Chapter 4

Chapter 4
Chapter 4

Advice

—

“It’s simply impossible.”

Gordon remained stubbornly trapped in denial, even after the Demon King had exerted considerable effort to personally sway his adjutant.

“The Standard of the Demon King is infallible. Regardless of how the tides of war shift, its truth is permanent.”

That was the very definition of a standard. Yet, reality was currently contradicting it.

“To think that heroes—those lowly humans—actually devised a counter-protocol for it?”

“They don’t explicitly refer to it as the standard, but it has circulated among them as a fundamental, unwritten law.”

“How is it that a newcomer to Aren is so well-informed? Is the valedictorian always this perceptive?”

I fought back the urge to snap and retorted instead.

“If your precious standard is so perfect, why hasn’t Aren fallen after all this time?”

“The fault lies with the dispatched Demon Kings; they clearly lacked the necessary competence.”

Indeed. That was the primary reason the standard had remained unchallenged for so long.

The law of the strongest.

It was a cold, binary logic: failure and erasure weren’t evidence of a formidable foe, but proof that you were a pathetic loser.

I only managed to shed that delusion after experiencing it myself—after meeting my end. Since I had been the most fanatical devotee of the standard in my prior existence, I didn’t expect to win him over instantly.

My current goal was simply to clear away some of these irritating hurdles.

“Are you suggesting that every single one of the dozens of Demon Kings who perished here was a failure?”

“……”

That silenced Gordon.

Having effectively suppressed his aggressive dissent, I took a slow, deliberate look around the tower.

The design was basic. There was a dungeon in the basement for keeping royal hostages or high-value prisoners. Above that, floors one through four were nothing but vacant, hollow spaces. Finally, the fifth floor served as the Demon King’s domain.

The luxurious crimson rugs and the elevated throne were merely decorative flourishes intended to give the heroes a sense of gravitas when they arrived.

From my perspective, it looked like nothing more than an ornate scaffold for an execution.

I stepped into the study located behind the seat of power. It contained a modest desk and chair, flanked by several communication orbs.

*Hummm—*

Precisely then, one of the spheres began to vibrate, demanding attention as if it had been perfectly timed.

“…Salutations. Gordon here, adjutant to Demon King Berge.”

Gordon moved quickly to take the call.

⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
“You’ve taken the bait exactly as planned. This is Casey, adjutant to Drakson. I am conveying Lord Drakson’s desire to host a welcoming celebration for the latest Demon King assigned to our realm.”

Ah, that’s right.

‘I remember this.’

To endure the strange conditions of Aren, the Demon Kings had evolved. They had abandoned their solitary nature to form coalitions, coercing newcomers into their ranks through these social invitations.

They were looking for submissive underlings who would fall in line with their established hierarchy and follow instructions.

To put it bluntly.

It was Aren’s specific version of an initiation ritual.

‘What a nuisance.’

A tired breath escaped my lips.

“Good grief, are Demon Kings actually hosting social mixers now?”

Gordon’s eyes widened in shock at the contact, which flew in the face of everything a demon should be.

“Don’t fret. I have zero interest in socializing with them. Even if I disregard the standard, I will maintain the dignified aura of a Demon King that you so desire.”

“…It’s not just that you’re refusing—you’re unable to join, aren’t you? Especially with the rumors labeling you a turncoat already spreading.”

Despite his bewilderment, he hit the nail on the head.

He was certainly competent in his own way.

‘In my previous life, this summons didn’t arrive for a week.’

The fact that it appeared so soon meant…

‘Something is wrong.’

I must have provoked them more than I realized by being branded a rebel.

—

Beast Tower.

The inhabitants of Aren name the towers based on the temperaments and reputations of the Demon Kings who rule them.

Drakson, the one who had summoned me, was the embodiment of a predator—earning the moniker “Beast Demon King”—in both his savagery and his physical form.

*Grrrr—*

The moment I crossed the threshold of the tower, a primal stench assaulted my senses.

It was a thick mix of musk, heavy pheromones, wildness, and insanity.

It was far from a pleasant aroma, particularly when laced with such obvious malice.

I hadn’t walked ten paces into the foyer before a wave of disgust hit me.

I didn’t bother hiding my contempt because I saw no reason to endure it.

“If you keep staring at me like that, you won’t have eyes to see with, you half-witted creatures.”

The lowly denizens of the first floor whimpered and pressed their foreheads against the stones.

