"Use Logger as your bargaining chip. And make use of the Third Prince."

That was the decision Berge reached after agonizing over the gravity of the situation.

『That will reveal my relationship with you to the Third Prince, my lord.』

After all, Hillen had met Logger in the Demon King's tower.

"No, we'll change the story a little. You didn't meet him in the tower. I never abducted Logger in the first place."

Only a handful of people knew Logger had been abducted to begin with, and every one of them was under Berge's control. Concealing it would be easy if he chose to.

"He fled from place to place to escape Louise Berft, then sought refuge with you."

"He voluntarily made mana cannons to help you, but deliberately lowered their quality for fear the dwarves would find out."

『... That is quite a plausible story, but one wrong step could provoke a dispute with the Kingdom of Berft and create an even greater problem.』

『If His Highness the Third Prince were to inform Berft of Logger's presence, for instance.』

"If he told them, yes."

But would he really?

"He won't. If he learns that Lord Hillen has Logger, he'll try to secure his help somehow, or take him for himself. Logger would be a dagger to strike at my brothers Rufus and Floyan."

Kaede's advice strengthened their confidence. She had spent well over a decade with Martin.

"I think so too. I've only met him once, but the ambition in his eyes was extraordinary."

"With clear proof that you have Master Logger, he will certainly cooperate with Hillen."

『Clear proof would require revealing Logger.』

"Make an excuse that it's difficult to present him in person. Say the trauma of being pursued by Louise Berft has made him extremely reluctant to reveal himself to outsiders. Then show him proof of Logger's presence."

『Do we have such proof?』

"Mana cannons."

The cause of this entire affair.

"Tell him you'll give him a proper dwarven-made mana cannon."

『... Indeed.』

Mana cannons themselves had originally been invented by the dwarves. They had begun improving them as soon as they were developed, and the resulting cannons were on an entirely different level from those of humans, who were only just beginning to catch up.

『The Kingdom of Berft exercises absolute control over mana cannons, so an ordinary trading company could never possess a dwarven-made one.』

『Unless it had a dwarven craftsman who had left the kingdom.』

"Exactly. What if we also gave him a weapon Logger made?"

『If Master Logger imbues one of his weapons with dimensional interference, it could only be his work.』

Logger was not the only craftsman who was a hero. There were other heroes among the dwarves. But none was both a hero and as accomplished as Logger. More precisely, none was a hero who devoted himself solely to his craft.

『But even if that satisfies him for now, we will eventually have to let him meet Logger.』

"We will."

But that meeting would be a very long time coming.

Well, by then...

"It wouldn't hurt to let him see Logger once. The princess who wanted to kill him is part of the tower now, after all."

That was a very small price to pay to set the two imperial princes fighting in earnest.

『But we must never let the Kingdom of Berft discover this, correct?』

"That goes without saying."

『Understood. I will handle it that way.』

The connection ended, and Kaede, who had been listening, spoke up.

"We should hand them over as quickly as possible, so I think it would be best to give him my sword."

The sword she currently used had been made by Logger.

"Very well. We have mana cannons everywhere, so we can give him one of those. Ask Logger to make you another sword."

"Yes."

Several dwarves were producing mana cannons nonstop, declaring that they would cover the entire tower with them.

"True, the cannon needn't be Master Logger's work. But is their plan possible? Turning the barrels outward to fire outside from within?"

"Who knows?"

As a rule, towers had no windows. Their sturdy outer walls could not even be scratched. Why else would heroes climb them instead of destroying them from outside? They had all tried and failed.

"In theory, it would take at least dragon breath or a great spell to so much as scratch a tower..."

Even that would be useless if the tower deployed defensive magic using demonic energy points or simply repaired itself.

"Well, it'll work out somehow."

The goal wasn't to destroy the tower, merely to turn the barrels from the inside to the outside. Just as the legs had attached themselves, perhaps the tower's power would take care of it somehow.

"If it doesn't work, we can just use them inside or export them like the others."

"I see."

"Oh, right. Take these."

Berge brought out five enormous bundles.

"What are these?"

"Chocolate. Ernyan asked me to bring it to you."

"... Please tell her I'm very grateful."

"I will."

Berge chuckled.

* * *

"Logger Fridri..."

The man had once caused a stir across the continent. Berft's Second Princess had wandered the continent in pursuit of him and suffered after becoming embroiled with the Beast Demon King. Afterward, Berft had issued a formal warrant, and a prince had intended to lead the search himself.

The war with the Pirate Archipelago had gradually driven his name from people's minds, but the warrant remained in effect.

'Logger Fridri ranks among Berft's three finest craftsmen.'

His value did not end there. He was also a hero—an unusual hero who specialized in creating things rather than fighting. That allowed him to imbue weapons and equipment with a measure of dimensional interference.

That was Logger's true worth, and why the Kingdom of Berft was so desperate to find him.

'He is extremely reluctant to meet outsiders because of the warrant.'

