If you'd like to see it just once
Snow poured down. A blizzard.
Each sinking step made movement a struggle. The wind that cut through him was no different from a blade that froze all it touched.
Across that land of savage cold, Gillian Aint left his tracks.
Fwoo—
A puff of white breath escaped his lips.
Ruff-ruff-ruff—
The sled dogs halted. Beyond their fierce barking, a pack of Ice Trolls waited, hungry for prey.
Gillian raised his axe. A smile curled at his lips, while greed flickered in his eyes.
"Money! Be careful—don't damage the blood!"
"Yes, sir!"
The White Falcon Strike Squad roared. Weapons in hand, they charged.
Kwaaang—
Monster and human collided. And ironically, the humans were the victors.
The trolls screamed. Viscous blood and torn flesh spattered in every direction.
"Khahahahaha!"
Gillian stood at the front. Swinging his massive axe like a windmill, he beheaded a troll. Red blood stained the white snow.
His blazing crimson aura, made only for destruction, blended with the gore.
Squelch—
In the blink of an eye, fifteen Ice Trolls turned into corpses—no, into money. Gillian slung his axe over his back again.
"Load every last one onto the sled. Don't spill a single drop of blood! Spill it, and I'll replace it with yours, got it?"
"Our blood isn't worth anything, though!"
"But it'll improve the captain's mood."
"Kahaha!"
Bodies piled onto the sled. They had to walk for it now, but none complained.
They kept trudging across the snowy plains. Monsters that occasionally leapt out only added to the weight of the sled.
"We can see the Blue Rock Tribe!"
"Finally here!"
Gillian whistled. As they neared the tribe, people who had come out to greet them appeared.
"Welcome."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Chief."
"A feast has been prepared. Come."
"Thank you."
A festival involving the entire tribe was held. They slaughtered snow sheep—the livestock of the northern tribes—and roasted the meat. Drinks made from the sheep's milk were placed before everyone.
"To the eternal union between the White Falcon Strike Squad and the Blue Rock Tribe!"
"Cheers!"
The feast lasted through the night. The White Falcons and the tribesmen mingled in sweaty revelry.
Gillian, well drunk, offered the chief a bottle.
"Chief, allow me to pour you a drink."
"Much appreciated."
Clink—
After exchanging a drink, Gillian whispered.
"You made the right choice."
"...I still do not know. Whether this was truly the right decision."
"Of course it was. You know better than anyone, don't you? There's nothing in this damned snowfield worth living off. The environment is hell, and monsters pour out every other day. And going south for better land? Those damned Imperial dogs guard the border with their eyes wide open."
"Well, that's true but…"
"You can die in battle, or freeze to death—but you shouldn't starve to death. Not you, not your people, not future tribesmen."
"Hm… true enough."
But—
The chief hesitated.
"Our opponent is the Demon King."
"You know how it was. If this were in the early days of her descent, maybe. But the current Demon King is no longer an absolute being. Even that fear people once felt came from the unknown, if you ask me."
"But we cannot deny she is strong. Do you truly believe we can control her?"
"We're not controlling her. We're letting her drown in her own mire."
He had made countless preparations for this plan. Gillian prided himself on knowing more about the Tower of Bitter Cold, and the Demon King of Bitter Cold, than anyone else.
"First: the Demon King does not leave the tower."
There were rare exceptions—such as kidnapping royalty—but never for battle.
"Second: she does not descend from the top floor."
"I know that much. But if she realizes your plan, will she still stick to her principles?"
"She will. Because that's not principle—it's doctrine."
He had faced enough demons to know their fanatical obsessions. It was a faith that could not be broken.
"But…"
"Of course she'll try something. That's why we need multiple tribes' support. To prepare for any contingency. And also… because I want to make sure my homeland's tribes don't starve to death."
"…Since we've already agreed to join, I suppose I have nothing left to say. I'll just have to trust you."
"Yes. I will not disappoint. The Demon King of Bitter Cold will become the owner of a farm that supplies monsters for us."
"Pour me another."
The drinking deepened.
***
"So he plans to use the barbarian tribes of the snowfield…"
Reina Sordein had never seen Gillian Aint in person. But from the top of the tower, she had observed him and the White Falcon Squad during their intrusion.
A figure over two meters tall, with muscles harder than most metals, wrapped in a brutally violent red aura. He was a northern barbarian through and through.
If such men joined forces with the barbarians of the snowfield, even Reina could not ignore them.
"My lady, Gillian Aint and the White Falcon Squad are heading into the territory of the Blue Rock Tribe."
"They have also contacted several other tribes already."
Her aide, Nina, entered with documents.
"So Berze was right."
Reina Sordein had no interest in outside affairs—continental politics, national rivalries, none of it.
However, when it came to matters within her own domain, the snowfield, she wielded overwhelming influence.
She had spent years taming the monsters of the snowfield, making them her vassals, and unleashed frost demons to manage them.
The entire snowfield wasn't under her control—but no one could escape her influence entirely.
Thanks to that, the White Falcons' movements were caught by her eyes.
They probably never imagined the monsters themselves were watching.
"Nine tribes, including Blue Rock, are supporting them… How many warriors is that?"
"Over 1,200."
"That's a lot."
