122 What will happen next?

The walls are constantly being swarmed by countless undead. According to the report, the bottom is still unknown. There's no danger of them breaking through at present, but if we run out of bows and arrows and stones to throw, we'll be forced to attack mainly with magic. How is the gathering of the Yugra clergy?

"No problem, a team of clerics has been dispatched from Mejis, and they should be able to intercept us in shifts soon. They're scouting the area just in case, so there may be some delays, but I'm sure Quama's troops won't last that long.

The representative of the Quama branch of the Yugra religion, Archbishop Serraes, gave me a report on the current situation.

This Zenotta-Quama, who is now over forty and about to choose his successor, will be in charge of such a large scale battle. ...... It's a real headache.

I have ordered the lords of the various provinces to stay at home. We will call on them if our home troops are exhausted. ...... But ......

The threat of countless undead is not as desperate as it seems at the moment.

The demons are using only the most easily accessible plains, and all of them are clustered around the walls.

The walls are holding back the unintelligent and foolish invasion, and the ranged attacks from above are effective enough to kill them.

Because of the danger of the undead wreckage becoming a foothold, it is necessary to occasionally use magic attacks with excessive firepower, but the rotation of magic troops is not that unreasonable.

However, even if we can respond to an enduring war, if we continue to do so on a permanent basis, the national treasury will collapse.

The situation must be brought under control somehow, but the way to do so is extremely difficult.

It is better not to expect that the number of undead will be exhausted for the time being.

The only way to do that is to eliminate the Blue Demon Lord, the one who gives orders to these undead.

However, with Quama's forces, there is almost no chance that he can invade the demon world and reach the Demon Lord.

In the first place, we don't even know where he is. We can't send soldiers to the demon world without knowing where they're going.

It seems that scouting the demon world is ineffective.

Yeah, the undead attack day and night. It's difficult to search every inch of such a demon-infested land. If you don't know the location of the enemy's stronghold or the maximum number of troops, you're on the defensive.

Even the best adventurers usually visit the Quama demon world, and even they won't risk their lives to explore.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I've hired a few of them, but you can't expect much from them.

A few days ago, we received a report that these men were staying in Rilbe.

You can't help but groan as you hold your hand to your beard.

The sudden revival of the Demon Lord was enough to make my mouth water, and now I hear that the Purple Demon Lord has been hiding in Kuama.

I hurriedly dispatched soldiers to all of the merchants' warehouses to find out more, and indeed, I discovered traces of an unknown woman who had been moving from place to place.

Even the merchants who were supposed to be hiding this information were confused, and it seems that she had been hiding so skillfully.

In addition, even the king of the neighboring country of Garne, a large country to the south, was said to be a Demon Lord.

The two demon lords are from the same planet as the hero Yugra, who drew them into his ranks and declared a third camp.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

The young man is here in Quama at the request of Archbishop Ceraes, but he is not coming to me, he is staying in Lilbeth, a nearby territory.

"You mean the people of the planet Yugra with the Demon Lord in tow? ....... "Archbishop Serraes, if they are visiting this Quama, why are they not visiting this Quama castle?

"I think it's fair to assume that they are plotting something beyond the reach of the king and myself.

I'd like to hear something other than disturbing stories, because if we don't, our sense of danger will be paralyzed.

I'm sure you'll be able to understand why I'm here.

The Demon Lords have left deep scars on the world, and it's insane to take the Demon Lords, who are the world's bitter enemies, into your ranks and declare your neutrality.

However, the uniqueness of the situation is worthy of cooperation.

It seems that his ability to expose the existence of the Demon Lords that have been operating in the background and make them his allies is a feat equal to that of Yugra the Brave.

In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a number of things you can do.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a bit of a coward. He's just a young man who has some wits about him and is only able to produce results because of the benefits of knowledge from Yugra's star world.

So he's a smaller man than I thought. ...... My expectations are lowered.

If you're not sure what you're looking for, you might want to check out this website.

I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with that as an ally.

The power it possesses is valuable. The power it possesses is valuable, and it's easy to control, which means it's safe.

Okay, that's it. But how can you hold the reins so easily?

There are many ways. It is not difficult to entangle a man who is naive enough to have feelings for even a demon king.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

He is not as well known as Archbishop Ucka, who is ostensibly in close contact with the nobility.

But those who know the true nature of Archbishop Serraes should never underestimate him.

Religion does not consist of pure faith alone.

It can become a source of money, a source of interest, a source of ungodly greed.

Archbishop Serraes has been a key figure in nipping such problems in the bud without letting the world know.

I am sure that many more evils have been dealt with by his hands without being known than have been brought to justice through formal procedures.

I may be seen by him as an easy king to control.

But I fully agree with and respect his ideology.

He is a man who has done more than anyone else to clean up this world, and it would not be a bad thing to be an easy pawn if I can help him.

I'm not going to Quama.

"I'm not going to Quama!

I'm going to explain to all of you what we're going to do to prevent the invasion of the Blue Demon King.

