“These assassins were probably Daemon’s trump card. There’s nothing more troublesome on a battlefield than assassins who are familiar with internal affairs.”

“Now that the assassins have been blocked once, and with an alert issued across the entire front line, they won’t be able to operate as effectively as before.”

Being a Black Society assassin doesn’t make one invincible. Assassins were basically humans specialized in killing targets in vile ways without being detected in favorable environments. Lena, who confidently jumped into head-on battles, was rather an unusual case.

“But just because Daemon got involved once doesn’t guarantee he won’t use other methods. He’ll probably use even more annoying tactics.”

I nodded at Randolph’s words. While it was impossible to know exactly how Daemon would scheme, it was obvious that with his trump card of assassins blocked, he would try to gain the upper hand in even more vile and petty ways.

“Then it becomes a race against time. Every time Daemon tries something, our army’s sacrifices will increase too. We need to move ahead before he can form another plan.”

“It seems we’re placing a heavy burden on you, Hero.”

“It’s something only we can do.”

The hero shook his head and gave a bitter smile. How futile is a war where the outcome is determined by a few superhumans? The hero understood all too well the apology and bitterness on Randolph’s face.

“Will you go to the fortress?”

“Since they’re in a standoff, I think we should discuss the next operation there. From what I hear, the army camped in front of that fortress is quite fierce.”

“I’ve heard that a fierce general from a prestigious demon family is commanding the troops. They’re having difficulties because the general is not only powerful in combat but also intelligent.”

“An intelligent fierce general?”

“Yes. They say the general is capable even among demons.”

The hero didn’t dismiss the information that an intelligent fierce general was targeting the fortress. He turned his body outside the tent and called for the porter. The porter, who had been chatting with Lena, was dragged inside the tent with a confused expression.

Randolph couldn’t understand why the porter was being called for operational planning, but he quietly waited for the hero’s statement. The hero spread the map again and examined the war situation.

There was a place where two camps met, separated by a winding river. But this camp, which looked flat on the surface, was a fortress climbing rugged rocky mountains, making it a place that even a fierce general couldn’t easily conquer. Recalling this assassination operation, the hero said:

“Until now, we’ve considered Daemon to be behind the demon army’s assassination operations, but considering that the ultimate goal of the assassination operations was to surround and occupy the fortress, I think the entity actually giving the orders is that commander trying to conquer the fortress.”

Randolph nodded at the hero’s words. Indeed, the plan to form a siege line through assassinations of the two camps around the fortress was more naturally within the realm of a commander in charge of one front line rather than a commander overseeing the entire front.

The hero pointed to the map and said:

“Looking at the terrain of the demon army facing the fortress, they’re also following a mountain ridge, severely limiting their supplies. They can receive supplies from various places along the mountain range, but the path over the fortress eventually converges into one.”

Randolph nodded.

“The moment they occupy the fortress, the supply route becomes unified, and if the opposing front line is maintained, there’s concern this supply route could be hit, so they were trying to forcibly push back the front line even using assassins. Beyond encirclement, they were reluctant to expose their own weakness.”

The hero looked at the porter. The porter, who had been looking at the hero with a bewildered face, nodded.

“That’s right. This direction has such rugged mountains that even when the Empire was alive, they only opened patrol routes for soldiers. The paths are narrow and inconvenient, so once blocked, supplies can’t get through.”

The porter said so while admiring the hero’s insight. The hero had precisely pointed out aspects that even he, from the Empire, hadn’t thought of. As the porter looked at him with admiring eyes, the hero awkwardly avoided his gaze and said to Randolph:

“But with one side of the front line collapsed, we can’t lure that commander into the fortress and eliminate them. It would be better if they would at least attack.”

As the hero pointed to the military camp where the commander had recently been assassinated, Randolph nodded. Unable to push back a front line that had already been pushed back, the current front line centered on this fortress was connected like looking at a steep downhill slope.

“That’s right. I hear that even though a new commander has just arrived, due to the hasty appointment, they’re unable to gain the upper hand despite having numerical superiority in soldiers.”

The hero frowned while looking at the map.

“We need to push them back quickly… but we can’t be of much help in this kind of soldier power struggle. We’re agents specialized in setting operations and performing covert actions.”

The hero pointed at the demon camp on the opposite side of the fortress and said:

“This commander… is a key figure, right? With the assassination plan and all, they seem like a commander who draws quite a big picture.”

“That’s right. A very important figure. If we could capture that commander here, it could be seen as collapsing Daemon’s entire military power. I’ve heard they had a political marriage…”

The hero and the porter made eye contact. The hero asked:

“…By any chance, is… is this commander also a woman?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Just hearing the word “woman,” a picture was already forming. It was clear without seeing. This commander also has some relationship with Daemon. Even without confirmation, such conviction swirled in their heads.