The same scene played out on the second and third floors. Their forced, transparent displays of aggression made me let out a dry laugh.

They were just as juvenile as they had been in the past.

“It seems your intellect is just as animalistic as your bodies, isn’t it?”

“…This is the domain of Demon King Drakson.”

“There is no need for etiquette when dealing with insolent garbage.”

“I suppose that’s fair. Even for a newcomer, inviting you here and then subjecting you to this is going too far.”

I detected a flicker of resentment in Gordon’s voice.

Exactly. No matter how dense you are, if your superior is being mocked and you do nothing, you aren’t fit to be an adjutant.

“Stay back. I’ll deal with this.”

“…Understood.”

We continued our ascent. I could tolerate the atmosphere up to the fifth floor. The inhabitants there still threw arrogant looks my way, but a small release of murderous intent was enough to make them cower.

The sixth floor, however, was a different story.

Lycanslopes. They looked similar to beastkin—half-man, half-wolf—but unlike true beastkin who could transition between forms, these were flawed, incomplete pests.

They didn’t retract their claws despite my presence. They made no effort to mask their ill intent.

I couldn’t help but smirk at the sight of these mutts mindlessly following orders from above.

It would have been more convincing if they weren’t visibly shaking.

“How dedicated.”

But since that loyalty wasn’t for me, I felt no obligation to honor it.

*Skreeeee—*

The Lycanslope shrieked in agony. It collapsed, clutching its face as dark, beastly blood began to pool on the floor.

I tossed the single eyeball I had plucked away.

“I didn’t come here to start trouble in another Demon King’s home, but if you insist on giving me a reason, I’m happy to oblige.”

If you allow yourself to be looked down upon, you become a tool. If you appear vulnerable, they will strike.

That is the fundamental nature of the demon realm and its inhabitants.

“Isn’t that right?”

I turned my head. Emerging from the pack of Lycanslopes, a massive predator stood up.

He caught the flying eye that was heading toward him.

“Impressive.”

*Squish—*

A foul liquid ran down his gray coat.

“The word is you annihilated the other cadets to secure the top spot. It seems the rumors were true.”

“Is this the standard of hospitality for your guests?”

“I’ve come out to meet you in person, which is more than enough respect.”

“Or perhaps you just lacked the discipline to wait?”

“That as well. I was dying to see this infamous piece of trash with my own eyes.”

“The feeling is mutual. I was curious to see what kind of vermin these ‘Demon Kings’ had become, huddling together for warmth.”

“Hahaha… Quite. It’s no wonder Archduke Alcaine told us to keep a close watch on you.”

“Do you think a little display of strength like that scares me?”

“It might when it’s your blood on the floor.”

He let out a low growl. Gordon flinched as the room filled with heavy, murderous pressure. I pulled him behind me and let out a sneer.

“I truly don’t understand the source of your confidence.”

“You’re just a decorated graduate who hasn’t seen real battle.”

“And you’re a stubborn pest who mocks the standard, right?”

“If the standard is so sacred to you, did you have to abandon your dignity as a Demon King to follow it?”

The killing intent grew suffocating. It felt like a thick, oily film against my skin.

I wrinkled my nose and frowned.

“Dial back the odor. I have a sensitive nose.”

“Fine. A traitor who ignored the standard at his own graduation should at least have this much backbone.”

“This conversation is getting tedious, and you haven’t even offered me a drink.”

Drakson signaled to a subordinate. The beastkin brought forward a massive slab of raw meat and presented it.

“Fascinating. Do you beasts consume meat in place of wine?”

“We survive solely on flesh and gore.”

“Savage.”

I noticed a parchment tucked into the meat.

“Trying to play at being sophisticated?”

“Quiet and read it.”

*Crinkle—*

I unfurled the official decree, crafted from demon-realm vellum. Drakson began to recite the text.

“A mandate from His Excellency Archduke Alcaine: Demon King Berge Dayas shall, in accordance with the sacred Standard of the Demon King, capture a royal prince or princess within thirty days and submit a report.” “Failure to fulfill this requirement will result in the immediate cancellation of all tower system rights bestowed upon Demon King Berge Dayas.”

Ha. I fell silent, any thought of the meat forgotten. My appetite vanished.

Because they suspect I won’t comply, they’re trying to force my hand?

And they’re using another Demon King to lean on me?

