novelAvaritia: A Hard Talk, ain't it?
| ← Ch.05 | Ch.07 → |
When I dropped by the war council room, on time, the members were already all gathered there.
The forces of the King of Acedia, Leigie of the Slaughterdolls... his army is divided into three large sections.
The one with the most members, and the main force on the battlefield: The first Brigade.
The one with the least members, and the one that's usually stationed to protect Boss's castle: The Second Brigade.
The one with a moderate amount of manpower, that specializes in mobility and offense to conduct raids on the battlefield: the Third Brigade, which I lead.
In this castle, there's also the Great Demon King's dispatched forces under the lead of that Lize Bloodcross, but they won't move in the wars involving boss, so they don't really matter.
Anyways, that's the entirety of the strongest Legion, known across the Demon World. It's quite simple, isn't it? That may be the case. But in the end, isn't simple usually the most effective?
And we're winning quite a bit like this, so I guess it'll stay this way for a while. In essence, battles between Demon armies are just two powers hitting each other upfront and skills knocking each other down.
I feel everyone's gaze as I lower myself into the leftmost armchair. I had my new aide Slaughter stand by my side.
When I received him from the Boss, he was small enough to fit on a bedside table, but by absorbing the miasma of the demon world, it was able to 『Grow』. The dark eye sockets of a skeleton roughly two meters in height looked over the room without a word. It truly was a masterpiece.
"Deije, slow."
"Ki ki ki, my bad. Well, I'm not behind schedule, right? Cut me some slack."
The general of the second brigade, Medea Luxeliahart, chastised me with her usual pouty tone.
She's a small, female demon. On her unsociable face lies a pair of blood-red, ruby-like eyes. Her no-nonsense hairstyle with straight cut bangs is fastened with a simple ornament.
She sure is a diligent girl.
But I can't be looking down on her. Even like this, she's a general. If you get deceived by her appearance, you're in for a world of pain. Looks and ability are disproportional for demons.
Well, if we were to fight, I'd be the one winning due to the difference in our natures and my superior equipment.
Continuing on, the one sitting in the center is a man of delicate features. Heard Lauder- looked over everyone as he opened his mouth.
His height is a little lower than mine, and he's a slim, calm-looking man. But he's the supreme commander of this army. He's pretty much Boss Leigie's right hand man.
There are various types of people among Boss's subordinates, but among them, this guy is especially dangerous. That means his power is probably the closest we have to Leigie's.
"Well, well, it seems we're finally all here. Then I guess we'll start."
With Heard's voice as the starting signal, a map is projected onto the table.
It's a map of the demon world with Boss's territory at the center.
Among all of the Demon Lords allied to Demon King Kanon, Boss's was a largest, with a vast expanse that looked to swallow all around it. The Prison of Flames we went and obtained in the last war is included in it.
While it's charmingly vast, that also means it's the territory that shares the largest border with the factions opposed to the Great Demon King. The foremost battle line.
Ki ki ki, that pretty much means we can go out and grab whatever land we want. On the other side, if we're negligent, we'll be the ones losing. They're a few hundred years too young to think they can take anything from Deije the Usurper.
Well, as long as I don't have orders from the Great Demon King, it's not like I'll go out and fight randomly. It's because my life is the most valuable. Kanon of Destruction... I aint's gonna go aggravate a Demon King that governs over Wrath.
Even for me, he's a bit higher on the pecking order than Boss Leigie.
Heard started calmly spreading information.
"The Great Demon King has given out a subjugation order for the Demon Lord of Gluttony, Zebul Glaucus. Our target was once the one with the strongest alliance to our King, but due to revolts from a shortage on food, he has killed both Astell Zaabdeus and Claud Astal, both of whom were Demon Lords allied to our Great Demon King. All while slowly approaching our land."
Two points on the map were circled, and as a line was drawn between them, a, expanse of land began flashing in red. Unsatisfied with its bounds, the line gradually began to encroach on the Boss's territory.
