Chapter 176: For Victory (3)
The king raised his head to look at his visitor.
Given his position, news had steadily trickled in even while he lived steeped in grief. So there was no way he wouldn't know.
Wasn't this the trading company that had solidified its standing by distributing never-before-seen mysterious herbs?
'I hear their efficacy is tremendous — wounds heal instantly and such.'
Rumor had it they'd even reattached a severed arm, from what he'd heard in passing.
'If that's true... if that's true...'
Couldn't they save my brother?
Reason, numbed by grief, chased after futile hope. Even knowing that himself, the king nonetheless gave permission instead of refusal.
"I will meet him. Show him in."
......
The man who called himself the trading company owner had his face covered. Had it been anyone else, the insolence of covering one's face before a king would not have been tolerated. But since he was the one in need right now, the king began without remarking on it.
"Considering the Den Trading Company's situation, you must be at your busiest right now. What brings the owner all the way here?"
The man answered courteously.
"I have come to request permission to establish a branch in Reweche."
"Couldn't you simply submit a separate request for something like that?"
"The procedures take far too long that way, so I had no choice but to seek an audience despite the discourtesy."
The man laughed good-naturedly, explaining that given the circumstances and the uncertainty of the future, he'd had no choice but to hasten things.
The king gazed at him for a moment, then nodded.
"I shall grant permission. A branch of the Den Trading Company would be welcomed here."
"Thank you."
The man bowed deeply. The king acknowledged it with a perfunctory nod, then brought up the true purpose for which he'd granted the audience.
"But more importantly, there is something I'm curious about."
"Please speak. I will answer with all sincerity, as far as I am able."
"......Among those mysterious herbs of yours... is there none... that can revive the dead?"
It was a voice uncharacteristic of a king — hesitation and tension palpable in every syllable.
Dan looked at him, then let the corner of his hidden lips lift slightly. Unlike the lifted corner of his mouth, the voice that emerged was steeped in regret.
"Sadly, there is none."
"Ah... as I thought..."
Profound resignation seeped from his downcast eyes.
A brief silence passed. Dan, who had kept his mouth shut for a moment, rolled his eyes and took in the atmosphere before carefully venturing a remark.
"I heard of the general's passing. My condolences."
"!"
The flinch was momentary.
"Indeed..."
A listless voice returned.
At least he wasn't angry. Mentioning the death of a loved one directly, even if intended as consolation, could be an act of tearing at a wound. Because of that, Dan had steeled himself for a sensitive reaction — but whether he was exhausted or resigned, the unexpectedly docile response was nothing like what he'd anticipated. Gauging the mood cautiously, he carefully continued.
"You must be very angry with the Empire."
"......"
"Well, considering they stayed silent while knowing there was a Boundary Line in Taehon Kingdom, it would be strange if you weren't."
"...What?"
The king raised his head.
Looking directly at Dan, who was tilting his head as if he knew nothing, the king's eyes gleamed brightly.
"What did you... just say?"
"That they stayed silent while knowing there was a Boundary Line in Taehon Kingdom... You truly didn't know?"
"......"
"Oh dear, my apologies. Please consider what I just said unheard. You already have enough on your mind..."
"You."
A slow voice followed, as though applying pressure.
"What is it you want from me?"
"Whatever do you mean..."
"Don't take a king lightly. I may not look it, but I am one who bears the responsibility of a nation — do I truly seem so slow on the uptake?"
A king is a position of much learning, much responsibility, and constant confrontation.
How could the powers of observation be dull in one who sits in a seat that demands he deal with nobles within and foreign nations without, protecting both the throne and the people?
Some who lacked such astuteness had existed, on occasion, but such figures were always dragged down by others' hands and vanished wretchedly into the back pages of history.
"There is no way you personally came all this way for a mere branch. So speak plainly. What is it you want from me?"
"......"
Dan's eyes shifted.
If the king of Reweche, tricked by his words, flew into a rage and attacked the Empire, throwing the human world into chaos, that would be the best outcome, but...
