The Demon Sovereign (11)

The unit known as ‘Edan and the Kids’, or by the more popular name ‘Special Hero Unit’ – a name often shortened to just ‘Hero Unit’ – had received as much evaluation of their combat capabilities as the aggro they had attracted.

Lining up is a human instinct transcending time and place. Even in the days of kindling fires in caves, they must have compared whose stone axe was the sturdiest.

“They are the last, and greatest, hope of humanity!”

“We were just a bit luckier, that’s all. If we were in top condition, we could have won as well……”

“At least you’re far better than those who just slack off after taking a small bite. Instead of envying others’ medals, clean your damn gun!”

The analysis results presented varied slightly by the presenter, but they shared the common point that their specs were somewhat exaggerated.

In Glasgow, all sorts of propaganda were disseminated to boost morale and maintain support for the war.

The name alone was blatant. It was no different from blatantly proclaiming to the world that these were the ones who would crush the Demon Sovereign.

They did not underestimate the unit just because they were Demons. If their opponent was a ragtag bunch, what did that make them who had retreated from them?

While they tried to downplay it as luck or chance, they could not deride them too much unless they wanted to advertise themselves as idiots. Some even inflated the human forces’ strength instead, in an attempt to withdraw from the war.

And to be honest at this point:

“Is this our power…? Ah, it feels like we can do anything now.”

“Why worry? Of course not. Well, those Demon bastards were just a bunch of incompetents, weren’t they?”

“Once you get used to anything, it becomes natural. Dealing with the Demons couldn’t be an exception!”

Even the members of the Hero Unit themselves were somewhat overestimating themselves.

It was only natural for their shoulders to soar beyond the stratosphere if victories continued.

If this confidence had grounds, it was self-assurance, but if it exceeded their capacity, it was commonly called arrogance.

Unlike before when they had selectively pierced the Demons’ weaknesses and advanced, there were no more revelations like Freugne’s future visions.

Moreover, in the vast expanse before the capital, there were no forests to hide in or hills to climb. Both humans and Demons had nowhere left to retreat from the capital.

In other words, it meant a pure physical battle with no strategic advantage for either side.

“If you surrender now and open the path to the capital, we will of course spare your lives and treat you humanely. We will deal with you with the solemnity of civilized people who do not mistreat or massacre prisoners, as promised!”

“What is that human babbling over there?”

“He says to immediately discard all weapons and surrender. And to let them march into the capital without bloodshed.”

“What a conscienceless bastard. The negotiations have failed!”

After finishing what could be their last lunch, having filled their bellies, both armies faced each other on the battlefield as if by promise.

While neither expected it, a final ultimatum urging surrender was conveyed as a formality, and hostilities immediately erupted.

-Bang!

And with a gunshot of unknown origin, the real game began.

“Start the engines immediately! Let’s go!”

“If we just defeat those bastards, we can go home. Your families are waiting for you and your victory back home!”

“His Majesty has personally instructed us. If we retreat even a single step, we will be treated as spies bought by the humans! If we are defeated here, the humans will enslave us!”

“The fate of our race rests on your shoulders, soldiers. His Majesty is watching over us. Surely you know what to do now?”

The smoke-belching tanks roared harshly. The soldiers following those steel giants advanced step by step under their cover.

The Demons, who had dug holes deep enough to barely stick their heads out, kept pulling the triggers to survive.

Their hands gripped the guns tightly. Behind them, the Demon Sovereign himself was watching from the capital without fleeing until this point, and their superior shouted orders so fervently, as if a bullet had struck his head, that his voice pierced even the muffler.

“Damn it, let it be whatever it will be.”

“If I survive, maybe I should confess to her.”

“Please don’t babble at a time like this.”

This was hell.

---

There were minor threats and brainwashing spells, but regardless of the process, the Demons had finally united.

Whether those who had embezzled supplies and funds clung to power or had their hair plucked out to become bald didn’t really matter.

The Demon Sovereign had sufficiently cut off reports suspecting that their superiors or colleagues had gone insane. A more important change was happening among the Demons on the front lines.

‘…It’s easier than I thought?’

‘They are certainly a formidable opponent, but… it doesn’t seem bad enough to flee outright.’

‘If we had more troops, or rather, if we weren’t facing those who arrogantly call themselves the ‘Hero Unit’, wouldn’t it be better?’

Having been forcibly administered the ‘red pill’, they began to open their eyes to reality, one by one.

The self-confidence they thought they had lost was partially regained.

It wasn’t at the level of delusion like ‘Hey, if we just fight a bit harder, we might even win the war’, but there was hope for the current battle.

While the opponent was still infuriatingly strong, even a dog knows how to eat and sleep in its own home.

