I drank with Instructor Kio until I was about to pass out for the first time in a while at a sake gathering.
Perhaps it was because of the dragon blood in me, or maybe it was my enhanced body, but even though I set a personal record for the amount of alcohol I’d ever drunk, I had no aftereffects like a hangover.
I felt perfectly healthy, in peak condition as if I could go into battle at any moment.
My consciousness was crystal clear.
With my previous body, I would have been rushed to the emergency room for acute alcohol poisoning; it was impressive that I was fine even after consuming that much. Truly, this is fantasy.
Now, I remember we were drinking until dawn yesterday, which was quite late.
I have memories of emptying barrel after barrel of sake, bottle after bottle appearing.
Fortunately, I had taken the day off, so I had no work scheduled.
So, taking advantage of this, Instructor Kio and I continued drinking until past noon, almost running out of the sake stock he’d brought.
Some might scoff at me for enjoying myself like this instead of attending a funeral, but Instructor Fushio, who isn’t dead in the eyes of those who understand and the Oni, gives his seal of approval, so no one should complain.
“Now, Jiro. Do you know why you and Raidou were summoned before me?”
However, as I stand before the President, who is in a position to reprimand even the instructor, if asked if I have any idea, I should probably answer that besides yesterday’s drinking party, I have no other conceivable reason.
“I have no idea, Chief!!”
Should I also answer that I don’t know, following the example of the instructor who speaks so clearly despite smelling of alcohol all over?
Probably still drinking even after we parted, I think to myself, but I did go home and shower, so that’s not an issue.
I have some excuse available.
“I see. Raidou has no idea. What about you, Jiro?”
But it’s no use.
With Evia standing next to me, I know that excuse won’t hold up.
Any clumsy excuse would surely displease the President.
Therefore…
“Was it because we didn’t invite the President to our drinking party?”
In a way, it’s better to be defiant and confess.
This also conveniently blurs the issue of holding a drinking party after a state funeral.
“Eh? Is that right, Chief? If you had told me, I would have invited you.”
If the Oni instructor standing next to me goes along with this, the conversation will go in an even more absurd direction.
This way, the damage will be minimized… I hope!
Grateful to Instructor Kio for playing along, I await his judgment.
“Hahaha, well, I do have something to say about that. Yes, I myself couldn’t bring myself to believe that Nōraifu was dead. But I am in charge of this country, and appearances matter. I couldn’t possibly abandon state affairs to participate in a private drinking party. Although I wanted to.”
“Demon Lord.”
“Ah.”
The result wasn’t a complete success, but it was within the realm of a correct answer.
The President’s expression, after laughing heartily, was bright as he declared it a shame.
And as Evia pointed out his teasing question about why he wasn’t invited, it seemed the main topic was something else.
“Now, enough with the pleasantries. Raidou, Jiro.”
The harmonious atmosphere vanished in an instant, replaced by a tense one.
“Japan is currently in negotiations with America, and despite being in the midst of war disaster reconstruction, we are also facing a major fire and need to plan our defense against Isal. At this critical juncture, the whereabouts of Undead King Nōraifu have become unknown. The country has no time to search for him. Therefore, he will be officially presumed dead. As a result, two of the Seven Generals’ seats have become vacant.”
The President briefly describes the dire situation of the Demon Lord’s Army, and it was clear they had a packed schedule.
Negotiations with other countries, national defense, disaster reconstruction, and the selection of new generals.
There was a mountain of tasks to be done.
“It would be nice if I could say I don’t know where to start, but unfortunately, as the leader of this country, I cannot afford to complain. We must resolve everything.”
The President, leaning back in his chair with a sigh, showed a flicker of fatigue, a rare sight, considering the treasury wasn’t infinite.
However, there was no hint of despair in his eyes.
“I will continue to rely on Evia for negotiations with other countries.”
The President’s words were seamless as he moved on to the next task.
He stated the schedule in a matter-of-fact tone, relaying Evia’s plans first.
Given this progression, I assumed I was summoned to accompany Evia and provide support, just like before.