"I have been informed that you have ties to Deon Hart. If your aim is for me to side with the demons, I must regretfully decline. Whatever ill feelings I bear toward the Empire, I have already promised not to align myself with that side."
Seeing that attitude, it seemed unlikely.
Well, he hadn't expected much from the start anyway. Dan smoothly deflected, putting on a show of shock and asking what sort of frightening things he was insinuating.
"I merely ask that you turn a blind eye. Just for a time."
Precisely for the time it took for the demons to cross through Reweche into one region of the Empire.
It wasn't even a large-scale movement, so if the king simply helped a bit, they wouldn't be discovered by other humans.
"Turn a blind eye, you say."
"Yes. Not siding with the Demon Realm — merely closing your eyes to something. No harm will come to Reweche."
"......"
He rubbed his chin, lost in thought for only a moment.
"......Let us return to the earlier conversation for a moment. Did the Emperor truly know there was a Boundary Line in Taehon Kingdom?"
At the implicit affirmation, Dan's lips quirked in a faint smile.
Of course — which safe falsehood should he tell? In truth, laying blame on the Empire aside, Taehon Kingdom bore the greater fault for not informing the Empire of the Boundary Line's existence in the first place. But staying quiet was to his advantage, so he remained silent.
"Yes. I would stake my trading company on it, if you needed."
"......That won't be necessary."
Some time after their meeting, demons began appearing near Rowfel Territory, a region in the Empire's south located close to Reweche.
Demons had appeared in a territory so unconnected to the Boundary Line that even the Emperor had neglected to fortify it.
* * *
The news had reached him — that the Den Trading Company was growing its influence by distributing mysterious herbs unseen in the human world, on top of talismans. And with that accumulated power, they were now crushing the trading companies that had once kept them in check.
Moreover, as if some ill fortune had compounded, news followed that demons had appeared in Rowfel Territory, in the supposedly safe south.
Stigma, who had been wiping out the Barbar Tribe in the south, learned of this only upon hearing that they had finally reached out to contact him, and laughed in utter scorn.
How truly ridiculous.
"They called me a shame to the family, and look at them now. Since that shame kindly removed itself, things ought to be going well for them, shouldn't they."
The Empire's second Hero, Stigma Primiro.
Formerly named Stigma Rowfel.
A disgrace, a stain, an obstacle to the Rowfel Family — a filthy bastard.
When they'd thrown him onto the battlefield, telling him to just hurry up and die, that was one thing. Now that danger arose, they invoked blood ties and sought him out. It was truly farcical. Without erasing the sneer that curled his lips, he held his head high and spoke.
"I'm sure I told you to disregard all contact from that quarter. News of extinction is sufficient as far as the Rowfel Family is concerned."
"Understood. My apologies."
* * *
The Emperor had deployed the nobles' private soldiers primarily to territories near the Boundary Line, and after a bare-minimum distribution, poured nearly all remaining forces into Millere Territory.
Which meant that territories in comparatively safe locations, far from the Boundary Line, had received almost no troop deployment.
With demons appearing in such a situation, how could the reaction be anything other than what it was?
"Your Majesty, this proves that no territory is safe. It means that not only territories near the Boundary Line but also the territories of your humble subjects require fortification capable of responding whenever demons appear, wherever they appear. However, since Your Majesty had our private soldiers withdrawn, such a thing is impossible. We earnestly beg you to return our forces so that we may fortify our defenses."
There was clearly no Boundary Line over there, and yet demons had appeared without any prior signs. It was only natural to be anxious.
'What kind of method did they use?'
The Emperor sank into thought.
Did they use magic? Indeed, the magic suppression arrays were installed centered on each city. As long as they didn't cover the entirety of the Empire, the usage of magic remained quite possible.
The acrid stench of blood stung his nose. Seeing that none of the nobles reacted to it, this too must be a form of hallucination visible and perceptible only to him. The Emperor slowly clenched and unclenched his fist, seizing hold of his wavering reason.
