[Clash! #11]
The soldiers laid out the equipment they had discovered, and the non-commissioned officer rushed over to inspect it.
—Clack, clack, clack.
Then, a man who looked like a knight approached with his subordinates in tow.
"This is...!"
Just by looking at them, I could tell the mood was grave. I needed to hear their conversation properly, but their voices had dropped so low that they were becoming difficult to make out.
Damn it. I really want to enhance the hearing of this Evil Eye bastard. If I can, it would be good to develop that ability further.
I leaned in closer, straining my ears, but I couldn't hear a thing. It was clear that their voices had sunk as low as their spirits. They didn't look too happy, either.
"..."
Anyway, as their voices lowered, eavesdropping became difficult. But right now, I was feeling relieved. The humans were looking at the items I’d scattered, and they looked absolutely devastated. They must have concluded that the Orcs had murdered the people who entered the forest.
My plan had worked perfectly.
Orcs are considered a dangerous race, so they said they would conduct a subjugation mission whenever one appeared. Orcs appeared, and people went missing. Looking at it, the tribe was quite large. And there, the victims' equipment was discovered. No matter how you looked at it, it was the work of the Orcs.
"Good."
Just as I thought that.
—Fading...
My vision blurred. The Evil Eye's summoning time was up. It was such a crucial moment, but the time had run out.
"Phew."
"Master! How did it go?!"
Sharan asked urgently, so I placed my hand on her head and answered.
"For now, the humans have found our gifts. They're looking at them."
"Then do the humans think it was the Orcs' doing?"
"Yeah. That's how it'll go. If it stays like that, we can live more safely."
They might have other suspicions, but unless some other physical evidence turned up, the case would be closed with this. What else could they do? The Orcs had appeared right there in the open.
They would conclude the case with this and finish by issuing a warning to be more careful in the future because it could be dangerous. People are the same everywhere.
"..."
I just have to hope so.
—Whoosh.
I summoned the Evil Eye again and conducted reconnaissance. For now, I was just doing what I could.
The day after the regular human army completely subjugated the Orc tribe, we didn't go outside the dungeon. We just hid inside, keeping our guard up and conducting reconnaissance.
Whatever happened, we could only move once the humans had completely withdrawn from this area.
—...
I confirmed that the unit that had subjugated the Orc tribe had returned to their temporary barracks. I also saw that all the items I had planted had been transported there. Now, the commander, who looked like a knight, would make a decision. Whether to close the case and return, or to search a little more. If the unit retreated today, I could rest easy. But if they searched more, honestly, I’d be terrified. Terrified enough to make my balls shrivel up.
"I'm scared...!"
The Pixie, who had tucked the Evil Eye between her breasts, said that while monitoring the barracks. I was terrified, too. I was even more anxious because it wasn't Serineu. But it couldn't be helped. I trusted they would do well. Pixies are smart, too.
—...
I continued to observe the barracks through the Evil Eye's vision. My eyes were literally about to fall out. The time was almost up, and I wished I could see something before then...
At that moment.
"Dismantle it!"
"We have to do it fast so we can go back quickly!"
"Hurry!"
Those who looked like non-commissioned officers ran around the barracks site shouting, and—
—Rumble!
The soldiers poured out and started dismantling the tents!
"Th-they're leaving! They're going back!"
—Zap!
A sudden, intense joy pierced my heart! They were dismantling the barracks! If they had intended to investigate further, they wouldn't have dismantled the tents! That meant they were going home!
"Wooooooo!"
I screamed and focused on the view!
—Clack, clack, clack.
In any era or place, no one moves faster than soldiers preparing to go home. The soldiers, having tossed their helmets aside, dismantled the tents in an instant, and those who had finished packing their gear gathered in an orderly fashion to prepare for the march.
And!
—...!
As the guy who looked like a knight shouted something, the march began! The soldiers, laden with all sorts of baggage, marched in perfect order toward the city!
At the same time, I dashed through the tunnel and shouted!
"Breaking news! The damn humans are all leaving! Everyone! Come out!"
Did my voice reach them?
"Keruuuuuuk!"
"Grrrrk!"
"Gyusatsat!"
"Kyaaaaaa!"
My subordinates, who had been resting in the barracks, burst out and let out a roar!
"Shwaaaaa!"
"Grack-lack!"
The Lizardmen and Hobgoblins who had been living together also cheered and shouted. Now we could finally go outside!
"That's great, Demon King! Now we can be at ease!"
"Hehehe! Yeah! Now we're safe!"
I was seriously scared to death!
"Th-that's a relief! We almost had a huge problem!"
"Yeah... I'm glad it passed over well."
The women also came out of the barracks and enjoyed the joy with me. They had originally been human, but the expressions on their faces now were pure relief.
Everyone was relieved that the humans had retreated.
They've fully demonized, haven't they?
"Haa."
Reika was also exhaling with her hand on her chest. If Reika was like that, there was nothing more to say.
"Hmph, as expected of those uncivilized, inferior species, they're not very bright. Such a simple trick. If it had been the angels of our Great Heaven, they would have seen through it immediately."
"Ah... th-that..."
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"I don't think... saying things like that is good... Lady Liliel..."
