Ch.145Taming the Dragon (3)

The facility goblins charged in again.

There was a need to repair the roof that had been partially destroyed when the dragon took flight. This time, there was no commotion. With Durahans wielding iron clubs guarding the rear, no one dared to open their mouth.

Instead, the sound of the dragon’s flapping wings filled the world.

“Dragons. Magical beasts said to have only been seen in the early days of the demon realm.”

“I’ve heard countless warriors died fighting them.”

The legion marveled at seeing this relic of the past. The demon realm was not the homeland where demons were born and raised, but a land they were driven to. They gazed in awe at the traces of the first Demon King and their ancestors who had desperately waged wars of conquest to survive, now unfolding before their eyes.

“So His Majesty will ride a dragon when personally heading to the battlefield.”

“Magnificent. Truly magnificent!”

One could see morale rising by the minute. Serpin, mounted on the dragon, smiled with satisfaction.

“I’ve found another reason it can be used for propaganda.”

She looked at Durin who had taken flight with her. He rode a small wyvern modified for reconnaissance.

“Is this really appropriate for someone of your position as Regent?”

“Your Majesty, this is quite sufficient.”

“It’s not bad for a Regent to focus on appearances. You need to maintain dignity as the second-in-command of the demon realm.”

“I’ve proven myself through strength.”

It was an extremely arrogant statement to make before the Demon King. Yet no one thought of it that way. Having survived countless wars as a Great Demon, it was rather seen as a point in his favor. Only Serpin felt a slight rebelliousness and grumbled.

“So I’m not there yet, am I?”

“Your Majesty must remain as the symbol of this demon realm. Inspire courage in warriors who willingly risk their lives on the battlefield.”

“Courage… Seeing a massive dragon would surely make one feel invincible, but it could also make me a target for the Archangels.”

The young Demon King’s expression darkened slightly. Though she had been protecting the throne until now, someday she too would need to step forward. She was envisioning the day when she would soar as a true ruler, abandoning the weak heart that had been content to leave everything to Durin.

“I want to help you and take the vanguard, but I’m still lacking. I feel it constantly.”

“Your Majesty.”

“The more I train after attending to state affairs, the more reality sets in.”

I fear I might destroy the achievements you’ve built up.

That’s what Serpin was saying. She was anxious about potentially ruining the golden tower Durin had built with a single mistake. She had similar worries before, and Durin had assisted her then, concerned she might fall into negativity.

“That’s why I’m working hard.”

The difference from before was that her concerns were now moving in a healthier direction.

“When the day comes for us to go to battle together, I want to show the dignity of a ruler without shame.”

The king was no longer merely young. The Serpin who had been sad, wondering if she was just a figurehead who had left the demon realm in Durin’s hands, was gone. She continued to strive to become a Demon King worthy of the throne.

“Right now, I’m a weak ruler who needs to mobilize a dragon to maintain dignity.”

“You are not weak. You are simply enduring until the day you become great.”

“That’s right, Durin. I continue to wait. When the Archangel Commander takes to the battlefield, I must step forward as the supreme commander, not you.”

Serpin was preparing for the next war. She continued to hone herself to step forward as a ruler, not hiding in the Regent’s shadow.

“I’ll prove it then. That I have grown.”

Golden demon energy rippled around her. A power that inspired awe in surrounding demons. Though she did not rule over the legion by force despite having them at her feet, her ability to inspire the group with her will, armed with a desire for improvement, was gradually blossoming.

“So please stay by my side.”

Durin gazed at the radiant Serpin. He could faintly see the shadow of the past.

-I wish you would stay with me, successor.

The remnants of Kaldrago. The will to lead everyone back to the lost sky.

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

The green-horned Demon King, who had shown gentle dominance, prepared to soar once again.

#

“Did you enjoy the sky?”

After spending time in the sky with Serpin, Durin returned to his office.

He had come looking for Spranches, who should have been organizing reports, but a different visitor was waiting for him.

“Chief Justice. What brings you here?”

“I just arrived, wanting to show the Regent how the demon realm has grown.”

Matheus, a demon who had lived for ages alongside Yoannina. The Chief Justice spoke with a benevolent smile.

“There have been many changes. Enough that I’d like to pour a drink and chat pleasantly about them.”

“But the times don’t allow us such luxury. Let’s get straight to the point.”

“Let’s do that.”

Durin sat down across from Matheus. As soon as he took his seat, the Chief Justice began sharing various matters as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“First, I’d like to talk about the fallen angels’ recent activities.”

“They’re fulfilling their roles as middle managers in the human realm, organizing religious orders and extracting faith. Does the demon realm have other directions in mind?”

“As faith in the Night Mother accumulates, it can be converted into power for the fallen angels to use.”

