Chapter 312: Setting the Stage

The King of Rweche quietly watched the snow fall, mentally tallying his troop losses and remaining supplies.

The answer was simple.

“‘We can still hold out.'”

Actually, it was the only acceptable answer. Even if they couldn’t hold out, they had to endure until Deon Hart was dead.

As the Demon King’s nemesis, the Hero’s lifespan was incredibly long. Waiting for him to die of old age was pointless; generations could pass before that happened.

It was clear the Human Realm would be crushed beyond recovery long before the current Hero succumbed to old age.

Only Deon Hart’s death offered a sliver of hope.

With all rulers focused solely on that one goal, lights blinked to life on their communicators.

These weren’t the usual communicators used for inter-ruler discussions. These were new devices, provided by the Heroes sent to confront Deon Hart.

Which meant…

Yes, the Heroes had engaged Deon Hart.

***

“[Sir Deon, the path diverges here…]”

“[Understood, and thank you. …Oh, before you go, leave some soldiers here.]”

“[Soldiers?]

“[Yeah. No need for elites or high-level troops, just regular soldiers will do.]”

Having parted ways with Lirinel and the other legions, Deon and his now larger contingent of troops were about to set off again when he felt a drop of liquid on his cheek. He looked up. So much for the drought; rain was beginning to fall.

He watched the drizzle turn into a downpour for a moment, then waved off the demons who rushed to shield him from the rain. Turning to face his 0th Legion, he saw his direct subordinates meeting his gaze, unwavering and ready for orders.

“[Watch carefully.]”

Deon unfurled a map.

“[I’ll likely make my stand here.]”

“…”

“[So, centering on this spot, and maintaining this distance…]

His finger jabbed at a spot on the map, then drew a long line. His finger traced a path so far that it extended beyond what the eye could see.

Then, he swept his finger in a wide circle, his voice flat as he finished the order.

“[Surround the area and don’t let anyone through.]”

“[By ‘anyone’… you mean…]

“[Not even allies. They’ll just get in the way.]”

“[Understood.]”

An unfamiliar voice.

Deon glanced at the soldier who had replied. His face was familiar, but Deon realized he didn’t even know his name. The soldier met his gaze, a question in his eyes.

“[Is there anything else, Sir?]

“…”

‘…Ed should be here, not some nameless grunt.’

But Ed hadn’t come. There was no particular reason. Deon Hart hadn’t asked him, and Ed hadn’t volunteered.

Since Ed wasn’t there, one of the 0th Legion members had simply filled the gap.

“[Sir Deon?]

“[…No, it’s nothing.]”

Deon turned away.

***

“[Quiet, isn’t it? Nice, right? Everyone’s off at the war this time, so the whole castle’s dead silent. Perfect for drinking, I figured.]”

“[Quiet? It’s downright eerie.]”

“[Stop your yapping and sit down. Let’s have a drink.]”

“…”

“[…Not going with Sir Deon, you don’t regret it?]

“[My staying behind is actually more helpful. Going with him now would just be a hindrance.]”

“[Is that so…]

“[Actually, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. Back when you asked me whose side I’d take if Lord Demon King and Sir Deon ever clashed…]

“[If, and it’s a big if…]

“[If Lord Demon King and Sir Deon were to come to blows, whose side would you be on?]

“[Did you already know back then?]

“…”

“[Answer me.]”

“[…Yeah.]”

“…”

“…”

‘Damn it.’

***

Having deployed the 0th Legion to secure their path to the battlefield, Deon led a contingent of regular demon soldiers towards the Heroes’ location. His unerring stride, as if he knew exactly where they were, made the demon soldiers behind him exchange puzzled glances, but Deon ignored them, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

In the distance, visible even from this far because they were ‘Heroes,’ he could clearly see them gathered.

As they drew closer, Deon could hear the low murmurs of awe from the demon soldiers; the Heroes were now visible to them as well. Ignoring the reverent gazes on his back, Deon continued forward until he locked eyes with the Heroes and paused.

“[Sir Deon? What’s wrong?]

“[…Nothing.]”

‘There’s definitely something up. They’re holding their ground instead of coming to meet me, even though they’ve seen me.’

‘What is it? Come to think of it, the Primiero Knights haven’t shown up yet, despite the reports. Could they be involved?’

Lost in thought, Deon had just taken another step when his knees buckled, and he staggered violently.

And as if on cue, the ambush struck.

“[Sir Deon!]

“[…]”

Their commander, the linchpin of this entire war, was in danger. Without hesitation, demons rushed to protect him, only to be suddenly overwhelmed by an invisible pressure. Many collapsed outright, while others struggled to a knee.

Completely exposed and undefended, Deon took in the faces of his attackers in that split second and grinned.

‘So, this is it.’

‘So, that’s where the Primiero Knights were hiding.’

He stopped fighting for balance and let his body go limp. A sword blade whistled past his head. Twisting his body, Deon planted a hand on the ground and lashed out with a kick to his opponent’s solar plexus.

‘…According to my calculations, I should have been able to get into a proper stance by now.’

His arm, unprepared for the crushing weight of the pressure, buckled uselessly. Deon quickly rolled away across the floor, putting distance between himself and any follow-up attacks, then scrambled back to his feet.

A bit clumsy, but he’d managed to shove the enemy away and, more importantly, he was alive. He drew his dagger, deflected the incoming attacks, and casually asked,

“[This is a Barrier Array, isn’t it?]

“…”

Unsurprisingly, there was no reply.

‘I knew there were different kinds of Barrier Arrays… but I didn’t expect this. It seems to be a range-type array, but those guys inside the same range aren’t affected. They must be using some trick.’

