I reported to Duke Helpion in the command tent about the underground ruins.
“So the Empire is the root cause of this mess.”
“Most likely, yes.”
“What if we bring this up as an issue?”
“They’ll deny it, claiming there’s no concrete evidence.”
“That figures. The Empire, huh…”
Duke Helpion fell into a deep, contemplative silence.
“Excuse me.”
At that moment, Lady Elcia slowly walked into the command tent.
After leaving the ruins, we had summoned her to request an investigation of the summoning circle and the ruins.
She was probably here with the results of that investigation.
Her expression was unusually somewhat excited.
“My daughter saw it properly. Heh, well, at least she’s got the hang of pretending to be a mage by wearing the name tag.”
“Is it really a summoning magic circle?”
“It is. But there was one thing my daughter missed.”
“What is it?”
“The ruins don’t have six overlapping magic circles. You can’t summon that bizarre contraption over our heads with just those few circles.”
“Does that mean there are more ruins?”
“Exactly. The one beneath the Demon King’s Castle is huge, but I expect there are three more to the east, four to the west, two to the south, and about six to the north. I might have missed some.”
“Almost like a village, then.”
“By size, it’s more like a small city.”
“Can even you not dispel the magic circles?”
Lady Elcia shook her head.
“Tsk, impossible. If we tampered with that carelessly, this whole area would be razed to the ground. And besides, that’s not just a summoning circle. If the mana is misapplied, it could call the Demon King’s Castle—or the Demon World—again.”
The Demon King coming out once more?
Such a horrifying thought.
She spoke so calmly of something that sent chills down my spine.
Of course, Duke Helpion, who once slew the Demon King when he was younger and less experienced, stood beside me… but still—
That’s no easy feat.
“This is troublesome.”
Duke Helpion frowned.
“But you said it only takes at least an 8th Circle mage, right?”
“Then there is someone we could ask.”
“How about Talio, Lord of the Magic Tower?”
“Talio, the 8th Circle archmage? That might just be possible. But how does the steward know him?”
“Not personally, but I think I could ask through an intermediary.”
We could try going through Duke Squaret.
Both Duke Helpion and Lady Elcia nodded in agreement at my suggestion.
“Copy the magic circle roughly onto parchment and send it over. No mage in the world would be able to remain calm upon seeing that circle.”
“Is the magic circle really that intense?”
Lady Elcia looked toward the ruins with a hint of lingering regret.
“I thought I had long let go of my obsession with the 7th Circle… but seeing that magic circle, I find myself tempted once more.”
“Oh? Why not take up the challenge.”
“I’m done. I have no lingering attachments to life. Instead, I left behind a daughter full of ambition. Judging by her spirit, she’ll need to bring back at least one thing to be satisfied.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“I sent along a few mercenaries. They’re not amateurs, so it should be fine. If luck’s on our side and they even capture a 6th Circle, it will be a great help.”
Lady Elcia chuckled softly and exchanged some light-hearted words before leaving the command tent.
“Then you, steward, contact Talio, Lord of the Magic Tower, as soon as possible.”
“Understood, Duke.”
I called out to Duke Helpion as he was about to leave.
“Assuming the Demon King’s Castle really was summoned by the Empire a hundred years ago…”
“Assuming?”
“The Empire is persistent. They must have kept records of the Demon King’s Castle summoning in the royal archives.”
Because that place obsessively records and preserves all knowledge.
It has a knowledge repository five times larger than the Delphi Academy Library.
There must be records of the Demon King’s Castle summoning.
“That’s likely.”
“So then, shall we just let the Demon King’s Castle fall without a fight?”
“…They’ll come to destroy the ruins.”
“Then we lay a trap.”
Duke Helpion hummed thoughtfully.
“Considering the case of the Squaret Duchy, an officer from the Imperial Special Task Force will surely come. He’ll be either a Swordmaster or an 7th Circle mage or higher.”
“Then we can’t just station anyone here. But if I leave the front lines, we’ll be exposed immediately.”
Duke Helpion understood my implication perfectly.
“At least one of the vassals—or someone of similar caliber—should be positioned here.”
“Understood. Gather three men. We’ll formulate a plan with them.”
Having crossed the threshold of the Demon King’s Castle, the monsters’ resistance wasn’t as fierce.
Moreover, the monster casualties continued to mount, and they showed no will to give us an opening.
It is in a monster’s nature to fight fiercely against humans, full of the will to kill—but fear of the absolute powers led by Duke Helpion and others had overcome that instinct.
After about a week passed, the Empire finally began to respond.
We were in a small basin.
The monsters were crowded in the center of the basin, unable to move any further, wavering and howling in confusion.
This was because our troops were stationed to the north, west, and south of their retreat path.
The only possible escape route was to the east.
But the well-equipped tens of thousands of troops waited there.
Knights clad in full armor, mounted on warhorses, lined up at the front.
Behind them stood shield bearers as tall as men.
Behind them, archers and spearmen in armor.
And behind them, infantry.
Their orderly ranks resembled a well-built fortress wall—immovable and solid.
“Load!”
At the heart of the army, a commander astride a griffon shouted with mana-filled voice.
The aura in his voice was extraordinary—stronger than the steward’s, at least an upper-level Swordmaster.
Following the command, the archers loaded arrows as if acting as one being and raised them into the air.
“Fire!”
Thousands—no, tens of thousands—of arrows soared in curves toward the monsters.
It was a rain of arrows, a net made of arrows.
