CH 98

Chapter 98 – On The Highway

The distance from Casemaian to the kingdom’s capital is approximately 300 kilometers, depending on the route.

There are two routes connecting the two cities: the western route, which is almost the shortest route (to be precise, from the kingdom capital to the tribal union territories by passing through Casemaian), and the eastern route, which connects the empire capital and the kingdom capital while taking a large detour.

We are taking the east route. This route is better maintained and has a better view. This is the route we took before on our way to the kingdom capital with Humvee when we got caught up in a commotion in the Yerkel village and had to turn back.

“I hope we can safely make it to the kingdom capital this time.”

“Don’t worry. There is no one to stand in our way now.”

We were able to rescue our comrades in Yerkel, who had been betrayed by the villagers and captured by the imperial army, so I was satisfied with the outcome.

As we ride along the highway, we pass refugees several times. Some of them were surprised to see our bikes, but most of them showed no interest in us. I guess they don’t have time for that. They are carrying large bags, holding the hands of children and elderly people, and carrying babies, and they just go on their way without looking at us.

“Don’t think about anything else.”

“Eh?”

As she keeps an eye on her surroundings in the sidecar, Myrril glances at me. She looks angry and serious.

“If you think you are the one who made them unhappy, you are mistaken.”

“Oh… no, but you see…”

“Even if it turns out to be true, it’s not worth it. I don’t know how lukewarm, kind, beautiful, and sweet a world you have lived in, but as far as I know, there are only two choices in this world. Kill your enemies or your friends will be killed.”

It may have been a harsh statement, but Myrril’s words made sense to me.

If I show mercy to my enemies, my friends and allies will be killed. Even if they don’t die, I put them in danger. The reason we have been successful so far is because we have killed our enemies, even if only as a result. I do not deny that.

A bad hesitation will lead not only myself but also Myrril and the residents of Casemaian into trouble. That is the one thing I cannot accept.

“I’m not saying that we should oppress even the people of the enemy country. That was the result of us surviving and defeating an enemy who attacked us. Accept it.”

“…Yes, that’s right. That’s exactly right.”

I probably didn’t want to take responsibility for the decisions I made.

I was half right in saying that the world was a soft and sweet place to be. I think I’ve been a third-rate businessman, living a life of trying to minimize risk by not being universally disliked and postponing problems.

Such a choice no longer exists. In this world where society and people are primitive, interests are bound to clash.

Only those with great and absolute power can reconcile conflicting interests. I still lack that power and resolve.

There were screams and cries in front of us, and Myrril let out a sigh.

“It’s a messy situation.”

A horse-drawn carriage is rammed into the side of the highway, and a woman is dragged from the back of the carriage and pushed down on the grass. Beside the carriage, a man, who appeared to be a merchant, was lying on his back, bleeding from the head, holding a boy of about seven or eight years old in his arms to protect him.

“Shut the kid up, or I’ll kill him.”

Five men in dirty leather armor with swords hanging from their arms and a man in armor on horseback look down at the barbaric act with cold eyes.

The image is so obvious that it makes me cringe. I’ve never seen anything like it in real life since I came to this world. There is no Adventurer’s Guild, but this kind of thing exists, huh?

“It can’t be helped. Yoshua, keep going.”

Myrril-san pulled a UZI bolt from the sidecar. Despite her sullen expression, she seemed to be very, very happy.

No, what she said before and what she is doing are different, aren’t they?

“Wouldn’t it be better if I just show them the power of His Majesty the Demon King?”

“…As your wish, Your Majesty the Queen.”

The men, who were originally regular soldiers, didn’t have time to react. Before they even noticed the Ural’s exhaust noise, a .45-caliber pistol bullet shot through the men’s groins.

Compared to a shot to the eyeballs, the bullet did not kill them instantly. However, they suffered through the pain and were not saved at the end, which is rather more merciless than killing them. The remaining horseman, frozen in place, shuddered at the sight of the men who continued to scream in agony.

“Wha-!”

The spear he was about to raise blows away. The man gasped and began to tremble as he saw the crumpled fingers of his right hand, which he lifted up after noticing something was wrong. The pain must have hit him only after he saw it. No doubt.

As I parked the Ural in front of the horse, Myrril-san stood up and held her hand out toward me in an exaggerated gesture.

“Refrain from doing so. You are in the presence of His Majesty the Demon King!”

…No, it’s impossible. There was no way I could react to that without a preamble. The merchant and his son were too stunned to understand what was going on.

The horseman, who seemed to be the superior officer, had five of their men wiped out in two seconds, and it was admirable that he was able to determine that we were the enemy.

“…Demon, King?”

The horseman reaches for the sword at his waist, not realizing that he can’t pull it out with his left hand alone in the first place.

Before he realizes it, a merciless bullet shoots through his wrist.

“Hyioo, oo-oh…”

The scream was surprisingly feeble as if his heart had already been broken.

“I’ll leave you alive. Tell that to those who made foolish decisions. His Majesty the Demon King, who has descended to Casemaian, will bring the hammer of darkness down on any kingdom that tries to lay a hand on his servants!”

She glanced at me and made a face that said, “Are you going to say something?” There is nothing to say. Don’t be unreasonable, Myr-neesan.

I start the Ural, passing by the merchants who look on in dismay.

“If you’ve got time to attack merchants, why don’t you attack the kingdom’s castle, you coward! That’s why you’ve fallen to the ranks of brigands!”

…No, I don’t think that’s a good idea either. I mean, don’t bother turning around and yelling. The person you were attacking is probably already dead from shock or excessive bleeding.

“The country is on the brink of collapse, and you attack a merchant’s wife instead of quelling a civil war or protecting your people!”

“Hey, you can complain later. Look forward, Myrril!”

Two hundred meters ahead, through a blind corner of the forest, a four-horse chariot escorted by eight horsemen of the kingdom army appeared. The only people riding those things in the northern part of the kingdom today are probably the ringleaders of the civil war or the bigwig nobles on the ringleaders’ side or something.

It came from the opposite side, the cause of the kingdom’s collapse.