The Lizardmen and the Ambition of a Demon King
Listening to the full story, I was finally able to grasp the situation. It was highly likely that the Baron would assume a medium-sized or larger monster had appeared, and as a result, he would organize a formal search party.
With the atmosphere of a territorial war hanging in the air, it wouldn't be easy for him to pull away his troops, but the emergence of a medium-sized monster was, fundamentally, big news. It seemed they felt they had to subdue it as quickly as possible, not knowing when it might cross over here and wreak havoc.
"There are no medium-sized monsters here."
All that existed here were me and my subordinates.
"Vanessa, what if they can't find any traces of a medium-sized monster?"
"They will consider other possibilities. There are many. But I doubt they will be able to conclude anything definitive."
Vanessa said the search would likely be prolonged. If the search dragged on, it was inevitable that my location would eventually be discovered.
In that case, should I wipe out the search party?
"What if the search party goes missing entirely?"
"At that point, it would be a very serious matter, so they would send an army."
A real army.
I wasn't ready to face that yet. No, even if I could, it would be a problem. The Baron's army was defeated? By a monster legion? Since it was practically impossible to completely annihilate a real army, survivors would spread information about us. A monster legion appeared and ground the Baron's army into dust... and who would be the one screwed over then?
That would be me.
If humans were to band together to hunt down a "monster legion," it would be the end of me.
"Damn it, is it even possible to survive this?"
It was a hell of a difficult problem.
I continued to ask Vanessa questions.
"Basically... a regular soldier doesn't have a significant equipment gap compared to an adventurer. The difference is that an army is trained in group combat. An army in formation doesn't panic easily. Likewise, they aren't easily defeated."
She was right.
"The monster legion you've trained... it's very interesting and somewhat systematic, but at the end of the day, it's just an army made of monsters. You cannot face a real army."
"I know."
I couldn't face them yet. Did that mean I had no choice but to engage in guerrilla warfare, utilizing traps to the extreme? Whatever the case, it was a difficult problem... but for now, I felt somewhat relieved. I now knew that the specs of human soldiers were just average.
If it was at that level, I could somehow win if we clashed in small groups.
For now, I needed to expand my forces as quickly as possible... Right. There were those Lizardmen who had been fighting the Satyrs. I could subjugate their tribe and use them as combatants.
"Perhaps."
"Yes?"
Vanessa spoke as if she were offering an opinion.
"It might be better to retreat. Further into the depths."
"Ah, I am considering that as well."
We had established a decent power base now. Leading my troops deeper and rebuilding our base wouldn't be a chore. I felt a lot of regret for this home base I’d built so nicely—this dungeon—but the dungeon only had meaning if I were alive. If I had to abandon it, I was prepared to leave with tears in my eyes.
Well, they said stronger monsters appeared the deeper you went, but... I was confident I could overcome them all. Trolls? I’d never met one, but I could train for it. With Vanessa here, I had nothing to worry about.
"If it comes to it, we'll just have to move."
"Then it would be best to decide quickly."
But there was a reason I wasn't moving just yet.
"Quickly, you say. Well."
"What do you mean?"
"I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to try fighting the humans once."
"What?!"
Battling humans was a frightening prospect, but the returns were just as great. By fighting, we could increase our experience and combat power, and at the same time, I could grow as well.
Kill the humans and plunder them.
Just by doing that, there was so much to gain.
"I have no intention of living my life buried here in this jungle until the end."
"That means...!"
"I will grow properly and expand my influence."
I had that kind of ambition.
"Yes. Shouldn't I at least establish a Demon Kingdom?"
"Th-that's absurd!"
Vanessa shouted, shocked by my words.
It was a shocking thing to say, indeed.
There was a time when I was just desperate to survive after falling into this land. Back then, I lived with the sole purpose of returning to the Demon World, but that wasn't the case anymore.
The Demon World didn't matter much to me now.
I couldn't imagine taking all my subordinates back there, and I had no foundation there; in the Demon World, I was still just a weak existence. There was no reason to go.
But here, it was different.
Everything I did here. Every single thing helped me and made me grow. It became my foundation, my flesh and blood. Abandon this land flowing with milk and honey to run to the Demon World?
"I won't do such a thing."
Temujin was nothing but a pathetic loser when he lost his father, but he eventually became the conqueror of the steppes.
"Are you planning to slaughter the humans!"
"Since I was born a demon, it is only natural."
Since I am a demon, not a human, I must decide how to live in the way of a demon.
"Battles with humans are opportunities for growth."
For now, let's wipe out the search party. And if the Baron's army comes swarming in, I'll see how the situation plays out and either fight or retreat. I am the expert in this forest. If I repeat guerrilla tactics, I can inflict damage one way or another.