*Thud—*

I kicked the meat aside and ground it into the floor with my boot.

“I appreciate the offer, but I have sophisticated tastes. I can’t stomach low-grade filth like this.”

The expressions of the beasts turned lethal.

“We have no intention of forcing our lifestyle on an imbecile.”

“How kind of you.”

“You still haven’t given your answer.”

“The threat was the revocation of my tower privileges, correct?”

*Rip—*

I shredded the document into tiny pieces.

As the fragments of paper drifted to the ground, Drakson’s furious shout thundered through the hall.

“How dare you disrespect His Excellency’s decree!”

“Don’t get worked up. Even without this pathetic ultimatum, I was already planning to do it.”

So.

“Stop trying to give me orders, you flea-bitten stray.”

You’re stinking up the place.

—

“What on earth—what—what was that?!”

Gordon was practically hyperventilating.

“What were you thinking?!”

“Is there an issue? Combat between Demon Kings is strictly prohibited. Drakson won’t violate that rule. His animal brain is wired to follow his master’s commands to the letter.”

“I am aware of that! I’m asking why you destroyed Archduke Alcaine’s mandate!”

Ah, so that was his concern.

“Calm down. As I stated, I’m kidnapping a princess regardless. The tower system isn’t going anywhere.”

“That isn’t the point!”

“It is exactly the point. I was going to do it on my own terms—now it looks like I’m just being a good little soldier.”

“What is so wrong with following the Archduke’s directive?”

“It would have been nice to have parted ways without animosity.”

In my past life, I hadn’t held a grudge against him. But that was a different time. Now, he was just another scavenger trying to undermine my authority and threaten me.

Seeing my resolve, Gordon pivoted the conversation.

“…But didn’t you say you were rejecting the standard?”

“Not entirely. There’s no point in discarding the parts that are actually useful.”

“Then which princess will it be? Based on the research I did before our arrival, among the kingdoms of the northern continent…”

“I already told you, I’m not following the standard’s script.”

“…You aren’t planning to take one from a neighboring kingdom?”

They likely believe that once I make the first move, I’ll be forced to follow the rest of the standard’s path.

Since the tower—the first stage of the standard—is already built, the moment I execute the second stage—the kidnapping—the rest of the cycle triggers automatically, whether the Demon King wants it to or not.

The grieving monarch will pour wealth into the hero guilds to save their child, and the heroes will mobilize in response.

But I have no intention of playing into those expectations.

I closed my eyes for a second, and the system interface appeared, displaying the tower’s metrics.

⚔ TOWER STATUS ⚔
👑 Tower Lord: Berge Dayas
🛡️ Sub-Lord: Gordon Dirik
🏗️ Floors: 5

📋 Affiliation
👹 Demons: Gordon Dirik
🐉 Familiars: None
👾 Monsters: None

📍 Floor Details
1st Floor: None
2nd Floor: …

It was a pathetic sight.

In this current state, if I let events unfold naturally, I would be wiped out instantly.

Therefore, I needed a princess whose disappearance wouldn’t cause a stir, or a kingdom so insignificant that retaliation was impossible.

Luckily, I knew exactly who to target.

It was a memory from a long time ago—in my previous life.

Back when I had clashed with the major powers of Aren.

My standing with the other Demon Kings was at its lowest, and I was drowning under the relentless waves of heroes.

Then, a certain Demon King paid me a visit.

He was a pompous idiot, easily the most brainless of the lot. A loudmouth who couldn’t stop himself from gloating if he had the slightest advantage.

He took great pleasure in my misfortune.

‘Tsk tsk, I warned you not to provoke the empire’s princess, but you wouldn’t listen. I told you Aren is a completely different beast compared to other worlds. You should have taken the advice of your superiors to heart.’

‘Take a look at me. I snatched a princess that nobody gives a damn about—it’s been a walk in the park. You have no idea how easy it is when the king doesn’t care; only the most pathetic heroes show up once in a blue moon.’

He had walked away laughing, never realizing he would have been killed on the spot if the ban on dueling weren’t in place.

“Back then, I wanted to smash his face in. Now, his boasting is actually proving useful.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ve picked the kingdom for the abduction.”

“Which one? Where is it?”

“The 13th Princess of the Hilderan Kingdom, located at the very southern edge of the continent.”

She was the king’s unacknowledged child, too sickly to be used for a political alliance.

Her. Elena.