Ch.106East (3)

The eastern continent of the human realm was a world apart.

It wasn’t simply a region with abundant forests. The culture was different because the dominant races living in that land were not humans but other species like elves.

Even in ancient records, there was a myth that the eastern lands were not created by gods but formed when a massive rock drifting from afar collided and became one with the continent.

With such distinct origins, it naturally failed to connect with the central regions and followed its own independent path.

“Burn it all down! If they won’t listen to reason, then it’s war!”

Of course, having such a history didn’t change the legion’s strategy. After crossing the treacherous mountain range, they confronted the defensive forces with threats.

“Clear the path! As descendants of the Goddess of Death, we have our duty to fulfill!”

This was nonsensical to the elves guarding the great forest. They were terrified as a black army suddenly swarmed in and barked orders. But they were proud soldiers who served the World Tree.

They would not back down against evil.

“This is our land! If you wish to trample over it, you must defeat us first!”

“We have no intention of trampling. We just want to pass through.”

“Nonsense! There are no soldiers here who will listen to demons!”

Yoannina’s expeditionary force had no intention of fighting, but since the other side took a hard stance, they were happy to respond in kind. In fact, they had been prepared for war from the beginning, and the resistance was playing right into their hands.

“We must make sure our soldiers who couldn’t participate in the southern border war get their share too.”

The monstrous infantry from the west, excluding the human knights of the Black Order. They positioned the growling lizardmen vanguard at the front line. As the horn sounded, the knights withdrew, and the large monsters stepped forward, changing the atmosphere completely.

“Th-that’s!”

The startled elven defense captain gasped in horror. It was already too late; all that remained was screaming.

“Burn the forest. They have chosen to challenge us.”

“GRAAAH!”

The lizardmen unit advanced, brutally striking the ground with their massive battle axes. The elves’ arrows flew quickly but not a single one penetrated. Their scales, thicker than the blessed armor of holy knights, remained unscathed.

“Ah, ahhh!”

“What are you waiting for! Shoot faster!”

Fire arrows shot by humans from the rear of the legion turned the green forest red. Black smoke billowed out, greedily devouring the vegetation.

CRASH!!

The boulder-like monster infantry followed. The elven palisades shattered like thin sticks. Corpses were scattered over the smoldering ashes. The survivors who barely escaped tried to retreat hastily, but the lizardmen wouldn’t allow it. A massive axe split a fleeing elf in half.

On the battlefield filled with screams, the legion mercilessly killed their enemies, just as they had once done when suppressing barbarians. Once identified as challengers, there was no mercy.

“I-I’ll clear the path. Please!”

A belated answer came. The elven defense captain waved a white flag from afar.

“If necessary, I’ll kneel and offer my head. Just spare the rest of my people!”

The lizardmen legion, having razed one fortress to the ground, halted their advance. They paused upon hearing the pitiful plea. Not out of compassion, but waiting for the next order.

“What shall we do?”

“We should do as they wish.”

Yoannina gracefully stepped forward. She gave a strange smile to the trembling defense captain.

“I admire your courage. You truly care for your subordinates.”

“P-please, at least the defense force…”

“I’ll do as you wish.”

Slash!

A dagger appeared in her gently moving hand. The elven defense captain clutched his throat. With a gasping sound, the general spilled blood and then collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Thud!

Blood droplets splattered. The price of meaningless resistance was paid with hundreds of lives and the leader’s head. The elven forces completely lost their will to fight.

Enemies not worth fighting were no longer opponents for the legion.

“Move out!”

The legion advanced through the lifeless forest. Bodies were trampled beyond recognition under the lizardmen’s feet. The price for defying demons once was an irreparable scar.

The legion’s principle remained consistent.

Challengers were always eradicated.

#

“Please. Please stop this massacre.”

Eliya, the elven archer of the hero’s party, pleaded. Even though she was helplessly being drawn into fate and wandering aimlessly, she couldn’t ignore the scene before her. Her kinsmen, who had ignorantly drawn their swords, were all being slaughtered.

Even if her duty as a guardian had long disappeared, she couldn’t bear to watch this tragedy.

“Only you can do it, Lord Regent. Please tell these demons to stop destroying the forest.”

This was the first scene Durin encountered after arriving in the eastern continent through the gate. Although some Durahan guards shouted for her to step aside, the elf didn’t back down.

“I’ll do my best to make them serve the Dark Order. So please.”

“It depends on what you do.”

“L-Lord.”

The booted feet ignored Eliya. Despite bowing as low as possible and begging, she received no attention. The elven tribes who foolishly stood against the ferocious army would all die. The elf, who had once fulfilled her role as a guardian, pleaded once more.