"If that happens, your identity will be revealed!"
"No, Vanessa? Are you perhaps worried about me?"
"Wh-what?! Worried? Nothing of the sort! I am merely stating the reality!"
"But Vanessa. Isn't this an unexplored region?"
"...That is true."
"Has it ever been developed in history?"
"There have been attempts... but it is currently abandoned due to a lack of economic viability."
"That is exactly the advantage of the terrain."
This is literally an unknown land. A space made of dense jungle. Hiding here and building up my strength is no trouble at all. A human couldn't do it, but because I am a demon, it is possible.
Because the monsters of the forest and the female-type monsters are all my resources.
Anyway.
Conflict with humans means high risk, high return. If I have to retreat anyway, it would be better to fight as much as I can before doing so.
"Wangji, no! Serineu!"
"Hm? Did you call me?"
—*Jiggle, jiggle.*
When I called, Serineu flew over, her massive breasts jiggling. Truly, those were overwhelming breasts no matter how many times I saw them.
"What are you doing?"
"Huh?"
When I came to my senses, I was kneading Serineu's breasts through her clothes... What on earth was this? To think I’d let my hands wander without even realizing it.
So, I decided to be bold.
"What do you mean, what am I doing? I'm touching your breasts."
"Did you call me just to touch my breasts?"
Of course, Serineu didn't mind at all. She just thought of it as routine skinship, like a simple massage.
"That's not it. Serineu. You know the Lizardman habitat, right?"
"Yeah, I do. Why?"
"I'm going to go and make those bastards submit."
"Whaaat?"
Making them subordinates and making them submit are different things.
With a conflict with humans ahead, I needed underlings to sacrifice. Of course, it made no sense to use my own subordinates as such suicide squads. I wouldn't even think of it. So, I intended to absorb a monster tribe by force and use them.
Just like how the Mongol army used the slaves of conquered lands as their vanguard combatants.
"You're going to make them submit?"
"Yeah. Humans are going to come more often now. If that happens, won't I need more warriors? I'm planning to put the Lizardmen to use."
Now that our martial power had grown, swallowing a single monster tribe would be a breeze. Ah, it would be good to find another Hobgoblin tribe after this.
They were dexterous and smart. If I swallowed a tribe, I could pay more attention to Mutoori.
"Hmm... You're not killing them like the Satyrs, but making them subordinates? Like friends?"
"No. They aren't friends. It's more like slavery."
"Well, okay! Nothing bad has ever happened when I did what you said! Then our next job is to find the Lizardmen and beat them up, right?"
"That's exactly it!"
"Great! Shall we start right away?"
"No. Let's establish a proper plan first. Tomorrow, instead of the daily routine, we're doing *that* indoors."
"No daily routine? Yahoo!!!"
At the news that there was no routine, Serineu flew up and cheered. Soldiers are truly the same all over the world.
They are just happy when there's no routine.
"Then Serineu. Tell the others. Tell them we're going to go attack the Lizardmen."
"Yeah! Got it!"
—*Whoosh!*
Serineu flew off.
I spent the day very frugally, training the Goblins, extracting information from Vanessa, and explaining the tasks to come.
And then, I had dinner.
After playing with the Pixies for a bit, I lay down in bed. Very naturally, as soon as I lay down, Sharan and Lumika clung to me, asking to be pampered.
After playing happily, dawn broke.
"Ah."
I promised to teach Reika black magic first at dawn. One can only be called a true Dark Nun if they know how to handle black magic. Let's teach her properly to improve her combat power.
—*Softly, softly.*
I brushed the hair of the sleeping Sharan and Lumika once and got up from my seat. Moving as carefully as possible, I went to Reika's room.
"Sister Reika."
She was sharing a room with Irene and Liza. I carefully shook Reika's shoulder.
"...Ah."
"Are you awake?"
"...Go on ahead."
"Yes."
I immediately grabbed my book and headed to the utility room. A room that was mostly empty. Let's give her a simple black magic lesson here.
—*Creak.*
Reika entered shortly after.
She was wearing her nun's habit.
"Then, Sister Reika. Shall we start the black magic lesson?"
"If you say so."
Just as I opened the book and was about to start the lecture.
Something was off.
"..."
Wasn't Reika looking at me as if she had something to say?
"Hm? Sister Reika? Do you have something to say?"
"..."
"Sister?"
"I'll say it later."
"Ah."
"For now, just do your job."
"Yes. Let's do that."
It seemed she had something to tell me. That must be why she asked for us to study together at dawn.
Anyway, I started the black magic lecture.
I felt like I had become Carti!
It wouldn't happen, but if Carti were watching me, I would convey my thanks!