The return of Instructor Fushio to the Demon Lord’s Army caused quite a stir in various places.
First, in Instructor Fushio’s territory, there was a tremendous commotion. I heard through rumors that Shuri, Instructor Fushio’s wife, who was a ghost, shed tears of joy upon seeing him safe and sound.
The territory was in a state of celebration, and Instructor Kio’s territory and mine were similar. The territories governed by other generals and the areas directly under the President’s jurisdiction were also in a similar mood, creating an overall positive atmosphere within the Demon Lord’s Army.
And that’s where the problem arises.
“Hahaha! Did you see their faces? They were celebrating your return with incredibly awkward expressions.”
“Exactly. They tried to mask their expressions, but their magical fluctuations were severe. It’s hard to understand how they think they’re hiding it.”
“Kaka kaka, I suppose they had their own circumstances. After all, we see that weather vanes have a lot of worries, don’t we?”
It’s the kind of people who aren’t happy about the instructor’s return. Especially for the influential nobles who were eyeing the instructor’s territory and military strength, it meant a direct loss equivalent to the effort they put into acquiring it, so they were understandably unpleasantly surprised.
Just two hours ago, a celebration party for the return of the Undead King was held in the Demon Lord’s Castle hall, with the President leading the way, summoning generals, and leaving only the minimum necessary guards. Nobles from various factions attended, making it one of the most significant parties in the Demon Lord’s Army.
The interactions among the nobles during that party are now being discussed at a private after-party held in a rented establishment in the underground facility.
There are only four people in the room, including myself. Around the central figure of the evening, Instructor Fushio, are Instructor Kio, the President, and myself.
Considering the number of attendees at the previous party, the contrast might seem stark, but if the concept is to drink without restraint and in a relaxed manner, drinking at a place within Evia’s protected domain, where four men can maintain anonymity, is the best option.
The nobles around us seemed to want to curry favor with Instructor Fushio even more to recover from their blunders, but it seems Instructor Fushio will be handling that personally at a later date. For now, they prioritized drinking to their heart’s content at my expense.
Personally, I wish they wouldn’t, but since I was the one who suggested it, I have to keep my promise.
And the conversation that has been going on is about how comical the faces of those nobles, who were trying to gauge the mood, were.
“Jiro, you saw it too, right? Their faces.”
“Yes, it was the same as my former boss’s face when he was desperately trying to hide a blunder.”
I nodded while drinking sake from a regular glass, turning to Instructor Kio, who was drinking heartily, not from a mug, but as if he were drinking from a wine barrel.
“This is a good lesson for you to remember, Jiro. Apart from the few loyal nobles at the top, most are weather vanes. They are constantly thinking of switching allegiances depending on the situation. Of course, betrayal comes with the price of lost trust, but they are good at minimizing that cost. They are creatures specialized in prioritizing their position and survival, even at the cost of a slight drop in their own perceived stock prices. That’s what nobles are.”
And here is the President, enjoying the banquet with a resolve to face the subsequent Death March. Our leader, who is averting his eyes from the reality that will begin at his work start time tomorrow, unlike Cinderella whose magic disappears at midnight, seems to be in the mood for whiskey today. He has been gulping down ten and fifteen-year-old whiskies, famous even in Japan, at a rapid pace.
“Indeed, they act arrogantly towards those below them and fawn over those above. The so-called Noblesse Oblige in this world is only superficially embodied. Most of them are scarecrows who bask in their noble privileges and perform only the minimum governance. It’s always those without power who suffer. You should strive not to become like them.”
Perhaps because they’ve had some drinks, their words are mostly complaints and grievances about the nobles. It seemed like they were satisfied that Instructor Fushio’s return had overturned various noble schemes, but it wasn’t as if they had completely forgiven them. They appeared to be planning to extract everything they could from them. Their demeanor was that of a true evil organization.
The smiles they all wore carried a dark quality that could be described as evil. I can only sympathize with the nobles who are being subjected to such smiles. As someone who has also exerted a check on those interfering with Instructor Fushio’s territory, my sympathy won’t extend to helping them, so I suppose I’m no different.
I nodded silently at Instructor Fushio’s words, and he smiled with satisfaction, taking it as a sign of understanding. Then he downed more alcohol.
Incidentally, the sake Instructor Fushio is drinking now is a vintage wine from a particular region considered a good year. Just finding it is difficult. If you were to buy it, it would cost a fortune. Honestly, without connections abroad, it would have been impossible to obtain it in such a short amount of time. I never expected that simply mentioning I wanted it casually to Kirie-san would result in a diplomat flying over on a chartered plane. Thinking inwardly, “How much do they want connections with me?”, I consulted with Evia, got the President’s permission, and promised to arrange a meeting specifically for that country soon.
In today’s world, this promise, even if it’s just a verbal one, is a great victory for a diplomat. It’s a value that makes even a very valuable vintage wine seem cheap as payment. At the meeting, neither America nor Japan will be involved. The meaning of this was so significant that it took the diplomat several seconds to grasp it, and they seemed incredibly pleased, even asking for a handshake with both hands. For us, it was also a convenient opportunity to gain some connections in Europe.