“As for war disaster reconstruction and fire response, I’ve assigned Warlock and Lunaria.”
However, that instruction never came, and the conversation smoothly moved on.
I had assumed I was called to escort Evia, but that wasn’t the case. I couldn’t help but ask Evia with my eyes, but she just told me with a look to listen quietly.
So, I resigned myself to the situation and listened intently to the President’s words.
Currently active were Evia, the Giant King, and the Tree King. The remaining individuals were Amili-san, the Machine King, the Dragon King, and the Oni King, Instructor Kio, standing beside me.
“That leaves defense against Isal and the selection of new generals.”
When he said defense, did he mean the frequent incursions from the enemy side, or something related to dungeons?
“Pascal is currently engaged with the Temple and cannot be spared. For dungeon operations, I’ve had Evia arrange for personnel to be assigned to manage them as part of normal operations. As for constructing defense measures, I’ve requested Amili’s assistance.”
This left only Instructor Kio at the President’s disposal. The remaining task was…
“What remains is the vacant General positions.”
“This is the biggest problem,” the President said with a wry smile.
“Since it’s directly tied to power, I’m receiving petitions from all sorts of people, regardless of age or gender, recommending various individuals. Furthermore, those with rigid views are using this opportunity to point out my mistakes and hinder my progress. Simply put, my policies have led to this situation. They argue they can do a better job and that I should make their preferred candidate a General.”
“It’s truly disheartening,” the President said, the source of his stress evidently being internal. I understood. Dealing with internal conflicts is often more troublesome than facing external enemies.
This seems to be a recurring issue in any organization.
But why was he telling me all this?
This kind of information shouldn’t normally be shared with someone of my relatively low rank within the organization.
He continued speaking, unaware that I was outwardly listening but inwardly agreeing wholeheartedly and nodding vigorously. Perhaps the real reason I was summoned was…
“I’ve grown tired of the constant pressure, so I’ve decided to award one of the General positions to the elders.”
“!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Chief. That’s not good, you know. I don’t want that. I don’t want to fight alongside someone I might be stabbed in the back by at any moment.”
Could this decision be considered wise?
Both Evia and the instructors sometimes mention the difficulties they face in organizational management.
Currently, the Demon Lord’s Army generals are personally selected by the President, and while their diverse personalities might make them seem disparate, they are actually more united than one might imagine.
However, with the demise of the Insect Queen and then the Undead King, cracks have appeared in that unity.
Ideally, those gaps should be filled by trustworthy individuals.
If they cannot be filled, it might be better not to fill them at all.
Otherwise, the organizational balance will be severely disrupted.
At this crucial time, when the organization is unstable, there’s no need to exacerbate that instability.
What on earth is he thinking?
Instructor Kio’s denial of the President’s words must stem from his desire to question the President’s true intentions.
He is relinquishing a position that should not be so easily surrendered.
What is the reason for this?
“I want to gather those who would stab me in the back all in one place. I want to expel the rotten elements from the organization once and for all.”
“!”
As I pondered, unable to arrive at an answer, the President made an astonishing revelation.
“Ha, I see. So the General position is a lure.”
The instructor, understanding the President’s true intent, laughed gleefully, recognizing the strategy of using the General positions as bait.
“They likely know this already. However, the position of General is something they desire enough to accept the risks involved. They will aggressively vie for that seat. Whether or not they’ll be caught by a bigger fish depends on your skill, Oniō Raidou.”
Many of the recent and frequent problems have been caused by internal dissent, forcing the Demon Lord’s Army into needless sacrifices.
With the incident involving Instructor Fushio, the President has finally made his decision.
The General position is, as the instructor said, bait.
It appears enticing, but it is rigged with numerous hooks.
Will the opponents swallow the bait whole, or will they be unable to and get hooked?
It’s a competition with the opponent.
And it is Instructor Kio’s role to prepare for this competition.
“Huh? But Chief, am I the one who will be making this selection?”
But, will it be alright?
I’ve had a rather close relationship with this Oni, but if I’m being honest, I don’t think he’s suited for this kind of clandestine maneuvering.