The northern tribes of the snowfield were all barbarians—not humans.
Born with superior bodies, highly receptive to aura—each one a natural-born warrior. A force not to be underestimated.
"If Gillian Aint joins with the White Falcons, things could become dangerous."
"Not dangerous enough to make me lose."
"But he didn't seem interested in climbing to the top."
Yes. That was the problem.
If he were simply coming to kill her, she could just kill him instead.
"But that doesn't mean there's no way."
If they intended to test their strength, she could simply crush that strength.
"I've shown mercy until now."
Following Jayson 's advice, she had refrained from needlessly provoking humans.
Even ignoring the northern tribes was for that reason. The barbarians who guarded the northern frontier of the Jespine Empire and fought the monsters crossing from the snowfield were monitored closely by the Empire.
But if they crossed the line first—
"A little demonstration should be acceptable."
"To whom will you give the task?"
"...Deliver this to Duke Armand."
Where would be best?
"The target is here. The day after the White Falcons leave the tribe."
Reina tapped a spot on the snowfield map. It was the Blue Rock Tribe—the place where the White Falcon Strike Squad was estimated to be staying.
"Tell him to show them clearly what it means to betray my mercy first."
"I receive your command."
A faint murderous aura seeped from Reina. Nina bowed her head.
***
While the northern snowfield thirsted for blood, the snow-covered mountain was, in contrast, losing its tension.
"...When are they coming?"
Yaaawn.
Berze let out a long, lazy yawn.
『...They are still preparing.』
Granada's report did little to please him.
They had already placed cannons in areas ideal for triggering avalanches. They had identified the territories and habitats of certain monsters and prepared to lure them.
And yet, even after two weeks, the humans showed no sign of moving.
"How long do those bastards intend to keep preparing?"
『They are extremely wary of the Demon King.』
"Why?"
Externally, Berze had not shown them anything directly.
He had stopped Hillen Cargill's Hero Squad, but the official story was that the squad perished on their own at the foot of the Ergestra Mountains.
After all, the humans had announced they never managed to find the tower.
『...Um. My apologies, but…』
After a moment of hesitation, Granada confessed everything. The conclusion was simple: because of him, their caution had drastically increased.
"I thought it was something serious. If you hadn't told them at least that much, they would've suspected you instead."
It was no longer possible to mislead them with roundabout tricks, but that was preferable to Granada being exposed.
He had only revealed the minimum amount of information that would not harm him.
Even so, the humans had inferred something close to the truth—that only meant they were smarter than he expected.
『Thank you.』
"So they're coming eventually. If they're that scared, they might as well give up climbing the mountain."
Despite avoiding the ascent, Hotenwalk was steadily adding magical equipment. Rumor had it that they were beginning to deploy those chimeras known as "devil hounds." Climbing was only a matter of time.
『Yes, that is correct.』
"It feels like sitting next to a bomb that could explode at any moment."
He hated it. Especially the part where he had to wait passively and worry.
Then Granada carefully spoke.
『Also… Demon King, I have something to report.』
"Speak."
『Did you not defeat the Beast Demon King in Tartas, alongside Rozel Charnt?』
"I did."
『I was with you and Hillen Cargill as well.』
『And Rozel Charnt was a Hero sponsored by Acan.』
"Stop circling around. Get to the point."
『Yes. They asked me about Your Majesty's well-being. I told them you were doing fine, but… they asked if they could meet you once.』
"Me?"
Are they insane?
A prince and princess want to see the Demon King?
No, no. That makes no sense.
"You mean they want to meet me as Pale, not as the Demon King?"
『Yes.』
"Why?"
『It seems they witnessed Your Majesty's mana that Rozel Charnt took. Through Rozel Charnt and the Crimson Flame Strike Squad, rumors of Your Majesty spread.』
"...And that's how it led to this?"
『Yes. But there was also an unexpected gain. Rozel Charnt has locked herself in her research lab and has been studying Your Majesty's mana for several days straight.』
"That much I expected."
The obsession and frenzy she showed before were not small. A mage's curiosity toward Phoenix-class mana would naturally lead her to experiment.
The problem was what she would gain from that research.
'If Rozel Charnt grows stronger, that's going to be troublesome.'
In the previous timeline, she survived until the end, burning demonkind wherever she went.
'I'll need to find out how her research is progressing. And the Acan Kingdom…'
『Demon King?』
Berze snapped out of his thoughts at Granada's voice.
"...What did you say?"
『They say Lavinia Acan is especially interested.』
"Lavinia…"
Before the regression, she was the one who first forced Berze into kidnapping a prince. Her room still hadn't left his memory.
'Getting involved with her is a headache. Best not to.'
That was common sense. But the core of Acan's strength right now was Lavinia.
Without her—without the chimeras she created—there would be far less to worry about.
'So those chimeras were a necessary evil to counter us?'
He hadn't known. He thought they created them simply because they were insane.
'I really don't want to get involved with Lavinia Acan…'
But sometimes, being the Demon King meant doing things one did not want to do.
"Granada."
『Yes, Demon King.』
"Tell them I'll go."
『...P-pardon?』
"If they want to see me, they should see me."
He needed to learn a thing or two about Lavinia Acan—and the chimeras she created.
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