“You’re talking about a new power, not demon energy.”

“Yes. You could consider it similar to the celestial holy power.”

Demons feed on human fear. Fallen angels were in an ambiguous position. Having the form of benevolent angels to humans, they found it difficult to evoke fear of death. Unable to interfere with the mental realm, they were limited to using only their physical abilities.

This was overcome by recovering the divine flesh. The fallen angels were now perfectly imprinted with the image of assisting the Night Mother and conducting worship. Thanks to various rituals performed by Yursael in the religious order, they could now wield a new power.

A holy power that was not white. The weapon of the fallen angels.

“Does that mean we can also operate a holy knight order?”

“It’s entirely possible. We’re already recruiting volunteers at the Demon King’s castle to organize a knightly order. Many are from the western front of the demon realm, so there won’t be any issues with training.”

“How many can we use as reliable forces immediately?”

“About two thousand could be sent to the human realm and deployed on the battlefield right away.”

The number was larger than expected. Unlike the monster cavalry specialized in guerrilla warfare, this was a means to honestly crush enemies on the battlefield. With a separate settlement established in the central continent of the demon realm, any deficiencies could be quickly addressed.

“I originally planned to hand over both the knight and priest orders in prisoner negotiations to buy time for growth, but now the knight forces seem too valuable to give up.”

“Don’t worry about that. If we include those still in training, we’ll have sufficient numbers for the coming great war. Besides, knights don’t play a major role in the battlefields the demon realm desires.”

“That’s true, Chief Justice.”

It was regrettable, but looking at the bigger picture, that judgment was correct.

“Let’s settle the matter of the fallen angels that way. Anything else?”

“I have an urgent matter regarding the legion’s organization.”

This time, the Chief Justice pulled out a rolled parchment from his breast pocket. As he spread it across the table, the current state of the legion was illustrated.

“Currently, the legion consists of the Durahan Corps and the Blue Horn Southern Army. Originally, recruitment was to be completed from the Red Horn and Green Horn regions for battlefield deployment, but this was derailed by the sudden discovery of traces of the previous Demon King.”

“Is it finally complete now?”

“Yes. Please take a look.”

Each continent had its own specialized troop types.

The southern Blue Horn forces, adapted to fight in rough terrain.

The eastern forces, maintaining the traditional Demon King’s army formation with solid infantry lines.

The northern forces, centered around cavalry with excellent mobility.

The southern forces, skilled in guerrilla warfare and defensive formations in swamps and jungles.

The southern and eastern regions had some overlap and were somewhat integrated, but the other two continents had very distinct characteristics. Until now, each continental ruler had been entrusted with command in warfare, but it was time to incorporate them into the legion.

Having confirmed the strengths of each troop type in war, the work was straightforward.

“The cavalry will be composed of a mobile strike force of nomadic warriors brought from the north and knights mounted on beasts newly trained on farms. The fallen angels will be placed directly under the Regent’s command and operated separately, for your reference.”

“The infantry should be fine with the current Durahans and southern forces, plus the eastern forces.”

“The western forces will consist of a monster battalion assault force and a guerrilla force to disrupt the rear. They excel more at disruption than frontline combat, so they can inflict significant damage while the celestial realm insists on rotation.”

“Excellent, Chief Justice.”

While the Regent had been busy, the demon realm had been steadily growing. The simple tactic of charging into rotations was now over. With the ability to attack from various angles before breakthrough power was blocked, they could give the celestial realm a headache.

“This is the result of His Majesty’s careful deliberation. All credit goes to the great one.”

“Without your assistance, it would have been difficult to achieve these results. How many beings in this demon realm could maintain stability in a war situation?”

“I express my gratitude, Regent. But it’s too early to rejoice.”

The Chief Justice changed the atmosphere. Durin immediately focused.

“Is there other business?”

“The most important matter to address here.”

“More important than rebuilding the legion?”

As Durin expressed his doubt, the Chief Justice spoke gravely.

“It concerns the previous Demon King.”

Indeed, this was not a matter to be taken lightly. Durin gave a nod. Spranches, who had been standing behind him, left the office.

“I only know that the traitor disappeared after losing a duel.”

“The demon realm was in the same situation. The Prophecy Witch tried to locate him by dispersing demon energy, but the descent of the Archangel made it difficult. However, with the decisive victory in this war, the holy power has weakened.”

“You seized that opportunity?”

“Yes. This time we tracked him definitively. There is only one wandering demon energy in the human realm.”

“Where is he now?”

The Chief Justice paused slightly. He straightened his posture and reported to the Regent.

“He’s heading to the center.”

“The center of the human realm? That’s…”

The elderly demon answered with a grave expression.

“The traitor is heading to the Papal States.”