The Beginning of Ruin 2
Immediately after finishing the occupation of Sagunto, I moved the additional undead I had created here to seize the surrounding regions. Once a territory had been swallowed, there was a limit to how much information could be blocked. From now on, it was a race against time in earnest, so we pushed our speed to the limit and expanded our domain.
“How long do you think it will take for the enemy to react at this rate?”
“Kerks has likely already noticed the anomaly. Their intelligence network surpasses even the Emperor’s in some respects.”
“Using such excellent intelligence to commit such filthy deeds… The more I learn, the less I like them.”
Hela spoke with a slight frown. I nodded in agreement and replied seriously.
“Well, the more professionally one commits evil, the harder it becomes. In any case, we can only hope the ‘trap’ I prepared for them works as intended.”
Kerks itself was a problem, but what I was watching most closely at this moment was their greatest possible fighting force—the Hero Party. If the Hero and other powerful individuals began moving in earnest, things would become quite troublesome. Even if we fought them head-on, with the Saintess now fully on our side, defeat was impossible. Still, we would have to accept localized losses. Moreover, if their actions led to the reformation of the Free Races’ alliance army, the situation would grow even more annoying.
Hoping things would unfold as favorably as possible, I decided to focus solely on securing every advantage within reach for the time being.
“Then, who will handle the next region?”
“Leave it to me, Demon King! This Fenrir shall personally slaughter every last human and return.”
“Good. I’ll send you five hundred undead and two Plutos. Make sure you handle it thoroughly before coming back.”
“Of course. Hela, I entrust the Demon King to you while I am away.”
“Understood. Please return safely.”
Fenrir departed with great vigor. Watching him go, I allowed a faint smile to form on my lips before turning my attention back to the overall situation.
“How are the demons in the rear holding up?”
“For now, they are being managed separately between the fortress we captured earlier and Fenrir’s mountain stronghold. Conditions have improved compared to before, but there are still unstable elements.”
“It would be nice if someone could reliably handle the rear… Have we still not made contact with the other high-ranking demons?”
“Well… about that…”
The next moment, Hela’s expression suddenly darkened. I realized she was holding something back.
“It’s fine. Speak. What problem has arisen regarding them?”
“…Yes. In truth, the messenger we sent earlier has returned with a reply. However, the contents…”
“The contents… what exactly?”
Despite my repeated questions, Hela hesitated. After a moment, she seemed to reach a decision and carefully handed me a single letter. The words written inside were…
“…Haha… This is… rather troublesome.”
“This is no laughing matter. It is a direct declaration of rebellion against you, Demon King. In other words, treason and betrayal.”
“Hmm…”
“We cannot tolerate this. You are the absolute monarch, the pinnacle of all demonkind! If you have returned, it is only natural for them to come running and bow their heads. How dare they commit such disloyalty?”
Hela spoke with a voice filled with anger. I remained seated and replied in a calm tone.
“So, what do you think we should do?”
“They must be killed. If they do not kneel immediately, we should exterminate their entire clan so they can never harbor such treacherous thoughts again!”
Hela expressed more fury than usual—more even than Fenrir. Seeing this, I understood why she had waited until Fenrir was gone to bring up the matter. If Fenrir had been present, he would likely have caused an even greater uproar. He might even have rushed off without giving us a chance to stop him.
While I appreciated Hela’s effort to manage the situation, I still spoke to her in an utterly calm voice.
“Strictly speaking, that would be one option. But Hela, I believe what is happening now was inevitable.”
“What? What do you mean…”
“Of course, you and Fenrir have shown me unwavering loyalty. I am grateful for that… and glad.”
“That is only natural. We are your vassals. No matter what happens, that will never change.”
“However, it is an undeniable fact that the Demon Kingdom fell because of my foolish choices. The screams and suffering of the people that followed are all my fault. It is only natural for them to feel disappointed in a ruler who has failed once.”
“Kh…”
Even in my original world, it was natural for a failed leader or executive to take responsibility and step down. Of course, some clung to power through force, but such people were never viewed favorably. In that sense, stepping down would have been the correct answer—yet this was not the modern world, but a fantasy one. Unlike places with capable replacements, I was the Demon King, the strongest among demonkind. If I abandoned everything now, the demons were doomed to extinction. The disappearance of the Demon Kingdom during my mere half-year absence had already proven that. Still, separate from these facts, I could fully understand why those who had rebelled against a failed ruler felt the way they did.
“Even so, we cannot simply leave them be. Leaving the seeds of rebellion at a time like this will surely become a future calamity.”
“Of course. I have no intention of tolerating it either.”
Now was the time to gather every possible demon under our banner. We could not afford to leave seeds of division. I concluded that we needed to resolve this matter as quickly as possible. With Fenrir away on campaign and the enemy still unclear about the situation, this was the perfect opportunity. I decided to settle the matter right away.
The Free Races Alliance Conference. Held under the protection of the Hero Party and other elite warriors, this gathering brought together the representatives of the four races said to have been born under divine blessing—humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs. It was here that matters determining the continent’s fate were discussed. Since the issues directly affected national interests, each race typically engaged in behind-the-scenes maneuvering to secure advantages, sometimes resorting to quite dirty methods.
And at this moment, the ruler of the human Utopia Empire—who had gained the strongest voice by contributing the most to the Demon Kingdom’s destruction—Continus IV, spoke as the conference host in an arrogant tone.
“Then let us begin the meeting. The first agenda concerns the military expenditures for this expedition.”
Although the Demon Kingdom had been destroyed, sporadic demon disturbances still occurred. To suppress them, the allied races periodically dispatched expeditionary forces, incurring enormous costs each time.
“Our empire alone bears forty percent of the burden. No matter how noble the cause, this is beginning to strain the national treasury. Therefore, I propose that each nation increase its contributions.”
Though wrapped in grand rhetoric, it simply meant demanding more tribute under the guise of “contributions.” Naturally, none of the Free Races’ rulers were pleased. However, they were at a disadvantage in terms of justification, and with the Utopia Empire holding overwhelming military superiority, openly opposing the request was difficult. Under normal circumstances, that would have been the end of it…
“Regrettably, that will not be possible, Your Majesty.”
“What… what did you say?”
“In truth, our Holy Kingdom’s situation has deteriorated considerably of late. With successive poor harvests leaving people starving, it will be difficult to send substantial contributions this time.”
The first to speak in a calm tone was Wilhelm VI, Pope of the Elf Holy Kingdom. Despite being an elf, his face bore deep wrinkles that spoke of the passage of time. The Emperor’s expression hardened, and he replied in a cold voice.
“Does the Pope intend to withdraw his hand from preserving the continent’s peace? No matter how difficult the circumstances, such irresponsible behavior cannot be tolerated.”
The Emperor’s words carried a warning. Yet the Pope responded with an unusually unwavering voice.
“I am aware that this matter required considerable funds. However, Your Majesty, the gains you obtained in the process far exceed that amount, do they not? The adamantium and mithril secretly taken from the Demon Kingdom’s treasury alone…”
“What… what did you say?”
The Emperor’s face filled with deep bewilderment as the Pope spoke of matters that were supposed to have been carried out in absolute secrecy with only trusted individuals. And as he watched the Emperor’s expression… a quiet smile formed on Master’s lips.