None of the monsters could dodge them.
“Krwahhhh!”
The beasts screamed and scattered in all directions.
Some turned back toward us, others charged the army, but none survived.
It was a one-sided massacre.
When every monster’s breath had been extinguished, the one issuing orders at the center began flying toward us on his griffon.
He was an imposing figure.
Well over two meters tall, but what stood out more than his height was his overall build.
His huge body, not concealed by armor, probably weighed well over 150 kilograms, and his fierce demeanor was stronger than any sense of obesity.
His slightly upturned nose and countless scars crossing his face made him look even more savage.
Approaching nearby, he looked us over while still mounted on his griffon.
“Such vulgar behavior, no matter when I see it.”
“Cruel Pig. Your rudeness never changes. Were scars on your face not enough?”
Duke Helpion stepped forward from our side. He seemed familiar with this man.
Cruel Pig.
A brutal pig.
Judging by the name, similar to the Lumpen Hound, he was probably also part of the Imperial Special Task Force.
“You, Duke, are certainly elegant. But look around you. How pathetic it is to see these lawless brutes relying only on their meager strength and your name! So don’t stay in this petty duchy—come to my Empire.”
I didn’t know who this fellow was, but his insolence was clear.
He said anything he wanted right in front of everyone.
Duke Helpion seemed annoyed. A hint of sharpness crept into his voice.
“You wouldn’t have brought this army just to kill a few monsters. Get to the point.”
“Tsk, your impatience is unchanged. Withdraw. This land has been Imperial territory for generations. Your mercenaries have invaded Imperial borders. The gracious Emperor will overlook this once—a mistake committed in the heat of monster hunting. But only once.”
“Borders? This is the Demon King’s territory and the monsters’ habitat, public land belonging to no nation. And since we exterminated the monsters, we have the right to claim ownership.”
Duke Helpion’s words earned a snort and a sneer from Cruel Pig.
“What Demon King do you mean? The ghost you supposedly killed thirteen years ago? The Empire has been regularly dispatching troops to Ma Forest since then to manage the monsters. I can show you records if you want.”
Ma Forest?
What a brigand.
Ma Forest lies between Duke Helpion’s territory and the Demon King’s Castle, about two weeks away from the current front lines.
That would mean all our efforts in this war, all the territory we took, would be stolen away.
Moreover, if the borders are accepted, the Demon King’s Castle would become Imperial land.
It was obvious what they’d do with the ruins then.
That couldn’t be allowed.
“Management? Is leaving monsters and demon races alone considered management?”
“As you know, there are many foolish fools who dare challenge the Empire. Ignorant enough to prey on monsters.”
“So you brought soldiers here for a show of force? Is this a threat?”
“Duke, don’t treat us like savages. These are border defense forces, who regularly guard the borders. We came out by the book.”
“Pig. You’re taking this too far.”
Duke Helpion’s presence began to shift.
“The Empire always works like this—doing nothing openly but scheming in the dark to take advantage.”
His fists, feet, legs, arms, and body—his entire form—seemed to extend like weapons.
Those lines all pierced straight through Cruel Pig’s head.
The pig, sensing the shift, began raising his own energy.
“Planning to flaunt your strength? Hmph, typical of a leader of vulgar scum. No matter how much of a Grand Swordmaster you are…”
But it didn’t take long for the confident pig’s expression to harden.
The cold, eerie presence emanating from Duke Helpion erased every one of the pig’s lines and dominated the space around him.
The aura from the Duke was no longer lines.
It was the air itself, devouring the entire space.
“Kyaaaaaaa!”
Terrified, the griffon flapped its wings and stumbled backward.
Duke Helpion hurriedly gripped the reins to calm the griffon, but it raised its front legs and went berserk.
“What in the world…”
“Pig—no, Duke Piche Klemte. I warn you again. You have crossed the border of the Delphi Kingdom, Cruel Pig. I am Rodelaos de Helpion, Commander of the Border of the Delphi Kingdom, the kingdom’s guardian and frontier official. As long as I stand here, this land is the territory of the Delphi Kingdom.”
“Did you think I would fall for such sophistry?!”
“You can call it sophistry if you like. But if you believe you’ve trespassed, then start the war you so desire. By the way, I had a recent little realization.”
At that moment, with a flutter, the griffon spread its wings and took flight.
Unable to withstand Duke Helpion’s presence, it fled.
Truly deserving the title “King of the Skies,” the griffon’s speed was magnificent.
In the blink of an eye, it was flying toward the center of the basin.
I heard the Empire operates a mobile strike force using hundreds of such griffons.
I wonder if Duke Helpion’s duchy could field such a force.
“Tch, Duke. I acknowledge your strength. But how long do you think such recklessness can last? You are alone, and the kingdom’s borders are vast. No matter how hard you fight alone, there are limits.”
“I don’t deny what you say. But one thing is certain: right now, I am here, and you are before me.”
Duke Helpion’s blunt threat left Cruel Pig with no reply as he turned his griffon around and returned to his army.
When he was completely out of sight, Duke Helpion’s gaze turned toward me.
“Steward.”
“Understood.”
I quietly moved to the rear of the formation, took out an artifact, and began communication.
“The Empire has moved, just as expected. Reporting in.”
[First Team, no issues.]
[Second Team, no issues.]
[Third Team, suspicious signs detected.]
The Third Team was stationed at the small ruins east of the Demon King’s Castle.
“Good. Proceed with the operation as planned.”