Chapter 305: The End of Tedious War

Despite the sudden call for a meeting, the legion commanders quickly gathered.

Knowing that Sir Deon wouldn’t summon them without a reason, the legion commanders watched his movements with questioning gazes rather than dissatisfaction. Deon calmly strolled around the room before stopping abruptly in place and opening his mouth.

“It’s time to end this tedious war.”

—The short break is over!

Anticipation flickered in the legion commanders’ eyes.

“We plan to mobilize all legions and finish this quickly. Therefore, at this time, there’s no need to guard the border or hunt magical beasts. The war will end before any gap can truly become a weakness.”

His confident voice continued.

Under everyone’s attention, Deon Hart reiterated the reason from his earlier conversation with the Demon King, stating he would use the Snow Flower Sticks. He also added that as a vanguard, legions including their commanders would be sent to each city one by one.

“The vanguard will use the Snow Flower Sticks as soon as they arrive, and until the main force arrives, they just need to engage in moderate combat and accumulate the enemy’s fatigue. The full-scale battle will begin after the main force has fully arrived.”

……

“Ah, of course, if you can pressure the enemy and accumulate fatigue without engaging in combat, that’s also fine. The important thing is ‘psychological pressure’ and ‘fatigue.'”

Someone who had been listening quietly asked a question.

“Who are you planning to send?”

“Well… the 1st Corps should go to the Empire, which, although weakened, still retains its symbolism as the representative of the Human Realm.”

“The 1st Corps to the Empire… are you serious?”

“Yeah. Doesn’t that make sense in terms of stature?”

When the 1st Corps was mentioned, Jaykar raised his head. He briefly met Deon’s gaze, and when no particular objection came, Deon, taking it as agreement, turned his head and continued speaking.

“And for Rweche, which currently has the strongest military power among these three countries, the 3rd Corps…”

“Excuse me, Sir Deon.”

However, the words that had finally come out were cut off before they could even finish.

Amidst silent astonishment and sharp gazes, the 3rd Corps Commander Asild calmly spoke.

“The 3rd Corps is the Royal Guard. Our primary mission is to protect the Lord Demon King and the Demon King’s castle, so we cannot carelessly leave our post.”

“……Even if I say we’ll end the war before that brief gap can become a weakness?”

“We cannot overlook any unforeseen situations.”

“I’m fine with it.”

The Demon King, who had been watching the situation with his chin propped up, casually interjected.

Asild flinched for a moment, as if this was unexpected. But soon, he put on a firm expression as if nothing had happened.

“Of course, I know that it’s impossible to protect the Lord Demon King with my insignificant skills. But even so, leaving the Lord Demon King and the Demon King’s castle defenseless is unthinkable. At least if I am here, I can filter out the small fry and reduce the annoyances for the Lord Demon King—”

“Is that so?”

This time, Asild’s words were cut off.

Red pupils shone with an ominous aura. While Asild involuntarily hesitated, Deon grinned.

“Then you’re saying it’s okay for only you to remain in the Demon King’s castle and operate ‘only the 3rd Corps’?”

“……Huh?”

“You said, ‘At least if I am here.’ Of course, I’m not really telling you to stay alone. I’ll leave a suitable number of 3rd Corps members behind. How about deploying the rest of the personnel, excluding them, to the war?”

A smile that somehow felt strangely pressuring.

……In the first place, there is no force strong enough to send troops all the way to the Demon King’s castle. Even if there are intruders, they will be few in number, so they can be sufficiently suppressed with that level of force.

So, it’s definitely not because he was overwhelmed by the momentum. Asild, who had been hesitating, slowly nodded.

Deon tapped the desk with his index finger as if satisfied.

“Then, in addition to half of the 3rd Corps… we need a legion commander to lead them.”

Since the opponent is Rweche, just half a legion is insufficient. And there isn’t a legion commander either, right? It would be better to send another legion, including a legion commander.

While he was considering which legion to send, excluding legions without commanders, someone raised their hand from one side.

“May I go?”

“……Idelia?”

“Yes, even though I may look like this, I understand the 3rd Corps’ strength well. I’m confident that I can utilize the 3rd Corps in the right place better than anyone else here.”

The 3rd and 4th Corps…

Deon’s expression slightly hardened as a recent incident came to mind.

“I understand that the 4th Corps… doesn’t have a good relationship with the 3rd Corps.”

“That’s precisely why I know their strength even better. Understanding the enemy’s strength is the most basic of basics, after all.”

“But wasn’t the 4th Corps in charge of information processing?”

“If you’re a demon, especially a legion commander or legion member, combat is fundamental, so you don’t have to worry.”

“……Well, okay. If Asild allows it, then.”

The conversation that had been going back and forth suddenly jumped to him. Asild, who had been blinking for a moment, nodded.

“I’m fine with it.”

“Then I’ll entrust half of the 3rd Corps to Idelia. Lead them and the 4th Corps to Rweche.”

“Leave it to me.”

Idelia fanned herself with her fan and curved her eyes into a smile.

……Her reaction is unsettling, but she’s not the type to mess around unnecessarily even in important situations, so it should be fine. Asild watched her with a subtle expression, while Deon, uninterested in matters that were settled, immediately turned his gaze away.

“And for Sanguo, I’m thinking of sending the 9th Corps…”

Red eyes scanned Trober up and down.

He looked like he still had aftereffects from fighting Oel, with fine cracks visible in various places on his body. He trailed off for a moment before asking slyly.

“Are you going to be alright?”

Though it wasn’t much, Trober’s jaw tightened at the words that subtly scratched his nerves.

“Of course I’ll be alright! No problem!”

