179
I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.
Chapter 179
The atmosphere within the allied forces was at its worst.
"Why on earth did we send Wizard Raven and Viscount El Lindger together?!"
"It's been nearly two weeks since they went missing! Shouldn't we be finding them somehow?!"
Scouts had already reported that the Beast Forest had undergone major geological changes. The Black Horn tribe had moved en masse, disturbing the entire forest and causing the forest animals to flee in terror. A brave scout followed the Black Horn tribe's movement and discovered they were heading toward the Red Mountains. However, no one dared to search for the missing Caesar and Raven. Not only was scouting the vast Beast Forest a challenge, but they also lacked the human resources to scout the treacherous Red Mountains. Though they had Yan and Mitchell...
"Why don't we send the Hero..."
"Don't speak such nonsense! What if the Hero goes missing too?!"
Yan and Mitchell were considered too valuable to risk. If they were to disappear after Raven and Caesar's disappearance, it would be beyond shameful, it would be catastrophic. Though Yan and Mitchell begged Elijah to let them search for Raven and Caesar, they only received firm refusals.
Just then, a messenger rushed into the command room, breathing heavily.
"It's, it's arrived!"
"What? Has Wizard Raven returned?"
"Huh? No, no. The Emperor's decree has arrived!"
A eunuch and Dawn Knights entered the tent carrying the Emperor's decree. All staff members, including Elijah, rose from their seats. The eunuch stood before Elijah and unfolded the decree written by the Emperor himself.
"Margrave Elijah Friedrich, show your loyalty before the Emperor's decree."
Elijah immediately knelt on one knee.
"I, Elijah Friedrich, receive the Emperor's command."
The eunuch cleared his throat and began speaking.
"First, we wish to express gratitude for Margrave Friedrich's arduous duty of protecting humanity from demon race. We hereby bestow 10 gold bars to Elijah Friedrich."
The Dawn Knights showed the box containing gold bars to the Margrave. Elijah bowed his head.
"I am deeply grateful for your grace."
This revealed one fact: The Emperor was trying to appease Elijah to some extent. Everyone present knew Elijah would have to step down as Allied Commander and return to Steel Fortress. However, by gifting gold bars and maintaining Elijah's dignity, it was clear the Emperor was being very cautious about souring relations with the Friedrich family.
"Today we assign you another important duty, and hope you will accept our wise decision. Return to Steel Fortress and fulfill your duties as Margrave by preventing our enemies from advancing to the Empire. The position of next Allied Commander will be given to someone capable, so you may peacefully relinquish your position."
Elijah fell into silent contemplation. The eunuch, staff members, and Dawn Knights watched him tensely. If Elijah refused the Emperor's command, the Friedrich family and Empire would face an irreversible situation. The eunuch had already requested Yan's help, the Emperor's strongest sword, to forcibly remove Elijah from command if he refused. However, like everyone else including Yan, no one wanted such a violent confrontation.
Elijah bowed deeply once more.
"I accept the command."
The eunuch's expression brightened, but tensed again when Elijah continued speaking.
"However, I will return after fulfilling my final duty as Allied Commander."
"...Duty?"
Elijah's eyes turned to the eunuch.
"Finding the missing Caesar El Lindger and Raven."
Everyone present knew Elijah's true intentions. He had no plans to relinquish his power yet.
"Margrave Elijah, perhaps you should leave that to the new Allied Commander..."
"They departed under my command. It is my responsibility to confirm their survival and whether they properly carried out their orders."
"That's..."
The eunuch realized most gazes around him were unfriendly. Most staff members and knights in this Allied Command were Elijah's people.
"I will devote all efforts to ensure their safe return to Eagle valley. If that proves impossible, I will hunt down and kill whoever killed these two heroes. That is my final duty."
The eunuch was overwhelmed by Elijah's heavy charisma.
"Do you understand?"
"That's..."
The eunuch glanced toward Yan's direction. Yan was watching Elijah with an unreadable expression.
"I'll take that as understanding. You may leave now."
Just then, Red wing Knights entered the tent.
"Do you truly intend to step down once their survival is confirmed?"
The eunuch turned around. Mitchell Redfield strode in confidently with knights wearing the red armor symbolizing House Redfield.
"I'll ask once more, Margrave Elijah. Will you truly step down as Allied Commander once we confirm those two are alive?"
Elijah disliked Mitchell's confident gaze. He knew Mitchell only showed such confidence when holding a decisive advantage.
"Yes."
"Then you can step down right now."
Michel touched the crystal ball received from Charlie. Two familiar silhouettes appeared in the air - Caesar and Raven.
-I, Caesar El Lindger, temporarily transfer all my command authority to Mitchell Redfield. This succession of command continues until my return to the main force, and I declare that Mitchell Redfield has full command over the troops and mages.
Mitchell looked triumphantly at Elijah.
"This message arrived this morning. It seems Commander Caesar will be away for quite some time."
"So you intend to take command of the mages?"
Mitchell smiled with his characteristic unpleasant expression.
"It seems there's an urgent matter, so we have no choice. We'll have to accept it."
Mitchell hoped his smile would irritate Elijah.
