Chapter 15
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The Eastern Front
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As soon as we returned to the Demon Lord’s castle, we headed straight for his office.
As Camilla had instructed, we were there to report the completion of our mission.
“Welcome back.”
Seneca, the goat-headed steward, opened the office door. The Demon Lord, looking much as he had four days ago, was already seated on the sofa, waiting for us.
It was quite late, so he must have finished his work and was enjoying some personal time.
As soon as I made eye contact with him, I bowed deeply and reported,
“I have returned after successfully completing the first mission you entrusted to me, Demon Lord.”
The Demon Lord smiled warmly.
“Well done, Kaldrash. Were you injured during the mission?”
“No, thanks to the maid you assigned to me, I was well taken care of.”
The Demon Lord’s gaze shifted to Camilla, standing behind me.
“You’ve worked hard as well, Camilla.”
“…It was my duty.”
She seemed pleased with the Demon Lord's praise, judging by the way she clenched her fists.
Good, this should be enough.
Since the mission report seemed to be a mere formality, I decided to move on to other matters.
I glanced at Camilla and, taking a seat opposite the Demon Lord, asked,
“If I may be so bold, Demon Lord, could I inquire about my next assignment?”
Surely he wouldn’t send me on another agricultural support mission.
The Demon Lord, pausing mid-sip of his tea, blinked in surprise.
“Impatient, aren’t we? You just returned. Why don’t you rest for today?”
“Leaving someone with my capabilities idle is a loss for the Demon Lord’s army. I wish to earn your trust as quickly as possible through diligent work.”
My sincerity seemed to resonate with him. He set down his teacup and stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“Actually, there is a place where your abilities are needed.”
“Then…”
“But there’s someone there who knows your face, which presents a problem.”
“Someone who knows my face?”
Before defecting to the Demon Lord’s army, during my time as the Hero’s party’s main damage dealer, not many demons had lived to tell the tale.
I looked at the Demon Lord expectantly, and he sighed softly.
“One of our officers who clashed with you frequently. How many such individuals could there be?”
I realized who he was talking about.
“You’re referring to Dorothea.”
Dorothea Gale, the Witch of the West.
One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord’s army.
She was also known as “The Calamity in the Guise of a Girl.”
Clad in ruby-red shoes, she reduced everything in her path to ashes. She and I, the only mage in the Hero’s party, had often clashed.
She had originally belonged to the Ruby Tower, one of the four great magic towers of the continent, making us natural rivals, given my affiliation with the Emerald Tower.
I hadn’t seen her in a while and assumed she had perished, but she was apparently still alive.
“She’s currently the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Front, and I’m planning to withdraw the troops there.”
I immediately understood the reason for the withdrawal.
“Because winter is coming.”
“Indeed.”
While a garrison was necessary to maintain control over the territories conquered from the humans, it was best to withdraw excess troops.
Furthermore, the Vulcan Mountain Range, where the Eastern Front was located, was a land of harsh winters.
The cold weather would exacerbate supply issues, potentially leading to starvation and freezing deaths if they weren't careful.
The Demon Lord tapped his fingers on the armrest of the sofa.
“If we openly withdraw our troops, the kingdom will likely launch an offensive to reclaim the territories they lost during the summer. To prevent this, we need a show of force to demonstrate that the Demon Lord’s army is still strong. However, Dorothea, as you know, isn’t suited for such a role.”
He was right. Dorothea, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, wasn't suited for this.
Having mastered fire magic, her specialty was annihilation.
But on the Eastern Front, complete annihilation of the enemy was not an option. Nor could they burn the enemy's supplies.
The only way to sustain their forces was to plunder what the enemy left behind.
In that sense, Dorothea was fighting with an invisible shackle.
But my situation was different.
“If you were to support Dorothea, it would ease my worries. However, I’m concerned about what might happen if I send you, given her strong dislike for you. I would mediate between you, but I can’t leave the castle.”
I understood what he was saying.
“So, you’re worried we’ll fight.”
“Indeed. Dorothea has quite a temper.”
I thought for a moment.
As I mentioned before, the Demon Lord wanted to keep my defection a secret.
But if I clashed with Dorothea, one way or another, the humans would learn of my allegiance to the Demon Lord.
That would put him in a difficult position.
But there was a solution.
“I’ll be wearing this mask and using the alias Patrasche on my mission. We can simply say I’m a new recruit.”
“…Do you think that will fool her? Dorothea will recognize your magic instantly.”
“Demon Lord, I’m not limited to a single type of magic.”
In the world of magic, it was possible to specialize in multiple elements, if one had the talent.
The problem was that few bothered, as it was difficult enough to master a single element.
My answer seemed to reassure him, and he finally agreed to my deployment to the Eastern Front.
“Then I’ll send you to the Eastern Front in two days.”
“Two days?”
I was ready to leave immediately. I hadn’t been fighting; I had just been helping with the harvest.
I looked at him questioningly, and he replied as if stating the obvious,
“We in the Demon Lord’s army are considerate of our employees, ensuring they don’t work more than sixty hours a week. You don’t think productivity increases by working without rest, do you? That would be a grave mistake. Loyalty to one's employer is fostered through adequate rest and proper compensation.”
“?????”
Had I heard him correctly?
A sixty-hour workweek in a fantasy world?
“Um… just to be sure, does the Demon Lord’s army also offer overtime pay?”
The Demon Lord tilted his head.
“Of course. Don’t the humans even provide such basic benefits?”
Uh… oh…
I was too embarrassed to answer.
I didn’t want him to think humans were uncivilized.
***
With my deployment to the Eastern Front decided and the mission report concluded, it was time to return to my quarters and rest.
I told Camilla to wait outside and cautiously asked the Demon Lord,
“How is the Hero doing in the dungeon?”
The Demon Lord raised an eyebrow at my unexpected question, but then answered,
“He’s doing well, for now. I’ve instructed the jailer to take special care of him, as you suggested.”
“That’s good to hear.”
If the Hero committed suicide, it would severely disrupt my plans. It was crucial to keep him under strict supervision.
“Has he caused any trouble?”
The Demon Lord shrugged.
“I heard he gave the guards a hard time on his first day. But he’s bound with mana-suppressing shackles, and a human’s physical abilities are no match for a demon’s. How much trouble could he possibly cause?”
His words reassured me.
If the Hero escaped, his first target wouldn't be the Demon Lord, but me, the traitor.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“You must be tired from your journey. Go and rest.”
I thanked the Demon Lord for his consideration and left the office.
Camilla, waiting outside, approached me.
“Are you returning to the village below the castle?”
That could wait. I had something else to do first.
“Camilla, where’s the dungeon?”
“Why do you suddenly want to go there…?”
“I have some business with the Hero.”
If I remembered correctly, the Margrave of Hamburg was in charge of the Eastern Front for the kingdom.
And the Warrior, one of the Hero’s party members, was his eldest daughter.
Since I was going to the Eastern Front anyway, I thought I’d bring a little gift for Dorothea.
“You’re not planning to betray us again, are you?”
“If I was, I wouldn’t have told you.”
The Demon Lord’s army offered far better working conditions.
The King himself expected the Hero to work for free. I couldn't imagine the nobles under him being any better.
Camilla looked skeptical but, unable to refuse my request, led the way to the dungeon.