Lulu and Luri fought sleepiness while on two legs. They yawned and rubbed their eyes, only to have the drowsiness return.
"Go sleep if you're tired."
Lily Golt sat at a desk in the study, dressed in her pajamas. Books from the Demon Kingdom from ages past were stored here. She worked diligently, reading a book, and writing notes on an adjacent document with a quill pen.
Huge Treos were also there, reading books as well. Nordin Wood scanned a document with a thoughtful tilt to his head. The document was policy research about the Demon Kingdom's management.
The Demon Kingdom had gradually become more stable thanks to the policy they continuously implemented after Bludifer's revolt. Additionally, they had reached a sort of technological renaissance thanks to the humans who invaded the Demon Kingdom. Farming, tending to livestock, ironworking, all of these brought with them new skills and technologies for the Demon race.
'But, as expected the progress is slow. It's so hard…'
Lily pressed her temples while handing a document to Nordin Wood.
"Would an approval be good?"
"Excellent. That's a good idea."
Lily smiled awkwardly at Nordin Wood's compliment. Not long ago, Nordin Wood was someone Lily disliked. Because of his large build and the shape of his face, Nordin had frightened her. She had been afraid that he might have had an ulterior motive since he revolted.
'But he's not a bad person.'
Now, she was instead thankful to him, since she had the opportunity to receive his help.
'What in the world was I thinking that time to say something like that?'
She remembered confidently shouting at the Apostles. She had also inspired many of her subjects, something that was unimaginable in the past.
'Was it because I suddenly had the courage?'
Karakul, Ellin, Lulu and Luri, Kuman Kulvo, and… The Devil of Lania, Tom. It was thanks to them. She unconsciously shouted at the thought of not wanting to disappoint them.
Lily turned pale and her body shook.
Nordin Wood smiled at her. He had the warmth of a grandfather watching his granddaughter grow up.
"You think too much."
A grass blade growing on Nordin's head gently swayed with his relaxed words. His voice was clear and soothing, and Lily could feel herself calming down. At the same time, the siblings finally fell asleep.
Lily smiled as she relaxed; it felt like magic.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it…"
It was when Nordin Wood smiled and looked back to the document in his hands. The door of the study opened and Karakul came in, wearing a dark red uniform. He immediately greeted Lily.
"I have a message from Apostle Tom."
"… Do you?"
Lily spoke in a pleasant tone. She almost sounded giddy at the arrival of news.
"What did he say about how it's going? Is it going well? And what about Ellin…? Does Ellin eat well…?"
Karakul let out a dry cough at Lily's questions. Lily was startled and shook her head.
"No, well, uhm… what about the plan?"
"… Currently, there has been a setback with the plan."
Lily stiffened.
'The plan was messed up…? Was there an accident…?'
As Lily looked worried, Karakul continued, without observing her expression.
"Due to unavoidable circumstances, Apostle Tom said he's hurriedly adjusting the plan. In order to do that there is something he'd like Your Highness to do."
"…?"
Lily blinked and tilted her head.
"… He'd like Your Highness to provide him control over the military."
***
The troops were assembled at the Demon Lord's command. Each unit, divided based on their respective branch, set up camp outside the capital.
All of the armor from both Lania and the Hero's Allied Forces had been melted down. They were used to forge new equipment, an armor made of red-colored scales, which was unique to the Demon Kingdom.
There was the Gnoll Scouting Unit, made of more than 100 Gnolls. The Orc Infantry Unit, containing 3000 Orcs—making it the largest unit. The Armored Ogre Unit, consisting of 50 heavily-armored Ogres. The Minotaur Stormtroopers, containing 80 Minotaurs who took up the vanguard. The Goblin Supply Unit, which had 300 Goblins who took care of various tasks. The Treo Siege Unit had 50 Treos in it, but they were far from the only siege weapons the Demons possessed. Finally, 300 Centaurs made up the Cavalry Unit.
