Now, Let the Harvest Begin
Now... let us begin the harvest.
After the hero’s treatment and examination were complete, Rebekah and the soldiers emerging from the barracks where he lay began to listen to the military physician’s report, their faces etched with worry.
“The test results indicate the spear wound itself is not a serious issue. His failure to regain consciousness is most likely due to expending an excessive amount of mana all at once. He should awaken soon, so there is no need for concern.”
“I-is that so?”
“Phew…”
Rebekah and her comrades breathed sighs of relief at the diagnosis that rest would be enough to mend him. Yet regardless of that reassurance, a heavy sense of guilt toward the hero had already taken deep root in their hearts.
To think he pushed himself that far… just to protect us…
There have been many commanders before, but none who threw their own body so completely in order to shield their subordinates.
I’ve heard that a person will one day meet a master worth serving, but… could it truly be that hero?
Thus the demon soldiers began to reevaluate the hero rather than worry over him or cling to any ill will. Of course it was still too early to draw firm conclusions after a single battle, yet it was undeniable that the prejudice they had held simply because he was human had been greatly washed away.
Only after everyone standing guard had finally left did I quietly open my eyes and scan the surroundings.
Good. I managed to avoid waking up dramatically and killing the mood.
Strictly speaking, I probably could have played off that level of awkwardness, but the subordinate demons had acted with such frantic urgency that I inadvertently let myself get swept along.
Setting that minor discomfort aside, the realization that I had successfully completed every objective I had set for myself filled me with a deep, rich sense of accomplishment.
Thanks to them unexpectedly recognizing me as the Demon King, the situation is flowing far more smoothly than I could have hoped. At this rate those fools will throw themselves into an even wilder frenzy trying to capture this Demon King.
To be honest, the surprise attack just now could have let me seize Antioch outright. Of the seven thousand troops stationed there, only a few hundred had been present at that spot, but my overwhelmingly superior combat strength let me instantly identify the spear-thrower as the commander defending the position.
Had I eliminated him and every one of his officers, the defending force—its chain of command shattered—would have collapsed in complete disarray.
In that case, Samson and the other hardliners would probably have had demon banners flying over Antioch’s walls before the day was out…
A battle expected to take two or three days could have been finished in one… perhaps even half a day.
Yet I knew all too well that such a refreshing outcome was precisely what I had to avoid in my current position.
If Antioch falls too soon it will cause problems. Dragging things out too long is also bad, but it must hold at least through today… no later than tomorrow if I am to achieve the goal for certain.
On the surface the demon army appeared to be throwing every ounce of strength into capturing Antioch. That was what Samson and the commanders serving under him currently here believed, and it had been the conclusion of the previous strategy meeting.
But at this moment, of every member of the Demon King’s army present, only I knew the truth concealed behind the plan.
Whatever else might be said, the troops here were nothing more than bait. My role was simply to plant “hope” in the enemy… and, as an added bonus, the emotion of “desire.”
After all, the “real” one was not me.
That part would be handled by Ilios and our true sovereign.
So come on, hurry and swarm over here. This Demon King is lying here injured and collapsed, so scrape up every last soldier and commit everything you have.
In Dimode, a demon territory occupied by the racial alliance, Memnon—the general serving as temporary lord—could not conceal his intense excitement as he listened to the messenger who had rushed from Antioch.
“What… did you say? The Demon King has truly appeared in Antioch?”
“Yes! General, and according to the news I heard right before I left, the Demon King was struck by General Pharisect’s spear and suffered a serious wound.”
“Ooh… General Pharisect, you say?”
Memnon’s face brimmed with unmistakable excitement at the messenger’s words. His adjutant standing beside him spoke in an urgent voice.
“General Memnon, then we cannot remain idle. If that report is true, this is the perfect chance to end this wretched war once and for all.”
“Hmm! I agree. Our supply situation has grown worse by the day, leaving us walking on thin ice, yet I never imagined an opportunity like this would appear.”
Ever since Robb had been attacked, Memnon’s troops had been barely surviving on supplies scraped from Antioch. To them, the news that the enemy’s supreme commander—the Demon King—had appeared and been wounded felt like a golden rope lowered into a desperate situation.
“Isn’t this a war that ends the moment we cut off the enemy’s head?”
“If we simply commit every soldier to subjugating the Demon King, we’ll no longer have to suffer over food supplies.”
“General, give the order! This humble officer will go and take the Demon King’s head myself!”
Their nerves already frayed by hunger and harsh conditions, the men began shouting with half-crazed eyes the moment they saw a chance. Memnon, who bore the responsibility of leading them, felt exactly the same.
“There is no need for that! I will lead the expedition personally. Since things have reached this point, there is no reason to send only part of our forces to stall for time. I will take the entire army stationed in Dimode and march on Antioch!”
“Yes, General!”
“We shall follow your will, General!”
Memnon declared with firm resolve and greed burning beneath the surface. The soldiers answered with equal fervor, obeying his command.
“From here to Antioch is only a day’s hard ride. If we gallop through the night we can arrive by tomorrow.”
“We should first move with the swiftest cavalry units. It would be disastrous if Antioch were captured while we delayed.”
“An excellent suggestion. Since the Demon King has taken the field himself, they will have no attention to spare for other regions. We will focus everything on reaching Antioch as quickly as possible and taking the Demon King’s head!”
Thus Memnon and his troops immediately set out, leading every available soldier. Though their departure had been so abrupt that castle defense and rear cleanup were left in disarray, they had no leisure to worry about such details.
It was a war that would end the moment they captured the Demon King. Their only thought was to pour every ounce of strength into the goal before their eyes.
And at that same moment… across the many occupied territories of the Demon Kingdom, numerous lords were thinking along the same lines as Memnon’s corps and beginning to march with their full armies.
The desire to become a continental hero by taking the head of the wounded Demon King, combined with the realization that their already dire supply situation made prolonged resistance impossible, seized the hearts of countless commanders. The result was an enormous host of forty thousand troops—the true main force of the racial alliance—abandoning their occupied lands and converging on Antioch.
Of course a few cautious individuals chose to watch the situation carefully and quietly guard their own territories. Yet at a time when even passively holding out had become nearly impossible due to the collapsed supply lines, the number of those making such uncertain choices was small.
And in that moment, the woman who had been observing every detail with the eyes of a hawk from within the shadows was Elisa—one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King’s personal guard. She began to feel a fierce thrill as she realized events were proceeding not only according to plan, but far more smoothly and explosively than anyone had anticipated.
The hero provided the idea and Mama refined it into a concrete scheme, so I expected success… but this is almost too perfect. Has the aggro been drawn a little too effectively?
The situation had reached the point where she worried that Samson and the hero might end up in danger instead. Still, the fact that everything was advancing exactly as planned was undeniably excellent news for the Demon Kingdom.
Having grasped the state of affairs, Elisa quickly returned to the main camp to which she belonged and delivered her report at once.
“Is that so? The racial alliance forces have begun to move as scheduled?”
“Yes, they have!”
“It appears our scheme is working perfectly. Then let us begin the operation immediately.”
Ilios spoke with a cold smile playing on her lips. Then, in a calm voice that could not hide her anticipation, she addressed her subordinates.
“Yes… that would be best. Since the fruit has ripened perfectly… let us begin the harvest in earnest.”
With those words she drew the sword at her side. Gazing at the deep violet aura that clung to the blade, she—the real Demon King whom everyone had left hoping would take that head—slowly formed a smile laced with killing intent upon her beautiful yet utterly terrifying lips.