Chapter 117
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: In the Name of the Father and Son
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As the battle dragged on, the Gjallarhorn Mercenary Company, as expected, began to distinguish themselves.
The hundred-odd dwarves, with a strength comparable to beastkin, mercilessly cut down the demon soldiers.
“Everyone, get back!”
One of the dwarves from the rear rushed forward, carrying a large object.
It was a cannon-like device with a handle on top. The muscular dwarf aimed it at an iron golem’s chest.
“Die!”
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A steel spike, propelled by an explosive charge, shot out from the device, and the iron golem toppled backwards, a large hole in its chest.
As the multi-ton golem fell, the surrounding soldiers scattered.
“That’s a pile bunker.”
I felt a surge of excitement at the sight of the legendary weapon, a symbol of pure, unadulterated manliness.
I knew dwarves were skilled warriors and engineers, but this was on another level.
Another dwarf threw what appeared to be a grenade and then detonated it in mid-air with a multi-shot crossbow.
Hundreds of steel balls exploded outwards, piercing the bodies of the nearby demon soldiers.
Battle-axes, pile bunkers, claymore grenades, and multi-shot crossbows.
Their combat prowess was worthy of their title as one of the strongest mercenary companies on the continent.
Truly tactical.
While the Gjallarhorn Mercenary Company was wreaking havoc on the kingdom’s side, the Beastkin Legion of the Great Forest was also making its presence known.
Beastkin, a fusion of the best traits of both beasts and humans, possessed immense physical strength and incredible regenerative abilities.
Ordinary weapons couldn't even scratch their hides, and their aura-infused claws and teeth tore through steel armor like paper.
And even if they were wounded, minor injuries healed instantly. Ordinary humans were no match for them.
“GAAAAAH!”
“Damn it! This is madness!”
“Goddess, please!”
No matter how much they cried and prayed, their goddess wouldn't save them.
The beastkin soldiers were diligently harvesting the lives of the humans, teaching them this simple truth.
And their leader, the Werelion Walter, was living up to his reputation as the Demon Lord’s Right Hand.
He was single-handedly taking on the Royal Guard, a unit composed entirely of Sword Expert-level aura users.
No, he was overwhelming them.
Unlike mages, who specialized in area-of-effect attacks, warriors were at a disadvantage in a one-on-many fight. But he, as if having eyes in the back of his head, blocked and parried every attack, steadily inflicting damage.
If it hadn’t been for Helios, the kingdom’s only Sword Master, who was fighting valiantly at the front, they would have been picked off one by one.
After about an hour of fighting, the humans, their stamina waning, began to retreat.
Both sides had suffered losses, but the demons were in better shape.
The undead and golems, who made up half of their forces, felt no fatigue.
“Retreat! Retreat!”
“Fall back slowly! Don’t turn your backs, or you’ll be the first to die!”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sound of war drums echoed across the battlefield.
The beleaguered humans had chosen to make a tactical retreat.
An order came from the Demon Lord’s command.
“Don’t pursue them. Regroup and reform. We’ve taken losses as well.”
The Demon Lord’s word was law.
The order was quickly relayed to all units.
Tooooot!
The horn sounded, and the demons, who had been hunting down the fleeing humans, stopped in their tracks.
Even Mephisto, a true demon whom I had thought would be difficult to control, withdrew his undead legion.
And so, the first battle between the kingdom and the Demon Lord’s army ended in a stalemate.
***
That night, the Demon Lord summoned me to his tent.
“Come in.”
His subordinates had already been dismissed. He was alone, drinking.
While I had been invited to dinner with him before, this was the first time I had been summoned for a private drink.
“Sit here.”
The Demon Lord patted the seat next to him.
He had already had quite a bit to drink, his normally pale skin flushed.
He was just like Ozma in this regard. Like father, like daughter?
I sat down awkwardly.
The Demon Lord handed me a glass and poured me a drink.