'Probability of similar movements in the future?'
Be it magic or some other method, given that only a small number appeared, large-scale movement was likely impossible.
'...Yes. Only a small number appeared.'
Small numbers, appearance, movements without attack.
The key words floated and bobbed inside his head. Not long passed before the Emperor was able to combine the given information and derive a single answer.
He slowly opened his mouth.
"This is..."
"A feint force."
"......"
A soft but not at all quiet voice drew all eyes.
Even the Emperor, who had been about to speak, closed his mouth and looked at the Duke. Amidst the gazes of many, the Duke's eyes curved. His unhurried voice shifted the atmosphere.
"Calm yourselves and examine the situation once more. What was discovered was a small number of demons. As for the idea that a massive force moved and only a portion was detected — they still haven't launched an attack."
"...Ah."
"It's a feint meant to unsettle and shake the Empire. The demons likely hoped for precisely this situation, I imagine."
If the Emperor, unable to withstand the nobles' outcry, had redistributed troops to every territory or returned their private soldiers, that would have been the ideal outcome the demons were hoping for.
Violet eyes swept over those who had led the commotion, not bothering to conceal their contemptuous light.
A few flinched and wilted. In turn, the hall, grown noisy with unease, subsided back to stillness.
"I don't know what method they used, but large-scale movement is probably impossible. If large-scale movement had been possible, they'd have swept through each territory long ago, not just Rowfel."
Viscount Rowfel's complexion went pale.
The Duke, without sparing him so much as a glance, smiled serenely.
"So, do remain calm. We can't very well move as the demons wish us to, can we?"
"But still..."
Viscount Rowfel faltered, as though wanting to object. The Emperor, who had been watching the situation, stepped in.
Thanks to the Duke having explained everything, the matter had reached a point where only the conclusion needed to be spoken, sparing him the trouble. He cast a sidelong glance at the Duke, then turned his gaze dispassionately to Viscount Rowfel and spoke.
"Since it is confirmed that demons have been sighted, we shall send support to Rowfel Territory. The same goes for neighboring territories. But returning your private soldiers seems a step too far."
For that, indeed, was precisely what the Demon Realm wished.
Surveying the assembly, stilled as though there were nothing more to say, the Emperor considered how to deal with Millere Territory, which would grow uneasy with some troops now being withdrawn.
They couldn't pull troops from elsewhere to send as support. They had already deployed only minimum forces elsewhere and sent nearly everything there.
'...I'll have to dispatch the knight order that Stigma Primiro left behind before heading south as reinforcements.'
There was no time, so he had to adjourn this gathering and move at once.
* * *
Build an earth mountain.
Some of the forces stationed in Millere Territory had been reduced to support Rowfel, but in the end, that was all. Ultimately, they were still going to hold out behind their fortress walls just the same, so Deon had to think of a way to get beyond those ramparts.
Thus, the conclusion he reached.
"The environment's perfect for hauling dirt, as it happens."
There was a forest behind them too.
Deon ground the lit cigarette out against the belt on his thigh, slowly drew out a black handkerchief, and turned around.
"I'm heading in to rest a bit, so you lot build the earth mountain in the meantime."
Oh, obviously, don't forget to post guards around the perimeter.
At the lightly delivered word of the supreme commander, the mountain began to move.
The demons hauled dirt. The instant Marquis Amiable saw the earth beginning to pile up in front of the fortress walls, he caught onto Deon Hart's thinking.
"He intends to build an earth mountain and surmount the walls."
Of course, he had no intention of standing by and watching.
Watching the dirt pile up rapidly, the margrave gave a low command.
"Prepare the archers. And summon the Primiro Knight Order that arrived just earlier."
Building an earthen mountain — it was a task that would take a considerable amount of time even without any interference.
If interference were added on top of that, just how much time would it take?
'For those of us who must stall and hold out as long as possible, this is ideal.'
With luck, defensive siege warfare might even succeed.
Tender Amiable gazed down below with resolute eyes.