Chapter 160

Chapter 160
## Chapter 160: Standard Logic

By the moment the Tower of Flame vanished into the sea’s embrace and Berge made his way back to the mainland, the entire territory was consumed by a fiery excitement.

[Akan Kingdom seizes Artian Island. The Kelkasis Alliance falls apart…]

The dwarves, mourning their missing princess and skilled craftsmen, directed their fury through Akan toward the pirate-infested waters.

[Balraf Disroad and the Three Stars. Returning to Erjest… A third defeat is not an option.]

The legendary champion, who had previously been forced into a retreat without even laying eyes on the tower, finally stepped onto the soil of Erjest once more.

[Golden Moon Merchant Guild narrowly avoids total ruin.]

[The guild, once flourishing under the financial backing of Hillun Kagil, nearly collapsed—the hidden truth behind the crisis…]

One specific commercial organization was currently in a state of shock.

“…What is this nonsense?”

In the eastern settlement of Kroint within the Dormunt Kingdom, Berge crushed a newspaper he found in a small eatery after finishing a quick meal. He had been planning to depart for the Empire immediately.

It was beyond belief.

‘The guild was on the verge of bankruptcy?’

‘How could it fall apart so fast when it was stable just a moment ago?’

The only relief was that the catastrophe had been averted for the time being. Had it not been, he might have marched straight to Aman and ended his life on the spot.

He finished his meal, grinding the bones of a chicken leg between his teeth, and stepped out of the tavern.

‘What triggered this?’

Even though the fire had been put out, the mere thought made his blood boil with irritation.

The Golden Moon Merchant Guild was more than just a source for supplies.

It was a hub for intelligence and networking.

The data gathered by its traveling traders and the intricate web of alliances they maintained were the most valuable assets at his disposal.

If that guild crumbled, all those years of labor would evaporate instantly.

‘Since Ernyan has returned, I could technically use the Hildean Kingdom as a backup, but…’

That wasn’t a valid excuse to let Golden Moon fail. Hildean had its specific function, and Golden Moon had another—both were vital tools that functioned like his own limbs.

Berge’s stride grew faster and more aggressive as he walked.

—

*Hiccup—*

Aman, who was busy organizing guild ledgers, jumped in his seat as the door was kicked open, revealing a man with a murderous expression.

“B-bankruptcy? This is a joke.”

A wrinkled scrap of newsprint was slammed onto his desk.

“And yet it’s the headline of every paper in the region?”

“There was indeed a dangerous moment, but we managed to fix it.”

“And you thought you didn’t need to notify me?”

“I tried! But you never answered!”

“Then you should have tried harder!”

“I sent messages constantly!”

Berge suppressed his rage when he saw Aman’s face, which was twisted with a sense of unfairness and desperation.

“When did this start?”

“Roughly six weeks ago.”

“Hmm.”

That aligned with the period he was moving the tower into the ocean. Since things were quiet, he had been relaxing and looking after the tower’s inhabitants while ignoring all incoming pings.

‘So, it was my oversight.’

However, a Demon King never admits a mistake to a subordinate.

“Is that your excuse? You sent one message and gave up?”

“There were complications! Just let me explain the situation!”

“Fine, talk.”

But if this explanation doesn’t satisfy me…

*Crack—*

“You can guess what happens next.”

“O-understood.”

Aman swallowed hard as the wooden armrest of his chair snapped under Berge’s grip.

“A few weeks back, we were approached by the White Sand Guild.”

The White Sand Guild operated out of the Empire.

“They were looking to purchase a large shipment of magic cannons.”

There were very few organizations in the Empire capable of handling heavy military hardware like magic cannons. White Sand was a primary player.

They were a major contractor for the Imperial military.

“Initially, I turned them down.”

“For what reason?”

“As we discussed, our main commitment was to Hyacinth.”

That was the “tax” for the protection provided by the Hyacinth Kingdom. They were required to supply the crown first and prioritize the local guilds within Hyacinth.

