Another Side
“Now then, let’s confirm the situation,” the Demon Lord said, seated at the head of the vast room, beginning the meeting. Despite the ongoing war and the attack, his composure remained unshaken. If anyone were to suggest this was due to a naive optimism born from a lack of understanding, everyone present would vehemently deny it.
“Yes, we have successfully established defensive lines at the planned locations. The northern front is held by the Oni King, and the eastern front by the Dragon King, primarily around the territory of Baroness Kalisetra.”
“What about the casualties?”
“We have lost thirteen villages and three towns, large and small. The trade city has been secured without incident. All refugees have been accepted. We have also received reports of casualties among our patrolling soldiers, but since their priority was the evacuation of villagers and engagement was minimized, the damage is slight.”
“Hmm, a bit more damage than expected, but it’s within acceptable limits. Now then, let’s move on to the enemy’s main forces.” The Demon Lord nodded with satisfaction at the soldier’s report. The soldier, who had managed to proceed according to plan so far, showed a hint of relief, but his expression became serious again as the topic shifted to the main enemy force.
“Yes, to the best of our current knowledge, we have confirmed the presence of a large number of soldiers, primarily lower-ranking angels, during this invasion. Their scale is approximately thirty thousand deployed. We have also confirmed the presence of mid-ranking angels commanding them. However, neither high-ranking angels nor the rebel Carter have been sighted.”
“…”
As the reporting soldier pointed to the center of the conference room, it began to glow faintly. All eyes in the room turned towards it. A crystal, about the size of a bowling ball, placed precisely in a blank space on the square table, pulsed with a soft light, displaying a map and the enemy’s deployment based on confirmed information. Seeing this, everyone in the conference room furrowed their brows or had question marks floating above their heads. The Demon Lord himself, questioning the deployment of this army, fell silent, pondering the enemy’s intentions as he listened to the report.
This was a prime opportunity, a timing that could be considered ideal, with executives gathered for a competition, significantly lowering their defenses. Yet, considering the swiftness of the angel deployment and the invasion that followed, the damage was surprisingly minimal. The forces used were primarily lower-ranking angels, with some mid-ranking angels present, but no high-ranking angels. Moreover, the army belonging to the Baroness was nowhere to be seen. Additionally, the invading angel army was easily stopped once the defensive lines were established. Their actions were almost suspicious. It was estimated that the presence of high-ranking angels would have resulted in two to three times the reported damage. This led to the conclusion that perhaps they had intentionally halted their advance. The absence of Carter, who wielded the Holy Sword, further hinted that there was something more behind this invasion, leaving the Demon Lord’s army baffled by the enemy’s actions.
Normally, if the damage was minimal and the enemy’s movements were sluggish, the logical course of action would be to advance further. And only a peer could confront the Hero. Even if it was temporary, the Hero’s involvement in the invasion would have given the enemy an even greater advantage. However, the enemy remained stationary, abandoning this logic. In the meantime, the Demon Lord had made his preparations. For the past few days, the Demon Lord had been in a state of readiness, capable of transferring at any moment to eliminate the Hero. Despite this, the Demon Lord had not set foot on the battlefield. A question hung in the air: what did the enemy intend to achieve by abandoning logic?
“What is the enemy aiming for?”
“Perhaps that’s their entire force?”
“No, that’s impossible given they have a dungeon. Dungeons are likely connected, allowing them to gather forces.”
“Since they couldn’t defeat the Demon Lord then, what was their objective?”
“Besides, where does that dungeon lead?”
Various predictions flew around the conference room. These words seemed to enumerate every possibility, and the Demon Lord, not missing a single word, tried to deduce the enemy’s intentions. It was understandable to be cautious at this stage, as rushing in could lead them into a trap, but the Demon Lord pondered if something was being overlooked.
“Excuse me during the meeting!”
“What is it! We are in the middle of a meeting!”
As the meeting meandered and became muddled, the door suddenly burst open. One of the executives near the entrance reprimanded the soldier, but the soldier, as if not caring, raised his voice to report.
“Reports are coming in about rebellions by humans and some beastkin in various towns! We also have reports that angels are inciting these uprisings! This has caused delays in the movement of our marching armies to deal with them!”
“What!?”
“Reporting!”
“What is it now!?”
“The enemy army has begun to move, heading straight north to engage the Oni King’s forces!!”
An army that had begun to move, capitalizing on the rebellion. This was not a coincidence. It was clearly a planned maneuver.
