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Chapter 315

I, Dran Belrest, along with Merle, the most powerful grand magician of the Arcrest Kingdom, arrived at the kingdom’s headquarters, a floating battleship, upon being summoned.

Led by a young attendant assigned as our guide, we stepped into one of the spacious rooms located in the central part of the floating battleship. Inside the ship, communication tubes and channels for transmitting magical power were intricately laid out, making the all-metal interior somewhat cramped.

As we approached our destination, the number of people we encountered decreased, suggesting that they were kept at a distance for security reasons. Merle continued to look dejected and seemed likely to bow and apologize profusely upon seeing Prince Sperion.

This grand witch had a fragile mental state, unimaginable from her fully combative demeanor. While such fragility could be charming in daily life, it might not be welcome in the current situation. Personally, I found this human-like fragility in Merle endearing.

「Merle, please don’t bow and apologize the moment you see Prince Sperion,」

「Oh, did I say that out loud? Or did you read my mind?」

It seemed my guess was spot-on as Merle started to fluster. Unfortunately, it was neither. It was simply based on my experience from our brief but intense time together.

「Merle, you are quite straightforward and honest,」

「Oh, is it my face?」

「Yes, your face. I understand that you regret it deeply, but starting with a bow would only surprise His Highness,」

「Yes, I’ll be careful…」

Following the guide with the dejected Merle, we reached a section guarded by soldiers and magicians whose equipment and training were evidently superior. Prince Sperion awaited us beyond the thick iron door that was opened for us.

In the center of a practically designed, spacious conference room was a rectangular table with Prince Sperion seated at the head, flanked by his knight Charde and a senior advisor, an old man with an owl-like appearance.

Seated at the table were key commanders and strategists of the headquarters, and some leaders of the fortress-type golems from Bern Province participated through magical communication mirrors. My lord Chris and the now-healed Giolda were also among the communication participants. I felt a surge of pride, knowing that Vaj and the others had fought valiantly against the superior Masferow. The allies in the Moles Mountains had fought exceptionally well.

After looking at Merle and me in turn, Prince Sperion spoke.

「Merle, Doran, you fought well in the last battle. Without your valiant efforts, the damage from the battle with the Demon King’s army would have been unimaginable.」

While Merle’s exploits were perhaps excessive, she was the only one in the kingdom capable of fighting two of the Six Demon Generals and emerging victorious, apart from the talents from Bern Province and Renia. It was natural for Prince Sperion to commend her.

Though Prince Sperion maintained a composed demeanor, the magicians and other nobles around him had tense expressions and eyes filled with fear, likely because I had stopped Merle’s final attack.

「Your Highness, your words are too kind. I merely fulfilled my duty as a vassal,」

Though she stuttered and her body was tense with nerves, Merle, who had no ambitions, blushed and responded appropriately. Despite her previous powerful attacks, Merle’s humble demeanor now seemed almost comical or pitiable, causing some nobles to lose their tension.

Knowing Merle as well as I did, I wasn’t surprised by her humility. To others, she might appear unusually ordinary, contrasting starkly with her earlier displays of power.

「As Merle said, we simply fulfilled our duties as members of the Arcrest Kingdom, Your Highness.」

「Excessive modesty is no virtue, but I will take it as a sign of your humble nature. Regardless, your abilities will be crucial in the upcoming battles against the Demon King’s army. Doran, we must also consider Bern Province, Baron Bern.」

Prince Sperion nodded towards Chris, who bowed slightly through the communication device. During the battle, he had suppressed his urge to join the front lines with his Elsparda and Dreadnought.

「We have the advantage in our fight against the Demon King’s army, thanks to the efforts of the dragons from the Moles Mountains and our vassals. But compared to Merle’s feats, our efforts seem insignificant…」

Chris concluded with a bitter smile, looking at Merle. Had we continued fighting the two Demon Generals, Dramina and I would have joined forces and wreaked havoc on the Demon King’s main camp. But as everyone knew, Merle’s powerful strike ended the battle early, significantly reducing casualties on both sides.

「Merle’s power was beyond my understanding. At the same time, the Demon Generals who fought her also showed incredible strength. This made me realize the importance of our alliance with the Romal Empire. Though the war is not over, we must reassess our strategies based on our newfound understanding of the Demon King’s army. That is why I have called this meeting.」

Realizing the unexpected strength of both Merle and the Demon Generals, Prince Sperion and the others had to rethink their strategies. They all bore varying degrees of bitterness, as the notion of an army being routed by a single individual seemed like a nightmare. However, the Demon King’s army, now aware of Merle’s power, would also need to reassess their plans.

Next, the owl-like advisor spoke.

