3rd Prince and Hillen
Contacting a member of the imperial family was no simple matter.
The status of the royals in the Empire far exceeded anything one could imagine, and naturally, their necks were held high with pride.
It wasn't something just anyone could accomplish by asking for a meeting.
But if the person in question was a hero like Hillen Cargill, the story changed.
"Hillen Cargill?"
Martin Jespine—the 3rd prince of the Jespine Empire—tilted his head at the unexpected report.
"Hillen Cargill came looking for me?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"For what reason?"
"Well…."
"No, wait."
Martin shook his head after a moment of thought.
Forming a connection with Hillen Cargill was something anyone would want. But the situation was dire.
The Empire was currently embroiled in vicious infighting among the royals, and the moment anyone showed even the smallest weakness, the city swarmed with jackals ready to tear into them.
Especially for the 3rd prince, whose power base was weaker than the others, every step he took was like walking on a blade.
Even if the intention was innocent, if the meeting was with Hillen Cargill—a hero, an Argane of the Hero Guild—there would be no shortage of rivals willing to twist it into a scandal.
"Decline the request."
"But, Your Highness."
"What is it?"
"He sent this."
It was a small wooden box.
Click—
There was no magical seal, nothing unusual. Just a single necklace inside.
"...!"
A necklace Martin Jespine could never ignore.
"…Bring him to the reception room immediately."
"Yes!"
The knight ran off.
"How did he…?"
Martin carefully lifted the old necklace. Though cold metal touched his fingers, he felt a faint warmth, as if alive.
Kaede…
Why is your necklace—something that should be in the Demon King's Tower—here?
He murmured his sister's name.
***
Truly fitting of the continent's greatest city, the imperial capital was vast.
And the imperial palace located within the inner city was equally so.
The interior was splendid, and the security was ironclad. Berze and Hillen walked along a long corridor under the wary escort of imperial knights.
After passing through a majestic garden, they finally arrived at the 3rd prince's detached palace.
"Welcome. His Highness is expecting you."
The attendant guarding the guestroom door greeted them—though his eyes sharpened at once.
"I respect you. I respect your accomplishments. But if you dare show discourtesy to His Highness with your arrogance, you will not leave unscathed."
At the blunt threat, Hillen replied without a single change of expression:
"Is this how the Empire treats its heroes?"
"His Highness originally did not intend to meet you. He should not have met you. Yet he has chosen to risk danger because of a necklace you somehow obtained. As the one who serves him, is it not reasonable for me to feel anger?"
"Did the 3rd prince order you to yap all these insults? How arrogant."
Berze chuckled. The attendant's face twisted; the knights snarled.
"How dare you—!"
"Do you have a death wish?"
"Lord Pale."
Hillen stepped forward to block Berze. At that moment, a voice came from beyond the door.
"Let them in."
"...But, Your Highness—"
"They are my guests."
"…Count yourself lucky. Be grateful for His Highness's mercy."
The knights stepped aside. The doors opened.
Beyond ornate decorations and polished wood, he appeared.
Golden hair, like a symbol of imperial wealth, shone magnificently.
Emerald eyes regarded Berze and Hillen with depth. His physique was sturdy, his presence unmistakable—anything but ordinary.
They resemble each other.
He indeed looked quite similar to Kaede Jespine.
"Sit."
"Yes."
The two sat before him. The attendants stepped out, and the door closed.
"You are Hillen. And you are Pale."
"That is correct."
"They say the mages of Acan obsess over pure mana. It appears the rumor is true."
"I appreciate the compliment."
He didn't bother pointing out Berze's disrespectful speech. Instead, he turned to Hillen.
"I originally did not intend to meet you. Do you know why?"
"I have a rough idea."
"And yet you still maneuvered to bring me here. That must mean your matter is important."
"If it concerns the necklace I delivered, I trust it was explanation enough."
"That depends on its meaning."
Martin drew out the necklace. Then he removed an identical one from his own neck.
"This was given to Kaede and me by our mother. No one else in the world possesses one."
"Yes."
"Then why is this in your hands?"
How.
"Did you obtain it?"