“Fufu, but this wine from our country is truly delicious. Since we connected with this world, I can’t stop enjoying the difference from the wines of our world.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
If Instructor Fushio is happy with these connections, I feel it was worth the future hardship. Unlike Instructor Kio, who gulps it down, Instructor Fushio sips it elegantly, savoring it on his tongue. There are actually other wine bottles placed near him. After all, you can’t establish connections with just one bottle. Considering the possibility of many countries sending wine, the first country that flew over on a chartered plane transported it in containers, meticulously and carefully managed. Thus, that entire container was presented as a gift for Instructor Fushio’s return, and a portion of it is being showcased at this banquet.
“However, my mind is at ease now that the Undead King has safely returned.”
Although the atmosphere had been convivial, like a drinking party after work, I felt a slight tension as the President spoke. Should I say it was a tense atmosphere? Despite having consumed a considerable amount of alcohol, everyone understood the President’s words.
“Has there been any change in their movements?”
“Ah, they’ve reorganized their military. For some reason, that reorganization has resulted in the forces that aided in the subjugation of Nōraifu being appointed to the vanguard, as a reward for their assistance. They’ve been given ample military resources and placed at the forefront. Furthermore, the command is providing the maximum possible consideration with the resources they can deploy.”
“Is it finally beginning?”
“Indeed. It’s starting the moment I returned. They are quite impatient, aren’t they?”
A war is about to begin. There is no one here who flinches even after understanding this. I’m a little nervous, but the instructors beam with confident smiles.
“However, it looks like the vanguard is a disposable force. On the surface, it appears they’ve given them the honor of leading the charge, but it seems the leaders of the opposing alliance want to preserve their main force.”
“Or perhaps that’s what they want us to think? It gives the impression they’re holding back, but it could be a strategy to conserve our forces and pick us off one by one. Regrettably, while our quality is superior, their quantity is overwhelming.”
“Reproduction and growth are human specialties. Unfortunately, we, with our poor birthrate, take time to recover our numbers. Sustaining our forces with quality is our usual strategy. However, even with superior quality, we can be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.”
“Or perhaps their goal is to make us consider both possibilities and disrupt our coordination. Then they will pursue a third objective. For example, by drawing our attention with a large force, they might send a small, elite unit to target the President’s life.”
Each of them discusses the enemy’s intentions and the accelerated timing of the war, and any of these scenarios are plausible. The instructors and the President don’t dismiss my predictions either; they acknowledge them as entirely possible.
“Hahaha! That’s also a plausible strategy. In the past, many Demon Lords have met their end in such ways. And to them, it’s a sure-fire technique. If I die, the Demon Lord’s Army will collapse. No, it will fracture internally, leading to an era of warlords where many Demon Lords will declare themselves rulers.”
The President, even laughing, advises me to be careful. Perhaps after spending many years at war, one accumulates knowledge of such common tactics. There’s no sign of him being concerned.
“It’s not funny. If that happens, negotiating with Earth will be out of the question.”
While I might have countermeasures, I certainly don’t want to see that future become reality. If the President is defeated, it will undoubtedly be impossible to manage the company on Earth. The Demon Lord’s Army will certainly lose its unity, and it will be chaotic until the next Demon Lord is decided.
“In that case, will you take charge? There are few with your talent among the current generation.”
“No, I lack the experience.”
It’s good that he recognizes my abilities, but I don’t want to think about cleaning up after such a dangerous situation.
“No, Jiro, I’d even serve under you. You defeated me when I was serious. If you want to be the leader, defeat me again, and I’ll call you the great general.”
“Instructor Kio, you’re joking, right? If you’re serious, isn’t that the same as telling me to die?”
I shake my head, asking him to spare me from such nightmares, as Instructor Kio playfully joins in the jest at this drinking party.
“Kaka kaka! That demon over there doesn’t joke about the hierarchy. I never imagined that while I was missing, Jiro would gain enough skill to defeat Raidou, but if that’s the case, I don’t mind serving under you either? However, you’ll have to defeat me first.”
“You want me to defeat both of you? By that logic, I’d have to defeat the other generals too, wouldn’t I? President, please live a long life. Seriously, my stomach will die.”
However, with Instructor Fushio joining in, this matter has become quite serious.
“Don’t worry, I was able to do it. With your rapid promotion, you might be able to do it too?”
Even though I’ve faced everything with my life on the line, I don’t want to imagine a day when the President falls. I have enough trouble managing my current position as a general, so I chug the drink in my hand, trying to shake off such unpleasant thoughts.
“It’s alright. Like me, your stomach will become sufficiently strong.”
“It’s not alright.”
“Hahaha hahahaha!!!”
Listening to the Demon Lord’s Army’s dark humor, the celebration for Instructor Fushio’s return continued with unending laughter until dawn.
Today’s word: A relaxed gathering is the most enjoyable.
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I am currently serializing another work: Pandora Pandemic Panic. The box of Pandora has been opened again, but we are fighting back with various things at our secret base! Please check it out as well!