Here, where his castle is, there's still a distance before it hits the Castle of Shadows, but it's still proceeding towards it in a straight path.
Ki ki ki, he's brought in a troublesome topic.
This battle's on a different level than the one I crushed Granzer Esther in.
Our target is... the Demon Lord himself. In Granzer's battle, we only fought his army, and the Lord never stepped onto the battlefield. In the first place, Demon Lords aren't things that are supposed to come out so easily.
But this time is different. According to what I can see, the Demon Lord is personally leading the army.
"So the opponent's a Demon Lord who took out two others... quite a hard talk."
"Yeah. But even if you say he's taken down two, they were both fresh Lords without much power backing them. He's no opponent to our Leigie-sama."
Yes, Supreme Commander Heard knows this, and responds as such.
That's right. It's not like he's wrong or anything.
Boss Leigie's Mana is incomparable to all those run-of-the-mill Demon Lords scattered all over the place. I mean, even though he looks like that, he's the Third Rank, you know? Third Rank means... to put it simply, among all those loyal to Kanon, he's the third strongest.
But the fact that the two killed were Demon Lords means that they were definitely stronger than me, who's a Class below.
The enemy's a strong Demon Lord who took on both of them consecutively.
As expected of the super conceited Heard Lauder. It must be a nice thing to be so brimming with confidence. But isn't he estimating himself a bit too high?
I may be greedy, but that doesn't mean I don't recognize the power of others.
I'm not that knowledgeable about other Demon Lords, but even I know that Zebul of Gluttony is a big name. His moniker is the Devourer. In the Great Demon King's faction, he took Fifth Rank, an atrocious Fiend. And our Demon Lord over here won't lift a finger himself.
If I went one on one against a normal Demon, I doubt I would lose.
I'm even confident I could crush an army.
But when my opponent's a Demon Lord, despite having overcome countless battles, I'd be at a disadvantage, I guess.
I know the answer, but let's ask just in case.
"What did the boss say?"
"Iyo. I'll leave it to you."
Wow.
I whistle aloud. Medea raises her eyebrows and looks at me with accusatory eyes.
As I thought, we've been thrown to the wolves. As expected of Sloth. Even when the Demon Lord comes knocking on our door, he shows no interest.
No interest. He's making this prideful one look like a child. His stance never wavers.
That girl Medea knits her eyebrows as she flips through all the information pertaining to Zebul. She soon raises her eyes.
"... We're at a slight disadvantage. Do we have any other pieces?"
"There's always the option of dragging Leigie-sama into this."
Heard offered a suggestion.
Well, well. I guess boss has it rough too. But since the Fifth Rank is coming, that's always an option. That is, if you don't consider his tendencies.
Medea folds her arms and fidgets with a pouting face. She's in a bad mood. Did something happen?
"We cannot bring trouble to Leigie-sama's hands."
"Exactly. If the opponent is a Demon Lord, we just have to dispatch an appropriate amount of force, is all."
Oy, just what sort of force is appropriate for that?
But the Demon Lord of Sloth... no matter what happens, he won't move.
Just as one of Greed like me refuses to stake his life for some unknown treasure, his longings for rest exist around him like some inorganic immutable object.
But I understand. This is... but another trial on my path to glory.
Even if I'm just leading an army, if we really take down a Demon King, then Leigie's name will rise even further in the world.
At the same time, the rewards for taking out a Demon Lord who killed two others must be greater than the Demon Blade Celeste... There's a possibility that it surpasses an SSS Class treasure, an L Rank Item. And as always, it'll flow right from the Boss's hands into mine.
The moment I obtain it, perhaps the craving sleeping within me will reach a whole new level. It's possible... that I may even finally become a Demon Lord.
There's more than enough to gain for me to risk my life.
"Hmm. We can't besmirch the name of our Demon Lord... Deije, do you think you can handle it like always?"
