Chapter 100: Demon Kings’s Army – 1

Chapter 100: Demon Kings’s Army – 1

A massive horde of monsters suddenly appeared on the continent.

The Empire, the Holy Kingdom, and other smaller nations were all paying attention to the unexpectedly gathered monster horde, attempting to observe them in their own ways.

…However, they didn’t know.

Firstly, the number and quality of the gathered monsters were by no means a mere ‘horde’.

It was a ‘legion’ capable of an all-out, full-scale war against humanity on the continent right now.

Secondly… just as humans were observing them and seeking information, they were doing the same.

“We’ve captured another human today, Demon King-nim.”

“Is that so? What’s their level?”

“…Nothing special. By human standards, they’d be about a 6th-grade adventurer.”

“Well, it’s going well. For the Demon God’s will to unfold, it’s best if humans are completely off guard.

The legion is being well-trained, isn’t it? And its size is well-hidden from those humans?”

“Of course. They still think we’re nothing more than a suddenly gathered monster horde.”

And finally, they were more than the miscellaneous monster alliances they had previously faced, and they were intentionally blocking information.

This was natural, given that even intelligent monsters had never cooperated before.

After all, having intelligence meant being a high-ranking strong individual among monsters, and where would proud monsters cooperate well?

Therefore, humans hadn’t even considered the idea that monsters would gather under some powerful ruler like themselves, and indeed, they hadn’t.

Also, monsters each desired different things, so it wasn’t just a matter of pride.

……The problem was that recently, a being called the ‘Demon God’ had sent down a leader and ruler called the ‘Demon King’.

“Demon King, may I ask a question?”

“Granted.”

“…Many high-ranking monsters continue to express doubt. Of course, they don’t deny the existence of the Demon God, our creator, but……”

“But what?”

“……They have doubts about whether you, Demon King-nim, can truly give them what they desire.”

However, despite this, due to monsters having no concept of cooperation for a long time, the Demon King’s rule was not firm.

They believed in the existence of the Demon God, their creator, but separately, they questioned whether they could truly be guaranteed what they desired.

…It was precisely the same problem the current human Church was facing.

Humans also believed in the existence of God, their creator, but not everyone belonged to the Church and followed God.

If humans, who had built societies and lived through mutual cooperation for a long time, were like this, then monsters, who advocated for self-preservation, were even more so, not less.

“Those bastards, hmm… didn’t I already cut them all down a long time ago?”

“……”

Of course, unlike humans, whose Church lacked absolute military power… the Demon King here possessed absolute military power.

It was also the greatest proof that she was a being sent directly by the Creator.

Therefore, the skeleton-shaped monster, who was continuing his report in front of her, also trembled, albeit subtly.

…He was a being praised elsewhere as an ‘Archlich’, but the Demon King sitting arrogantly on the throne in front of him could literally turn him into dust.

“Well, it’s a joke. Of course, they’ll have complaints.”

“…Yes, so, how will you handle them?”

“Just put them on the front lines. The humans will take care of them anyway.”

“……Do you think the war with humans will last a long time, Demon King-nim?”

At that, the Demon King briefly got off the throne and looked out the window.

…Before her eyes was a rather lush land, hard to imagine as the Demon King’s stronghold.

And beyond that, faintly, human villages and castles could be seen.

“There will be internal discord, and ultimately, it will be a long war.”

“B-but, isn’t the Demon God here? How could ‘He’…”

“The Demon God sent me to confront humans because for a long time, we monsters were defeated by humans and relegated to mere ‘dangerous but high-quality magic material suppliers’.

And there’s no way the humans’ creator would just stand by and watch. It was like that before, and it will be like that this time too.”

“……Are you, as expected, considering the birth of the ‘Hero’?”

“Exactly. Human lifespans are short. So, they don’t know because ancient records have been lost… but we know, don’t we? Some have survived from then until now.”

The war between monsters and humans was not happening for the first time.

In the past, it was the opposite; they ruled the continent, and humans were treated like monsters are now… but the humans’ God sent a ‘Hero’.

And the monsters’ creator also sent a ‘Demon King’, a war broke out, and humans won.

Humans became the rulers of the continent, and monsters scattered.

……That is the past that humans only know as ‘forgotten ancient history’.

“…It’s about time the human era came to an end.”

“Indeed, it seems so.”

“The continent, which hasn’t changed for centuries… is about to face another transformation.”

Thus, without humans knowing, the Demon King and her legion were slowly preparing to engulf the continent.

Looking at it this way, humans were not only facing an unexpected attack by a monster alliance, but also a crisis where the ruling entity of the continent could be overturned…

Well, perhaps the problem is that they, too, are full of flaws?

***

The Demon King sitting on the throne, preparing for war, and her capable chief of staff assisting her.

Just by looking at the two of them, it seems that overthrowing the humans, who are busy fighting each other, calling themselves the Empire and the Holy Kingdom, wouldn’t be too difficult.

