Chapter 203: Sinners (3)
“…!”
At Lily's words, Lilith showed a flinching reaction for a moment.
However, that was brief.
“…Yes, Lily.”
Soon, Lilith answered with a gentle smile.
“I also have many stories to tell you.”
Although outwardly there was almost no age difference, no, Lilith actually looked younger, but if one saw that smile, no one would be able to deny the fact that she was Lily's mother.
“Let’s meet again for sure, Lily.”
Although we were able to go directly to the vicinity of the Demon King's Castle through the ‘passage’ used by the Corps Commanders, the fact that it was the middle of the enemy camp remained unchanged.
No, rather, it would not be an exaggeration to say that we were going to the very middle of the middle.
When the Corps Commanders teleported, they would head to the Demon King's Castle receiving the welcome of numerous troops stationed there, but there was no way they would welcome us, was there?
Even if we dropped into the middle of it out of the blue, we would only be helplessly defeated.
Therefore, first, we had to make the troops near the Demon King's Castle deploy to another place.
Of course, I had made preparations for that in advance as well.
That is right.
Before coming here, I had conveyed a ‘request’.
To the Irons who rescued Johannes from Etian and returned to the wall.
And that request was.
─ Please draw attention to the wall.
─ Attention?
It was this.
─ Yes.
I would like you to provoke the Demon King's Army and lure the entire army toward the wall.
The Demon King's Army is currently in a situation where they are ‘assembling’ around their base, the Demon King's Castle, to cross the wall.
Therefore, in order for us to arrive safely at the Demon King's Castle avoiding their eyes, we had to move the Demon King's Army to another place by any means.
─ Provoke them…
─ …Wait. Don’t tell me, are you saying we should cross the wall?!
─ Yes.
It was a difficult request.
It was a dangerous gamble that could lead all of us to ruin if things went wrong.
Because it was asking them to give up the ‘wall’, which could be called the only advantage we had against a massive army.
If we were to even come down from the wall and wage an all-out war in a fight where the possibility of winning was slim to begin with, the defeat of humans was as obvious as seeing a fire.
─ If you do not show the appearance of taking the offensive by crossing the wall, they will surely not be deceived.
However, if we selected only a part of a detached force and made them cross the wall, the possibility of them not being noticed in the first place is high.
(Well, that is originally the reason for forming a detached force too.)
And even if they were noticed, that would be insufficient to attract the attention of the entire Demon King's Army.
The Demon King's Army will not budge.
They would just say, come if you want to come.
However, what if the Allied Forces crossed the wall all at once and took the offensive in reverse?
─ The Demon King's Army will have no choice but to move.
Whatever it was, the Demon King's Army has no choice but to move.
They will head toward the wall.
Then aiming for that gap.
─ At that time, we will go to the Demon King's Castle and defeat the Demon King.
─ ……!
Before the full-scale war begins, we are extinguishing the embers of that war.
This was the only way for us to win this war.
To quickly eliminate the Demon King, the focal point of the demons, and make the war not even start in the first place.
Whether they did not leave the wall and firmly guarded that place or whatever, once it started, humans would absolutely not be able to win.
Well, humans are divided.
The existence of the 12 Cities itself is the proof.
Even if they join forces when they encounter a common threat like this sometimes, the fact that they are divided in the end does not change.
However, the demons are currently in a situation where they are unified by a single powerful order called the Demon King.
Although Lilith, one of the Corps Commanders, eventually came to raise a flag of rebellion this time, that was an extremely special case.
And honestly speaking, even if Lilith's forces broke away from the Demon King's Army, it was an event that would not have any influence on the war situation.
Although the motive itself started from the twisted desire Alzar harbored for Lilith, in the end, it was thanks to the Demon King's permission that he was able to attack Lilith.
Although we blocked that Alzar, we cannot guarantee the next.
Eventually, Lilith's rebellion would be cleared up quickly.
As long as the single powerful order called the Demon King was solid.
Therefore, unless we first destroyed that order and balanced the weights of the scale, there was no chance of victory for us.
─ …….
Of course, not everyone would have the same opinion as me.
Naturally, it will be hard to accept.
As I said earlier, it is a method that could lead everyone to ruin together, no, a method with a very high possibility of doing so.
But I know.
─ …I understand.
In the end, they will grant this request of mine.
─ When I return to the wall, I will convey your will.
For that, I helped the Religion of Shtallion to find their holy relic, and became an ally of Stout.
I stopped the violent seizure of power and protected the citizens, and became an ally of Daian.
I stopped the terrible plot of Kain who tried to conquer the continent by sacrificing thousands of lives, and became an ally of Kapers.
And I became an ally of the Irons family, who would convey this will on my behalf.
Therefore, they would trust us, and they would surely persuade the others.
“…! Teacher! The, older brothers! Have sent contact!”
I believe.
“They say the Demon King's Army has started moving toward the wall…!”
Just as they believe in me.
***
Now, the time has really come.
The time to conquer the last ‘Dungeon’── 「Demon King's Castle」.
Of course, taking sufficient ‘Rest’ before that would be the priority.