“I see, so that’s how they’re playing it.” As a murmur rose, threatening to devolve into arguments over immediate countermeasures, the Demon Lord moved, and silence immediately fell. With a sense of having made a decisive move in a chess game, the Demon Lord spoke, his voice reaching every corner of the conference room, clearly stating his understanding of the enemy’s actions. They all quieted down, their gazes fixed on the Demon Lord.
“It seems their objective is still my head. So they’ve been hiding the Hero as their trump card… I have a general idea of their plan. Well, time for us to make a move as well. Send word to the Machine King and the Giant King. The enemy’s target is not the Oni King. Have both generals support the Dragon King. And also send word to the Undead King. ‘Put out the fire,’ that should be enough to convey the message.”
“Understood!!”
To deal with the rebellion, all generals had been dispatched to their respective fields, and Evia had been assigned to guard the company, their base of operations in another world. With no generals left to directly protect the Demon Lord, the situation could be considered defenseless. While it was a strategy to disperse their forces to deal with the enemy’s plan of inciting the populace and expanding the battlefield, it might backfire if things proceeded as the Demon Lord anticipated.
“They’ve fanned the embers of discontent in the towns, causing chaos. If left unattended, those embers would become a raging inferno. That’s why we cannot ignore this fire. I see, it’s a simple strategy, but precisely because it’s simple, it takes time to deal with.” The lightning-fast deployment of the angel army was meant to draw attention to the frontier, while in the meantime, they approached those dissatisfied with the current regime. Humans, individually weak, could become troublesome when united in numbers.
“And in the meantime, their next move… they’ve come for the Dragon King’s head first, a typical Heroic act.” Then, they dangled bait before the discontented populace. If those who held power became a guide, promising escape from the current environment and change, the masses would quickly flock towards the bait.
“It’s probably the high-ranking angels who are instigating the conflict. Maybe the Thrones or the Cherubim. By deploying the main force, the high-ranking angels, to create a diversion, they have completely obscured the Hero’s movements.” If that were the case, the Demon Lord’s army would be forced to respond. Furthermore, if the enemy’s bait was also a Seraph, the Demon Lord’s army would have no choice but to take it. And the more chaos ensued, the easier it would be for the Hero to act. For an individual capable of performing the work of an entire army to be on the move was not a favorable situation for the Demon Lord’s army.
“But then, why only send reinforcements to the Dragon King? Shouldn’t we also send aid to the Oni King?”
“The Oni King has few towns and villages behind him. There would be less need to worry about angels, so his supply lines should remain open. But what about the Dragon King, who has several large cities behind him?” The Demon Lord deduced that the angels’ next move would likely be to rally the influential figures who had joined the rebellion, transforming them from a mob into an army. Those blessed with the protection of a high-ranking angel would not expect to lose and would eagerly take to the battlefield. This move would ultimately isolate the Dragon King’s forces.
“However, the enemy army is heading towards the Oni King.”
“That army is to hold the Oni King in place. They don’t want any interference along the way.”
“Impossible! While they’re holding the Oni King, they’ll send the Hero to attack the Dragon King!”
“No, that’s unlikely. The enemy’s objective is to conceal the Hero’s existence and use him as a trump card to strike me down at the opportune moment. He won’t appear here. And for now, it will probably be a battle of attrition, like trading limbs. The one who loses patience or miscalculates will be forced out of their hiding place.”
“What do you mean?”
“There must be someone there capable of confronting our generals, besides the Hero.”
The number of beings with power equal to or exceeding that of a general is limited. The people in the conference room, somehow, had that existence come to mind.
“Reporting!!”
As if to confirm their speculations, a third messenger rushed in.
“A message from the Dragon King!!”
“A Seraph led an army and clashed with the Dragon King?”
“Huh? Yes! That’s correct.”
“Hmm, so… what’s the number?”
“Approximately fifty thousand in the enemy force! Many mid-ranking angels, several high-ranking angels confirmed, and among them, two Seraphs!”
“!!! ”
Seraphim, the highest-ranking angels, close to gods. Their power was comparable to that of a general. With two such beings present.
