Chapter 166: Weary Times

“They are expendable pawns—troops you can’t save, troops you can’t be responsible for. But since I am the one who made that decision and gave the order, I will bear the responsibility for everything that follows.”

Everything, from the simple fact of soldiers dying to the mental stress placed on their commanders.

“It means this is not an area for a mere captain like you to meddle in.”

One person collapsing under the weight of responsibility is enough.

My lord and knight are too alike. If I’d known, I should have just called them both here and said it once, instead of wasting my breath twice.

Lien, unaware that the Emperor was thinking of someone who was no longer present, silently lowered her gaze. Words she dared not voice, unable to contradict the Emperor, swirled in her mouth.

‘However, Your Majesty.’

Placing blame and hatred on someone else is quite contrary to what I believe a knight should be.

Evading responsibility is unknightly. Can one truly say with confidence that expendable pawns deserve to die?

Blinded by rage, the king will kill the expendable troops. Only Lien Riner will return. The Empire will use this as an excuse to offset their own faults. Ultimately, their deaths will maintain the alliance.

Lien squeezed her eyes shut.

‘I wish I hadn’t known.’

The Emperor said nothing. He simply told her to go.

It was her noble upbringing and education that allowed her to grasp the situation.

‘Just because it doesn’t harm me, just because they’re expendable pawns, just because the political situation benefits from their deaths.’

Is ignoring those who are destined to die really the behavior befitting a knight?

The answer came quickly.

Still holding out her wrist, Lien spoke.

“If you grant me a sword, I will offer my wrist right here and now.”

I have to save them. Save them and take responsibility for returning them to the Empire.

“…Enough. What excuse are you trying to give the Empire?”

The King of Rweche, who seemed slightly surprised, then wiped his face.

That helped cool his head. No matter how angry he was, and even if the support troops were pathetic, harming those who came under the guise of ‘support’ was absolutely unacceptable.

He waved his hand with an air of utter exhaustion.

“Go back and tell them. The alliance is broken. If they have any conscience, they’ll have nothing to say about this decision.”

…….

“…I apologize for taking out my anger on you unfairly. In return, I will assure you that Rweche will never side with the Demon Realm. Now, go and do well. I’ll be watching.”

***

What was expected to take months was resolved faster than anticipated.

Finding sorcerers was the only initial difficulty. Dan, with his unexpected connections and generous use of company funds, tracked them down and persuaded them with his silver tongue.

Just as Dan finished finalizing a contract with the last sorcerer regarding the distribution of paper for charms and was tidying up, he cautiously brought up another matter.

“By any chance, do you have a charm that suppresses demon abilities?”

Deon Hart had casually tossed out this task after all other discussions were done. Who knew it would be the most difficult?

He had asked every sorcerer he had met so far the same question, but they only shook their heads, failing to provide a satisfactory answer. So Dan asked again this time without much expectation.

“By abilities… are you referring to magic?”

The same question he had received from all the previous sorcerers came back.

Accordingly, Dan also shrugged and gave his rehearsed answer.

“Well, if it were magic, I think my client would have specifically said ‘magic’.”

“In that case, it sounds like you’re referring to a charm that restricts all demon abilities, including physical capabilities.”

He nodded slowly in affirmation.

As always, he waited for the usual ‘I don’t know’ to follow, but the old man before him, who was said to be a former imperial sorcerer, instead exclaimed in surprise and admiration.

“If it’s the charm I’m thinking of… I don’t know who your client is, but I must ask, how do they know about this charm?”

“…Do you know something about it?”

“There is a charm given to the Hero and his companions who embark on a long journey to defeat the Demon King.”

…….

His experience as an imperial sorcerer was still evident. Dan quietly adjusted his posture.

“Among the Hero’s companions, there are often those who are not ‘Heroes’ possessing fragments of power, so an alternative for them was needed.”

“…And that alternative was a charm? One that suppresses demon abilities?”

“That’s right. In fact, it’s useless in the Human Realm, so it’s only used by the Hero and his companions and is almost obsolete now. I wonder how your client knows about it…”

Well, Master was a former companion of the Hero, after all.

So that’s why he asked for a charm that suppresses ‘abilities,’ not just ‘magic.’ Swallowing his inner admiration, he spoke up.

“Maybe rumors spread by word of mouth from the surviving Hero or his companions.”

“That’s unlikely… the charm is given to them without their knowledge. It’s hidden in their shoulder epaulets.”

……?

Then how did Master know the identity of this charm?

Questions surged, but he had someone in front of him now. Dan skillfully composed his expression and changed the subject.

“You mentioned it’s useless in the Human Realm… May I ask why that is?”

“Well, that charm imposes the ‘restrictions given when demons cross the border into the Human Realm’ on demons within a 3-meter radius. In the Human Realm, those restrictions are already in place, so it’s useless.”

“…Indeed, it’s only useful for the Hero and his companions.”

Because no sane human would go to the Demon Realm to fight demons unless they were the Hero’s party.

