97 - A Quiet Battle
Geel, who was tasked with searching for Ray, had now reached a complete dead end. Ray was almost certainly in Nordende. Sera had heard this directly from Ray's own mouth. While Geel found that suspicious, he couldn't think of anywhere else Ray could be. He decided to head honestly toward Nordende—and within Nordende, toward the eastern mountains, where the most suspicious former Laurel Kingdom Army guerrilla unit had been operating. Up to this point, everything was fine. The problem lay beyond. He wanted Ray to give up on his revenge. If that resulted in Ray no longer being hostile toward the Laurel Kingdom, his objective would be achieved.
But how could he make Ray give up on his revenge? He couldn't find a way. He considered persuading Cecil, but he suspected it was highly unlikely she could act against Ray's will. If persuasion was impossible, the only option was to kill Ray. However, killing Ray also seemed to be difficult.
"...What do you mean, we can't get close?"
Geel, having heard the report from the returned Sera, wore a dissatisfied expression.
"A barrier has been cast around the destination."
"A barrier? What's that?"
"Magic tools for Presence Detection are set up all over the place. Not only that, but it's a mechanism where attack-type magic tools activate if you're caught by that detection."
"...That bastard."
Geel felt irritation at Ray's thoroughness.
"That's not all. There are magic beasts, and undead magic beasts as well."
"Huh?"
"They are different from the ones I saw before, but I believe he is definitely in that garrison."
Undead magic beasts. Sera had seen the one Ray controlled—the Murder Wolf.
"...He's certainly doing a lot."
It would be fine if these were preparations solely for self-defense. But if not, the Laurel Kingdom Army might have to fight a new undead legion. For Geel, it was a headache.
"Detection, attack magic, and undead magic beasts. That's all I could confirm, but I'm sure that's not the end of it."
"Probably... but this is troublesome. If the brat came out, we could talk, but..."
Because of the installed magic tools and undead magic beasts, they weren't even permitted to meet. Without that, they could neither negotiate nor kill each other.
"We might be able to lure him out by attempting a forced breakthrough."
"...No, knowing that bastard, it won't be such a naive trap. It's likely a preparation that prevents even a group of the Demon Race from approaching, isn't it?"
"That may be so..."
To Ray, the Demon Race were also enemies. That was a problem for Sera. Unlike Geel, the option of killing Ray was impossible for her. Even if it meant being killed herself, she wanted him to fight for the sake of the Vampio race.
"...First, let's gather information."
"Information? We know where he is."
"Not that. The movements around him. Who is Ray fighting? Or is he not fighting at all? Ah, I also want to get information on the women who were supposed to have headed to Nordende with him."
"We cannot act together."
If it was Geel, he should be able to obtain information from the Laurel Kingdom Army. However, there was no way Sera, a member of the Demon Race, could accompany him. The reverse was also true. Geel could not be present while Sera questioned the Demon Race.
"What, are you lonely?"
"A-Are you an idiot! That's impossible!"
"Is that so? I'm lonely, though."
"............"
It was the same as always. She knew he was teasing her, but Sera still felt a bit of embarrassment.
"Separate actions are unavoidable. We'll decide what to do after gathering information. Where and when we'll meet up."
"............"
"Hey? How long are you going to space out?"
Geel complained to Sera, who was vaguely gazing at the sky.
"...It's not that."
"...What is it? Did something happen?"
Geel realized that Sera wasn't spacing out, but was searching for a presence.
"That... could it be, is that also undead?"
"What?"
At Sera's words, Geel also looked up at the sky to search for the abnormality. He found it immediately. Several black dots floating in the sky. They were beginning to gather into one.
"...Crows... what are they planning?"
"Stop looking at the sky! They're here!"
"Eh?"
Sera lowered her gaze at Geel's voice. At the end of her sight was a herd of magic beasts charging toward them.
"If you're going to kill me, do it with your own hands! Stop cutting corners!"
"...Me?"
The target of the magic beasts was herself. Sera thought that Ray had sent the magic beasts to kill her.
"Here they come!"
The momentum of the charging magic beasts was tremendous, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. The lead magic beast was already in an attacking posture. Just as it seemed to sink its body deep, it immediately leaped high.
"Uoooooh!!"
Geel swung his sword toward that Undead Beast. The leaping beast had no way to avoid it, took Geel's sword, lost its balance, and fell to the ground.
"Don't let your guard down! The next one is coming!"
It wasn't just that one magic beast. A herd of magic beasts attacked Sera one after another. Geel and Sera desperately defended against those attacks.
"Tch. Undead are troublesome in this kind of fight."