Probably… no, certainly, this will be the last opportunity to take a proper ‘Rest’.
Since 「Demon King's Castle」 is also classified as a dungeon as I said earlier if viewed in game terms anyway, there was indeed a place that played the role of a ‘Rest Area’.
However, naturally, that did not mean it was a place where one could light a campfire or such and sit around to take sufficient rest like other ‘Rest Areas’.
If one had to be precise, it was more like looting a place like a treasury, and finding and drinking an elixir that gives the exact same effect as ‘Rest’.
The ‘time’ itself to rest leisurely would no longer be given once we arrived there.
Therefore, this meant that this was the last time we would spend the night at a ‘Campsite’ properly like this.
Well, strictly speaking, we did not set up a real campsite though.
Thanks to Lilith giving us a room that remained intact in the castle, we were sitting gathered in front of a warm stove instead of lighting a campfire.
“Since Alzar has died and Ms. Lilith has become an ally, now there are only two Corps Commanders remaining in the Demon King's Army.”
In other words, it meant that it was also the last opportunity to properly organize the future operations.
“The 1st Corps Commander Gor. And the 4th Corps Commander Stras.”
In fact, even though I called it an operation, it was simple.
Go to the Demon King's Castle, find the Demon King, and defeat him.
And also defeat all the enemies we encounter on the way.
So what we were organizing now was closer to information about the opponents we would encounter in the future rather than an operation.
“Ms. Lilith told us that among them, the 1st Corps Commander Gor will take the place of Etian and stand at the vanguard of the army heading toward the wall.”
In other words, Gor is not our opponent.
The Allied Forces gathered at the wall will defeat him.
Because he was one of the only two Corps Commanders we would not have to face directly, along with the 6th Corps Commander Portun, who met his death by Kain before we could even properly see his face once.
However.
“She also said that Stras will still remain in the Demon King's Castle.”
Stras was different.
Because he is a role like a sort of staff officer who plays an active part behind the scenes.
“……I see.”
Even though Stras's name was mentioned, Toric showed a reaction that was calm in its own way.
To the extent that it made it pointless for the colleagues who knew his circumstances to glance back at him and check his reaction to see if he was okay by any chance.
Of course, that was only so on the surface.
“…I have something to finish with that guy.”
Toric's blood was boiling.
Nevertheless, the reason he did not lose his reason and raise his voice like before was.
“Will you help me?”
Because we were there.
“Of course.”
In order not to be swept away by emotions again and lose those he has to take responsibility for.
He is controlling his own anger.
In Shurina, he confessed his true feelings that he had not told us until then.
That although he came to be together for revenge at first, it was not just that anymore.
That he did not want to lose those by his side ever again.
Therefore, if he judged that we were in danger, he would prioritize us even if it meant giving up his own revenge.
It was a grateful thing, but I had no intention of leaving it like that.
It should not be so.
Because Toric also had to face a proper ‘conclusion’.
Just as Ibi returned to her hometown, Krom, so that she could sever the long ill-fated relationship and find a true family.
Just as Rine headed to Shurina so that she could regain her memories and find her self again.
Just as Miki was able to resolve the misunderstanding with Johannes and be reborn as a true Irons.
Just as Lily was able to truly accept herself as a nun and a succubus by meeting Lilith.
“We promised from the beginning. That we would help with the revenge.”
Toric also had to bring a proper conclusion in the same way.
“Let’s kill that son of a bitch properly this time.”
To do that, the knot had to be tied.
“Together, that is.”
“……Right. Thank you.”
I raised the corners of my mouth in a grin, and spread open the map I received from Lilith.
“They say Stras is almost always shut up in the ‘Torture Room’.”
“Torture Room?”
“…It is that guy's dirty taste.”
Toric clicked his tongue briefly as if the memory of the time he encountered him in the past came to mind.
“That guy’s specialty is torture and ‘Necromancy’. He tends to utilize corpses… that he tailored to his taste while torturing them.”
For example, things like golems whose body parts were grotesquely deformed due to the aftermath of torture.
No, in fact, his actions should be said to be closer to ‘modification’ to kill and use them like that from the start rather than torture.
Unless the guy enjoys the process of that modification very… personally.
“Probably, what I beheaded back then was another corpse that he had modified to look like himself.”
Toric continued speaking bitterly.
“Come to think of it, when my comrades and I went to capture him, he surrendered meekly. At that time, I thought he didn't resist because there was no chance of victory anyway, but… from the beginning, it must not have been him.”
The reason why the real person stayed quiet for decades as if he had really been executed by Toric even though he was perfectly alive, was probably to feign death and avoid the surveillance of Kapers.
And actually, that strategy worked properly.
Because until the guy revealed himself to the world again as one of the Corps Commanders of the Demon King's Army, everyone thought he was dead.
Result-wise, it was correct words.
Just one thing──
“──No.”
In fact, except for the fact that the guy was ‘dead’ already from the beginning, that is, even before Toric killed him.
“In my opinion, it must have been him from the beginning.”
“What?”
That is right.
The guy was an ‘Undead’.