Ch.8Locktelune (2)

Rebels hostile to the Castle.

The trail of the hero who took the Demon King.

By coincidence, both critical matters were discovered in the South. Sorcerers who caught wind of this began investigating with hope, but found no connection between the two. In the end, they gathered at the observatory and reached one conclusion.

It was fate’s prank.

Ludmila couldn’t even lift her head as she said this.

A coincidence that would remain a topic of debate among those responsible for the Castle’s wisdom. But for Durin, this was an opportunity given by the heavens. Potentially festering problems had gathered in one place. There was no need to drag things out—he could end it all right there.

[Southern barbarians on the move. Battles occurring in border cities and beyond.]

Their movements were also well-timed. Durin put down the parchment and rose from his seat.

Secretary Spranches quickly followed.

“I’ll escort you. Shall we go to the training grounds?”

Durin proceeded into the Castle’s corridor.

“We’ll go directly to the gate.”

“I’ll inform the troops to assemble immediately.”

“That won’t be necessary. I will lead them myself.”

Durin rejected Spranches’s suggestion. He headed toward the warp gate for his expedition. A massive door at the end of the long eastern corridor from the King’s hall—this would be the place marking the beginning of a great campaign.

Click! Click!

The sound of Durin’s military boots echoed through the corridor. The sharp metallic sound became the signal for war.

As he advanced from the King’s hall to the warp room, hundreds of knight statues guarding the corridor began to change.

Crack— Crunch—

They were the elite Golden Guard, stone sentinels protecting the hall. Devils in golden armor who had pledged their last with the King but lost everything in an instant now accompanied Durin.

“It’s His Excellency. The Regent is on the move.”

Following them, ghost knights appeared. Extracting themselves from wall portraits, they silently followed behind Durin.

“We’ve been waiting.”

Finally came the expedition guard unit stationed near the warp room. The bulky Durahans had secured their positions a week in advance to check supplies, ensuring they wouldn’t be late for the expedition.

“Is it ready for immediate activation?”

Durin asked the gate management sorcerer. Instead of answering, she manifested magical energy in her hand.

A swirling black vortex enveloped the massive stone gate. Like a sticky mass of blood, the magic greedily dominated the space, soon appearing before them in the pattern of the Castle. Occasional rippling waves viscously wrapped around the surrounding space.

“Good. Cast the spell.”

“I humbly report, Your Excellency. Will that one be joining us as well?”

At the sorcerer’s question, Durin looked back. Far behind the expedition force, a devil was running frantically to catch up.

The clattering sound of her hurried approach echoed from one end of the corridor to the other.

“Your Excellency! Your Excellency!”

It was the barbarian Verdia.

She called out to Durin urgently. The dismay in her voice was palpable even from a distance. She must have prepared expedition supplies separately, as a large axe and backpack swung behind her.

“Your Excellencyyy!”

“What shall we do?”

“……”

Durin silently watched Verdia. He waited until the stumbling barbarian joined the expedition force.

“Huff… huff… I’m… I’m sorry.”

Finally, with rough breaths, Verdia reached Durin. Without responding, he turned away.

The massive warp gate now faced 800—no, 801 individuals. That was the signal.

“I pray for your victory and safe return.”

The sorcerer formed a seal with her hands. The magic lingering on the door transformed into a net and began spreading throughout the room. Tentacle-like strands grasped Durin and his forces.

This meant the central and southern regions were perfectly connected by magic. At that moment, the sorcerer twisted her hand. The magic net swallowed Durin and his forces into the warp vortex.

Kwaaaa—

With the sound of space being crushed, the demons before them disappeared.

#

Shwaaaa……

He felt the magic that had been pounding against his eyelids cleanly disappear. It was a signal that the warp had been completed safely. Durin slowly opened his eyes. A massive mountain, unseen in the central continent, filled his view along with the blue sky. A treacherous terrain composed solely of rocks without any vegetation. The cradle of powerful warriors and the mother of those now hostile to the current Demon King’s Castle. Her welcoming greeting filled the area around the southern warp gate.

“Fall back! Fall back for now! Hold until proper reinforcements arrive!”

“Reinforcements are here! Reinforcements! But are they really on our side?”

“Get your head straight, you bastard. Just shoot your bow and shut up!”

Blood was everywhere. Evidence of fierce battle lay scattered. Spilled blood and broken weapons glittered like jewels under the red sun of the demon realm. Above them, familiar Castle legion soldiers and barbarians were entangled. They thrust spears at each other and struck with shields. Those who lost arms bit their opponents with teeth and broke horns. The defense forces fighting to protect the border gate about a day away from Laktelun, and the barbarian groups charging in prayer for successful rebellion.

For Durin, who had just set foot in the South, an intolerable sight as a demon unfolded.

“Prepare for battle.”