But Elijah remained calm like a still lake when dealing with Mitchell.
"There has never been a case in the Empire's history where command authority was exercised without the Golden Dagger. How can legitimacy be proven without the Golden Dagger?"
"That's true. However, regarding that issue..."
Mitchell pointed to the eunuch's order document.
"We will discuss it with the new Allied Commander, Commander Baker."
Elijah's eyebrow twitched.
Mitchell felt satisfied that he had properly irritated Elijah.
After thinking for a moment, Elijah spoke.
"Fine. Bring Major Baker. We will hold the transfer ceremony as soon as he arrives."
"Very well."
When Elijah left the tent, his staff followed him out.
Only the Red Wing knights, Mitchell, and the eunuch remained in the tent.
One Red Wing knight approached Mitchell.
"Will Margrave Elijah step down so easily?"
"No way. No one gives up power they've once held so easily. He's going to cause big trouble."
Mitchell said as he turned around and left the tent.
"From now on, observe Elijah and his close associates closely and report every hour. The moment they show any suspicious movement, we'll strike them using Major Baker's army."
***
Caesar and Raven moved slowly through the forest while using invisibility magic.
Geotech's soldiers were visible here and there, but they seemed exhausted from hunger, either leaning against trees or digging in the ground looking for insects to eat.
True to their lack of patience, their military discipline was a mess.
Once they were far enough away, Caesar spoke.
"By the way, how are you planning to seal the Black Horn clan?"
"It's already impossible to seal them."
This was because the landslide had shifted the position of the existing magic stones, and some areas had fewer magic stones installed.
"Instead, I'm going to exterminate them all without missing a single one."
"Do you have such a method? Why didn't you mention it if you had such a method?"
"Because it was extremely radical and had an extremely high chance of failure. But now the situation is different, right?"
"What situation?"
"You've changed. You."
Raven used detection magic.
This allowed Raven to sense Geotech's location.
"You transform into Barre's form and kill all the Black Horn clan members until Geotech can't resurrect. That's all."
***
Geotech rested in what he self-proclaimed as the 'Golden Temple'.
Although food was still scarce and things were difficult, his mood improved seeing the glittering gold.
Geotech spoke while looking at his reflection in a golden plate.
"...This is why the gods has not abandoned me."
If he hadn't chased that red-haired one, would he have been able to obtain so much gold and jewels?
All this was evidence that the heavenly god had not abandoned his son Geotech.
If he could just properly overcome this trial called the red-haired one, surely the heavenly god would pour out powerful strength and ability for Geotech to rule not just the demon realm but the entire continent.
At that moment, a small mouse approached Geotech.
"...?"
While it wasn't strange for mice to live in the mountains, it was strange that this one was lingering quietly in front of Geotech.
Usually, mice would run away just from making eye contact with Geotech.
"I was just hungry, so this works out well."
Geotech reached out his hand, intending to catch the mouse for a snack.
Suddenly, the mouse began to grow larger and transformed into a huge tiger.
Geotech reflexively grabbed his staff and stepped back.
"...What are you?"
"I came to warn you."
"Could you be a doppelganger?"
"That's not what's important right now."
The tiger spoke calmly in an emotionless tone.
"How long do you plan to leave Caesar be?"
"... Caesar?"
"The red-haired one you were chasing."
"Why do you care about that?"
"That is none of your business."
Geotech's staff moved like lightning.
With the sound of a crushing head, the tiger collapsed with a thud.
Geotech grabbed the bleeding tiger's head.
"Just for a mere doppelganger to dare enter the tabernacle where god resides is worthy of death alone..."
Geotech rummaged through the tiger's broken skull.
The tiger's body trembled as if in pain.
"Why did a weak doppelganger like you charge in so boldly?"
"Because death isn't that frightening."
Following this, another mouse approached boldly through the cave entrance.
The mouse transformed into a tiger identical to the one in Geotech's grasp.
"But it would be different for you."
Only then could Geotech realize that these beings lacked one thing that should necessarily exist in living creatures.
Survival instinct.
Though alive, they were no different from tools like a staff belonging to someone.
"What are you aiming for by coming here?"
"We're not aiming for anything, we came to warn you."
"What warning?"
"Caesar and the magician are entering this place."
"...What? What are they after?"
"That we don't know."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Don't know. We were only told to observe Caesar and Raven and cooperate with you if problems arise."
"Who told you that?"
"That's a secret."
Geotech started feeling frustrated with this damn doppelganger.
"What is wrong with these things...!"
At that moment, the tiger's head exploded.
"...Huh?"
Geotech hadn't done anything.
Yet suddenly the head disappeared.
This scene isn't unfamiliar.
"Wooooaaaaaah!"
Thud!
"Aaaaarrrgghhh!"
A hot blade entered Geotech's heart.
Moreover, Geotech's heart began burning with blue flames.
These flames...
"Even the duplicates aren't perfect."
The voice was heard right in front of Geotech's nose.
Eventually, color and form slowly returned from the head down.
Geotech trembled as he saw that form.
A man with blood-red hair and red eyes was smiling in front of Geotech.
"They're quite frustratingly thick-headed. Just like you."
"You...!"