107 - The Creeping Shadow
The unrest in the north had no effect on the Laurel Kingdom's expedition. This was exactly as desired, not only by the Laurel Kingdom but also by those who had caused the unrest. The Laurel Kingdom army's focus was completely concentrated on the expedition alone.
That expedition was proceeding smoothly. One could even say it was too smooth. This was thanks to the exploits of Fumiya, who belonged to the first wave.
Fumiya was now sitting in a chair in a room of the royal castle they had just captured, a lewd smile on his face.
"Now, hurry up and take it in your mouth."
Fumiya commanded the woman kneeling before him. He had already exposed his lower body.
"...I, I cannot do such a thing."
The woman refused. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, making no attempt to move it.
"You cannot... is that really something you should be saying?"
"P-please forgive me."
"I cannot forgive you. If you, a princess, refuse to listen to me, it means this country is defying me, doesn't it?"
"............"
The princess fell silent at Fumiya's threat. Conflict swirled within her heart.
"Conversely, if you do as I say, you will be rewarded. Not just you, but your family as well."
"...Is that true?"
The treatment of royalty from a defeated nation was naturally severe. To ensure no seeds of future resentment remained, it was common for everyone, including women and children, to be executed. The favorable treatment Fumiya spoke of was almost unheard of.
"I do not lie. Trust is important for ruling a country."
"Ruling a country?"
"My exploits make it only natural that I receive a country as a reward. It wouldn't be strange if that country were this one."
"............"
If that truly happened, the life and death of her and her family would be entirely at Fumiya's mercy. While there was no guarantee he would provide favorable treatment, there was no doubt that she must not anger him.
"Now, everything depends on you. What will you do?"
"I, I..."
"First, lift your head. You can't do anything like that, can you?"
"Y-yes..."
Hearing his tone sharpen, the princess decided to obey, however reluctantly. She lifted her head and looked forward.
Fumiya's lower body was right in front of her. Strenuously suppressing the urge to look away, the princess continued to look forward.
"Is this perhaps your first time seeing one?"
"...Yes."
"I see... that makes sense. It would be surprising if a princess were accustomed to them."
The smile spread across Fumiya's face once more. His opponent was the princess of a nation, albeit a small one. He could not suppress the joy of making her submit.
"Now, what will you do next?"
Fumiya's member reacted from imagination alone. The princess slowly brought her mouth closer to the reacting part.
"Yes... open your mouth. Now..."
"...Ngh... mgh..."
Unable to hold back any longer, Fumiya pressed the princess's head down, thrust his lower body into her mouth, and began to move his hips violently. The princess gasped in distress. That reaction only pleased Fumiya further.
(This is great. I think I'll enjoy this. After all, she's a princess. She'll be worth training. No, if this country really becomes mine... no, there's more...)
The lie he told to make the princess submit was transforming into a strong desire within Fumiya. As a means to satisfy his swelling greed, the situation Geel had predicted was becoming a reality in a form more distorted than even that prediction.
◇◇◇
Within the Laurel Kingdom army, there were those who did not view the smoothly progressing expedition favorably. It was not that they wished for the expedition to fail. Precisely because they sought success, they harbored anxiety about the current situation.
The one who felt this most strongly was Sieg, the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force.
"...Were the orders properly conveyed to the first wave?"
Sieg questioned his subordinate with a grim expression.
"Yes! That is, without a doubt..."
It was obvious that Sieg was in a foul mood. The subordinate being questioned was slightly intimidated.
"In that case, it becomes a violation of orders. What about this?"
"That is... no, I have not conveyed it."
Excuses like "I don't have that authority" were not things to be uttered now. The subordinate decided to answer only with the facts.
"Then send a messenger. Tell them that if they continue to ignore orders, they will be charged with a violation of military law."
"Yes, sir!"
Receiving the order, the subordinate left the conference room. Internally, he was relieved that lightning had not struck him. He knew Sieg was not the type to take things out on others, yet he felt it anyway.