“Even the Dragon King is in danger. Well, from here on, let’s engage in a back-and-forth exchange.” Even a powerful individual like the Dragon King was in peril. Nevertheless, the Demon Lord’s composure did not waver. It was likely because he trusted his subordinates, who were probably fighting on the front lines, to hold out until reinforcements arrived. The Demon Lord watched the army’s movements on the crystal screen. The smoldering fire of rebellion, if left unchecked, would become a conflagration, but preparations were in place to deal with it. The rescue of the Dragon King, who would soon find himself in dire straits, would also arrive in time. And with the Hero having disappeared, the Demon Lord was indirectly unable to act. It was a battle of give and take. How to neutralize the enemy’s moves, how to wear them down, and how to dismantle their strategies. From here on, it would be about how to preserve their trump card with minimal damage. The one who lost patience and stepped onto the main stage first would lose, the Demon Lord predicted. Therefore, confident in his subordinates, who would likely be active on the battlefield for a while, the Demon Lord slowly relaxed his shoulders.
Another Side END
* * *
Amelia’s Side
“Okay, I’m off to work, Mom. Call me if anything happens.”
“Ok, Mommy.”
“Are you sure you’re alright? I can take another day off if you want, you don’t have to push yourself.”
“I’m fine, besides, I’ll be late.”
My mother, who had just replaced the cooling sheet on my forehead, left for work after looking at me repeatedly. Ever since that day, after being bathed in the light of the sword held by the man Himik called the Hero, I’ve been feeling strange. I have headaches, and I feel sluggish. I used to be confident in my stamina, but for the past few days, I haven’t even had the energy to get out of bed.
“I’m being a nuisance to everyone, aren’t I?” The faces of my colleagues at my part-time job, the first friends I’ve made since coming to Japan, flashed through my mind. My mom mentioned that Jiro-san had called once, but I was experiencing such a severe headache then that I couldn’t even answer the phone. Today, my physical condition is bad, but it’s relatively better, allowing me to be awake like this.
“Mike.” The room was quiet, and for someone used to moving their body through activities like dancing, time spent doing nothing felt tedious. Perhaps it was because I’d slept too much and my eyes were wide open, but I spoke to the other presence inside me, the one I’d kept secret even from Mommy. But…
“As expected, there’s no reply.” When I’m outside the company, it appears less often, but we still talk several times a day. Yet, for the past few days, we haven’t spoken at all. Even if I was low on magic power, there should have been some words of encouragement normally. I don’t think he’s vanished. I can certainly feel the presence deep within my body.
“…What should I do?” But the fact is, something is wrong, and my current poor physical condition might be related to it. I want to consult him, but with my body’s condition, I can’t even go to work. I wish I could at least make a phone call, but I didn’t even have the energy for that, which is why I haven’t done so until now.
“That’s right, email, then, I can do it.” Even if I don’t have the energy to talk, I can at least email, so I reached for my smartphone and grabbed it from the charging cable. After unlocking it, I opened my mailbox and found emails from Jiro-san and everyone else. Each message was unique, and I could tell they were worried about me, which gave me a little bit of energy. As I was about to start typing to reply,
“Hate.”
“Mike?” But my fingers stopped at the sound that echoed from deep within my body. I was sure that voice was Mike’s. But…
“Hate, that light, I hate that radiance!”
“Oww!” The gentle and mischievous voice I usually heard was nowhere to be found. A cold, sharp cry, like being struck by ice, poured out from deep within my body. As if in sync, my headache intensified, and I dropped my smartphone on the floor. But I couldn’t afford to care about that.
“I won’t forgive you! I won’t forgive you!! I will never forgive you!!” I was overwhelmed by a sharp pain, like being hit with a blunt object, and couldn’t think straight. My consciousness blurred, and my vision darkened. I curled up, trying to endure the pain by holding my head, but instead of subsiding, the pain only grew.
“Destruction!! Destruction upon that accursed light!! Ruin!!” Mike is acting strangely. I know only that. And I have a feeling that if this continues, I might disappear somewhere. A sense of crisis spurred me on. Barely enduring the overwhelming headache, I crawled out of bed, tumbled to the floor, and reached for the smartphone I had just dropped. My arm, which didn’t move as if it weren’t my own body, moved desperately. Looking at the smartphone screen, I saw the screen I had just been about to reply to.
“H, e, l, p.” With trembling fingers, my body growing colder, I was scared and tried to escape this chilling feeling of disappearing. I moved my fingers desperately, typing “and” as the last thing and pressing send. That was all I could manage. Please, Jiro-san. My vision went black.
Amelia’s Side END
* * *
Today’s Word: When things happen in succession, it becomes difficult to grasp everything.
This concludes today’s update. If you found it interesting, please leave comments, ratings, and bookmarks.
* The first volume of this novel has been decided to be published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. An e-book version is also scheduled for publication on October 31 of the same year. The content includes revised and expanded material from the version posted on Shousetsuka ni Narou, with the addition of previously unpublished interchapters.
