."
"Why?"
"Bringing them into the tower ultimately means they'll learn about the Demon King and about us. Which means we won't be able to send them back to the continent. And there aren't many artisans who are both highly skilled and have no ties strong enough that their disappearance won't cause trouble."
"Then I'll just have to create trouble."
"...Pardon?"
"We'll kidnap the dwarves."
The tower was more important than the Golden Moon Merchant Guild, but if they could keep the guild functioning, that was undoubtedly better.
Thus, it was preferable for artisans to 'vanish' because a mad Demon King rampaged than for artisans obtained through the Golden Moon to simply go missing.
"...The Kingdom of Verft will not sit still."
He knew. It would be best not to get caught, but if they were discovered, Verft would boil over. And the moment they resolved to topple the Demon King of Blazing Flames, dwarf-forged weapons would flood every nation.
They had to avoid provoking the Dwarf Kingdom at all costs.
That is—if they wanted a future.
"Even if things get worse, the result is the same. The difference is only whether I die by beheading or get torn into five pieces. Since I'm already as good as dead, what does it matter?"
"Are you saying you want to die?"
"It's just a manner of speaking. Even if another enemy is added, once this plan is complete, won't the result be the same?"
"Well, true. If we can't build the legs, we die whether Verft joins the list of enemies or not."
"And above all, this is a race against time. We don't know when the Empire will strike, so we need to bring as many dexterous dwarves as possible."
"That is also true."
"Still, how pathetic."
No matter how true it was that Berze and the tower's personnel could not withstand the Empire's might, the Demon King having to accept that and flee was pathetic to the extreme.
"In time, this debt can certainly be repaid."
"Of course it can. Anyway, the two important things are clear."
A massive amount of materials, and the artisans to build with them.
The materials could all be stored in subspace and brought back, so that wasn't a big problem. If everything didn't fit, he could make several trips.
The problem was the artisans.
Kidnapping them wasn't hard. Logar had told him about several secret tunnels he had carved, and they had means to completely hide magi. But once they were kidnapped and discovered, bringing them back became the issue.
At minimum, it would be dozens—perhaps even hundreds. Bringing all of them would inevitably attract attention. And of course, living beings could not survive inside subspace.
"About that part…"
"Mm?"
"There may be a solution."
"A solution?"
"It's something I heard from Charlotte. She says that if one freezes a person with magic and halts all bodily functions, then blocks the external flow, the person can potentially survive in any kind of space. Though, of course, it requires very powerful magic."
"If you freeze someone with magic and cut off the external flow, even a living creature can survive in subspace?"
"According to Charlotte, yes. But naturally, it's not easy. The level must be high enough to block the energy of another dimension."
"Can Charlotte do it?"
"For a short while, yes, but…"
"But not for long?"
"Yes."
"In that case…"
The reason Gordon mentioned it even though it was impossible was obvious.
There was a way. No—there wasn't now, but if Berze stepped forward, a solution might appear.
After all—
He had a unique ally: the Demon King, master of the Frost Demons, who delighted in freezing royal families into statues.
"I'll have to go see Reina."
Come to think of it, he still hadn't asked her the question Ugar wanted him to ask. What kind of price would he have to offer?
***
"To be honest, I was unsure."
Despite the sudden request for a meeting, Reina Sordein accepted without hesitation.
And the first thing she said as they sat face-to-face in the Demon King's office—
Along with the words came a sweet cherry scent.
That candy was always in her mouth.
"What were you unsure of?"
"In one sense, I thought you might come looking for me. But in another sense, I thought you would not."
"Why not?"
"The former is because of your situation."
"I must be in danger indeed, if someone living an isolated life in the snowy plains knows as much."
"It's not that much."
Reina's expression soured slightly.
"And the latter?"
"Pride."
Crunch—
The cherry-flavored candy, shrunken down to nothing, shattered inside her mouth. She swallowed it, then took out a new candy and placed it back between her lips.
"...Just how many candies do you have?"
"I always make sure I never run out. If I conquer Arein, one of the first things I will bring back to the Demon Realm is this candy."
"You eat this too?"
Berze pulled out the chocolate Ernan had given him earlier. It was finely packaged, high-quality chocolate.
"Chocolate? Do you like it as well?"
"No, I acquired it by chance."
"It doesn't last as long as candy, but it isn't bad."
She unwrapped it immediately and placed it in her mouth. A faint smile formed at the sweetness striking her tongue.
"It's delicious."
"I'm glad you think so."
"But just because you gave me something like this doesn't mean I will grant your request."
"And what request do you think I'm going to make?"
"I can more or less guess."
"How?"
"Through your situation and the relationship between you and me. I apologize for saying this after forming an alliance first."
Reina also very much wanted to help Berze. Among the other four Demon Kings, he was the only one she could trust even a little, and they were nominally allies.
But such an action would be a poor move.