That was how clearly Sieg was manifesting his inner dissatisfaction.
"...Have the situations in various regions been confirmed?"
Next, Sieg requested the current situation within the Kingdom of Aria, which they were invading.
"It is certain that they are shaken by the fall of the royal capital. However, we have not yet received information that any castles have surrendered."
They had taken the royal capital. But many enemy forces still remained within the Kingdom of Aria. To say they had only taken the royal capital was not an exaggeration.
"I see... are there any units likely to become the center of resistance?"
"We have not yet fully grasped the information on the Aria Kingdom army in various regions. However, among those who were not in the royal capital, the highest-ranking person would be General Patterson."
"If I recall... he was the one responsible for the defense of the southern border. It will be a nuisance if they gather there."
"Yes. That is the position furthest from our army. Furthermore, it would be troublesome if they teamed up with the neighboring Kingdom of Lydia."
While it was a nuisance to subjugate forces scattered in various places, a situation where they formed an alliance with a neighboring country was even more troublesome. The operational plan should have been devised to prevent such a situation, but the rampage of the first wave had rendered it meaningless.
"...Now, which should I choose?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"If the Aria Kingdom army gathers at the southern border, other regions will be left wide open. Furthermore, if we defeat the gathered Aria Kingdom army in a short-term battle, we can make up for the delay in the operation."
"Is that assuming the gathered Aria Kingdom army attacks aggressively?"
"Exactly. If they remain at the southern border and form an alliance with the Kingdom of Lydia, the story changes. If we can settle that battle quickly, it would be a difference in a good way, but..."
The possibility of small nations forming an alliance had been considered during the planning stage. He had no intention of losing. The problem was time. The issue was whether they could win the territorial expansion struggle against other great powers.
"Is it not possible to defeat the Aria Kingdom army units individually as they attempt to gather?"
"...I see. That might be easier than capturing the Undead Legion."
To do that, it would be necessary to accurately grasp the movements of the Aria Kingdom army scattered in various regions. Sieg expressed his doubt about whether that was possible with a joke in his own style.
"In that case... should we perhaps try seeking cooperation?"
To that, the subordinate also replied with a joke. Though he did not lack the feeling that it would be great if it were actually possible.
"It would be great if we could. But the Undead Legion possesses a movement speed that we cannot hope to match."
Sieg felt the same, or rather, more strongly than the subordinate. But in reality, it was impossible.
"...It seems difficult."
He wasn't talking about getting the Undead Legion to cooperate, but about the realization of the strategy he had devised.
The marching speed of the Aria Kingdom army, prioritizing gathering, should be fast. The Laurel Kingdom army, which was chasing them, would require a speed that exceeded that. A speed like the Undead Legion Sieg had mentioned.
"It's too early to give up. If chasing is impossible, we can simply get ahead of them."
"...True."
"However, if we mistake the destination, we'll end up waiting in vain. Strive for information gathering. Whether the enemy gathers at the southern border, or if not, where they are heading, or if they aren't heading anywhere. We must determine this."
"Yes, sir. I will issue instructions immediately."
In the battle with the Undead Legion, he had failed at this. He could not repeat the same mistake.
"I'm counting on you. Ah, convey an additional order to the first wave."
"What is it?"
"Tell them to leave only the minimum number of people necessary for the defense of the royal capital and return everyone else to the rear. Manpower is needed to capture enemy forces in various regions. Besides, it would be problematic if they continued to move around on their own."
"Yes, sir. Understood."
"Now, is there anything else..."
He would take every measure possible. He had to avoid any further situations that would cause major discrepancies in the plan.
"...I have no choice but to call Geel."
"Geel-dono?"
Fear appeared on the subordinate's face upon hearing that Geel was to be called. The Mad Sword. In the military, this evaluation of Geel had not changed.
"I'm calling Geel precisely because he's the kind of person who provokes that reaction. The first wave needs a weight to hold them down."
Regarding the rampage of the first wave, Sieg believed there was also a problem with those around Fumiya who were being dragged along. He wanted Geel to somehow handle that.