“Hah…”

“Sigh…”

Both the hero and the porter scratched their heads and sighed. The porter said:

“He’s an amazing guy. I even find it somewhat admirable personally. I suppose he wears a belly band or something?”

“They say she’s from a high-ranking family, but demons might lack this kind of morality. Otherwise, how could they scatter such advances recklessly? They’re at the stage of sending personal letters wildly, how could they not know?”

The porter rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. Tapping the desk rhythmically with his eyes closed, he nodded and said:

“They couldn’t not know. But psychologically, one wants to pretend not to see the flaws of a loved one. Hero.”

“Pretend not to know?”

At the hero’s words, the porter grinned. The porter said to the hero:

“Hero. It seems you really want to capture this commander.”

“Yes. After all, if we leave someone who made such plans behind, there will definitely be great sacrifices. I felt that even if we fight here for the fortress, this person must be eliminated.”

“Hero. I have a good plan, would you like to try it?”

---

Keiberess.

A high-ranking demon commander and the only daughter of a famous demon family.

She was in a political marriage with Daemon, and despite it being a marriage between families, she truly loved Daemon. Her capable and cool head and solid martial prowess melted like soft bread pieces in front of her love for Daemon.

[Keiberess.

Keiberess.

I go to bed chanting your name three times a day.

Your name is like a magic spell that can clear away anything,

giving me strength to overcome each day. Every time you win a victory in war,

I feel as happy as if I were holding your hand there.

Keiberess. I want the war to end quickly and have a formal wedding with you.

Although it started as a marriage between families, you’ve always been first in my heart.

I love you, Keiberess.

Daemon.]

“Ah… Daemon…”

Even in the gloomy afternoon after a failed operation, she was healing her mind by tightly embracing Daemon’s letter.

In truth, the current battlefield was the worst situation for her. The demon front lines were suffering consecutive defeats due to the operations of the hero and the kingdom’s army, and the big picture she had drawn before occupying the fortress was shattered by the variable called the hero.

The assassins had also failed and returned as corpses, and the demon army led by Viezra was miserably crushed by the kingdom’s army. She needed to occupy the fortress to gain the upper hand, but there was no way to occupy it, nor could she retreat from here, finding herself in the worst possible situation.

In this situation where she had to leave the hero’s free movement unchecked while biting her fingers, Daemon’s letters were like potions healing her heart.

“Ah, Daemon…”

Keiberess repeatedly called Daemon’s name, gently stroking the letter as if it were Daemon’s head, and closed her eyes. And she imagined rolling in bed with him and sharing beautiful love stories.

“Um, Lady Keiberess.”

A soldier was standing in Keiberess’s tent with an awkward face. Keiberess frowned and said to the soldier:

“What is it?”

“Lady Keiberess. Um… this is a letter found in the supply wagon. It’s addressed to Lady Viezra, what should we do with it?”

Viezra was already a dead demon. She had recently died heroically in the battle of the Edels region, clashing with a knight named Randolph.

Considering the distance between headquarters and Keiberess’s camp, it wasn’t strange that the letter was arriving now, or that it was coming here.

Keiberess felt anxiety just from the fact that Viezra’s name was on that letter.

“Get out.”

At Keiberess’s cold tone, the soldier escaped outside. The soldier knew that whenever she was in such a low-pressure state, something bad would definitely happen. Keiberess was a general with excellent command abilities, but she always lost judgment in matters related to Daemon.

She felt a strange anxiety about the name “Viezra” written on the envelope. This handwriting was Daemon’s handwriting.

Keiberess knew that such “rumors” had been repeated several times before.

The nasty false rumor that Daemon was flirting with other demons. The terrible false rumor that the targets of his flirtation included some generals she trusted.

The unbelievable false rumor that Daemon was offering sweet whispers of love to all women. The impossible false rumor that some female generals were giving her strangely jealous glances whenever they looked at her.

Keiberess believed that even though Daemon might be somewhat incompetent, he wasn’t a demon who would do such things.

[To Viezra]

Even the name written on the envelope, she thought it would be a simple official letter.

Thinking so, Keiberess opened the letter.

[Viezra.

Every time I call your name, echoes resound in my heart.

It makes me keep repeating your name and saying I want to see you.

Viezra. Do you think the same as me?

I’ve hidden a gift you might like in the rocks at the upper stream.

Take it without Keiberess finding out.

The demon who loves you most in the world.

Daemon.]

“Ah…!”

A sigh mixed with sobbing flowed from the silhouette within the curtain.