Heard calmly sends a strong look in my direction. There is no impatience in his eyes. This guy is seriously considering it. That if I went out, a Demon Lord of this level would easily fall. The reason he directs such stuff at me is because his essence, his pride, extends not only to himself, but to the army under his command.
If it was as per usual, the Third Squad would be launching the first attack.
Ki ki ki, you sure say some hard things calmly, oh supreme commander.
I'm a man who doesn't do the impossible, you know? Though I do like the smell of achievements.
"Ki ki ki, it'll be a bit of a pinch for my squad alone. Not for fighting the army, but Gula Skills are known to specialize in targeting large areas, and the enemy is a powerful Demon Lord."
"I'll go."
The short girl stands up from her seat.
What's this about?
Why is that girl Medea stepping down from her duty to guard the boss?
Will it rain spears tomorrow or something?
(TL: A common phrase meaning something really unlikely is happening)
"... Oy, oy, what's with this turn of events? Medea? Don't you have your own duty to attend to?"
I'd really like our Supreme Commander, who has a good affinity to battle Gula, to step forward here.
What about protecting this castle?
But her eyes were brimming with resolve, and she answered in a level tone.
"Deije, Leigie doesn't require protection from someone of my level."
Oy, didn't we promise never to bring that up?
And that isn't the problem.
A Demon Lord's Skills are a cut above the rest. There's a difference in one's usable skills based on personal skills, but regardless of our merits, I can't even imagine what skills the Rank Three Boss has in his arsenal.
And what she says implies that the boss needs neither me nor Heard here either.
An unrestful atmosphere taints the air of the council room.
But that girl's next line cleared it away.
She made a rare display of emotion as she gazed at me with scorn.
"And recently, I haven't racked up any accomplishments. I need to move my body a bit, or..."
An unexpected response. That should lie outside of this girl's domain.
But I see. So it's like that.
She isn't acting on logic, I see.
So that's why that girl's been so docile as of late.
The reason the girl who ain't pride or greed wants merits.
I let out a smile as I try asking.
"Hmm. Meaning... it's built up?"
"..."
Oh my. This won't do.
Her wide eyes pierce through my body, and an immense pressure envelops the room.
It's like her gaze itself would be able to kill someone.
Ki ki ki, Medea Luxeliaheart, a demon governing Lust.
What? It's nothing to be embarrassed about. I can't go against my desire for material wealth, but the girl's doing her best to contain her appetite.
... Well, in the first place, a Lust Demon that still has a hold of their sanity is a rare sight.
"Deije, you don't have to go... no, stay away. I'll take care of it."
But I can't ignore those words.
I'm all smiles as I offer a rebuttal.
"No, no, no, no, offense is my squad's role, right? I can't pull back, you know. I'm『Greed』, am I not?"
"Hmm, then the two of you go together."
Heard speaks with a condescending tone.
It's as he says. If two of the generals of someone important like Boss's army faced defeat, we'd lose face. The Demon Lord's army is something lent out by the Great Demon King. If it were to be lost, we would be stimulating the king's『Wrath』. We can't be giving him any reasons to get rid of us.
That girl made a scornful expression at Heard's words, but perhaps because she knows who we're dealing with, she doesn't say another word. She sure is loyal.
The map projected on the round table vanishes.
Even if you call it a war council, Demons are all selfish beings. All that gets decided is who's going to be dealing with the problem. Everything else is left up to the command of the individual squads.
Before I got up, I ask Heard just in case.
"What about you, Supreme Commander Heard?"
"Oh, there'll be no chance for me to step out. I'm leaving it all to you and Medea."
His words were backed by a serious tone. This guy seriously believes that a group of normal demons can take down a Demon Lord.
They're twisted. Each and every one of them.
Ki ki ki, I guess pride can be quite sinful too. How scary.
Well, all I've got to do is try my hardest so I don't get disposed of is all.
| ← Ch. 05 | Ch. 07 → |