"...Understood."
Even after hearing the explanation, the subordinate still looked dissatisfied. If it was a matter of a weight, there should be someone more suitable than Geel. Sieg could tell the subordinate held such a thought.
Then, if asked who that was, the subordinate would not be able to answer immediately. He would probably give a name, but Sieg thought that person would not be someone the subordinate was satisfied with.
If only Alfred were alive. This thought surfaced in Sieg's heart once again.
He should not have made Ray an enemy. Even if he couldn't make him an ally, he should have killed him sooner. Sieg had had the opportunity to kill Ray. He had.
"...Not him, but the Hero...?"
He wasn't the only one who had the opportunity to kill Ray. Why was Ray, who should have been killed, still alive? In the first place, why did Ray make an enemy of the Laurel Kingdom?
Perhaps the root cause was not Ray, but the Hero, who was involved in everything. At the possibility that surfaced in his mind, Sieg felt a bad premonition.
◇◇◇
The Imperial Guard Knights departed from the royal capital. That meant the King had departed leading the army.
The purpose was to inspire the invasion force. Though this was a superficial reason to prevent the King's sortie from being perceived as a crisis for his own country. In reality, the invasion was proceeding smoothly and was far from a crisis. Despite that, the Imperial Guard Knights had sortie under the pretext of inspiration because there was another purpose they wanted to hide.
They headed not south, where the border with the Kingdom of Aria was, but east. To the Forest of Bewilderment.
"...Will they really appear?"
While keeping an eye on the surroundings, the Captain of the Royal Guard voiced his thoughts. The Captain believed he was being deceived.
"At the very least, right now, we cannot put our hands deep into the Forest of Bewilderment. There is no doubt that someone is blocking the intrusion."
The one who answered the Captain's question was the Head of the Intelligence Agency. Not only the Imperial Guard Knights, but the Intelligence Agency had also mobilized a considerable number of people this time.
"...Is that not a problem?"
"Of course it is a problem. But this is not something that just started. You should know that the Forest of Bewilderment was a hideout for the Demon Race, right?"
"That is true, but..."
The Captain of the Royal Guard naturally knew that the Demon Race had lived there in hiding. However, even back then, it wasn't a situation where spies could not intrude.
"If you are worried, you should solidify the defense so as not to show any openings. That is why we are here."
"I know without being told."
Protecting the King was the job of the Royal Guard Knights. To the Captain of the Royal Guard, having that pointed out sounded like nothing but sarcasm.
"...It seems they have appeared."
"They've come! Shields up!"
Following the Captain of the Royal Guard's command, the knights simultaneously shifted into combat stance.
"...Is our country's Royal Guard going to be okay?"
Seeing this, the Head of the Intelligence Agency muttered in a small voice that the Captain could not hear. They had come here to hold discussions. Despite that, showing such an eagerness to fight would ruin the atmosphere.
To prevent that, the Head of the Intelligence Agency left the spot and began walking toward the forest. Waiting for him was Geel, and led by Geel, Ray appeared, clad in all-black attire.
"...The atmosphere feels like they're about to attack at any moment?"
Ray spoke to the approaching Head of the Intelligence Agency with a wry smile.
"My apologies. It seems the Captain of the Royal Guard of my country cannot distinguish between a meeting and a war."
"Why have you not fired such a Captain of the Royal Guard yet?"
"...I was waiting for the heat to die down."
Amidst rumors of his relationship with Prince Neil, firing the Captain of the Royal Guard would have caused the rumors to be recognized as fact. He had avoided that.
"Plenty of time has passed. In that case, is it a pretext... shall we just turn back?"
Due to the Captain of the Royal Guard's wrong response, the venue for discussion had been ruined. As a failure, it was passable.
"That would be problematic. I don't mind, but His Majesty likely wouldn't approve."
"I see... and where is this King Majesty?"
"Inside the camp. If possible, I would like you to move a bit further away from the forest."
