News of humanity’s victory spread across the continent like wildfire. The populace erupted in cheers, praising the brave soldiers who had fought.
Everyone who participated in the war was lauded, but Marius, in particular, was on another level.
“Did you hear? About Lord Marius?”
“Yeah, he wiped out millions of demon soldiers in no time, right?”
“No, before that, he apparently blew away some demons with a flick of his wrist.”
People flocked to taverns, raising their glasses and tankards, excitedly sharing stories about Marius.
“I never thought the crisis threatening humanity’s very existence would end so easily,” one person muttered, a mix of surprise and disbelief on their face. Everyone who heard them nodded in agreement.
“My son was a soldier and was called to the front lines. I thought he’d never come back,” another person said.
“And it’s all thanks to Lord Marius!”
Cheers of agreement erupted from all sides. When people first heard of the demon army’s scale of invasion, they were stunned. When they learned there were five powerful demons involved, they despaired. To think that victory would come not in half a day, but in less than an hour! The shock and fear at Marius’s extraordinary power had been swept away by the historical triumph. Commoners, after all, rarely thought too deeply.
“My younger brother died, though,” a young man said softly, chilling the celebratory mood. The war itself was short, but tens of thousands had perished fighting the demon army. Berganda had been wiped off the map, a stark reminder of the demons’ terrifying strength.
As the atmosphere turned somber, the young man continued, “But thanks to Lord Marius, we can all live. Cheers to Lord Marius!” He raised his overflowing beer mug high and drained it in one go. As someone who lived in a harsh world, he had been prepared for the loss of loved ones. However, the desire not to forget his brother’s death and his gratitude to Marius intertwined, creating complex emotions that led to his outburst.
The others were initially taken aback, but after a few seconds, they followed suit, raising their mugs and glasses to the sky. “Cheers to Lord Marius!” Their shouts, young and old, echoed and faded. Mourning the dead, celebrating life, and giving thanks for tomorrow. Such scenes could be witnessed throughout the eastern part of the Taliant Continent. The joy was all the more profound because the eastern half of the continent had faced annihilation.
While the populace celebrated their victory, the upper echelons were also holding a celebration. The chosen venue was Filat, where Marius, the key to their victory, resided. Garius had suggested it, saying, “At least let us do this much…” but Filat was also geographically more convenient. The festivities here were, of course, far more elaborate than those of the common people. The expenses, however, would eventually become income for the populace.
The attendees at this event included the kings of Seraeno, Ranleo, Boltner, and Filat, along with commanders of Marius’s caliber, and Marius himself. Also present were the councilors of various nations and, naturally, beautifully dressed young ladies. The three Succubi declined their invitation. Zofi, who had achieved the great feat of defeating the mid-tier demon Pal, was satisfied with Marius’s praise. Al and El humbly stated they hadn’t been of much help. August III and Barra’s survival was thanks to Al, and El’s contribution was the low casualty rate in the Seraeno army. When Marius pointed this out, the two girls offered him alluring smiles and requested rewards for the night, to which their master readily agreed. A secret he’d keep to himself was how he’d sprained his back and required healing magic.
The Filat King, Bernhard III, began with a greeting, followed by the awarding of honors to Marius. “It is a shameful matter, but we have decided that Lord Marius himself shall decide his rewards,” Bernhard III said. Marius was surprised by the King’s words, but everyone else reacted as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Please tell us if there is anything you desire,” the King reiterated. Marius was at a loss.
“I don’t need anything more!” This was his honest, unvarnished thought. He had no use for gold or treasures, and more land would only be a burden. Regardless of how it appeared to others, he was already overwhelmed. Even if offered more rewards, a common person’s mind couldn’t conjure something on the spot. However, he understood that it was a king’s duty to “properly evaluate merits and reward justly.” This meant he needed to find a way to decline that would satisfy everyone, which was difficult for Marius. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how the continent’s political landscape would shift with the destruction of a nation.
“I understand your intentions, king, but first, we must overcome the continent’s hardships,” Marius stated with deliberate dignity. He implicitly meant that Decarabia and Rubens were still active, but unfortunately, his words were misinterpreted as selfless. The kings exchanged glances, and King Bernhard of Filat spoke for them. “Lord Marius is truly selfless. However, we cannot let it be. Could you at least tell us what you desire?”
Just as they were about to ask him to stop, Marius noticed their overly earnest expressions and recalled his own feat. Refusing rewards after annihilating millions of demon soldiers might be asking too much. Or perhaps he should reassure them that his accomplishments were not enough to warrant such rewards, lest they become fearful or wary. He didn’t want to invite more trouble. It might already be too late regarding their fear. Marius desperately wracked his limited intellect and finally came up with an answer.
“Well then, I would like… Princess Lovisa and Princess Barra.”