The one who spoke up was Ilias, who was in charge of straightforward opinions.

Ilias, who was in charge of giving a straightforward opinion, said, "If it's only about the situation and the map of Kuama, the materials that Lord Toksad prepared will suffice. I appreciate the speed with which you prepare them.

Thank you for that. ......

Incidentally, I've also summoned Lord Toxad.

The place has been moved from the prison to the elegant drawing room, and the expression on Lord Toksad's face is a little calmer.

'But won't it be to our detriment if we don't go to Quama?

"Not much of a problem at the moment.

What about, say, ...... manpower?

"We can borrow some supplies and manpower from Lord Toxad. If you're talking about manpower, you can't expect to find that in Quama.

Why do you say that?

Quama is a country dominated by Archbishop Serraes. And the King of Quama is on good terms with Archbishop Ceraes.

The reason why Quama is still silent after receiving the information about the Demon Lord's resurrection from the Yugra cult is probably because of Archbishop Ceraes.

If so, King Kuama will naturally be a member of the anti-Third Camp, just like Archbishop Ceraes.

He is a country that only seeks help from other countries via the Yugra religion even when it is attacked by the Demon King's army, so he must be very wary of other forces.

"Surely you wouldn't share your valuable war power with someone unfriendly. Even Lord Toxad there would be reluctant to send troops to the demon world.

"No, I mean, ......

Ecdyke, don't be too hard on him.

You say that?

"The only time you should ever accuse someone of being a bigot is when you want to break their will to argue, or when you want to take away their position and drive them away.

I'll keep that in mind. ......

The less haters the better, and it's bad for Wolfe's education in the first place.

"Before I go any further, I should explain that it is King Quama's orders that Lord Toxad only prepares Rilbe's soldiers for war and does not send any troops at all.

Is that so?

Yes, yes!

The current state of the war is that the soldiers are camped on top of the defensive wall and keep dispersing the undead swarming underneath the wall to prevent them from crawling up with long range attacks. That's enough for the unwilling undead. And there is a limit to the number of people who can occupy the top of the barrier.

So, if we gather soldiers from each territory when the battlefield is just a wall, we'll waste food for the soldiers who can't fight?

That's what I mean. If the war drags on and the soldiers in the home country are exhausted, or if the number of battlefields increases, we'll get a notice to deploy soon.

The total number of undead is simply too large, and a reverse invasion outside the walls would result in a melee, which in turn would make the soldiers expendable.

It would be foolish to challenge an opponent whose numbers are limited.

You should refrain from attrition as long as you are sure that your defensive walls can be defended, and concentrate on efficiently reducing your opponent's strength.

However, this will only work if your opponent has no will and is simply trying to break through by sheer numbers.

Even if the undead have no will, as long as there are beings who can give orders, you should consider fighting with many forces.

But won't this just lead to a stalemate?

That's for sure. In other words, up to this point, it's just like the scenario of the Blue Demon King. There is not enough information for Kuama to invade the Kuama demon world. What Kuama can do is to maintain the status quo and send scouts and adventurers to the demon world to find out the location of the Blue Demon Lord.

In addition, he is waiting for us to use some kind of information advantage to change the war situation.

But if you take those actions in Kuama, you'll be in a constant state of knowing our moves.

Of course, we are willing to use one or two measures that are unique to us, but we do not intend to do so at the hands of Archbishop Serraes.

Are you sure you don't want to coordinate with Quama?

"It's enough for me to move on my own, knowing what he's doing. Lord Toxad has already informed us of our movements.

"I see.

What?

Sir Toksad is frightened as all eyes turn to him.

Of course, it would be easy for the Exarch to detect that Lord Toksad was secretly contacting Quama's home country.

If you put an invisible magic chain on your clothes, you can use the chain as a listening device.

There really is no one better than Exdoik in terms of convenience.

I don't blame you, you can do your job as a lord. I'm not going to blame you, but you can do your job as a lord.　I'm sure you'll be able to understand that I'm not going to be able to help you.

The only reason he didn't tell her was so that she wouldn't notice that he was watching her every move.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot more information on this topic in the coming weeks.

"Ha, ha!　I'm not sure what to make of this.

In the end, in order to stop this demon from advancing, you have to deal with the Blue Demon King in the Quama Demon Realm. I'm going to make preparations for that.

When you say preparations, do you mean the wood you requested before?

Yes. I also need to borrow a carpenter from this town who's free. You can get them, can't you?

Of course, but are you sure about the ...... soldiers?

Rilve's troops are also Quama's troops. If you consume them on your own, you're not going to feel good about yourself, and you're going to get more hate.

There's no point in slowing down their movements by adding extra people when they've come with an elite few to begin with.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out how to get the best out of me.

"Yes, ask the blacksmith to produce bows and arrows. I'm not sure what to do, but I'm not sure what to do.

"Yes, yes, immediately!

Lord Toxad bowed and strode away from the scene.

The ratio of men to women must have been very uncomfortable, poor thing.

"Hmm, is there anything we can do to help you prepare?