That was the strategy. However, the Hyacinth royals actually encouraged them to sell to the Empire.

“It was a political move to lessen the Empire’s aggression. For us, money is money—it doesn’t matter who pays. Especially since they offered a massive premium.”

“Go on.”

“Yes. The contract was signed, and we received 20,000 gold as a down payment.”

A full advance. At a rate of 10 gold for every unit, Golden Moon couldn’t justify walking away from the deal.

The agreement was finalized, and the guild began the logistics of moving the goods.

Transporting 150 cannons was a massive undertaking. They hired a hundred guards just for the escort—they spared no expense.

“But the entire shipment was lost.”

A group of creatures attacked. More than half the guards were slaughtered, and the cannons were turned into scrap metal.

“Monsters? You want me to believe a random pack of beasts did that much damage?”

Monsters were dangerous, but the route between Hyacinth and the Empire was relatively safe. There were no known habitats for creatures that could wipe out such a force.

The local governments cleared those paths regularly to ensure trade.

“…Well.”

“Speak up.”

“The deaths weren’t caused by the beasts themselves, but by secondary explosions.”

“What?”

“The monsters messed with the ammunition crates, which set off a blast. A chain reaction leveled everything…”

“…Ha.”

The explanation was so absurd Berge found himself speechless. Magic cannon shells functioned on mana circuits, not black powder, but they were designed to detonate upon a specific impact.

They weren’t volatile. They were actually much more stable than traditional explosives.

“I was under the impression they only detonate if the internal circuit is triggered by the firing pin?”

He recalled Roger boasting about that safety feature for hours.

“A basilisk breathed fire directly onto the storage units.”

“Why in the world was a basilisk roaming that trade route?!”

“I honestly don’t know…”

“…This is infuriating. Then what happened?”

“We were legally bound to pay three times the advance as a breach of contract penalty—60,000 gold.”

“60,000 gold.”

“Including the costs of bribing various officials to keep our license, it cost us over 62,000 in total.”

“You wasted 2,000 on bribes? That’s a massive drain on resources.”

“It wasn’t a single payment, it was dozens of people.”

“…I suppose.”

Berge had intended to buy a great deal of equipment through the guild, using the cannon profits as the primary currency.

“The guild didn’t have that much liquid capital on hand.”

It was a staggering amount. The 100,000 gold Berge had originally provided had been reinvested into growth, as had all their recent profits.

Faced with the debt, the guild began to fail, and the market caught wind of it.

“I follow the story so far. But you’ve avoided the most critical detail.”

Berge reached out and grabbed Aman by the shirt. The man dangled in the air, legs kicking.

“I-I’m getting to it!”

“Hurry up.”

“Hillun sent a message! He said the Demon King was occupied with hero business, so we should solve it and wait for your return!”

“Hillun?”

“Ernyan delivered the instructions!”

“Ernyan?”

“Y-yes. Shortly after, we received 50,000 gold from both the Hildean and Hyacinth Kingdoms—100,000 gold in total as an investment. That’s how we saved the guild.”

“…In the name of the Hildean royal family?”

“Yes, the investment came from both crowns…”

Berge stopped listening as he processed the new information.

—

『If I overstepped my bounds, I apologize. You weren’t responding, so I assumed you were swamped. I couldn’t just stand by while things fell apart, so I took action.』

“It’s alright. I should have been more reachable. But was it necessary for you to get involved?”

『I am one of your Four Heavenly Kings. Managing crises when the Demon King is tied up is part of the job description.』

『If you think that’s strange, you’ll hurt my feelings.』

She gave a lighthearted laugh, leaving him with no retort.

“…I appreciate it.”

『Don’t mention it. And don’t worry—it wasn’t my personal funds or the crown’s treasury. I have money, but there was no need to spend it.』

“Duke Heinz?”

『Correct. Because of the reputation you built, he was easy to persuade.』

“Persuade? Or was it coercion?”