In a sword fight, it was not easy to deal damage to the undead sufficient to immobilize them. Even if he tried to cut off their heads, the Undead Beasts' movements were fast, and even with Geel's skill, they weren't easily captured. Moreover, the number of Undead Beasts was steadily increasing.
"...Run!"
"Hah!?"
"His aim is my life! If you move away from me, Geel, you'll be saved!"
The Undead Beasts were attacking only Sera. The reason was clear. Sera was the only one who had earned Ray's resentment.
"Don't talk nonsense! Who do you think I am! There's no way I'd abandon a woman!"
"Now is not the time to be saying such things!"
"Shut up! I'll protect you! That's absolute!"
"Please listen to me! I don't want you to die, Geel!"
"I feel the same! I'm not about to lose you in a place like this!"
"Geel..."
She might lose her life. Despite such a situation, something warm welled up in Sera's chest. She felt joy at Geel's words.
"I have no intention of dying. We'll both survive... hm?"
Before they knew it, the magic beasts' attacks had stopped. Not only had the attacks stopped, but the Undead Beasts were gradually increasing the distance between themselves and Geel's group.
"...What are they planning?"
"I don't know."
Geel and Sera didn't understand the Undead Beasts' intention. However, they would soon get an answer. Once a certain distance had been established, the herd of Undead Beasts turned around and galloped away.
"...Did they run away?"
"...I don't know, but for now, let's leave this place."
"Yeah, you're right."
They didn't know what was happening, but staying in this place was not a good strategy. Thinking so, Geel and Sera decided to flee the area. If they could have heard Ray's words from a distant location—"What, it really is her after all"—they would have known there was no need to flee, but that was impossible.
◇◇◇
Geel and Sera weren't the only ones concerned with Ray's movements. Many of the Demon Race who had heard the rumors were paying attention to Ray. People who had lost their place and were cornered had no room to think and headed toward the garrison with the feeling of clutching at straws, but members of the Demon Race who were not in that position refrained from taking immediate action. Since he was of the Human Race—this was certain—what was Ray thinking by building a fortress? Was it, as before, because he had the intention to fight the Laurel Kingdom Army? If so, why did he refuse to cooperate? There were various things to consider. Members of the Demon Race who were thinking of a counterattack against the Laurel Kingdom. Members of the Demon Race who, instead, prioritized survival. Depending on the demon's perspective, the view of Ray differed. Amidst this, there were also demon forces who viewed Ray as an enemy. That was the group of demons following Leo of the Ryan race, the former Demon King.
"Just what is he thinking?"
"Therefore, we are currently diligently investigating that. However, it is difficult even to approach the fortress."
"That's not it! Why do they try to rely on a human brat!?"
What Leo was dissatisfied with was that the cornered demons were rushing into Ray's fortress. He didn't know how many had done so and been accepted by Ray, but it wasn't a matter of numbers.
"That is... above all, I believe the achievement of repelling the Laurel Kingdom Army's attack is significant."
"It was only a few hundred, was it not!?"
On the other hand, he himself had fought against ten thousand enemies. Leo could not understand why they would ignore him and go to Ray.
"Perhaps it would be better for us to go on the offensive as well?"
"...Don't be ridiculous! If that were the case, I should not have abandoned the fort!"
"No, that was the Demon King's..."
He would make them regret betraying him, the Demon King. He would make them realize they couldn't fight without him. Following Leo's feelings, they were thus doing nothing.
"Eventually, they will kneel again and beg for all demons to become the Demon King. Did I not say that?"
"...You did."
He certainly said that, but that was mere sycophancy. Leo was the one who had suggested it in the first place.
"And this is the result. What will you do about this situation?"
"...For now, nothing. In any case, we cannot make a judgment until we grasp what he is trying to do."
"While doing that, the number of fools who follow that guy might increase again."
"Those people will eventually regret it."
"............"
He couldn't say, "What if that doesn't happen?" That would mean Ray continued to win against the Laurel Kingdom Army. Such a result was something that must not happen for Leo.
"...It is merely a gathering of the weak who have no power to fight. Would it not be better for the Demon King-sama to unite those who have the will and power to fight?"
The subordinates didn't understand why Leo cared so much about Ray. Ray was protecting women and children who had no power to fight. In the subordinates' view, that should not be a bad thing.
"I have no choice but to show my power."
The situation would not change if he did nothing. He had no choice but to make people turn their eyes toward him by demonstrating his power. Leo finally thought to do this obvious thing.
"The Laurel Kingdom Army is currently strengthening its defenses, but they will eventually resume their invasion. I believe that time will be the perfect opportunity to show the Demon King-sama's power."