"Are you talking back to me, your senior?"
Liliel and Ruby are getting along well, I see.
"Lady Liliel? If you bully Ruby, you'll be in trouble."
"What! I don't know who you're talking about when you say I bullied her!"
"Yes. I'll do this, so be careful."
"Ah!"
As I raised my finger and flicked it, Liliel, whose face had turned red in an instant, became quiet.
"Phew. Anyway. Since the humans seem to have withdrawn, let's stay here quietly and rest well for today and tomorrow. We have to be careful until they've completely disappeared."
"Hooray!!!"
"But Pixies, you have to keep scouting, so please work hard."
"Whaaaaaaaat!"
It couldn't be helped.
"Hehehe, let's just work hard until tomorrow. I'll let the Pixies rest after that."
"Really...!"
Serineu raised her fist and trembled, but she understood the situation, so she couldn't say anything more.
"You have to let us rest!"
"Yeah, yeah. Then, from now on, everyone except the Pixies is on break!"
"Keruuuuuuk!"
"Ah, the women in the barracks, please do some dark magic training."
Now I can finally catch my breath.
Two days passed since then.
"Cough! Alright! Then! Let's start the roll call refreshingly, bathed in the morning sunlight!"
The regular human army had completely withdrawn, and the Orcs had all been slaughtered. For the time being, we could act very safely and freely.
So, after reopening the dungeon entrance, I conducted a formal roll call for the first time in a while.
"Hmm."
Seeing everyone lined up like this makes my heart feel full.
From the far right, the Goblin platoon. Then the Imps. Kobolds. Pixies. The Royal Guard. And the Lizardmen and Hobgoblins, who felt like reservists squeezed into the roll call.
Seeing it like this, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a full-strength company. They are soldiers of various branches composed of truly diverse races.
"We have evaded the darkness called humans that loomed over our Demon King's Castle! Because of that, we have become even safer!"
"Keruuuuuk!"
"But now is the time to build our strength! Just because we've avoided one danger doesn't mean everything is over! So, it'll be a bit tough today, but starting tomorrow, I intend to expand our influence again! Do you understand!"
"Keruuuuuk!"
If the angels who appeared in the capital gather the humans, it's game over. To at least be less game over, the only way is to build up our strength.
I could shrink our power and hide deeper inside to live in seclusion, but then world conquest would be impossible. Do you think I've built up this strength until today just to live like a loser with my subordinates?
Bullshit!
I will definitely live well and eat well with my subordinates! I don't need angels, humans, or anything else! If we want to live well, we have to build our strength and win! Once you've fallen into a battlefield like this, you shouldn't act half-heartedly! For my subordinates! For my Demon King's Castle! I will march forward endlessly!
"Anyway, that's why today's schedule will be a bit loose!"
Let's get back to working hard starting tomorrow.
Training and expanding our influence. In addition to increasing the number of livestock we raise, we'll also create farmland. We'll need to expand the tunnels, and we'll have to make a lot of equipment, too.
To do that, the women of the Demon King's Castle will have to work until their backs break. Because I need to recover my mana quickly through sexual contact with them, and use that mana to strengthen my subordinates and equipment.
My job is only two things: giving orders and sex.
And I should listen to some stories about how the world is turning from Ruby. And should I investigate why the Orcs moved here? Whatever the case, since the biggest threat, the humans, have returned, we can finally start expanding our influence in earnest.
"Alright, then! I'll perform mana injection in order! Everyone, attention!"
"Keruk!"
"Grrrk!"
Mana overflows from my body. First, let's strengthen my subordinates. I immediately created a small sphere of mana on my fingertip and injected it into my subordinates, tap, tap, tap.
"Keruuuuuuk! Strength is surging, Master!"
"Surging! Strength! Grrrrrk!"
"Gyusatsat! Strength is rising!"
My subordinates were going crazy as if they were high on drugs. If I keep injecting them like this, one day even the Goblins will have the physique of a human.
After finishing the injections, I simply distributed the tasks.
"Today, we'll only proceed with the morning schedule. Buril! Go scout the Orc tribe area! Imp-monkey! Go get some food through hunting! You just need to be back around lunchtime! Gyul-i, take your subordinates and keep digging the tunnels! Do you understand!"
—Keruk!
Everyone cheered and roared at the news that we were only doing the morning schedule.
"And the Lizardmen... return to where you were living. Since the human threat is gone, live as you were until I call you next time."
"Shwaaaaa. Understood."
"Hobgoblins. That, what was it. Muturi."
"Grack."
"You guys will now be put into production work."
Since Hobgoblins are good with their hands, I'll put them into production work in earnest now. Whether it's manufacturing, farming, or livestock management. I intend to make them do various things. Starting with Muturi, everyone is going into work.
"Then, the Pixies."
"Hey! We're off today! You said you'd let us rest!"
"Yeah. I know. As if I'd forget that. Of course, the Pixies are completely free today!"
"Yahoo!"
"Hooray!"
"Waaaaa!"
They're really happy.
Seeing the pretty Pixies shaking their huge breasts and being purely happy makes my heart feel very warm.
"Then play with us today! All day long!"
Sure, why not!