“All forces! Prepare for battle!”

Durin drew his sword without hesitation. When he gave the command, a veteran of the Golden Guard repeated it. The sound was so loud it stopped the movements of those engaged in battle.

The sound of clashing swords diminished. Instead of sharp metal colliding, heads lowered to the ground. It didn’t matter whether they were legion soldiers or barbarians. The regiment-sized force that appeared before those absorbed in battle caused consternation.

Golden armor gleaming under the red sun, thick and massive halberds, demons with properly attached heads unlike the knight Durahans. Even the most battle-hardened border dwellers knew what these figures represented. Having lived through war more than anyone, they saw the approaching shadow of death.

“We need no prisoners. Kill them all. Rewards will be measured by the number of heads you bring.”

“All forces, charge!”

Buuuuuuu—!

As the heavy horn sound echoed across the battlefield, the golden-armored demons began rushing forward. A hundred ghost knights with blunt weapons guarded their sides, and the following guards raised war hammers and matched their steps.

Their charge shook heaven and earth.

“It’s the main force! The Castle’s main force has arrived!”

The barbarians, overwhelmed by the momentum before they could even form ranks, scrambled to find escape routes. But the heavy impact shattered their already disorganized lines.

Terrible slaughter unfolded under the guards’ halberds. Though they had developed strong bodies following their rock mother, the Castle’s soldiers were those who had faced angels. Despite overcoming fear and desperately thrusting spears, all attacks were in vain.

One reversal of the battle situation was enough. Visible terror consumed the battlefield.

“Retreat! Retreat for now! We must inform the Great Chief! Send a messenger right now…!”

Shwaaaack—!

“Kuk!”

The warrior commanding from the rear suddenly died with his neck pierced by a flying spear. The head that couldn’t even scream fell to the ground. Surrounding soldiers stared at the lifeless corpse before meeting each other’s eyes. The last thread of reason had snapped.

“R-run away!”

Someone’s scream was the beginning. The rebels tried to escape the battlefield, leaving behind their bloodied vanguard and fallen leader. There was no hope. They wouldn’t even be able to properly swing their swords. This wasn’t a fight. Warrior’s honor no longer existed for them. Completely overwhelmed by fear, they flailed their limbs desperately seeking escape.

“Aaaaargh!”

“P-please spare me…gack!”

The backs of those who turned were split open, and countless heads began rolling. Those who spotted a chance to survive by being furthest away were skewered by flying spears, and the lucky few still breathing were dragged away by their heads.

War did not exist here. Only slaughter due to an overwhelming difference in power. The ground was left with only the struggle marks of livestock dragged away crying not to die.

“The Demon King’s guard.”

The words came from the mouth of one of the few survivors. Beings born to fight angels, demons armed with fighting spirit to face divinity. In the barbarians’ eyes, the Castle’s soldiers were an insurmountable wall. The sight of comrades’ heads piling into towers didn’t even register. After all, they would soon join them there. But even such resignation couldn’t save him from pain.

“Heave-ho! Here’s another one.”

Thwack!

No prisoners needed. Durin’s order was faithfully executed. Two swords pierced the shoulder of a southern soldier who had lost his will to fight and sat down. Spurting blood covered his scream. With one light kick, his head separated, and the last remaining soldier became just another war trophy.

“Continue the advance. We move forward until we behead those who attacked the city.”

Durin and his forces marched on from the instantly cleared battlefield. Their goal was the complete liberation of the South, and quenching an unbearable thirst.

Clack! Clack! Clack!

Along with towers of severed heads, the soldiers disappeared. Only a few legion soldiers guarding the gate remained, staring blankly after them.

A procession of blood-stained armor and orderly military boots.

They were building a new authority in the South.

#

Laktelun, a city located at the entrance of the Gray Mountain Barrier in the southern demon realm.

Governor Aurelia was letting out an incredulous laugh. The map she was looking at had numerous red dots. The barbarians outside had spread out and were attacking cities relying on walls.

“It was definitely like that.”

It was a scene she had been afraid to face. But the soldier’s report showed a surreal lifeline.

“The army from the gate crushed the barbarians.”

“There are no friendly casualties. Legion soldiers should be able to be deployed to defensive positions normally.”

“It seems the barbarians are pushing their front line back.”

The battle situation was changing moment by moment. With each messenger’s arrival, the barbarians were reported to be collapsing helplessly.

Some spoke with fearful expressions.

“They were all elites composed entirely of guards. When soldiers in golden armor swung their halberds, the barbarians couldn’t even resist.”

“Golden armor?”

“Yes. I saw it clearly with my own eyes.”

Aurelia had been born and lived her entire life in Laktelun, only hearing rumors from the central region.