"I will explain everything. That is why I sought Your Highness."
"You had better explain it well—well enough for me to accept. And with nothing but the truth."
"Of course. This necklace was given to me by Kaede Jespine. By her own hand."
"...!"
Martin's face distorted.
"I told you to speak carefully."
"I am doing exactly that."
"I don't need to investigate deeply to know your movements. Since Kaede was kidnapped, you never went to Ergest."
"I said she gave it. I never said I received it directly."
"Continue."
"A few months ago—do you know what occurred in Hortonwalk?"
"The Acan mages, led by Lavinia Acan, attempted to locate a Demon King's Tower, did they not?"
"At that time, I dispatched the vice captain of the Red Hawk Raid, the elf Granada, to join them."
"He found Kaede? Even when the Acan forces failed to find the tower?"
"No. They failed to find the tower, and of course, they failed to find Lady Kaede."
However—
"Lady Kaede sought out Granada herself."
"…You dare spout nonsense before a prince of the Empire? You think being an Argane of the Hero Guild will protect you?"
Martin burst into fury.
It had been a full millennium since Demon Kings first descended and began kidnapping royal blood.
In that thousand years, there had been hundreds upon hundreds of kidnappings and rescues. But never—not once—had a kidnapped royal escaped their shackles on their own and fled the tower.
"Just because it hasn't happened before doesn't mean it will never happen. Your Highness—are you aware? A Demon King's Tower cannot be forcibly opened except by a hero. And Lady Kaede is a hero."
"How a Demon King treats their kidnapped royalty differs each time. But one thing is constant—they always place restrictions to keep them from escaping. I know my sister well. She is a hero and a fine knight, but she is not overwhelmingly powerful enough to break such restrictions by force."
Hillen Cargill.
Martin growled low.
"Is your status as a Hero Guild Argane making you blind with arrogance? How dare you mock the Empire's royal blood? Guards!"
At his roar, knights stormed inside.
"Your Highness! Are you unharmed?"
They drew their blades, pointing them toward Hillen and Berze. Feeling killing intent aimed at his throat, Berze clicked his tongue.
Hillen, gauging Berze's temper to keep him from exploding, continued speaking:
"I assure you—I have not spoken a single falsehood. Your Highness, do you know? The Acan search team for the tower was genuine. They deployed mage corps, knight corps, golems, and chimeras—a massive operation."
"So?"
"On the other hand, what of the Flame Demon King? His strength is exaggerated because of my failure—and because Princess Hilderan and Her Highness Kaede Jespine were kidnapped—but he has only been summoned for just over a year. And all Demon Kings who have been summoned for a short time have clear limits."
Martin remained silent. Hillen continued.
"The Flame Demon King cannot be overwhelmingly strong. And in order to fend off the Acan forces, he reportedly sent out a horde of monsters. You know this, do you not? Even his personal retainers must be few."
"So you claim Kaede escaped through a weakened barrier in the tower? While the Demon King was still inside?"
"The tower's prison is underground. The Demon King resides at the summit."
"So she escaped through the weakened barrier?"
"I believe so."
Pffhaha—
Martin burst into laughter. Loud, booming laughter.
And then suddenly, it stopped.
A crushing pressure descended onto Hillen.
"Are you trying to play with me?"
"I believe it is unlikely. But I ask that you consider it calmly, just once."
"Consider?"
"I failed to find the Tower. The Acan Kingdom failed to find the Tower.
And yet I possess Princess Kaede's necklace.
If not in the way I described—do you believe this would be possible?"
Impossible.
But Martin could not answer immediately.
Nothing Hillen said was technically wrong, yet an uneasy feeling lingered.
"Then what of my sister?"
"I cannot speak with certainty, as I was not personally present.
But according to Granada, while ascending Ergest, he glimpsed a hurried figure.
He could not see clearly due to the monster attacks."
"And when he searched the spot where that figure stood, he found this necklace, is that it?"
"Yes."
"No one in the Acan search party saw Kaede, I assume?"
"Elven vision differs from human vision."
"…Doesn't this all seem like a prearranged performance?"
"Real life can sometimes be more theatrical than any play."