「While Merle’s power was a delightful surprise, we also learned that Assistant Berlrest is a formidable magician, comparable to Merle. I must humbly admit that the magic Merle cast at the end was beyond my capabilities, yet Assistant Berlrest neutralized it effortlessly. My respect for you knows no bounds.」

The magicians present shared the advisor’s awe, casting mixed gazes of fear and respect at me. I had been regarded as the successor to the Arcwitch in the royal court, and this incident seemed to solidify that reputation. Although I had no intention of leaving Bern, the central authorities were unlikely to welcome a local noble holding such power. My trust in Prince Sperion was my greatest asset, and I would need to reaffirm my loyalty and lack of ambition to the kingdom.

「If I had known what kind of magic Merle would cast in advance, anyone could have countered it. I acted on my own to protect the soldiers’ morale, but even without my intervention, the magic would have dissipated just short of harming our allies. Isn’t that right, Merle?」

My statement drew glares from the magicians, filled with the silent thought, 「No one could do that!」 They showed remarkable restraint by not voicing their objections. If someone capable of stopping Merle’s magic had been around her, she wouldn’t have become so isolated, and the kingdom might have used its power to wage wars of conquest.

「Yes. I had adjusted the range to ensure no allies would be harmed. I simply overlooked the fact that it wasn’t apparent to them, which led to Assistant Berlrest’s intervention.」

Merle straightened her posture and firmly declared that she had indeed adjusted her magic to avoid harming allies. Seeing this, Prince Sperion nodded powerfully, his gesture conveying his acceptance of her words.

「We should believe the words of our nation’s greatest grand magician.」

Calling her the 「greatest」 rather than the 「strongest」 was a sentiment I found quite agreeable. Merle, in front of Prince Sperion, let out a small sigh of relief.

「The initial phase of our battle with the Demon King’s army is over. The real fight is about to begin. Given the newfound knowledge of their strength, we must reassess our strategies to avoid missteps. Everyone, I seek your honest opinions on our next course of action. Our kingdom’s survival hinges on it. We need insights from every perspective.」

With Prince Sperion’s words, the meeting resumed with renewed seriousness. Various perspectives on the battle and gathered intelligence were shared without hesitation.

The troublesome aspect was that for the Demon King’s army, 「war」 was not just a means but an end in itself. Descendants of war gods who fled the divine conflicts, they seemed to seek battles with stronger enemies, driving their actions beyond the dark wilderness.

Should they defeat both the Romal Empire and the Arcrest Kingdom, the Demon King’s army would likely prepare for the next war, continuing the cycle of conflict until they were exhausted or destroyed.

「We will hold off the dragons of the Demon King’s army as best we can, but it will be difficult to provide immediate support. However, our swift recovery and healing facilities mean we can return soldiers to the field quickly, giving us an advantage as battles continue. Nonetheless, we cannot afford to prolong the conflict.」

Giolda conveyed the consensus of the dragon kind from the Moles Mountains, prompting commanders of the air units to report their losses and strengths. Regrettably, Arcrest Kingdom’s aerial capabilities, excluding the dragons, were inferior to the Demon King’s army, causing frustration among the commanders.

Despite the challenges, numerous strategies were proposed, evaluated, and dismissed.

Among the ideas were positioning the fortress-type golems and barrier golems I designed as the spearhead for an all-out charge, or moving west to flank the Demon King’s army engaged with the Romal Empire. Each plan, reflecting our many resources, was meticulously debated.

In the end, the conclusion reached was likely one everyone had in mind before the meeting began.

As night approached and the sky darkened to deep purple, I held a private meeting in the command room of the first fortress-type golem 「Berlem」 in Bern Province with Chris, Diadora, Selena, and Dramina.

We gathered around a large table with a map of the Megzes District, illuminated by magical lamps. Before entering the fortress, I checked on Vaj, who had fully healed and was replenishing his strength and magic with a large amount of food, expected to recover completely by morning.

The reason for this assembly was to share the confidential plans formulated after the meeting. After Chris and I explained our future actions, Selena was the first to speak, sitting on her coiled lower body.

「So, Doran, Chris, Dramina, and Merle are planning a surprise attack on the Demon King’s main camp?」

Yes, the war had boiled down to individuals with overwhelming power deciding the outcome. Therefore, it was natural for our side’s powerful individuals—Merle, Dramina, and myself—to be relied upon. Chris’s inclusion, however, was not by Prince Sperion’s nomination…

Selena seemed puzzled by Chris’s inclusion, showing her doubt on her face. Diadora, who had notably assisted in minimizing casualties in the previous battle, directly voiced her suspicion.

「Why is Chris included in this? As the head of the Bern family, shouldn’t she avoid the most dangerous battles, especially without an heir? Isn’t it reckless to send her to the front lines?」

「His Highness didn’t suggest Chris’s participation. The proposed team was Merle, Dramina, and myself. Chris volunteered…」

I glanced at Chris, who, attempting to maintain her dignity, confessed candidly.