They all assembled at the square in front of the Demon Lord's Castle. Their commander was Karakul. He went up to the podium, carrying their kingdom's flag. Before him were the 'troops' that Tom himself had trained for 3 months.
Karakul looked down at them.
"Hng! Why is Karakul our commander?"
Allin, who had temporarily been appointed to be the commander of Minotaurs, snorted indignantly.
"But aren't you able to make a contribution through this? Nasis is still sulking about not being able to join."
Hekaron, commander of the Cavalry Unit, crossed his arms while stamping his hooves.
Karakul stood calmly while looking at them, but after recalling Tom's plan his eyes twitched, betraying his uneasiness.
'… This kind of outrageous plan again? No, is this not a good plan? I'm sure he thought up something troublesome again!'
This was the strongest force that the Demon Kingdom had. With their absence, the Demon kingdom would be practically defenseless. Of course, there were still many Demons who knew how to fight, but none of them had received proper military training.
What if the enemies invaded this kingdom while they were away? Even if those left could stop them, the damage to the kingdom would be great.
'With Kuman and Kulvo are staying here… we have the strength to put up a fight if it comes to it, but…'
Just in case, he voiced his concerns through to the crow sitting on his arm once more.
"What will we do if enemies come to attack?"
"No such thing will happen. If Pope Salem's goal has been decided to be the Aylans Kingdom… the bastard would attack them intensively. Why? The reason is simple. Because that bastard is a guy who smashes what he doesn't like until it thoroughly breaks. He'll want to confirm their destruction with his own eyes."
'… Does he understand his opponent that well?'
The area adjacent to the Demon Kingdom was in between the Holy Kingdom and Aylans Kingdom. If the two countries were at war, there was no doubt that the Demon Kingdom would be safe. But… there was always a 'What if' scenario floating in the back of his mind. Even if unlikely, the Holy Kingdom's troops could invade the Demon Kingdom at some point.
'… He's my master, but he's out of his mind.'
There were times even he wondered whether Tom was really a savior
'Still… what in the world he is up to? It's driving me crazy. I'm excited to the point I'm wondering if master's madness has been transmitted to me as well! What will he show us in the future? What kind of sacrifice does he plan to make. What does he plan to reveal to us…?'
Karakul smiled. He roared while raising the flag above his head.
"Kwooooooooooooo-!"
The Demons looked up in unison and watched their commander's display.
"Demons! It's time!"
His voice echoed across the plaza.
"We have been called the descendants of the devil, cursed monsters, depraved heretics, and all kinds of names by the humans. We've been abused and oppressed for generations!"
The Demons' bodies trembled.
Devil, cursed, heretic, all kinds of these names had been attached to them. Humans slaughtered their ancestors and had continued hunting their kind to this day. They used them as slaves or tortured and killed them in the name of their God. That anger, that hatred! That grudge…!! All of that flowed through the Demons' bodies.
The enraged demons' began to breathe hard. They gripped their weapons tighter and shook in anger. The air became heavy. Only rough breaths broke the silence.
Karakul shouted at them once more.
"Who's our enemy!?"
"Humans-! Humans-! Humans-!"
The Demons pounded their weapons into the ground or stamped their feet. The earth shook.
"That's right! Humans! But among those humans, the enemy that has been bothering us for thousands of years is the so-called God's country, the Holy Kingdom!"
The Holy Kingdom! The corrupt country that used God's name to justify their treatment of Demons. Their religion had led to the death and suffering of many of their kind.
"This is the Her Highness, the Demon Lord's order!"
Karakul lifted the flagpole he was holding high.
"From now on we will go to… Trample the Holy Kingdom!"
"Kwoooooooooooooo-!"
"Follow Her Highness, the Demon Lord's order-!"
"Trample the humans-!"
The Demons' roars could be heard throughout the capital.
An army of more than 3,880 Demons marched to the Aylans Kingdom under the name of the Demon Lord, Lily Golt.
— Ω —