That was understandable enough. Looking at the mana cannon and sword Hillen and the Golden Moon Trading Company had sent in his stead, Martin could hardly conclude otherwise.

'It really is Logger Fridri.'

The superb mana cannon could only have been made by a dwarf, and the magnificent sword imbued with dimensional interference was far beyond anything an ordinary craftsman could produce.

'To think Logger Fridri was with the Golden Moon Trading Company.'

He trembled with elation. What if the countless masterpieces Logger had made—and would yet make—fell into his hands? What if he could put them to use?

"... This will work."

The one thing he had to watch out for was the Kingdom of Berft.

'I just have to keep them from finding out.'

Even if discovery was likely, he had to do it.

'I have to run if I'm to catch up with my brothers.'

He had no choice.

Besides, there might be a way to smooth things over even if Berft found out. Under the pretext of rescuing its abducted princess and craftsmen, the Kingdom of Berft had been supplying Dormund, Akan, and Hessen with vast quantities of strategic equipment.

Unhappy to see dwarven weapons flowing into the three kingdoms, the Empire had sent a warning expressing its displeasure, but Berft had offered no response. As a result, cracks were gradually forming in their relationship.

If he persuaded the nobles and steered opinion in his favor, might he somehow avoid the worst?

It was excessive optimism, nothing more than rationalizing toward a conclusion he had already chosen. But that didn't matter.

'The problem is...'

Even before Hillen contacted him, he had investigated the affair between the Golden Moon and Black Toad trading companies. And he had become certain: there was no escaping this.

'My brother has truly sharpened his blade for this. Does my alliance with Hillen displease you that much?'

Bile rose in his throat.

It was not an elaborate trap, but it was so precisely constructed that he could see no gaps. With nobles aligned with the First Prince or Duke Osrian lending a hand, the Kingdom of Iasin had already abandoned Golden Moon.

With little hope of aid from the kingdom, the company was no more than a lamp before the vast storm that was the Empire.

The evidence was fabricated, but they could not refute it, leaving the other side with the justification it needed. Paying compensation and returning the craftsmen would be unavoidable.

However...

'Those mere craftsmen aren't what makes the Golden Moon Trading Company valuable.'

If it had Logger, it was worth enduring all of that.

"Is anyone outside?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"I'm going out. Make the preparations."

"Where will you be going?"

"I must see my maternal grandfather."

This affair was too big for Martin to handle alone.

* * *

Having dumped the trading company's troubles onto Martin, Berge delivered the mana cannon and sword, then returned to the tower.

"I'll have to find someone besides me who can travel to and from the tower."

Even trivial errands required him to leave, creating no end of inconvenience.

"If you wanted that, you shouldn't have put the tower in the sea."

"Do you realize you've become rather talkative lately?"

"Have I?"

"You're growing more like Ernyan."

Kaede had been quiet when Ernyan was around, but had gradually changed since her departure.

"... That is not true."

Kaede's expression turned stern.

"If you say so."

"I think it's because of Lady Louise."

Unlike Ernyan, with whom she had only occasionally conversed, Louise came looking for her several times a day, axe in hand and menace in her bearing. She was also talkative, so Kaede had to be a conversational partner as well as a sparring partner.

Naturally, she had become more talkative herself.

"What do you think your brother will do?"

"He'll try to save the company. Even if he can't, he'll try to obtain it somehow."

"Logger is worth that much?"

"He is. Although in this tower... well, he isn't treated that way, Master Logger is one of the finest craftsmen on the entire continent. Being a hero makes him all the more extraordinary. The fact that the Kingdom of Berft still hasn't withdrawn its warrant proves it."

"That impressive, is he?"

Honestly, Berge hadn't known. He had simply abducted the fellow who looked most talented in the workshop. Logger did whip things up quite skillfully whenever Berge asked, but until recently he had been the only dwarf Berge employed. He had assumed all dwarves could naturally do the same.

"But the other dwarves don't seem much worse than Logger."

"Aren't they craftsmen from the royal workshop?"

The royal workshop brought together the finest craftsmen from across the Kingdom of Berft. In other words, Berge had stolen all of the kingdom's key talent.

"In any case, we should first see what Martin does and respond accordingly."

"Yes."

"Understood."

Kaede went downstairs, and someone knocked on the door.

"Can I come in?"

It was Vivian. She dragged a body in behind her.

"Is he dead?"

"He's breathing. I found everything out. He had some pretty vicious mental restraints on him, but you know who I am."

Vivian smiled seductively.

"Name: Otor Croyan. Age: forty-three. He's the commander of House Osrian's Black Lion Knights."

"The commander of the Black Lion Knights."

No wonder his face had looked familiar. He was one of those fellows from Habstrain.

"Then it was definitely the First Prince."

"Yes. He tried to abduct you on the First Prince's orders."

"What else?"

"They think you're connected to Hilderan or Hillen Cargill, and that you contacted Martin as their messenger."

"They aren't wrong."