“Let me go talk to them. I’ll convince them to open the path.”

Eliya blocked the way. That’s how desperate she was. It was a moment when her mind, which had come to the human realm from the demon realm solely out of concern for her companions, quickly returned. She could have stepped onto the path of destruction in a careless moment.

The emotion she hadn’t felt when countless humans died finally surfaced when her own kind faced danger. Call it selfish if you will. But shouldn’t one save their close kin first?

The noble destiny as part of the hero’s party had long been forgotten.

“…”

Durin looked into Eliya’s eyes. It was the first time he had shown interest in a companion other than the always-empty hero. The elf’s strong appeal had that much impact.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

His heart wasn’t swayed. He just had a thought.

“The elves should also come under the Order’s command.”

“O-of course. We never followed the God of Light to begin with. Rather than the faith of the papal territory, we follow the World Tree Mother who lives in the center of the continent.”

“The World Tree Mother…”

Seeing his interest, she didn’t miss the opportunity. Eliya answered with a bright smile.

“Yes, yes. There’s a tree growing over ancient ruins. There’s a myth that the first elves were born there and flourished in the eastern continent. If you need, I’ll bring all the records.”

“I’m not interested in the World Tree. I’m curious if those ancient ruins have withstood a thousand years.”

“Y-yes, yes. Since they were written during the continent’s formation, they must have endured that time. They surely contain stories from the mythical age that Lord Regent is curious about.”

She was desperate. Eliya did her best because she needed to capture the Regent’s interest to save the elves. She forcibly controlled her trembling voice, which was pitifully shaking.

“If it has that much value, it’s worth looking into.”

The deliberation wasn’t long. Durin commanded the prostrated elf.

“I’ll provide Durahan cavalry to escort you. Go and convey the legion’s will. The path to survival you desire will open.”

“Th-thank you.”

“However.”

The Regent lowered himself. His red eyes came closer.

“If you fail, you will be swept away and die.”

“…”

The elf’s face turned pale. With the terror of death right before her, she could only sweat profusely.

“I was just thinking of organizing a Durahan battalion.”

“Lord! P-please, not that!”

“Remember this. The Order’s forces aren’t just about submission based on faith.”

After leaving this final warning, the Regent departed. The elf, unable to do anything, went limp.

She pressed her head to the ground, trembling violently. Despite the urgent situation, overwhelming fear gripped her body.

“Wasn’t that too harsh? You were planning to make the eastern continent one of the strongholds of faith anyway.”

The hero, who had been quietly watching, asked. Although his companion was being oppressed, his expression didn’t change. He showed himself completely consumed by the holy relic as a messenger of death.

“It’s not an empty threat. Even if we add up the entire population of this continent, it might not match a single central city.”

“That’s actually true. They couldn’t build large cities because the great forest spreads so widely.”

“Killing them all and turning them into undead might be more beneficial. It would be a better method for defeating the crusader army right in front of us.”

“But Durin. You’ve always been a demon who looks further ahead. You try to overcome reality through patience.”

The hero hit the nail on the head. He asked Durin once more.

“Submission or conquest. Which do you want?”

“Submission.”

Durin continued walking without stopping.

“I will incorporate the elves, who believe in the World Tree faith without being converted by the central regions, into the Order.”

“That doesn’t seem easy.”

“That’s why we need that elf.”

Looking back, the elf had already risen and was moving busily. While wiping away tear stains, she finally mounted a horse. She would enter the depths of the great forest with a dozen Durahans.

Her dwarf companion, full of worry, prepared a horse to go with her, but she had already disappeared.

“There’s no need to waste time in battle. Yoannina’s opening battle has demonstrated the legion’s strength to the great forest, so those who can clear the path will all flee. It’s quite cheap considering the valuable information we’ll gain while searching the ancient ruins.”

To emphasize once more, the goal in the eastern continent was not a successful conquest war but the seizure of holy relics.

If they could also obtain traces of the ancient era mentioned by the elf earlier, that would be even better.

“We just need to prepare for the crusader army’s next move.”

“You’ll handle that, I’m sure.”

The hero maintained the attitude of an observer. He chuckled and turned around.

“I’ll join Eliya’s side. Showing that the former hero is alive and on the demons’ side might add more weight to the persuasion.”

“I’m glad you’re fulfilling your role.”

The eastern expedition’s envoy, now with the hero’s participation.

It was Durin’s final mercy toward the elves, disarmed by the shock of the first battle.

Would they take the demon’s hand, or resist to the end and die?

Either way, Durin was willing to accept.