‘Hopefully, it’s something like a charm.’

Something I could steal, at least.

He could feel the sharp edge of their vigilance prickling his skin. Deon shrugged lightly and addressed the familiar faces.

“[Long time no see.]”

“…”

“[Where’s Senior?]

‘Oh, their faces are priceless.’

‘Of course, it’s a question I already know the answer to. I need to buy some time. That last exchange was too fast; I need a moment to assess the situation.’

Still met with silence, Deon scratched his cheek, gauging their reactions.

“[I really didn’t want to tangle with Senior’s knights…]

“…”

“[Still, I guess it’s lucky for you guys that Senior isn’t here.]”

‘…Okay, this is the pressure level. Adapted.’

Though brief, the time hadn’t been wasted. He’d adapted to the crushing pressure, gauging its weight as he lifted his hand, calculating the difference between thought and action. Deon grinned, tracking the frantic darting of their eyes.

“[Judging by the way your eyes are darting around, looks like you’re searching for something.]”

“…”

“[Looking for our mad dogs… the Lofty Knights, maybe?]

‘Ah, or maybe you know them better as the Killer Knights.’

Deon clearly saw their expressions darken as they watched the demon soldiers struggling in the array, their movements sluggish and heavy as they fought against the unseen pressure.

The battle itself was still in their favor, so the overall situation wasn’t the problem. It had to be that the wrong ‘guest’ had arrived.

A lopsided grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“[Too bad, they’re not here.]”

“…”

His guess was uncomfortably accurate. The captain of the Primiero Knights quickly composed himself, smoothing out his disturbed expression.

Their original role was to pin down the Killer Knights, holding them hostage, to be used as leverage against Deon Hart in the Hero’s battle. Whether to break his concentration, or as a leash to control him, anything to ensure Deon Hart’s demise.

“[But aren’t you even a little ashamed? Resorting to all these dirty tricks just to take down one person?]

‘…As a knight, I’ll admit, it did feel a bit cowardly, even for a moment.’

But what did methods matter when the fate of the Human Realm was at stake? There was no room for chivalry when facing a monster intent on destroying humanity.

So, he opened his mouth, which had been clamped shut until now, and fired back,

“[So tell me, Hero, aren’t you ashamed? You call yourselves protectors of the Human Realm, yet here you are, launching an attack.]”

“[…Yeah.]”

Deon blinked, clearly not expecting a question in return. Then, a slow smile spread across his face.

“[Not even a little.]”

He started walking again.

Now accustomed to the oppressive pressure, he ignored the wary gazes of the Heroes and strolled around as if on a leisurely walk. He turned to a demon soldier waiting nearby and asked,

“[Magic use?]

“[Impossible. It’s possible outside the array, but…]

“[That’s pointless.]”

Casting spells from outside the array to target those inside was pointless; the magic would dissipate as soon as it entered the barrier.

Even a fireball conjured outside would vanish the moment it crossed the magic suppression array’s boundary.

Deon calmly stroked his chin.

“[Well… figured as much.]”

If things went south, the sight of magic users dropping like flies would be a dead giveaway. Besides, there was no way the enemy hadn’t anticipated this.

‘Even I would have set up a magic suppression array, anticipating the possibility of demons being brought along. The rulers of the allied nations weren’t idiots, after all. They’d put their heads together; there’s no way they hadn’t considered this.’

“[What to do now…]

Deon quietly gazed down at the bloodied mud swirling around his feet, looking like it wanted to swallow him whole.

A quick check revealed that the Heroes didn’t pursue any demons who retreated from the oppressive barrier. In fact, demons who tried to re-engage and stepped back into the array were even worse off, having to endure the re-adjustment period all over again.

‘Could they really handle this with just the soldiers they had now?’

‘Looks like I’m going to have to get my hands dirty here.’

His brief deliberation was interrupted by a voice, sharp and full of resolve.

“[We’ll take them on.]”

Deon looked up.

“[…Are you sure?]

“[Sir Deon, your fight is with the Heroes. We can handle this. We’ll adapt to this strange pressure quickly enough, just give us a little time. We’re not so weak that we can’t even buy you that much.]”

They might look weak, but they were still demons, and even regular soldiers of the Demon King’s army were a force to be reckoned with.

Confident eyes met Deon Hart’s, pleading for him to trust them. Deon hesitated for a moment under their earnest gaze, then slowly nodded.

“[Then I’ll leave it to you.]”

“[Thank you.]”

‘Thank you…’

The soldier who had given such an unexpected reply turned and bellowed at the demons already engaged in combat. His voice, as strong as any general’s, rang out,

“[Our mission is to tear through these annoying pests trying to slow Sir Deon down! Sir Deon himself has entrusted this task to us! Let’s be thorough! Let’s make sure no one dares to impede Sir Deon’s advance!]

“[WAAAAH!]

“[KILL THEM!]

Fueled by his words, the demon soldiers surged forward.

A rough voice roared back, defiant and challenging.

“[Primiero Knights, we are the elite! Show them why we were the terror of the South!]

“[DEATH TO THE ENEMY!]

The two groups collided. Mud and blood flew as they clashed.

Deon paused for a moment, watching the chaos erupt, then calmly walked through the melee towards the approaching Heroes. A few tried to attack him, but demon soldiers intercepted them before they could even get close.

“[…Hm?]

Then he stopped abruptly. Deon’s eyes widened slightly as he spotted someone unexpected amidst the approaching Heroes. Instead of continuing forward, he fixed his gaze on this newcomer and slowly spoke,

“[This is unexpected.]”

“…”

“[To what do we owe the pleasure, Your Highness the Princess?]