Side: Liliana
"Liliana-sama, the enemy at the second gate is retreating!!"
"Report from the diversionary force: they have successfully opened the South Gate!!"
"An enemy detachment has been confirmed departing from the East Gate! Close the First Gate immediately and prepare for an attack from the rear!!"
"Inform Seraria-sama about the detachment as top priority!! Does anyone know the situation inside the Second Gate? Any information at all would help!!"
We have currently broken through the First Gate and are about to approach the Second Gate.
Thanks to the diversion, the first gate had opened smoothly as the Peace Faction joined our side.
The fire traps within the gate were successfully neutralized without issue; at most, some leftover oil caught fire and caused nothing more than a minor puddle of flames.
"The Weed forces have already attached themselves to the gate. No need to worry. The enemy seems to be retreating as well, so we'll break through at this rate."
Before I could send a report to Seraria-sama and the other leaders, she herself arrived.
"Seraria-sama. Have you heard? An enemy detachment has already..."
"Yes. The other commanders have heard as well. Supplies have already begun being moved inside the First Gate, so we'll be fine. Once the Second Gate opens, the Weed forces will move directly to intercept the detachment heading toward the First Gate. Since our numbers are small to begin with, this is the proper way to use them. We'll leave the Demon King's Castle to the other forces. You know what's inside, but if you recklessly rush forward, that thing will eat you alive."
"Yes... I understand. So that thing is already running rampant inside the Demon King's Castle..."
I stare at the Demon King's Castle, which has yet to show any outward signs of change.
"Yes. We received a report from Eris. The major leaders remaining in the castle have already been devoured, except for the carefully selected members of the peace faction. Apparently, the Imperial Guard, led by their captain, is somehow managing to hold it back."
"So it's him..."
"Ara? An acquaintance?"
"Yes. I was the one who appointed him as the Captain of the Imperial Guard. He's honest, diligent, capable, and respected. A man who truly deserved the position."
"Heh, well then, it would be a waste to let a man like that die. If only that second gate would hurry up and open... Ah, looks like it just did."
Following Seraria-sama's gaze, I see that the gate has already been thrown open. Just like before, General Lowelle-san's units are charging in first to secure the path.
"Well then, this is where we part ways. Do your best from here."
With that, Seraria-sama walked away from me and began issuing commands to the Weed forces.
"Qual, we've confirmed the enemy detachment has departed from the East Gate. Their numbers are around three hundred; the Weed units will stop them alone. Assemble the troops and gather at the First Gate immediately."
"Understood!!"
After seeing Seraria-asma off, I joined Lowelle-san and the others in the Demon King's Castle assault force.
"Liliana-sama, the Second Gate is completely secured. The enemy seems to be in disarray for some reason. Do you know anything about it?"
"No, nothing in particular... Perhaps the volunteer forces are successfully carrying out their diversion."
In truth, I knew.
The volunteers' diversion was certainly part of it, but the greatest problem was that the Demon King was currently rampaging inside the castle... But I cannot say that aloud.
We must reach the Demon King's Castle as quickly as possible and defeat the monster acting as the Demon King.
"Fumu. We have no intention of harming the demonkin civilians. If they aren't obstructing us, shouldn't we proceed directly to the castle?"
"Indeed. Liliana-dono, which path leads to the Demon King's castle?"
Ares-dono turns to ask me.
"The Demon King's Castle sits in a direct line from each of the gates. Bridges have been built so that it can be accessed from the North, South, East, and West. However, they are drawbridges..."
"A drawbridge, huh? In this situation, we should assume they've already been raised. Still, it doesn't change the fact that we should reach the castle as quickly as possible."
Everyone in the assault force nods in agreement.
"All forces, charge down this road!! Target the Demon King's Castle!! Lower the drawbridge and drive your swords straight into the Demon King's throat!!"
At Ares-dono's command, the assault force surges forward in unison.
There was no enemy resistance.
The demon civilians were cheering us on.
Many had lost family members to the conflict surrounding the gates. There was no one who would interfere with the allied army that had saved them without killing anyone.
The results of the allies I had planted were bearing fruit.
"Listen everyone!! Our friends are cheering us on!! There is no reason for us to lose, and no reason to retreat!! Answer their feelings with your voices!!"
Ares-dono raised his sword and ran at the head of the force.
The soldiers following behind him responded with a thunderous battle cry.
"""WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"""
For some reason, the drawbridge of the Demon King's castle was already lowered.
"■■■■■■■■■!!"
An unintelligible—no, a meaningless—scream could be heard.
"GWAAAAAAAHHHHH!! S-Somebody... gurgle..."
A scream suddenly morphs into an unnatural, grotesque sound.
"Damn it, don't let this thing outside no matter what!! Show them the pride of the Rust Imperial Guards!!"