Warriors in golden armor following the Demon King. They were the elite of elites, the only high-ranking devils in the guard unit otherwise composed entirely of Durahans. When she heard through a sorcerer that the Regent himself would lead the expedition from the Castle, she hadn’t expected this much. Forces far exceeding expectations had now appeared in the South.

At that moment, Aurelia snapped to attention.

“So where is the Regent now? If he’s withdrawn, he must be at the Castle.”

“He said he would check for any enemies that might have infiltrated the outer fortress after clearing the battlefield.”

“Then he should return by evening. We must hurry to prepare to welcome our distinguished guest. As a southern noble, I cannot simply stand by.”

Aurelia clenched her fist and rose from her seat. After weathering all kinds of storms in the past week, her heart finally seemed to find stability. Given the current situation, she couldn’t hold a banquet, but she still needed to serve the soldiers who had come from afar. That was her duty as someone serving the Castle.

“Tell the servants to bring food. First distribute it to the west gate guards and reinforcements, then allocate the rest to the remaining legion soldiers accordingly.”

“That won’t be necessary. The cleanup is already complete.”

A low voice from the other side of the meeting room doused the newly energized inner fortress with cold water. It immediately seized control of the atmosphere.

Aurelia and the surrounding commanders turned their heads in surprise. Someone in black armor was walking toward the inner table through a door that had opened without notice.

Click! Click!

The metallic sound with each step made their hearts shudder. The fiercely burning gaze imposed overwhelming authority, making everyone bow their heads. Aurelia and the southern vassals found themselves kneeling involuntarily.

“From now on, we will immediately engage in battle to suppress the rebels. We’ll eat after that.”

“The enemies are heavily positioned at the main gate. Their leader should be here, at the front.”

Durin paid no attention to their worship. Without any pleasantries, he listened directly to the report from an old soldier in golden armor.

“Traditionally in the South, commanders lead the charge from the front. If I break him, we should be able to protect Laktelun for now.”

“The main rebel force hasn’t arrived yet. This appears to be a guerrilla unit trying to cause chaos in the city.”

Aurelia abruptly interjected during the conversation. Durin lowered his gaze to look at her.

“……”

“Eek! I-I’m sorry!”

Aurelia immediately pressed her head to the floor after meeting the Regent’s eyes. Realizing her presumption, she trembled in fear of possible punishment.

“Explain.”

Durin asked indifferently as usual, paying no mind. Aurelia inwardly broke into a cold sweat and stammered her answer.

“Y-yes. I will report. The cause of this situation was none other than the Great Chief’s decoy strategy.”

“Decoy strategy?”

“Y-yes. Originally, the rebels showed movement trying to cross over through the isthmus connecting the central continent and the southern mountains. In fact, the southern elite legion gathered there.”

“Explain with the map.”

“Yes! I will do so.”

Aurelia sprang up and stood at attention. Judging by the atmosphere, she felt her head might roll if she misspoke. She quickly pulled the map from the table and presented it before Durin.

“It’s here. The central continent and the South can only be traversed through this isthmus.”

“I know that already. By southern elite troops, do you mean the Great Chief’s army?”

“Yes.”

Aurelia nodded.

“The border legion was always monitoring them, so on the day the King disappeared, they detected the South’s movement in advance and positioned all forces except city garrisons on the defense line.”

“Where did those forces outside come from?”

“They are nomads not belonging to any city. Those who normally traded and maintained close relations with the southern Great Chief suddenly attacked, taking advantage of the gap in our forces.”

“Didn’t you expect an attack?”

“W-we normally received loyalty oaths and tribute, so we thought it would be fine…”

“……”

“A-also, we had some legion forces remaining, so we had no doubt about victory.”

“That’s not faith but carelessness. You were complacent.”

Durin’s calm voice tightened around Aurelia’s neck. The governor of Laktelun panicked and bowed her head once more.

“P-please give us a chance. If you give us a little time, we can quickly handle them…”

“There’s no time. Rise, Governor.”

“R-Regent.”

“I won’t say it twice. Go inspect your soldiers.”

“M-may I ask when you plan to depart…”

“We’re leaving right now. Move quickly.”

At Durin’s words, Aurelia jumped up like a foal with its rear on fire.

“Understood!”

She ran out with a clatter, shouting at the top of her lungs. It was quite unseemly behavior for a high-ranking demon, but she had no luxury to care about that.

“She’s frivolous. You should replace her after this war ends.”

“I’ll decide that later as I see fit. You too, do your job.”

“…I will follow your orders.”

The eyes of the soldiers accompanying Durin naturally turned unfriendly. Having to fight alongside someone like her was enough to create discontent where there was none before.

But the goal was not internal reorganization of the South, but liberation.

Unnecessary conflicts should be avoided. They moved according to Durin’s orders.

Without the pointless formalities typical of high-ranking demons, they would rush out the main gate and take the enemy leader’s head. That single fact provided them their only consolation.