Karakul moaned with his arms crossed. He had spent the past three days and nights contemplating the problem at hand. As he was staying in the tent right beside the one for the Demon Lord, Kuman and Ellin noticed him struggling as well. They tilted their heads and looked at Karakul, who was drawing pictures. The image sketched onto a piece of silk was depicting a long bone, the signature femur, with fleshy meat heaped on top of it.
Karakul, looking down upon his handiwork, nodded in satisfaction.
"Mmm… This should be good enough. This shall be the national flag of the Demon Kingdom."
"It looks good. Very stylish!"
Kuman nodded, in agreement with what Karakul had said. Ellin looked between the two of them in astonishment before turning back to the newly formed 'symbol'.
"Eeeeeh? Is that right? Isn't it strange no matter how you see it?"
"Strange?"
When Karakul's brow shot up. Ellin froze before averting her gaze. She was lower ranked than him, and he was also a father figure to her. Thus, she couldn't help but try to be tactful.
Karakul scratched his head and looked at the flag once again.
His expression suggested he was thinking, 'is this strange?' as he sought out the Demon Lord for permission.
"…Y-you've worked hard. I don't mind if it pleases you… But wouldn't it be better if a bit more thought went into it?"
Hearing her response, he was taken aback. Even the Moon Rabbit siblings were nodding with all their might in agreement. He also brought it to Tom just in case.
"…Sorry, I'll have to leave the task of creating a symbol for someone else. Let's hunt down the bloodsuckers in the capital before getting back to it."
Tom's opinion was traumatic. He had done the best he could…! He didn't think he'd get this kind of reception. Karakul moaned after hearing everyone's disapproval. Just what was the problem? Wasn't this symbol that would unify all demons the most important task?! This mark tugged upon the most basic instinct of every living being: hunger! The root of all the ideas that could unify everyone! What more was needed than this?!
'…Now that I think about it, humans have a different feeling about it? A sword or shield, something like a helmet… or a human's face.'
Karakul moaned as he sought out various demons. He also shared the symbol with different people as he gathered their opinions.
"It's a great picture!"
Karakul felt encouraged by one Ogre's opinion.
"…Is it meat? I personally prefer fish, though."
Then felt deflated by a Lizardman's comment.
'Does this mean each species has a different perspective?'
He once again gathered the opinions of different species. Their comments were varied, and with the exception of Orcs, the vast majority of the species were against it.
"Meat? I like meat… but you're planning on using it as a symbol? Are you crazy? AAAAH!! This is why Orcs can't cut it! What good is it if they're strong!? All they have in their head are muscles focused on what to eat next! This isn't it! How could even Brother Karakul disappoint me by being so simple?! Brother is frighteningly strong at fighting… but so weak at things like this! I thought Brother Karakul would be a bit different!"
Karakul looked at the Goblin before him in surprise. He was small-statured and carried a bag filled with all manner of junk: one of the 12 Apostles, Kulbo. He looked tired, with leaves and dirt caked all over his body.
"…Kulbo? When did you arrive?"
"Hah! I got into a bit of trouble! I went all over the place while trying to make a map for those idiotic Gnolls! After finishing, I went to the capital, hoping to get a good rest, but guess what? Some vampires took it over!" Kulbo rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "Now, after I barely managed to escape, news that the Apostles surrendered to them has spread all throughout the kingdom, and I don't know what happened to my kin… I had to keep wandering… I was lost and had to camp, camp, and camp… I've lost count of how many times I was chased around by wild demons! Not that I was trying to eat them, but I thought they were gonna eat me! I somehow managed to get here, and now…"
Kulbo suddenly exploded. Even as he said all these things, he turned to the Orcs.
"Still… I thought it couldn't get any worse, and finally, it seems like things are finally going right. We might just be able to stand against the Vampires."
Kulbo carefully examined the Orcs with the magnifying glass in his right eye. What drew his attention the most were the siege units.
"…Truly amazing equipment. Especially the siege units! I want to touch them!"
"You goblins are good with your hands, but no matter how good the equipment is…" Karakul looked at his own soldiers and shook his head. "The suits of armor won't fit properly because they were originally meant for humans."
Orcs were significantly larger than humans. Regardless of how much effort a human put into training their bodies, they were unlikely to grow larger than the average Orc. Orcs were using their equipment well enough due to their experience in having to reuse the equipment of the Hero's forces, but it couldn't be helped that it was uncomfortable. Tom was well aware of the fact that the sizes wouldn't fit, but he had left it alone as a temporary measure. This was something that could be solved after they had regained control of the capital.
"In any case! This is not the symbol! Never!"
Karakul looked at the symbol quizzically again.
"…Is that so?"
"Hah… What did Her Highness say?"
"…To think about it again."
"Then, the answer is already clear! My god… Did you perhaps think to stand against the Vampires and the Hero's Allied Forces waving a flag with some meat drawn on it? To think… a meat flag to deflate all the tension in a stressful battlefield!!"
"…That does appear to be true."
Karakul did agree with the sentiment this time.
"That's right, Brother Karakul! Think about it harder! A symbol carries a significant meaning! It's what you think of in your most dire times when you need it the most!"
"That something?"
Karakul rubbed his chin. What came up in his mind when he thought of Hell? The Demon Lord? If it was the Demon Lord…? Power? If it was power… then fear? Terror? Might? Authority? Then… what did these things symbolize…?
'…I can't figure it out, but if I keep digging at it, I might be able to arrive at something.'
Karakul began to formulate an image, without meaning to, as he drew closer to that meaningful symbol. He peeked over at Kulbo and spoke to him.
"Will you help me?"
"I think I have to! It's obvious something weird will come out of Brother Karakul's head otherwise!"
Kulbo put down his luggage and drew a picture relating to the symbol in Karakul's tent. Kulbo, who was already talented in drawing to begin with, had an exceptional talent in capturing evn the most minute of details.
He immediately gave several suggestions: things that were produced in the Demon Kingdom, things that an opponent might see and think of, things that would raise an ally's morale, things that would instill fear in their enemies. In this way, several sketches were completed, and they were shown to the Demon Lord, Tom, Ellin, and Kuman. They nodded in satisfaction as did Karakul.
"Then, with this…"
Karakul unfurled the national flag on top of the cart carrying the coffins being sent to the Vampires.
A black and white background, symbolizing good and evil, and a ram's skull with horns, symbolizing their authority. It represented the demons and instilled fear into humans. This was the insignia of the Demon Kingdom.
"Good. Let's go with this!"
***