Well, there's a lot of things. Exoik will be the busiest.

"Hmm, I guess I'm the most reliable of the bunch.

"You're right.

For some reason, Ilias returned with a fearless smile.

I can't tell you, especially if you're not going to be around for the foreseeable future.

I can't tell him that you're not going to be around for the foreseeable future. Ilias and Wolfe will be assisting me, and most of you will be doing the heavy lifting, is that okay?

I checked with everyone, and all but Lacla nodded obediently.

If you have something to say, I'm all ears.

"Can't I do what you do, Exduk-san?

Hmm?　Well, well, well.

I wondered if there was some kind of rivalry between him and Exoik, or if Lakra had a burning heart.

In terms of difficulty, it would be quicker to leave it to Ecdysius, but in a sense it's a simple task, something Rakura could do.

It's not a bad idea to do a little work on this too, in addition to your original goal.

"Good, because if you can share the burden with Exoik, then Exoik's burden will be reduced. But it's a little more work for Mixx.

I don't mind!　I don't mind! It's not every day you find a shooting star that motivates you, Mister Lakra!

Something's bugging me, but thank you, Mixu!

"......

I'm not sure what to make of that.

It's a very simple process, but I'm not going to ...... tell you that.

I'm not going to tell you.

In the castle of the Blue Demon King, the Blue Demon King is dusk with a gloomy look on his face, even though he has started to invade the humans.

I'm not sure what to do.

I've been watching the battle for a while now. I've been taking a quick look at the battle situation, and it looks like it's pretty close.

You don't have to tell me that. ...... Oh, I want to die. ......

I'm not sure what to make of this.　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it.

It's not as if he's cute, even in his boyish form.

The blue demon king sighs and replies languidly to such a question.

The blue Demon Lord sighs and replies languidly, "You just called it a plan, didn't you?　Why do I have to devise a clever plan against a human? If you do that, it's like saying, 'I'm worried about the power competition. You'll just want to die if that's what they think of you.

But doesn't that kind of attack just consume your troops?

...... consumption?　I'm sure you're human for having such a trivial idea. ...... Okay, I'll give you a little explanation. ...... I want to die. ......

The blue demon king flicked his gaze in the right direction and made a gesture with one hand to invite something.

Soon after, one of the undead appeared.

It is the same thing as the undead that are currently attacking the defensive wall, and in terms of strength alone, it is no better than a soldier.

However, a normal attack will not be enough to stop it from attacking the surrounding creatures, as it will be able to repair itself over and over again due to the magic inherent in its body, making it immortal.

It's the same low-grade undead that's currently attacking the barrier.

Can you defeat it?　If you can, why don't you just kill it?

"Sure, why not?

Raheit uses magic.

It's a unique magic where he sets a point in the area where his magic drifts and then creates a sharp crystal with one action.

The crystal protrudes from the ground and easily penetrates the hunchbacked undead from belly to back.

However, the undead flailed about and showed no signs of dying.

Rahite walked over and touched the crystal that had appeared.

The crystal began to glow white, and the undead trembled, then stiffened, before spilling to the ground in a cloud of dust.

"Is that clear?

"Raheit, you just used a cleansing spell, didn't you?

Rahite, did you just use a cleansing spell? - Yes, but I was a priest in Mejlis. The men guarding the wall are doing the same, turning the undead to dust.

Do you know why purification magic is so effective against demons and undead?

Yes, well, cleansing magic is similar to a magic severing mechanism that, when applied to a demon or evil spirit whose body is built mostly of magic, destroys the body structure as soon as it is touched, making it unregenerateable. The reason it is so effective against the undead is that it can easily sever the bonds between the body and the soul that are connected by necromancy. ...... is correct?

Yes, once the body and soul are severed by necromancy, the necromancy can be broken. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

The Blue Demon King then pointed at the dust.

Then the dust regained its original form and returned to the undead it had been.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

"...... This is...

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on here.

But there was no sign of necromancy in the current process.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'm not the only one.

But all the blue demon lord did was point at the dust, there was no tendency to build or activate magic.

He just consciously applied necromancy to the dusty undead again.

It's nothing to hide, so I'll tell you. You know that the Demon Lord creates the magic that creates demons, right?

That's how the demon world is created, by eroding the magic of the earth.

My magic has the same quality as the magic produced by necromancy, it has the property of turning the dead into undead.

It's .......

Rahite gulped.

If what he said is true, then the Blue Demon King's army has yet to lose even a single undead.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

Yes, as long as this Quama Realm exists, I can create an infinite number of undead just by being aware of it. The best quality ones require a little more work, though. ...... This is time-consuming and tedious. ...... God, I want to die. ......

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

I don't know.　If you haven't figured it out by now, Quama's wall won't last more than a few days.

Rahite interrupted his speech and thought about how the Blue Demon King would break through the barrier.

Then he came to a conclusion.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it.

"To be feared by a child, even though you are an adult inside. ...... Oh, I want to die. ......

The blue demon king gazed at the sky and sighed again, lamenting.