"""OOOHHH!!"""
The Imperial Guards is desperately holding back the monster from the reports.
In other words, it means there are no significant survivors among the hardliners inside the castle anymore. The captain seems to have successfully survived Eris-san's selection process.
"Hiera!! I have brought the Allied Forces with me!! We will support you!!"
When I call out, Hiera, the Captain of the Rust Imperial Guard, snaps his head around, his face washing over with pure shock.
"Liliana-sama, thank goodness you are safe!!"
"Talk later. We'll defeat this monster together with the allied army, and then defeat Dekira!!"
"No, Dekira is no longer here. He has already been devoured by that monster..."
At those words, the leaders of the Allied Forces wear expressions of utter shock.
"That Demon King Dekira used us as sacrifices to summon that monster. No... that thing is more fitting to be called the Demon King. It is a true monster that grows by devouring living beings!!"
THUD!!
With a heavy, resonant impact, most of the Imperial Guard members are sent flying through the air.
"Guh... As you can see!! That monster seems to absorb the stats of those it eats!! After devouring the executives and then Dekira, we had no choice but to retreat. Allied army members, if you can trust me, please help us prevent that monster from reaching the castle town!! I understand if you cannot trust me. In that case, I offer my life as guarantee... Ooooooooh!!"
"...C-Captain..."
"Grip your sword... you're still... alive, aren't you?"
"Yeah... Liliana-sama... is alive...!"
"We have to create... an opening somehow..."
The Imperial Guardsmen who had remained conscious forced their battered bodies upright and followed Hiera.
...But every one of them was effortlessly swatted aside by the monster's greatsword and lost their lives.
Hiera, living up to his reputation, desperately parries the fatal blows while looking for the slightest opening to strike back. But the monster relies on its overwhelming stats to harvest their lives.
His sword was knocked away. His arm was flung upward.
And the monster's greatsword swung toward his torso with terrifying speed—
Hiera, living up to his reputation, desperately parries the fatal blows while looking for the slightest opening to strike back. But the monster relies on its overwhelming stats to harvest their lives.
His sword is deflected, his arms are thrown wide open, and the massive blade swings toward his exposed torso at terrifying speed...
CLANGGGGG!!
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!"
Lowelle-san wedges herself directly between Hiera and the monster, deflecting the colossal greatsword away.
"Kh...! You're still nowhere near as strong as Seraria!!"
The moment those words leave her mouth, a deep gash opens across the monster's torso.
"Hiera-dono, we shall assist you!!"
Ares-dono follows through with a clean swing of his sword, inflicting another wound upon the monstrosity.
"Alright! Gartz forces, rescue the Imperial Guard!! Litea forces, treat the wounded!! Roshur forces, harass that monster from outside!! Do not approach it under any circumstances!! You'll only get in the generals' way!!"
Crack-dono quickly gave orders, and they began rescuing and treating the imxx` guard.
"Don't leave it all to the coalition army!! Any Imperial Guardsmen who can still move, support the captain and the generals!!"
A perfect cooperative formation was established.
The enemy was one creature.
And we surrounded it with a massive army.
More than four thousand soldiers had gathered around the drawbridge for the sole purpose of slaying that monster.
That creature's strength had only been truly terrifying in confined spaces, where only limited numbers could fight at once.
"■■■■■■■■■■■■■■!!"
The monster struggled desperately to survive.
To eliminate the obstacle before it.
...I'm sorry.
If only I had been stronger, I wouldn't have had to prop up a monstrosity like you as the Demon King.
But this is the path I chose.
I close my eyes for a brief moment in silent penance. The instant I open them... the monster's head falls from its shoulders, and its body dissolves into nothingness.
Cheers erupt and echo throughout the castle town. Here and now, the Demon King has been slain, and the demons have been liberated.
"...The real challenge begins now."
Dealing with the hardline faction that invaded Roumel, and entering negotiations with the other races from here on out. These two massive undertakings will require an immense amount of effort.
For me, who has always yearned for peace, this is only the beginning.
* * *
Side: Yuki
"...So it's dead."
"Yes."
Alongside Eris, I watched the final moments of the creature they called nothing but a monster.
"For me, that's the first time I've intentionally ordered a monster to go die."
"...I was the one who gave the order. There's no need for you to burden yourself over it, Yuki-san..."
"I'm not burdened by it. I've taken plenty of lives already. Through schemes, traps, and with these own hands. But this is the first time I've outright said, 'Go die'. So I figured I'd at least remember it."
There will probably be more moments like this in the future.
If it had been one of my wives or someone precious to me instead of a monster... would I have made the same choice?
"...At the very least, I need to remember that thing, even if it's only me."
Saying that, I walked back toward the main camp amid the roar of celebration.
