The Demon Army, misled by Lia’s letter, believed Runbergzach held magic cannon shells. However, they hadn’t granted any paid leave to their working-age Orcs.
“I hear something? From the cave to the north?”
The report came after I had ordered dinner, assuming the day’s work was done. I hurried to the northern cave. Although I couldn’t locate the source with a wide-area mind’s eye, I could hear the sound. It wasn’t a Naga; it sounded like footsteps.
“Call Rufina. And the Dwarf elders too.”
Asking a nearby White Lily to fetch them, I fell into thought. This was likely the Demon Army. Judging a frontal assault too dangerous, they planned to infiltrate through the caves instead.
Honestly, what fools! Did they think I would do nothing just because I knew they were coming? Not when I’m this limited in movement.
My contemplation lasted three seconds. In fact, I was more concerned about how to persuade the elders. If things went as I planned, one option would be eliminated.
That worry vanished with Rufina’s wry smile and the boisterous, overbearing Dwarves. There was no other way, after all. And you, old Dwarf geezer! Stop drinking.
“It seems the enemy has changed their attack vector. Instead of a frontal assault, they appear to be infiltrating from the northern caves. I propose we annihilate them with poison gas.”
My proposal was met with a barrage of opinions and insults. If I wrote them all down, they could fill a dictionary, but essentially, they argued, “This leaves only the eastern mountain range as an escape route,” “Using poison will render the tunnels unusable,” “If you’re going to fight, do it physically without poison,” “Idiot,” “Moron,” “Dunce.”
Ignoring the latter part, I reasoned that if we were to fight, it’s best to minimize casualties. The poison in the tunnels would dissipate over time. Considering the Naga are in the north, the eastern mountain range was our only option. The Naga would be wiped out, so heading north might be feasible, but there was no time to test it now.
I attempted to persuade them at double speed, with double retort, but before I could even fill half of my dictionary, Rufina summoned Rossa and started writing a new one.
“Rossa, go all out. ■■■■, Poison Breath. Thousandfold Toxin.”
“Understood, Master. ■■■■, Poison Breath. Thousandfold Toxin.”
“Retreat!”
The purple mist spat by Rufina and Rossa was drawn into the tunnels. From a distant tunnel, it was blown back towards us. This is a bit excessive. Are those Dwarves collapsing over there okay?
“More! ■■■■, Poison Breath. Ten-Thousandfold Toxin!”
“Understood, Master. ■■■■, Poison Breath. Ten-Thousandfold Toxin.”
This is beyond excessive. How many days will it take for this poison to dissipate? If it’s months, it will disrupt the Dwarves’ lives.
“Too mild! I shall deliver the song of annihilation! ■■■■, Poison Breath. Hundred Millionfold Toxin…”
I finally smacked her on the head. If this were a karaoke competition, do it elsewhere. All performers would be dead. The tunnels fell silent, so quiet it hurt my ears.
“Is it over already…?”
I had forgotten I had picked up a collapsed Dwarf and retreated at Godspeed. Was he still clinging on? With a smile unmatched by anyone, I said, “It’s over,” but the Dwarf wouldn’t let go so easily.
“Hey! You two idiots! You went too far! Think about the consequences!”
The stern critique from the chief judge was lost amidst songs of “It’s been a while, Mikael-sama. I shall take my leave now, Mikael-sama” and “I am in my prime.”
“My apologies, everyone.”
I bowed deeply to the Dwarf elders. I had contaminated the tunnels, their source of livelihood, with poison. It would likely take days of labor to clear the mountain of corpses.
“Now we have no choice but to fight! Gahahahaha!”
That good-natured laughter struck a chord in my heart. I will do my best to protect Runbergzach, at the very least. Especially by making those two idiots work at full throttle.
However, even with such resolve, things don’t always go as planned. But I forgive. I am broad-minded, especially since King Shidenzach appeared with cannon shells.
“Too slow! Old man!”
“We have been waiting for you, King Shidenzach.”
“Bring the cannon shells!”
“It is good that you arrived safely.”
“You have protected it well. Now that I am here, I will scatter the Demon Army! Gahahahaha!”
“Cannon shells, hand them over. Let’s fire them quickly and be done with it. Being stuck in the cave all this time makes me want to complain to the architect of this cave castle who didn’t consider sunlight rights.”
“As expected of His Majesty. Before you, the Demon Army is easier to defeat than twisting a baby’s arm. Your valor will add another feather to your cap.”
After wasting twenty minutes with this old gee… this great Dwarf King in fruitless chatter, he brought two cannon shells, which are now being assembled.
“We couldn’t transport them through the narrow tunnels. I did bring two shells, but even then, they had to be disassembled to be moved…”
After listening to another twenty minutes of his hardship stories, I finally gave my report. I informed him not only of the defense of this cave castle but also that the lord, Lia, was a succubus.
King Shidenzach flew into a rage, declaring, “I will kill her now as a deterrent.” However, I wished to keep her alive a little longer. Preferably, for one more… until the magic cannon fired.
The enraged King entered his study, drawing his sword, clearly intending to strike at the first sight of her. I followed behind him, contemplating the right moment to intervene.