"Amusing."
No, it wasn't.
Martin barely held himself back from drawing his sword and severing the hero's head.
Everything Hillen claimed sounded suspicious.
But the necklace was genuine.
The necklace made all of it possible.
"Then nothing changes in the end.
Aside from obtaining a necklace.
Your claim that you received it from Kaede herself was a lie."
"I believe it is little different from receiving it directly.
Granada said he made eye contact with her.
And we gained something else besides."
"...?"
"The location.
If that necklace truly belongs to Princess Kaede Jespine, then the place where it was last seen is the greatest clue one could have to finding the Tower."
"...!"
Martin fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"…So. What is it you want?"
"Your help."
"With what?"
"To rescue Princess Kaede."
"And why do you intend to rescue her?"
"So that Your Highness will be willing to help me in return.
Since the day the hero expedition failed, I have had but one goal."
Hillen displayed a calculated fury.
The knights flinched at the murderous aura.
"To find the Tower and tear it down.
To rescue the two princesses of Hilderan—
And to rescue Princess Kaede Jespine, Your Highness's own sister."
"Even if our wants differ, if our ultimate goal is the same… then we can share the same boat."
Please.
"Help me bring down the Tower of Flames."
Hillen bowed his head, trembling.
The sincerity pouring off him made Martin close his eyes again.
Meanwhile Berze—
(I told him to do it, but this is annoying.)
Was barely holding back his killing intent.
He wanted to set Hillen's back on fire.
***
Contacting a prince was difficult.
Gaining enough closeness to influence that prince's decisions was even harder.
They needed a proper justification.
Berze and Hillen thought it over, and came to one conclusion:
Since everything concerning the 3rd prince connected back to Kaede anyway—
They would use her again.
"Are you certain about this?"
"They're going to look for my Tower regardless.
If so, it's better to use that and steer events the way I want."
That was Hillen's righteous desire for revenge—
And the sibling bond between Kaede and Martin.
There was the risk of exposing some information about the Tower, but Berze didn't care. There was the dangerous region of Ergest, and he had the Fer Orks. He could set the board long before they reached the Tower.
"...How am I supposed to trust someone who already failed once?"
Martin said this after a long silence.
Berze and Hillen exchanged a subtle look—they had him.
"I failed once.
But there are heroes who have never even attempted it.
I have wandered Ergest longer than anyone, and have obtained small but meaningful clues."
"You are receiving support from Hilderan, are you not?"
"And support is better the more there is, is it not?"
"You are greedy."
"I understand Your Highness's concern.
But even Acan failed.
No amount of preparation is too much."
"...Show them to their room."
"Your Highness?"
"Go."
"Yes!"
"Follow me!"
The knights sheathed their swords and gestured for Hillen and Berze to rise.
But neither of them moved.
Martin's face twisted.
"What are you doing?"
"I understand what troubles Your Highness.
I also understand the Empire's current situation."
"Watch your tongue.
No matter how great your reputation, Hillen Cargill—this is the Empire, and these are imperial matters."
"I only wish to offer advice beneficial to Your Highness.
We passed through Hapstline on our way here."
"Hapstline Gorge?"
"I had heard rumors of five Demon Kings building towers there, so I was curious.
In any case, we found something… quite interesting."
"What do you mean?"
"I cannot speak with certainty, as I did not examine every part of it."
But—
"It would be wise to gather artifacts of interference power or heroes.
They will greatly solidify Your Highness's position."
"…What?"
"With that, we will take our leave, Your Highness.
Call upon us whenever your thoughts are settled."
Berze and Hillen disappeared.
"Do you understand what he meant?"
"If it is Hapstline, that is the site where five Demon Kings descended.
It still holds a considerable residue of magic power."
"He spoke of heroes and dimensional interference."
"Monsters influenced by magic power going mad is nothing new.
Perhaps it's that phenomenon…"
"If it were something so trivial, there would be no need to mention it to me."
"Hmm…"
If it were an ordinary hero, he'd dismiss it.
But this was Hillen Cargill.
"Send men to investigate discreetly."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"My answer will wait until after that."
"Yes."
The knight bowed.
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