Among the old books that record various stories and stories with
many hardships (3), there is also a book containing the testimony of a hero who witnessed the end of a warrior and returned alive.
This book was exactly that.
“… It was a big mistake to prepare by simply looking at records of a certain point in time when dealing with the Demon King and thinking that the Demon King only knew how to use a long sword. The Demon King knew how to use a variety of weapons.
All those carrying fragments of the warrior who went to provide long-distance support died. It was because he used a bow and dagger. He even used a large sword rather than a long sword when dealing with a warrior.
Who is in charge of the investigation and analysis of the Demon King? Because of his easygoing attitude, valuable military personnel were killed. There must be severe punishment.
…The reason I was able to return alive was because the Demon King let me go. After taking care of everyone, he was clearly looking at me.
He stuck a great sword as tall as a woman into the ground and stood looking at me with his hands on the handle…” “Even though he was still, it felt like he was
running
towards me…” His waist-length hair blowing in the wind. It gave the feeling as if it was running even though it was still.
After this, it will only contain useless information. Elpidius closed the book after finishing the sentence about having nightmares thanks to him. Alethea, who was sitting on the armrest and reading a book together, looked up.
“Still, the one thing that was saved is that the Demon King knows how to use a variety of weapons.”
“Yes. That’s a good thing.”
“And I also knew that the Demon King changes his style according to the changes of the times.”
“…It will vary depending on whether it follows the trend of the human world or not.”
The Demon King has never appeared in the human world. If he can follow the trends of the human world, it means that he has considerable information power. There is no way a person as high as a demon lord would imitate the style of commoners. Even if it couldn’t be done, it would have become a trend among nobles.
“Anyway, this isn’t important right now, so let’s move on.”
Elpidius was shuffling through documents on the desk and was about to say something to Alethea, but he stopped when he found a document.
A report containing the news that the troops guarding the border have disappeared. It looks like they already checked it but forgot to put it aside. Thanks to this, unpleasant feelings that I had forgotten for a while came to mind and I frowned reflexively.
‘…There is a degree to blatantly looking down on the human world.’
I was so uncomfortable the moment I received this news.
It was said that the border line was completely left defenseless. A move that seems to show off, knowing full well that this side will not dare to invade the demon world first. I felt sick to my stomach because I could clearly see the disregard for the human world in the empty appearance without even the slightest boundary.
I suppressed my unpleasant feelings and put the report aside. Because this is not the goal right now.
And Elpidius, who had easily found the document he was looking for, continued his speech after a brief pause.
There was something Alethea had been preparing from the moment she became a ‘hero’.
“Alethea.”
How should I suggest this? I hesitated for a while because I couldn’t find the right introduction.
“What do you think of what you do, Emperor?”
A blunt remark came out.
Although it was quite a shocking statement, there was no strong reaction. Alethea, who had already guessed this for a long time when Elpidius heard the documents for handing over the throne, looked calm instead of surprised.
Next, a slow, yet hesitating voice came out, as if a little apologetic.
“Even if I become emperor, I will go to the battlefield.”
“….”
Sadness mixed into the silence.
As if she knew this would happen, she smiled tentatively at her brother, who had a resigned look on his face.
“I know what your brother was thinking when he said that.”
He became a ‘hero’. Even if that’s not the case, we are in a situation where we need to recruit at least one more ‘hero’, so of course I will go to the battlefield as well. Above all, isn’t it impossible for the Emperor, who has to set an example while risking his life for everyone, to step away?
The older brother is still hiding the fact that his younger brother has become a hero. I guess it’s because they don’t want to send it out to the battlefield. but.
‘There’s no way he doesn’t know that I’m going to come forward and reveal it.’
So this is probably what it means to use measures to hold on to something.
A faint hope that if he becomes emperor, he might be able to keep him from going to war. I’m sorry to destroy this from the front, but…
“But even though your uncle was the emperor, he also went to battle.”
It’s no use. Alethea leisurely opened her eyes.
“Right now, this will only cause further confusion by moving the emperor for no reason.”
“….”
“So don’t do that, brother.”
Elpidius, who was quietly looking at his younger brother’s smiling face, lowered his eyes. After a short silence, a faint sigh escaped.
“Actually, I knew that would happen. Still, I thought you would at least pretend to think…”
“It would be worse to give you false hope.”
“…I…”
The words that I was afraid of losing you too rose up in my throat, but he kept his mouth shut.
I’m afraid that if I say it out loud, it will become reality and come back to me. Elpidius, who became a coward in front of his family, swallowed his weakness and stood up.
“…It’s meeting time soon, so let’s go. The nobles will be waiting.”
Even so, they were nobles who were dissatisfied with doing things as they pleased without saying a word. In the end, they will shout, “How are you going to take responsibility for the situation that has gone down without you only suffering losses?”
…I feel like my ears are already hurting. Even so, thanks to my uncle, their private army is in our hands, and even that is almost lost, so considering that it is nothing more than the cries of old men who do not even have the strength to cause a rebellion, there is nothing I can’t listen to.
You must be a little tired today. He opened the door and walked out, narrowing his eyebrows slightly.