That moment was created by Lia herself. “There are succubi infiltrated in Ashtal too…” Hearing this, I froze, and my chance to stop the King was missed. I ended up knocking His Majesty unconscious with a hand chop, but well, that’s acceptable.
“Is that true!?”
“Yes. There are succubi in Ashtal and in the city of Dembergh.”
This is not good news. If it’s in Ashtal, it’s not as mere Knights, but as high-ranking commanders’ mistresses. In the city, they would be prostitutes. Regardless, the death of a commander is problematic. It affects morale and, in the worst case, can lead to the collapse of a legion.
However, this is good news. If the infiltrated succubi are dealt with, there will be no more worries. We can fight the Demon Army as one. The magic cannon shells have arrived, and I might be able to return tomorrow.
“Succubi can transform into humans, making them indistinguishable. If you take me with you, I can tell you.”
If I take her… in a movie, this is the moment they would take her. They’d take the succubus, cause trouble, solve the case, and in the end, a sympathetic investigator would let her go.
I’m a mercenary, not an investigator. I don’t want to take her and cause trouble. Still, there’s only one way I can think of to expose a succubus. And that one way involves me, which I dislike even more.
Rufina, too, only acts strangely around succubi; she can’t identify them. What should I do… I struck King Shidenzach, intending to kill, with a hand chop and knocked him out. I’m not confident I can stop him now.
Lia, if you had told me sooner, I would have had time to think. Just saying “I want to” will lead to real corpses.
Perhaps I should just have her killed… I quickly summoned Rufina and set things up before King Shidenzach woke up.
“Magnificent, King Shidenzach. To finish her in a single blow is truly worthy of you.”
“Oh, uh, yes… right…”
Lia, the succubus, lay bloody at King Shidenzach’s feet. The King’s sword was stained with blood. The King, in his rage, slew Lia. The tension of moving cannon shells in the narrow tunnels also contributed to his fainting.
Or so goes the fabricated memory by Rufina. Of course, Lia was put into a state of suspended animation so she couldn’t be detected if touched. And this spilled blood is real.
Rufina didn’t spare any of the blood I had as a spare, so I had no choice but to cut my own wrist. I feel terribly unwell now, cold, and sluggish.
The King left the room, satisfied. Regretting that I hadn’t simply fabricated the memory of the entire event, I thought. There was no need to gain favor by inducing suspended animation, nor was it necessary to cut my wrist.
“Rufina, release Lia from her suspended animation and keep her confined. Assign Rossa to guard her, and the White Lily Corps will return.”
Lia was now considered dead. This would enable them to deal with the succubi infiltrated in Ashtal. As for Lia’s fate after this… I’ll think about it tomorrow; I’m sleepy. I, dragging my chilled body, slept alone. …I dealt with three of them.
“Firing, five seconds, four, three…”
The countdown is thrilling. It’s like ushering in the New Year, and the fanfare is the world’s largest. It arrived in time for the Demon Army’s breakfast dessert, and I’m sure they’ll be pleased.
“This is the end, isn’t it…”
Priscilla murmured with deep emotion. This battle was fought leading the new White Lily Corps, Runbergzach’s castle gate was destroyed, and for the first time in a while, I saw the Golden Lycanthrope.
Priscilla likely believes the fierce battle for Runbergzach is over. We were pushed to the brink, but this is our first victory against the Demon Army.
“…two, one, fire!”
An immense roar and violent tremors echoed through the cave castle. A stalactite, large enough to be considered a national treasure, shattered in half. Although we were in a safe zone nearby, the shockwave still sent us flying.
The smoke from the firing obscured visibility. Did it reach the Demon Army!? Did it inflict catastrophic damage!? Did the shell even fire properly!?
Through a gap in the smoke, a mushroom cloud rose from the Demon Army’s encampment. “We won!” I shouted to myself, but I couldn’t hear my own voice.
Did my eardrums burst from the sheer volume? I can’t issue commands like this. I need to confirm the Demon Army’s annihilation and maintain our formation.
“Priscilla-san, Priscilla! Are you alright!?”
I tried to lift Priscilla, who had fallen to her knees, but she brushed my hand away. I wasn’t touching anything strange, you know. I brought my face close to Priscilla’s and shouted loudly.
“Are you okay!? Are you injured!?”
I couldn’t hear my own voice, nor Priscilla’s. Somehow, I understood from her lip movements that she was “okay.” I need to fix my ears first. I pointed my finger to my mouth and gestured for Priscilla to read my lips.
“Priscilla-san, ear treatment, treatment, t-r-e-a-t-m-e-n-t.”
It’s no use. Priscilla is just saying, “Huh?” and not understanding. Besides us, many Dwarves are also suffering from the roar, but I have to do something.
“Priscilla-san, I’ll go find a healing mage. Healing magic…”
It still doesn’t get through. She just says “Huh?” and probably can’t even hear her own voice. I guess I have to find one myself. But is she really unable to hear?
“Priscilla-san, Priscilla-san. What color are your panties today?”
With a swollen left cheek, I went to find a healing mage.