“How do you like the Demon Lord’s army? It’s been about six months since you joined, hasn’t it?”
“Huh? Uh… it’s not bad. Actually, it’s great. I feel more alive here than I ever did in the Hero’s party.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
The Demon Lord nodded and took a sip of his whiskey.
“I summoned you here tonight because I have something to say and a favor to ask.”
“Something to say and a favor?”
The Demon Lord nodded, looked at me, then closed his eyes for a moment.
He then bowed his head.
“I’m sorry for deceiving you.”
I was so surprised by his sudden apology that I jumped to my feet.
“P-Please, don’t do this. It’s… awkward.”
“No, I have to say this. You signed a Geass Scroll, but I still didn’t fully trust you, so I had you followed. You heard about this from Camilla, right?”
I finally understood. I nodded.
“Yes, I heard on the way here.”
“Then this will be quick. Even as a ruler, I can’t be proud of not trusting my own subordinate. So, I wanted to apologize to you in private.”
I had already forgiven him, so I felt a strange warmth as I looked at the back of his head.
Was this what an ideal boss was like?
To be honest, it was all so convenient that I almost suspected he was trying to trick me, but his reputation was too good for that.
As I was lost in thought, the Demon Lord, his head still bowed, asked,
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but can you forgive this foolish ruler?”
“I’ve already forgiven you. Please, raise your head.”
The Demon Lord finally looked up.
I scratched my head, feeling the awkwardness, and asked,
“So… I’ve accepted your apology. What was the favor you wanted to ask?”
The Demon Lord hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
“I want to break the chain of hatred that has bound us for so long.”
“The chain of hatred?”
“The hatred between humans and demons, a hatred without reason.”
He took a sip of water, as if to steel himself.
“The conflict between the Hero and the Demon Lord is a relatively recent development in the long history of the demons. It began 800 years ago, during the reign of the Dragonkin Tiberius.”
The average lifespan of a demon was 150 years, and some of the longer-lived races could live for over 300 years. So, in terms of generations, it wasn't a particularly long history.
“It all began when the Goddess of Courage and the Goddess of Power began their rivalry. They each chose a champion and forced them to fight, all for the sake of expanding their influence on the mortal realm.”
“So, the current Hero and Demon Lord?”
“Humans and demons were just pawns in their game. But over time, the truth was forgotten among humans, leaving only a deep-seated hatred and a vague fear of demons. I want to set things right.”
“…What do you want me to do?”
The Demon Lord was silent for a moment, then answered.
“You must make the humans surrender willingly. Can you do it?”
I thought of my aether magic, with its unparalleled destructive power.
It was possible.
“I think so.”
The Demon Lord nodded and held up two fingers.
“To end this meaningless chain of hatred, we need to meet two conditions. First, we must not incite the humans’ resentment. Second, we must make their religion fade away naturally.”
“Both are difficult.”
“With our current forces, we could easily crush the remaining human army. It’s only a matter of time. But if we do that, if we slaughter their soldiers and conquer the capital, there will be a backlash. Their families live in Oz. The resentment of a lost loved one is a powerful thing. They will resist to the very end.”
“So, we need a bloodless conquest to prevent that.”
“Exactly.”
The Demon Lord nodded slightly and looked at me.
“The second plan can only be implemented after we’ve taken Oz. We’ll discuss it later. For now, it’s just a theory.”
I nodded and smiled wryly.
“I suddenly feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.”
“Don’t worry. As the strongest mage in the Demon Lord’s army, you can surely destroy the Walls of Constantinople.”
“You flatter me, Demon Lord.”
“Haha, I’m an excellent judge of character.”
The Demon Lord stroked his beard, then, noticing my empty glass, offered me the bottle.
“That’s enough serious talk for tonight. Be my drinking companion.”
“Of course. Allow me to pour you a drink.”
I took the bottle and, out of habit, began to make a cocktail.
It was time to put my接待 (settai - business entertainment) skills, learned in my previous life, to use in this new world.