Demon Army Subjugation (4)
Northern expedition camp. The expeditionary force headquarters, led by Duke Faust, was wrapped in heavy silence.
“Your Excellency. No matter how I look at it, without the Windsor Knights……”
“It's impossible to inflict devastating damage.”
“Urgh.”
Faust clutched his head like it was a massive headache. His adjutant, reading the room, piped up cautiously.
“Perhaps you should apologize……”
“Are you joking?”
Faust shot him a glare, and the adjutant wilted.
“But it's true there's no viable option, Your Excellency.”
At that moment, Magic Division Commander Nemesis stepped forward and pointed at the map.
“This is where the Windsor Knights wiped them out. See the Roki Mountains ahead?”
“Yes. Even demons can't control the monsters swarming there. And once you cross, it's straight into demon territory.”
“Correct. In human terms, it's a natural fortress.”
In other words, a spot that didn't require deploying troops at all.
“If you were the enemy commander, would you station forces outside such a place?”
“……”
Obviously not. No need to defend it—the mountains themselves blocked any invasion. But they'd need minimal scouts, so a token force.
“In short, the Windsor Knights' victory is a phantom.”
“Hah, hadn't considered that. So we got played by a mirage?”
“No. Not entirely meaningless. Look here—the rearmost line of the Demon Army's current position.”
Nemesis indicated the outermost edge of the Demon Army clustered in the center. A faint smile played on his lips.
“In chess terms, it's the rook's station. And they just snatched it from off the board.”
The captured mid-tier demon had been the rook. Meaning the Windsor Knights had targeted it from the start.
“……So what are you driving at?”
“Pretty sneaky, right?”
“?”
Nemesis chuckled.
“Not clashing intricate strategies, but fiddling with pieces from outside the board. Definitely the type to flip the whole game if they're losing.”
But Nemesis's upturned lips showed no sign of dropping. He looked like he was having the time of his life.
Faust, meanwhile, had hit his limit. That smile felt like outright mockery.
“How does that lead to 'no viable option'?”
“In one word: the type who cheats to get exactly what they want.”
“What?”
“Just wait, Your Excellency. She'll move at the perfect moment. Sync with that, and we reap huge gains. 'Ride the wave'—famous advice, no?”
It was famous, whispered among commanders: easier merits on a winning battlefield than a losing one.
But what could be more dishonorable?
As Faust's face hardened, a commotion erupted, and a knight burst into the tent.
“B-big trouble! The Windsor Knights are advancing!”
**
“Etchi.”
Sisilia coughed and sniffed, rubbing her nose.
Beatrice handed over a handkerchief. “You catch a cold or something?”
“Nah. Someone's gotta be talking about me.”
‘Bet it's full of sexual harassment.’
But Sisilia wasn't bothered. Harassment meant she was pretty, after all.
“Um, Sisilia-nim. Where exactly are we headed?”
Pretty Beatrice asked cutely, her lips turning blue from the chill.
Sisilia eyed the tens of thousands of Demon Army drawing nearer. “Little farther.”
“F-for recon, that's kinda close……”
“Hm? We're going to fight.”
Beatrice short-circuited for a moment. Much later: “Pardon?”
“Realized we haven't done live combat training yet. Perfect, tons of demons around.”
‘Auto-mob farm going on. Can't waste this chance.’
Prime level-up opportunity! A bit of a shame, but she'd yield to Beatrice.
‘How am I so merciful, cute, and kind……?’
Sisilia pondered seriously. No boss cared about their subordinates' levels like this.
Beatrice had to be thrilled……
“……What're you doing?”
Beatrice was sneaking away. She froze at Sisilia's icy tone.
“Desertion's execution. Come back before I fold you into a bathroom mat.”
“……S-saw a dropped item…… hehe.”
Beatrice zipped back to Sisilia's side.
But the Demon Army visible through the blizzard loomed with prickling intensity. Tears welled up.
“I'll just be the mat……”
Sisilia blinked down at Beatrice's chest. ‘Squishy, yeah.’
But she preferred a level 99 mat. She paused, untied the choker on her thigh, and fitted it onto the terrified retriever.
“Wh-what's this……?”
“Artifact.”
“Ah, an artifact?”
“Yeah. Cute, right?”
Prime coord item from the Thigh Choker Maid Collection. Effect: double proficiency gain.
From the succubus queen. Meant for doubling “those techniques,” but Sisilia, the vet, knew better: skill experience doubled too.
“And this.”
Sisilia hiked her skirt precariously and undid the dagger sheath, equipping it directly on Beatrice.
“Y-you had one of those too……”
“Yup.”
Female characters' privilege: hidden thigh armaments. Sisilia never missed a point like that.
“Proof effect. Makes you stronger.”
“Proof what……?”