A small stir rippled through the room at Marius’s words, then vanished just as quickly. While he had decided to try and understand and integrate into this world’s way of life, the romantic advances from the women were a major hindrance, making it impossible to become casually close. Therefore, he decided to set a policy of accepting women only as rewards, using it as a deterrent. And if he were to receive them, he preferred those he already had some rapport with. He couldn’t deny that the idea of “perks” crossed his mind. He refrained from naming Princess Catherine because of her age. The kings’ reactions to Marius’s request were largely welcoming. The marriage of princesses to Marius was a long-held desire, and the fact that it wouldn’t cost them gold or land was a great relief. However, two princesses felt too few; they wanted him to marry a few more, but saying so now would likely anger Marius. The other kings, for the time being, agreed with King Bernhard’s statement and approved. Though the proceedings for awarding merits were undeniably awkward, no one at the scene found it ridiculous. After all, Marius’s power was far beyond the norm, and his battlefield achievements were absurd. Some even felt sympathy and admiration for the kings trying to manage the situation.
The named Princess Barra was overjoyed, albeit internally. Had they been alone, she might have danced. Princess Lovisa, usually composed, couldn’t help but break her impassive facade and quietly consulted Emma, who happened to be nearby. “Lord Marius, I wonder what has caused this change in his heart?”
“Perhaps he’s indicating he doesn’t want anything other than rewards?” Emma guessed, her long association with him allowing her to read his mind almost perfectly, especially knowing how weary he was of the women’s advances. The kings reached a similar conclusion. They all understood Marius’s intentions and were impressed by his discerning choice, but none realized it was pure chance.
“We approve.” Kings Bernhard III of Filat and Henry IV of Ranleo declared it, and the marriages to Lovisa and Barra were decided. The princesses, the very parties involved, were not consulted nor even glanced at, but this was how marriages worked in this world. “However, that alone is insufficient. We cannot possibly secure rewards for our kingdoms and Garius with just that. Well, we can address that once reconstruction is somewhat underway.” Marius sighed inwardly at the Seraeno King’s words. He understood that while Filat and Ranleo might be acceptable, refusing Garius and Seraeno wouldn’t be, and a sense of resignation washed over him.
“If I continue to defeat Demon Lords and demons, they’ll likely bring it up again,” he thought. It was the common practice in this world, and refusing what they themselves desired was starting to feel absurd. He was, after all, somewhat of a womanizer, and a harem didn’t particularly bother him. If he could satisfy them all properly, there was no reason to refuse. Satisfying everyone would be incredibly difficult, of course. He could delegate as much of the resulting entanglements as possible to the nations. As for his own path, he could always leave… except for individuals like Barra, Lovisa, Emma, and Catherine, he couldn’t shake off the bothersome nature of dealing with nations.
As Marius began to seriously consider a break from his previous way of thinking, the conversation shifted. The next topic was the purification magic Marius had used. “I couldn’t believe my ears when I first heard it. To think you’d attack three fortresses at once,” said King Henry IV of Ranleo. As an accomplished mage, he understood the sheer unconventionality of it. Extending the range beyond normal was something he, Barra, or any top-tier mage could achieve. However, focusing on range invariably meant sacrificing power. The difficulty of expanding the area while maintaining power was a lifelong challenge for mages. Marius seemed to have accomplished it with effortless ease.
“If you have any techniques, I would love to learn them for future study.” While others’ minds were likely numbed into simply praising Marius, a mage could not simply accept it. Barra, unusually, prioritized her curiosity as a mage over her affection for Marius, nodding in agreement with her father’s words. It would be impossible, of course, to ask a magic enthusiast like Barra to suppress her curiosity. Marius, however, was troubled. He had used the magic to reduce human casualties, but he couldn’t reveal the truth. In the past, it had been unusable without reaching a certain level, but it could still be used as a tool. He was afraid to test it in this world. Should he have the trusted Succubi like Zofi, or perhaps Barra, try it? For now, all attention was focused on Marius’s own abilities, and no one seemed to be paying attention to his equipment. Thus, he needed to fabricate a reason other than his equipment.
“Well, if you just push a lot of magic into it, it surprisingly works,” Marius replied, thinking to himself, “I sound like an idiot.” In essence, he had forced it through sheer power. But this was the most plausible explanation he could come up with. Since magic power could increase or decrease its effects, he wanted them to believe that if Marius simply exerted more effort, the results would be extraordinary. The part about requiring a significant amount of magic power, however, was not an invention.
The people who heard his explanation nodded. “So it’s a matter of magic capacity…” “Perhaps the power doesn’t decrease much if you pour in a lot of magic?” “It might be worth trying.” They believed him with surprising ease, leaving Marius taken aback.
“However, the efficiency is terrible.”