Monsters are superior to humans in magical and physical abilities, and a single one can literally slaughter human non-combatants.

…The problem is that not all monsters are like that.

“Since the Demon God created me anew this time, based on the memories and abilities of the defeated previous Demon King… the Hero will probably be the same.

Therefore, this war is bound to be a long one, and the victorious side will once again rule the continent.”

“However, aren’t we unsuitable for a long war?

…T-to be honest… everyday, the monsters chosen as soldiers fight each other, desert all the time, and even return the next day…”

“……I am well aware that the legion is a mess, so you don’t need to remind me, First Legion Commander?”

However, perhaps overcome by sorrow as he spoke, the skeleton monster reporting to the Demon King couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

…Rather, he became even more desperate.

“On top of that, the subordinates only listen if you suppress them with force every hour, and monsters of the same species are so chummy that rank becomes meaningless…

From the very beginning, dividing the legion like human armies and making it top-down was a mistake……”

“…Legion Commander?”

“If I had my way, I’d kill them all and make them my limbs, but then they wouldn’t have proper strength……”

“……Legion Commander.”

“And in the midst of all that, a long war, a long war! It’s faster to just self-destruct; it’s a legion in name only, right now……”

“Legion Commander!!”

Eventually, the Demon King shouted and glared at the skeleton monster called the Legion Commander, but he still didn’t stop.

No, he couldn’t stop.

“So, Demon King-nim! Hurry up and do something about the food distribution, or the barracks, or whatever!”

“No, we’re just laying the groundwork, what else do you want me to keep doing?”

“Is it what I want? It’s because my subordinates are constantly making a fuss!”

“Then shouldn’t you be better at suppressing their complaints?”

“…If it’s okay to kill all the monsters under me, I’ll do it as much as you want?”

“If they die by your hand, they all turn into weak skeletons!”

“So, do something already!!”

……The number of monster rebellion plots reported today easily exceeded double digits,

The number of desertions reached triple digits, and demands poured in so much that counting them was given up. That’s why it had to be this way.

These were at least the stories of monsters with normal intelligence; those with abysmal intelligence at the cost of physical and magical abilities were even worse.

Since they had no concept of an army, they often just did whatever they wanted and ended up getting killed.

“So, Legion Commander, isn’t this a problem you can handle better?”

“Isn’t it a problem that you, Demon King-nim, should handle better so that I don’t have to hear ‘handle it better’!”

“……It’s a mess.”

“It’s a mess, isn’t it? That’s why we gathered so long ago but still can’t attack those humans, isn’t it!!

At least, a subordinate!! Appoint a proper bastard for me!!!!”

The solemn atmosphere that had been present moments ago had long vanished.

In fact, the only time they became solemn was when they talked about matters unrelated to the legion…

And frankly, if the Legion Commander and the Demon King weren’t in a reporting situation like this, there would be even less reason for them to talk about things unrelated to the legion.

…The most surprising fact might be that the skeleton monster speaking now is the most normal and hardworking Legion Commander.

A dragon who extorts treasures from its legion members, claiming to be a noble being.

A nine-tailed fox who was so annoyed by her subordinates’ whining that she cast seduction and curses on them all, only to be swiftly dealt with by the Demon King.

And a vampire who just sucks the blood of his subordinates,

Even a ghost who just says ‘do it yourself’ because it’s too bothersome.

These guys, unlike the Lich who diligently reported and acted as a chief of staff to the Demon King, had no intention of obeying the Demon King’s orders.

They just came because they were given what they wanted, and they were briefly swayed by the idea of a Demon King sent by the Demon God; it wouldn’t be strange if they left at any time.

And if the Legion Commanders, who possessed the greatest intelligence and abilities, were in such a state,

It was very easy to imagine how chaotic the subordinates below them, and the ordinary soldiers even further below, would be.

Therefore, the conclusion of the Legion Commander and the Demon King was to postpone this problem for now.

……The problem is that postponing it like this isn’t a one-time thing.

Well, at least they’re handling the humans who come to gather information well, so it’s okay… not really, but anyway.

In the end, today’s conversation also ended with the Demon King shouting at the Legion Commander to get out.

“Ugh…! Just get out, all of you!! I can’t do anything, and why do you have so many complaints?”

“It’s because you, Demon King-nim, don’t do enough in the first place! At least ask for the Demon God’s blessing!”

“No, is the Demon God someone who does what I tell ‘Him’ to do? Huh? Are you disrespecting the Demon God?”

“Damn it, this is screwed. I’ll get out as ordered!”

“What’s with that tone again? You’ve lived for over a thousand years?!”

“What, is it bothering you? I heard people use this kind of language a lot these days, so I tried it!”

“No, that…… Ugh, just get out!”

……The increasingly chaotic vocabulary of the Demon King and the Legion Commander was a bonus.