Chapter 143 Astray

[Layland Kleinhaus' POV]

"Look at the mark on your chest, everyone. Congratulations, you have been granted the right to be our Demon King's citizens," Velucan announces.

The citizens immediately check their chest, and sigh in relief upon spotting the Geas. They genuinely think it is a mere qualification to be called a Demon King's citizen, so none of them are suspicious about it.

Turning to Velucan, they give him a wondering look. It is easy to conclude that they are asking what they should do next; Velucan is also as clueless, so he turns to me.

He, at least, has some decency to do it mildly, so he still looks as charismatic as the people picture him to be in their mind. Putting my hand on my Rank Necklace, I channel my Mana into it, and tell him what to do next.

"Tell him to bring their children that they left at home, and kill the adults that didn't come to this place. Make sure to convince them that those adults are also traitors."

"... Well, I know how to play with humans, but you... You are something else," comes the answer from said Garou. "If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you just wanted to mess around with them."

"I am messing around with them, but it's beneficial," I reply dryly.

Velucan immediately cuts the connection, and turns to the humans. He clears his throat once, then tells them in his most "passionate" voice the exaggerated version of what I have told him.

The bullshit is plain, in my eyes, but the blinded citizens can no longer discern which one is a truth and which one is a lie. I am sure some of them have left their parents, spouses, and siblings at home, but nonetheless they still agree to kill those people.

In this situation, humans being humans, any form of relationship, blood-related or not, has already evaporated to the air. They only have one thing in their mind, and that is their selfish thought about how to make the best out of the situation.

"We, Cursed Creations, no matter how bad we are in front of the human's eyes, are softhearted creatures who know how to respect their family ... Everyone, please, do not torture your betrayer of a neighbor or family. End them quick—don't let them suffer."

I have to praise Velucan for his wit. By giving those heartfelt suggestion, he has just erased the doubt in the people's heart, who weren't very sure if killing the traitors was necessary.

The Geas on them is telling them to exactly do what Velucan tells them. They, however, don't know that it is a command from their master, so they interpret the impulse they feel as something that comes from their heart.

p They believe they are doing the right thing, because they are sure their heart would have cried if they weren't. Of course, it is nothing but how I perceive the situation, judging by the expression they make.

"For a former loner, I do act like I know humans well, don't I?" I mutter sardonically. "Well, at least, I can tell from the aura they are exuding, my observation is spot on."

Putting my hand on my Rank Necklace once again, I talk to Velucan once we are connected. I tell him to tell the citizens that he has a surprise for them, so they should quickly return to the Glory Field after finishing their 'job.'

I then sneakily head to the bunker of the wealthy near the city hall, even before Velucan delivers the message. The citizens don't notice my disappearance, and even my troop mates are planting their curious gaze on my back as I didn't say anything to them.

When I reach the tree where the bunker is hidden below, I channel my Mana into it, and wait as the ground it is planted on sinks down. When the ground stops sinking, I see the tunnel that will lead me to the entrance of the bunker.

Rushing through it, I find the entrance that I have blocked with Earth Magic in seconds. I can hear a continuous light thud from behind the blockage, which means the people are still breathing and struggling to get out.

Tapping the ground twice with my feet, due to my newly heightened Affinity toward Earth, I easily remove the earthen blockage.

Thud!

"Ouch! Damn it!"

The guy that has been hitting the blockage falls down right in front of me. He rejoices at first, but is soon terrified like the others the moment he sees me.

I take a step forward, and that managed to scare the soul out of him. He immediately gets up from the ground, then joins the other five people.

"Atonement... Do you want it?" I say ambiguously. "Your life is worthless now, but I have a new purpose to live for you, which will make your life meaningful anew."

"W-What do you mean by a-atonement, sir Demon?"

Hearing that the representative of the group call me the same way the sickening bastard that represented the corrupted people did, I can't help huffing lightly. That frightened the people, but I am sure they don't know why I huffed.

"Being called good people while being this selfish is quite contradictory, don't you think? Cooping yourself up in a safe place while ignoring the people's cry of agony... Don't you feel ashamed?"

The six people immediately lower their head and smile bitterly. Their face is that of someone who knows they are wrong, but still has to do what they have to—surviving.

They are good people, I can tell, which is why guilt tripping them is very easy. This way, they will do the job I am going to give them more sincerely and seriously.

"Come forward, and atone for your sin." My instruction is heard clearly, but they look at each other hesitantly first before stepping forward. "Kneel, and you will be able to turn over a new leaf."

All of them kneel, prompting me to activate the Demon King's Seal. I touch their forehead one by one, and just like that, I put a Geas on each one of them.

"None of you are the officials of the Dukedom, so I am not going to ask you to take control over the Dukedom through political means. My eyes tell me you are outstanding in your own field, so take full control of the Dukedom's economy."

What I need of them is their ability to manage the Dukedom. Our Kingdom is suffering monetarily, so I am sure Ilschevar will be reluctant to support a territory that isn't even ours on the surface.

Because of that reason, these merchants who reside here are needed. They know the market well; and I am sure, given their ability, they will be able to sustain the Dukedom long enough to last a decade.

If they are more competent than I expected, they will even be able to make the Dukedom prosper.

"Tsk. I wouldn't need to do any of this if the Kingdom took care of the territory belonged to a fallen Noble," I mutter in dissatisfaction.

Killing Niles is the same as freeing his territory. The Kingdom will claim the Dukedom once again, but instead of taking care of it, the Kingdom merely charges it with taxes.

The people will have to take care of the territory by themselves without any support from the Kingdom—except for military support—until the Kingdom gives the territory to another ruler, which usually takes a quite long time.

"You don't have to say much, but I do want you to convince the people as much as you can with your credibility," I say to the six people following behind me. We are on our way to the Glory Field.

Although I have marked them with a Demon King's Geas, the Geas is not visible unless I wish to see it. With this, no one will know if they have it on them—not even anyone from Verniculos Kingdom, except for Ilschevar, the Demon King himself.

When we are close to the Glory Field, I find that most of the people haven't returned yet, and none of my troop mates are there. Taking the six people to Velucan, I introduce the people as the citizens' recently appointed ambassadors.

"In short, they are going to be the bridge between us and the humans?" Velucan asks after I shortly explain the role of the six people.

"You got it right." I nod my head.

Shrugging lightly, Velucan puts the people behind him. We then wait for the return of the citizens and my troop mates who, I believe, are also searching for 'unmarked' citizens to kill.

When 15 minutes passed, my troop mates and the citizens who have done their job returned. Close to a half of the citizens' clothes are covered in blood, and those wearing them mostly have a solemn mood.

"Everyone, I am going to make one last announcement before our departure, but before that, please take your children to me," Velucan says.

The citizens take their children to Velucan without any hesitation. Their children, obviously, are frightened, but ignoring that, he immediately puts a Geas on them.

I didn't tell him anything about doing that. That is purely his initiative, which proves that he still prioritizes common sense over his soft spot for kids.

Kids they may be now, after all, there is no guarantee none of them will deviate from their parents' teaching. We can't risk being stabbed in the back by the people we have nurtured.

Afterwards, the six ambassadors are introduced to the people. The people easily accepted them, and that marks the end of our Conquest Mission, which is easier but crazier than I expected.