Chapter 87. The Anti-Humanity Alliance's Field Agent
Chapter 87. The Anti-Humanity Alliance's Field Agent
The Demon King's Army was humanity's ancient nemesis.
But not every human joined the Human Alliance to stand against the Demon King's Army.
On the contrary, there were those on the human side who, whether for reasons of crime or defection, or out of sheer antipathy toward their own nation's regime, chose to side with the Demon King's Army.
Those humans had banded together to form the 'Anti-Human Coalition,' and until now they had been infiltrating human territory in secret, carrying out acts of terror and operations aimed at toppling governments without a shred of hesitation.
That is, before the coalition's original leader died—
and before the newly dispatched officer from the Demon King's Army seized the leadership for themselves.
"I still can't stand it."
When an operative of the Anti-Human Coalition, who had been sensing the shift ever since, let those words slip, the other operatives who were likewise making preparations focused their attention on him.
"...Can't stand it. What do you mean?"
"You're asking because you already know. This isn't why we abandoned our homelands."
It was the moment his long-suppressed frustration boiled over.
So much so that he voiced it aloud—the mission they were currently carrying out was, from their standpoint, deeply unsatisfying.
"If they were ordering us to carry out a terrorist attack on some kingdom, I'd understand. But the mission we've been handed is to assist those Dream Demon bastards in their scheming against the hero party..."
"I feel the same. With other officers also keeping their eyes on the hero party... if this goes wrong, we could end up making enemies not just of humanity but of the entire Demon King's Army."
It wasn't mere exaggerated anxiety.
Even if she was nothing more than a rookie now, before long the very currents of this world would revolve around the hero.
And because those currents were never trivial, most of those belonging to the Demon King's Army were surely waiting for that moment to arrive.
In a situation like this, carelessly meddling with the party before the appointed time would be no different from a reckless act that made enemies not only of humanity but of their own Demon King's Army itself.
"...It's been wrong from the start. Fine, we betrayed humanity, but that was only because we couldn't stomach what those kingdom swine were doing. We didn't do it to play nursemaid to demon scum."
"And on top of that, how does it make sense that the leader running the group is a demon, not even a human? If we're picking a new leader, it should've been someone from our own faction. Why the hell are they dispatching some demon officer on their own authority?"
"To test our loyalty, probably. If we've truly betrayed humanity, we should follow the leader without complaint whether they're human or demon."
"That's absolute bullshit. Does what we're doing now look good in the eyes of those shitty demons?"
The mood, sparked by the first complaint, steadily grew more heated.
They looked ready to draw blades against their own faction at any moment—and yet, not a single person present spoke against the prevailing sentiment.
No matter how thoroughly they had betrayed humanity, that was a rejection of the system, not an abandonment of their identities as humans.
The moment they began taking orders from demons who weren't even the same species, it was safe to say the organization's ideology had already collapsed.
"...Everyone, quiet."
The reason a rebellion hadn't broken out and the organization had managed to hold together until now, however tenuously, was because there existed someone who formed their focal point.
"Lady Katarina is watching."
At that one operative's words, the Anti-Human Coalition members belatedly reined in their agitation.
Then their gazes converged on the figure leaning against the warehouse wall, silently observing the situation.
Black attire and a mask, characteristic of the Anti-Human Coalition, which made infiltration and covert operations its stock-in-trade. A tall woman with dark, long hair tied back.
The eyes silently observing the situation held a keener edge than the weapons and gear they were maintaining, and the charisma radiating from her created an aura of untouchability for those watching.
A presence that felt extraordinary just by facing her.
That assessment was not mistaken.
For she was descended from the bloodline of a former royal house that had once contended for control of a human faction, and afterward inherited the blood of the man who, in defeat, came to dominate the underworld.
Though the Anti-Human Coalition he had founded had fallen into the hands of demons, its maintenance alone remained to her, passed down intact.
"...It's true."
The woman who bore that fate opened her mouth beneath the mask and spoke.
"Since the previous leader passed away, the Anti-Human Coalition has invested its efforts solely in activities far removed from its original purpose. I share your anger."
No pretense, no falsehood—plain sincerity.
No one here could gainsay her words.
After all, since her father's death, the one who most bitterly resented the demons who had defiled the organization he built was none other than she herself.
"But for now, we must endure."
Even so, she chose to comply with the current state of affairs.
No—to be precise, she had no other choice.
"The Anti-Human Coalition's objective is not something that can be achieved merely by building up power in the underworld. My father understood this as well, which is why he entrusted the force he built to the Demon King's Army, intending to leverage their power from behind."
If all they desired was recompense, they could play the petty thug in the underworld, but what they sought was not merely to seize vested interests—it could only be called 'revolution.'