『…What do you take me for? Thievery is your specialty, not mine.』

“The people in Hildean seemed quite happy to cooperate.”

『The hostages didn’t have much of a choice. If they wanted to stay alive, they had to obey the Demon King, didn’t they?』

“Even the monsters in hell would laugh at that.”

『Let them. Regardless, should I explain the rest?』

“Yes.”

『It’s all a result of you taking the dwarf princess and pinning the blame on the Lust Demon King.』

“How so?”

『The deceived dwarves are pushing their influence into the pirate regions through Akan, Hessen, and Dormunt. High-grade dwarven military technology is pouring into those specific lands.』

The most obvious example was the distribution of magic cannons.

Previously restricted by Berft, they were now being funneled into those three nations exclusively.

『What do you think the reaction is?』

“The neighboring countries are panicking.”

No human kingdom will watch an ally suddenly gain a massive military advantage without reacting, regardless of their treaties.

An arms race had been ignited.

『Precisely. Hildean is one of the panicked parties. Duke Heinz also serves as the commander of the navy.』

『Then, a guild appears that produces high-quality magic cannons—not quite dwarven level, but impressive. And that guild is in financial trouble?』

“Could Hildean not produce their own versions?”

『The models from Golden Moon are superior to our local designs.』

“…I see.”

That idiot Roger. He had been told to dial back the quality, and he had clearly failed to do so.

『I decided to secure the technology. I’ll make sure the guild doesn’t get completely absorbed by the crown.』

“Hyacinth wouldn’t have let go easily, would they?”

『The negotiations were grueling. We’ll have to share some control with Hyacinth, but it’s a solid result.』

『The Golden Moon Guild also spent quite a bit on bribes to smooth things over at the top.』

A few well-placed threats and the weight of Hillun’s name certainly didn’t hurt.

Ernyan offered a bright smile.

“I understand.”

『There is one thing that bothers me, though.』

“What is it?”

『The attack happened in the Ormus territory—the former lands of the Beast Demon King.』

“And?”

『Beast-type monsters were the ones that attacked. That makes sense given the power vacuum after the Beast Demon King’s death. But one survivor claimed they saw a beastkin leading them.』

“…A beastkin? Are they certain?”

『It’s unconfirmed. It was a chaotic scene; it could have been a hallucination. Nobody else witnessed it.』

“I see.”

『A basilisk targeting the ammunition crates specifically is also quite a coincidence.』

“It could just be bad luck.”

『Likely. That’s why it’s just a nagging feeling.』

『One more detail. The White Sand Guild usually only deals in low-grade equipment like common swords and armor for small garrisons. It’s a small-scale operation.』

『For them to suddenly drop 20,000 gold in cash for 150 cannons? Doesn’t that seem off?』

“It is a bit strange.”

However, if they saw the cannons as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to elevate their guild and bet everything on it, it was a logical move.

With Berft and Akan only supplying specific nations, the demand for cannons was skyrocketing everywhere else.

‘But if you connect those two facts, it becomes suspicious.’

Individually, they were just odd events. Together, the probability of them being random was low.

‘Beastkin.’

After Drakson’s fall, most of his kin had been wiped out.

Any survivors who hadn’t made it to the tower wouldn’t have lasted long. There shouldn’t be any left in the wild.

‘Unless they pledged themselves to a different Demon King…’

Berge’s gaze turned cold.

‘Joined another side.’

But who?

It wouldn’t be Reina. He had explored her tower multiple times—there were no beastkin there.

‘Either Ugar or Jason.’

It had to be one of them.

But why would they do this?

‘No Demon King has touched the dwarf territory, yet they are acting on a misunderstanding.’

The memory of Jason’s final words came back to him. That smirk and the way his eyes tracked Berge—it was unforgettable.

Was he overthinking it? Was this an overreaction?

It was an unlikely string of events, but the world was full of surprises.

It didn’t matter. He would look into it; if it was just a coincidence, he would move on. Investigating was better than letting suspicion fester.

