Chapter 153
Frontlines
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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