Even if they had entered the Outer Path, so long as they did not forget that ideology, the pursuit of power was inevitable.
"...For us, leaving the Demon King's Army would be no different from discarding the power necessary for revolution. At best, we would be reduced to a pack of small-timers scrabbling for pocket change in the underworld."
Having driven that point home, Katarina's eyes opened sharper still.
"Is there anyone here who would be satisfied with that?"
"...Not one."
"Right. That is why we must endure for now. Even if the officer dispatched by the Demon King's Army to test our loyalty commits acts that violate our ideals..."
Her fist clenched tight with mortification.
But within it lay a firm resolve.
"...Because if we endure and withstand this humiliation, the opportunity for us to seize the initiative will surely come."
A belief that if they held on through this trying time, their aspirations would certainly be fulfilled.
Though the operatives who read that noble resolve still wore expressions not wholly convinced, after exchanging glances their opinions were, in the end, settled as always.
"We will follow Lady Katarina's orders."
"Please, carry on the ideals of the liege we once served, and make that dream a reality."
The action unit of the Anti-Human Coalition.
In that moment all of them swore genuine loyalty toward the successor of the lord who had led them, and having received their fealty, Katarina quietly turned her back and raised a hand to her mask.
"I will go on ahead to assess the situation. Until my orders arrive, keep yourselves concealed here quietly. Do not, under any circumstances, allow the targets to discover your identities."
"...Understood. Please be careful."
With that solemn send-off, Katarina exited the warehouse alone.
Afterward, once their eyes had left her, she stood in place and let out a deep sigh from beneath her mask, placing a hand over her chest.
Thud, thud.
In the moment her heart pounded so fiercely she could hear it clearly.
Katarina was terrified that her true feelings might be discovered by them.
'I know it too. That this is a forced argument.'
Endure present suffering while plotting for a later day.
How was that any different from entrusting to the future what one cannot take responsibility for now?
'But this is the best I can do. The only thing I can do is keep the group my father built from collapsing...'
Gnashing her teeth at her own helplessness, Katarina nonetheless chose to endure and remain faithful to the task she had been given.
Because for those who had abandoned their homelands and even cast aside their dignity as humans, the only ones they could rely on were those belonging to the same faction.
If they lost even the ideology that bound them together, everything they had done until now would be rendered meaningless.
'...That, at least, I will never allow.'
Yes, she had to prevent all that her father had built from turning to nothing.
Repeating that alone to herself, Katarina steadied her troubled mind and gathered mana into her body.
The instant light distorted and every sound emanating from her body was silenced.
Feeling that all preparations necessary for infiltration were complete, Katarina soon concealed herself in the shadows cast across the mansion and headed toward where the targets were gathered.
***
"Are the prepared dishes to your liking?"
"More than to our liking... it's somewhat overwhelming. Are we truly worthy of receiving such fine fare?"
"Haha, this level of hospitality is only natural. After all, you are the ones who will resolve this territory's persistent headache..."
Just as planned, the members of the target hero party were in the dining hall, sharing a meal with the lord.
Of course, the request they had been given was ultimately nothing more than a pretext to lure them in.
In truth, the lord who was master of this mansion had been caught up in the powerful aphrodisiac emitted by the demon giving them orders, and had long since been reduced to that demon's puppet.
'And the hero party shows absolutely no sign of suspecting it.'
Well, no matter how thoughtless they often appeared, the demon was still an officer of the Demon King's Army in name.
The aphrodisiac power that creature emitted was not something so trivial that a mere human could detect it.
'And if left alone, that hero party will also...'
Probably end up just like that lord.
That obvious conclusion surfaced in Katarina's mind, but she forced herself to ignore it and move on.
'...I don't know what will happen, but for now there's no path but to follow orders.'
No matter how many eyes were fixed on the hero party, if she did not carry out her orders, there was the danger that the Anti-Human Coalition would be utterly disbanded.
So for now she had to cast aside all doubts and execute her orders. Having made that judgment, Katarina continued to monitor the hero party's movements as they carried on their meal with the lord.
A hero still nothing more than a greenhorn, and a Grand Archmage eating with a crooked expression.
Those two were definitely in their collected intelligence. Those two, at least.
'The girl over there... is she an elf?'
She looked quite young, but among her possessions was a bow.
She must have concealed her distinctly elven pointed ears with something like a magic tool.
Her youthful appearance might even be the result of such an ability. Yes, that much she could accept.
What bothered her was the one person amiably conversing with them all.
'In that case, the man there is...'
A lean-featured man with blond hair and bronze skin.
'...Wait. That man. I feel like I've seen him somewhere.'
Was it merely her imagination that his face looked familiar?