Ch.110Forest Tragedy (2)

The Monster Infantry made a big turn.

The future, which was meant to gather resources and station around the World Tree, now headed toward a battlefield drenched in blood. A massive tremor shook the entire forest. The elves in the path of advance fled in panic, opening a wide route straight to the Central Continent.

“The elves have disappeared?”

“Bah. As soon as war begins, they cut off the roads first! They’re too fearful, even though the flames haven’t spread here yet!”

The human settlements complained, unaware of the dark clouds looming over them. Focused on the fierce battles in the Southern Continent, they failed to properly check their information network extending into the forest. They had little interest in the reclusive elves to begin with, and with all military supplies heading south, they were preoccupied with calculating the gold that would come from there.

What they feared was not the touch of demons but deficits in trade.

Since the volume of goods traded with the elves through forest paths wasn’t significant, interest naturally waned. After all, not seeing their faces for a while was a common occurrence, so the human settlements gladly neglected the roads. As merchant traffic decreased, the number of security forces also diminished, and all reconnaissance teams were reassigned to the Central Continent to protect military supplies for sale.

The defensive line facing the forest weakened. This became a harbinger of great pain.

“These swine have fattened themselves. Burn everything and offer it to the Regent!”

“To think these pigs have grown so plump waiting for us. Truly a blessing.”

The Dark Order’s knights struck immediately at the vulnerability. They carved out the soft flesh and plundered all the stockpiled resources. Though they initially sent five hundred as vanguard, upon realizing the defenses were weaker than expected, they deployed all available forces to the battlefield.

Black smoke billowed up across the Eastern Continent.

Those living ordinary lives were trampled under the knights’ hooves. All resisting soldiers were killed, and the city leaders, fleeing in haste, were hunted down miserably. Their heads became excellent trophies mounted on poles.

The flames of war began spreading instantly to other continents. What was once merely a spark of possibility had now become a wildfire, consuming everything.

#

“The East has been invaded.”

The Holy Army headquarters closed its eyes tightly at the troubling news. For Heaven, which suffered greater losses the longer the war dragged on, another front was unwelcome.

“Surely the entire forest isn’t burning.”

“They’re selectively attacking eastern settlements. We haven’t received reports of non-human casualties, so I suspect they’ve already fallen to the demons.”

It was cunning. The Demon Realm’s Regent had deliberately targeted only humans. While it appeared they were simply plundering resource-rich areas, the core issue lay elsewhere.

“What’s the response from the Papal Territory?”

“They’re currently assessing the situation and reportedly organizing reinforcements. The problem is that most volunteers seem to be coming from the Inquisition.”

“Hmm.”

News of settlements being plundered by demons must have provoked their wrath. After the southern defeat, with the Holy Army appearing to reverse the situation, if the East also fell into demonic hands, the chaos would predictably grow uncontrollable. The biggest concern was the non-human races living in that continent.

They were thorns in the side of the Papal Territory, following their own independent faiths rather than Heaven’s doctrine. By allowing demons to invade human settlements in this war, they had effectively provided justification for inquisition.

“With crises overlapping, they see this situation as an opportunity.”

“I’ll send messengers to stop them.”

“Hurry. The war must not be engulfed by madness.”

“Understood, Secretary!”

The lower angel bowed and rushed out of the tent. Left alone, Rupiel heaved a deep sigh.

“We can’t afford the front lines expanding any further.”

The Holy Army had sufficient numbers, but the fear brought by war was the problem. The chaos in the Center had not been fully suppressed but merely patched over, ready to erupt at any time. Above all, if an eastern front opened, the Dark Order would likely send people to attempt a heretical revival.

While the South was tightly blocked due to ongoing localized conflicts, the East could be taken bloodlessly. A fracture in the Center meant isolation for the Holy Army. Even with Heaven’s light reaching them, if faith was disrupted by impure elements, they would have to divert all their forces to stabilization rather than utilizing them properly.

“Damn it.”

Though the collapse of the southern front was the top priority, the enemy was holding out better than expected. If they formed a stalemate even before Durin fully entered the battlefield, the only outcome would be defeat.

“We must hurry before that happens.”

He had been talking to himself more frequently lately—a habit developed as things failed to go as planned.

The deteriorating war situation, Heaven blinded by power struggles, the demon’s grip tightening—

Despite having tens of thousands of holy soldiers, worldly affairs still frustrated him. Rupiel suppressed his anxiety and composed himself. Though the flow seemed against them, their forces still held a clear advantage.

“If we can’t break through the southern front, we’ll just clean up the East first.”

He quickly scanned the war map. With countless pieces on the table, he could deploy forces sufficiently. With the additional support of the Papal knights, they could easily secure an entire continent and more.