This was a place they had just exited from the Forest of Bewilderment. In a situation where they didn't know how many of the Demon Race were lurking in the forest right behind them, they could not let the King approach.
"So you cannot let your own King take a risk. If you harbor such suspicions, you shouldn't have sought such a meeting. An exchange of documents would have been sufficient for us."
"He desires an exchange that cannot be left in documents."
"If that is the case, you didn't have to make it so exaggerated."
"I am aware of your dissatisfaction. Even so, I want you to yield here. You should have the responsibility to do so."
"...Sigh, how depressing."
While complaining, Ray stepped forward. Almost simultaneously, a shadow descended behind Ray. It was the Dracul King.
"I cannot let a King head toward a dangerous place alone."
This was an explanation for the two other than Ray. Especially for the Head of the Intelligence Agency, who was openly showing vigilance.
"...No problem. Just... no, let's leave that for later."
The Dracul King did not know who the Head of the Intelligence Agency was, but he called Ray a King. The Head of the Intelligence Agency was curious about that, but first, he had to arrange the meeting. Thinking that if it was an important conversation, it should all the more be discussed in the presence of the King, the Head of the Intelligence Agency stopped asking.
The four of them walked in the direction where the Laurel Kingdom Imperial Guard Knights had set up camp. Eventually, two figures emerged from the knights.
"Will the Captain of the Royal Guard be present for the talk?"
"No, he's just trying to force his way along."
As the Head of the Intelligence Agency said, the King was telling the Captain of the Royal Guard to go back. The Captain had refused, but when the King commanded him sternly in a voice clearly audible to Ray and the others, he returned to the camp with a reluctant look.
The King stepped forward alone. It was not Ray's imagination that he seemed to be glaring.
"...Is it a case of 'clothes make the man'?"
These were the King's first words.
"Ah. Everyone told me that dressing shabbily to meet His Majesty the King would be unacceptable."
"By 'everyone,' you mean the Demon Race. Do the Demon Race also have vanity?"
"Kings are holding a meeting. I believe that tidying one's appearance is a courtesy toward the opponent."
Here, the Dracul King intervened. To make the King revise his perception.
"...What did you just say?"
"I said this is a meeting between a King and a King."
"That 'King' refers to... this question is tedious. I see. A new Demon King has risen."
It was obvious that the King the Dracul King referred to was Ray. He had no choice but to accept it.
"I believe there would be no meaning to the meeting otherwise. Am I wrong?"
The Dracul King had not informed him that Ray was the Demon King on his own whim. It was something done with Ray's consent.
"That is true... right. Let's settle that talk first. Release the hostages."
"If you accept our demands."
"And those demands are?"
The King asked this, knowing full well.
"The cessation of the invasion of Nordende."
Ray returned the answer that was exactly as the King expected.
"...Do you believe such a condition can be accepted?"
"Yes. I do. The current Laurel Kingdom is in no position to be fighting within its own territory. You should not wish to divide your forces to the north."
"If you are referring to the expedition, you are mistaken. The invasion of Nordende does not affect the expedition."
"I see. Then the negotiations have broken down."
Ray spoke of the breakdown of negotiations quite simply. However, the King was not one to be shaken by this.
"I do not mind, but is it not your side that will be troubled by that?"
"It is troubling. But your side will be even more troubled. His Majesty the King prioritized obtaining the withered lands of Nordende over abandoning the hostages. The noble houses who learn of this will complain."
"Something of that level. It will not become a major problem."
Protests from noble houses would, in reality, become quite a nuisance. That said, yielding here would not be a negotiation.
"Furthermore, every single knight and soldier stationed in Nordende will become people who never return. The bereaved families will surely grieve."
"...Is that a threat?"
"I have been threatening you for a while now. The cessation of the invasion is also for your own sake."
The forces stationed in Nordende were hostages. They never had the power to suppress Nordende in the first place.
"...Even if we cease the invasion, where is the guarantee that your side will not attack?"
At this point, the King yielded. He had come to this place originally intending to accept a certain level of conditions. He had played hard to get to avoid making the conditions as bad as possible.
