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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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“Um… are you really okay with this?”
The general expressed his concerns.
However, in response, Amelda spoke firmly.
“As I mentioned, my mission is to ensure that all elves in the demon territory are aware of His Holiness the Pope’s proclamation. If there are still our kin in Galilee, it is only right that I go and deliver the news.”
“Even so, going there is too dangerous. It’s practically crossing into enemy territory…”
“I came here knowing that risk from the beginning. I am someone who has been to the Demon Castle as a member of the Hero’s party. It’s much better for me to go than to send someone else.”
“Hmm…”
Amelda mentioned the Pope’s decree and her related duty.
Seeing her speak with strong will, the elf general had no choice but to grant her permission after much deliberation.
“I must say, though, that I cannot guarantee any safety regarding this matter. Please keep that in mind.”
“Don’t worry. However, if I fail and lose my life, please inform my homeland of that news. You can say that Amelda has received due punishment for her sins against the Hero.”
“…Understood. I will convey that.”
Though it wasn’t a pleasant thing to say as a last wish,
the general nodded, recognizing the sincerity behind her words.
In her demeanor,
he felt as if he was watching a pilgrim walking the path of atonement.
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Minos, the veteran of the Falcon Empire.
A proud soldier of the empire and the one responsible for guarding Galbory Castle, he stood on the castle walls with a sword in hand, gripped by intense tension.
“Um… General…”
“Stay calm. Everyone, do not be afraid and hold your positions.”
“B-but…”
“We are proud soldiers of the empire. We will fight valiantly for our homeland until the very end.”
“Ugh…”
Minos spoke with a resolute voice as a warrior.
However, despite his words, the soldiers at this moment could not easily shake off the fear residing in their hearts.
What lay before them was…
a procession of countless flames moving through thick darkness.
These were not ordinary lights but green and purple flames infused with demon magic.
Seeing those flames indicated that thousands or tens of thousands of enemy troops were roaming nearby, preventing the soldiers from relaxing their tension at all.
Galbory Castle was one of the last remaining southern territories of the Allied rRaces within the Demon Kingdom.
Like other regions, it was effectively isolated from outside help, and given its small size, there was no expectation for any rescue to come from outside.
In such a situation, the formidable army of demons passing before them was terrifying in itself.
‘The remaining troops in this castle number at most 300… With such a small force, we can do nothing.’
‘If those monsters turn their direction toward us now, it will be our end.’
‘Damn… Am I really going to die like this? No matter how prepared I am for death, going out like this in such a place is…’
As they watched the ominous flames of the demons, soldiers were seized by feelings as if their hearts were being squeezed.
Although their fears were barely suppressed by General Minos shouting encouragement beside them, that fear still lingered deep within their chests.
The sight of the demon army seemingly about to charge at them right away made them feel their blood run cold with every passing moment.
And this was also true for Minos, who was desperately trying to encourage his soldiers despite having different reasons for doing so.
‘Are they really coming here? Or are they planning to attack another castle located elsewhere? Either way, with such a large army, it’s clear we have no chance of victory…’
General Minos had overcome countless crises until now,
but even so, he felt there was nothing he could do about the enemy’s massive forces before him.
With the main force of the enemy gathered here now, all that remained for them guarding this small castle on the outskirts was to meet a glorious death.
‘Yes… Come at me! But I won’t easily give my neck to you demons.’
With such thoughts in mind and preparing to face the approaching enemies with his life on the line, Minos braced himself.
However,
despite his resolve and the soldiers’ fears,
the flames of the demons before them did not rush toward them; instead, as dawn broke, they disappeared somewhere else.
In the end, Minos and his subordinates spent a sleepless night gripped by intense tension and fear.
Fortunately, the time they expected for doom did not come; however, at this moment their hearts were filled not with relief but with deep-rooted terror.
‘Thank goodness we survived… But tonight will surely be our end.’
‘It seems we weren’t their target yesterday; however, it’s clear that next it will be our turn here…’
Even though no actual battle occurred, they remained deeply unsettled and anxious.
If the battle had taken place last night, it might have been different.
In the midst of a thick atmosphere of fear that swept through them, the slight respite they received began to stir various thoughts in their minds.
The chilling sensations of despair and the impending presence of death brushed against their spines, intensifying their longing for life.
These feelings naturally led them to imagine increasingly dire scenarios, fueled by their imagination.
This created a strong sense of dread and fear about when the enemy might attack again, gradually pushing them into a state of anxiety and tension.
Following this, for about a week, there were irregular night marches by the demon army.
Each time, the soldiers had to gather at the castle walls to vividly witness these events for their defense, deepening their fear and anxiety even further.
The scenes vividly conveyed that their lives were hanging by a thread.
With each repetition, the soldiers became increasingly exhausted, and soon within the castle, deserters driven by a desperate will to survive and soldiers overwhelmed by despair began to emerge.
In just a few days, the human forces at Galbory Castle were reduced to less than half, and the remaining soldiers were mentally drained.
And then…
Before them stood a deserter who had attempted to flee, along with a letter that was delivered.
“Read it.”
“Y-yes, General.”
Trembling, the deserter picked up the letter at Minos’s command.
He cautiously began to read its contents aloud in front of his comrades.
“If you surrender and retreat from the castle, we will show mercy. However, if you resist until the end, you will meet the same fate as Dimode’s soldiers—complete annihilation.”
In a reality filled only with despair, this message opened a path for survival.
At the same time, it was a declaration that if they rejected this mercy, they would face certain destruction.
As a result, the remaining soldiers in the castle began to stir with agitation.
“Are… are they saying they will spare us?”
“Does this mean we can escape this hellish place?”
At that moment…
“Be quiet! Don’t fall for the enemy’s cunning tricks! Those filthy creatures would never spare us!”
Minos spoke firmly.
However, those around him—his aides and soldiers—began to voice their thoughts cautiously.
“But General, if they intended that from the start, they would have attacked us already.”
“I’ve heard that some demons treat prisoners humanely.”
“At this rate, we’re all going to die. If that’s the case, then maybe… Ugh!!!”
“!”
Suddenly, Minos beheaded one of his officers who was trying to persuade him.
Right after that, he glared at those before him with an aura of ferocity and spoke as if he were a beast.
“I’ll say it again: there is no surrender. We are proud warriors of the Falcon Empire. Here we will bury our bones for sure. Dying with honor as valiant warriors is what we will do. Do you understand?”
“…”
“Answer me! Do you understand what I’m asking?”
“Yes… I understand, General.”
With that menacing warning still hanging in the air, Minos retreated into his tent.
And as they watched him go,
The soldiers exchanged cautious glances.
In this desperate situation, they pondered what actions they might take to survive.
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“Hmm…”
“This is the head of General Minos who was guarding Galbory Castle.”
“Please spare us as promised.”
Looking down at the humans kneeling before him begging for mercy,
Samson slowly nodded and said,
“Understood. We are generous; we show mercy to those who surrender. If you leave the castle peacefully, there will be no bloodshed; you may go in peace.”
“T-thank you.”
“I won’t forget this kindness.”
As Samson spoke and bowed his head while watching the soldiers leave without further conflict,
A deep smile began to form on his lips.
‘Indeed, it is a Hero’s strategy; it works perfectly.’
That was easy.