Berge was not Hilderan and Hillen Cargill's messenger—it was the other way around—but broadly speaking, the meaning was similar.

"Anything else?"

"I haven't asked yet."

"Then make him spit out everything he knows. Every last detail."

"He'll be a complete wreck afterward, you know?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No. I just thought you'd use him as another servant."

"I'm not particularly interested."

"Well, in that case."

Vivian dragged Otor back out.

"The First Prince..."

Viewed as a whole, the scheme against the Golden Moon Trading Company was not particularly elaborate. Yet it resembled a well-written script: seemingly flimsy, but without a single opening.

The Black Toad Trading Company had brought this situation about. It belonged to House Osrian, the First Prince's maternal family—the Empire's foremost noble house, which supported him.

'Martin says this is an attack on Hillen...'

But was it really?

It was only a possibility, a remote one, but perhaps this was Jason Cockmundo attacking Berge Deias.

'Few people know that company belongs to me.'

And most of those were Berge's servants. The sole exception was Jason Cockmundo, who had lent him money and would surely have tracked where it went.

'And Jason realized I abducted the dwarves.'

He recalled Jason's expression at the end of the Harmony of Towers. Those eyes, so full of certainty, had not looked as though he readily accepted Berge's words. No, if anything, they had seemed convinced of the opposite.

'He was furious when he thought Vivian had abducted the dwarves.'

Then he had coldly abandoned her. Their shared identity as Demon Kings meant little to Jason. Were they useful or not? Were they an obstacle or not? That was all that mattered.

'But he learned it wasn't Vivian, and realized it was me.'

Then it would be no surprise for that anger to turn toward Berge.

'If I were Jason, what would I do with a Demon King I disliked who caused trouble at every turn?'

The best solution was to kill him. Use heroes with whom he had connections to launch a hero's journey and dispose of him.

'But what if that wasn't possible?'

He would destroy his support base, forcing him out even if he remained in hiding.

Exactly like the chain of events unfolding now.

Originally, the Empire had intended to use the hero's journey as another arena for the imperial family's succession contest. At some point, it had become a deadly serious expedition composed entirely of heroes.

And Berge's company had been attacked twice recently: once by beast demons, and once by a human trading company.

'Especially those beast demons.'

Only Jason or Ugar could have taken those demons in. But in Berge's view, Ugar lacked the nerve to rashly strike first.

Of course, this was still mere conjecture.

"What do you think?"

Gordon, who had rushed over at the sudden summons and heard the entire story, considered it deeply.

"I agree with you, my lord. We have no solid evidence, but I do suspect him."

Good heavens. Gordon sighed.

"To attack a fellow Demon King... Demon King Jason seems to have become far too tainted by Arain."

"Yes. How insolent of him."

At the thick murderous intent in Berge's voice, Gordon asked anxiously.

"... What do you intend to do?"

"I can't spend my life simply taking blows. Naturally, I'll make him pay."

"We have no conclusive proof. If you attack Demon King Jason under these circumstances, a report will reach the grand duke."

"Don't worry. I need only destroy the proxy he's put forward, not him."

The Black Toad Trading Company.

"I'll lay it to waste."

"That's madness!"

"Madness?"

"By your own account, the Black Toad Trading Company belongs to House Osrian and the First Prince. That would be a direct attack on the Empire. Didn't you say that even all five Demon Kings fighting together couldn't be certain of victory against it?"

"I did."

But...

"That was then. Things are different now, aren't they?"

This tower.

"This tower can move now. It's even under the sea."

"Ah?"

"We no longer need to worry about what we leave behind. We no longer need to fear their reaction."

After returning to the past, Berge had taken an entirely different course from his previous life. Fear of death, a desire for revenge against the hero, and a fierce determination not to fail twice had combined into shackles that bound him—making him passive, unlike a true Demon King.

But those shackles were gone now. There was no longer any reason he could not run wild like a madman, just as he had before returning to the past.

"I'll show them why I was the top graduate of the Demon King Military Academy."

"..."

"If the company is truly connected to Jason, he'll react when I attack it."

"What will you do if it isn't?"

"It makes no difference. Even if Jason wasn't involved, I can still teach those vermin their place for daring to attack me and covet what's mine."

Of course, the repercussions would be anything but simple. Perhaps the entire continent would rise up.

No, it would. For the past hundred years, humans had not suffered a preemptive attack by a Demon King. The unwritten rule that humans held the upper hand would be shattered.

"... They'll come swarming in tremendous numbers."

"Yes. And we'll devour them."

Crush hope to produce even greater despair. That was the very foundation of the Guide.

"Of course, that would be ideal, but do we have any method besides simply hiding?"

Faced with Gordon's skeptical expression, Berge called Logger rather than answering.

"Make..."

"... Pardon?"

Berge coaxed the answer he wanted out of the bewildered Logger. Gordon marveled.

"A brilliant move! With this, even the most formidable hero..."

"Then, next..."

Berge infused a communication orb with demonic energy. After a long wait, a response came.

『What is it?』