"If your side does not attack, our side will not attack. However, not all of the Demon Race agree. Those we expelled from Nordende might not listen to what we say."
"And I should believe that?"
Even if a conflict arose, it would have nothing to do with him. Ray's words sounded like nothing but excuses.
"Because it is a fact. Even in the Laurel Kingdom army, there were people who acted while ignoring the orders of their commanders. We are in the same boat."
"...What if I tell you that if those demons cause problems, your side must also cooperate in their subjugation?"
"If there is a request and it is not false, I will accept."
He would take merciless action against those who disturbed the peace of Nordende. That was something Ray had already decided long ago.
"...Anything else?"
"If I list the details, there are various things, but the biggest is that please understand that even if I kill the Hero, it has nothing to do with the Demon Race."
"W-what did you say?"
"Revenge against the Hero is my personal problem. It has nothing to do with me as the representative of the Demon Race. It would be problematic if it were thought that the Demon Race broke the promise because the Hero was killed."
Ray had not given up on revenge. Even if the target of revenge narrowed, the Hero would never be excluded.
"...There is no way such a thing can be permitted."
"No, it should be permitted. The Hero's power is necessary because we fight the Demon Race. If there is no need to fight, the Hero becomes a useless existence."
"That is not true."
The Hero's power was also necessary for the expedition. He expected the Hero's exploits in the expedition most of all.
"You might change your mind eventually... or maybe not. This is fine. When I put it into action, I will not be the Demon King."
"Then this discussion loses its meaning."
"I'm fine with that. I am the representative of the Demon Race who seek a peaceful life without conflict. The person who replaces me is someone with that kind of thinking, so the promise will be kept. Even if not, the Demon Race keep their promises."
"...The time limit?"
"I'd like to say 'forever,' but that's probably impossible. This cannot be left in a formal document. It ends as a verbal promise with Your Majesty. Am I wrong?"
"...No, that is correct."
He had signed a non-aggression pact with the Demon Race. There was no way he could make such a thing public. Other nations would use it as a pretext to attack. Before that, the citizens would not accept a treaty with the Demon Race.
"Please live as long as you can."
"I don't want to hear that from you."
"...Why?"
"This is a condition from my side. I will not permit you to meet my daughter, nor that child. This is absolutely non-negotiable."
The resentment toward Ray as a father. That was the answer to Ray's question.
"...That's a personal emotion, isn't it?"
"No, it is to protect the dignity of the royal family as the King."
Originally, the relationship between Ray and Princess Ekaterina, and the matter of the child, were top secrets. If it became known that Ray had become the Demon King, it would be an even bigger problem. There was a reason other than personal emotion, for the time being.
"I understand. I promise that."
"...Truly?"
"I have known for a long time that I am not in a position to meet them."
Even so, he had gone to meet them. Ray considered that to have been his own ego. Princess Ekaterina would accept him. Confirming that was because he wanted to comfort his own feelings. Thinking of Princess Ekaterina, he should not have done such a thing.
"...What do you think of the child?"
The King, who asked this while saying not to meet, was cruel.
"I believe they are not permitted to feel ordinary happiness."
"And so... no, I see. In fact, you have committed a crime of exactly that magnitude."
Asking if that was alright would contradict his own emotions. Thinking so, the King switched to harsh words.
"I know. But is it only me? You do not understand that the Demon Race also have the feeling of seeking that ordinary happiness. You do not understand how many women and children have been cast into the depths of misery by this war."
"............"
Women and children. Geel had expressed it that way too. The King remembered that.
"Even now in the royal capital, there must be women who are suffering. If possible, I hope you will confirm that with your own eyes."
"...I will consider it."
The pained expression of the Dracul King standing behind Ray. For the first time, the King touched upon the emotions of the Demon Race. He understood for the first time that they possessed those feelings, which should be natural. While thinking that as the King of the Laurel Kingdom, a human nation, it would have been better not to know, he felt like thinking a bit more deeply about Ray's feelings.