"That's true. Until then, reach out to the races and tribes that have the will to fight. Tell them the time for the counterattack is near. Gather under me."
"Understood."
The former Demon King Leo was beginning to move. Nordende was about to welcome a time of confusion in a different form.
◇◇◇
Ray wasn't just building a fortress. To Ray, the fortress—though he still called it a garrison—was merely a temporary residence. Not only did he intend to hand it over to the demons who fled there eventually, but he also considered it a makeshift home for those demons as well. One reason was the prediction that as the number of demons fleeing there increased, even the expanded garrison would eventually become too small. Then what to do? Ray thought about thinning the threat of the Laurel Kingdom Army. That could not be realized by fighting and winning. If they knew he had lost, only new forces, even larger forces, would be sent. That would be meaningless. After thinking and thinking, he finally came up with one plan. Thanks to the people necessary to execute it having fled into the fortress. The main camp of the Laurel Kingdom garrison was located where the former Demon King's Army fort had been. It was inside the rebuilt fort. Considering a long-term stay, it was considerably larger in scale and had more buildings than when it was the Demon King's Army fort. One of those buildings was the residence for the garrison executives. For an executive, a private room was provided. It was a comfortable room that didn't feel like a battlefield.
"...Was this really okay?"
In one of the executives' rooms, Ray was questioning the demon woman standing next to him.
"Please do not worry. For us, sexual intercourse is like a meal."
The one who answered was Sara, the chief of the Lilith race. The Lilith race is a race that lives by sucking the essence of males of other races. That was what Sara meant when she said sexual intercourse was the same as a meal.
"...Perhaps it's because I'm a man, but that's a dangerous meal, isn't it?"
On the bed in front of them, a meal was precisely taking place right now. The dining partner was a garrison executive, but despite Ray and Sara watching from right beside them, there was no reaction. Drool leaked from a sloppily opened mouth, and no vitality could be felt from eyes that had rolled back. Inside the heart, they must be obtaining the highest pleasure and overflowing with joy, but they were in a state that didn't look like it at all.
"That is because I am taking it a bit strongly in order to dominate the heart. Normally, it does not become like that."
"I see..."
Dominating the heart was Ray's strategy. Make the garrison executives captives of pleasure and make them obedient. Have them report to the royal capital that the conquest is proceeding smoothly, while in reality, making them do nothing. That was the attempt.
"If you are suspicious, would you like to try?"
"Huh?"
"Would you like to serve as my dining partner?"
"Ah... er, I greatly appreciate the sentiment, but if something like that were found out, it would be quite troublesome."
Looking at the man in front of him, he couldn't say he'd love to. While being careful not to anger the other party, Ray refused the offer.
"...You are strong."
Watching Ray, who had rejected her invitation, Sara said this while staring intently. For Sara, this was an impossible development.
"No, I'm weak. My training is still insufficient."
"Not that, let's see, your essence seems strong too."
"Eh... that's what you're talking about?"
What Sara was referring to was not combat power, but sexual stamina. Being the one questioned, Ray felt embarrassed and blushed.
"No, not that either, I said your heart is strong."
"My heart... that's what I have the least confidence in."
His heart is weak. That's why he created several personalities to protect himself. That's what Ray thought. It was a fact. However, he himself didn't realize that it was already a thing of the past.
"No, it is strong."
However, the strength of heart Sara spoke of had a slightly different meaning. For the Lilith race, sexual intercourse is a meal. The partner's feelings do not matter. The Lilith race has the power to seal the partner's resistance. An ability similar to the Charm of the Vampio race. Sara was impressed that Ray's heart was not affected by it.
"If that's the case, more... no, thank you."
If his heart were stronger, he might have been able to do something different. He might have been able to avoid hurting people who didn't need to be hurt. He thought so, but that wasn't something to tell Sara.
"...I will make sure it isn't noticed. Therefore, just once."
"N-Nooo."
"I have become interested in you. I thought I wanted to understand each other more. In our case, joining bodies is the best way."
"...Then next time. If there's an opportunity."
Ray was misunderstanding again. The "joining bodies" Sara spoke of was not about a meal.
"At times like this, one is supposed to show weakness. You don't understand a woman's heart, do you?"
Sara showed a sulking expression after having her courtship rejected.
"I'm sorry."
Ray, who didn't even understand that sulking emotion, indeed didn't understand a woman's heart, just as Sara said. However, even if he was dull toward a woman's heart, his head turned when it came to things like schemes. Eventually, the Laurel Kingdom garrison, whose executives were all brought under control, would see its movements stagnate for a long time.