However, the sorcerer slowly shook his head.

“Actually, it’s useless for the Hero and ‘Heroes’ who possess fragments of the Hero’s power. Especially for the Hero, it’s just a piece of paper.”

“…That’s different from what you said earlier, why…?”

“All restrictions on demons are lifted when facing the Hero’s power. So, it’s only useful for those among the companions who are not ‘Heroes.’ However, to prevent feelings of exclusion or discrimination, it’s hidden and equipped in the shoulder epaulets of everyone.”

It was a quite interesting story.

He enjoyed the feeling of a grandchild listening to an old tale from his grandmother for a moment, but Dan quickly refocused, organizing the information as a subordinate carrying out the task of his lord and trading company head.

‘If that’s the case, there’s no demand for this charm even if we distribute it. The current war is so dire that we’re struggling just to stop the Demon King’s army from pushing into the Empire’s capital, let alone advancing into the Demon Realm.’

If the war situation changes, we can reconsider it then. Let’s just get a bunch of charms as Master ordered and leave.

“Could I get a bunch of those charms, about a bundle? Of course, the compensation will be generous.”

“…That charm is so difficult to make that it barely produces one sheet even with several sorcerers working on it. A bundle, you say?”

“Oh.”

Was it that difficult? A bundle of those… Did Master know this when he ordered it?

But he couldn’t fail the mission for such a reason. Dan slightly lowered his eyes.

“Is there any way to make it work? If you wish, I can connect you with other sorcerers.”

“If it’s not just me doing it… By when do you need them?”

“A week?”

…….

“…Ten days?”

“…Fortunately, I have some that were made before… I’ll try to gather enough within two weeks, so please give me that much time.”

Two weeks with no sleep, then.

The sorcerer’s resigned mutter seemed to prick Dan’s conscience, so he cleared his throat and awkwardly looked away.

“Then, please do your best.”

Two weeks is an awkward period to travel back and forth to the Demon Realm. Let’s just stay here and enjoy sightseeing in the Human Realm.

Even though he frequently visited the Human Realm for various reasons, someone who had lived in the Human Realm all his life couldn’t be satisfied with just that.

‘And there was a village I wanted to set on fire anyway.’

With an excuse now, Dan went outside and strolled leisurely. Despite the cold weather, the warm sunlight welcomed him.

***

“[Thank you.]”

“[I was paid for it, so no thanks needed. Still, I hope there won’t be another request like this. I couldn’t do it twice.]”

“[Haha.]”

“[…No use saying more, I suppose. Take this.]”

“[This is… candy? Why….]”

Carrying a bundle of charms and candy in his inner pocket, Dan returned to the Demon King’s castle. He knocked on the door of Deon’s room a few times, then tilted his head.

‘No answer, is he sleeping?’

With Deon’s implicit permission, he had entered without asking on occasion, so he opened the door without hesitation. An empty room greeted him.

‘…Where did he go?’

The man who was practically a fixture in his room.

Scanning the room and trying to think of where he might have gone, Dan absentmindedly glanced out the window and flinched. A dumbfounded voice escaped him.

“…What the heck is that?”

In the common training grounds, the Killer Knights were clearly struggling. And standing in front of them was none other than Deon Hart.

Ed, fidgeting and hovering nearby, didn’t even register in Dan’s sight. Dan leaned his elbow on the windowsill and looked down in a more relaxed posture.

“How long has it been since I accepted you, and you’re already causing trouble? If you wanted to die so badly, you should have said so sooner. I would have gladly sent you off painlessly.”

“C-Captain, let’s talk first…!”

“This dagger’s name is ‘Conversation’.”

“No, please calm down first…”

“And this dagger’s name is ‘Calm’.”

“Don’t you have any faith in us?! At least listen to what we have to say…”

“Faith? That’s the name of this dagger. How did you know?”

“How many daggers do you have?! What are the names of the rest then?!”

“It’s a secret until you mention them.”

“You mean you’re just going to name them whatever we say!”

“How insolent.”

Seeing them here, it seems the Demon King has accepted them. He’s always been surrounded by a gloomy atmosphere, but seeing the vitality reaching even this far away, it’s understandable why the Demon King accepted them. Probably like therapy animals, something like that.

But then.

“More importantly, Captain! Can you do something about your way of speaking? I can’t get used to it at all!”

“That’s right! You really sound like Stigma… no, Marquis Peurimiro! It’s scary!”

“If you were truly scared, you wouldn’t be flapping your mouths so freely in front of me.”

“Eek, see! I told you it’s scary!”

What is this foul mood?

‘He’s never shown that side of himself in front of me.’

And yet, I’ve been his closest aide in the Demon Realm.

How long had he been watching Deon, feeling slightly resentful of the vitality emanating from him? He accidentally met Deon’s eyes when he looked up.

And at the same moment, Dan witnessed the vitality drain from Deon’s face. Suppressing a smirk, he slightly bowed his head.

‘Since our eyes met, I should go down and report on the mission.’

He turned around and opened the door.”