CH 323

I was able to talk to Rig after a long time.

That was my Adjutant.

He remembered everything that happened while I was asleep, which was a great help.

And so I learned a lot through listening to him.

This country was being attacked by two Demon Kings from the north, and the south had yet to be subjugated.

Because of this, they still could not move their fighting force in the south to the north.

According to the merchants who had escaped the fighting, the Demon King alliance to the north had the advantage as of now.

This was the reason that Rig and my men were unable to return to our country.

If we tried to return, we would have to go through the Demon King alliance to the north. This was what was troubling Rig.

“In the first place, Melvis’s country is right next to Demon King Janius’s country. It’s not possible to move without clashing.”

I said as Rig asked me what we should do.

“If Tralzard were to strengthen her fighting force, she should be able to push the enemy back to the border…”

“That’s true, but the reality is that the enemy is pushing forward.”

That being said, it seemed that a defensive line was being maintained somewhere.

However, this was only because the Demon Kings themselves had yet to come out.

If the fighting continues, then Tralzard may go out herself.

“Sir Golan. If Tralzard went out, Demon King Janius and Demon King Gidman would follow as well, wouldn’t they?”

“I think so. And there will be a great decisive battle to the north of Tralzard’s lands. …That’s right next to our country!”

“Yes. What should we do?”

If we got sucked into such a great battle, all of my men would die.

At the very least, the Demon King alliance would not be so kind as to let us through.

We would be hunted down on sight.

“Alright, let’s go home.”

“Sir Golan?”

“I heard what I needed… I mean, I realize that the situation would make a return very difficult. But that’s why we have to return.”

“And why is that?”

“When this battle increases in scale, King Melvis will come out. And he’ll probably destroy a whole country for being ‘too loud.’”

“…”

“You understand, don’t you? I would say there is a fifty percent chance that this town will be targeted. I don’t really know where he will go. But we should return while we can.”

“But the war has already begun. We’ll have to travel through a battlefield.”

“Who are you more scared of, King Melvis or those Demon Kings?”

“King Melvis, of course.”

“And so we’re going home. Gather my men together.”

“Very well. I will do it at once.”

And so Rig left.

I brought up a map of the Demon World inside of my head.

No matter how we went, we would have to go through the battlefield.

But that was fine.

As long as the Demon Kings weren’t there, we could scatter them and return.

If Tralzard was still in this castle, then the other Demon King had no reason to make an appearance.

The only reason that Tralzard had got up from her throne during her fight against Legard, was because the Demon King had crossed the border in person.

On the other hand, you could say that it took that level of clear hostility to make Tralzard move.

And the Demon Kings wanted to destroy Tralzard.

They wouldn’t risk getting injured in a battlefield where Tralzard wasn’t even present.

In that case, they would sacrifice as many men as they had to in order to fight Tralzard. And just as she was weakened, they would go in and attack.

So it was likely that they would let their soldiers do the fighting for a while.

A battlefield without a Demon King meant that there would be no one there with overwhelming strength.

In other words, we should be able to crush any who got in our way.

“Yes, it’s a perfect plan.”

And so I left the room in order to tell Tralzard that we would be leaving.

“You’re going to leave? But you’ve only just come back to life. Aren’t you rushing things?”

“Well, I think it was just suspended animation… Well, never mind that. The north side has become a battlefield, hasn’t it?”

“Yes. It will not be easy to break through that line. And the enemy has been calling for reinforcements.”

“I don’t care how many there are. But if they make too much noise, King Melvis might come out…”

-Shudder.

She was shaking. Even her hands and feet were shaking.

And her eyes filled with tears.

“I-I would not want that. If King Melvis were to come out…we…we would all be turned into ash.”

“I know.”

I didn’t know if he would turn us into ash, but a lot of people would die. And it wouldn’t matter if you were an enemy or ally.

He didn’t care about anything as long as he found Yamato.

“So, he’ll come? He really will? I-I…need to go to the lavatory.”

She was about to escape from the window, and so I had to quickly stop her.

Not only that, but she was holding some gold artifacts that had been placed near the throne.

Escape funds. How far did she intend on running?

“Don’t worry. I will talk to King Melvis once we’ve returned to our country.”

“You will? You’ll persuade him? And he won’t come here?”

“Yes. He won’t come. It will be fine. So don’t jump out of that window.”

But this person was close to becoming a Great Demon King. Just how scared was she of Melvis?

She wasn’t frantic at all when the two other Demon Kings declared war on her.

I suppose it was due to past trauma… Or maybe Melvis’s strength did warrant such a reaction.

In order to be equal to Melvis, you had to become a Great Demon King.

And even then, a newly born Great Demon King might still be lacking when it came to aptitude and experience.

I managed to coax Tralzard and then started to prepare for my return.

But that just meant equipping my armor and weapons.

“Where’s Rig…ah, there he is.”

As I walked through the castle, I spotted Rig in the courtyard.

My subordinates were also gathered there.

“Ah, Sir Golan.

Rig noticed me. The others all turned to me at once.

“He really did come back to life!!”

“So it was true!?”

“But he was dead.”

“Aye, completely dead.”

“He must have been resurrected then.”

“Madness! Sheer madness!”

“Woaah…it’s amazing. Our Immortal General has returned!”

“Our leader is immortal! Arrghh!”

This happened the moment that they saw my face. They became incredibly excited.

No, it was just suspended animation… But they wouldn’t understand.

“Hyaaahaa! He has returned!”

“Hyaahaa! Now we’ll never fear anything!”

“Hyahaa! Even a Demon King or Great Demon King will be nothing!”

“Hyaaha!”

“Hyahha!”

“Hyahaaa!!”

“…These guys.”

They were so annoying.

“Why don’t you say something?”

“Eh?”

“They were all so worried about you.”

“…I see.”

Hearing that they were worried made me feel a little bad.

And so I followed Rig’s advice and raised my right hand reluctantly.

And then their cries rose to a new peak.

Just then, the entire castle seemed to be affected by this atmosphere.

“Hyaha! This is amazing! Hyaahaa!”

“…Am I really going to have to return with these people?”

Perhaps I should punch every one of them so they would settle down first.