He’s the embodiment of confronting challenges head-on and steamrolling through them.
This sort of behind-the-scenes work seems more suited to Instructor Fushio, Evia, or perhaps Amili-san.
“Yes, that’s right. After all, this is the Demon Lord’s Army, a meritocracy. If you’re going to become a General, strength is an absolute necessity. If you’re weak in direct combat, it’s a non-starter.”
However, the President, undisturbed by my concerns, offered a smile that was far from friendly.
“After all, you can’t prove your strength unless you can ‘defeat’ a current General, can you?”
Ah, this President has no intention of letting anyone win.
He may have verbally agreed to yield one General position, but he has no intention of letting anyone actually attain it.
The instructor is a true trump card, possessing top-tier physical combat abilities.
Is this why he kept the instructor here?
This must be what “wicked smile” refers to.
Evia pretends not to hear anything, shaking her head with her eyes closed.
The instructor, understanding the President’s true intentions, smiles broadly, just like the President.
If the President’s smile is one of malicious planning, then the instructor’s smile could be described as that of a ferocious beast.
“You’re right, Chief. Those who are weak can’t become Generals.”
“Aha. That’s right, Raidou.”
To them, this is simply stating the obvious common sense of the Demon Lord’s Army.
But in their unspoken communication, their ability to read between the lines, their conversation must be something like this:
“If there’s someone I don’t like, I can just beat them up, right?”
“Yes, don’t hold back. Do as you please.”
This is likely the kind of conversation they are having internally.
“Ah, Raidou, I almost forgot.”
“What is it, Chief?”
“Make sure you ‘go easy’ on them. After all, they are precious individuals nurtured by the elders. It’s unlikely you’ll lose, but ‘going easy’ is important nonetheless. Understand, Raidou? You must ‘go easy’ on them.”
He said it three times, as if emphasizing the importance, but it was clear he meant something entirely different.
If he had truly ordered him to throw the match, the instructor, with his firm will, would have refused. But this phrasing…
The instructor’s smile, which can only be described as beaming, must be an act.
“Oh! Leave it to me, Chief! I’ll ‘go easy’ on them for sure!! Though I’m not good at it!!”
This guy definitely has no intention of holding back.
Since Evia is listening, this must be a scene where he is officially ordered to go easy, for appearances’ sake.
“Hahaha! You need to overcome your weaknesses, Raidou! This is a great opportunity! Don’t you think learning to go easy is a good idea this time?”
Alas, poor General Candidates.
You have now been confirmed as experimental subjects for the instructor’s “going easy” technique, with the President’s official approval.
I offer a silent prayer, crossing my fingers in my heart.
I’m sure we’ll get to witness the instructor unleash his full fury during the selection process.
The President is likely delighted, believing this to be a rigged game, and will meticulously investigate the candidates sent by the elders and bring them to heel. Is it that simple? To worry about it would be presumptuous.
This President, when he says he’ll do something, he does it.
He intends to use the selection of Generals as a proving ground to weed out the deadwood, meticulously prepared.
“So, as for Jiro, who is left…”
Come to think of it, I’d forgotten why I was summoned here.
Why was I called here again?
“You are to use the elders’ scheme as a stepping stone to accomplish something.”
This is an unexpected direct order from the President.
I have a bad feeling about this.
“After defeating all the General Candidates, you will fight me in the end and claim the vacant General position.”
…That’s a rather tough assignment.
Today’s Proverb: Sometimes you are told to do something because they believe you can.
Regarding a critique in the comments, after careful consideration, I have made minor revisions to a passage that suggested an inability to return to the past.
Thank you for your continued feedback and for pointing out any typos.
If you find this novel interesting, please leave your comments, ratings, and bookmarks.
*The first volume of this novel is published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.
It was released on October 18, 2018.
The e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year.
The second volume was released on December 19.
The third volume was released on February 20, 2019.
The content includes revised and expanded material from the version posted on Shōsetsu ni Narō, along with unpublished interlude chapters.
Please consider purchasing the new volumes!
I ask for your continued support of this work.