It was different from the past when they treated supplies like roadside pebbles. As it was their home ground, their bellies were well-filled, and the wounded were promptly evacuated and quickly recovered and returned.

As for weapons, they were still lacking since they had long been the target of embezzlement.

But it was only natural that it was better than the times when they had no guns and had to practice anti-tank martial arts and bulletproof fist techniques barehanded.

“Should we… retreat?”

“Urgh……”

That line finally emerged from the human camp after a long time.

“The battle has only just begun. It’s too early to jump to conclusions!”

“But they’re putting up quite a strong resistance, claiming this as their home.”

“More importantly, the soldiers are already exhausted from the relentless advance until now. To be honest, it’s true that we threw them into battle without any rest, even though they’ve been handling all the fighting.”

“Hmm……”

Whether the command agonized like this or not, Erinye and Ulric silently blended into the battlefield where the Demons were advancing amidst gunfire.

Erinye’s official position was ‘rear support’.

Her primary duties were transporting supplies, nursing the wounded, or utilizing her advantage as a mage for administrative tasks or repairing malfunctioning magical devices.

However, this was the Hero Unit, where the weak could not survive. It was rare for the official duties to match the actual work. Focusing on such details was the path to defeat.

“Shall we part ways here?”

“Yes. I think I can infiltrate their camp by taking a detour from here. Please provide cover along the route.”

“It’s not like it’s the first or second time. What’s with the formality?”

The rod nicknamed ‘Edan’s Magic Wand’ instead of its formal name, railgun.

The mere fact that she was holding it proved that her expected role was that of a sharpshooter, unlike others who simply carried a gun and ran into battle.

However, Ulric still casually walked onto the battlefield carrying his railgun, as if commuting to work.

When Erinye had previously asked him why he did such a thing, he had answered:

“…I can’t shoot.”

“What are you talking about? I saw you fighting well last time.”

“Wasn’t that close-range?”

“Ah.”

The physical abilities he had exchanged with Aim. He was the polar opposite of Erinye.

In any case, Ulric, who seemed to log out and turn transparent whenever the battle started, was still known as the ace of the Hero Unit.

The only people who knew the opposite was true were the occasional organization members from the orphanage mixed into the unit, and Erinye, their charge.

“I’ll be back.”

Erinye, coming out of her musings, searched for the right words to say to him but ended up patting his back and saying:

“You’re still as stiff as ever. Well, you try to stay alive too.”

---

Unit positions and march records? Collect them first since they’re related to the war.

Combat records, lists of active soldiers, and interrogation results of Demon prisoners. Make copies of these as well since they’re war-related.

Edan greedily devoured any information containing the word ‘war’.

While the Department of Defense Research collected these cookies from the Hero Unit, they naturally exercised corresponding authority as well.

Of course, not openly, but as Freugne had taught him, he took a step back and spoke indirectly.

In the end, as a mere department head, he had to be mindful of the situation. Even if everyone in the parliament and military who needed to know was aware, if ordinary citizens caught on, it would hinder their activities.

In this way, Edan extended his reach into diplomacy as well.

Naturally, the targets were Demons under the relatively weaker control of the Demon Sovereign.

“Is spreading rumors in the rear and sabotaging the Demon Sovereign really all the conditions?”

“Yes. Then, immediately after the battle before the capital ends, we will officially promise a ceasefire, and when the war against the Demon Sovereign is over, we will not hold you responsible any further. What do you think?”

“From the beginning, we didn’t want this war. And the Demon Sovereign… no, the Demon Sovereign was so stubborn! Just thinking about how he threatened us to fight makes me shudder.”

However, the Demon envoy who had secretly made contact hesitated slightly as he spoke.

“But if this is exposed… I don’t know what to do.”

“Didn’t you say the Demon Sovereign doesn’t know you’re here?”

“He’s gone mad! I don’t know how long he thought he could endure like this, but we should have surrendered earlier instead!”

Initially, three out of ten diplomatic envoys who made contact with General Andre were found dead one morning, having inexplicably slit their own throats.

The Demons claimed it was the humans’ slander, gleefully shouting that they had even cut the throats of envoys who had gone to surrender, but quite a few had caught on to the reality.

They simply couldn’t say it out loud for fear of meeting the same fate.

“Have you not checked numerous times whether the Demon Sovereign’s magic is involved? You are safe here, sir.”

“I know that, but the Demon Sovereign is not someone we can judge like that.”

“……”

“Although we have met as enemies now, please keep this in mind. He is no ordinary Demon, and it would not be strange for him to accomplish anything.”

At Edan’s order, the organization member in charge of negotiating with him slowly nodded and then continued:

“I will keep it in mind. Then let’s consider the contract established.”

“Yes…!”

He intended to show that the Demons were not the only ones capable of causing turmoil.