“But if you can take out a wide area of enemies at once, or even cast spells on allies, it might be worth trying…”
“It’s impossible for an individual, but perhaps if used by a battalion or regiment…” They began to debate, so engrossed that no one questioned Marius’s words. There was a simple reason for this: it had already been revealed during the Demonplay that Marius was a “firepower-focused” type, unconcerned with delicate adjustments or intricate techniques. Explaining it as a result of precise skill would have been met with far greater surprise.
“That feels a bit unsatisfactory…” Marius thought, though he acknowledged his own lack of intellectual prowess and decided that complaining would be unreasonable. Relieved that his equipment hadn’t been scrutinized, he refrained from speaking further. Barra and Hemrooth exchanged meaningful glances, but Marius pretended not to notice. Those in the realm of the strongest humans might have sensed something unnatural, but he wasn’t inclined to confirm it. They were remaining silent, and it was better not to pry. Thus, the celebratory event proceeded without a hitch. The representatives from Hordia, Misra, Barshark, and Vester were not invited, but how to deal with them became another agenda item.
“Hordia was under attack, but the other three nations are unforgivable,” nearly everyone thought, to varying degrees. Filat, whose warning had been ignored, was displeased. Ranleo, Boltner, and Seraeno, who had been left to fend for themselves against the demon army, felt hatred. The three nations had, through their own folly, undone the era when Hordia had been the villain. At that moment, a knight entered and whispered to the King of Filat. Hordia had sent an envoy with a letter from their king, accompanied by troops.
“What now…” Bernhard III muttered. The other kings inquired about the situation. When he confessed, a murmur arose, and opinions flew. “They are indeed late. What were they thinking?” one person loudly berated. Another gently chided, “No, wait. Being late is a matter of outcome. No one expected the battle to end so quickly. Therefore, we can’t blame Hordia.” This seemingly logical argument was met with strong opposition. “However, a king is held accountable for the outcome. Otherwise, anything would be permissible as long as it leads to a good result.” This opinion was met with shouts of agreement, and someone else interrupted. “What you say is reasonable, but expecting someone to anticipate the unforeseeable is asking too much, isn’t it?” This gained the support of the kings, and the tide turned. They hadn’t forgotten Hordia’s actions towards Filat, but it would be unfair not to acknowledge their dispatch of aid and supplies, even while being attacked by the three other nations. King Bernhard III, the ruler of the victimized country, agreed, and the conclusion was reached.
“The war has ended. You may depart.” As Bernhard III spoke, the knight looked even more perplexed. “In fact, upon informing them of the war’s conclusion, they requested that the supplies be used for the reconstruction of each nation. If they are not accepted, they will be punished by the King of Hordia.” Marius thought they were about to reject the envoy based on a hasty judgment, but there was an unwritten rule that envoys related to war were prioritized. Some countries exploited this. Therefore, it was not uncommon for local authorities to refuse them once the war was over. Given Hordia’s past transgressions, no one would blame the locals on-site for refusing them, deeming them untrustworthy. In fact, no one questioned the decision of the commander of Balderra Fortress. However, if they were delivering relief supplies, the situation would be different, which was why the message had arrived.
The kings began to discuss whether to accept Hordia’s relief supplies, and a conclusion was quickly reached. Given the uncertain future expenses, the overwhelming sentiment was a pragmatic desire to accept whatever they could. Some argued that even Hordia had cooperated during humanity’s existential crisis, but this was a common occurrence. While they couldn’t accept donations from the three nations that had been uncooperative against the demon army, accepting them from Hordia, which had shown a willingness to cooperate, would not damage their national pride. “We shall gratefully accept. We must offer our formal thanks later.” It was important to distinguish between what was said and what was meant.
“Furthermore…” the knight hesitantly indicated there was more. King Bernhard III prompted him with a nod. “The war is not yet over. Demons like Rubens have entered Hordia.” The guests exchanged glances once more. Few knew Rubens’s name, but many recalled Gerik. “Speaking of which, the demon Gerik also did not appear in the recent battle,” King Derek of Seraeno, who recognized Gerik as a sworn enemy, murmured. Marius, knowing from Zofi’s mention that Rubens, Gerik, and Mergen were still alive, was not particularly surprised. He remained silent because the demons’ motives were completely inscrutable. Why hadn’t Rubens or Gerik participated in the battle? In fact, only Asteria had foreseen the reason for Berganda’s destruction.
“May I say something?” Marius’s voice was laced with a touch of nervousness. The intervals between attacks had been longer previously, and he couldn’t deny a certain complacency had set in. Reflecting on his recent blunders and feeling self-loathing, Marius stated his opinion. “Given that the revival of the Demon Lord is a possibility, I believe I should go.” The kings and the others exchanged glances, then their gazes turned to the King of Filat. “We are forcing Lord Marius to bear too much of the burden…” “This is my duty,” Marius replied resolutely. The young girls’ adoring gazes were fixed on him. Marius pretended not to notice, offered a brief greeting, and departed.
