Chapter 153
Frontlines
Translator : PolterGlast
There are many things I have to do, having somehow become
connected with the kings and power-holders of various countries and ending up
working my tail off. At times like this, it's important to calm down for a
moment and think.
It's fine, what I need to do is basically the same as
studying for entrance exams. When there are multiple things to do, you just
need to prioritize them.
For me, the highest priority right now is, above all else,
preventing the people of this world from suffering any more casualties.
Whether training Lirica relentlessly to defeat Odd
as quickly as possible or temporarily halting the ongoing war casualties would
reduce the total damage more might be up for debate, but... I believe that
humans who possess power also bear corresponding duties.
Because I cannot forgive myself for just idly doing nothing
when there is something I can do.
「...And so, I'm thinking of
conquering all the Demon Territories bordering human lands and placing
them under Priola's umbrella.」
「...」
Emilia, who had
been listening to my story, placed the brush pen she was holding onto the brush
rest and slowly inhaled. Then, letting out a breath that sounded like a sigh,
「...Just what and how do you have to
do things for it to end up like that?」 she said with a wry smile.
「Knowing you, Masaru, I
figured you'd do something crazy, but... to think you'd repaint a Demon
Territory into the territory of a demon friendly to humans, even I hadn't
imagined that. Do you even realize what you're trying to do, Masaru?」
「What do you mean... I just want to
end this stupid thing called war and live in peace. While eating ice cream like
this, which everyone in my class invented.」
I muttered that while eating the new ice cream product from Jin's
Patisserie. This thing, which is apparently a byproduct born from their
attempts to make actual ice cream, boasts outstanding sales among their new
products.
Because it uses fruits from Aristella, there are
several flavors I've never tasted in my previous life, making it quite
delicious. The fruit ice cream with a flavor like a fig not found in Japan is a
true masterpiece.
「What you are trying to do, Masaru,
is already the deed of a hero. No, even now...」
「What?」
「...It's nothing. If you don't
understand, then that's fine.」
Smiling with a meaningful expression, Emilia laughed
and retroactively granted me permission regarding the incident I unilaterally
caused in the Demon Territory.
With this, one of the frontlines should shrink to a scale
that can be called a mere skirmish, similar to the Kingdom's. Since one
entire frontline is effectively disappearing, it should make things
considerably easier for the Empire.
「When I asked Priola, there
are two more frontlines set up by the Subjugation Faction. The Demon
Territory Kushaora in the eastern part of the Empire, and the
Demon Territory Jahangir bordering the Dragonia Dragon Knight
Kingdom.」
「The eastern Empire... that
would be the Rifura Grassland. Indeed, in terms of scale, it's larger
than the Doog Wasteland. In fact, it's to the point where the Empire
has deployed four legions there. To think we'd learn the reason why the enemy's
morale differs so greatly across frontlines directly from the demon side...
Being with you, Masaru, really makes things happen that I never even
considered.」
Standing up with an exasperated look, Emilia gave a
good stretch. Just as she finished some light limbering up, the butler, Torakura-san,
handed her an ice cream with perfect timing. It seems Emilia's favorite
is the berry-flavored one.
「Munch, munch... The current deployment looks like this. Ah, it's too
much of a hassle, so forgive me for omitting the troop deployments within the
human nations and the reserves.」
While eating, she began placing pieces on the map she had
brought out. There are four frontlines in the Empire.
She placed one piece on each of three of them, and four
pieces on the remaining one. Judging from the numbers, it seems each piece
represents a legion the Empire currently has deployed near the borders.
「The battlefield in Dragonia
is the Dragon's Valley. I hear their leader is a dragon demon, and the
frontline remains deadlocked even for Dragonia, which has contracts with
over thousands of dragons. A Dragon Knight is a match for a thousand, but
considering their army hasn't been able to resolve it and a student
mobilization is about to begin, that must be the fiercest battleground.」
Adding that it was just a guess, Emilia placed six
pieces on the frontline of the Dragonia Dragon Knight Kingdom.
Whoa, that's amazing... Dragonia isn't even that
large of a country, yet they have military power equivalent to six Imperial
legions? Or rather, if it's deadlocked even with that, just how strong is the
enemy over there?
「If we redirect the Third Legion from
the Doog Wasteland, we should be able to bring the battle at the Rifura
Grassland to an even match. If possible, I'd like you to go to the relief
of the Dragonia Dragon Knight Kingdom, Masaru.」
By obtaining information on the demon side and making Priola
our opponent, humans and demons will be able to collude behind the scenes and
continue pretending to fight from now on. By reallocating the freed-up forces, Emilia
declared that the Empire would be fine.
「To be frank, if things continue as
they are, Dragonia will fall in the not-too-distant future. We can
manage our current situation, but if that country is breached and we are
attacked from the flank by the demons who devour Dragonia, the Empire
will also be in danger.」
「I see... Then I should head there
first, huh.」
The leaders of the Subjugation Faction managing the
remaining two frontlines are apparently several levels stronger than even Sigur.
Their numbers and quality are both supposedly incomparably
higher than those in the Zwaarth Demon Territory, so probably...
or rather, definitely, I won't be able to take it as easy as I did with Sigur.
「If I could just subjugate the
demons, it would be a different story, though.」
「Haha, that's certainly asking too
much.」
Demons obey the strong, but that rule strictly applies only among
demons. Demons will not obey a strong human, choosing instead to be killed in
battle.
It's no good if I just do everything myself; we absolutely
need the established fact that Priola did it.
To bring them over to our side, we need various cheap tricks
like we used this time. Doing that in a larger territory with far more eyes and
ears will cause the difficulty to spike massively.
In that case, it might be best for me to head to the
remaining two territories alone, without involving Priola.
(...Yeah, I'll have Lirica keep running for a while
longer.)
Maybe I should give her a master's order to use every
possible minute to raise her stats. I don't know how many days the conquest
will take, but if she min-maxes entirely into Agility, she should be
able to raise it considerably.
Thinking about Sigur, it's safe to assume that
breaking the limit for Agility is practically a must in battles between
the strong. For the sake of the upcoming battle with Odd, I want her to
train as much as possible.
Ah, come to think of it, I still haven't heard what the conditions to become the Demon Lord are, have I? I should probably ask her about that around tonight.
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