「I sold myself to Prince Sperion.」

With a firm expression, Chris’s blunt admission caused Selena to blink in surprise, and Diadora, expecting this, sighed. Dramina smiled slightly, recalling the moment.

Had Chris not been wearing the Agulrua bracelet, her dazzling beauty would have rendered Selena and Diadora unconscious. Diadora questioned her formally.

「You do realize your family would be shocked to hear this?」

「I didn’t think of that. The enemy is strong, and though Doran alone would suffice, Merle’s presence means Doran must hold back somewhat. Thus, more hands would be helpful.」

Chris spoke, understanding her reasoning’s lack of persuasiveness. Everyone knew Chris well enough to see through it.

「How did you get approval? Unless there’s a plan to make Bern a royal territory by eliminating its head…」

Diadora directed the question to Dramina, knowing her insight was reliable.

「Prince Sperion and his advisors seem too preoccupied with the war to think that far. Moreover, Merle’s endorsement of Chris’s participation surprised them.」

「So, it’s because Merle vouched for Chris?」

By now, our female members mostly addressed each other by names or nicknames, with Selena continuing to use 「san」.

「There was also the precedent of Nelnesia’s parents fighting on the front lines. Plus, our measures to prevent casualties reassure them. We’ve proven our survival through our battles against the Demon King’s army.」

All our soldiers and Selena had emergency teleportation devices, ensuring minimal risk. Chris’s inclusion was thus less dangerous than it seemed.

「Oh, right. So, we’ll give Merle one as well. If safety is ensured, she might be overworked.」

「True, but if we end it in the next battle, it won’t be an issue,」

Dramina’s confident assurance made Diadora smile.

Selena, feeling they’d be left out, spoke up.

「Did Merle also recommend Dramina?」

「Yes, she insisted Dramina should join the elite team. Remembering her defeat at the magic tournament, Merle recommended her.」

「Surprising the participants with Bern’s strength, Merle endorsed both you and Dramina.」

Chris acknowledged, recalling the surprise shown by those present at the meeting.

「Merle’s recommendation of you and Dramina shocked the participants,」

While Merle hadn’t directly fought Chris, she vouched for Chris’s strength, which, along with my assertion, and Prince Sperion’s memory of the Abyss Dawn battle, secured her inclusion.

The meeting room’s comment about a hero leading a small elite force to attack the Demon King’s army felt ironic to me and Chris, considering our backgrounds.

「I’m still reliant on Dreadnought, but I can hold my own against the Demon Generals,」

Chris, though still reliant on Dreadnought, could certainly handle high-level demons or Vengetta’s combat puppets. The only issue might be her lack of wide-area attack means and lower maximum firepower, but with Dreadnought, it was not a problem.

「Given Chris’s inclusion, what’s the specific objective of the raid? Are we targeting the Demon King or causing widespread damage?」

Selena’s question was valid. Entering the enemy’s heart without a clear objective would be suicidal.

「Our primary goal is to assassinate the Demon King Yahaam, followed by eliminating as many Demon Generals as possible, reducing their powerful individuals.」

「So, you’re aiming to destabilize their command by removing key figures?」

「Not exactly. Their structure suggests each Demon General commands their forces, so any confusion would be short-lived. We aim to create a power vacuum, leading to infighting for the next Demon King position, buying us time to form a coalition against them.」

「There was a large country with a wolf deity that fought the Demon King’s army. We aim to form alliances and build a defensive network.」

Selena, though understanding the plan, still had concerns.

「Given the enemy’s lineage, do you think the raid will succeed?」

Chris’s reply was simple.

「It won’t be easy. We’re prepared to face all Demon Generals and the Demon King. Fighting them means their soldiers can’t interfere. We aim to gain combat experience and conclude the battle within a day.」

「You seem confident. The Demon King’s army made a grave mistake attacking this era’s Arcrest Kingdom.」

「I agree. If they knew about a reincarnated dragon, they might have reconsidered. With Romal Empire informed, we can finally move in concert.」

Our coordinated efforts and shared intelligence with Romal Empire ensured we wouldn’t be ignored. The dragon kind from Moles Mountains would also engage the false dragons under Masferow.

Expecting to face the Demon King and all his generals, our raid was strategically sound.

「When will we move? Night attacks would benefit Dramina.」

「We’ll strike tomorrow night. We’ll fight as usual until dusk, then retreat. After an hour’s rest, we’ll move. Though it seems like a forced march, it’s different for us,」

Chris, winking playfully, reassured Selena, who expressed sympathy for the Demon King’s army.

「The Demon King’s army has indeed chosen the wrong opponent,」