“Spirited. Good, then let’s have the 9th Corps go to Sanguo.”

“Yes!”

Trober bounced with enthusiastic vigor, as if he would depart immediately.

Simple-minded, that’s good. Deon chuckled and stood up from his seat.

“Then shall we adjourn the meeting here? The rest will be conveyed through orders. Legion commanders going as vanguards, please depart as soon as you are ready.”

***

And there was a spar between Deon Hart and Jaykar.

He was going to find or call him before he departed, but this worked out well. As expected of the 1st Corps Commander, his senses are sharp. Deon Hart willingly took up his sword for him, who had followed him under the pretext of a spar.

Amidst countless exchanges of sword strikes, Deon blankly thought.

‘I’ve become familiar with this guy’s swordsmanship now.’

Even though we haven’t sparred many times.

It was difficult because his style was unconventional and unique, not bound by rules—beyond simply wielding his sword with fierce momentum, he would even grip his long sword in reverse or sometimes boldly throw it. But now, I’ve become quite familiar with it to the point where I can imitate it.

After parrying a few sword strikes, Deon pushed aside unnecessary sentiments and subtly opened his mouth.

“There’s something else I want to ask of you.”

“I’m listening.”

“If you win the battle there and capture the city…”

He hesitated for a moment, but it was only for a moment.

Turning back now is absurd, and the only path left for him is to go straight. After a brief silence, Deon smoothly raised the corners of his lips.

“Kill all the other demons.”

……

The tip of Jaykar’s sword, which was thrusting in, wavered for a moment.

Quickly retracting his sword as if to hide his agitation, he stepped back and quietly fixed his gaze on Deon. His overly direct gaze stared into Deon’s unwavering red eyes.

After a brief exchange of gazes against a backdrop of silence, Jaykar sheathed his sword, as if declaring the end of the spar, and spat out a short question.

“Legion commanders too?”

……Haha.

That’s a more understated reaction than I expected. Deon laughed.

“Legion commanders are the priority.”

***

After Jaykar left, the Demon King appeared before Deon, who was putting away his weapons.

Whether he had heard their conversation or not, he suddenly approached with his usual inscrutable demeanor. He spoke lightly to the Hero, who was casting a wary gaze, as if offering a meal.

“I’ll teach you shieldmanship one last time.”

……

He said ‘last time.’ Meaning he also knows the end is approaching.

Deon quietly stared at him.

‘……Such a conversation just took place right before the meeting, yet he has such a brazen attitude.’

But there’s no unpleasant feeling. He averted his gaze and roughly nodded.

“Alright.”

As he said back then, that story is irrelevant now.

……The voice that came out in reply had a drier tone than expected.

***

It is said that demons have departed from the border.

With news that was no different from announcing the start of the second war, the three countries immediately moved the heroes they had prepared in advance to near the decisive battleground. The Primiero Knight Order was the same, but they were deployed in a relatively exposed position to the enemies’ eyes.

The reason was obvious.

‘The Primiero Knight Order needs to be visible to the enemies until Deon Hart departs.’

Because they are a kind of bait.

Until Deon Hart departs, news of them must reach the ears of the Killer Knights. They had to provoke those who felt powerless among the demons and induce them to follow Deon Hart.

‘After Deon Hart departs, we should expose the heroes.’

There’s no way the Hero would just pass by a place where so many heroes are gathered.

If they ignored it and those heroes went to support other cities, they would be in a bad situation, so they couldn’t just leave it alone. And sending anyone else would be a dog’s death, so who else would go but him?

To conserve their forces, Deon Hart has no choice but to walk into the trap himself.

“The problem is whether he will obediently follow us to the intended location…”

– He will follow.

There is a place where they have set up arrays that suppress those who enter its range. Of course, the forces prepared to face him were all equipped with charms that allowed them to be free from the arrays’ range.

The question is, even if Deon Hart moves to confront the heroes, would he really bother to follow all the way to that location while accepting losses?

To the worried murmur of the King of Sanguo, the Crown Prince of the Empire replied firmly.

“You don’t have to worry. He will step into it even knowing it.”

“How are you so sure?”

Lindel Riner, who had been watching the conversation from the side, asked with a puzzled look. Aletea smiled brightly.

“Intuition.”

……

…….

For some reason, even the communicator became silent.

In the dumbfounded silence, the only one who remained calm was Emperor Elpidius. He nodded as if it were natural.

“Then I’m relieved. Aletea’s intuition is quite accurate.”

“What is that… There’s no basis for it…”

“Her intuition is what predicted Deon Hart’s betrayal too. You can trust it.”

……

Silence fell again.

Aletea lightly shrugged her shoulders and calmly opened her mouth.

“Then I should probably start heading out soon as well. If I don’t hurry to join them, there’s a chance the heroes’ presence and location might be exposed earlier than planned.”

– ……Certainly, I heard the news that the Crown Prince became a hero, but….

Elpidius’s expression hardened, and the King of Rweche spoke in a displeased voice.

– I wonder if it’s really necessary to be at the very front lines like that. Aren’t you the sole heir to the Empire? You need to think about your life too.

“We are in a situation where we need even one more hero. It would be problematic to withdraw just because I am the Crown Prince.”

No, precisely because she is the Crown Prince, she cannot withdraw.

Imperial citizens who are soldiers are fighting outside even though they are ordinary people, and yet the Crown Prince, who is a hero, is just hiding in a safe place? That’s absurd.

‘That’s probably why Brother tried to hide the fact that I had become a hero when he first found out.’

This is a matter of my conviction.

Aletea, who had unhesitatingly revealed to everyone that she had become a hero, laughed heartily.”