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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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The two days of leave after my encounter with the Hero and my former companions in the dungeon passed quickly.
Yesterday, I was confined to my room all day, suffering from the aftereffects of excessive drinking.
The villagers had been so enthusiastic in their hospitality at the party that I woke up to find it was already lunchtime.
As a result, Camilla’s sex education, which was supposed to begin yesterday, was postponed.
Fortunately, Camilla had also indulged in the festivities, so she didn’t complain about the delay.
After a day of rest and recuperation, I was back to my usual self.
As soon as I finished breakfast in the dining hall, I received a summons from the Demon Lord.
“Come in.”
Expecting a private meeting, as usual, I was caught off guard by the sight that greeted me as I entered the office.
There was someone I had never seen before sitting on the sofa.
“Grrrr…”
An imposing beastkin, whose massive frame dwarfed even the largest of men, even while seated. The teacup in his hand looked like a toy.
The Demon Lord, who had been sitting across from him, rose and introduced us.
“Kaldrash, this is Walter Leonhart, the Beast King, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of my army.”
I was stunned.
Walter, the Demon Lord’s right-hand man.
That was how he was known among humans.
The undisputed second-in-command of the Demon Lord’s army, commanding all the beastkin in the Great Western Forest.
I awkwardly approached and extended my hand. Walter set his teacup on the table and shook my hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Archmage Kaldrash. Call me Walter.”
“Ah, yes. Walter.”
I addressed him casually, as requested, and Walter grunted in satisfaction, nodding his head.
“We were just talking about you. Come and have a seat.”
I sat on the remaining space on the sofa, as instructed.
Seneca, the steward, placed an elegant teacup in front of me.
A crimson liquid poured from the spout of the teapot he held.
As I was momentarily captivated by the sight, the Demon Lord explained Walter’s presence.
“I sent a message to the Great Forest yesterday, requesting two Wyverns for your deployment to the Eastern Front, and Walter showed up personally with them.”
Walter, listening to the conversation, nodded in agreement.
“I was curious to meet the mage whose name I’ve heard so much about from the others.”
“The others?”
The Demon Lord chuckled wryly.
“He’s referring to Mephisto and Dorothea, the other two Heavenly Kings.”
“Ah…”
During my year with the Hero, I had personally fought two of the Four Heavenly Kings.
One was Mephisto, who had utterly crushed the Hero, and the other was Dorothea, my rival, with whom I had clashed repeatedly.
They both had experienced defeat at my hands in magical combat, so they must have complained to Walter.
Walter, raising his teacup, said jokingly,
“I’ve known them for a long time, but you’re the first to make them so angry. What kind of magic did you use to provoke such a reaction?”
I shrugged.
“I didn’t do anything special. They were just a bad matchup for me.”
“Kuh-huh… I like your confidence. It makes me want to fight you myself.”
Lap, lap
Perhaps because he had a sensitive palate, Walter, despite his ferocious appearance, was lapping at his tea like a cat. It was a rather unsettling sight.
I discreetly shifted my gaze to the Demon Lord, and he, sensing my discomfort, smoothly changed the subject.
“Anyway, I summoned you because of our conversation the other day. You were expecting this, weren’t you?”
“Yes. I’m ready to depart.”
“Then there’s no need for further explanation. This is my second official request. You are hereby deployed to the Eastern Front to assist Dorothea and ensure the safe retreat of our troops.”
“Your orders will be carried out.”
I rose from the sofa, knelt on one knee, and bowed my head in acknowledgement. The Demon Lord nodded in satisfaction.
“The Wyverns you’ll be riding are waiting for you in the stables. It will be a long flight, so take care of any necessary preparations beforehand.”
“Thank you for the advice. Then I’ll take my leave.”
I bowed to both of them and turned to leave, when the Demon Lord suddenly stopped me.
“Ah, Kaldrash, one more thing before you go.”
“Yes?”
“Please give my regards to Dorothea. Tell her to return to the castle when she has time, as it’s been a while since we last saw each other.”
“That’s not a problem at all.”
I reassured the Demon Lord and finally left the office.
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Camilla, who had been waiting outside, and I headed straight for the stables. As expected, two Wyverns, brought by Walter, were tethered to a tree near the entrance.
Wyverns were impossible to tame in the wild and had to be raised from a young age to be used as mounts. Therefore, they were considered strategic assets in most countries.
As I approached, the Wyverns, sensing my presence, let out earsplitting screeches.
The decibels were truly astounding.
I instinctively covered my ears, and a demon soldier rushed out of the stables, handing me something.
“Mage! Earplugs are essential when dealing with Wyverns! Their cries are so loud you can hear them from a hundred meters away!”
I glared at the soldier, who could have told me that sooner, and quickly put in the earplugs.
“Screech!”
Ah, much better.
While still loud, the noise was now bearable.
As I fiddled with the earplugs, the soldier handed a pair to Camilla and explained how to handle Wyverns.
He said that riding a Wyvern was similar to riding a horse, but one had to be careful not to slip, as a fall would be fatal.
We thanked the soldier for the helpful information and took hold of the Wyverns’ reins.
The creatures, initially wary, calmed down once we offered them the horse meat provided by the soldier.
It seemed all creatures, regardless of species, were susceptible to bribery.
“Alright.”
I mounted my Wyvern and nudged its side with my leg.
The Wyvern screeched and spread its massive wings.
In a matter of seconds, its large, seemingly flightless body lifted into the air with powerful flaps of its wings.
I exchanged a glance with Camilla, who was mounting her own Wyvern, and turned my Wyvern’s head east.
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As I mentioned before, the Eastern Front was the main battleground between humans and demons.
The two armies clashed along the snow-covered ridges of the Vulcan Mountain Range, a land soaked in blood from the Human-Demon War five years ago.
Just as Dorothea was in charge of the demon forces in this region, the Margrave of Hamburg, Rachel’s father, was responsible for defending the Vulcan Mountains on the human side.
The Hamburg family, who had lived in the harsh Vulcan Mountains for generations, acted as a bulwark against the demons, protecting humanity.
“Finally… we’re here.”
The cold air that filled my lungs with each breath reminded me that I was back in the Vulcan Mountains.
I looked down at the ground from atop my Wyvern.
The Demon Lord’s army encampment on the Eastern Front, which we reached after a five-hour flight, looked rather crude from above.
This was due to the unpredictable weather of the Vulcan Mountains.
In this harsh environment, where temperatures remained below freezing year-round, making the concept of four seasons meaningless, practicality was paramount. Items needed to be light, durable, and long-lasting.
And such items were rarely aesthetically pleasing.
As our Wyverns, bearing the mark of the Demon Lord’s army on their wings, landed carefully in the clearing, soldiers rushed towards us.
The most noticeable among them were the Centaurs, creatures that were half-human, half-horse.
A Centaur, clad in thick furs instead of heavy armor, asked me suspiciously,
“I’ve never seen you before. What brings you to this remote location?”
I dismounted from my Wyvern, handing the reins to another soldier, and stepped forward.
Placing a hand on my chest, I declared,
“I am Patrasche, a Lich from the Demon Lord’s castle. I’ve come here on the orders of Demon Lord Nero to meet with Commander-in-Chief Dorothea.”
The Centaur tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face.
She was likely confused by the unfamiliar name, Patrasche.
But she quickly recovered and said,
“In that case, you’re in luck. I’m Dorothea’s adjutant. I’ll take you to her.”
Things seemed to be going well.
Since she was offering to guide us, there was no reason to refuse. We followed her.
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