The Virtue of Timely Surrender
Giving up can be liberating. When tackling any endeavor—especially one that requires the cooperation of many rather than the strength of a single individual—I had always adhered to one crucial principle: quick surrender. There was no point clinging to a lost cause. Instead of wasting effort trying to force an impossible outcome, it was far more practical and wise to consider how best to turn the situation to one’s advantage. In that regard, Samson and the other hardline demon commanders were exactly the sort of people who refused to understand this.
Thick-skulled, stubborn brutes who knew nothing of compromise. I had seen enough of their kind—both in reality and in the game—to know that trying to reason with them was a fool’s errand from the start.
Even if I had taken Ilios’s side, they wouldn’t have changed their minds. They would have only grown more agitated, and they might have even used my human origins against me.
Of course, there were ways to crush their objections by force. But I knew it was far wiser to abandon what could not be salvaged early and focus instead on what could be gained from the concession—and how to make use of it.
With that in mind, I contacted Ilios immediately after the meeting concluded. The result…
*
“Very well. Since you have all agreed to commence hostilities as soon as possible, begin discussing the concrete details of our strategy.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Demon King, surprised by how quickly consensus had been reached, ordered further deliberation on the specifics. Immediately afterward—
“If I may, Your Majesty, I have something to add.”
Ilios requested the floor the moment the Demon King finished speaking. The Demon King, sensing that something was afoot, turned to her and replied,
“If you have a sound proposal, let us hear it.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I will now outline the route of advance I have devised for this campaign.”
With those words, Ilios gave Elisa a slight nod. Elisa promptly unrolled the map she had prepared in advance and spread it across the center of the round table. Various markings had already been made upon the operational chart. Standing before it, Ilios began the briefing she had prepared.
“As you are all aware, our ultimate objective in this battle is to drive the Allied Races out of every territory they currently occupy within the Demon Kingdom. As our first step toward that goal, I propose we launch an attack on Antioch.”
Ilios spoke with the confidence of someone who had come thoroughly prepared, map and all. Samson and the other legion commanders looked momentarily taken aback, yet none of them raised any objection to her taking the lead. Unlike Ilios, who had arrived with a detailed plan, they had focused solely on pushing for an immediate declaration of war. Now that their own demand had been accepted, they had little choice but to soften their stance.
Antioch, huh… It’s a fair distance away, but she must have her reasons. As long as we get to fight to our hearts’ content, it doesn’t matter where we start…
It’s war! Antioch or anywhere else—it makes no difference as long as we can crush those filthy Alliance scum!
Though they did not fully understand her reasoning, the demon commanders ultimately agreed to begin their assault from the location Ilios had designated. Watching them accept her proposal without resistance, Ilios felt a quiet sense of relief and nodded to herself.
Just as the Hero said—by yielding a single step, the effect is clear.
Under normal circumstances, the commanders would have grumbled even if she had made this many concessions. But now, having essentially received the “compromise” they wanted, Samson and the other hardliners had no choice but to step back—both politically and psychologically.
Thus, Ilios had succeeded in determining the attack point and movement routes for Samson and the hardliners exactly as the Hero had advised her the previous day. Feeling relieved that everything had gone smoothly, she glanced across the table at the Hero and thought about what would come next.
The Hero met her gaze and gave her a small nod, smiling. Ilios returned the look, then turned her eyes away, thinking once again that the man was thoroughly unpleasant in every way.
I felt it the moment we first met… He really is an irritating fellow.
*
Antioch—a fortified city located in the southern part of the Demon Kingdom, built at the heart of a vast plain. Before the Allied Races seized it, the region had served as the Demon Kingdom’s breadbasket and as a vital gateway across the Black Mountains that bisected the realm. Even after the Alliance occupied it, its strategic importance remained unchanged.
Yet the once-lively city now lay under a heavy pall of gloom.
“They’re requesting more food supplies from Dimode again?”
“Yes… That is correct, General.”
“Galadia has sent the same request. They say if things continue like this, their soldiers risk starving to death…”
“Haa…”
Requests for food aid kept pouring in without end. Pharisect, the commander overseeing Antioch, could not help but frown.
“This is maddening. There’s a limit to our stockpiles, and the situation only keeps deteriorating… Still no word of support from the homeland?”
“My apologies. We continue to request aid, but it appears more time will be needed.”
“Mmm…”
Pharisect’s brow furrowed at his subordinate’s report. Though he did not match the Empire’s Three Knights in strength, he possessed considerable martial prowess. Even so, he had no ready solution for the rapidly worsening supply crisis.
Damn it… If only Cassandra hadn’t let her guard down, things wouldn’t have come to this. It’s not as though we have food to spare either.
Pharisect had been forced to divert locally procured supplies to other regions. Yet with the supply line from Rob severed, the situation continued to worsen. Local procurement had its limits, and even if food could barely be secured, there was no solution to the growing shortage of weapons and other military supplies.
Consequently, the Allied forces inside the Demon Kingdom had adopted a purely defensive posture, avoiding any provocation toward the enemy. Soldiers who had come to fight were now huddled indoors, their movements restricted, while Antioch—because it still had some food reserves—was being asked to send aid elsewhere.
Resentment among Pharisect and his men naturally turned toward General Cassandra, the commander at Lob who had triggered the crisis.
“This is infuriating. If Cassandra had done her job properly, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Exactly. How could one of the Empire’s Three Knights make such a catastrophic mistake?”
“Even with the Demon King’s raid, who could have predicted she would lose every last supply wagon? It’s truly disappointing.”
Pharisect and his subordinates vented their frustration by criticizing their absent superior. Pharisect, who had been passed over for the Three Knights in favor of Cassandra, allowed his long-suppressed discontent to surface.
“She used to be quite capable, but after being stuck in the rear for so long, she’s completely lost her edge. The title of Three Knights is wasted on her.”
“We think the same, sir.”
“It should have been you who became one of the Three Knights, General Pharisect.”
His subordinates voiced their agreement, adding a touch of flattery. Listening to them, Pharisect began to wonder whether this crisis might finally bring him an opportunity.
But… depending on how you look at it, with Lob having taken such heavy damage, Antioch’s importance has only grown. If I can weather this crisis well, perhaps…
Antioch was not only a key military stronghold but also one of the few regions capable of self-sufficient food production for the Allied Races, who relied on supplies shipped from their homeland. With the supply routes to the front lines cut off, Antioch had become a place they absolutely had to hold if they wished to avoid starvation.
With so many eyes now focused on this location, any incident here could potentially elevate Pharisect’s name.
If the demons launch an attack on this place, the Allied forces will surely commit everything to defend it. And at the center of that defense will stand none other than myself, Pharisect… If that happens, I may yet have another chance to aim for the title of Empire’s Three Knights.
Harboring such ambitions even amid the crisis, Pharisect was about to resume dealing with the food procurement issue when—
“G-General! General Pharisect!”
“What is it?”
“Th-the enemy! A massive demon army is marching toward us!”
“!”
The soldier gasped for breath as he delivered the urgent report. A complicated expression—mingled with a hint of something almost like joy—crossed Pharisect’s face.