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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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After the treatment and examination of the hero were completed, Rebecca and the soldiers, with worried expressions, started listening to the military’s account.
“The test results show that the wound from the spear is not a major issue. However, the fact that he hasn’t regained consciousness is likely due to using excessive magical power all at once. He should wake up soon, so don’t worry.”
“Is… is that so?”
“Ahh…”
Rebecca and her companions expressed relief at the diagnosis, which suggested he would recover with some rest.
However, separate from this fact, a deep sense of guilt about the hero lingered in their hearts.
‘He pushed himself so hard for us…’
‘Until now, there have been many commanders, but none have thrown themselves into danger to protect their subordinates as thoroughly as he has.’
‘I’ve heard that a person will eventually meet someone worthy to serve… Could it really be that hero?’
Thus, the demon soldiers began to reassess the hero, replacing their initial concerns and animosity with a more nuanced perspective.
Of course, since this was their first battle, it was still too early to make any definitive judgments.
However, it was clear that their preconceived biases against humans had significantly diminished.
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Finally, after everyone who had been keeping watch had left, I slowly opened my eyes and looked around.
‘Fortunately, I didn’t wake up suddenly and make the atmosphere awkward.’
Of course, strictly speaking, such awkwardness could have been managed, but the urgency with which my subordinate demons had acted swept me up in the atmosphere without me even realizing it.
Despite the awkwardness of the situation, I began to feel a deep sense of accomplishment as I recalled that I had successfully completed all the goals I had set out to achieve.
‘Thanks to the unexpected way they recognized me as the Demon King, things have become much easier. They will surely start to act more excitedly in an attempt to capture this Demon King.’
Honestly, I could have easily taken Antioch after the recent attack.
While only a few hundred soldiers were present from Antioch’s over 7,000 troops, I could tell that the one who threw that spear was the leader defending this place due to his exceptional combat prowess.
If I were to eliminate him and all his subordinates, it was clear that the defensive soldiers would collapse into disarray without their command structure.
‘If that happens, the flags of the demon army would likely be hung on the walls of Antioch by today, led by hardliners like Samson…’
What was expected to take about two to three days of battle could potentially be concluded in just one day, or perhaps even half a day.
However, I was well aware that such a straightforward outcome was something I needed to avoid at all costs in my current position.
‘If Antioch falls this early, it would be problematic. While dragging it out too long is also an issue, at least for today… no later than tomorrow, they must hold out to ensure I can achieve my goals.’
At first glance, it seemed that the demon army was doing everything in its power to conquer Antioch. This was also what Samson and his subordinates thought, as concluded in the previous meeting.
But…
At this moment, among all the members of the Demon King’s army present here, only I knew the underlying truth.
Regardless of the circumstances, the role of the troops here was merely bait, and my role was to instill a sense of ‘hope’… and additionally, a feeling of ‘desire’ in the enemies.
After all, the ‘real’ action will be taken by Elias and their ‘true’ master.
‘So hurry up and gather around, for this Demon King is injured and lying here. I want every last one of you to come here and go all in.’
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In the demon territory of Dimode, occupied by the Allied Races, General Memnon, the temporary lord there, could not hide his excitement as he listened to the report from the Antioch messenger who had rushed to him.
“What… what did you say? That Demon King really appeared in Antioch?”
“Yes! General, and according to the news I heard just before I left, that Demon King was severely injured by General Parisecht’s spear.”
“Oh… General Parisect, you say?”
Memnon could not hide his excitement at the messenger’s words. His subordinate, standing beside him, spoke urgently.
“General Memnon, we can’t just sit here! If what he says is true, this is the perfect opportunity to end this dreadful war.”
“Hmm! I think so too. With the supply situation worsening daily, I never expected such an opportunity to arise.”
Memnon’s troops had been barely scraping by, relying on food supplies from Antioch since Rob’s ambush. The news of the enemy leader, the Demon King, appearing and being injured felt like a golden lifeline in a perilous situation.
“After all, once we take out the enemy’s head, the war will be over, won’t it?”
“Once we fully commit to defeating the Demon King, there will be no more reason to suffer from hunger.”
“General, please give the order! I will go and take the Demon King’s head!”
Amidst the sharp nerves caused by hunger and strained living conditions, those present began to shout in a frenzied urgency as an opportunity appeared before them.
Memnon, who bore the responsibility of leading them, felt the same urgency.
“There’s no need for that! I will personally lead the charge. With this situation, there’s no reason to send only a portion of our forces to stall; I will take the entire army from Dimode to Antioch!”
“Yes! General!”
“We will follow your orders, General!”
With a firm resolve and underlying ambition, General Memnon declared his intentions. The soldiers present burned with desire and obeyed his command.
“From here to Antioch is only a day’s journey if we hurry. If we ride through the night, we can reach it by tomorrow.”
“First, let’s lead the cavalry for a swift move. It would be problematic if Antioch were to fall while we delay.”
“That’s a good idea. Since the Demon King is personally leading the charge, they won’t be able to focus on areas outside of Antioch. We will prioritize arriving quickly and behead the Demon King!”
Thus, Memnon and his soldiers immediately began their march with all available forces.
Although their hurried departure meant that the castle’s defenses were not well organized, Memnon and his troops had no time to worry about such details.
After all, capturing the Demon King would mean the end of the war. Their focus was solely on the visible target ahead.
And at that moment…
Many lords in the occupied territories of the Demon Kingdom shared similar thoughts as Memnon and began to mobilize their entire forces.
The desire to be hailed as heroes of the continent by beheading the injured Demon King, coupled with the dire supply situation that made it hard to endure much longer, captivated many hearts.
As a result, an enormous army of 40,000, essentially the main force of the Allied Races, set off toward Antioch, leaving their territories unguarded.
Of course, there were some cautious individuals who chose to carefully monitor the situation and protect their lands. However, given the worsening supply conditions, few could afford to make such a risky choice.
At this moment, she was observing all these developments with a hawk-like gaze from the shadows.
Elisia, one of the four kings of the Demon King’s guards, began to feel a deep excitement about the current situation, where everything was unfolding even more spectacularly than they had anticipated.
‘I thought it would succeed since the hero came up with the idea and Mama solidified the plan, but… isn’t this drawing aggro a bit too effectively?’
The situation had escalated to the point where she worried that Samson and the hero might be in danger.
However, from the perspective of the Demon Kingdom, it was undoubtedly a good thing that events were progressing as planned.
After grasping the situation, Elisia quickly returned to her base and began reporting on the current developments.
“Really? So, the Allied Races has started moving as scheduled?”
“Yes! That’s correct!”
“It seems our scheme is working well. Then let’s get started right away,” Elias said with a cold smile on his lips.
In response, she spoke to her subordinates in a calm yet unmistakably excited voice.
“Indeed… it’s time. The fruit is ripe, so let’s begin the harvest.”
With those words, she drew her sword, its deep violet aura shimmering ominously.
As she gazed at the intense purple blade, she thought of the ‘true’ Demon King, who had left with the hope of claiming their heads.
Slowly, a beautiful yet terrifying smile began to form on her lips.