Even if she managed to save Berze, all she would accomplish was delaying the Heroic March once. And a failed blade only grows sharper and turns its edge toward Reina next.
If it were just her, she might have helped regardless. She was a noble of the Demon Realm who valued honor, and she knew that one must take responsibility for one's own words.
But she was not alone. Countless frost demons, demonic beasts, and monsters were her vassals—members of her tower.
"I cannot aid you. I cannot dispatch monsters, demons, or my kind. But if there is anything else I can do for you, anything outside of that, I will help as much as needed."
"As an ally?"
"As an ally."
"I've only received things from you, yet I've given you nothing."
"I understand. Your circumstances have not been good since the beginning."
"You even asked me for something regarding Ugar, and I still haven't answered that."
"That is also fine."
"..."
At her almost devoted attitude, Berze was taken aback.
Before he regressed, the Reina he knew was nothing like this. She was cold, radiating chill like the Frost Demon King she was—cold enough to freeze the air.
We weren't on good terms, so that might not have been the whole picture, but this is way too different.
She was almost… like someone whose head was full of flowers, believing everything would turn out pure and bright.
"What would you do if I took everything from you and then just walked away?"
"So you are saying you intend to betray me now?"
"You seem to trust me too much."
"You are mistaken, Berze Deias."
Reina's gaze sank into icy coldness. It was the first time since regression that Berze saw this expression.
It was the true face he remembered from before.
"I do not trust you too much. Do you know the Frost Demons' proverb?"
"…'If a frost demon bears resentment, even a volcano freezes over'?"
"I'm glad you know it. The fury of the Frost Demons is the deepest and coldest in the Demon Realm. And it is persistent."
Crackle—
White frost settled across the table.
"If you ever betray me, my ice will turn toward you first, not the humans."
"…Even if I'm on the brink of being killed by humans?"
"It would be delayed, perhaps. I'm not so stupid that I would let my own head fall while I try to freeze another's."
But—
Crack!
A sharp icicle dropped straight downward. It grazed Berze's cheek, shattered the armrest of the chair, and embedded itself in the floor.
"I would see it through to the end. Whether I die or you die."
"…I didn't mean I would betray you. I only worry because you keep giving and giving."
"Then I'm relieved. But it is needless worry. I am not as naive as you seem to think."
"…You do look like it."
"For now, I am giving you unconditional goodwill, but I consider this an investment. You are in crisis, so I am merely delaying my returns."
"That's terrifying."
"But you need it right now, don't you?"
"You say you can't send me any demons, monsters, or frost demons…"
"I cannot kill my vassals for your sake."
"Well, that's fine."
Fortunately—
"What I need is something outside of that."
"Outside?"
"I need your power. The freezing cold that can freeze everything and imprison it."
"Cold?"
"Yes. Cold that can freeze and lock people away. Cold strong enough to keep them intact even inside subspace. Can you provide it?"
"You plan to kidnap someone?"
"Yes. I need to throw the humans into confusion. But if my identity is exposed now, the situation will worsen."
"If I infuse my frost into a magic orb, it is possible. It's less efficient than me casting it directly, but if I put my mind to it, someone could survive in subspace for over a week."
"Perfect. That's exactly what I needed."
"How many magic orbs?"
"The more the better."
For this price—
"If I survive, I will repay this twice over."
"I'll look forward to it. I hope from the bottom of my heart that you live."
"I will not disappoint you."
That day, Berze obtained fifty magic orbs infused with freezing magic.
***
"This should be the place."
Berze, in his Pale form, examined the map Logar had drawn.
There were many dwarven cities, but Berze chose the royal capital of Verft.
Though its defenses and danger level were more severe than anywhere else, it also had the greatest number of skilled artisans. Talent always gathered at the center.
If he were discovered, it would be the worst of the worst—but he had alternatives.
One was entering through the dozens of secret tunnels Logar had dug.
Some of them would have been sealed after Logar's kidnapping, so checking which remained open would also help hide the fact that Pale had officially entered the royal capital.
"Here."
Berze squeezed himself into a well-camouflaged crack between rocks. The earth pressing around his body twisted his expression.
Logar, that bastard dug all of these to fit his own body size…
Come to think of it, when he retrieved the Mana Wraith, the tunnel had also been this narrow, hadn't it?
His grumbling stopped after ten minutes. The tunnel was blocked.
A waste of time.
He wandered through the entire mountain range, confirming that eight tunnels were sealed.
Surely they're not all blocked… right?
Fortunately, they weren't. The ninth tunnel continued endlessly. It felt unmistakably like it led to the underground city, descending deeper and deeper.
After a long while, the dark passage finally ended. Unlike before, it sounded hollow when tapped.
The end was open.
Berze blasted through the wall in a single motion.
Dust billowed outward.
Berze's eyes brightened as he pushed his head through.
Whoosh—
"…Who's there?"
Logar, you insane bastard…
Covered in dirt, Berze found himself staring directly at Louise Verft, holding an axe.
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