***
As if we had arrived just in time, as soon as we finished archery practice and returned to our seats, each corps began to return one by one.
Deon, who was looking at them while holding the wine in one hand that the Demon King had specially brought from the human world, paused for a moment when he noticed a demon that particularly caught his eye. Red eyes wavered for a moment at the incomprehensible scene.
‘Why is the doctor covered in blood…?’
The corps commander’s personal doctor, Setter, was standing covered in blood.
Looking at his tired expression, it looks like he went out and hunted monsters himself… Why the doctor?
‘No way, if the corps commander got hurt, I was tired and tried to hunt him first… no way… no way…
Ben didn’t do anything either…
… Anyway, I don’t know if it’s because of that. The returning corps commanders were only slightly covered in blood, but overall they looked clean and without any scratches.
‘Rather than that… it looks like there was some kind of fight over there again.’
The atmosphere is unusual. Deon unconsciously shifted his gaze in that direction due to the dark energy emanating from the corner of his field of vision. The 3rd Corps commander was glaring at the 4th Corps commander.
His mouth opened and a voice that vaguely sounded like he was chewing was heard.
“Cowardly guy.”
“Are you cowardly?”
Idelia, the 4th corps commander, shamelessly waved her fan.
“When have we ever taken away your hunting results? We have never done that, and it is impossible to do such a thing in the first place. No matter how bad the results may seem, it would be difficult to say something that could easily be misunderstood like this in a public place. .”
“…Well, they didn’t take away the ‘result’. Instead, they took away our prey! They had a lot of space, but they only came next to us and hunted the ones we were targeting. If this isn’t cowardice, what is it?!”
Hmm… I understand the general situation. Idelia was bad.
The atmosphere is scary. Well, that too will disappear if the Demon King opens his mouth. I looked away and calmly tilted my glass to quench my thirst. And for a moment, Deon turned his head when he suddenly felt eyes on him.
I made eye contact with Dahar, the adjutant of the 12th Corps commander.
“?”
“….”
It was only for a moment and the other person looked away first, but… I think we made eye contact even before we left, but we’re meeting again?
Is this really a coincidence? While looking at the back of Dahar’s head with suspicious eyes, the Demon King stood up after checking the magic stones of all the legions.
“Did everyone enjoy it enough?”
Those who were growling at each other in their respective positions immediately corrected their posture.
Deon also slowly shifted his gaze and looked at the Demon King. He said, omitting back and forth, as he is a person who does not like unnecessary lengths and pretense.
“Then let’s announce the results right away.”
Is it better to talk from the 1st place or the 3rd place?
A voice that was almost like talking to oneself continued, and then the sound of snapping fingers was heard.
Light seemed to come from the 1st Legion’s magic stone, and a screen appeared in the air. The screen showed a scene of the 1st Corps hunting with an unknown number floating in the upper left corner.
“Originally, I was going to show it starting from 3rd place, but the hunting scene in 3rd place was more impressive than I thought. I just wanted to show it in order, starting from 1st place.”
“What you’re saying is…”
“So, you already guessed it to some extent, right?”
Because the 1st Corps is not the 1st Corps for nothing.
The complexions of the 1st Corps members brightened at the remark confirming first place. Jaykar nodded as if accepting the natural result, and the other legions also looked satisfied.
That’s because the 1st Corps’ hunting scene was thorough and like a sharp sword. Deon also agreed.
‘It’s a must to systematically gather monsters in one place and hunt them…’
Oh, right. It reminds me of Senior Stigma’s Knights.
“And what are the numbers at the top left of the screen?”
“That? That’s the number of monsters the army hunted.”
“….”
Deon looked at the screen again.
1269.
It is not a mistake.
‘…Are you crazy?’
Did they literally mobilize the entire 1st Corps, i.e. ‘all troops under my command’ or equivalent level, rather than the elite group of soldiers that corps commanders usually bring with them? It doesn’t look like that in the video…
No, there were that many monsters near the Demon King’s Castle before that? This means that not only the 1st corps was hunting, but there were much more than that.
Considering that the range in which demons can carry out hunting activities is limited due to time constraints…
‘…I understand that the demon king’s command to attack monsters is not a terrible death.’
A tired expression appeared.
They called it 1st corps, 1st corps, and it’s no joke.
‘But why don’t they look happy?’
The appearance of the 1st Corps is a little different than expected. Others seem to have overlooked it, but their expressions seem closer to relief than joy.
The reason was soon apparent.
“It would have been hellish training if I didn’t get first place, but I’m glad…!”
“We survived…!!”
“….”
Ah, it’s natural that the 1st Corps does well. If you make a mistake or fail to do so, the atmosphere will be enormous.
Poor things. While Deon was looking at them, clicking his tongue inwardly, the Demon King waved his hand. The screen disappeared and the attention of the demons was focused again.
“Second place is 0 Corps.”
I can feel many people looking this way, especially Ed. Deon turned his head, pretending not to notice, and focused his eyes on the newly emerged screen. It was clearly visible that they were divided into two teams, humans and demons, and were hunting.