Yes. The demons were twisting their entire bodies, racing for victory.

Without being greedy, inflicting just one defeat would make them collapse. In this war where all the Demon Realm’s forces were being mobilized, Heaven had only deployed those who genuinely wanted to fix the world.

“…”

Looking back, it was a depressing reality. He kept composing himself, thinking hopefully.

Rupiel’s misfortunes continued.

#

Dark night.

“Things have gone wrong.”

Asha, the elven leader, stated calmly. Other tribal chiefs in the meeting hall murmured.

“Humans have died. Under demon hooves.”

“To be precise, it was the Order’s knights.”

“What difference does that make? They attacked settlements under Holy Army influence, causing great damage. The Church will no longer look kindly upon us.”

Their grand dream of requesting support from the Holy Army had shattered. The elves who provided passage to demons were clearly enemies of the Church. Collaborators were branded as heretics, leaving them with only death.

“Then we must fight on the demons’ side now. We have no choice if we want to survive.”

“Now? After wavering back and forth because you disliked war, only to step off a cliff?”

Asha sneered. The elves’ situation was that pessimistic. He found his own incompetence, having failed to properly execute anything, utterly ridiculous.

“Yes. It can’t be helped. What’s done is done, and we’re now under the Pope’s unfavorable gaze.”

“Indeed. All messengers heading to settlements for support requests have been recalled.”

“Did everyone flee when the city was attacked?”

“We tried to contact the Church, but everything was buried in ashes. Only our elves who barely escaped to the forest survived.”

Evidence of their attempt to connect with humans had vanished at the hands of demons. A thought flashed through Asha’s mind.

“Listen, chiefs.”

“Speak, Great Chief.”

“If the demons learn that we were planning to betray them, none of us will remain intact.”

“…Of course. They made examples of all elves who resisted, so we would face the same fate.”

“Unless they find out.”

Asha looked around. Solemnity was etched on his face.

“If they don’t know, we can peacefully entrust the war to them again.”

A way to avoid elven deaths while holding back the approaching Holy Army. If they erased their transgressions and showed the demon legion how to use the forest, it was entirely feasible.

“Gather all the messengers.”

Asha rose from his seat. The confused chiefs looked at each other. When they grasped his intention, they didn’t know what to do. Their hesitation was another thorn in the Great Chief’s side.

“Now!!”

BANG!

He slammed his fist on the table, startling the elves who hurriedly rushed outside. The atmosphere cooled. The thought that they needed to act quickly before the demons outside turned their blades on them made the situation urgent.

For everyone’s sake, only a few needed to bear the burden.

Asha repeated this endlessly to himself.

“H-have you found me?”

After standing for a while with his eyes closed, he heard a voice from behind. There was a slight tremor in it.

Raising his head to face him, he saw a young soldier’s face filled with fear.

“I was told I had a duty to fulfill.”

They seemed to have persuaded him somehow. The pretext didn’t matter. Asha wanted to solve the immediate problem.

He slowly walked up and stood before the soldier.

“You’re an elf who visited the human settlement. Correct?”

“Y-yes. As per your orders, to bring the Holy Army…”

“No. Out of fear. Like now, you fled out of fear.”

The order was distorted. The soldier’s eyes widened in shock.

“W-what are you saying! I received orders from you, Great Chief!”

“You ran to the human settlement because you valued your life. Despite the sacrifices of border elves, you didn’t honor their deaths. Instead, you thought them foolish. Isn’t that right?!”

Words spilled out uncontrollably. Though there were no demons present, only elves, he kept adding reasons. It seemed necessary to proceed.

“Great Chief, this is unjust! I only went to the settlement as ordered, not straying elsewhere!”

“That’s why you must die. Accept it and disappear.”

The final words were lucid. Asha’s face contorted. He gritted his teeth.

The soldier made a last desperate lunge forward. The royal guards threw him to the ground, but he didn’t stop.

“This is unjust! Why me! Why must I!”

It was a desperate scream. Even closing his eyes and turning away couldn’t block the echoing cries. Asha emptied his mind. He murmured softly.

“Everything is for the elves.”

Shing.

The sword received from the guards gleamed in the night. After briefly gazing at his reflection on the blade, Asha stabbed the soldier.

“Guh! Grrrk.”

Blood boiled. With his throat precisely pierced, he couldn’t make a sound. Only eyes full of resentment remained.

“…”

This time, he could face it properly. Asha didn’t look away. Only the dead could see his true heart.

“Thanks to you, we will be able to live again.”

It was cold but a higher path of survival. By sacrificing one life, he had saved tens of thousands—the Great Chief had fulfilled his duty.

Or so he thought.