‘If this really was your doing…’

Berge suppressed his bloodlust.

“Understood.”

『Do you want me to dig deeper?』

“No, you focus on your end. How is the kingdom?”

『It’s tedious. My brother has married the princess of Hessen, and now guilds with ties to her are getting special treatment.』

Hessen-backed guilds were expanding in Hildean, and Hildean guilds were moving into Hessen.

Everything was being funneled through the 2nd Prince. He was using his marriage to cement his control over the trade routes.

“He’s building his power base?”

『Yes.』

The influence over merchants and nobles was inevitable. Even the most powerful humans bow to the power of gold.

“Are you going to be alright?”

『Don’t worry about me. I have a very strong distaste for losing what belongs to me.』

“I’ll take your word for it.”

『Thanks. I heard you’re heading to the Empire soon. Is it for that blade?』

“It is.”

『The Empire’s greatest treasure—do you think you can claim it?』

“I’m not claiming it. I’m going to break it.”

『Break it?』

“Yes. I’ll shatter it into pieces so that no one can ever swing it again.”

The thought of it piercing his heart made his skin crawl. Its very existence was an insult to him.

‘And I’ll do some scouting. The one who wielded the Empire’s sword must be close to the center of power.’

He had first suspected Balraf Disroad—the premier champion and a close ally of the 1st Prince.

But the physical appearance and the aura didn’t match.

‘Who else among the heroes is on the same level as Balraf?’

He had checked almost all of the Stars, either personally or through Hillun. None of them fit the profile.

Only Holen Callife remained unobserved, but the Stars weren’t exclusively comprised of combat experts.

There were also retired Stars who were no longer active but still possessed immense power.

‘I hope Hillun takes control of the Hero Guild soon.’

Once he did, Berge would have access to every single record in their archives.

『I’m curious about your reasons, but I won’t pry. You clearly have a plan. Good luck.』

“You as well. If you run into trouble, contact me—I’ll handle anything.”

『I will.』

The mental link was severed.

—

“This is fascinating.”

The attempt to pressure him through the guild had failed, but Jason remained in high spirits.

“I anticipated Hillun would step in, but it seems Ernyan managed the situation quite effectively.”

Duke Heinz of Hildean had made a personal financial commitment.

“And Crown Princess Ernyan herself was involved.”

“That is Hillun’s shadow. That 100,000 gold was framed as his own investment.”

Jason began to piece the puzzle together.

The magical artifacts he had sold to Berge for quick cash had been funneled into the Golden Moon Guild. Then the heir returned after failing as a hero, his aura heart destroyed.

“He was turned into a black knight, his heart shattered—he can’t project magic anymore. It’s a perfect setup.”

“Is Hillun complicit?”

“Most likely.”

Otherwise, there was no explanation for how 100,000 gold suddenly appeared under Hillun’s name right after the Erjest mission.

“Hillun has aligned himself with Berge. He probably lied about being unable to find the tower from the very beginning.”

“Even for a Star of the guild…”

“Heroes are still human. And humans are easily swayed by their own greed.”

“Should we leak this information now?”

“We have no hard proof; it would be brushed off as a conspiracy. His reputation is too solid—we shouldn’t strike blindly.”

The plan was to isolate the guild, cut off Hillun’s sources of income, and slowly dismantle his public image.

“A wise approach.”

“Moving to the next stage.”

“And what of the Crown Princess…?”

Jason took a moment to think before responding.

“Leave her be. When she eventually discovers that Hillun has been serving a Demon King, the sense of betrayal will be so great she’ll hunt Berge down herself.”

“That makes sense, considering what he put her through.”

“Make contact with the 2nd Prince of Hildean. Hillun’s support of the princess is likely a major source of irritation for him.”

“As you wish.”

They were operating under one major false assumption.

And they might never realize it.

In their world of standard logic, a kidnapped princess didn’t end up becoming a member of the Four Heavenly Kings.