Artifacts hush crying babies. Beatrice stopped sniffling, eyes sparkling.
“Attack power boost. But never draw it. Slightest nick is instant death.”
“Ins-instant death……!”
“Mini Muramasa. Equipped buffs: boldness, ignore mental disruption, curse effect on all skills…… uh, forgot the rest.”
Age was catching up; memory fuzzy.
Brought it for the north's cold anyway—good call.
“Etchu.”
Sisilia coughed again. Boldness faded; even colder now.
“Thank you. Feels confident now. Like I'm Sisilia-nim!”
“Hm? Sure.”
Muramasa-equipped Beatrice looked valiant. Retriever evolved to shepherd……?
Then Beatrice grabbed Sisilia's wrist and tugged. “Let's go.”
Instinctive heroine move—Sisilia blushed shyly as she followed.
Snapped out of it and blinked. “Stop there.”
“Pardon?”
Splash!
Beatrice looked down. Black mud writhed on the ground. Ahead, some distant demon—barely visible—grinned and waved.
“Hic.”
Beatrice hiccuped, turning back. Sisilia explained simply.
“Inside Demon Army range. Magic users—way longer than ours.”
“Sh-should've said sooner! Almost died!”
Beatrice yelled unwittingly. Muramasa's boldness was potent!
“Hmph. Betty's fault.”
But Sisilia's heroine aura outranked it. Beatrice broke a sweat soothing her pout.
Finally, Sisilia relented. “Use One Flash from here.”
“But too far……”
Sisilia drew her sword leisurely. “I'll back you up. No worries.”
“Yes.”
No hesitation—Beatrice touched the sword, closed her eyes.
‘One Flash the entire Demon Army.’
Clear image formed calmly.
“One Flash!”
Sisilia yelled at her slash: “Tempest!”
Beatrice's straight sword qi met Sisilia's storm and spread far.
Boom—!
Hit demons bisected. Shockwave whipped up the blizzard.
“S-success!”
Beatrice cheered brightly. But Sisilia was already dashing off.
Toward Windsor Knights camp.
“……Huh?”
Dazed, Beatrice turned. Enraged Demon Army charging through blizzard, hands full of massive mana orbs.
“L-let's go together!”
Tears streaming, she fled. Even Muramasa boldness had limits.
**
Thus the infamous “hit-and-run” repeated endlessly. Beatrice kept at it daily till mana depleted.
Twenty full-power One Flashes a day.
Effects showed immediately.
“Betty. You're sparkling.”
Sisilia, brushing her teeth, eyed her. Beatrice's body had a faint golden outline glowing.
“Why……?”
“That time of month? War—no leave.”
“……Not in front of the guys, please.”
Spit. Sisilia finished brushing and explained Beatrice's state.
“Pikachu evolved to Raichu.”
No one in Windsor Knights got it. Luckily, senior knights congratulated and clarified.
“Your demon-slaying paid off. That's realm growth.”
“My realm……?”
“Hard to explain—varies per person. But simply: you're now a knight qualified for Extreme Art.”
“Ex-Extreme Art?!”
Beatrice yelped in shock. Senior knight smirked.
“Usually takes thirty years from there. Qualified ≠ enlightened. Plenty never master it.”
“Impressive timing though? Around twenty?”
“Nineteen.”
“Seven years ahead. Not rare in Windsor, but still.”
“Huge achievement. Train hard. Start imagining the form habitually now.”
“Kill that glow first. Eyes hurt.”
Seventy percent of Windsor Knights could use Extreme Art. Yet most lingered as regular knights. It didn't auto-promote you.
But plenty to teach Beatrice.
Sisilia smiled contentedly. ‘Grew Betty right on schedule.’
Homework done, she roamed refreshed. Prepping secret Demon King kill route.
Ran into a shady mage: Northern First Magic Division Commander Nemesis.
“Finally gearing up to move?”
“……”
Sisilia halted. ‘Final boss?’
Very suspicious glare. He raised both hands.
“No misunderstandings. Just pieced it from your ops so far.”
‘Screams intel type.’
Sisilia tensed. Slip here, and she'd lose her hooked fish.
“Not denying confirms it. My hunch spot-on.”
Whatever that meant, Sisilia nodded faintly.
“……Hard to believe, but true. Incredible.”
“……”
Nemesis looked genuinely stunned.
‘What even is “that”?!’
Sisilia was baffled.
“Frankly terrifying. Power and genius strategy. 'Civil and martial perfection' fits you to the bone. So, our role……”
Sisilia got chills.
Nemesis dead serious: “That thing, right?”
“……”
“No answer means yes. Gonna be busy.”
Nemesis smirked. “Don't worry. Your grand plan will succeed.”
‘What is “it” already?!’
Fuming, Sisilia vowed ponytails on return.